ICYMI: The week in TV for Dec. 2-8

Ken Berry, star of "Mayberry, RFD" and "Mama's Family," dies at 85

"Mayberry, RFD" and "Mama's Family" actor Ken Berry died at 85, his ex-wife, Jackie Joseph-Lawrence, announced on Facebook on Dec. 1. "With very deep sorrow, I must inform friends of Ken Berry that he died a short time ago," she wrote.

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WWE legend Dynamite Kid dies on 60th birthday

WWE legend Dynamite Kid, whose real name is Tommy Billington, died on Dec. 5 — his 60th birthday — the WWE confirmed after the British wrestler's nephew, Davey Boy Smith Jr., announced the news on Twitter. "It deeply saddens me to announce the passing of Tom Billington the 'Dynamite Kid.' 😭😢🙏 I was really happy and glad I got to see Dynamite one last time last June in the UK. 🇬🇧 ❤️🙏. Dynamite was certainly an inspiration to myself and many others and really revolutionized Professional Wrestling as we [know] it today. He flew high, and gave it his all every match. Thanks for everything and sad to have lost another family member. 😞 Rest In Peace Dyno," tweeted Smith Jr., whose late father, Davey Boy Smith Sr., wrestled with Billington, his cousin, as the British Bulldogs. According to Fox News, Billington experienced many health issues in recent years: He broke his back in the ring in 1986, suffered a seizure following his final match in 1996, was relegated to a wheelchair in 1997 after losing the use of one of his legs and had a stroke in 2013.

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Former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Jael Strauss dies of cancer at 34

Jael Strauss, who competed on Season 8 of "America's Next Top Model" in 2007, died in hospice care on Dec. 4 at the age of 34. In early October, she announced on Facebook that she'd been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, which she said doctors told her was incurable. She entered hospice treatment on Nov. 22 and, according to the New York Daily News, spent a few days unconscious before she died.

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"The View" tribute to President George H. W. Bush devolves into shouting match

The women of "The View" addressed the death of President George H. W. Bush on the Dec. 3 episode of the daytime talk show, and while things started out smoothly, they quickly took a turn for the worse when Joy Behar brought up the Clean Air Act, which Bush signed into law in 1990, and then segued into a criticism of Donald Trump and his policies regarding the environment. "This president that we have now is trying to unravel everything that [Bush] did and Obama did, and if I ever become a one-issue voter, it will be about pollution and the greenhouse effect," said Behar before Meghan McCain cut her off. "Can we focus on the president, please? I don't want to talk about Trump. We're honoring a great president who's passed," said McCain. "Well, I do for a second, so excuse me! Excuse me for a second, please!" fired back Behar. McCain then told Behar that she wasn't interested in her "one issue." Retorted Behar, "I don't care what you're interested in because I'm talking!" Said McCain, "Well, I don't care what you're interested in either, Joy!" Whoopi Goldberg then quickly transitioned to a commercial break. The following day, the drama went unmentioned on the Dec. 4 episode of "The View," though tensions between the conservative and liberal panelists were palpable during a discussion of Trump's relationship with Fox News, which Behar criticized, saying that the network has "everything invested in propping him up and backing his lies." Abby Huntsman and McCain, who've both worked at Fox News, argued there are many Fox News personalities who, as Huntsman put it, "push back on him and are not in his camp that are great journalists." Later in the segment, Goldberg and McCain clashed over the use of the word "gun" in the idiom "the smoking gun," which the EGOT winner avoided saying. "I've been promised many times before, including on this very show, that we had it, that we did have the smoking gun — and I will still say 'gun' on national television," McCain said while discussing the Mueller investigation. Goldberg explained that she didn't use the word out of sensitivity to their guest on the episode: Rep. Steve Scalise, who was shot during a congressional baseball practice in June 2017. "I didn't want anyone to misunderstand the joke. That's why I didn't do it — just so we're all clear," she said. McCain rolled her eyes and replied that she didn't know they "weren't allowed" to say the word anymore and that she wasn't sure "what the line is for today." Goldberg responded, "This was just me trying to be thoughtful," and segued to a commercial break to diffuse the tension.

Conan O'Brien reveals his worst guest ever

During a late November chat with Dax Shepard on the actor's "Armchair Expert" podcast, Conan O'Brien revealed his worst guest ever: director Abel Ferrara. "He's a wild eccentric," the late-night host said of the filmmaker, whom he interviewed in 1996. "He fled during the show — before his segment. He ran away, got into the elevator and was out on the street when [my producer] gave chase." O'Brien's producers managed to force Ferrara back into the studio, he said, calling the segment "compellevision" during his chat with Shepard. "He came on camera against his will," said the comedian. "And then he came out and I think started yelling at me." During the '96 interview, the director pulled out a cigarette to smoke in the studio, mumbled incoherently and refused to answer many of O'Brien's questions.

Adam Levine faces backlash for seemingly playing favorites on "The Voice"

Adam Levine angered fans of "The Voice" when he fought for one contestant competing on his team (Reagan Strange) to advance into the semifinals over another (DeAndre Nico) during the Dec. 4 episode of the singing competition. The 14-year-old singer was too sick to perform that night even though she landed in the bottom three with DeAndre and Team Blake's Dave Fenley. But viewers could still vote for her over the two men, who went ahead with the Instant Save sing-off in her absence. DeAndre performed John Legend's "All of Me" and earned raves from Adam, who then shocked many fans by urging them to vote for Reagan instead, calling her "an unbelievably talented little girl" and saying that he has "a very special relationship" with her. "I have two little girls at home. The thought of breaking her heart by not urging everyone to give this girl a shot to go and redeem herself next week would be too far beneath me," said the Maroon 5 frontman, adding that he's gotta "fight for my girl" and "make sure that I represent her properly in this moment because she didn't have a chance to use her voice tonight." Ultimately, fans voted to send both Dave and DeAndre packing. Many also took to Twitter to accuse Adam of sabotaging DeAndre, imploring NBC to give him another shot at the competition next week.

Netflix maintains high-priced relationship with "Friends"

Netflix is paying AT&T $100 million to continue streaming "Friends" in the States through 2019, The New York Times reported on Dec. 4. The streamer previously paid just $30 million a year for the sitcom, which ended in 2004.

"The Office" stars reunite again, fueling reboot speculation

On Dec. 2, just weeks after Steve Carell reunited with several of his "The Office" co-stars while hosting "Saturday Night Live," even more members of the cast of the beloved sitcom gathered at the home of former showrunner Greg Daniels — and sparked reboot rumors in the process. "Some of the old gang got together today… it was so great to see everyone! I turned to Ed and said, 'I feel like we are at a family reunion.' He smiled and said, 'We are.' ❤️ Thanks Greg for hosting! For those who couldn't make it… you were missed," Angela Kinsey wrote on Twitter in the caption of a group photo that included Daniels and co-stars Rainn Wilson, Creed Bratton, Paul Liebertsein, Jenna Fischer, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Phyllis Smith, Oscar Nunez and Ed Helms. The erstwhile Pam Beesly tweeted a similar photo and stoked the reboot talk even further by calling out some of the cast members who couldn't be there. "We will see you soon!" she teased in her caption.

The first footage of Ruby Rose as The CW's Batwoman released

On Dec. 2, the official Twitter account for The CW's "Arrow" tweeted the first footage of Ruby Rose as Batwoman as part of a teaser for the three-night Arrow-verse crossover event, which kicks off on Dec. 9. (The actress will make her debut as Kate Kane that night.) "That's not Batman," Stephen Amell's Green Arrow says in the clip. A "Batwoman" series is currently in development at The CW for the 2019-2020 season.

Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg to host the 2019 Golden Globes in January

NBC announced on Dec. 5 that Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg will co-host the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 6, 2019. The duo previously presented together during the 2018 Emmy Awards in September.