It’s no small accomplishment to stay alive in Game of Thrones. Lead and background characters die all the time, some of them by more shocking methods than others. And it’s not going to change in season 5. I know. You’re absolutely shocked. Read on to see George R.R. Martin’s comments about what’s coming up on Game of Thrones, see a trailer for the next season of House of Cards, and more.

More Than a Portrait. Look, I know a teaser isn’t the same as getting early access to season 3 of House of Cards, but it’s better than nothing, right? Right. A new 30 second trailer shows an awfully intense moment between Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire (Robin Wright). I’m surprised the frosty tone didn’t wreck the camera. In case you’ve forgotten, House of Cards is back on February 27th. [/Film]

Live From New York. The Saturday Night Live 40th anniversary special caused many a tear to be shed on Sunday. They brought in a host of special guests and kept the laughs going for over three hours. It’s hard to choose favorite moments, but Clarke rounded up a list of 6 winners.

Not Casual Ratings. The television adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy premiered on BBC One Sunday. The small town drama miniseries made a strong debut with 6.6 million viewers, making it the highest rated show in its time slot. The three hour miniseries will air in the United States at the end of April on HBO. [The Hollywood Reporter]

Preparing For The Oscars. The exact surprises of this year’s Oscars ceremony are under all the wraps so host Neil Patrick Harris can’t give anything away. However, he can discuss a little about his creative process and what it’s like to prepare for such a large event. A new video from the Academy gives a quick behind-the-scenes look that makes me feel stressed on Harris’s behalf. [Hitfix]

The Night Is Dark. Characters are going to die in the next season of Game of Thrones. That is the opposite of news. However, which characters will find themselves biting it in Westeros this season is another story. George R.R. Martin appeared at the Writers Guild West Awards over the weekend and warned, “People are going to die who don’t die in the books, so even the book readers will be unhappy. So everybody better be on their toes. David and D.B. [David Benioff and D.B. Weiss co-creators of Game Of Thrones] are even bloodier than I am.” In other words, no one is safe. [Showbiz411]

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Not So Fast. Jon Stewart barely got out his comments about leaving The Daily Show before speculation about potential replacements started to swirl. It’s quite the pair of shoes to fill and while several fans named correspondent Jessica Williams as their top choice, she tweeted that it’s not happening. She says she’s under-qualified. Very modest of you, Jessica. But one day though! [The Hollywood Reporter]

Head to the comments and tell us about your favorite bits from the SNL 40^th.