Comic-Con 2014: 10 TV Panels We’re Most Looking Forward To [PHOTOS] 

We’re about to converge on San Diego and partake in the ultimate pop culture convention, Comic-Con. We’ve been planning and plotting and reworking our schedules for longer than we’d care to admit. We think we’ll be able to get to all the panels we want and hear the stars talk about what’s coming up (or currently going on) with their shows, get great scoop and exclusive sneak peeks directly from the show’s producers and meet a lot of other hardcore fans to geek out with. We were going to try to narrow it down to our top ten picks, hence the name of this article. But we just couldn’t make that happen. We’d apologize, but we’re really not sorry. Read on to find out which panels we’re currently salivating over.

Here they are in no particular order:

Outlander. Words cannot express how excited we are for this series. We loved the book and got really excited when Ronald D. Moore signed on as the showrunner/executive producer. We’ve seen the pilot and can’t wait for others to see why we’re so excited about this show. We also want to hear every little bit of information the stars and producers want to share. And how exciting is it that Diana Gabaldon will be part of this panel? Anytime a book is adapted for film or television, we hope and pray that it’s in the right hands. We want to love the adaptation as much as we love the source material. Based on what we’ve seen so far, we have every confidence in Ronald D. Moore. After all, he made Battlestar Galactica, which we still think of so fondly. So we’re hoping to see some exclusive video on what to expect for season one and we hope the actors and producers share a little (or a lot of) scoop with us. And we’re not going to lie, we’re excited to see Sam Heughan (who plays Outlander‘s Jamie Fraser) in person. Does he live up to the character we’ve read about in the book? So far so hot. We mean, good. Of course we mean good.

TV Guide Magazine: Fan Favorites. When you put the likes of Gwendoline Christie, Misha Collins, Jordan Gavaris, Sam Heughan, John Noble, Colin O’Donoghue, Retta and Aisha Tyler together in one place, you’d have to be crazy to not want to attend that panel. Are you a fan of historical dramas? Great. Do you like a show with a supernatural edge? They’ve got you covered. Is fantasy your thing? Score. Do you like comedies or animated series? You’re in luck. This panel literally has something for everyone and it’s always fun when the Comic-Con organizers come up with these unique pairings. We can’t wait to experience the nirvana and the wackiness that results.

The Strain. For the past two years, The Walking Dead has been at the top of our list of favorite SDCC panels. That was until we were introduced to FX’s The Strain this summer and The Walking Dead has officially been dethroned (don’t worry, it’s still one of our favorites). If you’re a fan of The Strain or you just want to check out this fantastic show as a newbie, there are lots of goodies planned at SDCC. The panel itself is at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday in Hall H. This is followed by an exclusive screening of episode 3, which we can tell you is the best episode of the series thus far. And for those who just can’t get enough, there will be an exclusive fan event on the evening of Saturday, July 26th at the Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15. The event will give fans an inside look at the first two episodes of The Strain, props and costumes from the show, as well as a sneak peek into never-before-seen footage from the upcoming episode airing July 27th on FX. Attendees will also be treated to free food, drinks, giveaways and special appearances. VIP access for a limited number of fans will be granted per the details:

Step 1: Visit the FOX (#4229), Harper Collins (#1029) and Dark Horse (#2615) booths and pick up a The Strain wristband from each one. The three wristbands must be picked up Friday or Saturday from 1- 4 pm.

Step 2: The full wristband collection becomes your key to VIP access. Come to the theater at 6:30pm.

Step 3: Step inside for The Strain’s exclusive giveaways and special appearances.

Game of Thrones. So much good stuff happened this season, but that’s true every season. Joffrey was poisoned by his own future mother-in-law, Tyrion was betrayed by Shae and nearly sent to his death by his own father, Littlefinger pushed Melisandre through the moon door after confessing that the only woman he ever loved was her sister, Jon Snow held Ygritte in his arms as she died. Theon. I could go on, but you watched the season, you know what happened. What always excites us about panels like this is when the cast gets to tell us their stories – what it was like to film their favorite scene, what storylines they’re most excited about, embarrassing stories about their castmates. And, of course, we need to know what to expect in season 5. Of course, we could read the books if we’re really dying to know. But why spoil it? We enjoy discovering all the twists and turns of this story as each episode airs.

Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries TV Showrunners. The absolute best place to get scoop is always straight from the showrunner, who always know the most anyway. This panel features Sleepy Hollow‘s Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, The Vampire Diaries and Originals executive producer Julie Plec, uber executive producer Greg Berlanti and iZombie‘s Rob Thomas. We watch all these shows (except for iZombie, which hasn’t premiered yet; but Rob Thomas is a genius and we’ll watch anything and every he does) and want to know more about what’s in store for Abbie and Ichabod, when Stefan will return from purgatory, if Klaus and Elijah can take control back of the Big Easy, what’s going on in Arrow’s third season, what to expect from The Flash and how iZombie is a new and interesting take in an ever-growing genre. We also love all the stories these people tell about being on set, working with these actors and what it takes to run the writers room and make some tough decisions. We’re expecting some really juicy sneak peeks, and we’d better get them.

Hannibal. Now, how could anyone not be excited about this panel after that epic season 2 finale? Season one of this series was very good, but season two (especially the second half) was like a giant roller coaster ride ending with most of the main characters’ lives hanging on the brink. Well, except for Hannibal himself, who is now a fugitive on his way to France with none other than his former therapist, Bedelia (Gillian Anderson) who, by the way, he tried to kill earlier in the season. We can’t wait to hear from creator Bryan Fuller, cxecutive producer David Slade, as well as cast members Caroline Dhavernas (Dr. Alana Bloom), Scott Thompson and Aaron Abrams (Special Agents Jimmy Price and Brian Zeller) to get the scoop on who may have survived the Red Dinner and what to expect going into Season 3.  Bon appétit, Fannibals!

Community. Six seasons and a movie. Yahoo swooped in and kept the dream alive and we have to thank them for that. When they picked up season six of the show, they made the first part of the popular refrain true. But what about the movie? For now we’re just happy that one of our favorite comedies keeps getting to tell the weird and wacky tales of Jeff Winger and gang. We want to hear Dan Harmon be funny, irreverent and inappropriate. We want to hear Joel McHale wax poetic about why he loves working on this show. We want to hear Jim Rash tell us just about anything. Is it too early to ask to see any sort of sneak peek at season six? Probably, but that doesn’t lessen our desire to see it.

Teen Wolf. Where do we start? Figuring out what the dead pool is and who put it together is our current obsession. After coming off such an emotionally wrenching end to season 3B, we weren’t sure how this show could top itself. We’ll admit that while we enjoyed the first two episodes of season 4, it was episode 3 that really drew us is. We need to know what’s going on and we need to know now. Showrunner and executive producer Jeff Davis is also a font of fun teases and the chemistry of this cast is such a pleasure to observe. We won’t name favorites because we genuinely love everyone and all the actors always have fun stories to tell. Teen Wolf is always good about bringing fun clips to share, so we’re looking forward to that and some scoop on these news characters, some of who are also assassins.

The Walking Dead. Honestly, San Diego Comic-Con just wouldn’t be the same without The Walking Dead. Ever since the show premiered and made its first appearance at SDCC in 2010, it has been one of the biggest attractions of the convention. There will be a Q&A panel on Friday at 12:20 p.m. in Hall H with cast members, executive producers, as well as comic book creator Robert Kirkman on what we should expect in the season 5 premiere and where the show will be going for the remainder of the season. And, of course, the world premiere of the season 5 trailer will be shown at the end of the panel. Want to attend this wildly popular panel? If so, you better get your rest because you can expect a 12+ hour wait in line just to get a seat in Hall H.

Vikings. This show has provided quality television for two seasons. So, once again, we can’t wait for this series to return to Comic-Con. In addition to the panel where we’re sure creator Michael Hirst and the cast will provide plenty of insight into season three, there are a few more reasons to get excited. From Thursday to Sunday, fans can attend an attraction known as “On the Set with Vikings.” This is a behind-the-scenes look at the period action drama. This is where they give you the chance to become a Viking. The experience comes complete with hair, makeup and a weapon of your own choosing. You’ll have a starring role in your own video that can be shared on social media. Even better, there’s a cast signing on Friday, July 25, from 1 – 2pm. The address for these events: 450 2nd Avenue. And finally, you can win a custom, limited edition Vikings comic book that’s exclusive to Comic-Con. You can’t tell us that Vikings isn’t going all out for the convention this year.

The WB/DC Saturday Night Special. Warner Bros. is devoting an entire evening to four of its genre series. The three-hour spectacular will feature the world premiere of the pilot for FOX’s Gotham. The CW’s freshman series, The Flash, NBC’s new drama Constantine and the massive CW hit Arrow will also be part of the action. Some of the cast members from these shows will be there. There will be exclusive sneak peeks involved as well. The great Hall H will be the site for what can only be described as an epic evening full of DC goodness. And even better, Arrow leader Stephen Amell will be on hand to host the whole thing. Wonder how much of this event will make it on to his Twitter or Facebook page. Inquiring minds want to know.