17 TV Shows You're Crazy Not to Watch in 2019

The "Golden Age" isn't slowing down any time soon.

Unless you're a television aficionado, it can be hard to keep up with which shows are worth watching these days. Sure, you could just stick to your tried-and-true favorites, but you never know what you might be missing. And, even more scary, if you miss the premiere of the next big thing, you'll be left looking out of touch at the office water cooler come Monday.

To help you navigate the tricky waters of binge-able TV, we've rounded up our top returning favorites—shows like Stranger Things and Big Little Lies—as well as the brand new series like Black Monday and Conversations With a Killer that are set to premiere in 2019. We know you'll be just as excited as we are.

1
Big Little Lies, season 2

Big Little Lies TV shows to watch in 2019

Though the previous director of Big Little LiesJean-Marc Vallée, was quoted as saying "if we do a season two, we'll break [a] beautiful thing and spoil it," the award-winning drama is back for another season—this time directed by Andrea Arnold. Actresses Reese WitherspoonNicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, and Laura Dern will reprise their roles as mothers in Monterey, California, who can't help but keep the gossip mill turning.

Despite their breathtaking homes and successful husbands, things aren't always as they seem—and chaos hides just beneath the surface. While the exact release date is still unknown, fans can look forward to the intense fallout from Perry's (played by Alexander Skarsgard) death—including the arrival of his mother, played by Meryl Streep.

2
Rick and Morty, season 4

Rick and Morty TV shows to watch in 2019
Image via Wikimedia Commons

Since its debut in 2013, the animated series Rick and Morty, in which a cynical mad scientist and his grandson, both voiced by co-creator Justin Roiland, has claimed thousands of devoted fans. While the details of the show's return are kept top secret, there are several theories circulating about which guest stars might make an appearance this year. Many speculate that Kanye West, who has voiced his love for the show in the past, could make a brief appearance, while others wonder if Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd will finally lend his voice to a show that he has admired since its inception.

3
Peaky Blinders, season 5

peaky blinders TV shows to watch in 2019

The curtain fell on season four of Peaky Blinders just as the Shelby family, led by Thomas Shelby, played by actor Cillian Murphy, finally extended its empire into the United States in the midst of the financial crash in 1929. That means viewers can likely anticipate even more dramatics to unfold in the new season.

While nothing has been officially disclosed, fans have already spotted fight scenes and a funeral scene being shot by the crew in and around Manchester, England—meaning that it might be the end of days for one member of the beloved Shelby clan. Aside from that, Hunger Games' fans can look forward to an appearance by Sam Claflin.

4
The Crown, season 3

the crown netflix

While many faithful viewers of The Crown will be disappointed to hear that Claire Foy (or any other cast member from season 1 and season 2) will not be returning for the third season, they can perhaps find a bit of solace in the stellar new cast set to take over the story. The new season will skip ahead to the 1970s when the Queen and Prince Philip are in their 50s. Queen Elizabeth II will now be played by Broadchurch star Olivia Colman. Prince Philip will be portrayed by Tobias Menzies and Princess Margaret by Helena Bonham Carter.

5
Fargo, season 4

If you're not familiar with Fargo, you truly should be. Each season of this comedy-crime drama is set in a different era with new actors (Ewan McGregor and Kirsten Dunst, to name a few) thrown into the mix all the time. In the fourth season of Fargo, which will be set in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1950, Chris Rock will play the lead role as the head of a crime family. Fans can look forward to the "crossroads and collisions" of both Italian immigrants and African Americans fleeing the Jim Crow South.

6
Stranger Things, season 3

Stranger Things TV shows to watch in 2019

Since its premiere in 2016, Stranger Things has amassed a near-cult following, with millions of fans professing their love for the show across all platforms of social media. The first teaser trailer for the third season was released in July 2018, hinting to the fact that the season will be set during the summer of 1985—exactly one year after season 2 ended. According to executive producer Shawn Levy, the couples that you've been rooting for all along will still be together—especially Mike (played by Finn Wolfhard) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). And, most importantly, the Shadow Monster isn't going anywhere in season three—so expect the same scary antics to propel the plot in the coming year.

7
Homeland, season 8

Homeland TV shows to watch in 2019

In Homeland's eighth and final season, Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes, finally sees an end to her story as a bipolar CIA agent struggling to protect the country that she loves. While not much is known about the events that will take place during the final season, showrunner Alex Gansa says it is certain to be set somewhere overseas, where the stakes are much, much higher for the main characters. Fans can expect the eighth season to come out in June 2019.

8
True Detective, season 3

True Detective TV shows to watch in 2019
Image via Wikimedia Commons

Similar to Fargo, each season of this anthology crime drama is composed of a different setting and a new roster of characters and actors. In the third season of True Detective, which will begin on January 13, Threat Matrix star Mahershala Ali will play the lead role of Wayne Hays, a state police detective from northwest Arkansas. Ray Fisher will play his son, Freddy Burns. Throughout the season, various law enforcement characters grapple with the law (and their complicated personal lives) over three separate time periods in the Ozarks.

9
Veep, season 7

Veep TV shows to watch in 2019

With 12 Emmy Awards under its belt, the hilariously witty Veep, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, is gearing up for its seventh and final season in 2019. The seven-episode season will showcase Selina Meyer's (played by Dreyfus) fourth campaign to stay in the White House. While there's no set date for its premiere, fans can expect it sometime in late 2019.

10
A Series of Unfortunate Events, season 3

Series of Unfortunate Events TV shows to watch in 2019
Image via YouTube

This television series, starring Neil Patrick Harris, has charmed audiences since its launch. The show is the second interpretation of Lemony Snicket's best-selling series about three orphaned children—Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire—in their struggle to triumph over, shall we say, a series of unfortunate events under the care of their murderous relative, Count Olaf. The third season, premiering on January 1, will adapt the remaining four books: The Slippery Slope, The Grim Grotto, The Penultimate Peril, and The End.

11
Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

Ted Bundy TV shows to watch in 2019
Image via Wikimedia Commons

Premiering on January 24, exactly 30 years to the day of Ted Bundy's execution in Florida, this docuseries about the serial killer will make its debut on Netflix. In just four episodes, the show will detail the killer's enigmatic charm and how he used it to become one of the most feared and famous series killers of all time. Not only that, but the docuseries will air never-before-heard audio from interviews he gave while on death row. In an era of beloved true-crime shows, this one has the potential to captivate millions.

12
Black Monday

Black Monday TV shows to watch in 2019
Image via YouTube

This new Showtime comedy, starring Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, and Regina Hall, is set to premiere on January 20. The show takes viewers back to October 19, 1987—or "Black Monday," the day of the worst stock market crash in Wall Street's history. Viewers will finally learn the truth about the events of that fateful day—and which rag-tag group of outsiders was truly behind it.

13
First Wives Club

This BET television interpretation of the hit film of the same name starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton, is set to pack the same comedic punch as the original. In this version, starring Michelle Buteau, Jill Scott, and Ryan Michelle Bathe, the three divorced women band together to get over and seek revenge on their exes in New York City.

14
Good Omens

Good Omens TV shows to watch in 2019
IMDb/Amazon Studios

Based on the 1990 novel, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, this Amazon Prime original follows the story of a demon, Crowley, portrayed by David Tennant, and an angel, Aziraphale, portrayed by Michael Sheen, as they try to prevent the apocalypse. In this final battle between Heaven and Hell, viewers will find both humor and insanity entwined in every line.

15
What We Do in the Shadows

Based on the film of the same name—which was directed by none other than the man behind Thor: RagnarokTaika Waititi—this comedy is scheduled to premiere on FX in 2019. Set in New York City, the series follows three vampires who have been roommates for "hundreds and hundreds of years," starring Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Natasia Demetriou.

16
City on a Hill

Set in Boston during the 1990s, when the city was rife with corruption and tribalism, City on a Hill is a fictional account of the "Boston Miracle," in which a team consisting of the District Attorney Decourcy Ward, played by Aldis Hodge, and a corrupt FBI agent, played by Kevin Bacon, take on a family of armored car robbers from Charlestown. The concept was crafted by Ben Affleck and Chuck MacLean, and promises viewers a chance to see the events that eventually disrupted Boston's criminal justice system.

17
Fosse/Verdon

Michelle Williams Celebrities

This high-profile FX television show was created by Hamilton'Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail, and Dear Evan Hansen's Steven Levenson—so it's safe to say it will be the talk of the Emmys this upcoming year. Starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon follows the romantic and creative partnership of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon as they change the face of American entertainment, one dance step at a time. And for more amazing tales based on IRL events, check out these 18 Best Movies Ever Made Based on True Stories.

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Ashley Moor
Ashley hails from Dayton, Ohio, and has more than six years of experience in print and digital media. Read more
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