Top 5 Great New TV Shows to Keep You Warm This Winter

Cable channels, streaming services as well as broadcast networks are kickstarting the new decade with new TV shows. Some of these remarkable shows feature A-listers such as Reese Witherspoon, Al Pacino, Daniel Radcliffe, among others. A few of them feature some kids you have probably never heard of before.

Some of the TV shows are comedies loaded with specific music numbers while some will always keep you on the edge of your seat.

In the glut of TV show content, here are the top 5 great new TV shows to keep you warm this winter and listed in no particular order.

The Outsider (HBO, January 12) (Sundays, 9 EST/PST)

The basis for this incredible horror murder/mystery series is Stephen King’s novel published in 2018. The series stars Ben Mendelsohn as a small-town detective who investigates the gruesome murder of a young lad in a small town in Georgia.

All the signs point to none other than Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), the high school baseball coach, as the killer. But additional evidence seems to suggest that the man may have been several miles away during the attack.

“The Outsider” may be a traditional detective/murderer narrative, but it quickly gives way to a multi-layered and creepier supernatural story.

Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”) is also one of the casts whose character provides a more significant take on the murder case.

Sanditon (PBS, January 12) (Sundays, 9 EST/PST)

The final but unfinished novel authored by Jane Austen is brought to life in this remarkable miniseries. It is created by Andrew Davies, the chap that is behind Colin Firth as Mr Darcy, which is the 1995 TV version of “Pride and Prejudice.”

“Sanditon” may be based on several pages of the author’s writing, but a new heroine is introduced, i.e. Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams). Miss Heywood soon learns her lack of sophistication after arriving at the flourishing seaside resort of Sanditon, a place that is full of romantic scheming and capitalist intrigue.

Charlotte has a trusted female confidante, Miss Lambe (Crysta Clarke), the only black character and Sidney Parker (Theo James).

Locke and Key (Netflix, February 7)

This show is based primarily on the comic books authored by Gabriel Rodriguez and Joe Hill. Three siblings move to their family’s ancestral house after the murder of their father. They find the creepy house filled with an evil force and supernaturally-powered keys.

The show is part haunted house story, part murder mystery, and part family drama. “Locke” is a show that is gripping and readily compels kid actors to be fearless heroes.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC, preview January 7) (10 EST/PST), premiere Feb. 16 (Sundays, 9 EST/PST)

This is a musical comedy with a twist. Zoey (Jane Levy, “Suburgatory”) defies an earthquake in an MRI machine and comes out with a surprising ability to hear and understand people’s thoughts through song.

If someone needs help, for instance, the individual sings “Help” (from The Beatles), complete with instrumentals and coordinating dance moves that only Zoey can see and hear

Levy’s charm, along with immense help from the angelically-voiced supporting cast which includes Mary Steenburgen, Skylar Astin, Peter Gallagher, and Lauren Graham, helps to sell this unique concept.

The series has already shown great potential to grow.

Little America (Apple TV+, January 17)

This is an episodic anthology series produced by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the couple behind “The Big Sick.” The show revolves around the lives or experiences of American immigrants.

Each episode of the TV show tells a different story, and each story is obtained from real people that were featured in the articles in Epic magazine. The story covers the issues associated with immigration, right from deportation to unregistered or undocumented status.

This series also paints a much deeper portrait of the individual’s lives which includes embarking on an Alaskan voyage, the highly competitive world of Squash, and baking chocolate cookies.

Since all the episode are based solely on real events, it lends the show an emotional punch that most viewers will relate with.