“True Detective”HBO/YouTube
- Television-tracking app TV Time provided a list of the most anticipated returning shows of 2019.
- The list includes HBO’s “True Detective” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” now at NBC.
It’s been nearly 4 years since the second season of HBO’s “True Detective” aired, and fans of the anthology crime drama are eager for its upcoming new season starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali.
There are a lot of new shows to look forward to in 2019, but there are also plenty of returning shows coming that audiences are excited for. To determine the most anticipated returning series of 2019, we turned to television-tracking app TV Time, which ranked the most followed shows based on its over 13 million global users.
The anticipated shows included “Cosmos,” the final seasons of “Gotham” and “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” now on NBC after Fox canceled it earlier this year.
Below are the eight most anticipated returning TV shows of 2019:
8. “Friends From College” (Netflix)
Season 2 premieres January 11.
Description: “Twenty years after graduation, a tight-knit group of college friends reconnects and discovers that love hasn’t gotten easier with age.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 24%
What critics said: “The show’s biggest crime is that it overestimates its audience’s tolerance for watching people screw up.” — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic
7. “Cosmos” (Fox)
Season 3 (“Possible Worlds”) premieres March 3.
Description: “Continuing the legacy of its predecessors, COSMOS: POSSIBLE WORLDS will translate the revelations of science into a lavishly transporting experience, taking audiences on a series of spiritual voyages of exploration.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2 — “A Spacetime Odyssey”): N/A
What critics said: “Tonally the show strikes just the right balance between education and inspiration. The science explored in the opening episode isn’t anything teenaged astronomy fans wouldn’t already be aware of, but the show doesn’t talk down to the viewer. That said, those already familiar with the antics of Dr. Tyson may feel like they’re getting a watered-down version of the real thing.” — Bryan Bishop, The Verge
6. “The Blacklist” (NBC)
Season 6 premieres January 3.
Description: “Following the startling revelation that Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) isn’t who he says he is, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) is torn between the relationship she’s developed with the man assumed to be her father and her desire to get to the bottom of years of secrets and lies.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 5): 100%
What critics said: “The Blacklist has returned for its 5th season, and finally, the paternal cat is out of the convoluted, hole-riddled, sphinx-guarded parentage-bag…and everything is surprisingly chummy post-reveal!” — Jodi Walker, Entertainment Weekly
5. “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Netflix)
Season 3 (final season) premieres January 1.
Description: “The extraordinary Baudelaire orphans face trials, tribulations and the evil Count Olaf in their fateful quest to unlock long-held family secrets.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 93%
What critics said: “Season 2 undeniably brings the joys of Season 1 back to life, from the show’s gorgeous aesthetic and spectacular guest stars with an evolution of its storytelling. It just doesn’t do so as consistently as Season 1.” — Jonathon Dornbush, IGN
4. “Gotham” (Fox)
Season 5 (final season) will premiere January 3.
Description: “In 2019, GOTHAM will air its fifth and final season, wrapping up this beloved series in a farewell event that will focus on Bruce Wayne’s (David Mazouz) transformation into the caped crusader.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 4): 85%
What critics said: “I do appreciate the show’s attempt at making Gotham feel like a different city in the wake of all the disasters that have befallen it.” — Kyle Fowle, AV Club
3. “Young Justice” (DC Universe)
Season 3 (rebranded as “Young Justice: Outsiders”) premieres January 4.
Description: “Young Justice: Outsiders features the return of the fan favorite animated series with a huge cast of DC’s most iconic young superheroes – plus brand-new characters, many of whom are just discovering their unique meta-powers and special abilities. Set against the backdrop of a rich, deep world that touches all corners of the DC Universe, the season focuses on meta–trafficking, and an intergalactic arms race for control of these super–powered youths.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 100%
What critics said: “Let’s remember how great this past season has been and how well it juggled a huge number of characters and storylines. Remember the journey, because the destination is a bit of a disappointment.” — Oliver Sava, AV Club
2. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (NBC)
Season 6 premieres January 10.
Description: “The hilarious heroics of New York’s funniest police precinct continue for a new season, with a brand-new home: NBC. SNL alum Andy Samberg and Emmy winner Andre Braugher lead this diverse, critically acclaimed ensemble that solves crimes like only they can – with tons of humor and the heart to match. “
Rotten Tomatoes critics score: 100%
What critics said: “And after five years, the show has figured out just how to make sure all of those elements work together – just like the oddball cops of the 99th precinct, who started off as co-workers and now feel like a family.” — Liz Shannon Miller, Indiewire
1. “True Detective” (HBO)
Season 3 premieres January 13.
Description: “Partner detectives investigate a macabre crime involving two missing children in the heart of the Ozarks, Arkansas. The story spans three decades.”
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 63%
What critics said: “Is it the breakthrough, landmark television of the first season? No. But it is a rock-solid crime drama with film caliber production values, intriguing plotting and great performances.” — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
