Although fall is generally regarded as the beginning of the TV season, winter has become the biggest lynchpin of the television landscape. Not only are most of the fall TV series coming back for new episodes, but there are also new programs premiering on every network and a handful of veteran series making their return at midseason.
We live in a new age of TV. Now, cable and broadcast networks are being challenged by streaming services like Netflix and Playstation Network. Even Yahoo Screen is starting a more serious push towards original programming.
And the year is just getting started.
In the weeks and months ahead, fans can look forward to the return of “The Walking Dead,” a new season of “Game of Thrones,” the unlikely rebirth of “Community” and two comic book inspired dramas that are sidestepping TV entirely.
In short, it’s a good time to be a fan of genre TV. There’s something for almost everyone out there. We’ve assembled our list of The 15 Most Anticipated New and Returning TV Shows of 2015. But we want to hear from you too, so share your TV picks in the comment section below!
The 15 Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2015
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Powers
Network: Playstation Network
Series Premiere: 2015“Powers” was supposed to debut in December 2014 on Playstation Network, but that obviously didn’t happen. However, what’s one more delay for this show after it spent 14 years in development hell? Even five years at FX only led to a “Powers” pilot that was never shown to the public.
This time, the adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming’s comic book is the flagship series of Playstation Network, and the first scripted drama for that streaming service. “Powers” takes place in a world where superhuman activity is common. District 9 star Sharlto Copley plays Christian Walker, a former superhero turned homicide detective alongside Susan Heyward as his partner, Deena Pilgrim.
“Powers” has attracted some veteran performers as well, with Eddie Izzard and Michelle Forbes. Potentially, “Powers” could be a gamechanger in the video game console wars if Sony’s Playstation Network goes forward with more original programming. But first, “Powers” needs to actually come out!
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Agent Carter
Network: ABC
Series Premiere: January 6, 2015In Marvel Comics, Peggy Carter wasn’t a major character. But in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Peggy Carter is portrayed by Hayley Atwell, who has proven to be very popular in that role. Atwell’s willingness to reprise her character for a limited run TV series helped make “Agent Carter” a reality on ABC.
Set in the aftermath of World War II and the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, “Agent Carter” finds Peggy struggling to rebuild her life while going on secret missions and attempting to clear the name of Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) alongside Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy).
“Agent Carter” is going to take over the Tuesday night timeslot of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” for a few weeks. It’ll be interesting to see if it can outshine its parent show in the ratings.
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Empire
Network: Fox
Series Premiere: January 7, 2015If you’ve been watching Fox during the last few months, then you may have noticed a deluge of ads for “Empire.” Fox is banking on this show to break out of the gate as a major hit. In its favor, “Empire” has “The Butler” creative team of Lee Daniels and Danny Strong in addition to a strong cast led by Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, and Gabourey Sidibe.
Howard plays a music mogul named Luscious Lyon, while Hensen portrays his ruthless ex-wife, Cookie, who wants her piece of the company that she helped him build. Add in Luscious’ ambitious children and “Empire” takes on some of the overtones of King Lear.
Fox is putting “Empire” behind “American Idol,” which is a vote of confidence and its potential to grow an audience. We’ll soon know if “Empire” can deliver on that promise.
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12 Monkeys
Network: Syfy
Series Premiere: January 16, 2015A TV remake of a 20 year old film may not be the best idea that Syfy has ever had. But the network formerly known as The Sci-fi Channel is giving “12 Monkeys” a major promotional push.
“Nikita” veteran Aaron Stanford takes over the role of James Cole (played by Bruce Willis in the 1995 12 Monkeys film). Cole is a man from a future that was devastated by a plague released by the Army of the 12 Monkeys.
Now that Cole is in the present, the larger question is whether his future can be changed or if humanity is destined to repeat its mistakes over and over again.
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Justified
Network: FX
Season Premiere: January 20, 2015For years, “Justified” has quietly been one of TV’s best dramas. But now, the creative team is wrapping up the series after only six seasons as Timothy Olyphant’s Raylan Givens finally tries to take down his nemesis, Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) once and for all.
Sam Elliott, Garret Dillahunt and Jeff Fahey are joining the cast this season, but the real attraction is the Elmore Leonard style dialogue as delivered by a very talented group of actors.
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Backstrom
Network: Fox
Season Premiere: January 22, 2015After eight seasons on “The Office,” Rainn Wilson is coming back to TV as Everett Backstrom, a self-destructive detective who is one of the best criminologists. Based on the Bäckström novels by Leif G. W. Persson, “Backstrom” was developed by Hart Hanson and it should appeal to fans of Hanson’s other crime show, “Bones.”
“Backstrom” is going live or die on the strength of Wilson’s performance and whether the TV audience is willing to embrace him as an entirely new character.
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The Americans
Network: FX
Season Premiere: January 28, 2015“The Americans” Season 2 significantly upped the series’ game with a riveting season long storyline that saw Soviet spies Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) potentially at odds about the KGB’s intentions towards their rebellious daughter, Paige (Holly Taylor).
When season 3 begins, screen legend Frank Langella will join the cast as Gabriel, the former handler for Elizabeth and Philip who may be called back into service. FX has kept the storyline details largely under wraps, but it’s good bet that the Jennings family will continue to feel pressure from all sides in this gripping Cold War drama.
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Community
Network: Yahoo Screen
Season Premiere: 2015Against all odds, “Community” has survived for yet another season. NBC cancelled the series, and Yahoo Screen uncanceled it by ordering 13 new episodes.
However, “Community” also lost another founding cast member when Yvette Nicole Brown decided to leave the show. To help fill the void of her departure, Keith David and Paget Brewster are joining the cast for the sixth season.
Even Captain America: The Winter Soldier directors Anthony & Joe Russo are coming back to “Community” for the sixth season premiere. Now all the show needs is a movie to complete the #SixSeasonsandaMovie hashtag prophecy.
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The Walking Dead
Network: AMC
Midseason Premiere: February 8, 2015It may finally be time for “The Walking Dead” to get the hell out of Georgia.
Now that the fate of Beth has been revealed and the characters have once again come together, there may not be anything left to keep Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his friends in the zombie infested hellhole that they’ve spent the last four and a half seasons in.
But if the survivors do decide to head towards Washington D.C. then they may not like what they find there... And if you just can’t get enough “Walking Dead” from these eight episodes, AMC is likely to greenlight “The Walking Dead’ companion series for a 2015 debut as well.
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Better Call Saul
Network: AMC
Series Premiere: February 8, 2015Apparently it is possible to make a “Breaking Bad” prequel series centered on Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman. The real question is whether it should have been made, as “Better Call Saul” will have the daunting task of living up to its predecessor’s legend.
Fellow “Breaking Bad” veteran Jonathan Banks will also reprise his role as Mike Ehrmantraut, as “Better Call Saul” winds back the clock six years to a time when Saul was still a struggling lawyer going by his given name, Jimmy McGill. Along the way, we’ll learn how Jimmy became Saul Goodman, a truly “criminal lawyer.”
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Hannibal
Network: NBC
Season Premiere: Early 2015After a truly shocking bloodbath in the “Hannibal” Season 2 finale, the third season will keep the audience in suspense for a few episodes by not revealing who lived and who died in Hannibal’s mansion. Instead, the series will pick up in Europe as Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and his companion, Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson) travel together.
Michael Pitt may be out, but Joe Anderson is joining the cast as Mason Verger, an insane millionaire who was maimed and crippled by Hannibal late last season. Let’s just say that Mason wants to “help” Hannibal in the same brutal way that Hannibal helped him.
“Hannibal” has been a remarkably strong drama that is far darker than almost anything else on TV. But it’s also one of the best shows, period.
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IZombie
Network: The CW
Series Premiere: Early 2015How do you bring a quirky, creator owned comic book series like iZombie to television? “Veronica Mars” creator Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero have seemingly found the answer by adding a procedural crime element to the original premise created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred.
Rose McIver stars as Olivia "Liv" Moore, a remarkably human-like zombie who retains most of her persona thanks to her steady diet of brains. However, Liv can also tap into the memories of each brain that she eats, which she now uses to help solve homicide cases.
This could be a fun show, or a disaster waiting to happen. I’m very curious to see if this Frankensteined adaptation can hold up on TV.
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Bates Motel
Network: A&E
Season Premiere: March 2015Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) is rapidly becoming more and more like his cinematic counterpart in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Norman has already killed in “Bates Motel,” and now he’s got an imaginary version of his mother (Vera Farmiga) living in his head and taking the credit for his murderous actions.
“Bates Motel” also happens to be one of the most bats**t crazy shows on TV, as the town of White Pine Bay has residents that are far crazier than Norman Bates and his dysfunctional family. But perhaps not for much longer, if Norman’s grip on his sanity continues to slip away...
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Game of Thrones
Network: HBO
Season Premiere: Spring 2015“Game of Thrones” Seasons 3 and 4 adapted only a single book across two years. “Game of Thrones” Season 5 has a more ambitious goal of adapting material from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. And the series may soon catch up to George R.R. Martin’s novels unless he releases The Winds of Winter in the very near future.
For the fifth season, expect Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) to encounter familiar faces in the East, as Arya (Maisie Williams) follows her destiny, the Martell family reacts to the death of one of their own and the series will finally use flashbacks to depict pivotal backstories onscreen.
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Daredevil
Network: Netflix
Series Premiere: 2015Thus far, most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been very lighthearted and even comical at times. By most accounts, “Daredevil” is going to break that mold with a much darker take on Marvel’s vigilante hero.
“Boardwalk Empire” standout, Charlie Cox is stepping into the title role as the blind lawyer Matt Murdock and his heroic alter ego, Daredevil. Vincent D'Onofrio is playing Murdock’s nemesis, Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin of Crime.
“Daredevil” showrunner Steven S. DeKnight has compared this series to HBO’s iconic crime drama, “The Wire.” And while it’s far too early to tell if “Daredevil” can even come close to that level, the footage screened at New York Comic Con was very impressive.
Although “Daredevil” has been rumored to be getting a May 1st premiere date on Netflix, that may be too close to the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron. So don’t be too shocked to see “Daredevil” come out at least a month or two before the next Avengers movie.
