2014 Primetime Season Premiere Preview: What Lies Ahead For The Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time, Game of Thrones and More [SPOILERS]
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story and Homeland.
The Walking Dead
Season 4 Midseason Premiere: Feb. 9, 9 p.m. EST, AMC
The first half of season four concluded with Hersel's execution, leaving the entire TWD gang on edge.
"It could go any which way. How do we navigate this world while still trying to metabolize all these losses and grievances? This is a volatile moment," Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, said. "This is a scary moment for everybody."
Season 4 will also have our favorite survivors dealing with separation as their large group is divided into subgroups.
"... it is fantastic storytelling-wise because in the little research that I've done I learned that one of the key elements of war is displacement," Gurira explained. "People are caught up in the concern of where people are and what happened to them and not having any way of finding out. That's such a rich, authentic component of what really happens in a war zone."
According o the synopsis for the midseason premiere, titled "After", Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) will be dealing "with old wounds", and "prison residents consider if survival will be enough."
"I think physically, in episode 9, you'll see a man who is frightened for the first time in a long, long time," Lincoln said. "... He's very, very weak and that makes him belligerent and aggressively challenging towards his son because he's scared ... He's lost."
Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, says the upcoming new episodes are some of the best.
"I will say that the back eight are in my opinion are our best eight episodes yet," he explained. "The storylines, the acting, and the directing and the writing are top of our food chain ... You really get an in-depth look at characters like you've never seen before."
Also keep your eyes peeled for the governor, who TVGuide says will appear again.
Once Upon a Time
Season 3 Midseason Premiere: Mar. 9, 8/7c, ABC
The second half of season three will not end happily ever, as another main character is set to die.
"The character dies for real," Eddy Kitsis, series co-creator, told TVLine.
That's not the only hardship. Those who are team Emma-Hook might have some frustrating episodes to battle as Captain Hook tries to court Emma Swan, who has lost all her memories of fairytale world.
"[Emma] will be very wary," Kitsis said. "I mean, if someone knocked on your door wearing leather and guyliner and tried to kiss you...? He's lucky he didn't get a baseball bat to the head."
"Emma's a tough cookie when she has her memories," Adam Horowitz, series co-creator, added. "So without them, it's not going to an easy road for him."
The midseason 3 finale saw the introduction of the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz (Rebecca Mader, Lost), but another evil witch will also be appearing this season.
According to TVLine, Rose McGowan will reprise her role as young Cora, the mother of Regina, in episode 18. Plus, to make season 3 even more family-oriented, viewers will learn more about King Leopold, Snow White's father.
"... we'll be treated to a flashback starring young Prince Leopold," E! News reports. "Did we mention that he's single in these scenes? Get ready to watch the charming lad's quest to find a suitable queen for the kingdom."
Spoilers for Once Upon a Time are everywhere. Although spoilers are fun, some of these might go a little too far. If you dare, check them out here.
Game of Thrones
Season 4 Premiere: Apr. 6, 9 p.m. ET/PT, HBO
HBO is pretty good at keeping mum about its shows. In terms of spoilers, there are not many available for Game of Thrones. The best way to get a preview of what's to come is to pick up George R.R. Martin's A Storm of Swords from the A Song of Fire and Ice novel series. Season 4 of Game of Thrones will be based off of the book's second half.
There will be some casting changes this season.
Daario Naharis, who joined the show in season 3, has been recast. British actor Ed Skrein played the character, who became Daenerys Targaryen's love interest, but Skein will not be seen in season 4. Instead, Michiel Huisman, a Dutch actor known for his role in Nashville, will play Naharis.
Season 4 will also go on without Richard Madden, who played Robb Stark. Madden will still be part of Game of Thrones, however, but as an audience member.
"I'm still very close friends with a lot of my cast ... and they're like, 'Oh my God, the scene in episode three is --,' and I'm like, 'Don't tell me anything, please because I just want to enjoy it as an audience member for the first time,'" he said. "... I'm very proud to be a part of it, and I'm very excited to keep watching it."
Other new characters set to appear this season include Oberyn Martell, also known as The Red Viper, played by Pedro Pascal and Ellaria Sand, Martell's lover, played by Indira Varma.
American Horror Story
Season 4 Premiere: Likely October, 2014, FX
Season 4 might represent the last time Jessica Lange tells an American Horror Story. The actress has stated that season 4 will be her last, but Sarah Paulson hopes this isn't the case.
"I can't imagine doing American Horror Story without her," she said. "I do think Jessica Lange and American Horror Story are synonymous with one another, and I do think she makes it something really extraordinary, no question. I can't imagine her not doing it, but at the same time, if they feel the show must go on, the show must go on ... Maybe everyone will just have so much fun next year that she won't be able to say goodbye."
Meanwhile, Paulson says she is "on track" to star in season 4. The only question that remains is what will the next theme be?
"Last year, [creator Ryan Murphy] announced [the theme] at PaleyFest, so he might do that again," Paulson said. "I know what he has in mind for me, and I hope it happens because it would be one of the more exciting things that I've gotten to do."
Murphy has said that the season 4 will combine Coven's "comedic tone" with "two time periods, with the main one being the 1950s."
Paulson promises that her next American Horror Story character will be just as thrilling as Lana and Cordelia, Paulson's Asylum and Coven characters, respectively.
"I know it will not disappoint, and it will be, for my money, one of the more exciting themes," she explained.
Homeland
Season 4 Premiere: 2014, SHOWTIME
Let's be honest. The season 4 spoiler that viewers care about the most is whether or not Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) will ever return to the show.
Unfortunately, Lewis is rumored to be considering the role of Henry VIII in Wolf Hall, a six-part television series that will air in the United Kingdom and United States on BBC and PBS, respectively, so his return seems unlikely. Furthermore, Lewis seemed to accept the death of his character a while ago.
"I was not surprised because I knew from the outset taking this job that Brody's life expectancy was not as long as the other characters," he said. "I knew they had decided to kill Brody unequivocally at the [season 3] premiere in D.C. ... I said [to showrunner Alex Gansa], 'Alex I got a lot of stuff in storage in North Carolina. I just need to know if I should take it out or leave it there.' He looked at me and said: 'You should take it out.'"
In addition, Variety reports that Morena Baccarin and Morgan Saylor, Jessica and Dana Brody respectively, will not be regulars in season 4.
Without the Brodys, who are arguably show favorites, it seems Homeland may have spoiled itself. There is still a glimmer of hope when it comes to Nicholas, however: that enticing flashback/dream sequence/ghost of Brody scene.
"Never say never," Lewis said about the possibility of doing such a scene.