The Biggest TV Shows To Watch In 2018

We're now more than halfway through 2018, and the year has already seen some great TV shows, including Westworld, Altered Carbon, The End of the F***ing World, Black Lightning, Everything Sucks, and the return of Jessica Jones and Iron Fist. But there's loads more to come. While fans will have to wait until 2019 before we get more Stranger Things and Game of Thrones, there are still a ton of small screen goodies worth getting excited about. There's the return of some of 2017's best shows, more offerings from Marvel and DC, some lavish reworkings of classic sci-fi and horror properties, and a handful of intriguing new titles. So here's the biggest TV shows to watch over the rest of the year...

Better Call Saul, Season 4

AMC, August 6

Better Call Saul started life as a spin-off from the much-loved Breaking Bad, but over three seasons, it has become a truly great show in its own right. Season 4 premieres on AMC next month, and it sees the show get closer to Breaking Bad territory. This time, shady lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) will encounter Giancarlo Esposito's drug dealer Gus Fring, who was one of the most iconic characters of the parent show. Creator Vince Gilligan has also stressed that Season 4 will have more in common with Breaking Bad than the previous seasons of Better Call Saul. "In Season 4, it's very much like Breaking Bad," he told The Independent. "There's some great stuff coming up. As with [Breaking Bad], there's humour wherever we can find it provided it's legitimate and well-earned. But those moments of earning it are now fewer and far between."

Disenchantment

Netflix, August 17

Simpsons and Futurama creator Matt Groening is back with another animated show, the first season of which hits Netflix in its entirety in August. Disenchantment is a fantasy series that focuses a princess played by Broad City's Abbi Jacobson. The official synopsis reveals that it is set in the "crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland" and that it will "follow the misadventures of hard-drinking young princess Bean, her feisty elf companion Elfo, and her personal demon Luci." The footage revealed at July's San Diego Comic-Con suggests that it's going to be a irreverent treat. The classic comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail is apparently a big influence, and Groening has promised "a lot of severed limbs and decapitations." We can't wait.

Jack Ryan

Amazon, August 31

Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan has been portrayed by almost as many actors as James Bond, in a much shorter space of time; John Krasinski will be the fifth star to play the character since 1990. According to director Daniel Sackheim, this new 10-part TV adaptation of Clancy's best-selling spy novels will take Harrison Ford's more down-to-earth interpretation as the basis for the character, rather than the more heroic version played by Ben Affleck and Chris Pine. And of course, Krasinski is now the director and star of one of the year's biggest movies--A Quiet Place--ensuring that Jack Ryan will get plenty of attention when it premieres in August.

Ozark, Season 2

Netflix, August 31

When Ozark premiered last year, many compared it to Breaking Bad, both in terms of its plot (an ordinary family man who chooses a life of crime) and its mix of violent thrills and dark humor. But the show quickly grew into its own thing and emerged as one of 2017's most enjoyable original series. Season 2 arrives in August. Jason Bateman returns as money-laundering dad Marty Byrde, with Laura Linney as his estranged but equally duplicitous wife Wendy. As Bateman says: "It's a good escalation of everything as far: danger, the business challenges, and--domestically--our relationship."

The Purge

Syfy, September 4

The Purge is one of the most successful horror franchises of recent years--the three movies to date have made more than $319 million worldwide on modest budgets, and the fourth movie is set to hit theatres in July. But if that weren't enough, there's also a 10-episode TV show on the way. It's being produced for Syfy and will be overseen by franchise creator James DeMonaco, who also wrote and directed the first three films. It's set once more in a dystopian future where the annual Purge allows citizens to get all their violent, criminal impulses out, and according to early reports, will focus on a Marine who returns home to protect his sister on Purge Night. There's no premiere date yet, but it was recently announced The People v. O. J. Simpson director Anthony Hemingway will helm the first episode, so there's a good chance we might see it before the year is out.

Iron Fist

Netflix, September 7

After impressive early seasons for Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, Netflix's roster of Marvel shows came a bit unstuck last year with the critically-panned first season of Iron Fist. Hopes are high that the upcoming Season 2 can deliver on the promise of a kung fu-themed superhero show by actually giving us some decent action and a compelling plot. To be fair to Marvel, they seem to recognize that Season 1 didn't work, with Marvel TV boss Jeph Loeb telling fans at the recent San Diego Comic-Con that the makers planned to "up their game" when it comes to fight choreography in Season 2. The show sees Finn Jones and Jessica Henwick back as Danny Rand and Colleen Wing, and they will be joined this time by Luke Cage's Simone Messick as Misty Knight and Alice Eve as the villainous Typhoid Mary. We'll find out in September if they’ve got it right this time.

Maniac

Netflix, September 21

Maniac will probably be one of the weirder series of the year. Given the names attached, though, the show comes with huge buzz. Cary Fukunaga helms the dark comedy, which stars Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, and Justin Theroux. The story centers on a patient living in a psychiatric hospital who escapes reality by living his life inside a fantasy world maintained solely inside his own mind. It sounds bonkers, but if Fukunaga brings the same sensibilities he brought to True Detective, the network may have a winner on its hands.

Star Wars Resistance

Disney XD, October

The hugely popular Star Wars Rebels ended back in March, but fans of Disney's animated Star Wars output won't have long to wait for the next series. Star Wars Resistance has been created by Dave Filoni, the man behind both Rebels and The Clone Wars, so we know it's in good hands. This show is set before the events of the 2015 movie, The Force Awakens, and will focus on a young pilot named Kazuda Xiono, who is recruited by the Resistance and tasked with a top-secret mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order. As well as a host of new characters, fans can expect appearances from some of the recent Star Wars movie cast members, such as Oscar Isaac (as Poe Dameron) and Gwendoline Christie (as Captain Phasma), plus droid favorite BB-8.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Netflix, October 26

Channeling the success of Riverdale, another Archie Comics story was in the works at The CW. But due to their concern of having too many witch shows--the network’s Charmed reboot is still on the horizon--the untitled Sabrina the Teenage Witch series was handed over to Netflix. The series will explore the origins of the half-witch, half-mortal as she battles the evil forces that threaten her friends and family. Tonally, Deadline describes the series as being “in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist.”

Castlevania, Season 2

Netflix, October 26

Season 1 of Netflix's animated gothic fantasy Castlevania premiered in 2017 and has became one of the streaming service's most acclaimed new shows. Season 2 of the video game adaptation was initially rumored for this summer, but it has now been confirmed that it will debut in October and will run for eight episodes. Not only that, but actor Richard Armitage has also revealed that a third season is in the works.

The Walking Dead Season 9

AMC, October 31

While much has been written about The Walking Dead's falling ratings, it remains a hugely popular show, so don't expect it to go anywhere any time soon. The zombie drama returns later this year for its ninth season under new showrunner Angela Kang. Her predecessor Scott Gimple remains involved as AMC's chief content officer, and last month, he told Variety that Season 9 would see the show "evolve in a huge way." Could this mean the two-year time jump that occurred at the same point in the comic books? We'll find out in the fall.

Doctor Who Season 11

BBC, October

It's always exciting when a new actor takes on the role as the iconic Timelord, but the debut of the thirteenth doctor this October is a really big deal. Jodie Whittaker replaces Peter Capaldi and is the first woman to play the Doctor. Whittaker had a brief appearance at the end of the recent Christmas Special, but fans will have to wait until October to see how her portrayal differs from previous incarnations. There's a new showrunner too, as Broadchurch's Chris Chibnall succeeds Steven Moffat. Finally, the Doctor's assistant is to be played by comedian Bradley Walsh.

The Conners

ABC, Fall

The massive success of ABC's Roseanne revival was quickly overshadowed by the actions of its famous star, when a racist tweet by Roseanne Barr's led the network to cancel plans for Season 2. But last week, it was confirmed that the cast (minus Barr) will return for a spin-off show The Conners. Season 1 will premiere in the fall, taking Roseanne's 8 PM Thursday slot, and will run to 10 episodes. It's currently unknown how the show will address Barr's absence, but fans of this much-loved working classic sitcom family will have much to look forward to when Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalfe, and company return to screens.

Legends Of Tomorrow, Season 4

The CW, Fall

The CW's roster of DC shows continues to go from strength to strength. Its most addition was the hugely entertaining Black Lightning, while Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl all remain extremely popular. Season 4 of Legends Of Tomorrow arrives in the Fall, and with Netflix's Defenders proving to be a boring disappointment, it remains the one TV superhero team-up to watch. Focusing on heroes such as White Canary, Atom, Heat Wave, Vixen, and Steel, this year the team will be join by John Constantine, who is played once more by Matt Ryan. Ryan previously played the character in the now-cancelled show Constantine, as well as in episodes of Arrow and last year's animated movie Justice League Dark. In short, he's really good at playing one of DC's coolest, edgiest heroes, and is a welcome addition to Legends of Tomorrow.

Nightflyers

Syfy

Long before he created the world of Game of Thrones, author George RR Martin wrote the short novel Nightflyers, a sci-fi horror story about a group of scientists who embark on a mission into deepest space to make contact with alien life. The story was adapted into a movie in 1987 and has now been turned into a new TV show by SyFy. This is one of the network's biggest productions to date, and the first trailer suggests that it will be as much a horror story as a space adventure. Boardwalk Empire's Gretchen Mol stars.

Titans

DC Universe

While the quality of DC's movie output has been variable (to say the least), its roster of TV shows remains remarkably consistent. Titans is the latest addition. A live-action version of the Teen Titans, it's been in development since 2014, but shifting channels and cancelled pilots has meant very slow progress to the screen. But it is finally set to premiere in 2018, on DC's new digital service. Australian actor Brenton Thwaites (Gods of Egypt, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) plays Dick Grayson/Robin, leading a team of young superheroes that includes Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy.

The Umbrella Academy

Netflix

A comic book property outside of Marvel’s purview is on its way to Netflix. The Umbrella Academy comes from the mind of My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way. The series tells the story of some not-pregnant women who suddenly give birth to a bunch of superpowered babies. Taking place in an alternate timeline--one where JFK is still very much alive--the story follows seven kids as they undergo training to save the world. Ellen Page has been tapped to star in the program, and Way will serve as producer.

New Warriors

TBC

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is highly focused and tightly controlled, the same can't be said for its TV counterparts. Shows like Daredevil, Luke Cage, Runaways, Agents of SHIELD, and Cloak and Dagger are all technically part of the MCU too, but you'd hardly know it from the wildly different tones, styles, and general lack of references to each other. But many of these shows are great (let's forgot Inhumans ever happened), and they will soon be joined New Warriors. The offbeat superhero team includes Squirrel Girl, Mister Immortal, Speedball, and Microbe, and it's been described as much more of a comedy than other Marvel shows. New Warriors was originally set to premiere this year on Freeform, but despite the fact that the pilot reportedly test very well the network dropped in due to "programming issues.” It's currently being shopped around other networks by ABC, so hopefully, we'll see it soon.

The Haunting of Hill House

Netflix

Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Gerald's Game) is one of the best horror directors working today, and 2018 will see him turn his talents to TV. Produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin TV, this is an adaptation of Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel, which was also turned into the classic 1963 movie The Haunting (the less said about the 1999 remake the better). Annabeth Gish (Sons of Anarchy, The West Wing) stars as Mrs. Dudley, the caretaker of a haunted estate, with roles for Timothy Hutton (All the Money in the World) and Gerald's Game's Carla Gugino. Flanagan has written and directed the whole 10-part series, and this could be one of the year's great horror shows.

Luther, Series 5

BBC

Fans of Luther were both excited and dismayed when the series returned for a two-episode fourth season in 2015. With a busy actor like Idris Elba playing the title role, sometimes schedules can be tight. That said, it looks like Elba has donned his signature tweed coat for another go-round as brilliant detective John Luther. We don’t know what sort of gruesome crimes he will be investigating, but one thing is for certain: Idris Elba is at his best when the world is at its worst. Right now, John Luther is the hero we need and deserve.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

Netflix

It's been more than a year since this prequel to Jim Henson’s classic '80s fantasy movie The Dark Crystal was first announced via this teaser, and while Netflix rarely announces release dates very far in advance, there’s a good chance we might see it in 2018. We know that the show will consist of 10 episodes and will be overseen by Louis Leterrier, who is best known for directing Now You See Me and Marvel's The Incredible Hulk. While the original 1982 movie was only moderately successful at the time, it has gained a considerable cult following over the years, and with Netflix’s deep pockets we can expect something lavish and highly imaginative.

Mindhunter Season 2

Netflix

This is another Netflix show without a confirmed release date, but star Jonathan Groff has said that the second season of the period crime thriller is to start shooting early this year, so a late 2018 premiere is possible. The first season of Mindhunter showed that producer David Fincher was just at home with small-screen serial killer thrills as he is in movies such as Zodiac and Seven. The balance between a seriously dark crime procedural and a beautifully performed, character-driven drama was exceptional, so hopes are extremely high for Season 2.

Black Mirror, Season 5

Netflix

Netflix has confirmed that Charlie Brooker's hugely acclaimed sci-fi anthology series will return for a fifth season. While the streaming giant is yet to announce a release date, the previous two seasons arrived a year apart, so there's good chance we might see Black Mirror Season 5 before the end of the year. Season 4 was the strongest season to date, so expect the next one to deliver more disturbing but darkly funny predictions about the way technology continues to shape our lives. Can't wait.