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Photo courtesy of HBO Why Sunday's Big Game of Thrones Death Was a Very Necessary Departure from the Books So why did Dan Weiss and David Benioff decide to bump off Mance on the show? Well, for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s pretty clear that the mission statement of this season is “efficiency.” I’m a huge fan of the books, but if you’ll forgive me for saying so, Martin’s fourth and and fifth novels could have used a lot of editing. That’s essentially what Weiss and Benioff are doing here. They’ve obviously gotten rid of the whole plot with Mance Rayder’s baby (so, apparently, that book story line doesn’t pay off in a significant way), and without that plot there isn’t a real reason to keep Mance around. Kate Mulgrew's Drama From Real Life Actress Kate Mulgrew has revealed she gave a child up for adoption in her early 20s because she felt she was too young to become a mum. The Orange Is The New Black star has detailed the heartbreak of discovering she was with...

Avery (Jonathan Jackson) and Glenn (Ed Amatrudo) in ABC's Nashville . Photo Credit: ABC/Mark Levine On this week's new Nashville , Juliette finally tells Avery about her pregnancy, in a text message ("I'm pregnant. It's yours."). In the episode, titled "Road Happy," Juliette frets over hiding her pregnancy before filming a sex scene with movie star Noah West (Derek Hough). Rayna flies her kids to meet her on tour, but learns that her increased fame now that she's engaged to Luke is making Daphne feel entitled, while Maddie is simply miserable. Kiley (Alexa PenaVega) tells Gunnar she's leaving town, Will starts making careless mistakes in his personal life, and Scarlett is inspired by a homeless man (Mykelti Williamson) she meets while songwriting. Watch a sneak peek video below:

Connie Britton stars as Rayna Jaymes on ABC's Nashville . Photo Credit: ABC/Mark Levine On this week's new Nashville , Juliette opens up to Rayna, and Deacon has an admirer on tour. In the episode, titled "I Feel Sorry For Me," Rayna goes after Sadie Stone as a new artist to sign to her record label Highway 65. In order to woo her, Rayna invites Sadie out for a girl’s day on the town, which she thinks may help to seal the deal. Juliette continues to try her best at hiding her pregnancy but when she starts to have stomach pains and mood swings, she has to let down her wall. Later, an assertive and sultry backup singer takes a liking to Deacon but his down in the dumps attitude does nothing but shut her out. Then, Zoey witnesses odd behavior between Scarlett and Gunnar and lets her inner jealousy get the best of her. She tries to mend things at the Bluebird but they end up backfiring terribly. Meanwhile, Avery continues to use alcohol to drown his sorrows, which on...

Derek Hough and Hayden Panettiere on ABC's Nashville . Photo Credit: ABC/Mark Levine On this week's episode of Nashville , Derek Hough ( Dancing with the Stars ), Alexa PenaVega and Brette Taylor begin arcs in recurring roles. In the episode, titled "I Can't Get Over You To Save My Life," Rayna sets a wedding date which reverberates through the lives of those she loves. Juliette struggles to manage her secret which could prevent her from getting a career-defining movie role, and she meets the leading man (Hough) who would play her love interest if she got the part. Luke's new back-up singer, Pam (Taylor), makes her presence known, Gunnar gets a visit from his first love, Kiley (PenaVega), and Layla decides to wield her power over Will. Watch a sneak peek video below:

Connie Britton and Luke Bryan on ABC's Nashville . On this week's episode of Nashville , Laura Benanti begins her recurring role as Sadie Stone, plus country music sensation Luke Bryan and Good Morning America news anchor Amy Robach guest star as themselves. In the episode, titled "How Far Down Can I Go," after Will's debut album bumps Rayna's to second place, she's more determined than ever to make Highway 65 and her record a hit. In turn, she decides to pursue some new and unexpected opportunities for publicity, including a visit to Good Morning America where her friend Luke Bryan surprises her on stage. Layla becomes especially disgruntled about her fleeting career and pressures her husband Will, Edgehill Records' new #1 artist, to help her rebuild it. Meanwhile, Juliette deals with some life-changing news and prepares for a big audition, where she runs into some familiar competition. Then later, Maddie continues to act out while Deacon deal...

Tony Award winner Laura Benanti will recur for several episodes in ABC primetime serial Nashville as Sadie Stone, an up-and-coming artist in the country music biz, Deadline reports. Sadie befriends Rayna James (Connie Britton) in Season 3. Benanti and Britton shared their excitement about the casting on Twitter. @LauraBenanti oh thank the lord...I've been dying to say something already! Get yer ass over here girl!!! Honored to have you joining us! — Connie Britton (@conniebritton) July 30, 2014