The Biggest TV Shows To Watch In 2018
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There's less than two months left in 2018 but there's still plenty of great TV to come. As we get ever closer to the next seasons of Stranger Things and Game of Thrones, we can count down to their arrival next year with the likes of the acclaimed spy thriller Little Drummer Girl, the Narcos spin-off Narcos: Mexico, the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and the latest fantasy animation from the great Guillermo Del Toro. So here's the biggest TV shows to watch over the rest of the year...
House of Cards, Season 6
Netflix, November 2
House of Cards was Netflix's first original production and has gone on to become one of the most acclaimed shows of the past decade. There was much uncertainty over the future of the political drama in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations against star Kevin Spacey, but it returns for its final season in November. Spacey is, of course, no longer part the show. His character, Frank Underwood has been killed off, with Underwood's wife Claire (Robin Wright) now taking center stage as US President. Wright's performances have been incredible throughout the show's run, so expect this modern classic to go out with a bang. Can't wait.
Narcos: Mexico
Netflix, November 16
Narcos: Mexico was originally conceived as the fourth season of Netflix's acclaimed crime drama Narcos but was ultimately developed into a standalone spin-off. It charts the origins of the drug war between the US and Mexico, as the cartels rose to great power in the 1980s. Rogue One star Diego Luna plays cartel boss Felix Gallardo, while Ant-Man's Michael Pena is a DEA agent who moves from California to Guadalajara to deal with the rise in drug-related crime. If it's as good as Narcos, then we'll be in for a dark, gripping treat.
Little Drummer Girl
AMC, November 19
South Korean director Chan-Wook Park is best known for acclaimed movies such as Oldboy and Thirst, and Little Drummer Boy sees him move into TV. It's a co-production between AMC and the BBC and is a limited series based on John Le Carre's classic spy novel. It features rising star Florence Pugh as a young actress who is drawn into a world of international espionage after she strikes up a friendship with a mysterious stranger while on holiday. The cast also includes Alexander Skarsgård (Hold The Dark) and Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), and Park's incredible visual style and skill with dark and gripping storytelling makes this a must-see for thriller fans.
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Netflix, November 22
The much-loved Mystery Science Theater 3000 came to an end in 1999 after more the decade of gently mocking some truly terrible B movies. But the show's many fans never gave up hope that it might one day return, and in 2015, a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign paved the way for a new season, which arrived on Netflix last year. A second season is released this month, to coincide with the show's 30th anniversary. As before, we don't know what movies Jonah Heston and the robotic crew of the Satellite of Love will be watching, but we know they will be bad and very, very funny. Can't wait.
Nightflyers
Syfy, December 2
Long before he created the world of Game of Thrones, author George RR Martin wrote the short novel Nightflyers, a sci-fi horror story about a group of scientists who embark on a mission into deepest space to make contact with alien life. The story was adapted into a movie in 1987 and has now been turned into a new TV show by SyFy. This is one of the network's biggest productions to date, and the first trailer suggests that it will be as much a horror story as a space adventure. Boardwalk Empire's Gretchen Mol stars.
3 Below
Netflix, December 21
Guillermo Del Toro's animated Netflix show Trollhunters came to an end this year, after three hugely entertaining seasons. Luckily, fans won't have to wait long for the follow-up, 3 Below, which hits the streaming service next month. This is the second part of Del Toro's fantasy trilogy Tales of Arcadia and is another collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. The show focuses on a pair of aliens who escape their planet after it is taken over by a dictator, and the duo crashland on Earth. Del Toro is one of the greatest fantasy filmmakers working today so expect another imaginative and entertaining family fantasy.
Luther, Series 5
BBC
Fans of Luther were both excited and dismayed when the series returned for a two-episode fourth season in 2015. With a busy actor like Idris Elba playing the title role, sometimes schedules can be tight. That said, it looks like Elba has donned his signature tweed coat for another go-round as brilliant detective John Luther. We don’t know what sort of gruesome crimes he will be investigating, but one thing is for certain: Idris Elba is at his best when the world is at its worst. Right now, John Luther is the hero we need and deserve.