FX president John Landgraf's comment about having too many TV shows on air is now a well known statement in the television community. The overall number (400+) may be alarming for some, But fortunately for us TV fans, there are plenty of great shows coming this year. Here are 5 new shows set to be released this year which I am really looking forward to:
5. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix): I've never read the books or seen the movie but I am excited for this since it apparently adapts the books faithfully with the first season covering books 1-4. An added bonus is the excellent ensemble featuring Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton and Asif Mandvi. The show will premiere on January 13th (Friday) with all 8 episodes available.
4. Trial & Error (NBC): Now that NBC is getting back to airing workplace comedies, I am really looking forward to the 3 new themed sitcoms. I'm a big fan of The Office and Parks and Recreation, and since T&E follows the mockumentary format, it grabbed my attention. Based on the timeslot it has been placed in, I believe NBC has a lot of faith in this show. In addition to taking inspiration from one of the most famous documentaries in recent history, Netflix's Making a Murderer, the show also has a great cast starring Nick D'Agosto, Sherri Shepherd, Jayma Mays and the ever reliable John Lithgow who has recently gained some attention for starring as Winston Churchill on Netflix's The Crown. The series premiere will air on March 7th at 9:30PM and will continue its run on Tuesdays at 9:00 PM following The Voice (Like I said, great timeslot)
3. American Gods (Starz): I've read the book by Neil Gaiman and while I'm sure it requires some changes to be televised, I'm curious to see how it will be adapted since it is coming from Bryan Fuller who is probably one of the best writers on TV. The show also has a large cast featuring the underrated Ian McShane, Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning etc. No release date has been provided for this show yet.
2. Jean Claude Van Johnson (Amazon): Out of the 3 new comedy pilots uploaded by Amazon recently, this was my favourite. JCVJ was surprisingly deep and very meta for a comedy. Jean Claude Van Damme as an aging actor/spy getting back into action was oddly realistic and far-fetched at the same time. Due to Amazon's unpredictable scheduling, it is unclear on when the show will be released but I expect to see this sometime this year
1. Legion (FX): Ever since I heard about the pilot, I was so psyched about this show. I'll admit that I didn't even know about the comic until the pilot announcement but the premise and the main character's personality and abilities got me really excited. The fact that it isn't your regular superhero show but is a psychological thriller is definitely an interesting take on the superhuman genre. Legion also boasts many talented people both in front of the camera and behind it as the show is created by Noah Hawley who is best known for adapting Fargo for TV and making it one of the best shows on TV. Hawley is accompanied by X- men veterans Bryan Singer and Marvel TV Vice President Jeph Loeb as it's producers. The cast includes Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast), Rachel Keller (Fargo), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and recreation), Jean Smart and Katie Aselton (The League).
Legion is set to debut on February 8th.
If you are interested in any other shows premiering this year, feel free to list your Top 5 in the comments below
4. Trial & Error (NBC): Now that NBC is getting back to airing workplace comedies, I am really looking forward to the 3 new themed sitcoms. I'm a big fan of The Office and Parks and Recreation, and since T&E follows the mockumentary format, it grabbed my attention. Based on the timeslot it has been placed in, I believe NBC has a lot of faith in this show. In addition to taking inspiration from one of the most famous documentaries in recent history, Netflix's Making a Murderer, the show also has a great cast starring Nick D'Agosto, Sherri Shepherd, Jayma Mays and the ever reliable John Lithgow who has recently gained some attention for starring as Winston Churchill on Netflix's The Crown. The series premiere will air on March 7th at 9:30PM and will continue its run on Tuesdays at 9:00 PM following The Voice (Like I said, great timeslot)
2. Jean Claude Van Johnson (Amazon): Out of the 3 new comedy pilots uploaded by Amazon recently, this was my favourite. JCVJ was surprisingly deep and very meta for a comedy. Jean Claude Van Damme as an aging actor/spy getting back into action was oddly realistic and far-fetched at the same time. Due to Amazon's unpredictable scheduling, it is unclear on when the show will be released but I expect to see this sometime this year
1. Legion (FX): Ever since I heard about the pilot, I was so psyched about this show. I'll admit that I didn't even know about the comic until the pilot announcement but the premise and the main character's personality and abilities got me really excited. The fact that it isn't your regular superhero show but is a psychological thriller is definitely an interesting take on the superhuman genre. Legion also boasts many talented people both in front of the camera and behind it as the show is created by Noah Hawley who is best known for adapting Fargo for TV and making it one of the best shows on TV. Hawley is accompanied by X- men veterans Bryan Singer and Marvel TV Vice President Jeph Loeb as it's producers. The cast includes Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast), Rachel Keller (Fargo), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and recreation), Jean Smart and Katie Aselton (The League).
Legion is set to debut on February 8th.
If you are interested in any other shows premiering this year, feel free to list your Top 5 in the comments below