30. “The Americans” Season 6 (FX)
Synopsis: Having decided, at the last minute, not to return to the USSR, sleeper agents Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings must complete a final mission even as the net closes in on them.
What You Need To Know: Having spent half a decade singing its praises as one of the best dramas of the peak TV era, it was a little frustrating that, just as “The Americans” finally started getting people’s attention thanks to some overdue Emmy love and renewed interest in Russian espionage within the U.S, the show’s fifth season was its poorest. Don’t get us wrong, it was still one of the best-written, best-acted shows on TV, but it felt like it was treading water for the first time, as if its two-season renewal was one more than was expected and its creators had to busk for time for a bit. But ‘slightly disappointing penultimate season before a strong finish’ is a familiar peak TV trope, and we’re expecting a barnstormer for the final run as all the dangling threads get firmly pulled on, and we see if our anti-heroes can get away with it all.
Airdate: Returns to FX on March 28th.
29. “Succession” (HBO)
Synopsis: A battle for power commences among the children of a powerful media mogul.
What You Need To Know: A few years ago, “Peep Show” co-creator and “Black Mirror” writer Jesse Armstrong made the Black List with “Murdoch,” a screenplay imagining the battle for succession to Rupert Murdoch. Few expected it to get made, given the Fox media moguls’ fearsome reputation, but it’s evolved into this new HBO drama series, following the dysfunctional family of the absolutely-no-way-meant-to-evoke-Murdoch media conglomerate patriarch Logan Roy (played by Brian Cox). It gained some added kudos by being the first project Adam McKay has directed since his Oscar-winning “Big Short,” and he feels like an excellent fit for material like this, especially with the cast assembled here, including Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfayden, Hiam Abbass and Alan Ruck.
Airdate: Nothing announced, but we’d wager it’ll follow “Silicon Valley” and “Barry” in the Sunday-night comedy slot in the summer.
28. “Kidding” (Showtime)
Synopsis: A beloved children’s TV icon watches his life implode, threatening his sanity.
What You Need To Know: One of the more baffling renewals of last year was when Showtime picked up the Jim Carrey-produced 70s-comedy-world drama “I’m Dying Up Here” for a second series: it wasn’t that the show was particularly bad, it was just that no one appeared to actually watch it. But not long after, it became a little clearer why: the network had also nabbed Carrey to star and exec produce in this new half-hour comedy which, excitingly, will reteam him with director Michel Gondry for the first time since their masterpiece “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.” The show’s actually created by former “Weeds” writer Dave Holstein, and Catherine Keener and Frank Langella have already signed on to join Carrey, with what must be one of the more high-caliber comedy casts of the year. Also, with Carrey paying a sort of Gordon-from-‘Sesame-Street” figure, and Gondry at the helm: expect puppets. Lots and lots of puppets.
Airdate: Filming begins soon, so expect it in the fall most likely (perhaps paired with “SMILF” in the place of the now-cancelled “White Famous”).
27. “Collateral” (Netflix)
Synopsis: After a seemingly random murder of a pizza delivery man, a young detective attempts to uncover the truth, as the killing’s aftermath also impacts a politician and a vicar.
What You Need To Know: The list of big-name stars who haven’t yet taken on a prestige TV series gets smaller and smaller by the day, and the latest to join in, hot off the acclaim for her Netflix movie “Mudbound,” is Carey Mulligan. This four-part BBC miniseries (which Netflix will air outside the UK) reteams the Oscar-nominee with acclaimed “The Hours” screenwriter David Hare, whose play “Skylight” she starred in on Broadway for what’s described as a “state of the nation” drama examining contemporary Britain. And Mulligan’s joined by a strong supporting cast including John Simm, Billie Piper and Nicola Walker, while “Jessica Jones” director S.J. Clarkson returns to the UK to be at the helm for all four episodes. Hare can be a bit on-the-nose sometimes, but when he’s on form, few do this kind of sweeping statement drama better, so this could be a definite highlight of the year.
Airdate: Filmed last April, so expect it in late spring or early summer.
26. “Snowpiercer” (TNT)
Synopsis: After a new Ice Age hits the planet, the last of humanity live in a train that circles the planet, divided strictly and brutally by class.
What You Need To Know: Bong Joon-Ho’s “Snowpiercer” was one of the best sci-fi movies of recent times, but its complete mishandling by The Weinstein Company (admittedly only the 1245th worst thing Harvey Weinstein has done) meant that it remains mostly unseen by many (and indeed, completely unreleased in some parts of the world. But clearly TNT and “War Of The Worlds” screenwriter Josh Friedman saw some potential, as it’s getting a small-screen translation that’s definitely one of the more intriguing genre propositions of the year. The linear set up of the train is tailor-made for TV, and if Friedman, and pilot director Scott Derrickson (whose “Doctor Strange” is one of the better Marvel movies) haven’t quite assembled as strange and eclectic a cast as Bong did, it’s not far off, with Jennifer Connelly, “Hamilton” star Daveed Diggs, “Frances Ha” actress Mickey Sumner and “The Americans” standout Alison Wright all on board. Whether it can pull off the same glorious world-building on a smaller budget remains to be seen, but this could well be the rare film-to-TV transition that really works.
Airdate: Literally only just greenlit to series, so we’re probably looking at late in 2018.
25. “The Last OG” (TBS)
Synopsis: An ex-con returns to gentrified Bed-Stuy after fifteen years in prison to find he has two twin sons by his ex-girlfriend that he never knew existed.
What You Need To Know: We came terrifyingly close to losing Tracy Morgan a few years back: nearly four years ago, the “30 Rock” star was left with brain trauma by a car accident that killed his friend James McNair. For a while, it seemed that Morgan might have difficulty returning to comedy, but after a triumphant SNL hosting gig just a year later, those fears were put to rest, and he’s back later this year with a new comedy. And it sees him team up with a couple of faces who’ve exploded during the show’s (somewhat troubled: it moved from FX to TBS and lost a showrunner along the way) gestation period: Jordan Peele co-created the show before blowing up with “Get Out,” and “Girls Trip” breakout Tiffany Haddish plays Morgan’s ex. Between that and the good run that TBS are having after “Search Party,” Samantha Bee and more, this should be one of the comedy events of the year.
Airdate: Originally slated for 2017, this should hit some time in the spring.
24. “House of Cards” Season Five (Netflix)
Synopsis: A show of White House political intrigue, the President Of The United States, who just won his second term by a hair’s breadth, continues his reign as liar, cheat and manipulator.
What You Need To Know: The Playlist has a bit of a love/hate or like/hate anyhow relationship with House of Cards. Despite Beau Willimon as showrunner for 4 years, quality and plausibility dipped after David Fincher left somewhere into the beginning of season 2. House Of Cards then proceeded to be more and more preposterous as time went on and lost acclaim, but the show has always remained incredible watchable and entertaining even as it sometimes veered into the ridiculous. But everything changed for the show last year when star and exec producer Kevin Spacey and his career were decimated by allegations of sexual assault, rape and even charges of trying to pick up minors. Spacey’s done, but his end threw “House Of Cards” into chaos. Only one option was available: end the show abruptly, start over and probably kill off the President played by Spacey. The idea would then be to turn Robin Wright, the First Lady and Vice President (yeah, it’s a little unbelievable) as the show’s lead. Considering the rehaul and do-over, one might guess no show would appear until 2019, and it might, but “House Of Cards” shoots fast. You might even actively dislike “House Of Cards” and bailed on it long ago, but this we can almost guarantee, millions of Netflix subscribers are going to tune in to see how they deal with the exit of Kevin Spacey, how the show goes forward and ultimately concludes.
Airdate: Probably late in the year.
23. “Castle Rock” (Hulu)
Synopsis: A battle between light and dark plays out in a mysterious Maine town.
What You Need To Know: Even with “The Dark Tower” tanking, Stephen King had a pretty massive 2017 thanks to the enormous success of the adaptation of his novel “It,” now the top-grossing horror movie of all time. And there’ll be no escaping the work of the horror author in 2018 either, thanks to this new J.J. Abrams-produced Hulu drama set in the town that’s been the setting for many of King’s works, and promises to mash up some of his most famous creations. The nature of copyright means you shouldn’t necessarily expect Pennywise to turn up, although actually Pennywise is there, at least in the form of actor Bill Skarsgard, who’s among an A-grade cast also including Melanie Lynskey, Jane Levy, Sissy Spacek, Scott Glenn, Terry O’Quinn and, in the lead role, “Moonlight” star Andre Holland. Between the creepy imagery in the trailer, and the fact that the show’s in the hands of Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason, who were behind the deeply underrated “Manhattan,” this should be something of an event.
Airdate: Hulu haven’t announced anything yet, but we’re expecting it in the summer or fall.
22. “Howards End” (Starz)
Synopsis: The story of the friendships between the bohemian Schlegel sisters, the well-to-do Wilcoxes, and young, impoverished Leonard Bast, friendships that have consequences both happy and, ultimately, tragic.
What You Need To Know: With five years passing between the release of “Margaret” and “Manchester By The Sea” (and that’s actually a much longer gap when you consider that “Margaret” was originally meant to come out in 2007), we’ll take any new Kenneth Lonergan that we can get to tide us over until his next feature as director. So, while his adaptation of E.M. Forster’s classic novel (previously filmed as a Merchant/Ivory joint) isn’t pure unfiltered Lonergan, it’s the next best thing — we actually saw the four-part miniseries when it aired in the UK at the end of last year, and it’s as sensitive and intelligent a piece of writing as we’ve come to expect from him. “Doctor Who” helmer Hettie MacDonald is at the helm and does a sterling job, but it might be the cast that are the biggest reason to tune in: Matthew MacFayden, Tracey Ullman, Julia Ormond and newcomers Philippa Coulthard and Joseph Quinn are all excellent, but it’s most notable as the best showcase that Hayley Atwell’s ever had, and she’s absolutely terrific in it.
Airdate: Sometime in April.
21. ”High Maintenance” Season 2 (HBO)
Synopsis: The continuing story of a nameless marijuana deliveryman called The Guy (played by co-creator Ben Sinclair) as he delivers his product to clients in New York City.
What You Need To Know: Co-created by husband and wife team Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld, we slept on “High Maintenance” season one, but now we’re willing to call it the best show on TV that you’re not watching. And you need to change that immediately. You know that amazing episode of “Master Of None” (one of the best TV episodes of 2017, period), where the show went off-piste following random New Yorkers and barely if at all tried to tie it to the main characters? “High Maintenance” is essentially that show entirely. Vignette-driven, while the weed guy is the character that ties the show together, much of it really centers on the character buying weed on the show and their various problems and issues of everyday life. Funny as all get out, sharply observed, humanist, empathetic and sometimes a little surreal, “High Maintenance” is terrific and this is your heads up to catch up now.
Release Date: January 19