There is something cinematic about the trailer for season 2 of HBO's 20-something-themed dramedy "Girls." It reads like the indie film that would garner positive reviews at Sundance, and, if the clip is any reflection of the entire season, Lena Dunham and her team of scribes have honed the voice of the show to embrace the giant question mark that is being in your early twenties.

Highly-anticipated second season delves into all of the relationships that blossomed and decayed in season 1 (the return of creepy artist guy, finally!). Season 2 of "Girls" bows on Jan. 13. Check out the noteworthy trailer here:

For better or for worse, redneck reality TV is far from hitting the hay.

In fact, MTV is dipping its toes in the mud with its latest reality series, "Buckwild."

Skein has an aura of "'Duck Dynasty' meets 'Jersey Shore'," as young adults drunkenly scream with southern drawls about relationship foibles in a backwoods environment peppered with four-wheelers and red Solo cups. And, in case you were wondering, yes there is a moment when someone rolls down a grassy hill in a giant tractor tire after eating "about 14 hot wings."

This is not the first time MTV has experimented with a docudrama placed in a rural southern environment, as the cabler aired a special "True Life" edition titled "The Theriot Family," that some viewers dubbed "the Kardashians gone country." Spesh centered on a family in the Louisiana Bayou family and -- you guessed it! -- all the relationship drama surrounding the teen kids.

As for other programs within the hillbilly genre, "Duck Dynasty" just pulled a whopping 4.9 million viewers in last night's 10:30pm episode.

MTV will debut "Buckwild" on Thursday, Jan. 3 (the former night of "Jersey Shore"...coincidence? I think not!). If you're ready for some drunken mud-slingin', peep the trailer for "Buckwild" here:

The “Two and a Half Men” creator has found his hit CBS sitcom enveloped in controversy all over again with the release Monday of a YouTube video in which 19-year-old cast member Angus T. Jones slammed the show as “filth” inconsistent with his Christian beliefs. He made clear he does not want to continue with the program, though he himself acknowledges in his videotaped comments that he is under contract. More details here.

While Jones may be positioning himself as the moral diametric opposite of Sheen, both of them essentially did the same thing: make self-destructive career moves. Still, it's not too late for Jones to walk this one back before his situation gets as out of control as Sheen's did. As eye-popping a headline as this is providing today, if the controversy is managed properly, it won’t be remembered by next month.

Neither Lorre, CBS or studio Warner Bros. TV wants this kind of headache, certainly not after weathering the storm of Sheen’s highly publicized departure. No doubt they are asking themselves the same question Jones seems to have already answered for himself: whether he should continue on the series.

As juicy as this might be for tabloid fodder, the reality is Jones’ comments don’t do much damage to the show. You could even argue given the truism "there’s no such thing as bad press" that any attention for the show represents a good thing. So all interested parties may not be agonizing over this nearly as much as they did when Sheen aired his issues with the series.

That said, were this happening to “Men” star Jon Cryer instead of Jones, this would be an incredibly serious development. That’s a reflection of the fact that though Jones has proved himself to be a precocious performer over the years playing the incorrigible Jake Harper, the truth is his “Half” status makes him less central to the show as the “Two Men,” Cryer and Ashton Kutcher, and therefore more dispensible.

Lorre, the studio and network could very well be huddling to figure out whether there is a way to write the character out of the show. And they may do that less out of concern for whatever negative attention his remarks bring to the series but out of genuine concern for Jones’ well-being. Ultimately, how this plays out may reflect a balance of the creative impact his departure would make on the show and responsibility toward a valued longtime employee.

Jones’ situation could escalate to a pressing concern if he actually has the temerity to step up his attacks. If his contract penalizes him for disparaging the show, there's legal leverage that can be brought to bear.

Odds are he’s being asked to issue a statement that effectively minimizes or withdraws his previous remarks, or at least he’ll give producers credible assurance that he’ll discontinue his public condemnations for the show.

In all likelihood, all involved already knew full well of Jones’ beliefs. If they have already been creating tensions on the set of the series, this could mark the end of the road for the actor.

It’s not as if producers can do anything creatively to the series to make it more suitable for Jones’ highminded concerns. The truth is, “Men” is filth, albeit of the clever, well-written variety. To clean up the show’s act is to produce something quite different than what it is, which just isn’t going to happen.

Keep in mind it’s quite possible the studio is already planning the end game for the series, which would surprise no one if the current season was made its last. Having Jones pack it in early could end up a nail in the series’ coffin, though it would be a shame if he couldn’t find a place in the finale.

It’s worth noting though that Jones’ youth is a major issue here. This is a teenager who has lived in the bubble of this TV show since childhood. His comments represent someone trying to get a grasp on his identity like any kid his age but with the additional pressures that come with being very well-paid talent in the public eye.

As calculating as his attack of the show might seem, he truly may not have understood the implications of his actions, a reality that has already come crashing down on him.

But considering he is a teenager, what might seem to him a deeply held religious conviction today may not be as important to him tomorrow. If Jones is lucky, CBS/WBTV/Lorre will give him time to figure that out.

While most consumers are busily prepping for the onslaught of this year's holiday season, NBC is prepping one of its Christmas speshes -- for next year.

In a conference call with journos this ayem, NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt teased the net's live broadcast of "Sound of Music," which is targeted to air around Christmastime in 2013.

"We are close to finding our Maria," Greenblatt said. "As soon as we have that in place, we will announce her with great fanfare." Extensive casting and development time for the live show plays to Peacock's favor, since, according to Greenblatt, "we don't want to do this without the right person...It's going to be live, we have to make sure we've got the right star. If it all falls into place, we will be on track for this time next year."

"Smash" producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are already locked down to bring "Sound of Music" to life on the small screen. Net is optimistic that the live musical will draw auds in for real-time viewing as seen with skeins like "The Voice" and alternative programming like football that tend to discourage DVR use.

Greenblatt also discused plans for "Revolution," which sees its frosh season finale this coming Monday, and said Peacock is looking for a way to showcase the first 13 episodes during the quiet period between seasons. ("Revolution" is set to return to NBC on March 25.)

"We're in the process of coming up with a whole plan to keep that show alive [during the breakl]," Greenblatt explained. "There's some original content that may find its way on to digital platforms. It's in the early stages, but I think it's important not to let it completely go [off fan's radar] and then start from scratch again in March."

"SNL" shrewdly pointed out over the weekend that when it comes to breaking political scandal, lack of B-roll footage can turn a cable news broadcast into an endless loop of the same clip, like a high-definition GIF.

As the David Petreaus affair news continued to unfold last week, segment producers were left with little more than a handful of photos and a single video clip to accompany any and all commentary regarding Jill Kelley, key whistleblower in the scandal.

While lack of B-roll isn't as irksome for halfhour news broadcasts like "NBC Nightly News," cable networks like CNN and Fox News are often left filling in the news gaps with photos, video and speculative ramblings while waiting for the story's next plot point.

Here, Jason Sudeikis spoofs CNN and Wolf Blitzer's coverage of Jill Kelley. Questions that remain when it comes to the Petraeus scandal and TV in general: Is Aaron Sorkin toiling away over a Petraeus "Newsroom" script? And is "Wolf Blitzer" the greatest news anchor name of all time?

Or is it "Dallas Raines"?

Netflix has released the first trailer for the streaming service's forthcoming original series "House of Cards."

From Media Rights Capital, digital skein is toplined by Kevin Spacey with David Fincher bringing the iconic look of "Social Network" and "Fight Club" to "Cards." Series marks Netflix's first serious foray in the original series realm after Norwegian-American series "Lilyhammer" provided some precedent earlier this year.

"House of Cards" debuts on Netflix on Feb. 1, right after the presidential inauguration (note the first scene in the trailer for parallels). Netflix will put all 13 episodes out at once at the start of February. For more info, read about Netflix's preem strategy. And check out the trailer here:

Craig Ferguson is finally getting a house band. Sort of, for a week.

Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi fame will have a weeklong stint on CBS' "Late Late Show" from Dec. 3-7 to tubthump his new album, "Aftermath of the Lowdown." Ferguson has often lamented on air about how much he'd like to have a house band, so he hailed Sambora's guest shot as a step in the right direction. And he made it clear he's not picky about what Sambora chooses to do on the show.

“I thought it would be great if you could be the house band on the show, but not necessarily play the guitar. Just you, naked, playing a tiny little harp," Ferguson quipped.

Sambora said no to the naked harp-playing, but he is determined to get Craig behind the drum kit again for a jam. Before the whole comedy thing took off, Ferguson was a journeyman drummer for 1980s punk and new wave bands in Blighty.

(Full disclosure, I was there for the taping of the Sambora "Late Late Show" announcement, to air on Friday, because I'm also guesting on Ferguson that night to mercilessly plug my new book.)

Of all the questions pertaining to the uncertain future of post-election America, one stands head and shoulders above them all: Whither Nate Silver?

Silver became a bona fide pop-culture sensation for his data-driven political prognostication, culminating in accurately predicting election results in all 50 states. There may be nothing more improbable than a stardom earned for calculating probabilities, but that's what the 34-year-old statistician has achieved.

Which makes it all the weirder to think that Silver has essentially outlived his usefulness now that a winner has been named, leaving him with nothing to do but perhaps hibernate until the midterm elections.

But even if Silver himself is pining to return to his low-profile existence, don't bet on it. How's this for a projection: Odds are he's going to become a media fixture outside of just election season. 

Just watch the style of projection he's applied to politics become a prism through which a broader palette of TV and online news can be filtered, from sports--where he already has experience--to science.

Between commanding one-fifth of all traffic to NYTimes.com, which hosts his blog, FiveThirtyEight, and a book, "The Signal and the Noise," currently No. 2 on Amazon's list of top selling books, the success he's experiencing ensures his post-election vacation will be a short one. He's now just as much a brand as he is a man, an alchemy that has turned Silver into the gold standard. 

As he blanketed the airwaves in recent weeks from "The Colbert Report" to "The Rachel Maddow Show" to plug his book, it undoubtedly gave the TV industry a chance to see whether could sustain a regular on-air vehicle of his own. That may not seem likely given Silver comes off with all the polish of the 34-year-old statistician he is, but his geeky charm has its possibilities. A news network could take the half-step of making him a contributor, injecting him into stories that culminate in some kind of prognostication. 

Done right, it's a fine extension of the Silver brand. Done wrong, he's going to come off like Carnac the Magnificent. It's all in the execution.

Silver might deem this a deplorable prospect. Maybe he just isn't comfortable extrapolating his calculations to areas outside of elections and feels it would dilute the integrity of his work.

But no producer with half a brain could have watched the Silver phenomenon without wondering how to steal some wind from his sails. Which isn't to say that the man himself is even necessary to capitalize on the prognostication he popularized, but networks or websites that want to try to give this a go will want to attach themselves to him to get a veneer of credibility.

Still, in calculating his own career possibilities, here's a variable Silver should consider: If he doesn't do it, someone else will. 

HBO's Twitter account unleashed a slew of hashtags and retweets in social-media celebration of the paybler's 40th anniversary yesterday. Brand launched on Nov. 8, 1972, and those manning the Twitter post at the company used hashtag #ithappenedonHBO to emphasize HBO's presence at the forefront of not only TV culture, but pop culture as well.

One tweet said "Inspiring @Time magazine to ask 'is Feminism dead?' #ithappenedonHBO (Turns out, it just needed a martini.)" and featured a photo of the "Sex and the City" cast.

"SATC," arguably the most iconic femme-forward series of all time, came to a close on the paybler in 2004, though debates about the show's implications regarding women's perception of themselves, pop culture and, yes, feminism, remain.

This year, HBO launched "Girls," a comedy that was bound to draw comparisons to "SATC": four females living in New York, exploring their relationships, the lead is a writer. While the outline of "Girls" bore stark resemblance to "SATC," the series itself breathed a different tone from the millenial Carrie Bradshaw hit.

"Girls," for one thing, is a rawer, more awkward look at the lives of today's post-grad femmes and lacks the glamour that glowed around each scene in "SATC." The four lead women on "Girls" also defy clean characterization, swaying between moments of conservatism and wild exploration of their sexuality. (Samantha on "SATC," however, remained defiantly sexual throughout the skein.)

But like "SATC," "Girls" has inspired conversation about what it means to be a woman in today's world, and with that conversation comes the weight of being the exemplar for femmes in modern culture. Season one episodes of "Girls" covered topics from HPV, to abortions, from bisexuality, to struggling to pay rent. And viewers flocked to the show, hailing it as one of the most relatable series in recent memory. Instead of dubbing themselves a "Carrie" or "Samantha," young women tweeted "#iamsolikeHannah."

HBO wisely took to youth-skewing Twitter to market the series, launching the @girlsHBO Twitter and conceiving hashtags that fans began using on their own social media sites. #GIRLSATHON was tagged during multiple-episode airings of the skein, and #TeamAdam showed support for the sexually deviant yet lovable romantic interest of Hannah.

One hashtag, #mistakesGIRLSmake, became such a hit with fans that HBO launched merchandise like t-shirts featuring the phrase.

#mistakesGIRLSmake initially showed up on Twitter as a light-hearted recap of the leads' foibles in each episode of "Girls," mimicing the self-deprecating tone of the characters themselves. But, the hashtag eventually led to Twitter users tweeting their own stories with #mistakesGIRLSmake attached to them.

"I accidentally brought a pair of worn underwear to work...mixing your work bag with your travel bag #mistakesGIRLSmake," tweeted one fan of the show. "Eating ice cream and Doritos after working out #mistakesGIRLSmake" tweeted another.

The @girlsHBO handle doles out "mistakes" from the show along with real-life examples: "I have been dating someone who treats my heart like it's monkey meat. -Hannah #mistakesGIRLSmake," tweeted @girlsHBO. "Forgetting to shave both legs" was another tweet with the hashtag attached from the show's Twitter account.

Even @HBO jumped on board the hashtag, asking users what #mistakesGIRLSmake viewers would like to see in season 2 of the show. "Mistakes" is now a word commonly used by HBO's social media team when discussing "Girls" content.

One of the brilliant elements of "Girls" is the self-deprecating, realitistic tone maintained throughout each episode. The characters' bodies are not Hollywood-perfect, their habits are flawed, and their relationships are blurred and frustrating in the same way the relationships of many average 20-somethings are.

The #mistakesGIRLSmake hashtag, though, has transformed the acceptance that the show inspires to something less positive by dubbing these relatable on screen instances, well, "mistakes."

Hannah's late night binges or dubious moves with Adam led viewers to feel their lives -- and consequently their foibles -- were finally being displayed on TV, and in a non-pejorative manner. It created an implicit sisterhood of sorts that the @girlsHBO handle was able to bank on. While the hashtag and social media efforts are by all means well-intentioned and have been warmly welcomed by femme fans on Twitter, #mistakesGIRLSmake highlights a crucial difference between "Girls" and its predecessor skein "SATC."

While "SATC" raised questions about how it portrayed women -- how can Carrie afford rent when she buys designer duds? Is her pandering to Big a slap in the face to her supposed independence? -- the show never stamped Carrie or the other lead characters' decisions with the "mistake" mark. What's more, the show never tried to capitalize on the poor decision making with a marketing campaign shaped by a slogan about the said "mistakes."

HBO's main Twitter was right: "SATC" did not signal the end of feminism as Time Magazine once suggested. And though it displayed requisite drama with boyfriends and style and gal pals, it was not a slap in the face to the socio-political progress made by women throughout the '80s and '90s. Instead, it shifted commonly held notions about what it meant to be a thirty-something female.

And "Girls," without a doubt, displays a revolution in terms of how twenty-something women are portrayed on TV.

But with a hashtag that adds momentum to female stereotypes (even if done in a comical manner), that revolution can feel uncertain. Perhaps we will reach a point as viewers where a character's questionable decisions and debatable relationships are not seen as mistakes, but rather as something far more simple -- just life.

Until then, HBO will be able to add another marker to its 40th anniversary hashtag.

Undercutting a skein's progressive tone through social media? #ithappenedonHBO.

With all of the talk of education providing opportunity during the apex of the presidential campaign, it seems fitting that today mark the start of a weeklong "Television 101" seminar hosted by the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences Foundation for select educators around the nation.

5-day retreat and seminar in Los Angeles features some of the TV industry's best and brightest providing insight and behind-the-scenes know-how to upper level teachers who specialize in television and media studies. Teachers attending the 2012 Faculty Seminar hail from universities like University of Notre Dame, Penn State and Northwestern.

Now in its 25th year, this year's Faculty Seminar will include industry members like Cynthia Cidre ("Dallas"), DeAnn Heline ("The Middle"), R.J. Cutler ("Nashville"), Michael Goi ("American Horror story"), and Kelley Dixon ("Breaking Bad"). Major broadcast nets are also lending their execs for off-the-record panels.

"In order to shape the television executives of tomorrow, we must first begin with knowledgeable educators today," said Norma Provencio Pichardo, executive director of the Television Academy Foundation.  "The Television Academy Foundation's Faculty Seminar serves as an invaluable resource for the advancement of television studies.  We're so grateful that the TV producers, executives and digital professionals who are shaping and changing our industry have embraced our program and are so generously giving their time and expertise."

 20 educators total will take part in the TV Acad Foundation's Faculty Seminar. Event runs through the end of the week.