/Film's 25 Most Anticipated New Television Shows Of 2019

Sure, 2019 sees the end of beloved TV shows like Game of Thrones and Veep, along with long-awaited continuations like True Detective and resurrected gems like Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But this year is looking particularly stacked when it comes to new series coming our way via traditional television and streaming. And since this is the internet, there was only one thing to do: rank 'em.

The /Film staff gathered to hammer out our 25 Most Anticipated New Shows of 2019, and we recorded the deliberations in a series of podcasts (so give that a listen before you step into the comments wondering why something isn't here). Once we had narrowed it down to a list of 25, we decided the order via off-mic voting...and here we are. Here are the shows we'll be watching this year. Join us, won't you?

Note: not every show on this list has a trailer or has even released stills. So when necessary, we have used images from other projects that showcase talent involved in the show in question.

Jim Henson's name may be synonymous with the family-friendly puppets of The Muppets and Sesame Street, but toward the latter half of his career, the puppeteer and filmmaker was making bold strides in telling big, fantastical stories exclusively with puppets. His vision was realized in the epic, baroque fantasies of films like Labyrinth and, most importantly, 1982's The Dark Crystal. Following the adventures of Jen, an elf-like "Gelfling," who is on a quest to restore balance to his alien world by returning the lost shard of a powerful gem, The Dark Crystal was Henson's most radically creative film yet, featuring all-puppet characters within an ambitious fantasy premise. Now Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistancepromises to expand Henson's wildly imaginative world with a prequel series that would bring back the tactile puppetry that original film was known for. With The Jim Henson Company producing the series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance could finally realize Henson's vision of puppetry as a whole genre on par with live-action and animation. (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Created by Guillermo del Toro at DreamWorks Animation, this is the third series in an epic Arcadia trilogy designed by the filmmaker. First came Trollhunters, which was about a teenage boy who stumbles across a mysterious realm inhabited by trolls. Next came 3Below, which was about aliens who crash land on earth and must hide out in Arcadia away from the threat that took over their planet. And Wizards is the epic crossover ending to this story, where "the heroes of Arcadia join forces in an apocalyptic war for the control of magic that will decide the fate of the entire galaxy." The animation in these series have been impressive, closer to the level of a big screen animated feature than your typical television show. The serialized storytelling is fantastic and you can definitely see the world building touch of Del Toro. (Peter Sciretta)

Based on the highly acclaimed comic book series created by Rick Remender and Miles Orion Feldsott, Deadly Class is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of late 1980s counterculture, following Marcus Lopez Arguello (Benjamin Wadsworth), a disillusioned teen who is recruited into a high school for assassins (basically think Hogwarts for crime families). Produced by the Russo Brothers (you know, those Marvel movies you love), the series stars  It stars Benedict Wong, Benjamin Wadsworth, Lana Condor, María Gabriela de Faría, Luke Tennie, Liam James and Michel Duval. Also worth mentioning, Henry Rollins has a reoccurring role. The first episode was very stylish and the series is very promising. (Peter Sciretta)

Tom Perrotta returns to HBO after the success of The Leftovers as the showrunner of a new comedy based on another one of his novels. National treasure Kathryn Hahn (Step Brothers, Private Life) plays the lead in Mrs. Fletcher, which is about a divorcee mother who adopts a sexy new persona to experience erotic possibilities after her son goes off to college and leaves her with an empty nest. To be honest, they had us at "Kathryn Hahn" with this one. We'd watch her in just about anything, and Mrs. Fletcher sounds like it has tons of potential. (Ben Pearson)

The previous show writer Jeremy Slater ran was Fox's short-lived The Exorcist, which was nothing short of a miracle: a network television continuation of a tarnished horror franchise that was scary, funny, complex, and deeply entertaining. Now, he's found a new home at Netflix with The Umbrella Academy, an adaptation of the  Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá comic about a group of superheroes who reunite after their mentor figure dies. I'm not familiar with the comic (although it has a passionate fanbase), but I do know that the freedom of a streaming service and that premise sounds like gold for Slater. Bring it on. (Jacob Hall)

George Clooney isn't always top notch behind the camera, but when he is, we get movies like Good Night and Good Luck, The Ides of March and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. That's what makes us most excited about this new adaptation of Catch-22 set up at Hulu. Not only is Clooney behind the camera for a couple episodes, but he's executive producing the six episode adaptation that stars stars Christopher Abbott, Kyle Chandler, Hugh Laurie, and Clooney himself. Based on Joseph Heller's classic book, this is bound to be darkly funny, and hopefully another hit series for Hulu. (Ethan Anderton)

Based on the popular comic of the same name, this new Amazon series takes place in a world where superheroes embrace the darker side of their massive celebrity and fame, which sounds perfect for the time we're living in right now. As for the story, it revolves around a group of vigilantes known informally as "the boys," who set out to take down corrupt superheroes, and they're not afraid to fight dirty. If you need any more convincing that this show is worth checking out, Karl Urban plays a character called Billy the Butcher. So yeah, we're gonna be tuning in. (Ethan Anderton)

What's better than a new show starring Paul Rudd? A show where Paul Rudd plays dual roles, of course. That's the case with Living With Yourself, a new comedy from The Daily Show executive producer Timothy Greenberg. Rudd plays George Elliot, a burned-out guy who "undergoes a novel treatment to become a better person," only to discover that he's been replaced by a new and improved version of himself. Remember Stefan Urquelle, the nerdy Steve Urkel's sexy alternate identity on the sitcom Family Matters? This sounds like it'll give Rudd the chance to create his own riff on that, and we are here for it. (Ben Pearson)

Here's the thing: I don't necessarily trust the current stewards of the Star Trek franchise. I'm not convinced they fully understand the appeal of this universe and they have a habit of saying the exact wrong things (like throwing the best Trek series, Deep Space Nine, under the bus for no reason at all). And yet! And yet I cannot contain my enthusiasm for the return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the finest Trek captain and one of the greatest science fiction characters of all time. Patrick Stewart is returning to his defining role for this CBS All Access series and knowing that he treasures Picard's legacy indicates that this was not a decision made lightly. I'm cautiously optimistic to go on one more voyage with Captain Picard, especially since it would mean Star Trek: Nemesis will no longer be the character's final apperance. (Jacob Hall)

Ava DuVernay has assembled a remarkable cast –  Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo and more – to tell the true story of a miscarriage of justice. In 1989, five teens from Harlem "were incorrectly convicted first in the media and then twice in the courts for the brutal rape of a jogger in the NYC park." In the midst of public opinion outcry, Donald Trump even took out a full-page ad in all four of New York City's major newspapers calling for the death penalty to be brought back in NYC specifically for the accused men. Years later, even after they were exonerated, Trump refused to apologize. DuVernay's Netflix series will track the story from 1989 all the way to 2014, when the men were cleared. DuVernay is a powerful filmmaker, and she'll no doubt turn this material into a timely, important miniseries. (Chris Evangelista)

Hollywood is littered with great director-actor pairings, and Patty Jenkins and Chris Pine are poised to be the next one. Though they've only collaborated on the Wonder Woman movies thus far, the director and actor have brought out the best in each other — Jenkins with her big-budget gamble as the first female director of a superhero film, and Pine in his battle for the title of best Chris. Since Pine's endlessly charming but ego-free performance in Wonder Woman, the actor with leading-man good looks has proved that he's willing to frequently play second fiddle to female stars, as he will again in TNT's pulpy noir series I Am The Night. Jenkins directs the six-episode limited series following a young girl (India Eisley) teams up with Pine's tabloid reporter to uncover the mystery behind the Black Dahlia murders. It's a fresh approach to a series of murders that we're all familiar with, and features Pine as a hardboiled reporter — what's not to love? (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Based on the popular New York Times column, Amazon's upcoming anthology series Modern Love "will explore love in its multitude of forms – including sexual, romantic, familial, platonic, and self love." The cast is great – Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, Dev Patel, John Slattery, Catherine Keener, the list goes on – but I'm most excited for this because it's written and at least partially directed by John Carney, the director of delightful musicals like Once, Begin Again, and Sing Street. This is his first big TV series, and I'm excited to see what the stories he tells under such a broad umbrella. Fingers crossed for a musical episode or two. (Ben Pearson)

Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams are a pair of acting heavyweights whose combined talents are almost as equally impressive as the legendary duo they're set to portray in Fosse/Verdon. Rockwell dons a balding cap and some extra weight to play the famed Broadway choreographer and filmmaker behind classics like Cabaret, Chicago, and All That Jazz, while Williams plays his creative and romantic partner Gwen Verdon. Based on the book Fosse by Sam Wasson, and executive produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Fosse/Verdon promises to be as electric as Fosse's works. The brief teaser trailer for this biographical series already nails Fosse's particular eclectic style and the demanding persona that made him one of the most influential figures in American entertainment. (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Shudder – the must-have streaming service for horror fans – is bringing Stephen King and George Romero's Creepshow back from the dead in the form of a TV series. Make-up artist and director Greg Nicotero is behind the show, which will run 6 episodes and adapt stories from Stephen King, Joe Hill, Joe R. Lansdale and more. Creepshow's anthology format makes it ideal for TV, and if it can match the charm and spirit of the original film, as well as the practical make-up and monster effects, we're all in for a treat. (Chris Evangelista)

Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green have already given us comedy gold on HBO in the form of Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals. Now they're back for round three, and this time they're taking down the establishment of mega churches and phony televangelist families who use their faith and congregations to fuel their greed and deviance. Danny McBride is playing John Goodman's son in this movie, and that's really all we need to know in order to tune in. (Ethan Anderton)

David Tennant playing a smarmy demon? Michael Sheen playing his uptight angelic counterpart? It's a match made in heaven. And add on acclaimed sci-fi author Neil Gaiman making his debut as a TV series showrunner, and you've got one of our most anticipated shows of 2019. Good Omens presents a satirical vision of the Apocalypse, in which an angel and a demon, having become reluctant friends over the eons, team up to stop the end of the world. The 1990 fantasy novel by Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett was a pitch-perfect exercise in wry, caustic comedy, and with Gaiman as the writer and showrunner for the series, it's likely that the Amazon series will be true to that offbeat tone. The star-studded supporting cast including Jon Hamm, Nick Offerman, and Frances McDormand as the voice of god is just icing on top of this divine cake. (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi's What We Do in the Shadows is only one of the funniest movies ever made, so of course the television version should be on your radar. Although Clement and Waititi aren't running the show on a day-to-day basis, they wrote the pilot and have set this show squarely in the same universe as the film. Instead of following vampire roommates in Wellington, New Zealand, this FX series follows a group of vampires getting by in Staten Island, New York City, where they settled hundreds of years ago after never getting around to conquering the continent in the name of their European bloodsucker masters. It remains to be seen if this show will be as droll, silly, smart, bloody and emotionally real as the film, but we're rooting for it.  (Jacob Hall)

Natasha Lyonne has long-deserved a lead role in a high profile series, and we're glad to see she's getting it in a new comedy series called Russian Doll. Taking the Groundhog Day formula and mixing it with a late night party, the series follows a young woman named Nadia as she relives the same party over and over again every single time she dies, which is surprisingly often. Natasha Lyonne not only stars, but she also executive produces along with Leslye Headland (Sleeping with other People) and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation). Plus, it'll be on Netflix, so it's right there to watch at anytime. (Ethan Anderton)

Executive producer Jordan Peele is helping bring Matt Ruff's novel Lovecraft Country to HBO, and that's pretty damn exciting. Peele has already proven that he has a gift for telling stories that combine horror and social commentary, and that's exactly what Lovecraft Country sounds like. The story follows a young black man across 1950s Jim Crow America on a search for his missing father. Along the way, the character must deal with "the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback." Putting an African American character at the center of a Lovecraftian story is a bit of a masterstroke, because as any reader of H.P. Lovecraft (including fans) will tell you, the writer was terribly, blatantly racist. I haven't read Ruff's novel yet, but I hope to get to it before the series airs, because this has potential to be something great. (Chris Evangelista)

I know some people don't care for Nicolas Winding Refn's brand of filmmaking – and I get it. He can be pretentious as hell – but I love what he does. For Too Old to Die Young, Refn has teamed with writer Ed Brubaker to tell the story of a cop (Miles Teller) in the midst of an underworld loaded with "working-class hit men, Yakuza soldiers, cartel assassins sent from Mexico, Russian mafia captains and gangs of teen killers." I can already picture all the neon and gore that's going to be all over this thing, and I'm thrilled. (Chris Evangelista)

Devs is the first TV series from Alex Garland, the acclaimed screenwriter-turned-director who previously directed Ex Machina and Annihilation. It follows a character named Lily, a young computer engineer played by Maniac's Sonoya Mizuno "who investigates the secretive development division of her employer, a cutting-edge tech company based in San Francisco, which she believes is behind the disappearance of her boyfriend." Garland has shown a fascinating relationship with technology in his movies, and the promise of another probe into that world combined with the thriller aspects make it an easy entry on this list. (Ben Pearson)

After years of development for the big and small screens, an adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Y: The Last Man is finally heading to FX. On the page, this is one of the greatest post-apocalyptic stories ever told: a virus wipes out every male on the planet save two – a young man and his pet monkey. Thus begins a journey across the United States to get to the bottom of it all, a journey that is funny and violent and ultimately heartbreaking. Former American Gods showrunner and Logan, Blade Runner 2049 and Murder on the Orient Express screenwriter Michael Green is at the helm of this one and I can't wait to see how he brings one of the best comics of all time to life in a new medium. (Jacob Hall)

Jordan Peele's directorial debut Get Out was like a feature length segment from The Twilight Zone already, so having him be the mastermind behind the CBS All Access reboot of the classic series is quite enticing. Combine that with the fact that the cast includes the likes of Adam Scott recreating the classic Nightmare at 20,000 Feet segment, along with Kumail Nanjiani, John Cho, Allison Tolman, Jacob Tremblay, Erica Tremblay, Steven Yeun, and Greg Kinnear, and you've got the makings of a certified hit here. (Ethan Anderton)

This is the first Star Wars live-action television series, and honestly, that's probably all that needs to be said here. But the amount of incredibly talent involved is impressive. The series is produced by Jon Favreau and supposedly takes advantage of next-generation performance capture technology like the tech Favreau employed on The Lion King and Jungle Book. The list of filmmakers involved in directing episodes is insane: Dave Filoni (who some look up to as the next George Lucas), Deborah Chow (who did one of the best episodes of Better Call Saul last season), Rick Famuyiwa (who directed the incredible Sundance film Dope), Bryce Dallas Howard (making her directorial debut) and Taika Waititi (you know who he is). The series is set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, following "the travails of a lone gunfighter (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic." The supporting cast ain't too shabby either: Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, Emily Swallow and Carl Weathers. (Peter Sciretta)

Here's a show that should pique the interest of just about everyone. It's the latest prestigious HBO drama. It's the new show from Lost and The Leftovers showrunner Damon Lindelof. It's a superhero show. More specifically, it's a superhero show set in the same universe as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, one of the greatest comics of all time. So while this whole thing remains mysterious, its story hidden away under lock and key, every single element here sounds promising and exciting. This is the exact mixture of talent and source material and network to have us quivering with anticipation. What will Watchmen be, exactly? Who knows! And that's exciting. (Jacob Hall)