Coming Up This Week: December 3rd-9th

The Spike Video Game Awards bring shock reveals, plus Merlin and An Idiot Abroad continue this week!
With FarCry 3 here shaking up the video gaming charts, the Autumn Of Gaming is well and truly over. This week is a little quieter for it, then, and yet there are still a few great releases heading our way in the next seven days that you'll want to look out for. Just what are they? To find out the answer to that question, look no further...
AN IDIOT ABROAD 3 EPISODE TWO- Karl and Warwick are travelling further across the route that Marco Polo once voyaged on this week, entering an all-manner of mishaps along the way. With any luck, things should go down better for Karl in India than they did in the first season of An Idiot Abroad this time around with company, but given how well Karl gets on with his dwarf companion, sparks still could well fly! (Friday 7th)
SPIKE VIDEO GAME AWARDS 2012- The Spike VGAs are always a big annual event for the video gaming industry, and the 2012 ceremony is no different in this respect. Packing exclusive reveals of South Park, Tomb Raider, Gears Of War, The Last Of Us, BioShock and plenty of new and unannounced 2013 games, the VGAs will be a game-changing event for gamers the likes of which we haven't seen since in E3 back in the Summer. (Friday 7th)
MERLIN: THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS- Our favourite rendition of the Arthurian legend is racing towards its climax, and this week it's Merlin himself who's under the greatest threat of all. As Morgana hunts down her old foe Alator in the hope of discovering Emrys' identity, the warlock must make the ultimate journey to stop the High Priestess from reigning dominant over the realms of magic...four episodes left now! (Saturday 8th)
AND THERE'S MORE- The Dark Knight Rises and The Bourne Legacy are this week's big DVD and Blu-Ray releases, while Paper Mario Sticker Star is perhaps the final major video game release of 2012, and Arrow continues its broadcasting of Season One on Sky1 tomorrow.
AND NEXT WEEK...The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is finally here as the big climactic film for 2012's cinema offerings, while An Idiot Abroad reaches its hilarious finale and Merlin sees Mordred finally take the turn to the dark side in its third-from-last ever episode...

WC- 11 Amazing Stories That Define Doctor Who

A big feature to celebrate the 49th Anniversary from yours truly!
Whether you heard it or not, Doctor Who reached its fourty-ninth anniversary last week on November 23rd 2012 since its premiere with An Unearthly Child back in 1963. To celebrate, I've written an article at WhatCulture highlighting eleven incredible stories that the show has produced in nearly half a century and that newcomers to the programme should watch if they want to see the moments that define this legendary BBC science-fiction drama. From The Edge Of Destruction to The Impossible Astronaut/Day Of The Moon, there are plenty of all-time greats that no good fan can afford to miss. Here's the link: http://whatculture.com/tv/11-amazing-stories-that-define-doctor-who-a-49-year-retrospective.php

2012 VGA Exclusive Reveals Teased

What big surprises await us this week?
Geoff Keighley, promotional manager for the Spike Video Game Awards 2012, has commenced his annual teasing of just what exclusive upcoming game reveal surprises we can expect at the ceremony later this week. Of course, there's plenty of elements of the show he won't confirm, but what he has to say already is exciting enough to start with. Here's what Keighley has said so far: "We've got some amazing surprises of announcements of new games that will be coming in the future, far beyond sort of summer of 2013. And can't say a lot about them until it happens, but I think we have a pretty good reputation for revealing some new games and there are going to be some fantastic titles to reveal." So far, we've had reveals from the already-announced The Last Of Us, Gears Of War: Judgement, Tomb Raider, South Park: The Stick Of Truth and BioShock Infinite confirmed, and we'll keep you posted on more as it happens. The Spike Video Game Awards 2012 will broadcast this Friday.

The On-Screen Advent Calendar 2012: Day Two

TOP 5 GREATEST TV CHRISTMAS SPECIALS
With twenty-three days to go until Christmas Day, we're already counting down to plenty of festive television specials including new instalments of Doctor Who, Outnumbered, Top Of The Pops, Downton Abbey, Call The Midwife and plenty more. But what brought us here? Today, let's look back at the best of festive telly, recapping the Top 5 Greatest TV Christmas Specials we've ever seen this merry industry bring us. Here are our choices- feel free to leave yours at the local social networking ports...
5. SHERLOCK: A SCANDAL IN BELGRAVIA- Okay, so this one wasn't strictly a 'special' as such, but it did air on New Year's Day 2012 in the festive period and feature a couple of Christmas-set scenes between Sherlock and Molly. Scandal boasts one of the most cunning resolutions to a cliffhanger of recent times, and makes its mark as one of the greatest pieces of television broadcast this year.
4. SMALLVILLE: LEXMAS- This Superman DC drama was no doubt overlong and at times rather zealous, yet the early Christmas episode Lexmas remains its finest festive hour. Set in an alternate reality where Lex Luthor was married to Lana Lang with children, this adventure set a dark precedent for what was to come for the anti-hero character, however it's still a fantastic romp in its own right.
3. GAVIN & STACEY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL- Because really, who doesn't need a bit of Essex and Barry Island in their life on Christmas Day? James Corden and Ruth Jones penned a marvellous special of Gavin & Stacey for 2009's December 25th that with the help of the ever-lovable cast became a classic outing in its own right which like the series as a whole will never be forgotten.
2. THE VICAR OF DIBLEY: THE CHRISTMAS LUNCH INCIDENT- You'd have to be livign under a Christmas Pudding-shaped rock to have not seen this Christmas classic. The Vicar Of Dibley had its fair share of memorable moments, but few instalments of the show garnered as many laughs as the Vicar's foray with three entire Christmas lunches. A bonafida festive clasic.
1. DOCTOR WHO: A CHRISTMAS CAROL- At the top of the list, though, remains a fantastic semi-adaptation of a Dickens legend. Yes, we all loved The Christmas Invasion, The Runaway Bride, Voyage Of The Damned, The Next Doctor, The End Of Time and The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe. That said, until we see The Snowmen at least, this musical adventure from the Doctor and pals in 2010 remains the show's most bold hour of festivity.

Marvel News: S.H.I.E.L.D; Iron Man 3 Teased

More teasers for ABC's S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot, plus Samuel L Jackson on Nick Fury's next appearance!
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a little quiet of late, since the release of the brilliant Avengers Assemble (5/5) back in April and the announcement of the second phase of Avengers films at ComicCon in the Summer. Slowly but surely, though, we're getting more announcements trickling out on Phase Two and its spin-offs, something showcased by the new news snippets we've got below. See for yourselves, true believers...

• SHIELD IS BUILDING: Though it's staying under the radar for now, Joss Whedon's pilot episode of the SHIELD spin-off television series is starting to take shape. ABC President Paul Lee has been speaking on the matter, and had this to say: "It's still early days...It's very Joss Whedon. We're optimistic, because Joss is a genius and we love the idea and we love what we've seen. It's a long way to go between now and a successful series. But we are very excited about it."
• NICK FURY'S FUTURE REVEALED: Although many were anticipating Samuel L Jackson filming a host of cameos for upcoming Avengers Phase Two film instalments, that doesn't seem to be quite the case. Jackson was coy, but told us the following details: "I think my next time as Nick Fury is in Captain America: The Winter Soldier because I'm not in Iron Man 3. None of the Avengers are in Iron Man 3, it's a standalone Iron Man movie." We could still guess at a cameo from a superhero character at the end of that film and indeed the unmentioned Thor 2, but it will nevertheless be a shame to get less eyepatches in the next phase!

The S.H.I.E.L.D pilot airs early next year, while Iron Man 3 will release on July 26th, 2013.

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special Confirmed

The BBC are making it official- something big is coming in 2013...
For the past few months, the official Doctor Who team have been teasing that Season Seven runs into the show's big fiftieth anniversary year, but beyond that we've heard little of what the programme has coming for us in 2013. Now we may just have heard the first hints! Speaking in a recent BBC press release regarding the status of Drama on BBC1 in 2013, channel director Danny Cohen had this to say:

"Drama on BBC One takes another big leap in 2013 in the shape of major event dramas, including The Village, Ripper Street, Luther, The White Queen and the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special. These shows will bring a rich range of tones and worlds to BBC One's fiction."

So that's the news we've been waiting to hear- what is likely to be a bumper-length "50th Anniversary Special" will air as part of Doctor Who's 2013 line-up. Bearing in mind that the BBC will no doubt look for the ninth consecutive Christmas Special for the show, that'll mean we're getting at least ten massive blockbuster adventures for the Doctor next year, with plenty more live events and extra adventures still to be revealed. It's been promised that there's never been a better time to be a fan than 2013, and judging on what we've heard so far, the signs are very strong. Doctor Who returns on Christmas Day in The Snowmen, before returning for Season Seven Part 2 (eight new episodes) on BBC1 next Spring.

The On-Screen Advent Calendar 2012: Day One

COMING UP FOR ON-SCREEN THIS CHRISTMAS
As has been the way since the blog launched back in 2010 (and boy, haven't things changed since then?), we're back with a new Advent Calendar for the 2012 festive season. Today, let's look ahead at what On-Screen has to offer you over the next month or so, i.e. this Christmas. There'll be plenty of surprises to come in the Calendar, yet for now here are the elements we can confirm are on their way this Christmas to the blog...
ADVENT CALENDAR- There are just twenty-four days to go until we gather round the dinner table for a festive turkey, but before then there'll be plenty of surprises from us at the blog in our annual Advent Calendar. Expect Christmas entertainment-related news, previews, reviews, features and videos aplenty that should strongly get you into the spirit of the season in time for the big day on the 25th!
MERLIN: THE END- We now know for certain that this season of Merlin is the last to broadcast on BBC1. While that's sad news, we can still expect a truckload of blockbuster adventures to round off Season Five, including the culmination of the 'Puppet Queen' arc, Emrys' hunt for an escape from Morgana and Mordred's turn to the dark side initiating the days of the Battle Of Camelot. Can Arthur survive? We'll have coverage of the new episodes and the future of the saga in the days ahead.
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY- After a number of movie misfires like King Kong, Peter Jackson is going back to his roots this festive season with a return to his acclaimed The Lord Of The Rings adaptation universe. Prepare for encounters with dwarves, wizards, elves, eagles, Gollum and a mysterious golden ring in the first steps of Bilbo Baggins' Middle Earth-spanning adventure to reclaim lost treasure from the villainous dragon Smaug. We'll have the full review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey right here exclusively on the day of release...
LIFE OF PI- Another potential movie hit this Christmas, Life Of Pi carries the same magical resonance as Harry Potter and The Hobbit, yet is still grounded on the planet Earth to keep things as realistic as humanly possible. Expect sights that match Avatar for visual splendour, coupled with a compelling narrative that will help keep you warm despite the frost lurking outside the cinemas. Our review will arrive shortly after the movie's release on December 20th.
DOCTOR WHO: THE SNOWMEN- For all the journeys across mountains and seas this Christmas, perhaps one stands as the most important- the journey to save the Doctor's soul. Vastra, Jenny and Strax must introduce the Time Lord to mysterious governess Clara Oswin (Jenna-Louise Coleman) in time to stop the evil Doctor Simeon from unleashing an army of killer Snowmen upon our planet. A series-long arc tinges the underbelly of the episode, so it should be a real great, and we'll preview and review it over the course of December!
BEST OF 2012 AWARDS- We're back for another set of awards celebrating the Best Releases of the year in a variety of entertainment mediums. Tonnes of big releases like War Horse, The Muppets, Mass Effect 3, The Dark Knight Rises, Sherlock, Halo 4, Dishonored and more will enter the fray for Best Entertainment Release, Film Of The Year, Game Of The Year and more, but just who will reign victorious? All will be revealed at the end of December...
2013'S MOST ANTICIPATED AWARDS- On top of our 'Best Of 2012' awards, we'll be previewing all of the excitement that awaits us in 2013 too. From Les Miserables to Thor: The Dark World, from Grand Theft Auto V to Tomb Raider, from the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary helpings to Sherlock Series Three, there's something big for everyone next year, so you won't want to miss our countdown of the biggest and best still to come later this month.
AND THERE'S MORE- We'll have reviews of Hitman Absolution, FarCry 3, Nativity! 2: Danger In The Manger, An Idiot Abroad 3, Merlin, Outnumbered, Top Of The Pops and tonnes more on top of our Christmas Calendar, so don't miss the next month of coverage right here at On-Screen!