How much are networks shelling out to bring Hollywood stars to TV?

In this age of proliferated programming, marquee names have become essential to bring sizable audiences to shows. And the competition among networks and producers has driven industry salaries to new heights.

At its height, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman reportedly negotiated $1 million salaries for the upcoming second season of HBO's Emmy-winning drama, "Big Little Lies."

Jim Parsons of CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" made headlines last month for walking away from a reported two-year, $50 million paycheck for two more seasons of the sitcom, which CBS subsequently decided to end in 2019.

On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the five central stars of the NBC drama "This Is Us" renegotiated their contracts to make $250,000 each per episode for the show's third season.

Here's how much the highest-paid stars on TV are earning per-episode:

Note: Some salaries may include producing fees.

Jethro Nededog contributed to a previous version of this story.

SEE ALSO: Jim Gaffigan on turning down Netflix to make his latest stand-up special 'available to everyone,' and exploring cathartic material about his wife's brain surgery

$1,000,000 — Nicole Kidman, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

$1,000,000 — Reese Witherspoon, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

$1,000,000 — Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)

Source: Variety

• Chrissy Teigen appeared on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live" on Monday and was asked if John Legend and Kanye West were "awkward at all" at her baby shower in April.
• The question was sparked by West posting screenshots of text messages between him and Legend at the time, which focused on their opposing views on President Donald Trump. 
• Teigen said that there's no bad blood between the two musicians, and her husband "still stands by everything he said."
• "Nothing fazes him [Legend], really," Teigen said. "I like to get that awkwardness out of there. Let's squash it, let's talk. They've had a good conversation there."

Chrissy Teigen is weighing in on the beef between Kanye West and John Legend— and says that her husband "still stands by everything he said."

During an appearance on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live," one caller asked Teigen if it was "awkward at all between John and Kanye at your baby shower after Kanye posted John's texts about Trump?"

The fan was referring to West posting text messages between him and Legend in regards to their opposing views on President Donald Trump. The rapper has been outspoken about his support of Trump, while Legend and Teigen have expressed their contempt.  

In response to the question, Teigen said that the "All of Me" singer wasn't deeply affected by the disagreement. 

"John had to live with me for like, 12 years now," the model and cookbook author said. "Nothing fazes him, really. I like to get that awkwardness out of there. Let's squash it, let's talk. They've had a good conversation there. It really wasn't. It's hard for me to feel uncomfortable." 

When "WWHL" host Andy Cohen said that Legend "had to be pissed" that West posted their private conversation on Twitter, Teigen said: "He didn't know that was going to happen, but also, he still stands by everything he said. It's fine."

In April, Kanye West posted screenshots of texts, where Legend told the rapper: "I hope you'll reconsider aligning yourself with Trump. You're way too powerful and influential to endorse who he is and what he stands for. As you know, what you say really means something to your fans. They are loyal to you and respect your opinion."

Legend also encouraged the 41-year-old to not "let this be part of your legacy. You're the greatest artist of our generation."

In response, the "All Mine" rapper said: "I love you John and I appreciate your thoughts. You bringing up my fans or my legacy is a tactic based on fear used to manipulate my free thought."

West added that he stood by his view.

"I respect everyone's opinion but I stand my ground," he said. "If you feel something don't let peer pressure manipulate you."

Following the disagreement, both musicians were seen smiling and taking a photo together at Teigen's baby shower. 

"We got love. Agree to disagree," West wrote after sharing a snap of him and Legend. 

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NOW WATCH: Medical breakthroughs we will see in the next 50 years

• Bindi Irwin told INSIDER that the best lesson she learned from her dad, Steve Irwin aka The Crocodile Hunter, was about spreading joy and positivity.
• She continues to spread his message of wildlife conservation and optimism.
• She also keeps the message of positivity on her social media. 

Bindi Irwin uses enthusiasm and positivity to change the world, a lesson she says she learned from her late father, conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin aka The Crocodile Hunter.

"There are so many things going on in the world, but if we're able to educate everybody in a positive way and hold onto the light in everyday life, that's how we'll be able to make a difference," Bindi told INSIDER. "[My dad] always said there's so much hope in the world, and we can achieve so much if we just believe in ourselves...Dad was always incredible at always being uplifting and carrying everybody on the journey."

The 20-year-old has continued to follow in her father's footsteps and is a dedicated conservationist, living and working at Australia Zoo with her mother, Terri, and brother, Robert. The Irwin family's conservation efforts and daily life at the Australia Zoo will be documented on Animal Planet's new series "Crikey! It's the Irwins."

Bindi, who was eight when her father died, described her dad as a "living hurricane" and said every bit of enthusiasm and optimism he showed on camera was real.

"I love the fact that dad just enjoyed every single second of life," she said. "He was the one who always told me to stand up for what I believe in, and he really taught me to be courageous. I hope he'd be proud of everything we've achieved." 

The young conservationist carries that message of positivity to her social media pages where her followers can find uplifting quotes, throwback photos of her father, and images documenting the lives of animals in the zoo. 

"I think with my social media, I really wanted to create a space where people could find happiness and just let go of all the other crazy things happening in the world," she said. "I hope that if someone reads one of my posts and they find a little happiness or a little inspiration to continue on with their day, then I've done my job...I think that we should all just embrace the positive and remember to use social media as a power for good." 

"Crikey! It's the Irwins" will premiere Sunday, October 28 at 8 p.m. ET on Animal Planet.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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NOW WATCH: Apple might introduce three new iPhones this year — here’s what we know

As the fall TV season gets underway, a few fan-favorite shows are returning with new seasons next month.

To find out which returning series audiences are anticipating the most for October, the TV tracking app TV Time analyzed data from its 13 million global users to see which upcoming TV series viewers had followed the most frequently on its app.

The list includes the upcoming seasons of Netflix shows like the animated comedy "Big Mouth" and "Marvel's Daredevil," along with the latest season of The CW's hit series "Riverdale."

Here are the 5 returning shows that viewers are anticipating the most for October, according to TV Time:

SEE ALSO: The 5 most anticipated new TV shows premiering in October

5. "The Walking Dead" (Season 9) — Premieres October 7 on AMC

Summary:"We see our survivors a year and a half after the end of the war, rebuilding civilization under Rick’s steadfast leadership. It is a time of relative peace among the communities as they work together, looking to the past to forge the future, but the world they knew is rapidly changing as man-made structures continue to degrade, and nature takes over, changing the landscape and creating new challenges for our survivors."

4. "Castlevania" (Season 2) — Premieres October 26 on Netflix

Summary:"A vampire hunter fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly beasts controlled by Dracula himself. Inspired by the classic video games."

3. "Riverdale" (Season 3) — Premieres October 10 on The CW

Summary:"While navigating the troubled waters of sex, romance, school and family, teen Archie and his gang become entangled in a dark Riverdale mystery."

• "This Is Us" returned for its third season Tuesday.
• The show introduced a new mysterious "her" in relation to Toby. 
• Randall and Tess give Toby a call to see if he wants to join them in a visit to see "her," but they never mention a name. 
• In a potentially missed detail, it seems that Toby isn't wearing a wedding ring even though he was married to Kate. 

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NOW WATCH: Medical breakthroughs we will see in the next 50 years

2018 has been a pretty good year for television, but not for new network shows. 

Most of the new shows that have come from the big broadcast networks feel like they've been done over and over again, like the medical drama "New Amsterdam" on NBC. And others, like ABC's "A Million Little Things," feel like knock-offs of successful shows like "This Is Us."

In fact, network television has had a bad year generally, delivering many unwatchable or mediocre shows. While there are some promising new shows on the networks like CBS' "Murphy Brown" reboot and ABC's "Single Parents," most are performing poorly with critics and audiences. 

We rounded up the worst new fall TV shows on the networks, ranked according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

We also included each show's description from the network, the Rotten Tomatoes audience score (which often differs from the critic score), and a revealing quote from a critic.

Here are the worst new TV shows of the 2018 fall season:

SEE ALSO: The 5 most anticipated TV shows returning in October

"New Amsterdam"— NBC

Description: A new medical director breaks the rules to heal the system at America's oldest public hospital.

Critic Score: 29%

Audience Score: 77%

"Even if you are familiar with television's tendency to make shows about great white-dude geniuses who tell everybody else what's what and inspire the uninspired, the bluntness of the instrument at issue here might surprise you." -Linda Holmes, NPR

"A Million Little Things"— ABC

Description: A group of friends become motivated to living fuller lives after the unexpected death of a close friend.

Critic Score: 36%

Audience Score: N/A (the show premieres Wednesday, September 26)

"A weepy wannabe from the This Is Us playbook that doesn't build much of a case for caring about the characters, much less weeping over them." -Verne Gay, Newsday

"I Feel Bad"— NBC

Description: Em et, the perfect mom, boss, wife, friend and daughter, is learning to be okay with being imperfect.

Critic Score: 43%

Audience Score: 44%

"When it's not burying us in an avalanche of creaky sitcom clichés, it's creeping us out with inappropriate sex jokes. ... All I could think while watching is: They cancelled Great News for this??" -Dave Nemetz, TVLine

Warning: There are some minor spoilers and potential spoilers ahead for "The Walking Dead."

The upcoming ninth season of "The Walking Dead" will be Andrew Lincoln's final episodes on the show, and the fans aren't the only ones having a tough time saying goodbye to Rick Grimes. 

"I think I'm still in denial," executive producer, director, and makeup supervisor Greg Nicotero told INSIDER of Lincoln leaving the AMC zombie drama. "I keep thinking he's still going to walk down the hallway."

Lincoln confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con season nine will be his last on "The Walking Dead" as the show's main star. Lincoln told fans he wanted to spend more time with his family and young children. His departure comes a season after Chandler Riggs, who played Lincoln's son Carl, was unexpectedly killed off the show. 

Nicotero was a part of "The Walking Dead" a year before the show went into production mid 2010. Back then, he was the zombie guy, helping to figure out how to bring the dead to life, overseeing the makeup and special effects of the walkers. 

Over eight years, he forged a close relationship with stars Lincoln and Norman Reedus, who plays fan favorite, Daryl Dixon. He also expanded to become a producer on the series and has directed many season premieres and finales for the show.

"I've grown into the filmmaker that I am, with Andy at my side and with Norman at my side. I watched him as an actor, and he watched me as a makeup effects artist, and became the producing director on the show," said Nicotero, looking back on his time with Lincoln.

"We've shared a lot. This season, Andy has great instincts," he continued. "Every time we get together, and it's an episode that I'm directing, we'll get together at my house, and we'll read the scripts together. He'll do his character, and then, I'll read the other characters, and we sit, and we dissect the story, and we dissect the script, and we make sure that it feels authentic to who we believe the characters are. It's been an amazing opportunity to collaborate with an actor like him, and a friend like him. It's still weird. It's so weird."

In addition to the premiere, Nicotero told INSIDER he will direct Lincoln's final appearance on the show this fall. The only other episode Nicotero directed for this first half of season nine is its fifth episode, "What Comes After." So expect five more episodes with Mr. Grimes. 

What can fans expect? 

"It's a magnificent episode. I don't want to get into it too much, because I don't want to really ruin anything," Nicotero teased of Lincoln's final episode.

"It's, the storytelling aspect of it, and his journey really, really touches upon some of the highlights of the show over the past eight years. It was a delight to craft the episode, so it's a really unique situation, and we had a great time making it. Even though it was sad, I think all of us were sort of in a little bit of shock. The direction that the show has gone in, in the remaining episodes of season nine, have got some fantastic actors. I love all of them. They're unique. They're interesting. They're thought-provoking."

While Nicotero and AMC have been trying to keep the details of Rick's final episode under wraps, reports from Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter confirmed former "TWD" star Jon Bernthal, who played Rick's best friend Shane, will return on one episode of season nine. Former showrunner Scott M. Gimple, and now the "Walking Dead" universe chief content officer, told TV Line Bernthal's appearance will be "heavy."

"It's been a very unique transition for a show that was so grounded with Rick's character," Nicotero told us the legacy that Lincoln leaves behind, but also how an ensemble has shaped the show.

"But the truth of the matter is, 'The Walking Dead' really was grounded by a lot of fantastic actors, and great performers —  Melissa McBride, John Bernthal, Scott Wilson, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun. So many great actors have really done a lot to leave their fingerprints on the show. Andy, we've been grateful and honored to be able to see what he's been able to bring to the show. ... I was sad, and I'm still sad. But I still think he's going to walk through the door, so I think I'm sort of in denial about the whole thing."

When pressed if the audience will cry when watching Lincoln's final episode, Nicotero was careful in choosing his words. 

"Yeah, probably," he said. "It's a little hard for me to say, because I directed it. I sort of dealt with it in the more technical aspect of what I needed to do. There were moments on set when we would look at each other, and we would both have to turn away, and walk away, because there's so much unspoken history between us and we're so close that neither of us really was ready to say anything to each other other than just... I think I have 300 pictures of him and I just leaning on each other, on the set. Just that, to me, is what makes it, what made it beautiful."

Fans can probably expect to see some of those photos make their way to Nicotero's Instagram this fall. 

INSIDER reviewed the first three episodes of the show's ninth season and while the show gets back to its first-season roots, it's made extremely clear that Rick is the heart and soul of what made this show so popular.

It's difficult to imagine how it will carry on without its lead when the show heads into its second half come 2019. And then there's the expected absence of Lauren Cohan from the show, at least for a time. The actress has an upcoming spy dramedy on ABC called "Whiskey Cavalier." Cohan has said she'll appear on, at least, the first six episodes of season nine. Nicotero told us her story will be left open-ended. 

"I think because we're still here, and we're still fighting to make the show great, and his [Lincoln's] spirit is here with us, fighting to make the show great, we have an opportunity in the episodes following that moment, that like we did in the premiere," said Nicotero, who recently finished work on the season nine mid-season premiere which will air next year on AMC. "It's a unique transition, and then, once we have the addition of the newer characters, it really feels like it's a great journey to be on." 

If you watched the season nine "Walking Dead" Comic-Con trailer closely, you should be aware of some of the new characters Nicotero is hinting at. Comic characters, including Magna, Yumiko, and Luke (Dan Fogler, "Fantastic Beasts") were revealed on the season nine official trailer.

At the same time, "The Walking Dead" creator Robert Kirkman confirmed Samantha Morton ("Jane Eyre") will play "Walking Dead" villain, Alpha. Ryan Hurst ("Sons of Anarchy") was recently announced as her right-hand man, Beta. The two are part of a larger, mysterious group called the Whisperers in the "Walking Dead" comics who travel around wearing the skin of walkers to blend in with their surroundings. 

"I've really tried very hard, in the episodes that I've directed, to have the audience really going on this journey with us," said Nicotero. "There's some mystery coming up, and it's very different than what we've done on the show in the past, where we're allowing the audience to go on this journey with us, and sort of discover clues as to what's happening, and I think really that's one of the things that I really like about this season."

"The Walking Dead" will premiere its ninth season Sunday, October 7 at 9 p.m. on AMC. You can read our review here and follow along with our show coverage here. 

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Netflix has released the list of all the titles that will be arriving and leaving the streaming platform in October.  

The upcoming schedule is full of shows and movies perfect for Halloween. 

From originals like "The Haunting of Hill House" and "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" to classics like "The Shining," there's plenty for fans to choose from. 

"Marvel's Daredevil" and "Making a Murderer" are coming back, as well. 

But some folks will be disappointed to see that "The Babadook,""Freaks and Geeks," and "Bad Boys" will be getting the boot. 

Here's a list of everything coming and going on Netflix in October.

Arriving in October:

Available 10/1/18

"Angel Eyes"

"Anger Management"

"Billy Madison"

"Black Dynamite"

"Blade"

"Blade II

"Blazing Saddles"

"Empire Records

"Gotham" season 4

"Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain"

"Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny"

"Must Love Dogs"

"My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rollercoaster of Friendship"

"Mystic River"

"New York Minute"

"Once Upon a Time in America"

"Pay It Forward"

"Pee-wee's Big Adventure"

"Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves"

"Rumble in the Bronx"

"She's Out of My League"

"Sommersby"

"The Dead Pool"

"The Devil's Advocate"

"The Green Mile"

"The Lake House"

"The NeverEnding Story"

"The Shining"

"V for Vendetta"

"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" 

Available 10/2/18

"Joe Rogan: Strange Times" — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"MeatEater" season 7 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Monty Python: The Meaning of Life"

"Monty Python's Life of Brian"

Available 10/3/18

"Truth or Dare"

Available 10/4/18

"Creeped Out"—NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Haunting of Molly Hartley"

"Violet Evergarden: Special: Extra Episode"

Available 10/5/18

"Big Mouth" season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Dancing Queen"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Élite"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Empire Games"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Little Things" season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Malevolent"— NETFLIX FILM

"Private Life"— NETFLIX FILM

"Super Monsters Save Halloween"— NETFLIX FILM

"Super Monsters" season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Rise of Phoenixes"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL (streaming every Friday)

"YG Future Strategy Office"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 10/6/18

"Little Things"— season 1

Available 10/8/18

"Disney's Sofia the First" season 4

"Mo Amer: The Vagabond"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 10/9/18

"Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 4"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 10/10/18

"22 July"— NETFLIX FILM

"Pacto de Sangue"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 10/11/18

"Salt Fat Acid Heat"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Schitt's Creek" season 4

Available 10/12/18

"Apostle"— NETFLIX FILM

"Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil"— NETFLIX FILM

• The analytics startup iSpot.tv has raised $30 million in Series C funding.
• The company is one of a handful of firms promising advertisers better information on ad viewership and performance by pulling data directly from TVs.
• The funding is part of a larger push among investors to figure out a better way of tracking TV ads and proving they work, as the medium looks to protect its $70 billion ad haul from digital titans Facebook and Google.

Ad budgets are threatening to leak out of TV, in part because digital media is seen as providing brands better data to track whether their ads are working.

So venture capital is starting to pour into the TV industry, aiming to help the medium get better at analytics.

Case in point: The Bellevue, Washington-based startup iSpot.tv has raised $30 million to help accelerate its TV ad measurement alternative.

iSpot is one of a handle of tech companies to emerge in the past few years promising better, more digital-media-like measurement of TV.

Instead of using old fashioned panels or ‘Nielsen people meters,’ companies like iSpot, Samba TV, and Alphonso pull data directly from smart TV screens.

These firms, which collectively have raised upwards of $100 million in recent years, claim to have real, direct data on what people are watching at a given moment and what ads are on screens. In iSpot’s case, it has a deal with the TV manufacturer Vizio.

Critics of these firms say that while their data is valuable, each is limited to a specific universe of people who own certain TVs. And these firms are only able to pull raw data from what is on TV, not who is watching.

But, iSpot and others are promising advertisers they can go further than just tracking ads. They can in various ways match up data on consumers with advertisers’ data, ideally helping advertisers figure out if their ads lead to sales inquiries or purchases.

iSpot founder and CEO Sean Muller said the company already works with 200 brands such as T-Mobile to help them better understand how their ads are performing, and that iSpot's revenue has doubled over the past year.

“There is a $70 billion market that is shifting rapidly,” he told Business Insider. “The goal is not to replace Nielsen, but we see the market moving toward a performance or business outcome business."

The ability to track which ads lead to which results is typically referred to as attribution in ad circles. It's where Facebook and Google are seen as having a massive advantage. That's a gap TV needs to close, and iSpot thinks it can help.

Muller said that iSpot didn’t need to raise money, but as the company grew his investors saw an opportunity to go bigger. The plan is to invest in engineering talent, more consultative offerings for clients, and ideally getting iSpot’s tracking data plugged into more TVs.

It’s unlikely that iSpot will be able to completely lock up that market, Muller said. Samsung for example, has it’s own ad tracking system, while Sony works with Samba. Plus, there has been some recent consumer backlash against TV companies tracking viewing without people's express permission.

“Three companies make up 85% for the TV market, and we have one of them. You can’t capture every single touchpoint on TV. No one can. But we think we have the largest opt in platform for tracking TV on the planet.”

This new funding represents iSpot’s series C round. Investors included Insight Venture Partners and Madrona Venture Group. iSpot.tv has raised $57.8 million to date

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• Bindi Irwin grew up on a zoo. 
• She still lives and works there to this day. 
• She was still a toddler when she realized that her experience wasn't common. 

Bindi Irwin was relatively young when she realized her everyday life was different than most kids. 

"Every day I'd wake up and I'd end up at the zoo again and think, 'Wow, this is great,'" she told INSIDER. "Then when I was about 2 years old, it dawned on me, 'We really live here. This is going to be the rest of my life.' It was so exciting."

Bindi, the daughter of late conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter, grew up in Australia Zoo. It was opened by her grandparents Bob and Lyn Irwin. The 20-year-old continues to live and work at the zoo with her mom, Terri, who is the new zoo owner, and younger brother, Robert. 

"Growing up, I was in with every animal, and I still am to this day," she said. "I think our life is our normal, but it's certainly not common. Our everyday is constantly changing and always exciting. But I think it's just who we are. Our conservation work isn't just what we do, it's a part of us." 

The Irwin family's life at the zoo and conservation efforts is the basis for their new Animal Planet show, "Crikey! It's the Irwins," which premieres Sunday, October 28 at 8 p.m. on Animal Planet.

"We'll be reflecting on everything that dad was so passionate in," she said. "It reminds us all exactly why we do what we do...Dad coined the phrase 'Wildlife Warriors,' which is absolutely what we are."

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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NOW WATCH: Ray Dalio says the economy looks like 1937 and a downturn is coming in about two years

Pete Davidson has been a cast member on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for four seasons. The 24-year-old scored an audition for the sketch comedy show after a recommendation from "SNL" alum and "Trainwreck" co-star Bill Hader.

At 20 years old, Davidson became one of the youngest "SNL" cast members of all time (slightly older than Anthony Michael Hall, who was 17, and Eddie Murphy, who was 19).

Although Davidson often describes himself as a "utility player" for "SNL" and jokes about how infrequently he appears in live sketches, he has apparently made an impression on its legendary showrunner Lorne Michaels. Davidson will return to Studio 8H as a cast member when the show kicks off its 44th season this weekend.

In preparation, here's a roundup of Davidson's best skits, moments, and jokes — in no particular order.

"Pete Davidson Talks Business" sparked both praise and condemnation.

Davidson made his "SNL" debut on September 2014. He was introduced as the show's "Resident Young Person" on the "Weekend Update" segment. (Coincidentally, his fianceé Ariana Grande was the season premiere musical guest on the same episode.)

Davidson was asked to comment on a trending news story, which involved a teenager getting arrested for photographing himself in a sexual position with a statue of Jesus.

"I don't approve of what he did, but kids my age do that stuff all the time. For example, have you ever played the 'how much money would you go down on a guy for' game?" Davidson begins. "One of your friends will be like, 'Hey man, would you go down on a guy for a million dollars?' And then we'd all lie and be like, 'No.'"

"Of course I would, a million dollars is a steal," he continues. "I hope he starts at a million. I would do it for like 3,000, if I had to be honest with myself."

Although many lauded Davidson's performance in his first season, others found his brand of humor off-putting and even offensive.

Watch "Pete Davidson Talks Business" here.

"Tucci Gang" imagined a world in which Lil Pump and Sam Rockwell are best friends — and obsessed with Stanley Tucci.

Davidson's spoof of Lil Pump's music video for "Gucci Gang," paying homage to the legendary "The Devil Wears Prada" actor, is unexpectedly and weirdly relatable.

Watch "Tucci Gang" here.

"Pool Boy" introduced Davidson's reoccurring character Chad.

The dumb yet confusingly charming Chad made his debut as the 23-year-old pool boy having an affair with Mrs. Handler (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

Watch "Pool Boy" here.

• Critics are not loving ABC's new ensemble drama "A Million Little Things," which centers on a group of friends who change the way they live after a close friend dies by suicide. 
• Critics agree that ABC is trying to compete with NBC's "This Is Us" with an incredibly emotional drama.
• Some people have issues with the show and think it "glorifies" suicide, but others say it brings an important conversation to network TV.

Critics do not like "A Million Little Things," ABC's answer to "This Is Us," and some people have called it "garbage" because they believe that it "glorifies" suicide.  

"This Is Us," which premiered in 2016, is one of the most popular shows on television. It gets nominated for Emmys and wins some of them, and a lot of people tune in to NBC to watch it every week. 

In its new show "A Million Little Things" which premiered on ABC Wednesday night, the network seems to be looking for its own "This Is Us." But critics hate it, and its premise has caused some controversy. The show currently has a measly 40% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

"A Million Little Things" is drama series that follows a group of friends who unite and decide to start living their lives more fully after a friend dies by suicide. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Ron Livingston, James Roday, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, and Grace Park. Like "This Is Us," it intertwines stories in the past with the present. 

But critics aren't buying the emotionally manipulative story. Verne Gay of Newsday wrote that the series is "a weepy wannabe from the 'This Is Us' playbook that doesn't build much of a case for caring about the characters, much less weeping over them."

And Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast said, "there is a fine line between emotional storytelling and trauma porn..."

While the show has a high audience score of 91%, not everyone is a fan. When the show aired last night, some people on Twitter expressed their problems with the premise, which puts a positive spin on a tragic suicide.

But some people appreciate what the show is doing:

SEE ALSO: The 6 worst new network TV shows this fall, from 'FBI' to 'New Amsterdam'

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NOW WATCH: A top movie actor reveals how he learns different accents

Netflix still has a good deal of original content in store for the rest of this year.

2018 has already seen the release of a long list of new original shows, including the sci-fi reboot "Lost In Space," the dark comedy "Maniac," and Matt Groening's animated series "Disenchantment."

Among the shows still to come are new seasons of Netflix originals like "Making a Murderer,""Big Mouth," and "House of Cards."

This week, the service announced that its acclaimed reboot of the comedy series "Mystery Science Theater 3000" will premiere its second season on November 22. 

Netflix has said it will spend $8 billion on shows and movies by the end of 2018 — up from the $6 billion it spent in 2017. 

To help you sort through the service's released and upcoming content, we've compiled a list of original shows that Netflix has confirmed are coming out in 2018. This excludes movies, kids' shows, and series that might not come out until 2019 or later.

Here are all the shows we know Netflix is for sure putting out this year, along with their release date if available:

SEE ALSO: All 73 of Netflix's notable original shows, ranked from worst to best

"Lovesick" (Season 3) — Released January 1

Netflix description: "In his quest for true love, Dylan found chlamydia. Joined by friends Evie and Luke, he relives past encounters as he notifies all his former partners."

"The End of the F***ing World" (Season 1) — Released January 5

Netflix description: "A budding teen psychopath and a rebel hungry for adventure embark on a star-crossed road trip in this darkly comic series based on a graphic novel.

"Disjointed" (Season 1 - Part 2) — Released January 12

Netflix description:"Pot activist Ruth Whitefeather Feldman runs a medical marijuana dispensary while encouraging her loyal patients to chill out and enjoy the high life."

• Kristen Bell appeared on NBC's "Late Night With Seth Meyers" on Wednesday and was asked to read three of President Donald Trump's tweets using her "classic 'Gossip Girl' send-off."
• Bell narrated the titular character on the hit teen drama.
• "We feel as though a lot of Donald Trump's tweets feel very gossipy," Meyers explained.
• "These do sound like the things that were written on the show," the actress quipped as she read Trump's tweets.
• Watch the video below.

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Even though "Friends" ended over a decade ago, we can still take some fashion inspiration from the starring ladies of the show. 

We've rounded up some inspiration for your fall wardrobe from each season of "Friends" and where you can find some similar styles today.

Rachel mastered the sock, sweater and skirt combination.

In the season one episode, "The One Where the Monkey Got Away," Rachel wears a cute sock and skirt combo. 

This is a classic look, and probably one of your favorite Rachel outfits if you are a "Friends" fanatic. The turtleneck paired with a skirt and high socks is perfect for the weird, transitional weather that can accompany the start of fall.

This mini skirt from Urban Outfitters is similar to Rachel's if you want to re-create this look.

Monica kept her look classic in black and white.

While Rachel’s turtleneck sweater with the plaid skirt was iconic, but we can't overlook one of Monica’s trendy outfits in this episode. Her dress-over-the-shirt look is in right now, and one that can be easily replicated.

This dress from Urban Outfitters is similar to a modern take on Monica's look. 

Phoebe’s long dress and scrunchie are perfect for fall.

In season two's "The One After the Super Bowl: Pt 1," Phoebe rocks a long dress and scrunchie. 

Who wants to think about pairing two pieces of clothing together when you can throw on a long, flowy dress, put your hair up with a scrunchie and look just as cute? You can look effortlessly chic with this inspiration from Phoebe.

This maxi dress from Free People has a similar length and sleeve style as Phoebe's. 

• Lady Gaga said it was hard to emotionally let her "A Star Is Born" character go after filming wrapped.
• The 32-year-old actress and singer was on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Thursday and told the host that she "literally dyed my hair blonde the night that we stopped shooting because I wanted to get out of it as soon as possible."
• Gaga said the ending of the movie features "some tremendous emotion and tragedy" so she wanted to let it go, but added that the character is still in her.
• "A Star Is Born" opens in theaters October 5.
• Watch the interview below.

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• Kristen Bell appeared on NBC's "Late Night With Seth Meyers" and discussed filming "Veronica Mars"in San Diego, California when she was younger.  
• The actress explained that the cast was "unsupervised" for three years as they shot the show, and someone would often pull the same, unsanitary prank in the high school bathroom set — which Bell considered to be her character's office. 
• "In the bathroom throughout the three years, someone would constantly poo poo in the fake toilet and we would come to work like every couple months and there would be just a dump in my office," the "Good Place" star said. 
• Bell explained that because there are "union rules," they weren't able to simply clean the mess and move on.
• Instead, they had to shut down production, call OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and get a hazmat team to clean up the set.  

Kristen Bell says that there were many pranks pulled on the set of "Veronica Mars," but one in particular has serious consequences. 

The "Good Place" star appeared on NBC's "Late Night With Seth Meyers" on Wednesday and recalled her time filming the popular series in San Diego, California with her co-stars. 

"We were at a place called Stu Segall Productions and most people were from LA and we were just very unsupervised for the three years we were down there."

She added that because no one was monitoring the cast and crew's actions, there was a recurring and unsanitary prank that was pulled. 

"Veronica's office was always the high school bathroom —it's where she did all her PI stuff and there were so many pranks happening because again, we were completely unsupervised in San Diego," Bell said. "We had no executives or bosses coming to the set."

She continued: "In the bathroom throughout the three years, someone would constantly poo poo in the fake toilet and we would come to work like every couple months and there would be just a dump in my office."

Bell added that "working on set, there are union rules. You can't just clean it up and go back to work."

The actress went on to list all the steps that had to be taken, including  shutting down production, calling OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and getting a hazmat team to clean up the set.  

Bell will reprise her iconic role as Veronica Mars when the show returns to Hulu in 2019 for an eight-episode fourth season.

Watch the video below (Bell talks about her time on the "Veronica Mars" set at 3:29).

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• Pete Davidson said Ariana Grande can quickly get whatever she wants. 
• The 24-year-old comedian was on NBC's "Late Night With Seth Meyers" Thursday and spoke about the couple's pet pig, Piggy Smallz. 
• "She was like, 'I want a pig,' and than an hour later, it was just there," Davidson said. 
• He said it's a "bougie" pig and he loves it, but that it's "starting to bite."  
• Davidson also confirmed that he already has a tattoo of the pig.
• Watch the video below.

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• One "Jeopardy!" contestant used his time on the game show to propose.
• Michael Pascuzzi from Orlando, Florida asked his girlfriend Maria Shafer if "she would make me a winner today and marry me?" 
• "Yes, of course," she said among claps from the audience.
• "I was about to say we'll have the answer to that question right after this commercial break," joked host Alex Trebek.  
• "That will be, 'What is yes?'" she responded. 
• Watch the proposal below.

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• Stephen Colbert on Thursday criticized the "indignation" of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's defense in his Senate hearing earlier that day, following Christine Blasey Ford's sworn testimony that he sexually assaulted her.
• "Please, save your indignation that, finally, someone is taking one woman's accusation of sexual assault seriously," Colbert said in his monologue.

Stephen Colbert on Thursday criticized the "indignation" Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh showed in his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier that day, following the sworn testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault before the committee.

Colbert started his monologue by playing clips of conservative commentators on Fox News calling Ford's testimony "very sympathetic,""exceptionally credible," and "a disaster for Republicans."

The "Late Show" host then turned to Kavanaugh's angry, impassioned defense of himself and attacks on the hearing's process.

"Perhaps the Kavanaugh quote that sticks with me is his passionate condemnation of the hearing and its repercussions," Colbert said.

"You sowed the wind for decades to come," Kavanaugh said in his opening statement at the hearing, in an extended condemnation of Democratic senators. "I fear that the whole country will reap the whirlwind."

"You really need a better weatherman," Colbert said. "Because, let me tell you, brother, this is the whirlwind, and the wind was sown when Donald Trump had 19 credible allegations of sexual assault against him, bragged about sexual assault on tape.

"And your Republican buddies up on that committee said, 'Yeah, but we want our guy on the Supreme Court' — and that's you, Brett. That doesn't mean you're guilty, but please, save your indignation that, finally, someone is taking one woman's accusation of sexual assault seriously."

The "Late Show" host then showed a clip of Kavanaugh saying at the hearing, “Today, I have to say, I fear for the future."

"Hashtag #MeToo," Colbert replied.

Watch the monologue below:

SEE ALSO: An evolving count of which senators are voting for Trump's Supreme Court pick

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