COMIC-CON TV PREVIEW: What To Watch For — July 11-13

If you think Comic-Con is primarily for the big screen, think again. Television brings its heavy hitters and high hopes to the San Diego Convention Center too. This year’s mix goes for serial killers, science geeks, zombie plagues, misanthropes, drug kingpins, and fantasy warring kingdoms. There’s exclusive previews and premieres from Dexter, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, a Firefly anniversary panel with Joss Whedon and a full-court press from Game Of Thrones, to name a few. And that’s just if you stick to what’s going on in the ballrooms and halls. Some stuff will undoubtedly change, some will have to be skipped and some will pop up unexpectedly, but here’s a guide of what to look out for the first three days of the convention:

Wednesday, July 11
6 -9:45 PM — WBTV Sneak Preview Night
Wednesday night’s premiere screenings bring pilot episodes of five new shows for the 2012-13 season to Comic-Con. The evening starts with ABC’s elite Manhattan dark drama 666 Park Avenue, The CW’s Arrow and Fox’s The Following, produced by Kevin Williamson and starring Kevin Bacon. Eric Kripke, JJ Abrams and Jon “Mr. Comic-Con” Favreau’s post-apocalyptic Revolution, which will air on NBC, and CW’s midseason thriller Cult finish things off. There are also panels for The Following and Revolution on Saturday.

Thursday, July 12
10:30-11:30 AM — Battlestar: So Say We All
This 35^th anniversary panel brings out some big guns to drill into the Galactica universe past, present and perhaps future. The appearance of Richard Hatch — who starred in the 1970s Battlestar as Capt. Apollo and the latest version — is a perfect Comic-Con kick-off from a franchise that holds a special place in many a fanboy’s heart. Room 6BCF

2:30-3:30 PM — Teen Wolf
The MTV series is relocating to California to shoot this year thanks to being one of the winners of the state’s tax-credit lotto. Executive producer Jeff Davis will be on hand for the panel along with series stars Tyler Posey, Dylan O’Brien, Crystal Reed, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden and Colton Haynes for a Q&A and to preview a first look at the upcoming season. It will be followed by a world-premiere peek at The Inbetweeners, MTV’s new comedy series debuting August 20. Room 6A

4:40-5:45 PM — Elementary
CBS rolls out its upcoming modernization of Sherlock Holmes by screening the premiere episode. It won’t be the usual version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective. For one thing, Elementary takes place in modern New York, not England, with Sherlock — played by Jonny Lee Miller — an investigator just out of rehab. And, most shocking of all for many Baker Street Irregulars: Watson, played by Lucy Liu, is sobriety coach Joan, not war vet John. Miller, Liu and executive producers Robert Doherty and Carl Beverly will be on hand. Ballroom 20

6-7 PM — Dexter
Michael C. Hall will be there, as will his on-screen sister and off-screen ex-wife Jennifer Carpenter and the series’ Yvonne Strahovski, as well as executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton and Scott Buck. They’ll be showing a two-minute preview of the Season 7 premiere September 30. Showtime also will screen a new episode from the new season of the animated Dexter prequel web series Final Cuts. The premium network also will have Homeland executive producers Howard Gordon and Alexa Gansa on hand to show a trailer for the Season 2 premiere (also September 30) of President Obama’s favorite show. Claire Danes and Damien Lewis aren’t expected to attend. Ballroom 20

Friday, July 13
10-11 AM — Community
Chevy Chase won’t be there — he’s still on the show but can’t make it to San Diego. Dan Harmon won’t be there — NBC replaced the Community creator. But Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown and Alison Brie are in the convention center for the first time. After the off-screen fireworks and questions about the show’s future, their Q&A for Community’s fourth season won’t just be another Greendale study group. Ballroom 20

12:30-1:30 PM — Firefly 10^th Anniversary
A decade ago, after ending Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Whedon set off on the Serenity. Now the ship’s crew and the cast of Firefly reunite with The Avengers director for a look back at the short-lived series. With Whedon, you always know something’s on the boil, so don’t think this panel will be just looking backward. Ballroom 20

12:05-1:05 PM — The Big Bang Theory
One of TV’s biggest shows takes over the big 6,500-seat hall this year. Executive producers and co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady will join stars Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch in Hall H. Jim “Sheldon Cooper” Parsons will join via satellite as the TV brainiacs preview the series’ sixth season. If past Comic-Con appearances are an indication, there might be singing and more too. Hall H

1:25-2:25 PM — The Walking Dead
If you are familiar with The Walking Dead the comic series you’ll know about the Governor. And if you know abut the Governor, you know Season 3 of the AMC series is going to take the show to a new, darker place. David Morrissey plays the Guv, and he’ll be there in the giant Hall H with series stars Andrew Lincoln and Sarah Wayne Callies as well as showrunner Glen Mazzara. Executive producers Robert Kirkman — who created the original comic — Gale Anne Hurd and Dave Alpert and more of the cast and crew will join them on the panel and for a Season 3 preview. Hall H

2:45-3:45 PM — Game Of Thrones
At the heart of Game Of Thrones stands author George RR Martin. The man who wrote the books on which the HBO series is based on will be co-moderating a panel with executive producer Carolyn Strauss. They aren’t scheduled to show any previews of Season 3, but with cast members Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Michelle Fairley, Kit Harington, Lena Headey and Richard Madden up there too, the world of the Seven Kingdoms of Westros will not go unexplored. Hall H

6:45-7:45 PM — Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is back July 15, but for Comic-Con, the AMC show’s Season 5 starts two days early. Bryan Cranston will be there with Aaron Paul as well showrunner Vince Gilligan and other members of the cast. Not only will they be discussing Bad’s final season, but they will show some of it too with an official sneak preview. The next day, Breaking Bad will be holding its Season 5 premiere party in San Diego with a full-length screening of the season opener. Ballroom 20