After Kanye West posted a series of tweets on Wednesday in which he voiced support for President Donald Trump, several prominent musicians criticized or unfollowed West on Twitter.

Drake, Rihanna, and The Weeknd were among the many artists who unfollowed the rapper, according to the Twitter analytics app Does Follow.

In his tweets, West called Trump his "brother" and posted a picture of himself wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat.

Chance the Rapper, who frequently collaborates with West, also drew criticism from left-leaning fans for being one of the few artists to defend West amid the controversy and for tweeting: "Black people don't have to be democrats."

Here are some of the artists who unfollowed West soon after his tweets about Trump.

SEE ALSO: The 50 best-selling music artists of all time

Drake

Unfollowed West on Thursday.

Rihanna

Unfollowed West on Thursday.

Nicki Minaj

Unfollowed West on Thursday.

Some TV shows, like "Breaking Bad," really play up the location in which they are set — everyone knows where they were filmed. Others, like "Roseanne," could technically be anywhere.

However, every single US state has been home to an iconic TV show— from Indiana being the site of "Stranger Things" to Pennsylvania being home of "The Office."

We looked at how many awards any given show has won or was nominated for using IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, as well as its cultural impact in today's world to determine the most famous TV show in every state.

Keep scrolling to see what show your home state is known for.

Alabama: "Hart of Dixie"

When Zoe Hart, a New York-based doctor, learns that her biological father (who she never knew) died and left her his medical practice in Bluebell, Alabama, she drops everything and moves there.

The hardened New Yorker clashes with many of the residents of the tiny town, but soon finds herself in a love triangle with a local lawyer and a bad boy bartender.

"Hart of Dixie" ran for four seasons on the CW and starred Rachel Bilson in the lead role, along with Jaime King, Cress Williams, Wilson Bethel, and Scott Porter.

Alaska: "Northern Exposure"

Rob Morrow plays Joel Fleischman, a New York City doctor assigned to practice medicine in the tiny town of Cicely, Alaska. The comedy-drama is mostly about him adjusting to life in small-town Alaska.

The show also stars Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Darren E. Burrows, Cynthia Geary, and Elaine Miles, along with John Corbett in one of his first acting roles.

During its six-season run, "Northern Exposure" received 89 award nominations, winning 27 of them, including the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 1992.

Arizona: "Medium"

Patricia Arquette plays Allison DuBois, a woman trying to balance raising three daughters with working as a medium for the Phoenix District Attorney's office. DuBois has the ability to communicate with the dead, foresee future events, and witness past ones in her dreams. 

Arquette won an Emmy for her role and the show received a total of 33 award nominations. Jake Weber, Miguel Sandoval, Sofia Vassilieva, Maria Lark, and David Cubitt rounded out the rest of the regular cast. 

Since the premiere of ABC's drama "Quantico" in 2015, Priyanka Chopra has been getting a lot of attention for becoming the first South Asian actress to lead an American series.

In 2016, she was named in Time's new 100 Most Influential People issue alongside the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Leonardo DiCaprio.

When "Quantico" first premiered, most Americans had no clue that she was already a big deal in India. Not only did she place at the Miss India pageant, but she went on to win Miss World. She then had a successful career as a film actress in Bollywood.

In addition to her role as Alex Parrish on "Quantico," she is involved in issues like education, hunger, and equal rights for women.

Like her character on "Quantico," there's more to Chopra than meets the eye.

Here's the fabulous life and rise to fame of Priyanka Chopra:

Priyanka Chopra's parents were doctors in the Indian army, so the family moved often.

Priyanka even attended the 10th grade in Boston, where she said she was bullied.

"It broke my spirit,"she told Glamour. "It made me question who I was. Why was it so uncool being Indian?"

Before winning Miss World, Chopra wanted to be an engineer.

Before winning pageants, she considered being an aeronautical engineer for NASA.

In 2003, Chopra made her first Bollywood movie, "The Hero: Love Story of a Spy."

Chopra has starred in more than 50 Indian films, taking on the roles of a model, a boxer, and an autistic teenager.

• Former "Today Show" cohost Ann Curry told The Washington Post this week that she warned NBC executives about sexual harassment from Matt Lauer in 2012.
• Curry told The Post that she complained to two NBC executives after a female "Today Show" staff member told her that Lauer "sexually harassed her, physically."
• An NBC spokesman told The Post that the network had no record of Curry's warning.

Former "Today Show" cohost Ann Curry told The Washington Post this week that she warned NBC executives about sexual harassment from Matt Lauer in 2012, five years before he was fired in November for alleged misconduct.

Curry told The Post that she complained to two NBC executives, whom she didn't name, after a female "Today Show" staff member told her that Lauer "sexually harassed her, physically."

"A woman approached me and asked me tearfully if I could help her," Curry said. "She was afraid of losing her job."

Curry said she didn't reveal the woman's name to NBC's management at the woman's request. "I told management they had a problem and they needed to keep an eye on him and how he deals with women," she said.

The NBC staffer confirmed to The Post that she went to Curry with her complaint, but asked that the publication not reveal her name.

An NBC spokesman told The Post that the network had no record of Curry's warning. NBC did not respond immediately to a request for further comment from Business Insider.

In January, Curry said on "CBS This Morning" that she was "not surprised by the allegations" that resulted in Lauer's firing, but she had not spoken publicly about what she specifically knew about Lauer's misconduct until she spoke to The Post this week.

Lauer responded for the first time to the allegations that resulted in his firing last year in the same Post article published Thursday.

"I fully acknowledge that I acted inappropriately as a husband, father and principal at NBC," Lauer said. "However I want to make it perfectly clear that any allegations or reports of coercive, aggressive or abusive actions on my part, at any time, are absolutely false." 

SEE ALSO: NBC host Matt Lauer fired for 'inappropriate sexual behavior' at work

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• NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw on Friday responded to allegations of sexual misconduct against him, in an email sent to NBC News colleagues and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Brokaw's former colleague Linda Vester told Variety and The Washington Post that Brokaw harassed and groped her in the 1990s. Brokaw, through NBC, issued a denial to the allegations.
• Brokaw wrote in the obtained email, "I am angry, hurt and unmoored from what I thought would be the final passage of my life and career."
• In the email, he described Vester as a "former colleague who left NBC News angry that she had failed in her pursuit of stardom."

NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw hit back at allegations of sexual misconduct made against him by Linda Vester, a former war correspondent for NBC News, in an email sent to his NBC News colleagues and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter on Friday.

Vester alleged to Variety and The Washington Post that Brokaw harassed and groped her in the 1990s. She said that, at the time, she didn't bring a complaint to NBC. A second, anonymous woman The Post talked to also accused Brokaw of acting inappropriately. Brokaw, through NBC, issued a denial to the allegations and said of Vester that he"made no romantic overtures towards her at that time or any other.”

In the email to his colleagues obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Brokaw was more forceful in defense of his conduct and in his criticism of Vester.

"I was ambushed and then perp walked across the pages of The Washington Post and Variety as an avatar of male misogyny, taken to the guillotine and stripped of any honor and achievement I had earned in more than a half century of journalism and citizenship," Brokaw wrote in the email.

"I am angry, hurt and unmoored from what I thought would be the final passage of my life and career, a mix of written and broadcast journalism, philanthropy and participation in environmental and social causes that have always given extra meaning to my life," he continued.

Brokaw, 78, called Vester in the email a "former colleague who left NBC News angry that she had failed in her pursuit of stardom," with a "reputation as a colleague who had trouble with the truth."

Representatives for Brokaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Vester told Variety that Brokaw tried to force her to kiss him on two occasions and groped her in an NBC News conference room.

"He grabbed me behind my neck and tried to force me to kiss him," Vester said of the first alleged incident in January 1994, when she was 28 years old. "I was shocked to feel the amount of force and his full strength on me. I could smell alcohol on his breath, but he was totally sober. He spoke clearly. He was in control of his faculties." In the email, Brokaw said he kissed her on the cheek.

Vester also told Variety that when she asked what Brokaw wanted of her, he replied, “An affair of more than passing affection.” A year later, Vester said Brokaw again tried her to kiss him and that, when she pulled away, he asked, "Can you walk me to a taxi?"

"I emphatically did not verbally and physically attack her and suggest an affair in language right out of pulp fiction," Brokaw wrote in the email. He called the allegations a "drive by shooting by Vester, the Washington Post and Variety."

"My client stands by the allegations which speak for themselves,” Ari Wilkenfeld, Vester's lawyer, said in a statement to Business Insider.

In an email to staff, NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack wrote, "As you have all seen now in reports from last night, there are allegations against Tom Brokaw, made by a former NBC News journalist, which Tom emphatically denies. As we’ve shown, we take allegations such as these very seriously, and act on them quickly and decisively when the facts dictate."

Read Brokaw's full email at The Hollywood Reporter.

SEE ALSO: Former NBC newsman Tom Brokaw accused of sexual misconduct

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• Steve and Jessie were picked as partners for CBS's "Let's Make a Deal" on Thursday.
• Steve told host Wayne Brady they've been together for six months.
• Jessie immediately contradicted him.
• "We're friends," Jessie said. "I'm single, guys. I'm single."
• The awkwardness was palpable.
• "Can we talk about this not in from of everyone, Jessie?" Steve said.
• It doesn't help that they were dressed as a couple for the prom-themed episode.
• Watch the clip below:

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NOW WATCH: Wall Street's biggest bull explains why trade war fears are way overblown

• In an interview with Business Insider, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings called the dark comedy "The End of the F---ing World" his favorite recent Netflix original series.
• "'The End of the F---ing World.' Just because it's different. It's like something that I've never seen before," Hastings said, when asked to name his "favorite show from the last few months."
• Hastings previously praised the show in advance of its January release, writing in a Facebook post that the series was Netflix's "most engaging addictive original wild show in a long time."

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings sat down with Business Insider Poland's Adam Turek in Rome this week to discuss a few recent developments for the company, including its new partnership with the European cable network Sky and its decision to pull out of the Cannes Film Festival.

In the interview, Hastings also talked about what he called his favorite recent Netflix original series, "The End of the F---ing World," a critically acclaimed dark comedy about two runaway teens in England. 

"'The End of the F---ing World.' Just because it's different. It's like something that I've never seen before," Hastings said, when asked to name his "favorite show from the last few months."

"You really don't like the characters at the beginning - at least I didn't like them," he continued. "They were weird. And then you really start to grow into liking them - and at the same time, they grow into liking each other."

The debut season of "The End of the F---ing World" earned laudatory reviews and a 98% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Atlantic called it "a surprising tour de force."

Hastings also praised the series in advance of its release in January, writing in a Facebook post that "The End of the F---ing World" was Netflix's "most engaging addictive original wild show in a long time."

Hastings previously listed the Netflix animated comedy "BoJack Horseman" as his favorite original series in 2015. 

Read the full Reed Hastings interview here.

SEE ALSO: MoviePass subscribers are no longer allowed to watch the same movie more than once

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The spring TV season is well underway, and some fan-favorite shows are returning with new seasons next month.

To find out which returning shows audiences are anticipating the most, the TV tracking app TV Time analyzed data from its 2.1 million global users to see which upcoming TV shows viewers had followed the most frequently on its platform.

The list includes the upcoming seasons of Netflix's sitcom "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and the USA Network's science-fiction drama, "Colony."

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

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

5. "SIX" (Season 2) — Premieres May 28 on The History Channel

Summary:"The ten-episode second season of 'SIX' follows Navy SEAL Team Six in a mission to destroy the terrorist network responsible for the shooting of their former team leader Richard “Rip” Taggart (Walton Goggins)." 

4. "Animal Kingdom" (Season 3) — Premieres May 29 on TNT

Summary:"The series following a Southern California crime family stars Ellen Barkin as the matriarch of the Cody clan, Scott Speedman as her second in command and Shawn Hatosy as her volatile, mentally unstable eldest son."

3. "Colony" (Season 3) — Premieres May 3

Summary:"Set in the near future, 'Colony' centers on a family who must make difficult decisions as they balance staying together with trying to survive."

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Designed in collaborations with renowned designer Yves Béhar, Samsung created the most beautiful TV ever — The Frame.
• The Frame 4K Ultra HD TV from Samsung is mounted on the wall like a frame, and when it's not being used it transforms into an actual work of art by displaying a wide array paintings, prints, and photos.
• Now through May 12, you can save $400 on 55" and 65" models on Samsung's website.

Samsung is the leader in creating high definition displays for devices across the tech industry. With an already vast line up of products ranging from TVs and smartphones to computers and tablets, the tech giant created the most beautiful display ever — and it's not just about resolution and streaming quality.

Designed in collaboration with renowned designer Yves Béhar, The Frame 4K Ultra HD TV from Samsung hangs on the wall like a picture frame and displays works art when not being used. Unlike bulky home entertainment systems of the past, The Frame TV essentially disappears in plain sight by going into Art Mode.

Samsung's Art Store features more than 600 pieces from established artists and galleries from all over the world. You can also upload your own photos for a more personal display in your space.

While the beautiful design and display options is what makes The Frame special, you'll still find all the smart features you've come expect from a modern TV. With wireless connectivity, streaming app like Netflix and Hulu, a full web browser, and a Smart Hub, the it functions just as good as it looks.

Now through May 12, you can automatically $400 on 55" and 65" models on Samsung. Originally priced at $1,999.99 or $2,799.99 respectively, the discount brings the cost closer to stardard 4K Ultra HD TVs.

Whether you're redesigning your home to be modern and stylish or searching for the ultimate Mother's Day gift, this is a deal you won't want to pass by.

Shop all Samsung The Frame 4K Ultra HD TV now.

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of "Westworld." 

The newest episode of HBO's "Westworld" brought back several beloved characters from the first season, and introduced important new faces. From new revelations about the early days of Westworld to yet more modern music covered on the piano, we're here to break it all down.

Keep reading for a look at seven details you might have overlooked.

During the cold open flashback, we learn that Arnold's son Charlie was still alive when the park and hosts were first being built.

Previously, we only knew that Ford had described Arnold's life as being "marked by tragedy," but there was no specific context for when or how Charlie's death happened.

Thanks to the flashback, we have a stronger sense of the chronology within "Westworld." Charlie was alive when Arnold first built Dolores and the other hosts. The death of his son clearly affected Arnold's relationship to the hosts in a more tragic way than was previously understood.

See the full timeline with new revelations from the episode here.

As we see later in the episode, that opening scene took place just before Logan was pitched Westworld as an investment.

Seeing Angela and another host named Akecheta pitch the Westworld park to Logan was illuminating for several reasons. First, it put more events into sharper focus. We know now that Logan was making investments on his father's company's behalf, and Westworld was one of them.

Again, you can see the events laid out chronologically in our timeline here.

The "private demonstration" was also a special look at the original set of hosts Arnold built.

We learned in the first season that only 37 hosts still in the park during present day on the show were built by Arnold. 

Dolores, Teddy, Angela, Armistice, and Peter Abernathy are all part of that original set. And the flashback showed more important hosts belonging to that first generation, including Clementine.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the latest episode of "Westworld."

HBO's "Westworld" takes place over the course of at least 37 or so years. While fans believe they've discovered the exact year in the future we're seeing (2052), HBO hasn't made anything official yet.

But even without an exact year, audiences are able to deduce the approximate placement of events based on context clues and blatant exposition between Ford and other characters on the first season. 

To help "Westworld" fans better understand the events that have led up to the current season, INSIDER has put together a chronological timeline. 

The events are marked to indicate whether the scene was featured on season one or season two (either through expository dialogue or in a flashback/flash forward). Since this is not an official HBO-issued timeline, know that some events (or their placement) are subject to change based on new episode revelations. 

We'll update this timeline and the approximate year guesses as the second season progresses.

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During its freshman season, HBO's "Westworld" cemented the use of a player piano as one of many iconic features in its ambitious sci-fi/western drama series. Co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy worked with composer Ramin Djawadi to embed anachronistic musical cues into the (mostly) Western setting via the player piano and other soundtrack choices.

Whether you're looking for the name of a song used, or want to better understand the show's musical themes, keep reading for a look at every song featured on "Westworld."

We'll update this guide each week. As of now, this article contains spoilers for events through season two, episode two. 

"Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden

The show's first use of a modern song on the player piano happens a little over halfway through the pilot episode. As Maeve is closing up the Marisposa and just before Kissy is taken by William, "Black Hole Sun" plays on the piano.

"Paint it Black" by The Rolling Stones

During our first introduction to Hector, Armistice, and their crew of bandit hosts, composer Ramin Djawadi's piano-based cover of "Paint it Black" plays.

"No Surprises" by Radiohead

Maeve begins experiencing small malfunctions as she tries seducing customers in the Mariposa saloon. Radiohead's "No Surprises" plays in the background of two key encounters.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of "Westworld."

HBO surprised devoted "Westworld" fans by tossing in a cameo appearance from "Breaking Bad" star Giancarlo Esposito. Perhaps best known as his role of Gus Fring, Esposito stepped into the shoes of El Lazo — a formidable bandit host. 

When we saw the role of El Lazo inside the park on the first season, he was played by another host named Lawrence.

But this time around, a new host played by Esposito was in El Lazo's shoes. When William and Lawrence met him, El Lazo appeared to be working through Ford's coding. William thought he could force El Lazo into turning over his host troops, but the whole scene ended with a surprise mass suicide instead. 

Ford told William he has to play his game alone — the game called "The Door" which was cryptically revealed on the second season premiere.

Since this version of El Lazo had a dramatic death, we aren't sure that we'll see Esposito again in the future. But with this show, you truly never know.

For other details besides this cameo you might have overlooked, read our full recap of Sunday's "Westworld" here.

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NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos reveals what it's like to build an empire and become the richest man in the world — and why he's willing to spend $1 billion a year to fund the most important mission of his life

• Susanne Daniels, the global head of original content for YouTube, said in a recent interview that her company's original programming can't compete with Netflix's investment in original content.
• "I don’t think you can compete with Netflix at this point; they're too far ahead," Daniels told IndieWire of YouTube Red, the company's subscription programming service.
• Daniels added, "I do think, in time, we can compete with Hulu and Amazon and certainly Apple, and hopefully, you'll see us do that."
• Netflix, which will have spent an estimated $8 billion on content in 2018, reached a mark of 125 million global subscribers in April.

Netflix has faced competition in the TV streaming field from massive companies like Google parent Alphabet and Amazon for years, but at least one of its competitors sees the field-leading streaming service as out of reach.

Susanne Daniels, the global head of original content for YouTube, admitted in a recent interview with IndieWire that her company's original programming can't compete with the investment in original content that Netflix has made in recent years.

"I think we're in an early stage," Daniels said of YouTube Red, the company's ad-free, subscription programming service. "I don’t think you can compete with Netflix at this point; they're too far ahead. But I do think, in time, we can compete with Hulu and Amazon and certainly Apple, and hopefully, you'll see us do that."

Netflix, which will have spent an estimated $8 billion on content in 2018, reached a mark of 125 million global subscribers in April.  

For contrast, the latest reported count on YouTube Red's subscriber base, from a 2016 report by The Verge, had the company at 1.5 million paying members, with another 1 million on a free trial.

Netflix aside, Daniels told IndieWire that her position at YouTube has allowed her to work with A-list talent that she would not have been able to grab at her previous jobs in network television.

"There’s an enormous amount of interest in being a part of YouTube,” Daniels said. “Especially because it's a global brand and global platform. I’m working with Kevin Hart. I don’t think I could have gotten Kevin Hart to MTV even if I had begged and thrown money at him. He’s doing this great show called ‘What the Fit’ for us, which we just picked up to a second season."

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

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• I was challenged to give up TV for a month in honor of Screen-Free Week, an annual campaign aimed at reducing screen time. 
• I read more as a result, but I also found myself compensating for lost TV time by spending hours on social media.
• The experiment made me realize that I've come to rely on screens for distraction and entertainment — and that's something I want to change.

I spend all day reading and writing. That's why I treasure the moment I get home and turn on my TV. Doesn't matter if it's a bloody battle on "Game of Thrones" or a brutal pastry challenge on "The Great British Baking Show." It's always refreshing to curl up on the couch and consume a visual story after tinkering with text for hours and hours.

I was nervous, then, when my editor posed a challenge: Could I go without watching TV for a whole month, in honor of this year's Screen-Free Week?

Screen-Free Week (formerly known as TV-Turnoff) was conceived back in 1994 as a yearly campaign to reduce Americans' TV time. Now, of course, we interact with many more screens than just the ones on our TVs.

But Screen-Free Week, which takes places each spring, doesn't ask participants to give up their devices entirely — for many students and workers, myself included, screens are unavoidable. Instead, the aim of each Screen-Free Week is to temporarily swap out digital entertainment for other types of fun.  

Doing so could benefit one's health. Screen time is often sedentary time, for one thing — andresearch links inactive lifestyles with a host of health issues, from heart disease to anxiety to certain cancers. And there's mounting evidence that looking at screens' bright, blue light at night can interfere with our sleep cycle, leaving us less well-rested, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. 

So in the spirit of reducing my own screen time — and as a nod to Screen-Free Week 2018, which starts today, April 30 — I agreed to give up TV for a month. Here's how I fared.

I read more books.

Every January I challenge myself to read a set number of books over the course of the year. In 2018, I'm attempting to get through 45. At the start of this month-long experiment, I was woefully behind schedule.

But in the month of April, I burned through five titles, in part because I used some of my normal TV-watching time to knock off a few pages of reading instead. Those little increments added up, and now I'm back on track to meet my goal.

But the TV-less life had its downsides.

I had a hell of a time washing the dishes.

Each day of my life I lament the fact that apartment does not have a dishwasher. Brand me a lazy millennial if you must, but I stand firm in my conviction that hand washing dishes categorically sucks.

My one solace, as a I scrub forks and food-crusted skillets and lunch Tupperware, is TV.

Usually, I open the cabinet just above the sink, nestle my laptop between stacks of bowls, and queue up an old favorite series on Netflix — I'm a sucker for any episode of "The Office" heavy on Jim-and-Pam romance.

But during my month without TV, the dirty dish pile by the sink frequently reached a critical mass, simply because I hated the thought of washing dishes without TV's merciful distraction. That was a definite con.

I compensated with different kinds of screen time.

When I embarked on this experiment, I envisioned myself using freed-up TV time for all sorts of noble pursuits: baking cookies, going to the gym, finally dealing with that box that almost falls out of my overstuffed closet every time I open the door.

I did read more, as I noted above. But I accomplished none of those other lofty goals. Instead, I found myself unconsciously compensating for lost TV time by consuming different content on different screens. I knew I was supposed to be limiting my digital entertainment, but this was almost like a reflex. As soon as I sat down on the couch knowing TV wasn't an option, I automatically reached for my laptop or my phone.

For example: Never in my life have I watched so much YouTube without even really wanting to watch YouTube. I watched videos explaining the different types of British accents (who knew there were so many?!), videos of people turning aluminum foil into shiny balls, and so many videos of pimple popping, to name just a few highlights I found in my history.

I also found myself absentmindedly scrolling through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram more often, both on my laptop and on my phone. Social media's a strange beast. It could count as entertainment (see: all those viral videos showing dogs who are best friends with babies) but in other ways it's utilitarian. I use it to see what's in the news, and to foster social connections with friends and family. And sometimes I feel it's the opposite of entertaining. Comparing myself to the highly polished representations of reality on social media can leave me feeling stressed and sapped of confidence — and I'd wager that I'm not alone in this experience.

Whether or not it counts as entertainment, social media time is still screen time, and I was still getting lots of it.

Skipping out on TV made me realize that my reliance on screens for entertainment runs very deep.

At the end of a month, one thing is clear: I've grown so used to staring at screens that I often feel strange when I don't have one to look at. Whether that results from a personal lack of willpower or some generation-wide affliction, it's something I want to change.

Perhaps I'll try calling my mom or a friend the next time I find myself on YouTube for no particular reason. Maybe I'll read 10 pages of a book before wasting a few hours on Twitter. Or I could replace one night of TV-watching a week with a trip to the gym — a scientifically proven way to bust stress.

Those kinds of shifts are what Screen-Free Week is all about — not totally disconnecting from screens, but making a once-yearly effort to resist total dependence on them for entertainment.

I'm glad Screen-Free Week prompted me to think more deeply about my interaction with digital devices. But I don't think I'm going to completely abstain from TV in the future. I can't argue that bingeing a season of "House Hunters" while sprawled on the couch will promote my physical health. But unlike social media, I find that TV has a net positive effect on my mental wellbeing. It's relaxing. It's a reliable source of belly laughs or tears, depending on the show.

And it's just about the only thing that'll motivate me to wash a sink full of dirty dishes. 

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• After proving you don't have to spend a small fortune to get a great 4K TV with its 2017 P-Series line, TCL is back with the 6-Series.
• The new line includes 55 inch and 65 inch models, which both support HDR 10 and Dolby Vision HDR, have a Roku built inside, and cost under $1,000.
• Both TVs have just been released and retailers are having trouble keeping them in stock, so if you're interested in getting one, it's best to order now.

Last year TCL surprised everybody with its P-series 4K TVs, which were generally regarded as the option for people looking to spend under $1,000 on a new set. This year, the company is making an effort to recapture that magic with its more refined 6-series 4K TVs, and all signs point to that being the case. 

TCL smartly chose to keep around a bunch of the features that people liked last year, and made subtle tweaks here and there on the new model. In fact, the biggest change is that 6-series includes both a 55 inch and 65 inch model right out of the gate, which should please people looking for a bigger TV.

As with last year's P-series, TCL decided to illuminate its TV screens with LED zones instead of top or bottom LEDs, which means the 6-series sets will be able to intelligently illuminate certain parts of the screen more than others depending on what you're watching.

For example, if you were watching a scene in a movie set in the dead of night, where you only needed to see the dimly-lit faces of the characters, the TV could light the sections of the screen around those faces without lighting the entire panel, which would make the scene look a lot more realistic and pleasing to watch.

The key to using this screen technology is having a lot of zones, which lets the TV illuminate the smallest possible area that it needs to. The 55" 6-series TV has 96 zones and the 65" model has 120 zones, each of which is more than what's available on other budget-friendly sets. 

Both 6-Series TVs also support both Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, the two standards of HDR (high dynamic range) used by streaming hardware, streaming services, and game consoles. TVs that support high dynamic range let you see more vibrant, accurate colors with higher contrast (greater differentiation between darker and lighter parts of the screen) for HDR-enabled content. 

It's worth noting that while HDR is becoming standard in more TVs than ever, TCL received praise last year for implementing the technology better than many of its competitors. 

Instead of creating its own suite of apps, TCL chose to partner with Roku again this year, which is a good move. It means that you'll be greeted with a friendly interface that makes it easy to get to Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Plex, or any other media streaming service each time you turn on your TV.

TCL also designed the 6-Series TVs with three HDMI ports (for game consoles and streaming hardware), a coaxial input (for cable or an HDTV antenna), and a USB ports (to play media directly), which should be plenty for most people.

Finally, the most appealing feature carried over from the P-Series to the 6-Series is a relatively low price tag. The 55 inch model is $649 and the 65 inch option is $999. Neither TV is cheap, but both are a great buy for what you're getting, which is high-end hardware without the typical up-market price.

In fact, the 6-series TVs are such a good deal, I'm planning to upgrade to one myself within the next couple of months. Because they were just released, retailers are having trouble keeping these TVs in stock, but if you're interested in getting one sooner than later, you should place your order now.

TCL 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV, $649, available at Amazon

TCL 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV, $999, available at Amazon

SEE ALSO: The best TVs you can buy for less than $500

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As some TV shows get the axe, others get picked up for more seasons.

Series including "Veep" and "Game of Thrones" are coming back for their final seasons, while "Grey's Anatomy" was picked up for its 15th. 

Here are your favorite shows that are returning to TV from summer 2018 to 2019. 

"NCIS" season 16 (CBS) returns fall 2018.

Mark Harmon has been the star since season one. 

"NCIS: Los Angeles" season 10 (CBS) returns fall 2018.

This was the first "NCIS" spin-off. 

"NCIS: New Orleans" season five (CBS) returns fall 2018.

It's the third series in the "NCIS" franchise. 

Warning: Minor spoilers ahead for the second season of "13 Reasons Why."

Netflix's hit series "13 Reasons Why" will return with a second season on May 18. The first season of this controversial series explored the suicide of high school student Hannah Baker and the impact of her choice on a small town community.

Hannah left behind 13 tapes explaining the precisely how various peers and adults had impacted her life and ultimately contributed to her choice to take her own life. There will be 13 new episodes on the second season, but no more cassette tapes this time around.

INSIDER is here to reveal everything we know so far about what's in store for "13 Reasons Why." Let's dive in.

New hints in the season two announcement video

When Netflix shared a new teaser video announcing the May 18 release date, several clues about what's to come were contained inside.

It looks like both Bryce and Tyler will be involved in investigations. The teaser showed us Bryce possibly drugging and assaulting another girl at a part, while a file on Tyler was sitting on the school counselor's desk.

We'll get into what this means for Tyler in a bit, but first here's more about what will happen with Bryce.

A series of sexual assaults committed by athletic teams will be uncovered

On the first season, it's revealed that both Hannah and another student, Jessica, were raped by a fellow student and local sports-star named Bryce.

Hannah names Bryce as one of the reasons why she committed suicide, but Jessica (who is also on the tapes for other reasons) takes more time to come to terms with what happened with her. By the first season finale, Jessica had confronted her own substance abuse issues she was using as a coping mechanism for the trauma and had decided to open up to her dad about what happened to her.

"Jessica's experience continues to be a central part of season two," Yorkey said during a recent Netflix panel. "We wanted to look at her recovery and what it [means] to go from being a victim of sexual of sexual assault to being a survivor and what that journey is like."

"We said from day one of season one in our writers' room that we wanted this show to be about the way we treat girls and women in this culture, and the way we raise boys up into men," Yorkey said. "In season two, we explore a storyline that has to do with an ongoing case of numerous sexual assaults that is connected to the athletic teams at Liberty High School."

This new case will examine "the ways sexual assault has been perpetrated [and documented] over a number of years" within the athletic department and Liberty High School as a whole.

Yorkey says the parallel between this new storyline and the real-world #MeToo movement is happenstance.

"We developed [it] many many months ago based on quite a bit of research we had done, but at the time we had these discussions about whether it was realistic to think serial sexual abuse could be kept secret by so many people for so long," Yorkey said. "And then we watched events unfold in our culture that confirmed... unfortunately it is possible for severe sexual abuse at a very high and systematic level to be kept secret and for institutions to be complicit in it."

The community might help stop Tyler's school shooting plan

The first season of "13 Reasons Why" ended with the implication that Tyler Down, a Liberty High student who was bullied often, was planning an attack on his fellow students with a stash of guns and bullets hidden in his room.

But according to Yorkey, the community might reach out to Tyler in the ways it failed to do with Hannah. Maybe this is why Mr. Porter has a file on Tyler sitting on his desk in the new teaser.

"One of the themes we've talked about a lot for season two is the journey from isolation to finding community, and I think Tyler suffers — especially at the end of season one — from some severe social isolation," Yorkey told INSIDER.

"[Tyler is] thinking about making a tragic choice to restore to some sense of control or power," Yorkey said. "And I think we'll see over the course of season two that he continued to struggle with that but that hopefully there will be a community that is able to support him in a way that maybe there wasn't for Hannah."

For more on how this storyline might play out, read INSIDER's full interview with Yorkey and Netflix's vice president of original series.

The Bakers' lawsuit against Hannah's school will go to trial

By the finale of the first season, Hannah Baker's parents, Olivia and Andrew, have brought a lawsuit against Liberty High School, holding it responsible for their daughter's death.

"Hannah Baker's parents suing the school district is a central story engine to the whole season," showrunner Brian Yorkey told INSIDER. "This question of whether and how the school was responsible for what happened to Hannah is a really interesting one."

Many of the students featured on Hannah's 13 tapes had been deposed already on the first season, but now we'll see them testify in an actual court. By the finale, Hannah's parents were finally in possession of the tapes themselves, which will surely be a key part of evidence in their case.

"As we see that all play out, we also see these kids come to court and testify and tell these stories under oath," Yorkey said. "Secrets are revealed and over the course of the season people will find that their opinion on who was complicit and who wasn't, and their opinions about Hannah, will go through a series of changes. Hopefully that will be a really interesting ride."

Why we'll see a "very different" Hannah in flashbacks

"13 Reasons Why" star Katherine Langford (Hannah) made waves last year when she said the second season will show a "very different" version of her character. Since Hannah was already dead by the start of the first episode, all of her appearances were flashbacks narrated by either Hannah herself (on the tapes) or memories Clay and the other students had of her.

"On season one, Hannah told her story. And in season two, the other kids get a chance to tell their stories," Yorkey told INSIDER. "There's more to the story than what is on the tapes. And I think what we'll see […] will certainly complicate our understanding of who Hannah was."

"I don't think it will lessen the tragedy of her death in any ways [and] it doesn't change any of what she went through," Yorkey said. "But it provides a fuller picture of what her life was and also of the kids whose stories she tells — how they saw what happened between them and Hannah and what happened in the community."

Yorkey hopes the fans of the series will understand why we might see new sides to Hannah on this coming second season.

"That's an important part of season two's storytelling and I think it will be an interesting challenge, especially for younger viewers, to understand that Hannah's story was not the definitive story."

As we noted, most of the flashbacks shown on the first season were portrayals of the events as Hannah was describing them on her tapes. This means we were hearing (and seeing) her side of the story.

"She's not a reliable narrator and she didn't necessarily put everything on those tapes," Yorkey said. "There's always more to the story."

New characters are joining the cast

We'll see four new students — Nina, Mackenzie, Cyrus, and Chloe — who could have connections to both Hannah and the new dramas we'll see on the second season.

Then there's Jackie, whose character is described as an advocate for victims of bullying. Another new adult in the mix will be the character of Sonya, a litigator who's likely part of the Bakers' lawsuit.

Lastly, there's the Liberty High School baseball coach, Rick, who we're guessing will be wrapped up in the new revelation of serial sexual abuse connected to the athletic departments.

(For a full rundown of the new faces you'll see on the second season, read INSIDER's report here).

"13 Reasons Why" returns with new episodes on May 18. We'll update this post with more news as it comes in, but in the meantime read our report on the new video warning message Netflix will play before each season.

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• Roseanne Barr told Jimmy Fallon on Monday's "Tonight Show" that she "doesn't give a f---" about negative perceptions of her vocal support for President Trump.
• "This is America, it's a free country, and when you weigh it all together, I just felt like we needed a whole new thing," Barr said of Trump.
• Barr has been a vocal Trump supporter since the lead-up to the 2016 election.
• She was the subject of controversy when her rebooted, ABC sitcom, "Roseanne," premiered in March, after media outlets noted her history of supporting Trump while promoting far-right conspiracy theories online. 

Roseanne Barr defended her vocal and controversial support of President Trump in an interview with Jimmy Fallon on Monday night's "Tonight Show."

"Oh yeah, people are mad about that. But you know, I don't give a f---,” Barr told Fallon of supporting Trump.

"I mean, everybody had to choose for themselves, according to their own conscience, who they felt was the lesser of two evils," Barr continued. "You know, everybody chose that, so I’m not going to put anybody down who didn't vote like me. This is America, it's a free country, and when you weigh it all together, I just felt like we needed a whole new thing. All the way. Bottom to top."

Barr — whose rebooted, ABC sitcom "Roseanne" has sustained high ratings since its premiere in March — was the subject of controversy upon her show's premiere, after publications noted her history of supporting Trump while promoting far-right conspiracy theories online.

Trump made a personal phone call to congratulate Barr for the ratings of the show's premiere episode in March. Barr's character on the series, Roseanne Conner, is a Trump supporter, and Barr herself has been a vocal Trump supporter since the lead-up to the 2016 election.

Watch the interview below: 

SEE ALSO: Roseanne Barr has a history of supporting Trump — and promoting right-wing conspiracy theories

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• Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are growing exponentially compared to cable and satellite TV, according to research by The Convergence Consulting Group. 
• Convergence estimates that revenue from TV subscriptions will decline slightly over the next three years, while streaming service revenue will increase rapidly over the same period.
• US revenue for video streaming services grew 41% in 2017, while revenue for TV access grew just 1%, amid an increase in cord-cutting.

The growth of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime is vastly outpacing the revenue growth for cable and satellite TV, which are projected to be on a steady decline in the coming years, according to research by The Convergence Consulting Group.

The US revenue for video streaming services, otherwise known as over-the-top (OTT) providers, grew 41% in 2017, while revenue for cable and satellite TV access grew just 1% last year.

While Convergence estimates that revenue from TV subscriptions will decline slightly in each year between 2018 and 2020, the firm is forecasting that streaming service revenue will grow substantially over the same period — 39% in 2018, 32% in 2019, and 26% in 2020.

The expected growth of streaming services corresponds with existing streaming companies amping up their production of original content, while other major players enter the game.

Netflix, for instance, will have spent roughly $8 billion on content in 2018. Meanwhile, Disney is set to launch its own OTT service in the fall of 2019. 

"We expect especially for the US market going forward fewer content deals between programmers and independent OTT providers," Convergence wrote. "2017 saw Disney choose not to renew with Netflix and embrace OTT, HBO not renew with Amazon in the US, Hulu (which is spending more on content on a per US subscriber basis than Amazon or Netflix) continue to bolster its offerings compete & more directly against TV access providers, and A+E, AMC, Discovery, Scripps, and Viacom back & supply Philo."

Despite the projected drop in overall TV access revenue, the amount that the average household spends on TV access and OTT access are both expected to steadily increase each year from 2o18 to 2020:

Convergence also predicts a growth in "cord-cutters" and "cord-nevers," or households that don't hold a traditional TV subscription and instead rely on mediums like streaming services for video.

The firm estimates that there were 32.13 million US households without traditional TV packages at the end of 2017, an increase of 4.57 million from the year prior. Convergence forecasts that 2018 will see an addition of 4.63 million cord-cutters and cord-nevers.

SEE ALSO: How much money every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie made opening weekend, including the record-breaking 'Avengers: Infinity War'

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