The next person who asks me about my 2018 goals or resolutions or word is gonna…well, they’ll probably just get a subtle eye roll from me. I mean, what am I going to do? Let loose a flood of bitter tears over past resolutions still unresolved? Toss a blank moleskine notebook at their head to symbolize all the plans I haven’t made? Stab them in the hand with a plastic fork, one of many still laying on my counter from a holiday gathering that seems to have trashed my kitchen organization beyond repair?

No, no, no. That would be crazy.

But you guys. Starting a new year feels kind of intense this time around! I mean, really overwhelming, if I’m honest. I haven’t had time to reflect on this past year, not really. I’ve thought some thoughts, but I haven’t captured them or meditated on them or analyzed them. And as for plans and goals and words and – shudder – resolutions? Well, I could rattle off all the ways in which I wish I were different, better, thinner, funnier, etc. But that’s not really the spirit in which I want to enter this new calendar year.

It’s a bummer, though. If I’d gotten my act together, it would’ve been fun to start a brand-new year on a Monday. A MONDAY! Insert happy gasp here, because HELLO, that is the holy grail of starting over, doing new things, making a change, starting with the man in the mirror, is it not?!

Alas, it’s late on Wednesday, and my notebook remains blank while my mind (and kitchen) remain cluttered. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll find an hour to get it all sorted out. But until then, I’m sticking with what I do know and it is this: A new year means new shows.

So put down your power sheets and gel pens and planners with pretty clips — and pick up your remote, because you’re going to want to make some New Year’s-style changes to your DVR.

Now, as always, this is not at all an exhaustive list of every single new or returning show. Staying on top of all the channels and streaming services and satellite stations and things on my laptop and phone and tablet is like trying to carry a very large load of laundry from my bedroom to the washing machine. When I attempt that domestic feat, it always ends with a trail of socks on the floor and me wondering why I don’t own more laundry baskets — just like trying to keep track of all the shows in all the places leaves me wondering what Crackle TV even is and if I really need to pay for YouTube Red just to watch a dance show (especially considering the five episodes of So You Think You Can Dance sitting, unwatched, on my DVR from last summer).

So, this is a list of new shows I plan to try out and new shows I think you might like as well. If I’ve missed something important or interesting, please tell us in the comments so we can adjust our viewing schedules accordingly!

(No, really. Tell us. Don’t keep a good show to yourself!)

The Shows I Am Totally Setting My DVR For, Right Now:

  • Grown-ish (January 3 on Freeform): This spinoff of Black-ish looks great, and I can’t wait to give it a try!
  • The Chi (January 7 on Showtime): I don’t have Showtime, but if I did, I’d be tuning in to this “coming of age drama about residents of the South Side of Chicago.” It’s on every single Must-Watch list I’ve seen. Hopefully it’ll be available to stream somewhere soon.
  • Alone Together (January 10 on Freeform): I saw a lot of commercials for this show over the past couple of weeks, and I laughed every time. It looks like a younger version of Difficult People (two grouchy best friends who are not dating each other), which also makes me laugh. Fingers crossed it’s not so rated-M-for-mature that I have to pass on it like I ended up doing to Difficult People.
  • Black Lightning (January 16 on the CW): Another superhero show? I don’t know. I got a little weary of superhero shows last year, but this one – GUYS – it’s a reluctant superhero. And it’s starring the mayor from Hart of Dixie. So, I’m going to give it a shot.
  • One Day at a Time (January 26 on Netflix): Season one was delightful, one of my very favorite watches of 2017. I’m looking forward to season two as much as any other new show this season.
  • A.P. Bio (February 1/March 1 on NBC): This half-hour comedy about a cynical high school teacher has that guy from The Mindy Project (and maybe It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?) and Patton Oswalt. It might be terrible, but it might also be hilarious. I’m pulling for hilarious and will be giving it a try. (There’s a sneak peek on 2/1, with the show starting for real on 3/1.)
  • Good Girls (February 26 on NBC): Three suburban women get tired of struggling and being broke, so they rob a store. And then get caught. Hijinks, I believe, do ensue. Mae Whitman, Christina Hendricks, and Retta star in this one, and I’m figuring it will either be terrible or terrific. I can’t wait to see which one.
  • Rise (March 13 on NBC): If Friday Night Lights and Glee had a baby, this would be that show. With a dose of Ted Mosby (or at least the guy who played him) to boot. I suppose that might not sound appealing to everyone, but I am super excited about this show!

The Shows Other People Are Looking Forward To (and You Might Like, Too):

  • Ellen’s Game of Games (January 2 on NBC): If you like games, this is probably a sure bet. I’ll be honest, though. The commercials kind of stressed me out.
  • LA to Vegas (January 2 on FOX) : Um. This half-hour sitcom looks ridiculous to me, but it’s on a few Must-Watch lists. So, if you watch, tell me what you think!
  • 9-1-1 (January 3 on FOX) : This drama about first responders looks good…and stressful. Big names like Angela Bassett, Connie Britton, and Peter Krause have me a little curious. But I just don’t know about adding a stressful hour to my week.
  • The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (January 17 on FX): Not my thing. But if it’s yours, rest easy knowing it’s getting a lot of early buzz.
  • The Alienist (January 22 on TNT): This is a period thriller based on a novel by Caleb Carr. It’s the usual consultants-help-the-police bit, except this time the police commissioner is Teddy Roosevelt. Oh, and it also looks too creepy and gory for me. I do, however, now want to read the book.
  • Waco (January 24 on Paramount Network [formerly Spike TV]): This six-part miniseries is about exactly what you think. And Taylor Kitsch, aka Tim Riggins, is playing David Koresh. So this is a thing now.
  • American Idol (March 11 on ABC): I don’t know, guys. Katy Perry is going to be there, I think? Ryan Seacrest never left? The singers will probably be a little pitchy, dawg, but nobody will be there to tell them? I don’t even know.

The Shows My Kids Are Excited About (and Me, Too, but Really, It’s for the Kids):

  • Trolls: The Beat Goes On! (January 19 on Netflix): Different voices, but the same silly trolls. I predict we watch every single episode before the month is done.
  • Llama Llama (January 26 on Netflix): I adore Llama Llama books, and I am really looking forward to seeing it as a series. I mean, my kids! The kids are excited about it! (FINE. They don’t even know it’s coming. But I know my four-year-old is going to dig it. At least as much as I will.)
  • Just Add Magic (sometime on Amazon Prime): I saw somewhere that season three is coming. I told my daughter about it. She is SO EXCITED WHEN IS IT ON CAN WE WATCH IT NOW MOM? And now? Now I can’t find a date or even official confirmation that it’s a real thing. But I’m holding on to hope that it is, indeed, a real thing happening soon. It will, after all, save me from another season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (the show I’m currently watching with my daughter)!

What new shows are you looking forward to right now?


 

What should you watch next?

 

Every month, we are bombarded with new TV series and movies—and it can be overwhelming to figure out what to watch! (I know, I know, what a problem to have!) I'm here to help. My monthly Watch Guides list out all the returning series, new series, and new movies, along with premiere dates and where to watch them. Plus, I tell you my personal picks for the month to help you narrow it all down.

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