As we have previously noted, probably more than the law allows, each passing day brings us one day closer to the new series of Downton Abbey and one day closer to the beginning of filming of Sherlock 3. Unfortunately, both still seem light years away with Sherlock 3 not even penciled in to begin filming until January 2013 and DA3, while a bit closer but still a bit off, with a broadcast transmission premiere set for this Fall in the UK and on 6 January 2013 in the States on PBS.

Doctor Who 7 to premiere this Fall

Going a bit overlooked is that much nearer on the horizon is the premiere of the new series of Doctor Who in both the UK and the States on BBC One and BBC America, respectively. According to reports, it’s got everything. New companion, Weeping Angels, Daleks and roller-coaster emotions, all wrapped in Steven Moffat brilliance.

Each day brings new photos from the production set and new information as to what we can expect in the new series, which will lead up to the massively anticipated 50th anniversary celebration in November 2013.

While there still seems to be a question mark surrounding even the name of the Doctor’s new companion (rumored to be Clara), Jenna-Louise Coleman seems to be a great fit as filming continues. BBC Blogs reports that Matt Smith said of the ‘new girl on the set’: “It is going well. Jenna brings a really different energy to the show – one which I think is very interesting.”

Karen Gillan, the Doctor’s current companion, Amy Pond, spoke recently to Total Film about the first time she read the script for her final scenes: “I literally couldn’t read it without crying. It was the most highly-charged read-through I’ve ever experienced. But I couldn’t have asked for a better exit. I don’t think it’ll be what people expect.”

While very little news has surfaced about the actual storylines for DW7, the biggest news so far is that everything is seems to point to an Amy Pond departure in episode 5 just before Christmas 2012 and a Jenna-Louise Coleman entrance as part of the traditional Christmas Day blockbuster line-up on BBC One.

DW7 will be split into two parts with the first set of 7 episodes scheduled for a Fall 2012 transmission ending with a Christmas Day ‘mid-season bridge’ episode with the second set of 6 episodes set for a Spring 2013 transmission leading up to the unnamed massive plans for the series’ 50th anniversary.

Ok, thinking about the potential plans for the Doctor Who 50th, now Downton Abbey and Sherlock don’t seem so far off.