Just when you thought Peak TV couldn’t get Peakier (a record 495 scripted shows aired in 2018 – read about our favorites of the year here), things are going to get even crazier in 2019. Netflix will continue to pump out multiple shows a week, Amazon is entering a new phase with the remit “bring us the next ‘Game Of Thrones,’” some old favorites are returning after a year — or several years — off, every major network has at least one potential titan debuting, and tech behemoth Apple is finally getting into the scripted game after years of planning and teasing.
READ MORE: Best TV Shows of 2018
It’ll be harder than ever to sort out what you actually want to make time for, but fortunately, we’re here to pick out our 50 most anticipated shows of 2019 (and you can check out our 100 movies of the next year to keep an eye on too). Some are returning faves, some are brand new, some will be good, some may not be, but all have us keen to tune in/stream/download in the year ahead.
READ MORE: The Worst Films Of 2018
Take a look at the list below, and let us know what you’re most psyched about over the next twelve months.
Click here for our complete guide to the Best & Worst Of 2018
50. “The Witcher” (Netflix)
Synopsis: In a fantasy world, a monster hunter teams with a sorceress and a young princess.
What You Need To Know: With the landmark series breathing its last this year (though plenty of spin-offs are in the works, of course), virtually every network or streaming service is looking for their own “Game Of Thrones,” but many of those shows, like Amazon’s “Lord Of The Rings” and “Wheel Of Time” series, or Showtime’s “Halo” adaptation, are still a year or two off, which gives Netflix’s “The Witcher” a distinct advantage. Based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski (best known for inspiring a video game series that includes “The Witcher 3,” deemed to be one of the best ever), which give a Slavic spin on the fantasy genre, this is likely to be one of Netflix’s pricier and more high-profile offerings of the year, complete with Superman himself, Henry Cavill, in the lead. But can it find something to set it apart from the competition? The presence of ‘Thrones’ director Alik Sarkharov in the director’s chair indicates this might be more copycat than game-changer.
Airdate: Began filming in October, so probably not until the fall.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1057651463327965186
49. “Raising Dion” (Netflix)
Synopsis: A widowed single mother must protect her super-powered son.
What You Need To Know: Even with the Marvel Netflix shows dying off like Thanos just snapped them out of existence, we’re hardly going to be starving for superheroes on TV (see also: the next entry). But Netflix’s “Raising Dion” has a few advantages on the rest. For one, its premise (based on a comic book by Dennis Liu) gives a new spin to the genre, focusing on the idea of what it’s like to be the parent of a fledgling hero. Martha Kent: The Movie, essentially. And also it has the presence of Michael B. Jordan, star of “Black Panther,” as both producer and guest star (he plays the now-deceased husband of the lead character, a role taken by relative newcomer Alisha Wainwright). The ever-welcome Jason Ritter is also in the cast, and “UnREAL” veteran Carol Barbee is the woman in charge.
Airdate: Expect it in late spring or summer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkiZ_6vHuEm/
48. “The Umbrella Academy” (Netflix)
Synopsis: After their mentor passes, six superpowered individuals reunite after years apart to save the world.
What You Need To Know: It’d be easy to be dismissive of “The Umbrella Academy” as a vanity project, given that it’s based on a comic book by Gerard Way, who is better known as the singer of My Chemical Romance than as, well, a comic book writer. But the comic, first published in 2009, is well-regarded by those in the know, and the show has established no little talent, with Jeremy Slater (whose “The Exorcist” series was far better than it had any right to be) penning the script, “Fargo” veteran Steve Blackman showrunning, and a cast that includes Ellen Page, Robert Sheehan, Mary J. Blige, John Magaro and “Mindhunter” breakout Cameron Britton. The trailer looks stylish and fun — Tim Burton’s “X-Men,” essentially — but will it be a genuine breath of fresh air in the genre, or burn out quickly like the similarly promising-on-paper “Preacher” or “Legion?”
Airdate: February 15th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMeqY7ogdF8
47. “Billions” Season 4 (Showtime)
Synopsis: After spending years at loggerheads, Chuck and Axe finally team up as they each go in search of vengeance on their former proteges.
What You Need To Know: Even if it didn’t quite build to as perfect a climax as Season 2, Season 3 of Brian Koppelman and David Levien’s “Billions” remained one of the most purely entertaining shows on air in 2018, and left us with a hell of a cliffhanger: Chuck (Paul Giamatti) finally fired, pushed out by his protege after a gambit against the Attorney General (Clancy Brown) blew up, and Axe (Damian Lewis) betrayed by his own mentee, Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon), who’s set up on her own. And so, their destructive feud looks to be under a temporary truce, as they start to plot together. It’s a smart move for the longevity of the show, and the prospect of those characters working together is a tantalizing one. Beyond that, Season 4 remains mostly under wraps, but Samantha Mathis has joined the cast as an ally of Taylor, and don’t be surprised if we see the return of John Malkovich’s shifty oligarch too.
Airdate: March 17th
46. “Westworld” Season 3 (HBO)
Synopsis: Uhhh… robot cowboys? Any more detail than that and we’ll be here all day.
What You Need To Know: Some people seem to really hate “Westworld,” and we can sort of understand why in some ways. But personally, although the show has its share of flaws, we love the ambition and scope of it, both actually and thematically, and some of the giddiest TV moments of 2018 came with its second season. Season 3 looks set to take us out into the ‘real’ world much more than previous ones, with Dolores set to wreak rampage on humanity, but Jonathan and Lisa Joy Nolan have promised that there’ll be plenty of action back in the park too. And we’ll likely also get some answers about that cryptic post-credits scene set years in the future too. Aaron Paul is a welcome addition to the cast for Season 3, though his role, as ever, remains under wraps.
Airdate: “Westworld” always takes as long as it takes, so this could end up slipping to 2020 (especially as the California wildfire has destroyed some of the set). But Paul’s casting announcement back in September is at least an indication that it’s gearing up to shoot again.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1030122010389696512
45. “Now Apocalypse” (Starz)
Synopsis: A group of twentysomethings in L.A. discover a conspiracy, but also might just be smoking too much weed.
What You Need To Know: Once one of the leading lights of the New Queer Cinema movement, Gregg Araki has seemingly been absent from screens since 2014’s “White Bird In A Blizzard,” but that’s actually somewhat misleading: he’s been busy directing for TV including “Riverdale,” “Red Oaks” and, most notably, both seasons of “13 Reasons Why.” It seems like he’s been warming up for this Starz comedy series, which he’ll direct all ten episodes of, and which seems like a mix of Araki’s early work like “The Doom Generation,” and something like “Donnie Darko.” Steven Soderbergh and Gregory Jacobs are exec producing, and while the cast is largely new faces, Araki’s always had an eye for talent so we certainly trust in him.
Airdate: Will premiere at Sundance before rolling on Starz from March 10th.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/978353658147487744
44. “Good Omens” (Amazon)
Synopsis: An angel and a demon must team up to prevent the antichrist from ending the world.
What You Need To Know: As the sole team-up between two titans of the fantasy genre, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, it’s not surprising that “Good Omens” remains a beloved novel nearly thirty years after its publication. Terry Gilliam planned to make it into a movie for years (Robin Williams and Johnny Depp were linked to star), but it’s finally reaching screens as a co-production by the BBC and Amazon (who’ll stream worldwide). Gaiman himself serves as showrunner, with Giles Mackinnon directing, and they’ve attracted a murderer’s row of a cast — David Tennant and Michael Sheen in the lead roles, with Jon Hamm, Ardia Arjona, Michael McKean, Jack Whitehall, Miranda Richardson, Mireille Enos, Reece Shearsmith, Frances McDormand (as God!), Derek Jacobi and Nick Offerman among the various players. The trailer felt a bit… BBC-ish, but we certainly hope the show will be worth the wait.
Airdate: Nothing announced yet, but this filmed late in 2017, and a trailer has already arrived, so it should be along any day now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZSXlNRRoGU
43. “The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance” (Netflix)
Synopsis: Three Gelflings attempt to save their world from the Skeksis.
What You Need To Know: The post “Lord Of The Rings” fantasy boom has now lasted for nearly twenty years, but it’s been sorely lacking in one thing from the last time the genre was really popular, in the 1980s: muppets. But Netflix’s new “The Dark Crystal” sequel series looks set to change that. A follow-up to the beloved Jim Henson film from 1982, produced by The Jim Henson Company itself, a writing team including “Lost” veteran Javier Grillo-Marxauch have been beavering away on scripts for a while, and filming got underway in late 2017 with “Now You See Me” helmer Louis Leterrier the unexpected, but intriguing, choice to direct. We’re promised something that eschews CGI for old-school puppetry techniques, but will it be an empty exercise in nostalgia, or a welcome return to a rich fantasy world? Either way around, the voice cast is impressive: Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nathalie Emmanuel, Helena Bonham-Carter, Toby Jones, Alicia Vikander, Simon Pegg and Andy Samberg are all on board.
Airdate: Probably the first half of 2019, although filming took a full year so that might be optimistic.
42. “Living With Yourself” (Netflix)
Synopsis: A man struggling with his life is offered a treatment to become a better person, only to find that he’s been replaced by a new and improved version of himself.
What You Need To Know: Paul Rudd has a big 2019 ahead: as the “Avengers: Endgame” trailer made clear, his Ant-Man may be the last best hope for stopping Thanos and reversing the events of the snap. But Rudd’ll also be busy on the small screen with this new Netflix comedy, which marks (apart from his extended cameos in the “Wet Hot American Summer” shows) his first regular TV role since the days of “Friends.” This sounds a bit different, though: a high-concept ‘philisophical comedy’ created by “Daily Show” veteran Timothy Greenberg, and reminiscent of things like “The Good Place,” “Groundhog Day” and “Ruby Sparks.” In fact, the directors of the latter, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, will helm all eight episodes of the show, which only makes it more promising. Irish comedian Aisling Bea and “You’re The Worst” breakout Desmin Borges are also in the cast, but the chance to see Rudd play double roles is definitely the biggest draw here.
Airdate: Filmed late in 2018, so probably the fall.
41. “Shrill” (Hulu)
Synopsis: A young overweight woman wants to change her life, but not her body.
What You Need To Know: Outside of the occasional outlier like “Dietland” and “This Is Us” (and the latter is… not that great in terms of how it writes the character concerned), television is very much still sizeist, with few overweight characters being treated as anything other than comic relief. But “Shrill” hopes to change that, and given the talent assembled, it might have a very good chance to do so. The Hulu comedy is an adaptation of Lindy West’s memoir of the same name, and serves as a much-deserved vehicle for ‘SNL’ veteran Aidy Bryant, who also co-wrote the script with West herself and “Parks & Rec” veteran Ali Rushfield. Lorne Michaels is producing, while “Girls” regular Jesse Peretz, “Obvious Child” helmer Gillian Robespierre and the legendary Carrie Brownstein are directing episodes, so it certainly has its comedy bona-fides behind the camera, and should have them in front too, thanks to the presence of John Cameron Mitchell, Julia Sweeney and British comic Lolly Adefope in the cast.
Airdate: Begins rolling out on Hulu from March 15th.
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