Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – Legion
Noah Hawley somehow adapted Fargo into one of the best shows on TV so his adaptation of a Marvel property that doesn’t connect to the MCU will hopefully do the same thing for the X-Men. Centered on David Haller, Legion will follow the mutant as he deals with his power and possibly his lineage as son of Charles Xavier. The trailers for the show have shown star Dan Stevens in top form along with a kooky Aubrey Plaza in a show that could defy categorization and become the best new story of the year. Here’s hoping it is less APOCALYPSE and more LOGAN.
#2 – American Gods
Neil Gaimain’s cult favorite book has had a rough time getting adapted but Starz finally made it happen and with a cast that includes the great Ian McShane, Crispin Glover, Gillian Anderson, and many more. This fantasy drama centers on Ricky Whittle as Shadow Moon who gets a job protecting Mr. Wednesday whose true identity may be much more omnipotent than you would think. I cannot wait to see how this series stretches the material of Gaimain’s novel but it is perfectly suited for an ongoing series.
#3 – Marvel’s The Defenders
When Marvel’s big screen heroes teamed up, it became box office history. What will happen when the Netflix series combine for their own team-up even series with The Defenders? Hopefully more history as the limited event crossover will prove that the MCU can reign supreme on screens big and small. Who will The Defenders battle aside from Elektra? Will they show up in INFINITY WAR? All will be answered when the series debuts later this year. I am just excited to see how Rosario Dawson will handle being the Nick Fury for this team.
#4 – Star Trek: Discovery
Even with Bryan Fuller’s departure, this new Star Trek series is gaining momentum as it fills out a cast of talent including Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones, and Sonequa Martin-Green. Not centered on a Starfleet captain and set in an era before the reign of Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery will anchor CBS’ new streaming service and hopefully revive the original timeline of Gene Roddenberry’s iconic franchise. Until we see footage we will reserve judgement but it will be awesome to see Trek return to the small screen for the first time in over a decade.
#9 – The Young Pope
Italian director Paolo Sorrentino (THE GREAT BEAUTY) helmed all ten episodes of this new drama which has already aired in Europe. Receiving widespread acclaim, the series chronicles the rise of a new Pope (Jude Law) whose youth as an orphan in New York brings a different spin to the highest religious seat on Earth. Obviously, Catholics may take issue with the subject matter, but for us heathens, this looks like one hell of a darkly entertaining story.
#10 – Big Little Lies
HBO has done well with their miniseries in recent years. DALLAS BUYERS CLUB helmer Jean-Mark Vallee reteams with Reese Witherspoon for the seven episode drama Big Little Lies. Based on the bestselling book, Big Little Lies also stars Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley as three mothers whose lives intertwine in intriguing and dramatic ways. This is exactly the type of drama that wins all sorts of awards and looks to be another win for HBO.
#5 – The Deuce
David Simon has already gained a blank check from HBO thanks to The Wire and Luck but he showed he can elevate material that would otherwise never be worthy of adaptation with the event series Show Me A Hero. Now, teaming with writer George Pelecanos, Simon hopes to deliver a period drama about the 1970s that doesn’t fizzle out like Vinyl did. Chronicling the porn industry and the rise of HIV, the series stars James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Little has been seen of the series but you can bet it will be full of nudity which is always a plus.
#6 – Marvel’s Iron Fist
Do I really need to justify this pick? Marvel’s small screen world on Netflix has consistently proven to be destination television but Iron Fist will deliver a much different and more spiritual hero than we have seen on Daredevil, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage. How Iron Fist will compare to those series remains to be seen but Finn Jones seems to embody exactly what makes Danny Rand the hero countless comic book fans have been waiting to see realized in live action.
#7 – The Handmaid’s Tale
Hulu ups their ante in the original programming game with this adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s classic novel of a dystopian future. Starring Elizabeth Moss and Samira Wiley, this could be a much more faithful take on the book than the maligned 1985 version. Moss also serves as producer on the series which looks to tell a science fiction story wrapped into an epic drama. The cast alone, which also features Yvonne Strahovski and Joseph Fiennes, is more than enough reason to check this show out.
#8 – Feud
Ryan Murphy has built quite the empire with American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and Scream Queens. Looking to expand his anthology roster comes Feud which will tackle a famed story of famous opponents through history. The first season will tell the tale of the battle between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. Starring Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, this is going to be an epic recreation of one of Hollywood’s biggest behind the scenes feuds. With Alfred Molina and Stanley Tucci co-starring, expect everyone to be buzzing about this show.
Honorable Mentions – 24: Legacy, Fargo, Twin Peaks
There are so many shows returning this year that we cannot wait to see, like The Leftovers and Stranger Things, but three series stand out because they are going to be unique revivals. First, there is Fox’s spin-off of the Jack Bauer power hour, 24: Legacy, which hopes to revive the real time format with new star Corey Hawkins. Then there is the third season of FX’s Fargo which shifts time period again and will stat Ewan McGregor. Finally, we have the long anticipated new season of Twin Peaks which is shrouded in mystery but will benefit from the unique eye of director David Lynch.
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