2023-2024 TV Series Watchlist: Superhero, Sci-fi & Horror
A Personal list of mostly new Superhero, Sci-fi and Horror TV shows I haven't seen. As I start watching a series, I'll make a few comments about them.
I'll make sure to use spoiler tags if I think I'm giving anything away.
Once I see a series, I'll delete from this list (in time). They may end up on my Greatest or Favorites list.
I'll make sure to use spoiler tags if I think I'm giving anything away.
Once I see a series, I'll delete from this list (in time). They may end up on my Greatest or Favorites list.
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- StarsAlaqua CoxChaske SpencerTantoo CardinalMaya Lopez must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots, and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.5 episode miniseries: Jan 9, 2024
update, 17jan2024: Have not seen yet but the low rating (6.1 by 18,156: 17jan) and disappointed reviews make it seem like the folks at Disney have ruined another promising concept.
I am beginning to strongly dislike Disney. They are a plague on the industry.
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Original Comment:
This is the Hawkeye (2021) spin-off series.
I found Alaqua Cox to be thoroughly impressive in Hawkeye. She really carried the action, the dark personal drama and the passion of the character so well.
Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio are also slated to appear but I'm mostly looking forward to Echo/Alaqua Cox.
I'm seeing lots of articles about DD being reduced to a lighter/funnier version of the Netflix DD (ie; so that he mimics the nauseating soccer-mom approved version of Thor we see in the movies).
I don't want this new light version of DD diluting what Echo brought to the table during Hawkeye. I like the edge she brings to both her role and the scenes she's in.
Disney can keep their watered-down formulas aimed at appealing to the least demanding of viewers and failing at even that. - CreatorBrad FalchukAmy WangByron WuStarsMichelle YeohJustin ChienSam Song LiCharles Sun, a Taipei gangster who's settled into his life as a ruthless killer, must go to L.A. to protect his mother and younger brother after his father is shot by a mysterious assassin.1 season / 8 episodes: Season 2 pending...
The complete first season aired 04jan2024. I started watching this on 09jan2024 and have been motoring through it!
It's a great series, great characters, good plot. It's a mix of serious and light drama - well executed to draw you in. It also isn't plot hole heavy; that is... it's well-written.
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update, 12jan2024: Finished the series. Loved the way it ended. Great closure but also leaves the door open for more. It's how a season should end.
Currently rated 7.7 by 6,272 on 12jan2024. Fairly accurate. I'm personally rating it higher based on entertainment value and bingeability. - CreatorNatalie AbramsChad FiveashJames Patrick StoterauxStarsOscar MorganOlivia Rose KeeganNavia Ziraili RobinsonBruce Wayne is murdered and his adopted son forges an alliance with the children of Batman's enemies. As the city becomes more dangerous, these mismatched fugitives will become its next generation of saviors, known as the Gotham Knights.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
update, 23jun2023: Series cancelled... No season 2
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30apr2023: Watched 5 episodes and I'm finding this series entertaining, the characters likable and the stories passable.
It's rated 4.5 by 3,943 (30apr2023). It's much better than that. In fact, as of 30apr2023: the individual episodes are rated 6.3 (ep1), 6.9 (ep2 & ep3), 7.5 (ep4), 7.2 (ep5) and 7.4 (ep6)
Trust that the individual episode ratings are more accurate. It's been a solid series so far - hovering around 7 +/-
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update, 07jan2024: watched episodes 6 & 7 and starting to lose interest. I'm having trouble suspending disbelief and seeing this group as crime-fighting unit.
Also, they're too comfortable in their hideout with a powerful evil group *and* the police after them. They have no resources and yet they're having a great time.
Feels too scripted and childlike. Like a bunch of kids on an adventure in their backyard treehouse.
I'm not certain I can finish this season now. I can feel myself losing interest as I put it on the backburner again. - CreatorNaomi AldermanSarah QuintrellRaelle TuckerStarsToni ColletteToheeb JimohHalle BushBased on the New York Times bestseller, The Power is our world, but for one twist of nature. Suddenly, women develop a mysterious new ability to electrocute at will, leading to an extraordinary global reversal of the power balance1 season / 9 episodes: Season 2 pending (14nov2023)
Watched the entire first season and I have to admit, I really enjoyed this series. It took some big chances and ended very strong.
I'd really like to see a season 2 to see how it develops.
I think this show has got bite but it needs to refrain from the simple 'us vs them'. Where one group is always right no matter what misdeeds they engage in while the other group is wrong in a contrived way.
It's why the ending of season 1 was so powerful while fixing some of those nagging issues surfacing during the season. - CreatorTara HernandezDamon LindelofStarsBetty GilpinJake McDormanAndy McQueenSister Simone partners with her ex-boyfriend Wiley on a globe-spanning journey to destroy Mrs. Davis, a powerful artificial intelligence.1 season / 8 episodes: Limited Series, Complete
update, 30apr2023: rating of 7.2 by 1,982.
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update, 25dec2023: Have seen 1.5 episodes. Still trying to figure this show out. Not a drama, not a comedy, quirky, light. Finding it a bit messy. I almost quit after the first 4 or so minutes of episode 2. On the fence.
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update, 26dec2023: Have seen 3 episodes. Fully enjoying the show now, the cast. Betty Gilpin is great but so is so much of the other cast. The show itself...
Starting to feel big. There's AI, there's God. There's fate, there's all-knowing, it feels bigger than life. It's the ultimate science (singularity, AI) and the ultimate religion (personified).
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update 2, 26dec2023: Have seen 5 episodes. It just gets better, more involved as the pieces fall into place. After a couple of episodes, it quickly turned bingeable.
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Final update, 27dec2023: Loved the first 7 episodes. Bingeable great. The final episode was also good except I did not like how it finished - what they turned it all into. This is a matter of preference and my strong preference was that it finish a different way.
That is... these kinds of shows *always* finish the same way. A kind of ego-centric finish.
Still... an easy 8+ rating, the entire series is worthwhile, great cast but personally disappointed in the final episode. It could have finished with a bang. - CreatorHarve BennettJeffrey M. HayesGrant RosenbergStarsDale MidkiffElizabeth AlexanderPeter DonatA cop from the future is sent back to contemporary times to track down fugitives hiding in the past.2 seasons / 44 episodes: Series Complete
This is another series that I started watching (on/off) and lost track of, lo so many years ago.
I always loved the premise. I always loved the idea of having an advanced AI willingly be a part of your daily life. Wouldn't we all?
Selma remains one of my all-time favorite AIs - which includes others like The Doctor (Voyager), the Rommie/Hologram Avatars (Andromeda), D.A.R.Y.L and even KITT (Knight Rider), among others.
I always wanted to see the entire series. Now in 2023, these older shows have a style that I find relaxing and even soothing (if they can keep me engaged).
Hard to say how many episodes I actually watched on my first go-around, maybe 10 total..? It's on my watchlist now (and I really can't wait to start).
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update, 26aug2023: Have seen the first 5 episodes of season 1. I am a bigger fan now than I was a few decades ago. Fun series, great characters, easy flowing story telling and the binge-ability factor is about a 3+ (scale: 1-5, 5 best).
Currently watching this and Friday the 13th: The Series - a couple of episodes a night total. It'll be a while before I get to any other shows on this list.
update, 03sep2023: Have watched the first 11 episodes. Really loving the easy-going, story-telling style of this series.
update, 10oct2023: Have completed season 1 (21 episodes). Looking forward to season 2 (22 episodes).
update, 22dec2023: took a break from the show. Intend to finish it. Time Trax is up against modern shows that rate a 9 or 10 and sometimes... I need a little extra engagement. - CreatorJane EspensonD. Brent MoteStarsEddie McClintockJoanne KellySaul RubinekPete and Myka, U.S Secret Service agents, are deployed in South Dakota's Warehouse 13 with a new assignment from an authority above and outside the government.5 seasons / 64 episodes: Series Complete
Thinking of watching this... I remember watching the first few episodes, many years ago, to test the series out. They were entertaining but something about the light, comedic delivery kept me off-balance.
I liked both lead actors (Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly). I thought they were exceptional. The premise reminded me of Friday the 13th: The Series (1987) (ie, (re)acquiring lost artifacts that pose a danger to others).
In 'Friday the 13th', I really liked the serious tone and the caring the team had for each other. I kept comparing the first few episodes that I saw of 'Warehouse 13' to the unrelated Friday/13th.
At the time, Warehouse 13 suffered in the comparison. Not a fair comparison, they were two different shows but my mind couldn't let this comparison go at the time.
On the back burner but planning on giving this a shot. Probably (maybe) after watching Time Trax (1993).
Oops... Looks like I've really done it... Now I feel like rewatching Friday the 13th: The Series (1987) too. One does not merely summon the name of a good older show without repercussions:-)
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Related: Warehouse 13: Of Monsters and Men (2011) and Warehouse 13: Grand Designs (2012) - CreatorFrank Mancuso Jr.Larry B. WilliamsStarsLouise RobeyChris WigginsJohn D. LeMayTwo young antique store owners must recover cursed antiques.3 seasons / 72 episodes: Series Complete
This was one of my favorite series to watch in the late-80s. It had a seriousness so many shows of that era lacked. I also really liked how much they all cared for each other. They were both a team and family.
I always thought they made a mistake with the name but that didn't effect the quality of the show.
I haven't seen this series since it first aired. I certainly didn't watch all the episodes. Catching all episodes of a TV series was a little more difficult back then, especially since this aired so late (it was too adult for prime time TV in the US).
I'm listing it on this Watchlist because, after such a long time, my recollection of the series leans more heavily toward the nostalgic.
I'll also be able to actually watch every episode this time with attention to details I'm much better at seeing now. This attention is also allowing me to appreciate these older shows so much more.
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Update, 14aug2023: Have watched 5 episodes.
Update, 25aug2023: Have watched 16 episodes.
Update, 03sep2023: Have watched all of season 1 (26eps).
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The binge-ability factor is about a 2 (scale: 1-5, 5 best). Does not have the same pull as it did those many years ago.
Finding it easier to watch 1 - 2 episodes and break for a few days before watching a little bit more.
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Update, 10oct2023: Have watched through season 2, episode 8.
Update, 22dec2023: took a break from the show. Intend to finish it. Friday/13th is up against modern shows that rate a 9 or 10 and sometimes... I need the extra engagement these modern shows provide. - CreatorBeau DeMayoStan LeeJack KirbyStarsGeorge BuzaCal DoddHolly ChouA band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they're challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.Exciting news! A continuation of the 5 year, 76 episode, 1992-1997 animated TV series.
I thought the original series was so good, I even included it on my Greatest Superhero TV Shows of All-Time list. That list was originally only for Live Action TV Shows but X-Men (and later Invincible) forced me to make some adjustments to that list.
We can only hope right now that this new series delivers the same quality - a serious show written for an adult mindset.
It's from Disney+ so there are legitimate concerns. They have ruined so much and seem completely out of touch with their audience.
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update, 16feb2024: Saw the first trailer and it looks good! It truly felt like a continuation of the original series. I would love to be wrong about my earlier comments, re: Disney... - CreatorBlake CrouchStarsJoel EdgertonJennifer ConnellyJimmi SimpsonA man is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could've lived, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from a most terrifying foe: himself.No release date yet. Listed as upcoming only (as of 03feb2024).
Could be interesting... I'm getting two different overviews: one from IMDB and the other from Wikipedia.
The IMDB summary makes this series sound very interesting. I want to watch this!
The Wikipedia premise (as of 14aug2023) makes it sound low-effort and boring. - CreatorSimon KinbergDavid WeilStarsGolshifteh FarahaniShioli KutsunaShamier AndersonEarth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity's existence. Events unfold in real time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unraveling around them.1 season / 10 episodes
Season 2: August 23 - October 25, 2023
Have not seen this series yet. Skipped ahead and watched a few minutes from season 1, episode 4. It looked good enough to make this watchlist.
Many reviews say it starts off slow and gets much better which is why I wanted to sneak peek a later episode. I liked the atmosphere, the casting, the mood and seriousness. It all felt like the kind of series that could (potentially) immerse (me) you. - CreatorDaniel CeroneDavid S. GoyerStarsMatt RyanHarold PerrineauCharles HalfordA man struggling with his faith who is haunted by the sins of his past is suddenly thrust into the role of defending humanity from the gathering forces of darkness.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
I remember catching the first couple of episodes and never finding my way back to the series. I don't recall it being bad. Listed for now (as watchlist entry) until I can watch this again. - StarsKathryn HahnJoe LockePatti LuPoneSet after the events of "WandaVision," Agatha Harkness recruits some unlikely allies on her quest to regain her former powers.A WandaVision spinoff series. I'm honestly on the fence about this series.
I just don't think the lead actress is right for the role. I thought she was wrong for the role in WandaVision once it was revealed she was Agatha Harkness.
This may be the comic fan in me speaking since I have certain expectations of Agatha Harkness. Someone like a Margaret Hamilton prototype would have been great in this role.
There a ton of actresses (known and unknown) that fit the Margaret Hamilton profile, the physicality, that carry that unspoken edge, that immerse you into the character through their mere presence.
Kahn feels like the opposite of what Agatha Harkness would be like. I feel like this series is already bland.
It also feels like this is another cash grab since the superhero category is attracting so many that don't respect the genre. In it for quick cash and another vacation home. Please, let me be wrong. - CreatorWilliam ShatnerRon GoulartStarsGreg EviganWilliam ShatnerNatalie RadfordIn the year 2044, Jake Cardigan is an ex-convict and former policeman who hunts down traffickers of an addictive virtual reality narcotic called Tek.Season 1: 4 movies
Season 2: 18 episodes
I never watched this when it came out. I would see the commercials showing highlights of an episode and it actually bothered me, at the time, that it never appealed to me.
I really wanted to see it at the time because of Shatner, the cool tech and even the hint of Star Trek via Shatner's involvement...
This was in 1994 when Star Trek was having a second peak.
TNG just ended; DS9 and Voyager beginning; TNG films at the cusp and TOS... always nostalgically in the background.
In the real-world tech side of things: 'teh internets' arriving, DOOM, OS/2, Win95 around the corner, BBSes were still our tech underground haven, AOL was LOL at their success!
It was a second, very geeky, technological transition for me. The first was when Amiga, C64, IBM, DOS clones, Atari, Apple, Radio Shack, etal were all competing - at the same time - on shelves. And... when computer magazines were magical.
This was our mindset and TekWar should have fit right in.
On 21aug2023, I started to watch about 15 minutes of a single episode of the TV series and... it wasn't ~that~ bad at all. I think I'll give this a shot at some point. The viewing order is below:
1. TekWar (1994) : The Movie
2. TekWar: TekLords (1994)
3. TekWar: TekLab (1994)
4. TekWar: TekJustice (1994)
The first three were adaptations of the books, while TekJustice was an original movie (source: wikipedia).
5. TekWar (1994) : The TV Series (this entry), 18 episodes. - StarsTimothy OlyphantSydney ChandlerEssie DavisA prequel series set three decades before the events of the 1979 film.update, 12oct2023: it was reported on April/2023 that this series was in "active preproduction"...
- StarsCharlie CoxMargarita LevievaWilson BethelPlot kept under wraps.DD is Born Again... on Disney. Announced 25jul2022. Expected release is Spring/2024.
update, 29dec2022: Everything I'm reading indicates a softer, funnier version of DD. Lots of one-liners. That sense of the real-world gone in order to appeal to pre-teens and their soccer moms.
I have been afraid for a long time that the superhero genre was going to fall into the parody-like shows reminiscent of the 1960s Batman Series. It's been happening for a long while (since the original Avengers film full of quips and a World War that was cartoonish).
Did you see the latest Thor film (Love and Thunder)? One-liner after one-liner, all film long. No sense of danger, no sense of realism. Thor was practically a clown.
The genre is being diluted by money-grubbers. Diluted by people with no interest in the genre itself, who don't take the characters seriously.
I fear that I should prepare for a major disappointment. - CreatorDestin Daniel CrettonStarsBen KingsleyYahya Abdul-Mateen IILauren GlazierHollywood actor Simon Williams is thrust into the world of superheroes as he gets powers of his own, and becomes the new superhero Wonder Man.15dec23: 10 episode miniseries. From wikipedia filming seems to have restarted after the delay from the writer's strike.
There is also information indicating that many involved were released from their commitments to the series. I'll dig deeper later on since this is ongoing (December 2023) and a clearer picture will develop in the coming months.
Also most articles I'm coming across are too old to provide insight (circa April 2023).
My actual main concern... it's a Disney+ production.
They have been a disappointment, preferring to write their stories for soccer moms and small children instead of actual fans of the genre.
So... flashy effects and comedic one-liners rule over actual serious story-telling. - CreatorDeclan De BarraStarsSophia BrownLaurence O'FuarainMirren MackMore than a thousand years before the events of "The Witcher," seven outcasts in an Elven world join forces in a quest against an all-powerful empire.1 season / 4 episodes: December 25, 2022
I'm planning on giving this series an episode (maybe 2). While I thought the trailer looked very good, the low ratings have forced me to put this on the back burner.
4.7 rating by 39,345 on April 30, 2023.
4.9 rating by 43,287 on Oct. 12, 2023.
The four episodes have ratings ranging from 5.6 (ep1) to 5.3 (ep4); thru 12oct23.
It's this combination of low ratings (the main title *and* individual episodes) that have tempered my expectations. - CreatorEli JorneStarsJeffrey Dean MorganLauren CohanGaius CharlesMaggie and Negan travel into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland. The city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world.1 season / 6 episodes: June 18 - July 23, 2023
A Walking Dead spinoff centering on Negan and Maggie as they make their way into and through a completely upended Manhattan.
The series got here faster than I thought. The producers could have been spending time working on this while also shooting TWD. This might help explain why TWD was so bad the last few years.
Anyway... I so hope this is not a continuation of the last few years of The Walking Dead. A low-effort money grab.
It needs to somehow go back to its roots: terrific drama, character depth, primal fear, complicated relationships, non-contrived scenes and actual life threatening zombies.
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updates, 18jul2023 & 12oct2023: Watching a few other things first. It could be a while before I get to this series. - StarsRandall ParkAndy LeRe-imagines the marvel universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever-spreading zombie scourge.The original comic book series was so good. What's scarier than zombies? Unstoppable super-powered zombies!
When those fast-running zombies just aren't enough. - StarsCharlie CoxPaul F. TompkinsVincent D'OnofrioThe animated series follows Peter Parker on his way to becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, with a journey unlike we've ever seen and a style that celebrates the character's early comic book roots.I'm seeing an expected release window in 2024...
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I'll be honest. I dislike origin stories for well-known characters. No matter how you tweak it... it feels old, stale and redundant. Zero creative effort.
It's like watching a new Superman, Batman, Spidey reboot and they spend 1/2 the film on the origin story. We know what happens... give us something new, be creative, make an effort.
This feels like a stretched out origin story. I'm hoping to be wrong but if not, can it at least be adult-level engaging? We'll find out who this series is aimed for soon enough.
Either the entire name changed or I originally linked to the wrong series. This is the other name I turned up today (12oct2023):
Silk: Spider Society
TV adaptation of Cindy Moon - Spider-Man's superhero ally Silk. Moon, also bitten by a radioactve spider, displays a similar power set.- StarsTravis FimmelCamilla BeeputSarah LamTV series set in the 'Dune' universe which centers on the lives of the Bene Gesserit.
- StarsDominique ThorneAlden EhrenreichManny MontanaGenius teenage inventor Riri Williams creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.Originally confirmed for Fall/2023
Due for release sometime in 2024. (last checked 18jul2023). - CreatorDavid ZabelStarsNorman ReedusClémence PoésyLaïka Blanc-FrancardDaryl's journey across a broken but resilient France as he hopes to find a way back home.1 season / 6 episodes: Season 2 confirmed