Winter TV 2020: Premieres Worth Watching
Featured Image: BoJack Horseman on Netflix
Got a case of the post-holiday blues? You can at least take comfort in the fact that the sun is starting to stay out a little later each day, and some truly great TV is coming your way. Here are our picks for some winter TV pick-me-ups.
“Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist”
Airing now on NBC
Why You Should Watch: It’s rare to see a broadcast show really go for it, these days. This one does. Zoe (Jane Levy) can hear people’s inner thoughts… but as popular songs. Sort of like if you combined that episode of Scrubs where the patient was hallucinating all the hospital staff doing musical numbers with the more charming parts of Glee.
“The Outsider”
Premiering Jan. 12 on HBO
Why You Should Watch: HBO does murder investigation TV better than perhaps anyone else, and this looks to be no exception. Based on Stephen King’s novel about a small-town Oklahoma murder, this miniseries stars Jason Bateman as the man suspected of killing a young boy and Ben Mendelsohn as the detective who unravels the ever-stranger mystery.
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Season premiere Jan. 19 on HBO
Why You Should Watch: It’s been another long stretch between Curb seasons, though thankfully not as long as the six-year drought between Seasons 8 and 9. Details about Season 10 are scarce, but it’ll be hard to top Larry David shooting Lin-Manuel Miranda in the mouth with a paintball gun (long story).
“Star Trek: Picard”
Premiering Jan. 23 on CBS All Access
Why You Should Watch: Oh heck yeah, Jean-Luc Picard is back! Sir Patrick Stewart revives the beloved Captain from The Next Generation for a whole new series on CBS All Access. Picard takes place 20 years after the end of TNG, just about the same amount of time that has passed since the last time we saw Picard back in 2002. And in addition to some new faces, old favorites like Jonathan Frakes’ William Riker and Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine will be back as well.
“BoJack Horseman”
Season premiere Jan. 31 on Netflix
Why You Should Watch: Will BoJack’s past misdeeds finally come back to bite him, as the first half of BoJack‘s final season indicated they might? We’re not sure, but the first half was a tour-de-force that examined how one goes about the work of actually becoming a better person. The second half will no doubt pack as much of an emotional punch while serving up some grade-A verbal and visual gags.
“Locke & Key”
Premiering Feb. 7 on Netflix
Why You Should Watch: This series has had quite the journey making it from page to screen. After 10 years of false starts, it’s finally here: The story of the Locke siblings, who move back into an old family house after their father’s brutal murder and discover a set of keys that give them all sorts of interesting abilities. You’ve even got time before the premiere to check out the comic series on which the Netflix version is based.
“Better Call Saul”
Season premiere Feb. 23 on AMC
Why You Should Watch: After nearly a year and a half off the airwaves, Saul is back with a vengeance. Gone is Jimmy McGill, here to stay is Saul Goodman—or is he? The new season picks up after Jimmy’s law license has been reinstated and he’s changed his name to Saul Goodman. We’ve got more Gus, more Kim, more Mike, and more Huell coming our way.
“Dispatches From Elsewhere”
Premiering Mar. 1 on AMC
Why You Should Watch: Jason Segel created this twisty new anthology series, which also stars the delightful Richard E. Grant and Sally Field. In fact, it’s so twisty that other than a general “a group of ordinary people who stumble onto a puzzle hiding just behind the veil of everyday life” description, there aren’t too many other details available about the plot. But it’s safe to say, How I Met Your Mother this ain’t.
“Little Fires Everywhere”
Premiering Mar. 18 on Hulu
Why You Should Watch: Celeste Ng’s crackerjack novel of the same name was a bestseller, and the TV adaptation, starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, looks to have retained the elements that made it a must-read.
“One Day at a Time”
Premiering in March on PopTV
Why You Should Watch: The first three seasons of this absolute gem can be found on Netflix, which sadly canceled the show earlier in 2019. Thankfully, Pop TV revived the series, about a three-generation Cuban-American family living in Los Angeles, for a fourth season. It’s the rare multi-cam comedy with jokes that never feel forced and with a real resonance and willingness to tackle tough issues like alcoholism and racism.
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