Coming Up This Week: December 31st-January 6th

Find out what the world of entertainment holds for you in the opening days of 2013...
Now, first things first: brace yourselves. Why? Because at an initial glance, this week will seem like one of the quietest periods of entertainment that we've seen in a long while. Gone are the likes of Merlin, Arrow and Doctor Who from our radar for now, some lights of 2012 permanently extinguished through cancellation or running their natural course, and some still to relight themselves later in 2013. For now, then, we're left with a couple of hot TV releases that will likely cater to far more specific cult audiences than usual. All the same, why not check out the likes of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Life Of Pi or even Skyfall in the cinemas if you haven't already? Each of them are well worth first and second viewings, so there's a great start to your entertainment roster for 2013 right now. Don't worry, things get busier virtually every week from next week onwards, so just relax and enjoy the New Year festivities...
TOP OF THE POPS NEW YEAR'S EVE SPECIAL- This year's Top Of The Pops Christmas Special was a lavish look back at the best of 2012 music, and that trend will continue with the New Year's Eve finale to this incarnation of the show. Featuring One Direction, The Script, Tulisa, Robbie Williams and countless other guest acts, it's going to be a fine send-off for one of the industry's greatest years to be sure, one you won't want to miss if you're staying in for the early hours of the evening. (Monday 31st)
GLEE: THE NEW RACHEL- Yep, Sky1's biggest US viewer-grab is back on our screens. Glee returns for an unbroken fourth season on the UK channel, with the narrative focus now split across the McKinley High New Directions team's antics and Rachel's own exploits with NYADA in the Big Apple. It's not everyone's cup of tea, granted, yet Glee remains on fine form for the mainstream audience. (Sunday 6th)
AND THERE'S MORE- The Hour's second season and the second run of Trollied both hit DVD stores everywhere tomorrow, so check those out if you missed them first time around. And...that's your lot. Yes, it really is quite a slow week to kick off the New Year, so thank goodness the only way is up (not Essex) from here!
AND NEXT WEEK...Les Miserables finally lands in UK cinemas with a bang, as does Gangster Squad, while Glee continues with Britney 2.0, the beloved Ruth Jones drama Stella returns to Sky1 and Arrow bounces back for its second full run on Sky1!
AND NEXT YEAR...Just in case the rather quiet opening days of 2013 have you worried, there is PLENTY of exciting stuff to come this coming year. I'm just going to compile a big list here of everything I can think of beyond January, and you can sleep safe in the knowledge that all of this is just the tip of the iceberg...

• MOVIES: Wreck-It-Ralph, Oz: The Great And Powerful, Iron Man 3, Scary Movie 5, The Great Gatsby, Fast Six, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Hangover Part III, Man Of Steel, The Wolverine, Grown Ups 2, Despicable Me 2, R.E.D. 2, Star Wars Episode II & Episode III In 3D; The Hunger Games: Catching Fire; Thor: The Dark World and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
• TV: Derek; Arrow; Being Human; Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary; The Newsroom; Sherlock; S.H.I.E.L.D.; Glee; Anger Management; Two & A Half Men; Elementary; The Walking Dead and Game Of Thrones for absolute starters!
• GAMES: Tomb Raider; Aliens: Colonial Marines; Gears Of War: Judgement; BioShock Infinite; Injustice: Gods Among Us; The Last Of Us; Grand Theft Auto V; Beyond: Two Souls; Deadpool; Watch Dogs; LEGO The Hobbit; Metal Gear Rising Revengeance; Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes; Crysis 3; Hitman HD Trilogy; Star Wars 1313; Rayman Legends; Battlefield 4; Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4; Assassin's Creed IV; XCOM; The Elder Scrolls Online; Fortnite; Star Trek; Metro: Last Light; Homefront 2 and so many other exciting titles that will lead us into the next-generation of consoles...