For about a decade after the premiere of the very first season of True Detective, it seemed like all anyone wanted to make was in that show's shadow: an "[insert-number of episodes here]-hour movie" that made up a contained story, likely because a single-season commitment made it easier to attract major, movie star-level stars. And that model got us lots of great stuff.
But as streaming continues to mature, we're seeing more and more television enter the landscape and become hits that look like the past. Political thrillers are back in a big way, making us think of the days of 24 and Homeland. Light fare and comedies, too, are once again drawing major attention and major starsβan NBA comedy co-created by Mindy Kaling and starring Kate Hudson is one of Netflix's big events of the year.
The only issue there is figuring out what needs to be done in order to get people to watch them. And that's an important question as we continue to follow the way TV is growing, changing, and evolving in the s. For all the shows that came out in βand believe me, as someone who has to keep up with all of this, that was a large numberβhow many of them were truly must-see?
How many shows were there that someone would bring up at dinner, at happy hour, or at the water cooler, and be guaranteed a conversation? The reality is, most people are probably watching a show that speaks specifically to themβand a lot of other people in their orbit may not have any idea that show exists at all. That's part of why we're here, and why we like to keep track of our favorite new shows of every year. Some of these new shows will pop, and eventually become returning favorites; you don't need us to hype season 4 of The Bear , season 2 of The Last of Us , or season 3 of The White Lotus for you.
But you will want to know what the next show to make it onto that list will be, just as its entering its first season. And below, we think we can help you identify it. One caveat: TV is not the most mapped out medium in this day and age.
