My 2013 Emmy Predictions

The American television industry's night of nights, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will recognise the best primetime television that aired between June 2012 and May 2013, will air in America tomorrow. You can watch it here in Australia live from 10.00am Monday morning AEST, with an encore screening at 7.30pm. Below you'll find a list of the awards and nominees, as well as my thoughts on you I want to win, and who I think will win.

Outstanding Drama Series:

• Breaking Bad (AMC)
• Downton Abbey (PBS)
• Game of Thrones (HBO)
• Homeland (Showtime)
• House of Cards (Netflix)
• Mad Men (AMC)

Who I Want To Win: Other than House of Cards, and Mad Men (which I haven't seen), I wouldn't mind seeing any of these series win, although I would personally vote for Homeland.
Who I Think Will Win: Homeland won last year, but critics and fans alike have been vocal about the series' supposed decline in quality. Similarly, it's been stated that neither Downton Abbey or Mad Men have had their best seasons either. I think it comes down to Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, and out of these two, Breaking Bad will win.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series:

• Breaking Bad (Episode: "Dead Freight"), Written by George Mastras (AMC)
• Breaking Bad (Episode: "Say My Name"), Written by Thomas Schnauz (AMC)
• Downton Abbey (Episode: "Episode Four"), Written by Julian Fellowes (PBS)
• Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Rains of Castamere"), Written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (HBO)
• Homeland (Episode: "Q&A"), Written by Henry Bromell (Showtime)

Who I Want To Win: It would be "Q&A" if not for that unfortunate Dana subplot, so I'm going with "Say My Name".
Who I Think Will Win: Probably Homeland again, but Breaking Bad stands a chance with two nominated episodes, while "The Rains of Castamere" received a lot of critical praise for Game of Thrones.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series:

• Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham on Downton Abbey (Episode: "Episode Five") (PBS)
• Bryan Cranston as Walter White on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Say My Name") (AMC)
• Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy on The Newsroom (Episode: "We Just Decided To") (HBO)
• Jon Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men (Episode: "In Care Of") (AMC)
• Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody on Homeland (Episode: "Q&A") (Showtime)
• Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood on House of Cards (Episode: "Chapter 1") (Netflix)

Who I Want To Win: I don't mind, Cranston is the most deserving though.
Who I Think Will Win: Lewis won last year, and will probably do it again if Cranston doesn't.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:

• Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes on Nashville (Episode: "Pilot") (ABC)
• Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison on Homeland (Episode: "Q&A") (Showtime)
• Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley on Downton Abbey (Episode: "Episode One") (PBS)
• Vera Farmiga as Norma Louise Bates on Bates Motel (Episode: "First You Dream, Then You Die (Pilot)") (A&E)
• Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson on Mad Men (Episode: "The Better Half") (AMC)
• Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope on Scandal (Episode: "Happy Birthday, Mr. President") (ABC)
• Robin Wright as Claire Underwood on House of Cards (Episode: "Chapter 10") (Netflix)

Who I Want To Win: Again, I don't mind, would be nice to see Mathison win again though.
Who I Think Will Win: Quite a few newcomers this year, don't see any overcoming Mathison's performance though.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:

• Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Say My Name") (AMC)
• Bobby Cannavale as Gyp Rosetti on Boardwalk Empire (Episode: "Sunday Best") (HBO)
• Jim Carter as Charles Carson on Downton Abbey (Episode: "Episode Six") (PBS)
• Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones (Episode: "Second Sons") (HBO)
• Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Buyout") (AMC)
• Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson on Homeland (Episode: "The Choice") (Showtime)

Who I Want To Win: This is probably the category with the strongest nominees in my opinion, but Dinklage and Patinkin put in outstanding performance during the episodes they're nominated for. Personally, I'd go Patinkin.
Who I Think Will Win: Hard to say. I don't think it'll be Cannavale or Carter, but everyone else has a real chance. I'd say it'll be either one of the Breaking Bad boys if it's not Patinkin.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:

• Morena Baccarin as Jessica Brody on Homeland (Episode: "State of Independence") (Showtime)
• Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart on The Good Wife (Episode: "The Seven Day Rule") (CBS)
• Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones (Episode: "And Now His Watch is Ended") (HBO)
• Anna Gunn as Skyler White on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Fifty-One") (AMC)
• Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris on Mad Men (Episode: "A Tale of Two Cities") (AMC)
• Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey (Episode: "Episode One") (PBS)

Who I Want To Win: Skyler is certainly not the most beloved of characters, but Gunn deserves the Emmy for her subdued performance throughout the first half of Breaking Bad's fifth season.
Who I Think Will Win: Smith has won this category for the last two years, and probably will again, although I wouldn't put aside Gunn or Hendricks for a surprise win here.

Outstanding Comedy Series:

• 30 Rock (NBC)
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
• Girls (HBO)
• Louie (FX)
• Modern Family (ABC)
• Veep (HBO)

Who I Want To Win: I only watch 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory, and based off of the strengths of their respective seasons, I think The Big Bang Theory should won.
Who I Think Will Win: Modern Family has won the last three years, and 30 Rock won the three years prior to that. This season was 30 Rock's last, and its quality has diminished since its earlier season so I doubt it will win. While Modern Family has dominated the category, I don't think it will win this year, also you to a decline in quality. The Big Bang Theory would be the other obvious choice, but Louie is a critical darling and hasn't been nominated before, so that might finally get it's chance, while Veep could be the dark horse among them. I'm guessing Louie.

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series:

• 30 Rock (Episode: "Hogcock!"), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock (NBC)
• 30 Rock (Episode: "Last Lunch"), Written by Tina Fey & Tracey Wigfield (NBC)
• Episodes (Episode: "Episode Nine"), Written by David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (Showtime)
• Louie (Episode: "Daddy's Girlfriend, Part 1"), Written by Pamela Adlon & Louis C.K. (FX)
• The Office (Episode: "Finale"), Written by Greg Daniels (NBC)

Who I Want To Win: I've only watched 30 Rock, so I don't mind.
Who I Think Will Win: It was Louie last year, and I'd expect it to be again, unless 30 Rock of The Office get a nod for their respective series finales.

Outstanding Lead Actor in A Comedy Series:

• Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (Episode: "A Goon's Deed in a Weary World") (NBC)
• Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth on Arrested Development (Episode: "Flight of the Phoenix") (Netflix)
• Louis C.K. as Louie on Louie (Episode: "Daddy's Girlfriend, Part 1") (FX)
• Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan on House of Lies (Episode: "Hostile Takeover") (Showtime)
• Matt LeBlanc as Himself on Episodes (Episode: "Episode Two") (Showtime)
• Jim Parsons as Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory (Episode: "The Habitation Configuration") (CBS)

Who I Want To Win: As with the outstanding comedy category, I've only watched 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory, and based on the performances of Baldwin and Parsons, I think Parsons should win.
Who I Think Will Win: I don't think Baldwin, Cheadle or LeBlanc will win, but Bateman might be a surprise contender after the resurgence of Arrested Development on Netflix. With Louie now nominated for best comedy, Louie might also have a chance this year after being nominated the previous two. However, I'm sticking with Parsons.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:

• Laura Dern as Amy Jellicoe on Enlightened (Episode: "All I Ever Wanted") (HBO)
• Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath on Girls (Episode: "Bad Friend") (HBO)
• Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton on Nurse Jackie (Episode: "Luck of the Drawing") (Showtime)
• Tina Fey as Liz Lemon on 30 Rock (Episodes: "Hogcock!" / "Last Lunch") (NBC)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer on Veep (Episode: "Running") (HBO)
• Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation (Episodes: "Emergency Response" / "Leslie and Ben") (NBC)

Who I Want To Win: I only watch 30 Rock, and am yet to catch up on Parks and Recreation, but Fey's performance wasn't outstanding in 30 Rock this season, so I'm not fussed.
Who I Think Will Win: Louis-Dreyfus was a surprising win last year, so I'm thinking it will be her or possibly Falco again. Fey and Dern are also possibilities, both of their shows having finished this season.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:

• Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family (Episode: "Mistery Date") (ABC)
• Adam Driver as Adam Sackler on Girls (Episode: "It's Back") (HBO)
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett on Modern Family (Episode: "The Wow Factor") (ABC)
• Tony Hale as Gary Walsh on Veep (Episode: "Running") (HBO)
• Neil O'Brien as Derek McKevitt on Friday Night Dinner (Episode: "White Noise") (HBO)
• Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett on Modern Family (Episode: "Bringing Up Baby") (ABC)

Who I Want To Win: I don't watch any of these, so I don't care who wins.
Who I Think Will Win: Co-stars Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet have taken it in turns winning in this category for the last three years, and with Stonestreet not nominated, I guess it'll be Burrell. Sackler and Walsh, both first nominees, are dark horses though.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:

• Mayim Bialik as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory (Episode: "The Fish Guts Displacement") (CBS)
• Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy on Modern Family (Episode: "My Hero") (ABC)
• Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer on Veep (Episode: "First Response") (HBO)
• Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock (Episodes: "Hogcock!" / "Last Lunch") (NBC)
• Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester on Glee (Episode: "Feud") (Fox)
• Sofía Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on Modern Family (Episode: "Yard Sale") (ABC)
• Merritt Wever as Zoey Barkow on Nurse Jackie (Episode: "Teachable Moments") (Showtime)

Who I Want To Win: Either Bialik or Vergara, who have done some solid work on their respective shows over the last couple of years, but never won the Emmy.
Who I Think Will Win: Bowen's won the last two years, and I don't see why she wouldn't win again.

Outstanding Mini-Series or Movie:

• American Horror Story: Asylum
• Behind the Candelabra
• The Bible
• Phil Spector
• Political Animals
• Top of The Lake

Who I Want To Win: I have only watched American Horror Story: Asylum, so again, I don't particularly mind who wins in this category.
Who I Think Will Win: Buzz is often a good indicator of shows that are getting critical attention, and here in Australia out of all of these, Behind the Candelabra and The Bible have gotten the most media attention. Behind The Candelabra was released here in theatres, and The Bible had a successful run on Channel 9, but based off of the subject matter of each, I think Behind the Candelabra will get more praise.

As I haven't seen majority of the Outstanding Mini-Series or Movie nominees I've refrained from commenting on the writing and acting (both male and female) for these categories majority of the award to go to Benedict Cumberbatch's Parade's End and Behind the Candelabra, and there's a possibility American Horror Story: Asylum could pick up some acting nods too.

Outstanding Variety Series:

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
• Real Time With Bill Maher
• Saturday Night Live

Who I Want To Win: We are limited to our access of American late night television here in Australia, particularly on free to air television, but from what I've seen of these shows, Colbert's political satire is my kind of humour, so I like to see the Emmy go to him.
Who I Think Will Win: Amazingly, Jon Stewart has taken home the Emmy for this category for the last ten years. If he doesn't do it again, I could see it possibly going to one of the Jimmy's.

Outstanding Reality/ Competition Program:

• The Amazing Race
• Dancing With The Stars
• Project Runway
• So You Think You Can Dance?
• Top Chef
• The Voice

Who I Want To Win: I don't make a habit of watching reality programs, let alone American ones, but I personally enjoy The Amazing Race the most.
Who I Think Will Win: Since the category was introduced ten years ago, The Amazing Race has won the Emmy nine times (only losing to Top Chef in 2010), so that seems like the obvious choice.

So there you have it, my quick thoughts of the categories and nominees for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. Remember to check back for my recap of all the nights events tomorrow. Enjoy the show!

My Fall Television Schedule (2012 - 2013): My Televsion Year in Restrospect

With the fall television season upon us I'll soon be posting up My Fall Television Schedule for the 2013 - 2014 season, but first I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the past year of television. You can check out my proposed plans for my 2012 - 2013 season here.

Sitcoms are shows that easily fall by the wayside for me. Unless I really enjoy them, they're going to come off of my television schedule out of necessity. I had planned to start watching How I Met Your Mother, which is now heading into its ninth and final season, after catching majority of the last half of Season 8. However, it didn't stick. I had four pretty solid comedies too keep me satisfied throughout last season in Happy Endings, The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock & New Girl, so How I Met Your Mother wasn't a necessity. And neither was NBC's new Will & Grace-esque comedy Partners either apparently, I didn't watch like I said I would, and apparently no one else did either with NBC cancelling the series after six episodes. This was despite the show being placed in the pretty cushy timeslot between How I Met Your Mother and 2 Broke Girls at 8.30 on Mondays. Also on Monday's was the surprise post-apocalyptic hit Revolution, it being the first new show of the season to be renewed after airing only three episodes. It also had a cushy timeslot behind The Voice at 10.00, and it will be interesting to see how its ratings go with its drastic move to Wednesdays at 8.00 this season. I recorded the first six or seven episodes of Revolution before I started watching any, and ironically I probably only watched three until I stopped. I considered returning to the show, and still do, but other than the cliff-hangers I found majority of it to be rather dull. It's also been critically panned by many, and while this doesn't inspire to watch Revolution as a good show, it does inspire to watch it as a train-wreck you can't look away from, which is why I'm still considering catching up. I wont be able to do this during this season though, so I'll have to wait and see whether things improve for the show in the meantime. Similar critical distain was given to The Following, which I've recorded all of, but now am very uncertain as to whether or not I should watch. I also tried out Deception but left it after three episodes, and it was cancelled at the end of its 13 episode run.

On Tuesdays New Girl really hit its stride, and surprisingly Jake Johnson stole the show as lazy yet lovable Nick Miller throughout the season. The verdict's still out on whether or not the show can make Nick and Jess work as a couple for the long-term, but I'll be tuning in to find out. I still can't help but hate New Girl a little though, since Happy Endings was running at the same 9.00 timeslot on ABC, but was quickly shuffled off to die on Friday nights after its return from mid-season break. While I don't think the third and now final season was at good as its season (its reliance on the ridiculous and over-the-top storylines for humour is a turn-off for me with comedies), it was still easily the best comedy on television, and it's my hardest felt cancellation from last season. I considered also watching the comedy paired with Happy Endings, Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23, along with checking out a whole host of new comedies that premiered on Tuesday last season, like Go On and The New Normal in an attempt to find a new comedy. Ultimately I'm glad I didn't with all of these being cancelled. I also recorded all of Cult which aired at 9.00 on The CW during mid-season after the cancellation of Emily Owens, M.D., but that too is now cancelled and I haven't watched a single episode.

Supernatural remained solid viewing on Wednesdays during its eighth season, and many believed it was better than Season 7. The show mostly becomes an interchangeable monster-of-the week blur to me, but there were some intriguing story arcs like Dean's return and escape from purgatory, The Men of Letters, and of course, the highly dramatic Trials Sam undertook (although lets all just forget about his horrible flashbacks to when Dean was away). Nashville was prime to become the best new show for me early in the season, but by its finale it had become so convulsed and melodramatic that I'm worried I'll have to start watching it the way I watch Revenge, for a good laugh. Arrow did exceptionally well for The CW at 8.00 before Supernatural, and I still want to watch it eventually, but as with comedies, unfortunately CW fair hasn't yet earned the respect of necessary viewing (except maybe Nikita), but hopefully their promising pilot season this year can continue to change that.

We said goodbye to 30 Rock on Thursday's last season, and while there were some memorable moments throughout its final 13 episode seventh season run (Hazel really came into her own), the show ultimately ended on a rather sentimental note, which felt quite out of character for such a normally untraditional show. While I've said that comedies aren't a necessary watch, The Big Bang Theory really has come to deserve it's title as the best comedy on television. I know there are a lot of people who don't like it compared to some of the more quirkier and out there comedies (like Arrested Development or Community, which it was up against in the 8.00 timeslot), but for a traditional sitcom, laugh track included, The Big Bang Theory is a very good show. The Vampire Diaries may have lost some of its bite (sorry, but it works), but is it highly serialised, so I'm willing to stick with it through is numerous and very long dry-spells with several characters and storylines in anticipation for the big mythology aspect of the show. ABC's high concept drama Last Resort was my most anticipated new show of last season, but I only tuned into four or so episodes myself before giving up, and ABC gave up too, it being cancelled after six episodes, the remaining ones still airing. The timeslot and high concept probably didn't help the show, but for me, it just took itself too seriously, and needed some humour to break up the drama that quickly became incessantly tedious. I was initially weary to check out Hannibal, despite it being developed by Bryan Fuller. By mid-season though, nothing was on, and boy am I glad I tuned it. With its great acting and beautiful cinematography, this slick psychological thriller turned into the best new network show of the season. As I was last year, I'm still finding the time to be inspired to catch up on Scandal and Person of Interest, with both doing extremely well with the amount of buzz and critical acclaim they received last season.

Fringe finished is unbelievable five season run on Fridays. While die-hard will no doubt be happy with the conclusion of the series, the vast change in setting and the relationships shared between the characters made it difficult for me to appreciate the season, despite its heavy mythology. I followed Happy Endings to Friday, which I'm still so so sad about, and continued to record Cult when it was also shuffled here before cancellation despite not watching it. I still haven't caught up on Grimm, and it falls low on the list on the shows I want to catch up on. I'm now just waiting for Nikita to end to buy the DVD boxset so that I can consume this great show all at once, although I'm a little disappointed that I didn't watch it while it aired.

On Sundays Revenge continued to do its thing. Despite some people thinking its become too convoluted, Revenge was always like this, only now it's more obvious. However, when it's not having its well dressed utter ridiculous dialogue at one another, Revenge can be an enthralling drama, and I'm willing to stick with it through all the bad. I mean, did you see that finale? 666 Park Avenue was actually quite enjoyable, but after it was cancelled before its mid-season break after airing seven episodes, but I wasn't inspired enough to finish watching once I knew it wouldn't be back. I wasn't inspired to check out Once Upon A Time either, and now I'm wondering if I ever will be. I'm in the same situation with The Good Wife as I am with Nikita, the show is heading into its fifth season, and doesn't look like it has long left, so maybe I'll just hold out until it finished before watching.

There were two late mid-season shows this year, Under The Dome and Siberia, which I also hoped to check out. Under The Dome, while ridiculous, has an entertaining mythology, and the show doesn't really deserve all the hate its receiving from critics. I'm yet to watch an episode of Siberia, but I have recorded it thus far.

Onto cable, and of course, majority of them also air on Sunday's. Boardwalk Empire withstood the loss of prominent character Jimmy Darmody at the end of season two and produced an entertaining third season, and season four looks set to do the same. Dexter's seventh season was a spectacular resurgence for the show, but unfortunately critics and fans alike have panned its eighth and final season, which will air on Sunday. The Walking Dead had its moments, but ultimately had difficulty maintaining momentum splitting its time between the prison and Woodbury throughout its third season, resulting it quite a bit of filler. While Homeland's second season, particularly its second half with the conclusion of the Abu Nazir storyline, received mixed responses, I loved it, and cannot wait for the new season to start in a couple of weeks. Breaking Bad showcased itself as one of the most talked about shows of all time, and while I have a problem with the change of tone of previous seasons in 5A, 5B has done nothing but deliver and I'm expecting a spectacular finale from this show.

Other shows on cable that I watched this year included American Horror Story (it had a strong season but fell short in its last couple of episodes), Californciation (the season focus on the rock and roll music industry was entertaining, but the characters and their relationships have gotten stale). I caught up on Awkward before the start of it's third season, and am interested to see where it's heading in the second half. British import Doctor Who is slugging along as a tedious pace despite its out-there storylines, while Ray Donovan is probably my favourite new cable show of the season, with a good balance between Ray professional and family life and great acting. Bates Motel, The Bridge, Twisted, and Defiance were all shows I watched a couple of episodes of but didn't feel the need to finish watching them. And I haven't got to Low Winter Sun yet.

Playing catch up I've watched the first season of Pretty Little Liars, but am struggling knowing that I'm no where near finding out the identity of A. I've watched the first season, and half of the second season of Parks & Recreation in an attempt to fill a solid comedy gap left by Happy Endings and 30 Rock, and while not as good as those, it has its charm. I'm also about to start watching The Newsroom after watching part of a season one episode with a friend and loving every minute of it.

Television isn't just on your TV anymore either, and I tried to check out majority of Netflix's new original programming to see how it'd fair. House of Cards was decent, but wasn't overwhelmingly good for me, and Hemlock Grove, despite being very much my genre, has failed to convince me to watch the first episode. Orange is the New Black, however, is most definitely the best new show of the year, despite it not even airing on television.

So there you have it, my 2012 - 2013 year of television in review. Of the nine new shows I planned to watch at the beginning of the season four were cancelled, 666 Park Avenue, Cult, Deception, and  Last Resort. Of the shows I already watched 30 Rock, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Fringe, and Happy Endings all ended all were cancelled. So how was everyone else's year? Found a new favourite? Disappointed about an undeserved cancellation? Let me know, and here's to the next year of television watching.

J.K. Rowling Announces Movie Adaptation of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them’

The Harry Potter universe is set to continue with a new movie. It will be based off of J.K. Rowling’s encyclopaedic companion to the magical creatures that featured in the book and film series, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.  Rowling will make her screenwriting debut to write the film for Warner Brothers studio.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them featured as a textbook Hogwarts students studied in the Harry Potter series, written by the wizard Newt Scamander. Rowling donned the persona of the wizard to write Fantastic Beasts as a supplement to the Harry Potter series previously, and the book was released in 2001, in between the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003).

Here’s Rowling full statement regarding the announcement of the film, courtesy of Hypable (http://www.hypable.com/2013/09/12/new-harry-potter-movies-fantastic-beasts-jk-rowling/):

‘Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for seventeen years, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world. The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.

It all started when Warner Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ realized by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood.

As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.

I particularly want to thank Kevin Tsujihara of Warner Bros. for his support in this project, which would not have happened without him. I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it.’

Rowling is yet to commence writing the screenplay, so there has been no word on when the film is expected to be released. The film is set to be the first in a series of films based off of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them produced by Warner Brothers.

Breaking Bad Spin-off Announced

 

The hit television series Breaking Bad has a spin-off in development.

AMC and Sony Pictures, the network and production company behind the show that follows a chemistry teacher’s transition into a drug lord, announced on Friday that they have made a series order for a spin-off.

The series will follow the character of Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), the hapless criminal lawyer that features in Breaking Bad, and will be aptly titled Better Call Saul. The series will be a prequel, based before the events of Breaking Bad, and will be a one-hour drama that will focus of the evolution of Goodman’s morally ambiguous character. The series will also have a lighter tone in comparison to its parent show, including more comedic elements, considering Goodman’s character was often used as comic relief on Breaking Bad. There has been no word yet as to whether or not Odenkirk will reprise his role as Saul in the series, considering the character will be significantly younger.

The series is to be produced by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan and writer Peter Gould, who wrote the season two episode of Breaking Bad also titled ‘Better Call Saul’, which introduced the popular character.

Industry experts believe that AMC are desperate to hold onto Gillian, who has risen to popularity and been highly praised as creator and head writer of Breaking Bad. With Breaking Bad ending, and with Mad Men expected to do so in less than a year (another critically acclaimed show on the network), it’s believed the spin-off will become a high priority for the network.

Depending on how fast AMC want to develop Better Call Saul, which is looking very likely, the series could be expected to be airing as early as next Summer in the US.

Being a prequel, the spin-off offers no insight into what might happen to the hapless lawyer Goodman as Breaking Bad heads towards its conclusion.

The much anticipated series finale of Breaking Bad will here in Australia on the September 30th on Showcase.

My Fall Television Schedule (2013 - 2014)

Note: This year I've also included mid-season shows, a mistake I made in not doing last year.

MONDAY:

Timeslot                     Television Program                             Network               Premiere Date
8.00pm - 9.00pm        Almost Human (New Show)                  Fox                       4/11
9.00pm - 10.00pm      Sleepy Hollow (New Show)                   Fox                       16/9
10.00pm - 11.00pm    Intelligence (New Show)                       CBS                      24/2
10.00pm - 11.00pm    The Blacklist (New Show)                     NBC                      23/9

Well it looks like Mondays it going to be an entirely new night for me. Last year I said I was going to watch How I Met Your Mother (was never really excited about that and now its in its final season), Partners (didn't end up watching and was cancelled), and Revolution (watched some of, but then it fell by the wayside and I didn't return. Will try to again at some stage despite the bad buzz its received, or perhaps because of that. It has also been moved to Wednesdays). I am most excited for The Blacklist, wish is odd considering I generally go for science-fiction/ fantasy more so over procedurals. How much procedural aspects each of these shows has will determine the likelihood of me continuing to watch. I like highly serialised television shows, so whichever has a greater sense of an overall arc is going to suit me best. At this stage it's Almost Human, Intelligence and then Sleepy Hollow. And I doubt I be following The Following when it returns, despite my desire to check it out last season.

TUESDAY:

Timeslot                     Television Program                             Network               Premiere Date
8.00pm - 9.00pm        Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (New Show)      ABC                      24/9
8.00pm - 9.00pm        The Originals (New Show)                   The CW                 15/10
8.30pm - 9.00pm        Brooklyn Nine-Nine (New Show)          Fox                        17/9
9.00pm - 9.30pm        New Girl                                                Fox                         17/9
9.00pm - 10.00pm      Supernatural                                          The CW                 15/10

With Happy Endings moved to Friday's and eventually cancelled after it finished airing its third season back in May, New Girl is the only show I also watched on Tuesday last year. I thought it was going to be one of those comedies I caught up on when I had several episodes to watch, but with little other laughs on last season New Girl was a weekly watch. Supernatural moves from Wednesday's after freshman Arrow's success on that night that season, The CW trying to solidify its primetime schedule by spreading out its most popular shows. As for the newbies Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is a must as a Joss Whedon fan and therefore instantly on the top of my must-watch list. I'm lukewarm on The Originals, I'll watch it because I enjoy The Vampire Diaries, so I'm hoping new characters and a new location can revitalise things were its parent show is dwindling. I usually only choose one new comedy to check out each season (I generally like to wait to see what lasts and what doesn't) and this year, based on the trailers of all the network comedies, its Brooklyn Nine-Nine. And I'll catch up on Person of Interest one day, trust me.

WEDNESDAY:

 

Timeslot                     Television Program                             Network               Premiere Date
9.00pm - 10.00pm       The Tomorrow People (New Show)     The CW                9/10
10.00pm - 11.00pm     Nashville                                                ABC                     25/9
10.00pm - 11.00pm     American Horror Story                          FX                        9/10

Looks like Wednesdays will be my catch-up night now that Supernatural has moved to Tuesdays, which is fine, because did you see Tuesday? The Tomorrow People replaces Supernatural's spot, but I'm waiting to see whether its as good as Heroes was. Or as bad as Heroes was. I stuck with Nashville all throughout last season. It had moments of brilliance in which I wondered why I wasn't so excited to watch it every week, and then towards the end of the season it had such a decrease in quality that at this moment it's a more laughable soap-opera than Revenge. For some bizarre reason I left American Horror Story off of my schedule last year despite watching it (it must have been because it aired on Wednesday and I only looked for cable channel shows I watch on Sundays). But I have rectified the mistaken and it's here now, and the great thing about its concept is that every season I'm excited for it because its a completely new show. I had to refrain from putting Arrow in here, just like last year. Now I definitely want to catch up because I've heard such great things, but we'll see. Regarding Revolution, see Monday.

THURSDAY:

Timeslot                     Television Program                             Network               Premiere Date
8.00pm - 8.30pm         The Big Bang Theory                            CBS                       26/9
8.00pm - 9.00pm         The Vampire Diaries                            The CW                 10/10
9.00pm - 9.30pm         The Crazy Ones (New Show)               CBS                       26/9
9.00pm - 10.00pm       Reign (New Show)                               The CW                 10/10

Thursday is the day that stays most similar to last year, with The Big Bang Theory and The Vampire Diaries returning. 30 Rock ended it's seven season run last year, and Last Resort was cancelled. I know I said I only check out one new comedy per season but The Crazy Ones has Sarah Michelle Gellar in it, so I must watch! For a while, anyway. I almost didn't put Reign, but I just have to check out The CW's attempt at a qausi-historical period piece (with romance and possible supernatural elements!), I mean, who wouldn't? As with last year, I need to catch up with Scandal, even more so because of the buzz. Parks and Recreation has also come onto my comedy radar after five seasons (I told you it took me a long time), one of the reasons being with 30 Rock and The Office ending, and NBC cancelling the rest of its comedies, this and Community remain the only seasoned comedies on the network. And Sean Saves the World doesn't look too bad in a traditional gay sitcom sort of way. Don't judge me!

FRIDAY:

Timeslot                     Television Program                             Network               Premiere Date
10.00pm - 11.00pm     Dracula (New Show)                            NBC                     25/10

It's times like these were I question whether or not my love of science-fiction/ fantasy television is a good or a bad thing. I'm not really at all interested in watching NBC's boring titled period piece about vampires, but I feel I must as a fan service to the horror genre. I think I would much rather spend my Friday's catching up on the first two seasons of Grimm, eventually catching up with the new episodes. Now there's an idea.

SATURDAY:

Get a life. That's not the name of a show. It's something I seriously need to do.

SUNDAY:

Timeslot                     Television Program                             Network               Premiere Date
9.00pm - 10.00pm       Boardwalk Empire                               HBO                       8/9
9.00pm - 10.00pm       Revenge                                                ABC                       29/9
9.00pm - 10.00pm       The Walking Dead                               AMC                      13/10
10.00pm - 11.00pm     Homeland                                             Showtime               29/9
10.00pm - 11.00pm     Resurrection                                         ABC                       9/3

The only good thing about the end of the weekend is that the television always promises to be good, and this year is no different. The only causalities from my watch list were the cancelled 666 Park Avenue and Dexter which is about to finish its eighth season run. Apart from that, all the standard greats are still there: Boardwalk Empire, Homeland, and The Walking Dead. Oh, and Revenge is here for some reason too, it's good fun and I won't stop watching. I doubt I'll start watching The Good Wife either, I've given up on Once Upon A Time (and its new spin-off on Thursday too, by the way), and Betrayal, I so very badly wanted to watch you, but ABC's attempts over the last couple of years to recapture the drama of Desperate Housewives on Sunday's nights is getting worse and worse. That's not going to stop me from checking out Resurrection once Betrayal finishes though (whether or not its cancelled), although I hope it does finish its run so that this intriguing newbie show doesn't have to fight for the audience of all these other great shows.

While this is already a fairly extensive list of the television shows I plan to watch next season, there are quite a few mid-season replacements that haven't even been scheduled to premiere that I'm also eagerly anticipating. The 100 on The CW looks to be one of the more exciting genre shows available next season, and NBC's Believe might be worth a check in too. NBC also has the comedy About A Boy scheduled for midseason, and it being one of my favourite movies, I might give it a look, along with ABC's Mixology whose high concept storytelling may make for interesting television.

As for pre-established shows that are returning midseason, I can't wait for Nikita to hurry up and finish so I can go out and buy the DVD box set and devour this great series I've been missing out on. And NBC's Hannibal was the best show of free-to-air television last year so its a must watch for me. I'll also be watching Californication on Showtime when that returns.

There's also those summer shows that are still fresh in our minds as we head toward the new season, but lament that we won't get to see them again for almost a whole year. The fall premiere week will see the final episodes of  Under the Dome, Breaking Bad, Dexter, and Ray Donovan, and True Blood just recently finished its sixth season.

The cable networks are also busy developing new shows that could potentially air next season and the like of FX's The Strain, Showtime's Penny Dreadful, and HBO's The Leftovers are all shows in development whose premise greatly intrigues me and sounds like shows I will watch.

And then there's all the television that's not even on television, just to makes this that much more difficult. Netflix has currently made waves this last year with all its new original programming, and while I'm glad to see House of Cards getting online television content attention, Orange Is The New Black was my favourite new show of this year. I absolutely cannot wait until that returns, whenever that may be. And chance are, if I indulge in the show the same way I did this year, I'll watch the entire season in a week, and it'll be done with.

For a full list of the main television networks schedule check out this Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%9314_United_States_network_television_schedule

If my calculations are correct I plan on watching 21 television shows a week, at about 19 hours. I find this odd because last year I only watched 17 (18 with American Horror Story now included) yet I found approaching that season was a lot more overwhelming then what I am feeling now. The reason I have so much more shows on my list this season is that there are thirteen shows, two of them mid-season, which I am interested in checking out. Last year there was only five. That's a big jump, and perhaps I'm trying to make up for the shows I watched that were cancelled (three freshman series were axed, and four returning). Despite this, I think the answer is more likely that I found last years pilot season a lot more exciting then this one. All of the five shows I was extremely excited for, this season there's only one, which is Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. The rest I feel obligated to watch, like The Originals, The Crazy Ones, and Dracula, and the rest I haven't got a good enough impression of whether or not I'll like them, hence the large number of shows. I'll be trying a lot out, and I imagine quickly whittling them down.

Orange Is The New Black

Homeland

Hannibal

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

The Big Bang Theory

Boardwalk Empire

The 100

American Horror Story

The Originals

Resurrection

Of course, of always, some will be cancelled (and in this context is the only time I ever see them as a good thing), and obviously not all of these shows are on every week. Some start later then others, with their premieres being months apart Brooklyn Nine-Nine and New Girl both starting on the 17th of September while others like The Vampire Diaries and Reign won't start until the 10th of October, almost a month later. And of course, that doesn't even include the mid-season show start times.

This will be in interesting year to follow in regards to what's successful, what's not, and what new trends emerge from a storytelling standpoint in television, but also in what audiences are most interested in and excited about. I think I myself am going to have to hone my trimming skills a bit unless I really want to end up watching The Crazy Ones and Dracula for their entire seasons. What are your thoughts on this seasons line up? Better or worse then last years? Are you still upset that your favourite show got cancelled for all this new crap, or can you sense a good show coming your way?

Television Characters That Can't Be Killed

Writers pride themselves in creating loveable and memorable characters for audiences, and it's particularly important when it comes to television, because it's the characters that audiences keep coming back to watch each week. But there's more than one way to convince viewers to tune in and, and writers love nothing more than to place beloved characters in mortal danger to really keep audiences enthralled during an episode, on in anticipation for the next one.

The recent True Blood finale provides an excellent example of this, with the fate of arguably the show’s most popular vampire, Eric, played by Alexander Skarsgard, being left up in the air until the shows next season after he burst into flames on top of the mountain in the Swiss Alps. The discussion of the shows finale could have easily been about Warlow's sudden but inevitable transformation into the season's big villain, or Billith's transgression back to Bill, or that intriguing six month flash into the future, but no, fans, especially the female ones, were most concerned about the fate of their beloved Eric. And of course, the one question on everyone's lips until the show return in nine months is, 'is Eric really dead?' 

The obvious answer to that question would be evident to the most casual television viewer, which is, of course not. Not only is Eric a main character of True Blood, but he is an integral member of the shows forever running love saga, him being one of Sookie's many potential suitors, of which he is the most liked by viewers. For the writers to kill him off would unleash the most furious fan backlash a television show has ever seen, and the show would undoubtedly lose a substantial amount of viewers because of it.

The fact is in television, like most storytelling, there are some characters that just can't be killed. Some for the reason above, but mostly, characters that are integral to a shows plot, the 'main' ones, can't be killed because the show is about them, and it wouldn't be the same show without them. Shows that share their titles with the main lead are the most obvious ones. Dexter, Castle, Bones and Nikita are all shows in which the lead can't die (unless it's at the very end). And I don't recall House, Veronica Mars, or Buffy dying either (okay so Buffy died twice, but she came back because she couldn't stay dead! There wouldn't be a show without her.) And then there are shows in which there are one or more main characters who are so closely linked with the premise that there would be no show without them. There would be no Revenge without Emily, no Supernatural without Sam and Dean etc.

And then there are those characters like Eric, whose name's not in the title, and who the show could easily go on without, despite fan backlash. But writers understand the importance of keeping audiences both entertained and happy, and that means that there are some characters that just can't and won't be killed, and why Eric will most definitely survive to see True Blood's seventh season (SPOILER: True Blood producer Brian Buckner has confirmed this). And here's some other cherished television characters that are never going to suffer that fate because of how much they are loved by audiences:

Richard Harrow (Boardwalk Empire):

Since the shocking death of Jimmy Darmody on the period drama series that depicts the prohibition era in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Richard Harrow, a disfigured war veteran, has cemented his position as a fan favourite character. Despite the amount of violence that usually surrounds him, and the horrors he endured during his time in the war, Harrow is portrayed as a very childlike character, who is still discovering the world for the first time (or possibly again after the war) and it's a fascinating journey for audiences to watch. While Harrow is a simple and innocent man that knows nothing more than the hand life has dealt him, he's not one to ask for sympathy, and that, ironically, is what makes him such a sympathetic character for audiences. His temperament, sense of dress, and all the other ways in which he is presented make him a beautifully haunting character. Harrow is also an expert gunman, which not only comes in handy for those characters lucky enough to be his allies, but also strikes fear in his enemies. Any scene with him and a gun in it is fraught with tension because of his calm demeanour in wielding a weapon, and his shooting abilities not only ensure his livelihood on the show, but in the hearts of audiences as well.

Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad):

As Breaking Bad heads towards its final episode, fans of the show have been speculating wildly as to how things will end for science teacher turned drug lord Walter White. Just as importantly is how the characters around Walt, his family, and his ex-partner in crime Jesse, will be effected by the fallout that is undoubtedly going to befall him, and whether or not they'll be partially responsible for it, or just get caught in the crossfire. For the entire run of Breaking Bad Jesse has again and again suffered greatly because of Walt's actions, which has taken a significant emotional toll on his character. He has become the series' most sympathetic figure, a young man out of his depth who wants desperately to repent for his past sins. So for many fans, Jesse's death at the end of the series would simply be unjustifiable. He's been the moral centre for a show whose main protagonist has progressively turned into an antagonist, so if there's one thing fans want from the end of Breaking Bad, it's a happy ending for Jesse (or at least one that doesn't involve him dying).

Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones):

It's probably stupid to say that characters in Game of Thrones can't be killed, considering that the author of the fantasy book series the show is based off, George R.R. Martin, has become infamous for killing off prominent characters in shocking and unexpected ways, but I'm going to anyway. The reason Daenerys can't be killed off is that, and note I have not read the books, Game of Thrones is essentially her story. While majority of the characters are centralised on a singular continent, albeit a large one containing many kingdoms, Daenerys has spent three seasons separated from them in her attempts to return there. She’s crossed oceans, married the leader of a savage tribe, freed slave people and is the mother of dragons, who believes her rightful place is atop the throne in King's Landing. It's debatable whether or not she will succeed, but general storytelling practices tells us that so much time wouldn't be spent on a character and her journey unless it was for a reason. So Daenerys will eventually get to King's Landing, and hopefully fight for the thrown, and that's precisely why she cannot die.

Nolan Ross (Revenge):

Nolan is the smart, sarcastic and level-headed sidekick that anyone who's trying to exact large amounts of revenge on people, in this case the rich and powerful, needs. For Revenge, Nolan provides a much needed dose of humour into the Hamptons. Dramas like Revenge have a tendency to take themselves incredibly seriously, which can make for painful or hilarious viewing depending on your taste. Regardless, Nolan has that unique self-referential wit that stops the show from veering into the melodramatic too often, and audiences can't help but relate and understand the snarky comments he makes about the rich socialites he ostracises himself from. This in turn demonstrates his role as the moral compass of the show, sharing the highlife status, but distancing himself from it and trying to use his money and power for good. While he is an integral part of Emily's revenge plans, he's always questioning her motives, ensuring that her fiery temperament doesn't get the best of her by reminding her she's fighting to avenge the injustice her father was served. His strong emotional ties with Emily also form the show’s most meaningful (and pretty much only platonic) relationship, which make him an indispensable character that fans couldn't stand to lose.

Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead):

It's difficult to say that a character in a show about the zombie apocalypse won't die, but again, I'm going to anyway. The Walking Dead prides itself on the grittiness it's genre can present on television, and killing major characters throughout its run has been a recurring, if not constant, occurrence. The show also prides itself on its characters, those who are fighting to survive in a dying world, and who better to represent that then a very American 'everyman'. While he was portrayed as a low-life, self-serving southerner in the shows first season, after the departure of his antagonising brother Merle from the group, The Walking Dead showcased Daryl’s transformation. His skills as a hunter and tracker make him an important member of the group, and while initially seeming untrusting, Daryl has warmed to the others, and as he did so, the audiences warmed to him. Now he's arguably the most competent character on the show, with Rick suffering a prolonged mental breakdown, but he's far too humble to try and lead the others, but rather content on being the man everyone turns to for help. And of course he has to retain he's masculinity while doing this, so there's a lot of crossbows, really aggressive glaring and an occasional wise-crack to round out this lovable character. To be honest, Daryl can't die on The Walking Dead, because if he did, everyone else would soon follow.

So do you agree with my picks? Are these characters just too valuable to their respective shows, and more importantly, their fans, to die? Or do you think they're just as expendable as any other character? And do you have any characters you love so much that the show they're in would be forever ruined if they died?

Peter Capaldi Set To Play The Twelfth Doctor

Since it was announced that Matt Smith was set to depart from the lead role in the British science-fiction series Doctor Who at the beginning of June, rumours have been rife, as they constantly are whenever it comes to casting a new Doctor, as to which actor will have the honour of playing the Time Lord next.

A live television event was broadcast on BBC One titled Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor yesterday, revealing the identity of the next actor set to play the Doctor. The one-off event featured interviews with two of the Doctor's previous incarnations, Peter Davidson (the fifth) and Colin Baker (the sixth), as well as the Doctor's current portrayer, Matt Smith, and head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat. It was then revealed that Scottish actor Peter Capaldi, 55, will play the twelfth Doctor.

Capaldi is probably best known for his work on the British television comedy series The Thick of It, in which he played Malcolm Tucker, a foul-mouthed spin-doctor working for the government. He's no stranger to the Doctor Who universe either, having already appeared in the fourth series episode 'The Fires of Pompeii' back in 2008 playing an Italian sculptor/merchant named Lucius Caecilius. He also featured in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood: Children of Earth as John Frobisher, the permanent secretary to the home office.

Capaldi is set to first appear as the Doctor in the upcoming 2013 Christmas special, which will see Smith's incarnation regenerate into Capaldi's new Doctor in the episode. He will join actress Jenna Coleman on the show, who currently plays the Doctor's travelling companion Clara Oswald.

As a fan of the show I'm happy with the choice, but I'm remaining cautiously optimistic. I honestly never thought I'd see the day where I recognised an actor that would be announced as the next Doctor. Since the shows return in 2005, I hadn't heard of any of the three actors each of the times they were revealed to be taking over the role. I assumed that a rather unknown British acting personality would always be chosen (as to not have a previous role define them), and while I wouldn't call Capaldi well-known worldwide (I didn't know his name before today), his face is a familiar one, and I  have seen him in quite a few things. It's his role as partial antagonist John Frobisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth really excites me in regards to his acting ability, and I hope that he is able to bring the same amount of emotion to the Doctor.

I very much applaud the decision to cast an older Doctor as well. At 55, Capaldi is as old as William Hartnell, who played the first Doctor when in began in 1963, and was in the role for three years until 1966. Since the shows return each of the actors playing the Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith, were aged 41, 34, and 27, respectively, when they started in the role. While youth is generally associated with a fresh face, I think the producers have made a bold and respectable decision is casting someone much older. The new series has often been accused of glamorising the Doctor's looks, as well as his romances, all in an attempt to skew to a younger demographic and start to branch out to American audiences. Choosing an older Doctor doesn't necessary mean they are trying to change anything about the show, it just demonstrates that they aren't being subservient to what the new fans might want in a younger Doctor. If anything, fans getting what they want doesn't usually equate to good television, so bring on an older Doctor who will have to rely on more than good looks and charm to captivate audiences attention.

What makes Capaldi an even more appealing choice to play the Doctor is that he is a long-time fan of the show. During the television event in which he was named Matt Smith's predecessor, Capaldi was interviewed and it was revealed that in the 1970's he persistently sent the BBC a barrage of letters asking for details about how Doctor Who was made, information of upcoming episodes and memorabilia, he even nominated himself to be the secretary of the official Doctor Who fan club. Below is a clipping from Radio Times' February 1974 issue in which a then fifteen year old Capaldi praises an article the magazine wrote about Doctor Who. That's not to say actors who don't know the show all that well don't deserve to play him, but it is exciting knowing that Capaldi has extensive knowledge of the show and the characters history. This will no doubt allow him to bring a little extra something to the role, which is exciting for other long-time fans.

All this being said, it must be remembered that a new face doesn't mean a better show. In my opinion the seventh series of Doctor Who was plagued by some very problematic creative and production issues. It saw Moffatt and the other writers take a more episodic approach to storytelling for the series, and while this created memorable stand-alone episodes, overall the episodes tended to lack depth. Airing of the show continued to spread out the seasons thirteen episodes, so that five episodes aired throughout September of 2012, and the remaining eight episodes aired from March to May 2013. The decision to split up the series has lead to an inconsistently between the two lots of episodes, and this makes it difficult for Doctor Who to gain any momentum. Series seven also saw the departure of beloved husband-and-wife companions Rory Williams and Amy Pond. Just as when a Doctor departs, fans are just as passionate when his traveling sidekicks leave the show. The pair were replaced by Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald midway through the season, and she is yet to leave a lasting impression as a companion, mostly being used as a plot device by writers rather than being developed as a character.

Peter Capaldi taking the reigns as the titular Doctor will not necessarily solve these problems, but Doctor Who has the unique opportunity, as it does every time the Doctor regenerates, to change the show along with him. Whether or not this will happen remains to be seen, but I look forward to what the show has in store for fans of Doctor Who.