The 9 Most Promising New TV Shows To Look Forward To In Early 2017
1. Emerald City
Premiere Date: January 6, 2017
Starring: Adria Arjona, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ana Ularu, Gerran Howell, Vincent D'Onofrio, Joely Richardson
Plot: Fans of the world created by author Frank L. Baum will get an edgier version of their favorite characters from The Wizard of Oz in this modern retelling of Dorothy's journey through the mystical land of Oz. The show will still feature a tornado transporting Dorothy (Adria Arjona) to Oz, where she will encounter mysterious characters on an important journey to Emerald City to meet the Wizard (Vincent D'Onofrio). Dorothy's sudden appearance coincides with a prophecy that instills fear in the city and will hamper her efforts to meet the Wizard.
2. Taboo
Network: FX
Premiere Date: January 10, 2017
Starring: Tom Hardy, Oona Chaplin, David Hayman, Michael Kelly, Jonathan Pryce
Plot: Created by Tom and Chips Hardy, with Ridley Scott as an executive producer, the eight-part miniseries follows a man (Tom Hardy), who'd been presumed dead, returning to London from Africa after the death of his father. He is set to take over his father's shipping empire and plans to get a new start at life. He then gets stuck in conspiracies, murder and a dark family secret while seeking to avenge his father's death.
3. A Series Of Unfortunate Events
Network: Netflix
Premiere Date: January 13, 2017
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton, Joan Cusack, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, Presley Smith
Plot: Based on the book series, the #Netflix story is also told by the narrator and author, Lemony Snicket. Three siblings are left orphaned after their parents' mysterious deaths in a fire, and they now have to live with a distant relative known as Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris). As Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire soon realize through Count Olaf's menacing behavior, he is clearly after the children's large inheritance. The children try to keep away from Count Olaf while also uncovering deep dark family secrets.
4. Victoria
Network: PBS
Premiere Date: January 15, 2017
Starring: Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, Peter Bowles, Catherine Flemming, Daniela Holtz, Nell Hudson, Ferdinand Kingsley, Tommy Knight, Nigel Lindsay, Eve Myles, David Oakes, Paul Rhys, Adrian Schiller, Peter Firth, Alex Jennings, Rufus Sewell
Plot: The period drama has already premiered on UK-based network ITV, but is set to hit the U.S. shortly. Already getting great reviews, the eight-episode first season follows the early life of Queen Victoria (Jenna Coleman) including her takeover of the throne, marriage, and birth of her first child. For a more in-depth of the series, take a look at my previous post on the upcoming drama.
5. Riverdale
Network: The CW
Premiere Date: January 26, 2017
Starring: K.J. Apa, Cole Sprouse, Camila Mendes, Lili Reinhart, Madelaine Petsch, Ashleigh Murray, Luke Perry, Ross Butler, Casey Cott, Marisol Nichols
Plot: Based on characters from the popular Archie #comics, the TV series is said to be a darker and grittier adaptation. Following well-known characters such as Archie, Jughead and Veronica, expect similar qualities from the comics but with a modern twist. The teen drama is looking to expand the viewer demographic with a murder mystery while diving deep into the drama genre. Look out for some popular actors taking on recurring roles throughout the premiere season such as Molly Ringwald, Skeet Ulrich and Shannon Purser (best known as fan-fave Barb from #StrangerThings!).
6. Powerless
Network: NBC
Premiere Date: February 2, 2017
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi, Alan Tudyk, Christina Kirk, Ron Funches
Plot: A comedy sitcom set in the #DC universe, this show follows Emily Locke (Vanessa Hudgens), the new Director of Research & Development for Wayne Security. Her office's goal is to make civilians feel safe considering they live in a world full of superheroes and villains, which results in a lot of collateral damage. Besides dealing with her high expectations on the job, she also has a power-hungry new boss (Alan Tudyk). Don't be surprised if DC characters pop up on this series!
7. Legion
Network: FX
Premiere Date: February 8, 2017
Starring: Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Jean Smart, Aubrey Plaza, Jeremie Harris, Amber Midthunder, Katie Aselton, Bill Irwin
Plot: The first TV series to connect to the #XMen universe, Legion is based on the mutant of the same name. David Haller (Dan Stevens) was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child and has spent much of his time in psychiatric hospitals while growing up. David also happens to be the son of Charles Xavier and when he encounters a fellow patient, he starts to question his abilities.
8. Iron Fist
Network: Netflix
Premiere Date: March 17, 2017
Starring: Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, David Wenham, Jessica Stroup, Tom Pelphrey, Rosario Dawson
Plot: The fourth series in #Marvel's Netflix lineup features the comic book character, Danny Rand, otherwise known as Iron Fist. Rand (Finn Jones) is a martial arts expert, a billionaire and a Buddhist monk, but after a 15-year absence he returns to New York City to take over the family business. Conflicts arise and he must balance his family's legacy while protecting against threats. Compared to his first three predecessors of the Defenders, Iron Fist will have more of a spiritual element.
9. American Gods
Network: Starz
Premiere Date: Early 2017
Starring: Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, Pablo Schreiber, Yetide Badaki, Bruce Langley, Jonathan Tucker, Crispin Glover, Cloris Leachman, Peter Stormare, Chris Obi, Mousa Kraish, Gillian Anderson, Omid Abtahi, Orlando Jones, Demore Barnes, Dane Cook, Kristin Chenoweth, Corbin Bernsen, Jeremy Davies, Beth Grant
Plot: Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, American Gods is an epic fantasy tale. A man named Shadow Moon is let out of jail early after the death of his wife. While on the plane home, he meets a man named Wednesday who gives him a proposition for a job but it seems questionable. Shadow Moon takes the offer from Wednesday, whom he soon finds out is actually Odin, the god of Norse mythology. It turns out that all of the gods have been living ordinary lives because they no longer have believers, so it is up to Shadow Moon to travel across America to gather up all of the old gods while confronting the "New Gods" of technology.
