The Most Anticipated New and Returning Television Shows of 2023
In this new golden age of television, there are thousands of options streaming across dozens of platforms. Here is FilmSpeak’s preview of some of the highlights of the upcoming year.
In the current age of television, it’s easy to get lost in what can seem like an endless barrage of buzz-worthy television, with so many shows, and so many services, all at once. Fear not! The team here at FilmSpeak have compiled both the biggest returning and debuting series gracing your televisions at some point, during 2023.
DEBUTING: The Last of Us (HBO)
HBO’s first series of the year comes in the form of the highly-anticipated adaptation of the beloved video game. The series will follow Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they make their way through a post-apocalyptic America, in search of ailing hope for a better future. Audiences are more than familiar with Pascal playing a grizzled father of a pseudo-adoptee, and The Last of Us will provide audiences with a darker spin on this genre. The game’s creator, Neil Druckmann and Chernobyl’s Craig Mazin serve as showrunners.
The Last of Us premieres January 16th on HBO.
DEBUTING: Poker Face (Peacock)
Fresh off the release of Glass Onion, Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne are bringing Poker Face to Peacock. Lyonne will play Charlie Cale, in what’s been described by Johnson as a return to the “mystery of the week” format for television. Joining Lyonne is a large ensemble cast spread across the series’ ten episodes, including frequent Johnson collaborators Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Noah Segan, recent breakouts Stephanie Hsu and Hong Chau, longtime TV mainstays Simon Helberg and Dascha Polanco, and veteran presences such as Adrien Brody, Benjamin Bratt, and Ron Perlman.
Poker Face is sure to bring no shortage of laughs and thrills when it premieres January 26th on Peacock.
DEBUTING: Shrinking (Apple TV+)
2023 is shaping up to be a big year for the team behind Ted Lasso, with both the release of Lasso’s third season, and the premiere of Shrinking, an original comedy series, which follows a veteran therapist who grows tired of sugarcoating his clients’ issues, and decides to break the rules of therapy and begins to directly tell his clients what he thinks. Who better to convey this level of bluntness than the one and only Harrison Ford? Ford is joined by Jason Segel, no stranger to comedy television, who also serves as a showrunner on the series alongside Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein. Shrinking, with its golden premise, lead actor, and creative team, will no doubt fill the Ted Lasso void that so many viewers need filled.
Shrinking premieres with two episodes January 27th, on Apple TV+.
DEBUTING: Daisy Jones and the Six (Prime Video)
Daisy Jones and the Six, based off the popular novel of the same name, is set to be one of Amazon Prime’s biggest releases this year. The series follows the inception and rise of a popular rock band throughout the 1970’s, and through a documentarian angle, reveals why the group split up at the peak of their success. Riley Keough stars as the titular Daisy Jones, with Sam Claflin, Suki Waterhouse, Camila Morrone, and Timothy Olyphant co-starring. With the large following of the book, and the inviting premise, Daisy Jones and the Six should prove to be a big hit for Prime Video.
Daisy Jones and the Six premieres March 3rd on Prime Video.
DEBUTING: The Idol (HBO)
The Idol marks the second production from Sam Levinson and A24 with HBO. The Idol is set to follow Jocelyn, (Lily-Rose Depp) a popular pop singer who suffers a major downfall in her career, and in an attempt to reclaim her fame, becomes involved with Tedros, (The Weeknd) a popular influencer, who also happens to be a cult leader. An ensemble made up of Rachel Sennott, Dan Levy, Hank Azaria, and the late Anne Heche in her final television role. From the synopsis alone, The Idol sounds to be as chaotic and wild as Levinson’s other work.
The Idol premieres at some point in 2023 on HBO.
DEBUTING: Secret Invasion (Disney+)
After more than a decade of supporting roles in the Marvel Universe, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury will finally have a chance to headline his own project, coming in the form of Secret Invasion. Described as a paranoia thriller, Secret Invasion sees an offshoots of the Skrull race, first introduced in Captain Marvel, infiltrating every level of Earth’s society, effectively creating a series full of plot twists. Secret Invasion is based off the comic event of the same name, which followed a largely similar invasion-centric plotline, in which the identities of existing characters are assumed by Skrulls, creating a large guessing game. The show seems to be taking a more grounded approach to the story, swapping a “who’s who” game of Avengers for a tangible, political, paranoia thriller. However, Nick Fury is not alone in his fight. Marvel mainstays Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, Martin Freeman, and Ben Mendelsohn, are all slated to be prominent players as the series unfolds, with award winners Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke making their Marvel debuts.
Secret Invasion launches Spring 2023 on Disney+.
DEBUTING: Lucky Hank (AMC)
Bob Odenkirk’s incredibly successful tenure on the AMC Network looks to continue with Lucky Hank. Formerly titled “Straight Man,” the show has been described as something of a “mid-life crisis journey,” with Odenkirk as the lead. William Henry “Hank” Devereaux Jr (Odenkirk) is said to be the unlikely head appointee of a college’s English department. Odenkirk is joined by Mireille Enos, (The Killing) who will play his wife.
Lucky Hank debuts March 19th on AMC.
DEBUTING: Love and Death (HBO Max)
In a time where limited series retelling true crime events are all the buzz, HBO offers Love and Death. Coming from producer extraordinaire, David E. Kelley, Love and Death follows the true story of Candy Montgomery, (Elizabeth Olsen) a Texan housewife accused of murdering her friend Betty Gore, (Lily Rabe) in the suburban 1980. Olsen is joined by Jesse Plemons, Krysten Ritter, and Tom Pelphrey in the limited series.
Love and Death comes to HBO Max in the Spring of 2023.
DEBUTING: Shogun (FX/Hulu)
FX’s Shogun currently stands as one of the network’s longest developed projects. First announced in 2018, Shogun’s first form of a “greenlight” came during its inclusion at FX’s presentation during Disney’s 2020 Investors Day. Shogun, based off the novel of the same name, follows John Blackthorne, (Cosmo Jarvis) an English sailor shipwrecked in Japan, where he becomes involved with Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) a veteran daimyo, battling many political and criminal adversaries, and Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai), a well skilled woman with a mysterious and dishonorable family past, who yearns to prove herself in the feudal climate. Shogun boasts a largely native Japanese cast, marking a major achievement for a live action American network series.
Audiences can expect a thrilling period drama when Shogun premieres later this year on FX.
DEBUTING: Extrapolations (Apple TV+)
Extrapolations has been one of the longest tenures of development at Apple TV+ since the streamer’s inauguration. Hailing from creator Scott Z. Burns, (Contagion, The Report) the series is a climate change anthology, sporting an ensemble that would be an understatement to call an embarrassment of riches, headlined by the likes of Meryl Streep, Edward Norton, Forest Whitaker, and Marion Cotillard.
Extrapolations debuts at some point in 2023 on Apple TV+.
DEBUTING: Citadel (Prime Video)
Despite the mixed reception to The Gray Man, The Russo Brothers return with another foray into the spy genre with Citadel, which has been described as an action-packed globe trotter. Citadel is intended to serve as a franchise starter, with both Indian and Italian spinoffs in development on respective local services, in order to flesh out Citadel’s world of espionage. Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra, and Stanley Tucci headline the flagship series, as agents of the titular intelligence agency.
Citadel launches 2023 on Prime Video.
DEBUTING: Gen V (Prime Video)
Amazon looks to expand the success of The Boys with Gen V, a spin-off series to the superhero satire. The series is said to follow young adult “Supes” as they train to be full-time “superheroes” at the University of Crimefighting, headed up by Vought International, the multi-media and superhero conglomerate whose debauchery audiences are no stranger to at this point. The series’ superhero students are said to go through the University facing “Hunger Games styled challenges” on their quests to become full-time supes. The first look images already set Gen V in line with The Boys tonally, with the series’ now almost synonymous connection to blood-clad faces, sported this time by Jaz Sinclair. (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
Gen V is set to follow a new, younger main cast, but fans can expect appearances from the cast of The Boys as well, with supe A-Train, (Jessie Usher) and newly appointed CEO of Vought, Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) in supporting capacities.
Gen V is sure to make its mark, debuting on Prime Video later this year.
RETURNING: Succession (HBO)
Now entering its fourth season, Succession seems to have retained every bit of the razor sharp tensions that have made the show so lastingly successful. Following the failed coup staged by the core Roy siblings (Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin) to usurp control of the family business, Logan Roy (Brian Cox) is once again in full control of Waystar Royco, with the Roy siblings presumably attempting to regain some semblance of control amidst the changing corporate crisis. Season 4 also sees Matthew MacFayden as Tom Wambgsans, the role of which he recently won the Emmy Award for portraying in Season 3.
Succession returns to HBO, Spring 2023.
RETURNING: The Mandalorian (Disney+)
After a long hiatus from its second season, The Mandalorian is back. Well, at least in his own show this time. Season 3 of The Mandalorian follows Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) reconnected with his fan favourite adoptee, Grogu, on a path of redemption and to discover what kind of Mandalorian he really is, following his banishment from his clan during the events of The Book of Boba Fett. Series showrunner Jon Favreau has promised fans the newest season is bigger in scope and scale than the other seasons, teasing many more Mandalorians, space battles, and surprises ahead.
The Mandalorian returns March 1st, on Disney+.
RETURNING: Barry (HBO)
Bill Hader’s darkly-comedic tour-de-force returns for its fourth, and seemingly final season this year. Season 4 will follow Barry, (Hader) now imprisoned, after the ending of Season 3. Hader, who writes and directs all episodes of Season 4, has been purposefully mum on more plot details. However, Hader has teased that fans will get to see more of Barry’s direct journey to prison, and that the show’s supporting characters, NoHo Hank, (Anthony Carrigan) and Sally, (Sarah Goldberg) will “catch Barry’s murderous disease.” An exact release date is yet to be confirmed, but a release date prior to May 2023 would ensure the series Emmy eligibility, which HBO would likely not pass up.
Barry returns to HBO, Spring of 2023.
RETURNING: Loki (Disney+)
The first of the Marvel Studios streaming series to return with a second season, Loki aims to continue charting new ground in the Marvel Universe. In Season 2, Loki, (Tom Hiddleston) re-teams with Mobius, (Owen Wilson) and the Time Variance Authority, to salvage the agency from the seemingly catastrophic consequences of Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) at the end of the first season. Joining the series are Ke Huy Quan and Rafael Casal, the former of whom is coming off a career resurgence following his work in another multiversal story, Everything Everywhere All at Once. Series creatives have promised that Loki’s second outing will chart new emotional ground and further connect to the larger Marvel universe.
Loki returns Summer 2023 on Disney+.
RETURNING: The Bear (FX/Hulu)
FX found a major hit on its hands with The Bear in 2022. The series follows the highs and lows of the employees of a popular Chicago sandwich shop. The Bear has been acclaimed for its depiction of the modern culinary world, with its stresses and nuances galore. Season 2 will see Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) opening and running a new restaurant, which shares the name of the title.
Season 2 will premiere on FX and will be available to stream on Hulu sometime in 2023.
RETURNING: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Ted Lasso’s third, and supposedly final season, comes off its major string of Emmy wins in 2022. The third season follows AFC Richmond in their continued pursuit of glory, with its titular coach (Jason Sudeikis) at the helm. Season 3 will follow up on Season 2’s ending, which saw assistant coach Nate Shelley, (Nick Mohammed) leaving Richmond for West Ham, amidst a rift with Ted, moving into a more antagonistic role. It’s safe to say that the next batch of Lasso will bring the same earnestness and comedy that have helped solidify the show’s identity.
Ted Lasso will premiere on Apple TV+ sometime this year.
RETURNING: Sex Education (Netflix)
Netflix’s Sex Education is back with its fourth season, which sees its main cast in a new setting. The once Moordale students are now attending a new school, described as high-tech and wellness-oriented, a departure from the setting of previous seasons. Despite many cast members departing the series, a bulk of the series’ core cast are returning, including the new Dr. Who, Ncuti Gatwa, and Emma Mackey, whose character Maeve is now at an American university, mentored by a professor, (Dan Levy) and maintaining a long-distance relationship with Otis. (Asa Butterfield)
Sex Education returns to Netflix during 2023.
RETURNING: Only Murders In The Building (Hulu)
The now-iconic trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez will be joined by Paul Rudd in Only Murders’ third season. Season 3 will follow the podcasting trio investigating the murder of Broadway star Ben Glenroy (Rudd) at the end of the series’ second season.
In typical Only Murders fashion, there will be comedy and intrigue galore, when the third season arrives on Hulu later this year.
RETURNING: The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
The Morning Show remains one of the few flagship Apple TV series on the air, and has a lot to prove with its third season. Set to arrive about two years after its second season, which was met with middling reviews, The Morning Show is back, with a set of new producers and showrunners, likely eager to return to the heights of Season One. Season 2 chronicled a in-universe buildup to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the tail end of the season taking place during the height of pandemic lockdowns. It is unclear as to what timeframe the third season will be set in, but it’s safe to say that fans can expect much of the same inter-character drama that previous seasons have brought. The third season is adding two new regular cast members, in the form of Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie. Hamm is set to play Paul Marks, a business magnate set on acquiring UBA, the in-universe network in which the titular morning show airs, creating a source of tension for the series to move forward with.
The Morning Show returns 2023 on Apple TV+.
RETURNING: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series returns with its fourth and easily most “meta” season yet. Worlds will collide when the original cast of the High School Musical returns to East High to shoot a “High School Musical 4: The Reunion,” with The Series’ young cast playing background roles in the production, while simultaneously putting on their own production of High School Musical 3 as a stage musical, all while addressing the fallout of the in-series documentary featuring the series’ cast being released at the end of Season 3. As previously stated, the show has reached new levels of meta. Fans of the original movie series can rejoice, with original stars Corbin Bleu, Monique Colman, and Lucas Grabeel all appearing as themselves for the season, as well as reprising their original roles in-universe, with creators teasing other cameos from original cast members throughout the season.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series returns in 2023 on Disney+.
RETURNING: The Boys (Prime Video)
Amazon’s smash-hit superhero series has taken on an identity of its own, getting gorier, bloodier, and even more maniacal with every passing season. Following the ending of Season 3, The Boys, now joined by Starlight, (Erin Moriarty) will once again contend with the villainous Homelander, (Antony Starr) who is as unhinged as ever, and Congresswoman Victoria Neuman, (Claudia Domit) who poses a political challenge. The cast and crew have teased that the series reaches new levels of insanity, which at this point, is to be expected.
The Boys should reach screens on Prime Video sometime late 2023.