With the Oscars coming up, it may seem that it’s all about the big screen right now. But with an exciting lineup of shows about to hit the BBC, ITV, Netflix and the like, you might want to give your TV some more love. Theres plenty to get excited about, from a Cold War drama to a small-screen adaptation of fantasy series His Dark Materials – plus the obligatory Attenborough-voiced nature doc. Oh, and new seasons of Black Mirror and Stranger Things.
Good Omens
Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Good Omens is a joint production between Amazon and the BBC. David Tennant and Michael Sheen star as a demon and angel who, after centuries of friendship, work together to prevent the end of the world. Jon Hamm also features, as does Jack Whitehall (yes, really). Frances McDormand plays God and there's small role for Parks and Recreation favourite Nick Offerman.
Good Omens airs in Spring 2019 on Amazon
Pure
Marnie, the main character in Pure, is affected by Pure O, a form of OCD that comes in the form of unwanted and obsessional thoughts – in Marnie’s case, sexual thoughts. The series is based on the book by Rose Bretécher, who recalls her own experiences with the condition. Given the seriousness of the subject matter, you might expect it to be heavy viewing, but director Aniel Karia chooses to tell the story in the form of a comedy drama – and it works.
Pure airs from January 30 on Channel 4
Russian Doll
We all loved Natasha Lyonne as Nicky Nichols in Orange is the New Black, and here she makes a new start in another promising Netflix Original. Russian Doll tells the story of its protagonist in several versions. It follows Nadia as she celebrates her 36th birthday in New York, with all the alcohol-fuelled self-destruction we’ve come to expect from a Lyonne character. But every time she tries to leave, she is brought back in time to start the day again. A dark comedy with a few extra layers to decipher.
Russian Doll airs from February 1 on Netflix
Dirty John
It airs on Valentine’s Day, but don’t let that fool you: Dirty John is as twisted as it is macabre. The series is based on the true story of John Meehan, and follows a podcast of the same name. Meehan, played on screen by Eric Bana, is a doctor who meets and seduces Debra Newell, much to her two daughters’ disapproval. Newell soon becomes torn between her family and her new lover, who turns out to be a skilled manipulator – and the story soon escalates into an intense psychological thriller.
Dirty John airs from February 14 on Netflix
His Dark Materials
If you’re a Philip Pullman enthusiast, get excited: the BBC’s long-awaited TV adaptation of the author’s trilogy is coming soon. It goes without saying that expectations are high, but with Jack Thorne, who wrote Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as screenwriter, we’re hopeful that the series will deliver. Expect plenty of magical worlds and fantastic creatures, with Marvel favourite Dafne Keen starring as Lyra.
His Dark Materials is expected to air early in 2019 on BBC One
Our Planet
Netflix has been working with WWF and Silverback Films for four years to produce this documentary series about, well, our planet – and how to understand it. Created by the team behind Blue Earth, the show is narrated by David Attenborough and will show footage from 50 different countries to showcase the diversity of natural habitats around the world. From jungles to oceans to glaciers, it will make for a perfect weeknight watch – and an educational one, too.
Our Planet airs from April 5 on Netflix
MotherFatherSon
A study of power structures through the lens of family relationships, MotherFatherSon follows a hyper-powerful father, an ex-wife played by Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory, and their self-destructive son whose lifestyle threatens to dismantle the family. Extra intrigue comes in the character of the father, who as a media mogul has his hand in politics as much as familial matters – leading the writers to describe the show as a “political and family thriller”.
MotherFatherSon is expected to air early in 2019 on BBC Two
Game of Thrones
The eighth season of Game of Thrones is on its way to take over your evenings and weekends once again. That’s the good news. The bad news? It’s the final season and it will only have six episodes, so you might want to pace yourself. What the season has in store is still, of course, a matter of the highest secrecy, but after season seven’s cliffhanger ending we can no doubt expect even more fierce fighting, aggressive dialogue and brutal death.
Game of Thrones airs from April 14 on Sky Atlantic
Read more: 45 of the best Netflix series to binge watch right now
Summer of Rockets
Summer of Rockets follows the tale of a Russian Jewish inventor who emigrates to Britain with his family in 1958, against the chilling background of the arms and space race between Eastern and Western blocs. As if things aren’t tense enough already, our inventor is asked by MI5 to double as a spy on behalf of the British government. With a high-profile cast featuring Timothy Spall andBodyguard’s Keeley Hawes, it’s one to watch out for.
Summer of Rockets has will air in Spring 2019 on BBC One
Stranger Things
Sure, it’s been a long time coming – too long, some might say – but it is finally (almost) here. The third season of Stranger Things sees all of the original cast return, with the addition of Maya Thurman-Hawke from the BBC’s Little Women. The only thing we know so far is that Lucas’s cute little sister Erica, played by Priah Ferguson, will have a much bigger role than the badgering sibling. So far, so good.
Stranger Things will air on July 4 on Netflix
Peaky Blinders
Another major TV event of 2019, the fifth season of Peaky Blinders will include new cast members such as Hollyoaks’ Emmett Scanlan and The Hunger Games’ Sam Claflin, who takes the role of fascist leader Oswald Mosley. Although rumours that David Beckham would make an appearance have been firmly rejected by the producers, there’s lots more to look forward to in this new season: more political plotting between family clans, more gangster wars in the streets of Birmingham, and hats and mustaches galore.
Peaky Blinders will air in Summer 2019 on BBC One
Black Mirror
The Black Mirror team ended 2018 with the triumph of 'Bandersnatch', but that also meant producers extending the deadlines for the fifth season. Charlie Brooker is working hard, however, at making it a 2019 reality, and we know that part of the filming was completed either before or alongside 'Bandersnatch'. Not much has been revealed about the season’s content, but Brooker says we can expect lighter episodes as well as the usual mix of deeply oppressive dystopias. Plus, Miley Cyrus has confirmed that she will make a star appearance.
Black Mirror is expected to air in 2019 on Netflix
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
