A new year is here and with it comes a look at the most anticipated titles of the year in terms of television.
Continuing our coverage with those ranked 21-40, this includes the next work of the “Queen’s Gambit” team, a “Black Panther” animated prequel, a long in the works adaptation of a famed author, a follow-up to a nearly decade old mini-series, and the latest entry in the “Star Trek” universe.
There’s also several sci-fi tales from high-profile creators, a sports comedy, the first TV version of a truly classic literary tale, three sporting comedies with notable stars, three high-profile series of critical acclaim returning for sophomore runs (and another for its third), and a high-concept tale of domestic terror.
Here’s the list, links to the entire guide are below the descriptions:
21. “Severance” Season 2 (Apple TV+)
After nearly three years, Apple’s highly acclaimed psychological thriller finally returns after the strikes and some behind-the-scenes drama reports painted an uncertain picture. Gwendoline Christie, Alia Shawkat, Merritt Wever, John Noble and Bob Balaban join the returnees in this outing which picks right up after the first season but is said to be considerably darker, more mysterious in nature and more epic in the scale of its world building.
22. “Department Q” (Netflix)
Celebrated screenwriter Scott Frank’s fourth mini-series following the western “Godless,” chess sensation “The Queen’s Gambit,” and 2024’s Clive Owen-led noir “Monsieur Spade”. The eight-episode crime thriller sounds like Nordic Noir meets ‘Slow Horses’ as it adapts Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s book series about a group of basement-dwelling misfit cops who solve impossible cold cases (this shifts the locale to Edinburgh). Matthew Goode and Kelly Macdonald co-star.
23. “Eyes of Wakanda” (Disney+)
Set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this history spanning animated series follows the Hatut Zaraze – an elite group of Wakandan warriors who retrieve vibranium artifacts throughout the course of many years. Thus by its nature, expect many cameos from around the MCU’s Sacred Timeline – including an earlier version of Iron Fist. “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler developed the four-episode series which marks the first series of Phase Six of the MCU, while Todd Harris directs. The voice cast includes Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams and Patricia Belcher lend their voices.
24. “Gen V” Season 2 (Amazon Prime)
Against the odds, Amazon’s college-set “The Boys” spin-off “Gen V” ended up being surprisingly strong – a bit messier than its originator sure, but a highly entertaining work that managed to stand on its own. It returns with a second season that had to be retooled following Chase Perdomo’s sudden death and will offer a look at the world after the events of fourth season finale of “The Boys” saw Homelander install a puppet U.S. President to office.
25. “Scarpetta” (Amazon Prime)
After three decades of failed attempts, author Patricia Cornwell’s iconic forensic pathologist character Kay Scarpetta finally makes the jump to the screen in the form of an ongoing series starring Nicole Kidman as the MD and Jamie Lee Curtis as her unstable sister. Ariana DeBose, Simon Baker and Bobby Cannavale co-star in the show which Liz Sarnoff (“Deadwood,” “Lost”) is showrunning and which is already set for two seasons. The question remains, is the material now too dated to translate well?
26. “The Night Manager” Season 2 (BBC/AMC)
Tom Hiddleston reprises his role of Jonathan Pine in a second season of this series adaptation of the John LeCarre novel – the new run coming a full nine years after the original series aired back in 2016. Olivia Colman and Alistair Petrie reprise their roles as Angela Burr and Lord Sandy Langbourne respectively. Joining them this time out are Indira Varma, Camila Morrone and Diego Calva. Plot specifics are under wraps.
27. “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” (Paramount+)
The single biggest question of this series remains to be answered – why this premise? A Discovery-era series following the first new class of Starfleet cadets in over a century isn’t exciting on paper, and that it’s series czar Alex Kurtzman’s baby raises obvious concerns. That said, this cast – Holly Hunter, Paul Giamatti, Tatiana Maslany, Robert Picardo back as the EMH and Tig Notaro back as Jett Reno – is too good to ignore. I expect this to generate a lot of discussion, both good and bad, which should be entertaining.
28. “The Boroughs” (Netflix)
The Duffer Brothers, who created Netflix’s immensely popular supernatural series “Stranger Things,” are set to executive produce another series for the streamer – a sci-fi tale set in the New Mexico desert where a supernatural threat in a retirement community emerges and a group of unlikely heroes combat it. The likes of Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Jena Malone, Clarke Peters and Bill Pullman star in the series which is being showrun by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance”).
29. “The Savant” (Apple TV+)
A new crime thriller event series inspired by a true story published in Cosmopolitan magazine about a top-secret female investigator known as ‘The Savant’ who infiltrates online hate groups to dismantle emerging threats and prevent large-scale violent attacks in the age of digital extremism. Jessica Chastain leads the cast which also includes James Badge Dale and Nnamdi Asomugha. Melissa James Gibson (“Anatomy of a Scandal,” “House of Cards”) serves as executive producer.
30. “The White Lotus” Season 3 (HBO)
Mike White delivers a more esotric third season which swaps out the respective money and sex themes of the first two seasons for a spirituality one this time around along with a more exotic Thailand setting which allows for a more mixed cast of familiar faces and unknowns. Among those familiars are Walton Goggins, Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Aimee Lou Wood along with returnee Natasha Rothwell.
31. “Amadeus” (Sky Max)
Hot off the success of “Black Doves” and “The Lazarus Project,” British screenwriter Joe Barton re-teams with his “Giri/Haji” star Will Sharpe (“The White Lotus”) for a new adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s award-winning play “Amadeus” – this one likely more punk than Milos Forman’s Best Picture-winning 1984 film. Sharpe takes on the Mozart role opposite Paul Bettany as the jealous Salieri in the project which was shot in Hungary.
32. “Murderbot” (Apple TV+)
An adaptation of the Martha Wells book series, the sci-fi thriller project hails from David S. Goyer along with Chris & Paul Weitz. Alexander Skarsgård produces and stars as a security android who has achieved self-awareness and must mask its ability for free thought while completing routine dangerous assignments.
33. “Dope Thief” (Apple TV+)
Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura lead the cast of this event series adaptation of Dennis Tafoya’s 2009 novel which hails from “Top Gun: Maverick” and “The Batman” co-writer Peter Craig. The series follows two Philadelphia friends who pose as DEA agents to rob a seemingly ordinary suburban house. They soon face unepxected consequences when it turns out said house belongs to a large narcotics operation. Kate Mulgrew, Ving Rhames, Marin Ireland, Dustin Nguyen and Amir Arison co-star.
34. “Beef” Season 2 (Netflix)
Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny and Youn Yuh-jung lead the cast of the second season of Netflix’s acclaimed anthology drama from creator Lee Sung Jin. The new run sees a couple witnessing an alarming fight between their boss and his wife, triggering moves of favors and coercion in the elitist world of a country club. The new run clocks in at a slightly shorter length of eight episodes.
35. “The Last Frontier” (Apple TV+)
“The Blacklist” creator Jon Bokenkamp returns with this ten-episode Alaska-set series starring Jason Clarke as a lone U.S. marshal whose jurisdiction is a mess when a prison transport plane crashes in the remote wilderness – setting free dozens of violent inmates. It soon appears said crash also wasn’t accidental, with larger international political implications. Sam Hargrave (“Extraction”) will direct the pilot while Dominic Cooper, Haley Bennett, Simone Kessell and Alfre Woodard co-star.
36. “Chad Powers” (Hulu)
Hulu’s sports comedy series sees Glen Powell coming to TV as Russ Holliday, a college quarterback whose bad behavior details his career. He takes a shot at redemption by adopting the eponymous persona to join a struggling Southern football team. Steve Zahn and Toby Huss co-star in the series executive produced by Eli and Peyton Manning. It’s a gamble especially with the wig-fake nose Powell must don for much of its runtime, but if it works it could fill that “Ted Lasso” hole.
37. “Firebug” (Apple TV+)
Following their collaboration on “Blackbird,” actor Taron Egerton, author/producer Dennis Lehane and Apple TV+ are re-teaming for this crime drama miniseries based on the “Firebug” podcast. The story follows a detective and an arson investigator work together to stop two serial arsonists in the U.S.. Pacific Northwest. Jurnee Smollett, John Leguizamo and Greg Kinnear co-star while Kari Skogland (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”) directs.
38. “Lord of the Flies” (BBC)
The BBC and Stan are backing this first TV series adaptation of William Golding’s iconic novel about a group of young schoolbous who find themselves stranded on a tropical island with no adults. The four-episode adaptation, which has been filming in Malaysia the past few months, hails from writer Jack Thorne (“His Dark Materials,” “Enola Holmes”) and director Marc Munden (“The Sympathizer”) with Hans Zimmer composing the music. Each episode offers a subtly different perspective on the story from the POV of four key characters (Ralph, Piggy, Simon and Jack).
39 & 40. “Golf” (Netflix) & “Rambler & the Birdie Machine” (Apple TV+)
Two golf-themed comedy series are on the way in 2025. One is Netflix’s “Golf” which sees “Ramy” star Ramy Youssef and his writer/showrunner Josh Rabinowitz teaming with Will Ferrell who plays a fictional golfing legend who is the new face of a controversial PGA Tour league rival. The other, Apple’s ‘Rambler’, has Owen Wilson as a washed out pro who seeks redemption mentoring a 17yo wunderkind. Marc Maron and Judy Greer co-star in that series which is showrun by “Ford v Ferrari” scribe Jason Keller.
The Full Guide
DH’s Anticipated TV In 2025: #1-20
DH’s Anticipated TV In 2025: #21-40
DH’s Anticipated TV In 2025: #41-60
DH’s Anticipated TV In 2025: #61-80
DH’s Anticipated TV In 2025: Honorable Mentions
