2017 has been an epic year for TV. We’ve seen some landmark TV series hit screens – some returning favourites, and some brand new. And with them have come a host of stories that have resonated with both us – and you. Here’s our pick of favourite TV stories from 2017.
1. How Legion Changes the Superhero Game, by Chris Tilly
Legion arrived way back in February, and it brought us something we’ve never seen before from the superhero genre: a genuinely surprising, unpredictable, chilling and grown-up take on comic book material.
The UK’s Managing Editor Chris Tilly discusses the show’s complicated hero and its fractured timeline as well as its unique visuals and eclectic and unexpected influences as he breaks down what sets Legion apart.
2. Kara’s Anxiety Attack in ‘Supergirl’ is a Powerful Portrayal of Mental Health, by Lauren Gallaway
TV Editor Lauren Gallaway calls writing about the Arrowverse a “privilege”. And it proved to be even more so when an episode of Supergirl addressed an issue close to Lauren’s heart — when Kara suffered an anxiety attack.
Lauren said this about “Triggers”, the episode in question:
“Superheroes rarely show weakness, especially Kara, who is also an alien. This season she experienced a powerful anxiety attack that sent her into a panic. Kara felt claustrophobic, she gripped her chest, she had shortness of breath — all things humans experience during a panic attack. She worked through it and helped discover the cause with her sister. It showed me that if someone as powerful as Supergirl can have a panic attack and overcome it, so can I.”
3. How Billy Russo’s Love For The Punisher Built a Convincing Supervillain, by Kim Taylor-Foster
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Marvel’s The Punisher is undoubtedly one of my favourite TV series of the year. A hard-hitting screen incarnation of the comic-book antihero, The Punisher fits loosely into the Defenders timeline, and also works as a standalone series. Telling Frank Castle’s backstory, it picks up somewhere after the events of Daredevil Season 2, in which the character had a significant role.
I caught up with actor Jon Bernthal, who plays the Punisher, and showrunner Steve Lightfoot in Paris ahead of the show’s launch. They discussed how they set up supervillain Jigsaw to become a more prominent figure in the series going forward.
4. The 1980s Movie Classics That Influenced ‘Stranger Things 2’, Chris Tilly
One of the most appealing things about the Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things is its references to 1980s pop culture. When the first season became a word-of-mouth hit, it was partly down to discussions around all the 1980s Easter Eggs and influences buried within it.
Well, those references are also present in Stranger Things 2 – and Chris Tilly wrote perceptively about some of his favourite influences and parallels, from Aliens to Ghostbusters, which he spotted as he watched.
5. Big Boi Weighs in on Ed Sheeran’s ‘Game of Thrones’ Cameo, Reveals Who He’d Play, by Lawrence Yee
FANDOM Editor-in-Chief Lawrence Yee caught up with hip-hop star Big Boi at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con and asked him about his favourite show. What he got was interview gold.
Lawrence said the following about the interview: “Game of Thrones attracts fans from all walks, but rapper Big Boi (who headlined FANDOM’s SDCC party) is an über-fan. He never misses the show (which he watches with his missus) and you won’t believe who he would want to play.”
Watch the interview above.
6. The Best Thing About Star Trek Was the Bras, by Kim Taylor-Foster
Now and again, you get an unexpected story from an interview that’s a gift. Chatting to The Orville’s Penny Johnson Jerald at this year’s New York Comic Con was one such occasion. Discussing the costumes on the show, she compared them with her uniforms on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which she played Kasidy Yates. She revealed that the bras they gave them to wear underneath the uniforms were something else.
Did she keep any? “Absolutely!” she said.
And George Lucas said there were no bras in space…
7. The Importance of Misty Knight’s Arm in ‘The Defenders’, by Chris Tilly
Team-up show The Defenders landed in August, the second of Marvel’s Defenders’ series to drop in 2017, after March arrival Iron Fist. In this article, Chris Tilly delved into two crucial developments in the series that would be likely to affect the Defenders universe as each of the individual series progress.
He correctly predicted that Misty, who loses her arm in the series, would receive the bionic arm her character is given in the comics – as seen in the sneak peek of http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Luke_Cage_(TV_series)
He also argued that the Daughters of the Dragon are about to take shape – find out more in the article above.
8. The Arrowverse Timeline Explained, by Lauren Gallaway
Keeping up with the Arrowverse is a complicated business, even if you’re a dedicated fan. In her article, Lauren Gallaway put together an easy-to-follow timeline guide that’s indispensable. The post kicks off with an infographic covering the basics, which she then breaks down in greater depth below.
Lauren describes it thus: “A complete viewing timeline of all four Arrowverse shows: Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. It’s a chronological timeline that tracks when each show premiered and how they connect to each other via the crossover events.”
Brilliant stuff.
9. ‘Inhumans’ Director Reveals Obscure Easter Egg Hidden in Trailer, by Kim Taylor-Foster
Marvel’s Inhumans may not have been the success director Roel Reine had hoped for, but he made for a very open interviewee who revealed a deep love for Easter Eggs. And we don’t mean the chocolate kind. In an interview with Reine — who directed the series’ two opening episodes — ahead of the show’s premiere, I asked him to share with FANDOM an exclusive, hard-to-find Easter Egg buried within the Marvel show. And he obliged.
10. Tyler Posey on ‘Teen Wolf’ Ending, Jethan and That Kiss With Malia! by Lawrence Yee
Lawrence Yee chatted with Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey at New York Comic Con in October and asked him about some key moments in the show’s final season, and the future for Teen Wolf.
Of the interview, Lawrence says Tyler “reflected on his time on Teen Wolf, the show’s LGBT influence, and why we could be seeing the crew back on screen sooner rather than later. He’s super dedicated to the fans.”
11. The Music and Bands That Play in New ‘Twin Peaks’ – UPDATED With Julee Cruise, by Chris Tilly
One of 2017’s most hotly anticipated comebacks was the third season of Twin Peaks – after a 25-year break. One of the most memorable aspects of the original run was the show’s music, something that wasn’t lost on creators David Lynch and Mark Frost. Season 3 picks up 25 years after the events of the Season 2 finale, and that atmospheric music is even more of a feature of it this time around.
Each episode ends with a different artist playing out over the end credits in the show’s Bang Bang Bar. And Chris Tilly explores each and every one.
12. ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas Special: The Best Easter Eggs and Cameos, by Kim Taylor-Foster
At FANDOM, we’re fans of Easter Egg spotting, and this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special held enough callbacks and references to have us salivating. One of the year’s most anticipated – and significant – episodes of television, the Doctor Who Christmas special brought fans cameos and references to Doctor Who past galore. It also gave a memorable and historic exit to departing Doctor Peter Capaldi and exiting showrunner Steven Moffat.
We can’t tell you how excited we are to see a whole new set of adventures for Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, as incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall picks up the reins.