Stop playing catch-up with TV shows, and instead get a head start with this season’s freshest new shows, I tell myself. I have a giant backlog of shows to be watched, one that increases every day, given the number of “must watch” shows that are on television right now. This September, a slew of television shows will resume, bringing upon us new seasons, and more episodes to catch up with.
However, there are also a number of new, exciting shows that are coming out, which is why I plan to stop trying to catch up with existing ones, and instead, get a head start on the following shows, which could all easily become the next great thing on television.
Best Time Ever
Fans of How I Met Your Mother , rejoice! Neil Patrick Harris is back on the screen, this time as a host of a brand new variety show titled, Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris . The show is inspired by Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway , which is very popular in the UK, and will be filled with comedy skits, spoof game shows, musical numbers, hidden camera pranks and even live segments with celebrity appearances. Neil Patrick Harris is well-known for his comic timing, but those who have watched him hosting the Oscars, or even the Emmy Awards, would also know that he’s also an immensely gifted singer, dancer and all-round performer. There are not enough variety shows on television, and my fingers are crossed for Best Time Ever to fill that void.
The Grinder
An actor whose successful TV legal drama has come to an end, returns to his hometown and joins his family law firm, despite having no licence to practise, or even a formal legal education. I’ve only watched the trailer, but I can say with confidence that Rob Lowe is perfect as the over-dramatic TV lawyer who takes himself too seriously, as is Fred Savage, who plays his formally educated but charisma-lacking lawyer brother. The show, a comedy, has great potential, and given the casting, there's every chance The Grinder is going to be a hit.
Limitless
Limitless is the television spin-off of the 2011 Bradley Cooper film with the same name. The show stars Jake McDorman, and features the consequences of taking a pill, which will enable you to realise the full potential of your brain. The series has some slick editing and action montages, but most importantly, Bradley Cooper reprises his role as Eddie Morra for the television series, and for me, that’s enough reason to look forward to it.
Narcos
Netflix has been producing some incredible original television recently, with Orange Is The New Black and House of Cards being just the tip of the iceberg. Coming next on the Netflix pipeline is Narcos , a high-intensity drama about the Medellin Cartel, a drug network from Colombia, which operated through the 70s and 80s. At its peak, the cartel monopolised the global drug market, and is, without doubt, a story that would translate brilliantly onto television. The series follows the beginnings of the cartel, and digs into the history of its overlord, Pablo Escobar.
Scream Queens
A college campus finds itself housing a serial killer seeking revenge for a murder that took place 20 years ago. This horror-comedy hybrid show has a star cast that includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts and Abigail Breslin, apart from teen icons like Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas, and Keke Palmer. Fans of Glee will also see the return of Lea Michele back on screen. Make no mistake that this is aimed at “young adults”, automatically making me about 10 years too old for it, but I am excited nonetheless — age is but a number, after all.
