10 Shows To Look Forward To in 2018

Posted on by Adam

2017 was a dense, exciting year for television. We’re currently in the midst of a passing of the guard, in a way, as we move into 2018. Some of my favorite shows have retired (The Leftovers, Halt and Catch Fire), are on hiatus until 2019 (Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, Fargo), or are on mysterious, unknown hiatuses in which we don’t know if we’ll ever see another episode (Master of None). But don’t panic! There are more than enough shows to fill the gaps.

Here are 10 shows that you can look forward to in 2018. Some of these shows are returning stalwarts that have already proven their worth, and some are completely new and looking to carve a place in the ever-growing landscape of Peak TV.

I don’t necessarily think all of these will be the best shows of the year (though there are certainly shows on this list that will likely be in that conversation). These are just the shows that I am curious about, or excited to see what they will do. For the best shows of last year, check out my year end list. That should help get you started, if you’re waiting for shows that come out later this year.

And check out my Guide to TV page to see a more comprehensive list of a bunch more shows that will be airing in 2018.

10 Shows to Look Forward to in 2018:

  1. Atlanta (FX) – Season 2, March  1st 

It’s been 2 years since the impressive first season of Atlanta. I’ll be honest, part of the reason this tops the list is because I just miss it. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. And I can’t wait for the new installment of Donald Glover’s imaginative vision. The first season felt like Glover’s constantly bubbling mind had been cast on to a projector screen. It was unique, creative, hilarious, emotionally complex, and just straight up good. This is one of the most anticipated shows of 2018. If you haven’t watched season one yet, get on it. It starts up the first of March. You got time.

 

  1. Better Call Saul (AMC) – Season 4, April 10th 

The follow-up prequel to the best show ever made is back again. And it’s only gotten better every season. This was my 2nd favorite show last year (only behind the phenomenal last season of The Leftovers). It is primed for a stellar year, and to make it even more exciting, we’re getting closer and closer to the events of Breaking Bad. If TV had a playoff bracket, Better Call Saul would be the #1 overall seed. I fully expect Vince Gilligan and his team to knock it out of the park yet again in season 4. This is TV at its finest.

 

  1. The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) – Season 2, April

The breakout show from last year is back in April. Rumors have it that it will be even bleaker than season 1.  The Handmaid’s Tale was an awards show darling, and not surprisingly. It’s a story set in an alternate dystopian America, where a Cult of Men has taken over the country and enslaved the few remaining child-bearing women. Elizabeth Moss delivers an incredible performance in this gripping drama. It’s a difficult show to watch at times, but worth the heartache.

 

  1. Waco (Paramount) – New Mini Series, January 24th

The Siege of Waco has long been a source of American intrigue. It’s a captivating premise. Armed religious group fighting off government agents. We know how this saga ends. But do we know how it began? With a great cast (Michael Shannon, Taylor Kitsch, John Leguizamo), and a thrilling subject, I have high hopes for Waco. It just sounds like the stuff of good TV. The trailer for this show really sells it, too. It premieres on a reformatted Spike TV (they’re calling it Paramount Network now), which is a bit odd. And it was created by a horror movie director, John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine, Devil, As Above So Below, No Escape). So I suppose we’ll see if it sinks or swims in a competitive TV lineup this year.

 

  1. The Good Place (NBC) – Season 2.5, January 4th

The Good Place got really good in a hurry (after a rocky first few episodes in season 1). I feel like it really picked up steam at the end of the year, and it’s continued that momentum into 2018. Kristen Bell (who’s great) stars in this show about the afterlife, along with Ted Danson (who’s just as good as ever). I just can’t say enough about this show. It’s from Michael Schurr, executive producer of The Office, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Master of None. So you’re pretty much guaranteed a successful comedy. But it feels like so much more than that. It’s not just funny…it’s also got edge-of-your-seat mystery. This is an easily binge-able show with its 23-minute run time. The episodes seem to fly by.

 

  1. Electric Dreams (Amazon) – January 12th

Anthologies are all the rage right now. But will it result in market saturation? Electric Dreams comes in the style of Black Mirror – A show where each episode is its own self-contained plot that deals with the dangers of getting ahead of ourselves. I’ve seen a couple episodes of this show so far, and I plan to watch the rest soon. I’ll admit, I had this a little higher on my list initially, but downgraded it after watching a couple. Which is not to say that it’s bad. I still very much want to see what they do with this collection of old Philip K Dick stories. In fact, that’s the main reason this show is on the list at all. Philip K Dick was a visionary whose stories seem to transcend time and space. As long as they’re in the right hands, they should be compelling and thought-provoking vignettes about humanity and the technology that surrounds us.

 

  1. Castle Rock (Hulu) – To be determined

We don’t really know much about Castle Rock yet. Here’s the blurb from Wikipedia: “Castle Rock is an upcoming American psychological horror web television series created for Hulu. It is based on the stories of Stephen King, intertwining characters and themes from the fictional town of Castle Rock.” Created by JJ Abrams and based on Stephen King’s works. I’d say that’s at least worth a try.

 

  1. The Looming Tower (Hulu) – February 28th

This is a show about the lead-up to 9/11, and I can’t believe there hasn’t already been another major show about that. We’ve had movies, and documentary specials about it. But never a scripted drama like this. Which is actually pretty exciting. It’s one of the major world events of the past century, and it appears that Hulu has pulled out all the stops to do it justice. Jeff Daniels can do great dramatic work if given meaty enough material – which this surely should provide. This should be a show to keep on the radar.

 

  1. American Vandal (Netflix) – Season 2, To be determined

This was one of my favorite shows of 2017. As silly as it sounds, it’s actually a really well written and constructed satire on the true crime genre and the social media buzz that now surrounds major criminal cases. The first season literally asked the question, “Who drew the dicks on 27 cars in the faculty parking lot?” I can only imagine what hilarious concept they’ll come up with for season 2. The thing that elevates this show is the fact that it’s not just pure silliness. While the subject matter, and many of the events in the show, are juvenile, the show also manages to provide a keen commentary on today’s social climate. Can’t wait to see what’s next for this show.

 

  1. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Netflix) – To be determined

Anthologies are becoming more commonplace in today’s TV climate. Soon, the mystique will wear off. But this one stands out for two very specific reasons: Joel and Ethan Coen. They’re at the helm for this Netflix series coming out some time in 2018. We don’t know much about this show, other than that it’s a “western anthology” that will consist of six different tales. But this is the Coen Brothers first foray into TV And that alone is enough to tune in.

 

Thanks for checking out the list. Let me know if you have any suggestions for shows to watch out for!