Iron Fist, Mariah's World, Game of Thrones and Twin Peaks are amongst our most anticipated of the year.
Iron Fist, Mariah's World, Game of Thrones and Twin Peaks are amongst our most anticipated of the year.
The upcoming year is jammed with some amazing shows, so many that we've had to restrict ourselves to the first six months. Here are the 10 we're most looking forward to.
Twin Peaks
The news that David Lynch's mystery series Twin Peaks would return this year was as unexpected and surreal as the show itself. A cult hit from the moment it came out back in the 90s, its bizarre eccentricities and unsettling surrealism still make for thrilling viewing today.
The show follows an FBI special agent, played with chirpy quirkiness by Kyle MacLachlan, who is investigating the murder of a teen beauty queen in a small town. Like all good mystery series' nothing is what it seems but as this sprung from the brilliantly strange mind of Lynch nothing is even close to resembling what it seems at all.
So warm yourself a slice of cherry pie and brew up a damn good cup of coffee because you're definitely gonna need it. Especially if that little man starts dancing again ... shudder. - Karl Puschmann
Game of Thrones
Winter is nearly here, and while most people (understandably) have some Thrones burnout, the return of one of the biggest shows in TV history is something to get excited about - particularly when we're so close to the end of the story.
We've surpassed the books, no one knows what's coming and all the separate storylines look set to come to a head in Westeros. There's no lame fake-out cliff-hanger this time, just the promise of action and finally, with any luck, answers. - Siena Yates
The Leftovers
It's earned scorn from legions of Game of Thrones fans for taking the fantasy epic's April slot on HBO. Instead, Thrones will play afterwards, sometime around June.
That doesn't matter to me one bit - I'm a diehard fan of The Leftovers, a creepy slowburner about creepy cults forming after the random disappearance of 2 per cent of the population and Justin Theroux's sweatpants. I can't wait to see how it ends in this third and final season. Yep, Game of Thrones can wait. This one's more important to me. - Chris Schulz
Iron Fist
Marvel shows on Netflix have had their highs and lows, but that doesn't mean I still can't hope for the best. Iron Fist is different territory for the street-level franchise, with the titular hero weilding a more supernatural range of mystical kung-fu powers that will hopefully bring something new to the table.
Plus, as the last series before the Defenders crossover, I'm excited for what hints for the future we will get. - Ethan Sills
Casting JonBenét
It's been more than 20 years since JonBenét Ramsay was all over the news, but she's still a household name. A new Netflix film is coming out later on this year about the case and the sensationalisation around the whole investigation.
It's called Casting JonBenét and the Hollywood Reporter is calling it "a documentary hybrid on the macabre fascination that still surrounds the infamous murder case". I have always been super fascinated with the case and the different angles documentary makers have run with, like the dodgy portrayal of the family and the fact she was an idolised pageant queen at such a young age.
If you're into stuff like that, Casting JonBenét will be a must-watch. The film streams globally on Netflix in April. In the meantime, get creeped out by the trailer. - Gracie Taylor
Crashing
This seems like such a simple idea it's a wonder it hasn't been done before. Crashing, from producer Judd Apatow and comic Pete Holmes, follows an aspiring comic starting at the bottom. The very bottom. At one point, Holmes' character Pete is so desperate to be on stage he hands out flyers in the street.
It might start with the most awkward husband-walks-in-on-his-wife-having-an-affair scene ever, but what unfolds is a gentle comedy about one man following his dream. And it's populated by a roll call of well known comics, including Artie Lange and TJ Miller in the first few episodes. It's laugh-out-loud funny and thoroughly recommended. - Chris Schulz
Stranger Things
Stranger Things left off with the perfect hint of there being more to come, but frankly I'm more excited to see these kids back on screen with a bit more experience under their beltsand a lot more chemistry.
That said, seeing what happens next with Will being caught between two worlds and the promise of Eleven returning to kick some more ass is more than enough for me. And maybe we can finally forget about Barb, because seriously, she wasn't that cool. - Siena Yates
The Missing
Britain has produced a number of dark crime dramas in recent years, but few have been as intense or depressing as The Missing. It's coming back to TVNZ 1 this year for a brand new series with an all new cast, and the word from the UK is that this season manages to top everything.
Three parallel timelines, children returning from the dead, British stars acting their hearts out - this is going to be as addictive as it is upsetting. - Ethan Sills
It's been six miserable, Larry David-less years since Curb Your Enthusiasm last screened. Six years! That, friends, is simply too long.
Since 2011 our modern society has changed a lot. We probably haven't even noticed how the norms and rules of society have subtly shifted over the years but there's no doubt that LD has and the new series will highlight exactly how in hilariously potent ways.
Despite the lengthy gap our enthusiasm for a new series hadn't curbed. If anything, it's grown. We can't wait and we're certain it's going to be pretty ... prettttty ... pretttttty ... good. - Karl Puschmann
Mariah's World
Mariah's World first launched on December 5 last year and it's pretty brilliant. It's eight episodes long and features a hell of a lot of sass. One particular scene/situation is when Mariah prank calls one of her assistants. It's hilarious, yet mortifying ... poor, poor Molly.
The series has been airing in New Zealand on the E! channel with a pretty good reception by all who are Carey fans. It has had a mixed review internationally though from TV critics, Rotten Tomatoes who have given it a 44 per cent rating and a 51 from Metacritic.
This makes me sad, but I can understand that Mariah is not everybody's cup of tea... Unless your teacup is covered in diamonds that is. The season finale is on this weekend in the States. Let's hope there are many more seasons to come. - Gracie Taylor
