It’s only February, but dozens of new TV shows are already vying for your attention.
In an era with so many streaming services (get ready for HBO Max and Peacock soon) churning out series alongside traditional broadcast and cable networks, the never-ending onslaught of new programs can be overwhelming. But even though we’re only two months into the year, the cavalcade of new TV in 2020 brings a few gems worth adding to your queues if you haven’t caught them yet.
From a network musical comedy to the return of Jean-Luc Picard to two Apple TV Plus shows you probably didn’t know existed, these are the 10 best new series to debut since Jan. 1:
10. ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’ (NBC)
The most ambitious series to hit broadcast TV so far this season, “Zoey” is a musical comedy about a San Francisco coder (Jane Levy) who starts to hear other people’s thoughts through music after an MRI mishap. Kind of a cross between “Joan of Arcadia” and “Glee,” the upbeat (in rhythm and emotion) series has a talented cast of singers belting their hearts out, although there’s room for the characters and story to deepen as the series goes on.
9. ‘I Am Not Okay With This’ (Netflix)
Another series in the long TV tradition in which superpowers are a metaphor for puberty, “I Am Not Okay With This” is a zippy teen supernatural drama. It stars Sophia Lillis (who played Beverly in “It”) as Sydney, a teen girl angry about her father’s suicide, her family’s poverty and the declining Rust Belt town she lives in. What makes Sydney’s anger stand out is that when it boils over, she breaks things with her mind. A little bit “Carrie,” a little bit “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” with some “Stranger Things” thrown in, “Okay” is an electric and watchable series, if sometimes derivative. At just seven episodes, each about 20 minutes, it only takes an afternoon to fully enjoy it.
8. ‘Sanditon’ (PBS)
Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, PBS’s latest British period drama has a level of sensuality and heat sometimes missing from other screen versions of the author’s work. With no ending to Austen’s book to restrict him, creator Andrew Davies, who adapted the celebrated version of “Pride and Prejudice” starring Colin Firth in the 1990s, has the freedom to take twists and turns that satisfy our modern hunger for soapy drama. It also doesn’t hurt that stars Rose Williams and Theo James have plenty of chemistry to anchor the romantic drama.
7. ‘McMillions’ (HBO)
The HBO series is a riveting true-crime documentary about one of the most bizarre crimes you’ll ever come across: cheating at the 1990s-era McDonald’s Monopoly game. Everything about this real-life scandal is seemingly made for TV, from the goofball FBI agent who investigated the scam to the cartoonish criminal ring. Although the directors’ constant use of recreations can be distracting, the documentary has the same addictive quality as the best true-crime stories about murder, but (happily) with considerably less violence and tragedy.
6. ‘Little America’ (Apple TV Plus)
A simple and sweet collection of real-life snapshots of immigrant life in the U.S., “Little America” is produced by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon (“The Big Sick”) along with Alan Yang (“Master of None”). The anthology series tells specific yet universal short stories, showing a full picture of immigrant life beyond B-roll on the news.
5. ‘Star Trek: Picard’ (CBS All Access)
In emotional resonance, depth and skilled performances, the latest entry in TV’s “Star Trek” canon has blasted above and beyond most of its recent cousins (sorry, “Discovery”). The franchise’s beloved Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) stars in a continuing narrative that actually makes sense for the aged Jean-Luc. The writers also surround him with a group of old and new characters worth investing in, including standout performances from Michelle Hurd and Alison Pill.
4. ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Okay’ (Freeform)
From the brilliant Josh Thomas, who created and starred in niche Australian series “Please Like Me,” “Okay” is a gorgeously written series about a 25-year-old man (Thomas) who takes custody of his two teenage half-sisters, one of whom has autism, after the death of their father. A surprisingly sunny exploration of grief, “Okay” is frequently hilarious but emotionally affecting. Its portrayal of life with autism seems authentic, in part, because the young actress (Kayla Cromer) is on the spectrum. “Okay” is miles ahead of its Freeform siblings in maturity and class.
3. ‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’ (Apple TV Plus)
The guys who have lovingly skewered the city of brotherly love for 14 seasons on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” turn their attention to the video game industry in this workplace sitcom. Full of in-jokes for gaming aficionados but still accessible for total newbs, “Mythic Quest” is wickedly clever. Its cast is a treasure chest of comedic talent, including several sparkling newcomers, “Sunny” stars Rob McElhenney and David Hornsby, “Community” standout Dany Pudi and, most hilariously, Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham, clearly having the time of his life. It’s the best series so far on Apple’s burgeoning streaming service.
2. ‘High Fidelity’ (Hulu)
Achingly accurate in its depiction of modern dating life, Hulu’s gender-bending remake of the classic John Cusack 2000 movie isn’t a boring rehash of something you’ve already seen, but a natural extension of a timeless tale. Zoe Kravitz is magnetic as Rob Gordon, a Brooklyn, New York-based record store owner who has been unlucky in love. She’s surrounded by a superb cast (particularly Da’Vine Joy Randolph and David H. Holmes). Together, they make “Fidelity” sing.
1. ‘Cheer’ (Netflix)
The cheerleading documentary from the producers of Netflix’s also-wonderful “Last Chance U” captured hearts and minds early this year. Beyond memes, “mat talk” and full-outs, the documentary is a shrewd look at a dangerous, mostly unregulated sport in which often vulnerable young adults trade their physical safety for a small chance at glory. The series is exquisitely structured around the Navarro Junior College cheer team as it trains for a competition, creating an arc as tense and riveting as any crime series or epic fantasy.
More great TV for your queues:
- The 25 best TV shows of 2019
- The 25 best TV shows of the 2010s
- Best TV shows and movies available to stream in February 2020
- The 5 most wonderful Jane Austen adaptations for the screen
