Comic-Con Gutted by Hollywood Strikes: Here’s the Best of What’s Left for TV Fans
San Diego Comic-Con will look very different and sparse this year for TV fanatics — but there are still some highlights to look forward to during the event, taking place this Wednesday through Sunday.
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With both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions on strike, the latter of which has strict rules against actors attending panels and promoting past or current work during this period, SDCC’s TV lineup has been hit especially hard. Many previously planned panels for shows such as Jury Duty, The Boys spinoff Gen V and Abbott Elementary, have been cancelled. Cruel Summer, The Wheel of Time, Orphan Black: Echoes and a panel for That ’70s Show’s 25th anniversary have also pulled out of the pop culture extravaganza. And that’s on top of Marvel, Lucasfilm, HBO, Universal, Sony and Netflix announcing prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike that they would be sitting out the event entirely. So if you’re heading to San Diego this week, you might be wondering, “Is there anything left for me to enjoy as a TV fan?”
Below, TVLine has gathered 10 confirmed panels that will take place at SDCC, and while there won’t be any cast members in attendance, these shows are making up for the lack of star power with exclusive screenings/trailers and creative activations. (You might even see Stabler and Benson at Comic-Con!)
Note: The following list represents curated highlights; for the full programming schedule, click here.
The Walking Dead Universe
One of TV’s biggest franchises will return to Comic-Con, once again taking up residence in Hall H on Friday, July 21 at 1 pm, and each series will have something new to present. Fear the Walking Dead will mark its final SDCC with a retrospective piece and an exclusive clip for the last six episodes (debuting this fall), while The Walking Dead: Dead City will offer a sneak peek at its July 23 season finale. But the big draws will no doubt be The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (premiering Sept. 10), which will debut a trailer and a sneak peek of the first half of its first episode, and the untitled Rick and Michonne spinoff (2024), which is slated to released some kind of “tease” during the event.
Ghosts
There will be no ghosts in Ballroom 20 — or will there? — during the CBS comedy’s panel on Thursday, July 20 (at 12:45 pm). Instead, Talking Strange podcast host Aaron Sagers will engage fans in a debate about who got “sucked off” during the show’s Season 2 finale (which will be screened). The hour will be rounded out with a video featurette looking back at the first two seasons and an exclusive behind-the-scenes presentation from CBS Sunday Morning‘s trip to the set last season, as well as some surprises.
And if the spirit moves them, fans can also check out the Ghosts Destiny Decider activation on the convention floor to find out if they will get “sucked off” or “go down.” Either way, they will get a parting gift: a limited-edition T-shirt that says they were “Ghosted” at San Diego Comic-Con.
Quantum Leap
Having started production on Season 2 well ahead of the strikes, the NBC drama will actually have new footage to show off during its “panel” on Saturday, July 22 (at 1:45 pm in Room 6A). Following a screening of the Season 1 finale, fans will be treated to a very early sneak peek at the upcoming season.
But its the show’s crossover-esque activation setup, which invites attendees to leap into other TV series, that may prove most delightful: “Ziggy’s mainframe has a been hit with a virus and is throwing TV timelines into disarray. Characters are missing, timelines are falling apart and the only way to keep the very fabric of space and time from tearing apart… is to leap!” reads the official description. “Your mission is to leap into the TV worlds of Law & Order, SVU and Organized Crime, The Voice and Chucky, and stabilize the timelines to buy the Quantum Leap team time as they rid Ziggy of its virus.” Unfortunately, online registration at QuantumLeapHQ.com is already full, but perhaps there will be a standby line?
Good Omens
More than four years (!) after the Neil Gaiman series wrapped up Season 1, fans will finally get to watch the Season 2 premiere on Friday, July 21 (at 12:30 pm in Ballroom 20), ahead of the show’s return on July 28 on Prime Video. (When you’ve been waiting for four years, even one week early feels amazing.) The screening will also include some pre-recorded bonus content, and on Saturday, July 22, there’s the Good Omens After Dark Experience for the 21+ fans.
Additionally, Prime Video will host an Invincible panel, featuring EP/creator Robert Kirkman, on Friday, July 21 (at 5:45 pm in Room 6BCF), with a screening taking place later that night at 10 pm in Room 6A.
Futurama
Hulu’s highly anticipated revival will take over Ballroom 20 on Saturday, July 22 at 11 am with a world premiere screening. Several other animated SDCC mainstays will also be in attendance during the week with previews of upcoming episodes, including Solar Opposites (Hulu), The Great North (Fox), Bob’s Burgers (Fox), American Dad! (TBS) and Family Guy (Fox).
Related: The above comedies, plus FXX’s Archer and Fox’s The Simpsons, will all be part of the Hulu Animayhem experience in the Bayfront parking lot, celebrating the streamer’s adult animation library. The offsite will use “2D drawing styles and optical illusions to create a 3D activation that feels comically flat and delightfully out-of-whack,” reads the official description.
Star Trek Universe
Beam us up to Hall H! The Star Trek Universe panel on Saturday, July 22 (at 1:30 pm) will feature the premiere screening of the Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks crossover episode that includes both live-action and animation when Lower Decks‘ Ensign Beckett Mariner (voiced by Tawny Newsome) and Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) drop by the Enterprise. Plus, Paramount+ will unspool “exclusive reveals and surprises” from the upcoming and current seasons of Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks and Star Trek: Discovery, touts the streamer.
On the convention floor, fans can step into an interactive booth inspired by the U.S.S. Enterprise to take “helm of the renowned captain’s chair and then place themselves in the footsteps of Starfleet by selecting one of four ‘strange new worlds’ to explore.”
Twisted Metal and The Continental
Peacock will give attendees a sneak peek at two upcoming series: Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie, will debut its first episode on Thursday, July 20 (at 10 pm in Room 6DE), then follow up the screening with an interactive game in which audience members’ Twisted Metal knowledge will be tested.
Meanwhile, the John Wick prequel spinoff The Continental on Friday, July 21 (at 3 pm in Ballroom 20) will host a panel in which “the creative team” will “reveal behind-the-scenes moments and an exclusive first look at the series,” per the streamer.
What We Do in the Shadows and Archer
In addition to an offsite that will include Shogun Samurai performances, AHS Wicked Wellness shots (hmm…) and more, FX/FXX will screen a new episode of What We Do in the Shadows on Thursday, July 20 (at 2 pm in Ballroom 20), while Archer will mark its final season with a viewing of the Season 14 opener (at 3:15 pm in Ballroom 20).
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