'Modern Family' Feuds, 'American Idol' Additions And More: What TV Taught Us This Week

What TV taught us this week.

Each week, outrageous, sad, shocking and hilarious pieces of TV news hit the web. Shows get canceled, directors get fired, casts get angry -- and like anything in life, each news-worthy event usually comes with a lesson.

At HuffPost TV, we strive to dig up the best, most relevant pieces of news to share with our readers. From Mariah Carey's decision to join the "American Idol" judges panel to the ongoing "Modern Family" legal feud, click through the slideshow below to see our favorite TV news moments from this week -- and what we learned from them.

• Mariah Carey Signs On As An "American Idol" Judge

  <strong>The Event:</strong> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/jennifer-lopez-leaving-american-idol_n_1671451.html" target="_hplink">After Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez jumped the "American Idol" ship in the same week</a>, fans of the singing competition series worried it was on its way out. But on Monday, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/mariah-carey-american-idol-season-12_n_1695932.html?ir=Celebrity" target="_hplink">Mariah Carey signed on to the show</a>. "As a singer, songwriter and producer, it's going to be fun and rewarding to help find new talent and give back with 'American Idol,'" she said. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> There's always another diva ready to replace you.

• "Modern Family" Cast Sues 20th Century Fox

  <strong>The Event:</strong> On Tuesday, the Season 4 "Modern Family" table read was canceled because cast members Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sofia Vergara, and Ed O'Neill felt they weren't being paid enough. After their request for $200,00 per episode was denied,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/modern-family-lawsuit_n_1699238.html?utm_hp_ref=tv" target="_hplink"> the cast took the battle to court</a> citing California's "7 Year Rule," which prohibits personal services contracts for longer than 7 years. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> You can never have enough money.

• Scarves Aren't Going Anywhere On "Smash."

  <strong>The Event:</strong> Throughout Season 1 of "Smash," the use of scarves in every episode and on practically every character was mercilessly mocked. <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2012/04/smash-debra-messing-costume.html#photo=3x00011" target="_hplink">Vulture had a blast tearing apart Debra Messing's wardrobe</a> (which included scarves upon scarves), and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/smash-scarves-nbc-katharine-mcphee_n_1500878.html" target="_hplink">HuffPost compiled an entire slideshow highlighting scarf appearances</a>. There were 26 of them. 26! Unfortunately, NBC hasn't shaken up the "Smash" style for Season 2. This week, Katharine McPhee was spotted on set wearing -- you guessed it -- <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/smash-season-2-scarves-katharine-mcphee_n_1702931.html" target="_hplink">a scarf</a>. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> Old fashion habits die hard.

• "Downton Abbey" Will Say Goodbye

  <strong>The Event:</strong> Despite the critical success of "Downton Abbey," producer Gareth Neame has quashed any rumors that we'll be growing old with Lady Mary. "We have to balance between continuing to make it for audiences around the world that adore it and making sure that we don't take it too far," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/downton-abbey-ending-prod_n_1702241.html?utm_hp_ref=tv" target="_hplink">he explained to THR</a>. "Which is not now and not next year, but likely five years or six years, not 10 years." <strong>The Lesson:</strong> All good things must come to an end.

• The Dwight Schrute "Office" Spinoff Is A Real Thing

  <strong>The Event:</strong> Despite the downward spiral of "The Office" -- especially since Steve Carrell's departure at the end of Season 7 -- Fans are all for a spinoff show ... especially where Dwight Schrute is concerned. On Wednesday, <a href="http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/press-tour-2012-nbc-president-on-the-office-dwight-spin-off-and-more" target="_hplink">NBC president Jennifer Salke leaked a few details</a>. "Rainn (Wilson) came in and talked about what he wanted to do with the spinoff," she told Hitfix. "And they made the decision at the show to incorporate it as an episode." <strong>The Lesson:</strong> Milk it for all its worth.

• A Sleep Disorder Stops "Fringe" From Filming

  <strong>The Event:</strong> This week, Fox's "Fringe" actor John Noble was diagnosed with a sleep disorder. While Noble's illness was originally only supposed to put him out for three days, <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fringe-production-delay-extended-john-noble-354579" target="_hplink">THR reported that production would be halted until August</a>. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> Sleep is more important than TV.

• Dan Harmon Nears A Fox Pilot Deal

  <strong>The Event:</strong> After being <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/dan-harmon-firing-community_n_1664533.html" target="_hplink">fired from "Community" for being difficult to work with</a>, another network jumped on Dan Harmon's creative genius: Fox is reportedly nearing a deal to develop a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/dan-harmon-fox_n_1706739.html" target="_hplink">multi-camera comedy pilo</a>t. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> Just because someone isn't that into you, doesn't mean you won't find someone else who is.

• Matthew Weiner Admits Peggy Will Be Back

  <strong>The Event:</strong> Revealing any details about upcoming "Mad Men" episodes is the most sacrilegious thing a cast member of the AMC series can do. Elisabeth Moss (Peggy Olson) skated around the question of whether she would be returning for Season 6 for months! But when push came to shove, creator Matthew Weiner couldn't keep his mouth shut and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/mad-men-elisabeth-moss-returning_n_1706791.html?utm_hp_ref=tv" target="_hplink">admitted Peggy wasn't going anywhere</a>. "[Elisabeth Moss] is going to be on the show next year," he revealed to TVLine on Thursday. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> Some secrets are too good to keep.

• The Cast Of "Don't Trust The B----" Goes After Katie Holmes

  <strong>The Event:</strong> In the spirit of a Dawson-Joey reunion,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/katie-holmes-dont-trust-the-b_n_1709649.html?utm_hp_ref=tv" target="_hplink"> James Van Der Beek expressed his interest in having Katie Holmes</a> appear on his new show, "Don't Trust The B---- In Apartment 23." He told TV Guide he would to see her "saucier side." Bring on the 30-something angst! <strong>The Lesson: We do wanna wait for a </strong><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/joshua-jackson-dawsons-creek-reunion_n_1663535.html" target="_hplink">This "Dawson's Creek" reunion</a> (and always will).

• "The Killing" Gets Canceled

  <strong>The Event: </strong> On Friday, AMC's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/the-killing-canceled-amc_n_1711288.html?utm_hp_ref=tv" target="_hplink">"The Killing" was canceled after two seasons</a>. Despite a solid fan base, the show saw a huge amount of backlash after the question "Who killed Rosie Larsen?" wasn't answered at the end of Season 1. <strong>The Lesson:</strong> Give the people what they want.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/what-tv-taugh-us-this-week_n_1711586.html

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