TVLine Shares Its 2014 Wish List For HIMYM, New Girl, Sleepy Hollow, NCIS, S.H.I.E.L.D. And More!

By Team TVLine

Agents of SHIELD

TVLine Wish List Matt Mitovich's Wish: That Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. -- or more specifically, those who control the spigot of MCU goodness -- find it in themselves to be a bit more liberal, Arrow-style, in allowing "name" characters to appear on the TV series. Surely there are a couple of second- or third-tier heroes they know will never make it to the big screen and thus can swing by S.H.I.E.L.D. to boost buzz.


Matt Mitovich's Wish:

That Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — or more specifically, those who control the spigot of MCU goodness — find it in themselves to be a bit more liberal, Arrow-style, in allowing "name" characters to appear on the TV series. Surely there are a couple of second- or third-tier heroes they know will never make it to the big screen and thus can swing by S.H.I.E.L.D. to boost buzz.

The Big Bang Theory

TVLine Wish List Michael Ausiello's Wish: That The Big Bang Theory knocks up Bernadette. Howard's bride is already a hurricane of high-pitched neuroses. Add a pregnancy to that ball of crazy and you've got comedy nirvana, not to mention a likely Emmy nomination for the uproarious Melissa Rauch.


Michael Ausiello's Wish:

That The Big Bang Theory knocks up Bernadette. Howard's bride is already a hurricane of high-pitched neuroses. Add a pregnancy to that ball of crazy and you've got comedy nirvana, not to mention a likely Emmy nomination for the uproarious Melissa Rauch.

How I Met Your Mother

TVLine Wish List Vlada Gelman's Wish: That the How I Met Your Mother series finale leaves our hearts full of love rather than our minds full of questions.


Vlada Gelman's Wish:

That the How I Met Your Mother series finale leaves our hearts full of love
rather than our minds full of questions.

American Idol

TVLine Wish List Michael Slezak's Wish: That the American Idol machine doesn't give up on Candice Glover. We waited six long years for a woman to regain the crown in the singing competition that's given us Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood. And while, admittedly, Season 12 had big problems -- the ridiculous Mariah-Nicki feud at the dais, a dearth of viable male contenders put through to the Top 10 -- Candice's jaw-dropping pipes and creative arrangements make her an absolutely worthy successor to the show's leading ladies. Since her win, however, the release of her debut CD has been pushed back twice -- with all her post-victory pre-orders refunded -- and her Interscope label (led by Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine) has saddled her with a victory anthem ("I Am Beautiful") and a debut single ("Cried") that have none of the instant radio appeal of Season 11 champ Phillip Phillips' "Home." With several recent ad promos touting Idol's track record in launching hitmakers -- a huge edge it maintains over NBC's The Voice -- the show owes it not only to Glover but to itself to make sure she has every opportunity for post-show success.

Michael Slezak's Wish:

That the American Idol machine doesn't give up on Candice Glover. We waited six long years for a woman to regain the crown in the singing competition that's given us Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood. And while, admittedly, Season 12 had big problems — the ridiculous Mariah-Nicki feud at the dais, a dearth of viable male contenders put through to the Top 10 — Candice's jaw-dropping pipes and creative arrangements make her an absolutely worthy successor to the show's leading ladies. Since her win, however, the release of her debut CD has been pushed back twice — with all her post-victory pre-orders refunded — and her Interscope label (led by Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine) has saddled her with a victory anthem ("I Am Beautiful") and a debut single ("Cried") that have none of the instant radio appeal of Season 11 champ Phillip Phillips' "Home." With several recent ad promos touting Idol's track record in launching hitmakers — a huge edge it maintains over NBC's The Voice — the show owes it not only to Glover but to itself to make sure she has every opportunity for post-show success.

New Girl

TVLine Wish List Kimberly Roots' Wish: That New Girl's Nick gets his stuff together and proves himself worthy of Ms. Day's affections. No more half-cocked plans that (indirectly) land people in the hospital, no more receipt box, none of that. Man up, Miller! (But keep the awkward moonwalk. It's grown on us.)

Kimberly Roots' Wish:

That New Girl's Nick gets his stuff together and proves himself worthy of Ms. Day's affections. No more half-cocked plans that (indirectly) land people in the hospital, no more receipt box, none of that. Man up, Miller! (But keep the awkward moonwalk. It's grown on us.)

Community

TVLine Wish List Meg Masters' Wish: That Community's much-anticipated -- and long-overdue! -- return is a triumphant one, with ratings to spare and more laughs than ever. (Yes, this was my wish last year and the year before, too.)

Meg Masters' Wish:

That Community's much-anticipated — and long-overdue! — return is a triumphant one, with ratings to spare and more laughs than ever. (Yes, this was my wish last year and the year before, too.)

Broadchurch

TVLine Wish List Michael Ausiello's Wish: That Fox doesn't lean too heavily on its Broadchurch source material. It's one thing to use the same characters (and, in the case of David Tenannt, the same actor). It's quite another to replicate the exact murder mystery — right down to the identity of the killer. What's the fun in guessing whodunit if we already know whodidit?


Michael Ausiello's Wish:

That Fox doesn't lean too heavily on its Broadchurch source material. It's one thing to use the same characters (and, in the case of David Tenannt, the same actor). It's quite another to replicate the exact murder mystery — right down to the identity of the killer. What's the fun in guessing whodunit if we already know whodidit?

The Goldbergs

TVLine Wish List Vlada Gelman's Wish: That network execs rescue ratings-challenged comedies from their tough time slots and show them some love. Remember Go On, that promising NBC sitcom with the terrific ensemble cast that just needed some nurturing, but instead got cancelled? Let's not let that happen to funny freshmen like The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife and The Michael J. Fox Show.


Vlada Gelman's Wish:

That network execs rescue ratings-challenged comedies from their tough time slots and show them some love. Remember Go On, that promising NBC sitcom with the terrific ensemble cast that just needed some nurturing, but instead got cancelled? Let's not let that happen to funny freshmen like The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife and The Michael J. Fox Show.

Sons of Anarchy

TVLine Wish List Michael Ausiello's Wish: That other cable networks (cough FX cough Sons of Anarchy cough) don't follow AMC's lead by splitting up the final seasons of their marquee dramas into two separate arcs (see: Breaking Bad and, next up, Mad Men). Goodbyes are hard enough without stretching them out over two years.


Michael Ausiello's Wish:

That other cable networks (cough FX cough Sons of Anarchy cough) don't follow AMC's lead by splitting up the final seasons of their marquee dramas into two separate arcs (see: Breaking Bad and, next up, Mad Men). Goodbyes are hard enough without stretching them out over two years.

Helix

TVLine Wish List Matt Mitovich's Wish: That sci-fi fans bury any "But Syfy cancelled my favoritest show a buncha years ago!" grudge and give Helix (premiering Jan. 10) a try, since the outbreak-in-the-arctic drama is poised to be one of the channel's best productions to date.


Matt Mitovich's Wish:

That sci-fi fans bury any "But Syfy cancelled my favoritest show a buncha years ago!" grudge and give Helix (premiering Jan. 10) a try, since the outbreak-in-the-arctic drama is poised to be one of the channel's best productions to date.

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oitnb_pds_011_h.JPG Vlada Gelman's Wish: That Netflix reconsiders its all-at-once release model for original series. Yes, "binge watching" is all the rage, but it's daunting and makes conversing about the shows online or in person difficult. (Did the other person or TVLine reader watch two episodes or all 12? Or, with no sense of urgency, have they still not gotten around to it?)


Vlada Gelman's Wish:

That Netflix reconsiders its all-at-once release model for original series. Yes, "binge watching" is all the rage, but it's daunting and makes conversing about the shows online or in person difficult. (Did the other person or TVLine reader watch two episodes or all 12? Or, with no sense of urgency, have they still not gotten around to it?)

Gillian Anderson

TVLine Wish List Kimberly Roots' Wish: That either the soon-to-premiere Crisis solves its course-correction problems and thrives or that Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier becomes a regular role on Hannibal -- whatever it takes to have the enigmatic Gillian Anderson back on our screens week after week.

Kimberly Roots' Wish:

That either the soon-to-premiere Crisis solves its course-correction problems and thrives or that Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier becomes a regular role on Hannibal — whatever it takes to have the enigmatic Gillian Anderson back on our screens week after week.

The Mindy Project

TVLine Wish List Meg Masters' Wish: That The Mindy Project is given the chance to show us even more funny in a much-deserved third season. But if Fox does make a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mistake and cancels the rom com, perhaps perpetual White Knight Netflix could come to the rescue...?


Meg Masters' Wish:

That The Mindy Project is given the chance to show us even more funny in a much-deserved third season. But if Fox does make a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mistake and cancels the rom com, perhaps perpetual White Knight Netflix could come to the rescue...?

Saturday Night Live

TVLine Wish List Michael Slezak's Wish: That, for better or for worse, Saturday Night Live starts utilizing its latest roster of Featured Players. Nine episodes in to Season 39, and not one of the sextet of newcomers -- Beck Bennett, John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien, Noël Wells and Brooks Wheelan -- has had more than a single opportunity to make a lasting impression. And whether you loved or loathed Bennett's business exec with a baby's body-control, O'Brien's man-on-the-street interviews with insects or Wells' impersonation of Lena Dunham in Girls, those sketches all proved more interesting than another un-asked-for installment of "Girlfriends Talk Show" and "Politics Nation with Al Sharpton," no?

Michael Slezak's Wish:

That, for better or for worse, Saturday Night Live starts utilizing its latest roster of Featured Players. Nine episodes in to Season 39, and not one of the sextet of newcomers — Beck Bennett, John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien, Noël Wells and Brooks Wheelan — has had more than a single opportunity to make a lasting impression. And whether you loved or loathed Bennett's business exec with a baby's body-control, O'Brien's man-on-the-street interviews with insects or Wells' impersonation of Lena Dunham in Girls, those sketches all proved more interesting than another un-asked-for installment of "Girlfriends Talk Show" and "Politics Nation with Al Sharpton," no?

NCIS

TVLine Wish List Matt Mitovich's Wish: That NCIS take it down juuuuuuust a notch with noob agent Ellie Bishop. We get it -- she's smart, she's candid, she's a bit quirky. But sometimes the way she almost steps on Gibbs' toes bothers us. (It'd be a shame to see her get a head-slap! Save those for Tony.)


Matt Mitovich's Wish:

That NCIS take it down juuuuuuust a notch with noob agent Ellie Bishop. We get it — she's smart, she's candid, she's a bit quirky. But sometimes the way she almost steps on Gibbs' toes bothers us. (It'd be a shame to see her get a head-slap! Save those for Tony.)

Mad Men

TVLine Wish List Kimberly Roots' Wish: That Mad Men's two-part final season is as strong -- through and through -- as Breaking Bad's was, leading to a truly epic (summer 2015!) finale befitting such a quality cable drama.


Kimberly Roots' Wish:

That Mad Men's two-part final season is as strong — through and through — as Breaking Bad's was, leading to a truly epic (summer 2015!) finale befitting such a quality cable drama.

Sleepy Hollow

TVLine Wish List Matt Mitovich's Wish: That Fox fends off any temptation (spurred either by ratings or Fan Outcry) to expand Sleepy Hollow's second season beyond its freshman run's total of 13 episodes. Trying to maintain the level of quality crazy across 22 episodes is a recipe for a sophomore slump. Instead, at most, do 10 plus a "back six" in the spring.


Matt Mitovich's Wish:

That Fox fends off any temptation (spurred either by ratings or Fan Outcry) to expand Sleepy Hollow's second season beyond its freshman run's total of 13 episodes. Trying to maintain the level of quality crazy across 22 episodes is a recipe for a sophomore slump. Instead, at most, do 10 plus a "back six" in the spring.

Sons of Anarchy

TVLine Wish List Meg Masters' Wish: That Sons of Anarchy wraps its seven-season run next fall with a satisfying-but-not-too-bloody bang.

Meg Masters' Wish:

That Sons of Anarchy wraps its seven-season run next fall with a satisfying-but-not-too-bloody bang.

The Killing

TVLine Wish List Michael Slezak's Wish: That The Killing's Linden and Holder keep their relationship platonic. Yes, a chunk of the show's audience chanted "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" when a grief-stricken Holder (grappling with Bullet's death) went in for the smooch toward the end of Season 3. But Linden's cooler head prevailed -- and in the process, prevented TV's most idiosyncratic crime-solving duo from mucking up their all-important friendship with clichéd romantic tension. Now that the show has miraculously scored a fourth-season reprieve from Netflix, here's hoping show boss Veena Sud doesn't cave to the 'shipper community and keeps the focus on the titular case. (Linden's been involved with a police coworker in the past -- and we all saw how that turned out!)

Michael Slezak's Wish:

That The Killing's Linden and Holder keep their relationship platonic. Yes, a chunk of the show's audience chanted "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" when a grief-stricken Holder (grappling with Bullet's death) went in for the smooch toward the end of Season 3. But Linden's cooler head prevailed — and in the process, prevented TV's most idiosyncratic crime-solving duo from mucking up their all-important friendship with clichéd romantic tension. Now that the show has miraculously scored a fourth-season reprieve from Netflix, here's hoping show boss Veena Sud doesn't cave to the 'shipper community and keeps the focus on the titular case. (Linden's been involved with a police coworker in the past — and we all saw how that turned out!)

The Originals

TVLine Wish List Vlada Gelman's Wish: That The Originals continues to play it slow with Elijah and Hayley, even if it proves torturous for viewers. Their unexpected, forbidden connection combined with his Old World values is too deliciously restrained to rush.

Vlada Gelman's Wish:

That The Originals continues to play it slow with Elijah and Hayley, even if it proves torturous for viewers. Their unexpected, forbidden connection combined with his Old World values is too deliciously restrained to rush.

Outlander

TVLine Wish List Kimberly Roots' Wish: That the giant fandom following Diana Gabladon's Outlander series of novels shows up strong for Starz's upcoming adaptation of her work (and that those of us looking forward to seeing Jamie and Claire on screen dinna have to fash about the show's survival).

Kimberly Roots' Wish:

That the giant fandom following Diana Gabladon's Outlander series of novels shows up strong for Starz's upcoming adaptation of her work (and that those of us looking forward to seeing Jamie and Claire on screen dinna have to fash about the show's survival).

Vanessa Williams

TVLine Wish List Michael Slezak's Wish: That some savvy network exec finds a vehicle to get Vanessa Williams back on our TVs on a weekly basis. Has it really been four years since she ended her glorious, hilarious, Emmy-nominated run as Ugly Betty's Wilhelmina? Since then, she's been relegated to fifth fiddle (le gasp!) on Desperate Housewives and utilized mostly as eye candy on the disappointing 666 Park Avenue. A spot on the fall 2014 lineup -- one that mines both her comedic and dramatic chops -- would be the perfect post-Kwanzaa gift. (Did you just gesture at her when we said Kwanzaa?)

Michael Slezak's Wish:

That some savvy network exec finds a vehicle to get Vanessa Williams back on our TVs on a weekly basis. Has it really been four years since she ended her glorious, hilarious, Emmy-nominated run as Ugly Betty's Wilhelmina? Since then, she's been relegated to fifth fiddle (le gasp!) on Desperate Housewives and utilized mostly as eye candy on the disappointing 666 Park Avenue. A spot on the fall 2014 lineup — one that mines both her comedic and dramatic chops — would be the perfect post-Kwanzaa gift. (Did you just gesture at her when we said Kwanzaa?)

Donald Glover

TVLine Wish List Meg Masters' Wish: That FX gives an enthusiastic green light to Donald Glover's comedy pilot, Atlanta. Yes, loveable doof Troy Barnes will no doubt be missed on Community, but, really, aren't we all interested in seeing what this gifted writer/producer/comedian/musician/actor does out on his own?

Meg Masters' Wish:

That FX gives an enthusiastic green light to Donald Glover's comedy pilot, Atlanta. Yes, loveable doof Troy Barnes will no doubt be missed on Community, but, really, aren't we all interested in seeing what this gifted writer/producer/comedian/musician/actor does out on his own?

Scandal

TVLine Wish List Michael Ausiello's Wish: That TV puts an end to the stomach-churning vomit trend. I'm fine with characters throwing up on occasion if the circumstances call for it, but, please, for the love of God, don't go in on a close-up of their mouths as the bile comes charging out. I'm looking at you Sons of Anarchy. And Homeland. And Scandal (pictured). Some things are best left to the imagination, and nasty, green, lumpy puke is one of them.


Michael Ausiello's Wish:

That TV puts an end to the stomach-churning vomit trend. I'm fine with characters throwing up on occasion if the circumstances call for it, but, please, for the love of God, don't go in on a close-up of their mouths as the bile comes charging out. I'm looking at you Sons of Anarchy. And Homeland. And Scandal (pictured). Some things are best left to the imagination, and nasty, green, lumpy puke is one of them.

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