The loss of many of our favorite actors and musicians, the election of an egomaniac to the highest office in the land... I think we can all agree 2016 was not our best year. But that doesn't mean 2017 won't have a better time in store for us. Here are a few things set to come out next year that I'm excited about.

1. "Sherlock," season 4.

The BBC series "Sherlock" has captivated fans since its initial season with its unique format (seasons typically consist of three episodes that last an hour and a half each), razor sharp writing, and talent-rich acting. The show stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, two of today’s most sought-after British actors, which makes it tough to find time to film a show that takes essentially the amount of time three feature-length films take to film. Because of this, the last full season of the show was released in 2014, with only a singular Christmas special episode to slake their thirst for Sherlock Holmes. Despite this long respite, I am still clamoring for more of the genius detective Holmes and his exasperatedly loyal sidekick Dr. Watson.

2. J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar's new album.

Yes, you heard that correct, a collaborative album involving Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole is in the works and scheduled to come out in 2017. For a taste of the possibilities, listen to the track "Black Friday" in which Kendrick Lamar raps over the instrumental from “A Tale of 2 Citiez,” originally by J. Cole, and J. Cole raps over the instrumental from “Alright,” originally by Kendrick Lamar. This song was released to tease the collaborative album, but the two artists have shown chemistry before. Kendrick Lamar also appeared on J. Cole’s “Forbidden Fruit” and J. Cole produced Kendrick Lamar’s fan-favorite “Hiii Power.” An album from who many believe to be modern rap’s two greatest talents can only result in some incredible music for all of us to enjoy.

3. "Dunkirk."

I’m a sucker for a good war flick, there’s no doubt about it. So when I first heard that a movie was being made about one of the most unbelievable (and entirely real) battles of World War II, you could say I was excited. And the trailer and all other promotional releases have given me no reason to regret my initial excitement. Directed by Christopher Nolan ("Interstellar," "The Dark Knight," "Inception") and starring Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Kenneth Branagh, "Dunkirk" is sure to be one of the best films of the year.

4. "The Winds of Winter."

The fantasy novel "The Winds of Winter" will be the sixth installment in the series that began with "A Game of Thrones." I am very much a lover of the HBO series based on these books, but I am looking forward to the original medium that inspired such a passionate following. I am especially excited to read this book because the show has now passed the book in terms of plot. What this means is the books and the television show are now essentially two different expressions of the same universe, and the characters and their plotlines are not tied to one another any longer. In fact, George R.R. Martin, the author, has stated that there is at least one character in "The Winds of Winter" who has already died in the show’s adaptation of the books. This sort of divergence is entirely unprecedented in terms of novels and their adaptation to television or film as far as I know, and the idea of experiencing the same world in different ways through different mediums makes me want this novel more than ever.

5. VR improvements.

Virtual reality was one of the most exciting technological advances of 2016, allowing for games to be experienced in 360-degree interactive worlds, immersing gamers into new universes like never before. And while many of the games first released with the technology include a grainy simulation of a rollercoaster designed to give the viewer some cheap stomach-turning thrills, the technology is capable of much more. Developers at Bethesda Studios have announced that the widely popular and critically-acclaimed game "Fallout 4" will be available for virtual reality gaming in 2017. "Fallout 4" is a massive open-world game that can be explored at the player’s discretion, a feat only achievable through typical first-person shooter-style gaming on PC or gaming consoles. The idea that the entirety of its post-apocalyptic area in all its detail could be explored in the completely immersive style afforded by VR technology is truly astounding and makes me look forward to 2017 and all the advances it will bring.