Top 10 Anticipated Shows of 2020
We’re truly living in an age of high quality, big budget TV, and it just keeps getting better! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Anticipated Shows of 2020.
For this list, we’re looking at the most exciting and promising series debuting in 2020, as well as current shows making a highly anticipated return. Please note, we won’t be including series that are in production but haven’t been definitely confirmed for 2020 - so no “Lord of the Rings”. We’ll also be excluding British television and anime, as both could warrant a list of their own.
For ongoing series, there’ll be some spoilers.
#10: “Snowpiercer” (2020-)
Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette’s post-apocalyptic graphic novel has been captivating the minds of readers and fellow creators since the first volume was released in 1982. In 2013, Director Bong Joon-ho delivered an excellent adaptation of the source material in a film starring Chris Evans; it was incredibly well-received by critics, but one can’t help but feel that the unique premise still has more to offer. This second adaption looks poised to capitalize on that potential. In a serialized format, “Snowpiercer” will have the opportunity to dive deeper into the themes of survivalism, post-apocalyptic politics, class conflicts and civilization as a construct. The show, which stars Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connelly, has already been greenlit for a second season - which is always a good sign.
#9: “Mrs. America” (2020-)
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This miniseries, coming to FX in 2020, marks Cate Blanchett’s first foray into American television. That alone is reason enough to get excited, but “Mrs. America” has a lot more to offer than just star power. Despite being a historical drama set in the 1970s, it feels incredibly relevant to current political discussions. The talented Australian actor will star as conservative activist and lawyer Phyllis Schlafly, who supported antifeminism, opposed abortion, and fought the Equal Rights Amendment. For those unfamiliar, that’s the constitutional amendment intended to guarantee equal rights to citizens regardless ofsex - which Congress has never ratified. Blanchett is joined by powerhouse cast of talented women, including Uzo Aduba, Rose Byrne, Sarah Paulson, and Elizabeth Banks.
#8: “Outlander” (2014-) Season 5
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We said no British content, but since this is a British/American co-production for a US network, we think this technically makes the cut. And when it comes to dramatic live-action series that people can’t get enough of, “Outlander” has developed a notably passionate fanbase. Season 4 ended with some big changes to the show’s dynamics, including, but not limited to, Brianna giving birth to a son and reuniting with her parents, and Young Ian joining the Mohawk tribe. Then you’ve got that cliffhanger, which teased big things for season 5. Jamie’s been charged with assembling an army and taking down Murtagh. Translation? Edge of your seat, must-watch television.
#7: “Invincible” (2020-)
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Though “The Walking Dead might be Robert Kirkman’s biggest claim to fame, what he accomplished with “Invincible” is no less remarkable. Over 15 years and 144 issues, he crafted a nuanced, thought-provoking and thoroughly mature world of superheroes and villains, focusing on Mark Grayson, a teen who discovers he has incredible powers, just like his father. The world of “Invincible” is too dense and elaborate for the live-action treatment, which is what makes an animated series on Amazon such a great fit - especially considering the excessive gore and bright color palette that defined the comic. With a voice cast including the likes of Steven Yeun, J. K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Mark Hamill, Seth Rogen and Gillian Jacobs, “Invincible” has the potential to be something wholly unique.
#6: "The Stand” (2020-)
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CBS All Access isn’t what we’d describe as a top tier streaming service, but between “Star Trek: Discovery”, “Star Trek: Picard”, and now this… they’re certainly demanding attention. “The Stand” will be a 10 episode miniseries adapting Stephen King’s 1978 novel of the same name. It explores the classic struggle between good and evil, but set within a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a plague that’s left few human survivors. The cast confirmed so far includes James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young and Henry Zaga. It had previously been adapted in 1994, but can one really have too much high quality Stepehn King content?
#5: “Y” (2020-)
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For fans of this critically-acclaimed comic book series, watching an adaptation slowly come together has been a long and painful process. There were talks of a film as far back as 2007, efforts which struggled along for a full 7 years before finally being abandoned. Then, in 2015, FX started developing the property as a series instead. The development process again proved slow-moving, but we’ve finally made it; “Y: The Last Man” is coming to television. And with the likes of Diane Lane, Barry Keoghan, Imogen Poots, Lashana Lynch and Amber Tamblyn on board, we think it’s going to have been worth the wait. Keoghan plays Yorick Brown, the last male human on earth after all other men are mysteriously wiped out.
#4: “The Haunting of Bly Manor” (2018-)
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Quality horror television often feels hard to come by. There’s plenty of sci-fi, comedy and teen dramas out there that incorporate elements of horror, but few deliver effective scares. That’s what makes “The Haunting of Hill House” such a wonderful gem. It’s a mature and thoroughly scary dramatic horror the likes of which has rarely been seen on TV. It began as a miniseries, but thankfully, it’s now evolved into an anthology series, and the second season will adapt “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, under the title “The Haunting of Bly Manor”. Series creator Mike Flanagan has announced the return ofVictoria Pedretti and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and promises a much scarier second season - all of which is ominous music to our ears!
#3: “Westworld” (2016-) Season 3
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This sci-fi series may not have become the next “Game of Thrones” like people predicted, but there’s no denying that it’s one of HBO’s most popular, engaging, mythologically-rich and well-crafted series. Season 3 promises to expand the world of the show in a big way. Not only will we be seeing more of life outside the park, but we’ll also be venturing into another of Delos’ immersive environments - this one set in WWII-era Nazi Germany. It seems like risky narrative territory, so we’re anxious to see how the writers navigate a recreation of this dark chapter in human history. However it plays out, you can rest assured that the show’s present day conflict between humanity and the androids will continue escalating.
#2: “Star Trek: Picard” (2020-)
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With a franchise of “Star Trek’s” size and enduring popularity, it’s safe to say that it will only continue to grow and expand in the years to come. That being said, one move that few fans could have seen coming was the return of Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard. Maybe in a cameo of some sort, but not in his very own series! As easily one of the most popular characters in the property’s decades-long history, the news has received a very warm welcome. And based on what we’ve seen so far, the series looks to focus on many of the things that made Picard so appealing - a strong moral compass, philosophical contemplation and a fundamental drive to help others.
#1: “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2020-)
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The MCU has accomplished unprecedented things on the big screen. And while the shows that made up the Netflix branch of the MCU have ended their run, they collectively accomplished pretty incredible things in their own right. That being said, Marvel and Disney form a team that refuses to stand still for long, and they’re looking to introduce a slew of new superhero series on upcoming streaming service Disney+. The first will bring two Avengers to the small screen for their own high budget series. Plot details are scarce, but “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” will see Sam and Bucky teaming up, as well as the return of Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter and Daniel Brühl as Zemo. Consider us sold!
