Kick Ass

As major networks announce their programming, MTV News picks the shows that will have you glued to the screen.By Fallon Prinzivalli Mindy Kaling Photo: Getty Images May is the month that has television fans rejoicing or mourning as TV networks, at their upfront presentations, announce which shows are being picked up, which are being renewed and which are getting the ax. The fall lineup looks particularly interesting as Deadline reports what's in store for CBS, the CW, Fox and NBC. From a "Sex and the City" prequel to a daring dystopian drama from J.J. Abrams, we've picked the shows that'll have us glued to our small screens for their debuts come the fall. The first show on our list is "Partners," based on the real-life friendship of a straight guy and a gay man. The series will star Michael Urie of "Ugly Betty," Sophia Bush of "One Tree Hill," David Krumholtz and Brandon Routh. CBS picked up the comedy along with "Friend Me," a show following Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Nicholas Braun as two best friends who move from Bloomington, Indiana, to Los Angeles to begin their new jobs at Groupon. Even though this sounds heavily like the male version of "2 Broke Girls," Mintz-Plasse's work in "Superbad" and "Kick-Ass" has us interested in the pilot. One of the reigning networks in teen television, the CW, picked up the highly anticipated "Sex and the City" prequel, "The Carrie Diaries." The show centers on a young Carrie Bradshaw navigating the ups and downs of high school in the 1980s (and always looking fabulous while doing so). Along with Miss Bradshaw, the channel also chose "Arrow," based on DC Comics' "Green Arrow." The series will turn the protagonist into less of a superhero and more of an action star in the same vein as Jason Bourne. And although the CW canceled "Ringer" and "The Secret Circle," the network picked up "Gossip Girl" for its final season. Maybe this will prompt Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf into a final romance? We can only hope! Over in Fox-land, they've renewed hit shows "Glee," "Fringe" and "The X Factor" as well as the breakout series "New Girl." Added to the lineup is "The Mindy Project," a single-camera comedy by Mindy Kaling following a woman's anxious attempt to rid herself of all her bad habits. "After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend's wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger's pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby?" Deadline asks when describing the show. Apparently, not enough — we'll be watching! Also chosen by the network is "The Goodwin Games," centering on three grown siblings who return home following their father's death. When they're made aware of their unexpected $20 million inheritance, they must go through a series of tasks their father left behind before they can claim their money. So no, folks, there won't be blood; this isn't a small-screen take on "The Hunger Games." But speaking of dystopian dramas, after renewing veteran comedy "The Office" and the popular reality series "The Voice," NBC picked up a new series produced by J.J. Abrams called "Revolution." The show centers on the world 15 years after the electricity is mysteriously shut off and families are living quiet lives aided by candlelight and lanterns. When one young woman's father is murdered by the militia, she sets off on a journey with two unlikely companions to discover what happened in the past and how to retrieve their lost future. Do you think this is all Dharma's fault? Which shows are you excited to watch this fall? Tell us in the comments.

Burning kids, breaking vows and snapping necks are the topics of conversation on this week's 'Thrones.'By Josh Wigler Alfie Allen in "Game of Thrones" Photo: HBO Is there such a thing as going too far on "Game of Thrones"? Just ask the charred toddler hanging on the walls of Winterfell — he'll have an answer, I'm sure. Season two has already seen no fewer than four of its currently aired seven episodes conclude with the death of a child in increasingly brutal fashion. And "A Man Without Honor" — the 17th hour of the series — was perhaps the cruelest of the bunch, thanks to Theon Greyjoy. Not quite the boy-monster that Joffrey is, Theon is definitely giving him competition for the show's Most Loathsome Villain award. Even though the golden-haired demon child sat out of this week's outing entirely (ironic, given the title of the episode), Joffrey's presence hung heavily through Sansa and Cersei, both of whom are afraid of the boy king, but for very different reasons. Oh, and did we mention that a certain little kingslayer made his ugly comeback this week? Learn all about that and more in the rest of our "Game of Thrones" recap. Better to Be Cruel Than Weak If Theon is truly lost, then he's finding his way back to himself through fire and blood, just like Dany. Unlike Dany, his version of "fire and blood" includes murdering innocent children to further his own agenda. Theon has very clearly lost it at this point. In addition to slaying kids who may or may not be Bran and Rickon (you know the rule of fiction, guys — unless you see a character die, they're never really dead), he's taken to physically harming every single person who opposes him. Poor Ser Rodrik was just the tip of the iceberg. You Know Nothing, Jon Snow North of Winterfell and well beyond the Wall, the crow Jon Snow and the wildling girl Ygritte are having themselves a grand old time. Well, not grand, but certainly sexually charged. It's funny to see someone speak in such a way to Jon. He's not the man of the Night's Watch he thinks he is, not in Ygritte's eyes; to her, he's just "a boy who's never been with a girl." She's not wrong, really. But all of that might change now that the roles have reversed and Jon's become Ygritte's captive. Also, fans of the books, were you as psyched as I was to hear Ygritte spit out her most famous line to Jon? We'll be hearing plenty more "you know nothings" as the season progresses, I bet. The Lion King and the Wolf Girl If the Emmys had a Best Onscreen Duo award, I'd make a strong case for Charles Dance and Maisie Williams. Their scenes as Tywin and Arya in the ruins of Harrenhal are swiftly becoming the best scenes of the season. Some out-of-context dialogue highlights: "This will be my last war, win or lose." "Do you think I'd be in this position if I'd lost a war?" "Careful now, girl. I enjoy you, but be careful." "You're too smart for your own good. Has anyone told you that?" Dance and Williams just clearly get a kick out of each other, and their chemistry is infectious. Great stuff. Love Your Children Down south in King's Landing, there's no sight of Joffrey Baratheon, yet the Lannister-in-stag's-clothing remains a hot topic for his surrounding court. Sansa Stark makes the bloody discovery that she's now able to bear Joff's children, a realization that she unsuccessfully tries to keep from Queen Cersei. Surprisingly, when giving Sansa advice, Cersei doesn't even really recommend that Sansa work towards falling in love with Joffrey some day — "You can try," she says skeptically, but her real advice is to "love no one but your children." She's having trouble listening to her own words, as Joffrey's continued cruelty pushes the Lannister matriarch further and further away from her son. Uniquely Unfit for Constraint In further Lannister news, "A Man Without Honor" saw the not-so-triumphant return of Jaime Lannister for the first time since the season premiere. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stole the show this episode, as he tends to do whenever he's onscreen. But I'm glad it's taken us this long to see him again — absence makes the heart grow fonder, even if a murderous prison escape makes it grow a little firmer in the end. Aside from seeing Jaime again, the Stark Camp story reached some other notable moments that should have fans of the books grinning: the furious introduction of Rickard Karstark, the developing creepiness of Roose Bolton, and the first mention of the MIA Barristan Selmy in what feels like ages. Yeah, remember that guy? Got a funny feeling we'll see that bold warrior again soon. ... Undying Love Finishing up all the way in Essos, we return to the plot point that's got my head spinning most: Qarth. So, Xaro Xhoan Daxos is in cahoots with the warlocks of the House of the Undying to kill the rest of the Thirteen and become the king of the greatest city that ever was or will be? And they took Dany's dragons, pretty much just to prove a point? Needless to say, these are more things that never happened in George R.R. Martin's novels. And once again, not sure what to think about all of these alterations, except that I think they're way too melodramatic for melodrama's sake. That said, while I'm not a fan of where the story's gone, there's no denying that Ian Hanmore is thoroughly disturbing as blue-lipped baldy Pyat Pree, and the potential for an incredibly unsettling House of the Undying scene is certainly there. In Previous "Game of Thrones" News ... » Amrita Acharia reveals killer secrets » "Game of Thrones" throws out the book » The king is dead » The birth of the Shadow Baby » Robb Stark finds love What did you think of this week's "Game of Thrones" episode? Tell us in the comments section! Related Videos Watching The 'Thrones'