We’re only three months into this year and it’s already been such a mess. Coronavirus / COVID-19 is real and spreading quickly. Even if you’re not feeling well you could be a carrier for the virus so just be smart, practice social distancing and stay at home. Something I’m sure will be old news for all my fellow geeks and gamers. Two weeks at home doesn’t sound so bad because we have a ton of new TV programming to get through! Here’s our list of new TV series you can start binging now. If you want to get through your backlog we also have a 2019 list for you to browse through.
Doctor Who, Season 12 – January 1st
Don’t @ me because I love Doctor Who but even I have to admit last season was pretty lacklustre. This season however it seems like BBC is trying to regain their audience by bringing back the Master, the Cyberman and well one more who shall not be named. But trust us it was a SURPRISE. Now Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor was always going to be a bit of a gamble and has gotten a bit of mixed reception. I felt that last season played it a bit safe but in this new season we’re seeing more confidence from the writers and much more interesting, original storylines. From Spyfall to the Timeless Child. If you want to get back into the Whoverse, now’s the time.
The Magicians, Season 5 – January 15th
If you haven’t been keeping up with The Magicians, then do yourself a favour and use this quarantine to start. Based on a fantasy novel by Lev Grossman of the same name, The Magicians is a woefully underrated series that deserves some love. More than just magic the show is a dark, dramatic parody of a young magician going to wizard school. We follow the main character Quentin Coldwater as he enrols in the Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy. It’s here that he trains as a Magician and even enters the magical Narnia-esque world of his childhood, Fillory. But nothing is as it seems and magic is a dangerous game to play for everyone involved.
Avenue 5, Season 1 – January 19th
I saw that Hugh Laurie aka Dr House was starring in this show and was instantly sold. Avenue 5 is a lighthearted sci-fi comedic journey through space. The crew have no idea what they’re doing, the passengers are spoiled, rich, snotty tourists and in a trick of fate they’re all trapped together for years. I think Rolling Stone magazine quoted it best when they said that Avenue 5 “is an unwieldy mess” because that’s exactly what it feels like when you’re watching. That being said there’s a lot of potential for this series and sometimes it takes more than one season for a show to reach its full potential. Remember the first season of Parks and Rec?
The Outsider, Season 1 – January 23rd
I’m going to begin describing this series with a self-explanatory phrase, “based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel”. If you’re a fan of the author then you know where this is going, but if you’re not let’s get into it. The Outsider is a horror crime drama that follows the investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy. But strange happenings surround this case and an insidious supernatural force is making itself known, forcing everyone involved to question everything they believe in. Dum dum DUM. Like all his novels The Outsider is a bit of a slow burn, but it more than makes up for it with its stellar acting cast.
Star Trek: Picard, Season 1 – January 23rd
Jean-Luc Picard, former captain of the Starship Enterprise is a familiar sight to Star Trek fans. Playing the titular role for the last seven seasons in Star Trek: The Next Generation, we welcome back Sir Patrick Stewart. Now a 92-year old Starfleet retiree, this isn’t the Jean-Luc who went toe-to-toe with omnipotent beings, Klingons, Romulans, and the Borg. This man has no ship, no crew and no purpose. That is until fate intervenes and we once again get to see the captain behind the man. I don’t want to say too much to ruin the mystery behind the show but if you think Picard is just nostalgia pandering. You would be wrong.
