10 upcoming shows in 2023
The shows I'm looking forward to this year
Last year I outlined a few TV shows to look forward to in 2022.
It's interesting to look back and realize the ones that seemed more appealing then were mostly the ones I enjoyed later. However, I couldn't anticipate some shows like White Lotus, which are missing from that list. I'm hoping to have some nice surprises this year as well.
Here are the shows I will be looking forward to in 2023:
Final seasons
1. The Handmaid’s Tale, Season 6
To be announced (TBA) on Hulu (or Amazon prime if you are out of the US)
Honestly, although I love this show, I think it has already passed its expiration date. Still, I'm curious and invested in seeing where the story takes us and how it's going to end. The Season 5 finale seemed to hint at a few potential narratives. June (Elisabeth Moss) and Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), now a mother, run into each other on the train as they escape Canada. In what direction will they - and their relationship - go from here?
2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Season 5
TBA on Prime Video
Probably the TV series I'm most looking forward to. I've written before about how much I love this show after season 4 aired. The producers of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel had always intended for the show to last five seasons. This explains why the story never seems to drag or grow boring (or confusing) as it often does for shows that linger for 3-4 seasons or more. It's likely we'll see Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) finally reach stardom, or at least find her voice and place in the world, in this final chapter.
3. The Crown, Season 6
TBA on Netflix
A perennial fan favorite, The Crown will abdicate its throne in 2023. The final season is expected to focus on the late 1990s and early 2000s, with Imelda Staunton returning as Queen Elizabeth II and Elizabeth Debicki back as Princess Diana.
Returning shows
4. The Mandalorian Season 3
March 1 on Disney+
Although I'm a bit tired of all the Star Wars spin-offs, The Mandalorian is certainly the most fun of them. Season 3 will pick up following the events of the second half of The Book of Boba Fett season 1. We saw the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu reunited and speeding through the galaxy toward their next adventure. It would be great if they could develop a stronger storyline and not rely so heavily on episodic episodes.
5. Ted Lasso, Season 3
TBA on Apple TV+
Ted Lasso is a fan favorite and it's clear why. A whole-hearted show where the main character's superpower is kindness. Ted Lasso’s second season left viewers with many questions. It is not only about AFC Richmond's fate, but also about the relationships between the players and the people behind the scenes.
New shows
6. Poker Face
January 26 on Peacock
Rian Johnson is clearly passionate about murder mysteries. Following Knives Out and its sequel, Glass Onion, he now created Poker Face, a 10-episode mystery series. It follows Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), who can always tell when someone is lying to her. The whodunit series will tackle a novel mystery every episode as Charlie travels from one place to another solving crimes. Johnson will direct and write a few episodes, as will Natasha Lyonne. The series also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Adrien Brody.
7. Shrinking
January 27 on Apple TV+
Starring How I Met Your Mother’s Jason Segel, Shrinking follows Jimmy Johns, a therapist dealing with grief who decides to tell his patients what he really thinks about them and their issues. Shrinking also stars Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams.
8. Tiny Beautiful Things
TBA (Spring) on Hulu
Adapted from the book of the same name by Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things follows Clare (Kathryn Hahn), a writer whose marriage is struggling and whose relationship with teenage daughter Rae is distant. Clare, whose writing career is floundering, becomes an advice columnist and it affects her life far more than she ever thought it would.
9. The Palace
TBA on HBO
After starring in Mare of Easttown, Kate Winslet returns to HBO in The Palace, which is set inside a palace over the course of a year during the deterioration of an authoritative regime. There aren't many details about the HBO miniseries' plot, but Winslet will be paired with Hugh Grant. After Mare of Easttown, I only expect a great show from the combo of Kate Winslet + HBO miniseries.
10. The Last of Us
Jan. 15 on HBO
Based on the wildly popular 2013 video game of the same name, The Last of Us follows 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who is immune to the brain infection that created the apocalypse, and Joel (Pedro Pascal), the survivor who must smuggle her out of a quarantine zone and west across the United States. Episodes are released every Sunday night and were really well-received, so far. I still haven't watched them.
Released in 2023 but already available to binge:
The Lying Life of Adults
Jan. 4 on Netflix
Based on the 2019 Elena Ferrante novel of the same name, the Italian-language series follows Giovanna (Giordana Marengo) as she comes of age in 1990s Naples. Giovanna overhears her father telling her mother that she is ugly—and that she is starting to look like her aunt, Vittoria (Valeria Golino). This sends Giovanna on a quest to meet Vittoria—and to unravel the web of lies around her.
I laughed immoderately at the first episode of Cunk on Earth, now on Netflix.
I’ve heard great things about Poker Face - have you watched yet? And Ted Lasso S3 couldn’t come soon enough!