With more choices than ever, trying to choose what to watch can be exciting and overwhelming
at the same time.
If you need help choosing which prestige drama or quirky comedy to pick up next, we've collected
the very best new television options of the year.
Adapting one of Stephen King's many acclaimed works is pretty much always a recipe for success,
whether it's on the big or small screen.
HBO's The Outsider is no exception.
One of King's most recent works — the novel was published in 2018 — tells the story
of Oklahoma Detective Ralph Anderson, who arrests Terry Maitland , a respected citizen
who coaches Little League, for the brutal assault and murder of an 11-year-old boy.
Though there's physical evidence tying Maitland to the crime, he still has an alibi, and it's
Anderson's responsibility to break Maitland, even as the town stirs itself into a fervor
in the background.
Starring Ben Mendelsohn and Jason Bateman and boasting a stellar supporting cast that
includes Julianne Nicholson, Cynthia Erivo , Mare Winningham , and Bill Camp, The Outsider
was a surefire win thanks to its excellent source material and pitch-perfect performances,
and critics agreed.
The series earned rave reviews, particularly singling out Erivo for her scene-stealing
supporting turn.
There are plenty of crime dramas on television these days, but The Outsider is a standout.
Ever since her breakout year in 2018, where she stole supporting scenes in movies like
Ocean's 8 and Crazy Rich Asians, Awkwafina has become a huge Hollywood star.
Though she recently won acclaim for her dramatic turn in 2019's The Farewell, she's still primarily
a comedic actor, which she displays to excellent effect in Comedy Central's Awkwafina Is Nora
from Queens.
Developed and written by Awkwafina herself, the show is based on the actress' true life,
her close relationship with her Chinese family and her struggles as she tries to make it
in New York City.
Critics loved Nora from Queens just as much as they've loved Awkwafina's other performances;
despite tackling the familiar territory of chronicling a 20-something woman's struggles
in New York, Awkwafina's performance and the show itself both earned overwhelming praise.
If you want to learn more about her real past and love a good coming-of-age story, Awkwafina
Is Nora from Queens is definitely for you.
A Netflix adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel, The Stranger comes by way of the U.K., packed
with British actors to create yet another great crime drama.
The series stars Richard Armitage as Adam Price, who is married with two sons.
His life is turned upside down one day when a mysterious woman known only as the Stranger
appears and tells him a secret about his wife, Corinne.
When Corinne disappears during the aftermath, Adam must track down his wife, while the Stranger
continues moving about town to blackmail and extort anybody with a secret they'd rather
keep quiet.
"One more thing.
If I were you, I'd run DNA checks on your two boys."
Thanks to its excellent supporting cast and the gripping mystery of the Stranger, who
reveals herself more and more throughout eight episodes, the series earned raves from critics,
who praised its careful plotting and exciting tension.
Whether you're a fan of Coben's work or new to his stories, The Stranger is absolutely
worth a watch.
Adapted from Philip Roth's famous and acclaimed novel, the HBO miniseries The Plot Against
America envisions a frightening alternate history that bears some unsettling resemblance
to the world we live in today.
In this different reality, Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator who closely aligned himself
with fascist efforts and the Nazi movement during World War II, becomes President of
the United States and immediately targets the American Jewish population.
As anti-Semitism spreads across the country, one Jewish family in Newark must navigate
their new reality and try to survive.
With an outstanding cast that includes Winona Ryder, Zoe Kazan , John Turturro, David Krumholtz
and more, The Plot Against America earned raves from critics for its handsomely realized
revisionism, though they did note that it can be a difficult watch for some viewers
due to its undeniable relevance in such a different time.
The Plot Against America might be tough at times, but it's also already earned its place
as one of the most important series of the year.
Ever since Big Little Lies took television by storm in 2017, viewers have clamored for
similar stories set in seemingly tranquil, wealthy suburban areas with drama simmering
just underneath the surface.
Little Fires Everywhere, a Hulu original based on the novel by Celeste Ng , fits that bill
perfectly.
The two shows even share a major cast member in common, as Reese Witherspoon heads up both
series.
In Little Fires Everywhere, she plays Elena Richardson, a 1990s housewife living in Shaker
Heights, Ohio who finds herself at odds with Mia Warren, played by Kerry Washington, who
stirs up trouble among the Richardson family and in the neighborhood.
Despite the inevitable comparisons to Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere is a
standout in its own right.
Its first season has had critics raving, particularly about Witherspoon and Washington's performances.
Shaker Heights might not seem like the world's most exciting locale, but if Little Fires
Everywhere is to be believed, it's much more dramatic than anyone ever imagined.
Between The Office and The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling has had an amazing career on
the small screen, and Never Have I Ever is the latest feather in her cap.
The semi-autobiographical story of a young first-generation Indian girl growing up in
California, Never Have I Ever marks the debut of star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan , who plays
Devi , a 15-year-old with big dreams who's about to start her sophomore year of high
school.
From there, she navigates life, love, and loss; shortly before the series begins, Devi
loses her father unexpectedly, temporarily leaving her without the use of her legs.
Mixing a romantic comedy about young love and high school trysts with a pitch-perfect
coming-of-age story makes Never Have I Ever an instant classic for audiences of all ages,
for a number of reasons.
As co-creator Lang Fisher said in an interview with Buzzfeed, the show is driven by a passion
for representation.
Kaling would watch teen shows and not see herself represented, driving her to want to
offer that to this generation.
There's no question that Kaling achieved her goal, and with another hit under her belt,
this creator has cemented herself as one of television's most important voices.
"I knew it was you.
I miss you so much.
You're here to cheer me up, right?"
Unorthodox is adapted from Deborah Feldman's 2012 memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection
of My Hasidic Roots.
It tells the daring story of one girl's escape from a restrictive, conservative community
and made waves when it premiered in early 2020.
The miniseries stars Shira Haas as Esty , a 19-year-old woman in the Orthodox Jewish faith
who is suffering through an arranged marriage.
After escaping Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Esty makes her way to Berlin to find her long-lost
mother and establish a new life.
However, her husband comes looking for her after he finds out some life-changing news:
Esty is pregnant.
Upon its release, critics and audiences alike loved Unorthodox and widely praised Haas'
central performance.
Though the story is extraordinarily specific, most viewers can relate to Esty's desire to
live in a different world, making Unorthodox a surprisingly universal story despite its
tight focus.
Based on the popular novel of the same name by Irish writer Sally Rooney, Hulu's original
series Normal People tells the story of Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron, two teenagers
whose love story spans years and social standings.
When the two meet in secondary school on the coast of Ireland, popular student athlete
Connell immediately connects with Marianne, a shy, bookish oddball, and their relationship
intensifies away from the judgmental eyes of their peers.
However, when they both go to Trinity College, their roles reverse, and Marianne's intelligence
is prized over Connell's brawn, creating an imbalance.
Hulu's series has proven just as successful as Rooney's acclaimed novel, earning raves
from critics for its slow, sensitive, and thoughtful portrayal of a young couple throughout
the years.
Despite its often dark outlook on love and relationships, Normal People is a relatable,
gripping story about young love and emotional hurdles, and with Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul
Mescal delivering excellent starring performances, the story becomes even more powerful.
Afterlife comedies are all the rage these days, and in the wake of The Good Place's
finale, fans can turn to the Amazon Prime series Upload.
Set in 2033, the show follows Nathan Brown, who dies young and is "uploaded" to a pre-programmed
luxury heaven called Lake View by a company called Horizen thanks to his wealthy girlfriend.
Though Nathan is initially dismayed and dissatisfied by the neighborhood, he eventually comes around
thanks to his assigned customer service representative, or "Angel," who is actually a living human
named Nora who works for Horizen.
However, as Nathan and Nora spend more time together, they start developing unexpected
feelings for one another, and Nora starts looking into Nathan's untimely death.
Created by Greg Daniels of The Office and Parks and Recreation, Upload's wry humor and
excellent central performances won over critics and audiences alike, and the show has already
been renewed for a second season.
If you're looking for a replacement for The Good Place, Upload will definitely keep you
entertained.
"Well, I'm not worried about scaring you off now.
Talk later babe, k?"
The premise of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist might sound pretty crazy, but thanks to grounding
central performances and a big heart, creator Austin Winberg's series pulls things off perfectly.
Led by Jane Levy as Zoey, the show tells the story of a serious, often stern computer programmer
in San Francisco who undergoes an MRI during an earthquake and emerges from the machine
with a surprising new power.
After her brain scan, Zoey can suddenly hear people singing when nobody else can, and quickly
figures out that these songs are their heart songs, meaning that they express the person's
innermost hopes, desires, and feelings.
"I'm just very, very confused.
You said that I was getting a glimpse into other peoples' heads."
As Zoey tries to manage her new ability with the help of her musically talented friend
and neighbor Mo, she must also navigate a love triangle between an attractive new co-worker
and her best friend, as well as help care for her ailing father, who suffers from a
terminal illness that causes his body to deteriorate.
Despite the objectively out-there premise, Zoey's Extraordinarily Playlist balances an
imaginary power with very real problems perfectly, and Levy, with her lived-in performance and
effortless charm, keeps the show from veering into absurdity.
New takes on familiar characters are a dime a dozen, but in their latest revival of one
of pop culture's most famous lawyers, HBO has yet another critical darling on their
hands with Perry Mason.
An origin story set in the 1930s, this new series casts Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason just
as he begins his career as a defense lawyer.
Still struggling with his memories of World War I and going through a divorce, Perry,
now in Los Angeles, is brought onto a headline-making case concerning the kidnapping of a young
child, changing his life forever.
With backing from HBO and a cast that includes beloved stars like Tatiana Maslany , John
Lithgow, and Shea Whigham , there's no surprise that critics fell in love during its inaugural
season, praising it as stylish and compelling with an excellent cast.
Perry Mason is a classic character, and with this new version of his story and Rhys in
the lead, new generations will surely continue to discover his stories.
Adapting a popular movie for television isn't always the best idea, but in the spring of
2020, Hulu proved nonbelievers wrong with their new version of High Fidelity, 20 years
after the original film hit theaters.
However, the new version comes with a twist: John Cusack's Rob, a record store owner looking
for love in all the wrong places, is replaced by Zoë Kravitz as a new character, who's
also named Rob and owns a cool record shop in Brooklyn.
"Okay, so, here's how not to plan a career."
Navigating her love life amidst several exes, Kravitz's Rob is rough around the edges, but
thanks in large part to Kravitz's pitch-perfect performance as she speaks directly to the
camera, the show immediately succeeds in getting you to root for her.
Critics almost universally adored this new take on Cusack's classic film, based on the
original novel by Nick Hornby . Kravitz's performance anchors the entire show, and she
is more than up to the task of putting forth the charming, vulnerable and powerful performance
the series needs.
Unfortunately, Hulu canceled the series after its debut season, leaving fans with just ten
episodes of this warm, funny show.
That said, those ten episodes are absolutely worth a watch.
Historical dramas can easily become a bit dry and boring, but in the case of Hulu's
The Great, facts matter a lot less than camp, high drama and glamour.
Developed by Tony McNamara, who earned fame and acclaim in 2018 for his screenplay for
The Favourite, The Great is relatively similar to McNamara's big screen venture, using modern
language and other anachronisms to boost the entertainment value while still telling a
somewhat true story.
This time, McNamara put his focus on Catherine the Great in the years before she became Empress
of Russia, chronicling her difficult marriage to the hapless lout Peter the third.
As Catherine adjusts to her new life in Russia, she begins to plot a coup , and it's hardly
a spoiler alert to say that as the series continues, she's increasingly sure to succeed.
Upon its release, critics agreed that The Great was, well, great, thanks to McNamara's
wicked sense of humor and perfect performances from Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult in the
lead roles.
Catherine the Great has long been regarded as one of Russia's most important leaders,
so it's fitting that her modern adaptation is so excellent.
Based on Michelle McNamara's acclaimed book, HBO struck gold with the innovative I'll Be
Gone in the Dark, which stands alone as one of the most personal and intimate true crime
shows in recent memory.
McNamara, who tragically passed away at the age of 46 in 2016, spent years hunting the
true identity of a serial killer known as the Golden State Killer, and the series takes
a creative approach to both her story and the legend of the Golden State Killer, chronicling
the journey required for her to write the book in the first place.
With voiceovers from Amy Ryan, plenty of assistance from McNamara's bereft husband — comedian
Patton Oswalt, who provided essential information — and a careful hand from its showrunners,
I'll Be Gone in the Dark doesn't glorify the killer, but looks at the lives he impacted.
Critics loved the personal focus on McNamara's life and the Golden State Killer's victims.
Ultimately, McNamara's efforts helped catch the serial killer after her death; now, I'll
Be Gone in the Dark is yet another piece of her incredible legacy.
Anti-heroes are nothing new, but anti-heroines are becoming more common, and the difficult
leading lady of Mrs. America arrived on the small screen at just the right time.
A joint effort between Hulu and FX, the 1970s-set miniseries Mrs. America tells the story of
the battle over the Equal Rights Amendment, profiling both its champions and its opponents.
The cast is peppered with some serious heavyweight performers playing real-life historical and
political figures.
With Cate Blanchett as anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly , Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem, Margo
Martindale as Bella Abzug , Tracey Ullman as Betty Freidan , and Uzo Aduba as groundbreaking
Black female Presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm , Mrs. America shows both sides of
the debate over equal rights for women, casting Schlafly in a particularly unflattering light.
With this powerhouse cast, it's no surprise that Mrs. America succeeded right out of the
gate, with critics loving the ensemble cast and the way they brought to life the vast
array of different personalities in the series.
Chronicling this important period of history is quite an undertaking, but Mrs. America
pulls it off with distinction.
"We do not want housewives thinking we are against them."
"We are against them."
"Revolutions are messy.
People get left behind."
Michael Jordan is one of the world's most legendary athletes, but it took until 2020
for a definitive documentary series about one of his biggest victories to hit the small
screen.
An original Netflix miniseries produced with ESPN, The Last Dance tells the story of Jordan's
final season with the Chicago Bulls and their goal to win their sixth NBA title within eight
years, despite mounting pressure from the entire world resting on Jordan's towering
shoulders.
Combining archive footage with recent interviews, The Last Dance serves as a comprehensive look
at one of basketball's greatest seasons, and critics lauded the series, saying that the
show was a compelling look at one of the greatest athletes of all time, and helped to further
cement Jordan as a true living legend.
Even if you're not a sports fan, you'll still be fascinated by The Last Dance.
You might know actor and creator Mikaela Coel from shows like Black Mirror and Chewing Gum,
but you've never seen her as raw, creative or exposed as she is in HBO's I May Destroy
You.
Throughout this heartbreaking series, viewers follow Coel as Arabella, a millennial writer
who wakes up after a wild night out with a few fleeting memories of being assaulted.
Initially, Arabella is on a simple mission to find out what happened to her, but as the
series evolves, so does the narrative, creating a complicated, dark and intense story of the
realities of assault and the culture surrounding it, the difficulties of social media and what
it means to seek revenge.
"Are you OK?
There is… blood dripping."
As the series continued, Coel was hailed as the next great creative mind on television,
and thanks to a devastatingly perfect ending, I May Destroy You has earned its spot in the
television hall of fame.
Critics flocked to praise the show, saying that it is both brave and thoughtful, utilizing
stellar writing, dark humor and Coel's many talents to tell a remarkable tale of trauma
and how we cope with it.
I May Destroy You might destroy you, but you won't regret spending time in Coel's world.
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