Lest you forget, HBO has the epic television game on lock. Between looking back at the year that was in 2013 and anticipating what’s to come going forward, the it’s-not-TV network managed to sneak a few surprises and teasers into their year-ending promo video. Turns out there’s plenty to be excited about that’s coming up in 2014, including a first look at season four of Game of Thrones, and new series The Leftovers, True Detective, Looking, Silicon Valley, and even John Oliver’s new one, too. Oh gosh, HBO, why do you insist on teasing us with greatness we’ve yet to experience? Rude!
Mostly because we’re positively clamoring for new seasons of the old guard programming we love so much. Thankfully, HBO’s got our backs there, too, featuring teasing glimpses at Girls, Veep, Boardwalk Empire, Vice, Real Time with Bill Maher, and the final season of True Blood thrown in for good measure. So let’s take a quick peek at what we’ve gleaned about some of our favorites, shall we?
Game of Thrones
Well there’s certainly heaps going on in the George R.R. Martin epic novel saga-turned-TV saga. And, as you can tell in the GIF above, there’s plenty a-brewin’. Probably because there were some seriously spoiler-y moments revealed. A sullen-and-sour looking Joffrey (so weird and new and different for him!) is perched before some sort of celebration — likely his wedding — is seen after what online speculation suggests is the champion of Meereen approaching Daenerys Targaryen’s unsullied on horseback. The biggest shake-up being that Sansa is in the Eyrie now, while her husband (guess not anymore though, huh?) Tyrion Lannister is led up the throne room in shackles. (See what happens when you don’t bed your wifey, Tyrion?) And in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, there’s even a well-dressed and, important to note, golden-handed Jaime Lannister tucked in there as well.
The Woody Harrelson/Matthew McConaughey-fronted drama series looks full of just that. Though not much by the way of spoilers: just a guarantee that there’s going to be a lot of tormented drama and fighting in these two’s collective future. Which is to be expected from a seventeen year-long serial killer hunt.
Silicon Valley
Now here’s a series that seems to have not taken any liberties with characters. There are beers, mop-haired nerdboys, and key cards aplenty in the tease for Mike Judge’s new comedy series. And it’s always good to see hilarious professional funny person Kumail Nanjiani getting work.
Girls
Three moments from Lena Dunham’s season four trailer for Girls made their way into the teaser as well: one showing Marnie getting her romantic balcony thoughtful thing on, and two more of the girls just being their wacky selves. Nothing new to see here, really, outside of Shoshanna’s upgraded smizing efforts.
Looking
The modern-day look at San Francisco’s LGBTQ community will contain these things (of this we’re sure): some smiles of a varying sort, hugs, and Jonathan Groff generally being the delightful human that he seems to be.
The Leftovers
Lost creator Damon Lindelof’s drama about those who were left behind following a rapture is sure to be a buzzed-about affair. It has big names (Justin Theroux, Liv Tyler, Amy Brennerman, Christopher Eccleston) and a cool premise to boot. And apparently maybe some people falling off of buildings/out of the sky — people who’ve read the 2011 novel on which the series is based would know better than us, though.
Veep
Oh and we, of course, would be remiss to forget about Veep. That gloriously delightful and mean-in-the-best-way Julia Louis-Dreyfus fronter was one of the highlights of 2014’s comedy year, and it seems we’re to expect more of the same bumbling about (we mean that as the highest compliment). Now if only we could get Gary some help. Poor Gary, someone help Gary. He doesn’t know how much he needs it, either.
True Blood
And of course, last but not least, the series finale of True Blood is on the horizon. Expect more of the same, which is to say: a heck of a lot of this wistful-but-panicked staring — not to mention likely a couple more fairy versus vampire versus werewolf battles to boot — just like in this GIF here!
You're making 2014 look real good, HBO. Real good.
