The Biggest TV Shows To Watch In 2019

If you thought 2018 was a great year for TV, it's got nothing on what's to come. In 2019, several fan-favorite series will come to an end, while a number of very exciting new shows will premiere, either on TV or via a streaming service.

From the end of Game of Thrones to the launch of the new Twilight Zone from Get Out director Jordan Peele, there's plenty to be excited about. With peak TV breathing down everyone's neck, though, it's hard to figure out exactly what you need to be watching. Imagine getting through 2018 without seeing The Haunting of Hill House or the second season of G.L.O.W.? Can you imagine surviving this year without The Good Place? And, honestly, how were you supposed to know just how good a YouTube Premium series like Cobra Kai could be?

Figuring out what the best TV to spend your time on takes some serious assistance. Luckily for you, we're all about lending a helping hand when it comes to deciding the shows you're not going to want to miss this year, from those that are sure to be new classic comic book adaptations to returning gems like Stranger Things and Veronica Mars. So here's the biggest shows to watch for 2019...

HBO, October 20

There was some surprise when HBO announced it was developing a new TV version of the classic comic book Watchmen, but it seems that, unlike Zack Snyder's movie, this won't be a straight adaptation. Showrunner Damon Lindelof has promised it will "be set in the world its creators painstakingly built, but in the tradition of the work that inspired it, this new story must be original." The cast includes Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, and Tim Blake Nelson.

Hulu, October 23

From It: Chapter 2 to Doctor Sleep, the popularity of Stephen King adaptations shows no sign of stopping. On the small screen, the excellent JJ Abrams-produced Castle Rock returns for Season 2 in October. The show is set in the fictional town used in many King stories and weaves multiple characters and storylines into its narrative. This season tells an entirely new story, and focuses on the terrifying Annie Wilkes, from King's classic novel Misery, who ends up in the town.

Netflix, October 25

The first part of the sixth and final season of the highly acclaimed animated comedy hits Netflix later this month, with the rest arriving in January. Will Arnett returns as the depressed horse who at the end of Season 5 entered a rehab clinic to deal with the drug problems which led him to try and kill his girlfriend Tina. At its best, Bojack Horseman is one of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest shows on TV, so let's hope this is a fitting farewell to a true TV one-off.

HBO, October 27

One of the funniest shows on TV comes to its end this fall. Mike Judge's acerbic look at life amongst a group of developers and tech entrepreneurs has just seven episodes left, so fans better get ready to say goodbye to Richard, Gilfoyle, Dinesh, Big Head and the gang. Silicon Valley has kept up a remarkably high quality level over the past five years, and there's no reason to expect Season 6 will be any less hilarious.

Amazon, November 1

As a director, John Krasinski scored one of last year's biggest horror hits with A Quiet Place, and is currently making the sequel. But he's still active in his day job as an actor and is back for Season 2 of Amazon's Jack Ryan. Krasinski plays the CIA analyst from Tom Clancy's novels, who more often than not finds himself out from behind the desk and on a series of dangerous adventures in a foreign countries. In this second batch of episodes, Ryan heads to South America while tracking an illegal arms shipment. The show also stars Noomi Rapace (Prometheus), Abbie Cornish (Limitless), and Michael Kelly (House of Cards).

November 12, Disney+

Disney launches its streaming service, Disney+, later this year, and unsurprisingly there's a few Star Wars shows on the way to it. The Mandalorian was the first live-action series to be announced, and while we don't know for sure that it will premiere in 2019, it has been in production for several months, so it's a definite possibility. The show is set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, and it will focus on a lone Mandalorian gunfighter, played by Pedro Pascal (Narcos). The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau is the showrunner, and individual episode directors will include Taika Waititi (Thor Ragnarok), Dave Filoni (Star Wars Rebels), and Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard...

November 17, Netflix

Netflix's lavish period drama returns for season 3 in November. Olivia Colman takes over the role of Queen Elizabeth II from Claire Foy, and a new cast will reflect the advancing ages of the characters, as Season 3 will cover a period from 1963 (where the previous season ended) to 1977. Season 3 and 4 have been shot back-to-back, and the line-up for the two seasons include Tobias Menzies (Prince Philip), Helena Bonham Carter (Princess Margaret), Ben Daniels (Lord Snowdon), Josh O'Connor (Prince Charles) and Emma Corrin (Lady Diana Spencer). The first trailer was recently released--check it out here.

Netflix, TBC

When Netflix's lavish adaptation of the popular fantasy series was first announced, showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich suggested that we probably wouldn't see it until 2020. However, the streaming giant recently confirmed that the show would in fact make its debut in 2019--more specifically, in the last three months of the year. Superman star Henry Cavill takes on the lead role as Geralt of Rivia, with Freya Allan (Into the Badlands) as Ciri and Anya Chalotra (Wanderlust) as Yennifer. We're yet to see any official imagery--let alone a trailer--but this early test footage of Cavill shows that he certainly looks the part. Without question, one of the year’s most anticipated shows.

HBO, November 4

This BBC/HBO co-production is the second attempt to adapt Philip Pullman's much-loved trilogy of fantasy novels. But while 2007's movie flop The Golden Compass was a lavish blockbuster that tried to cash in on the popularity of the Lord of the Rings movies, this new TV version look much more faithful. It stars Dafne Keen (Logan), James McAvoy (the X-Men series, Glass), Ruth Wilson (Luther), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns), and follows the adventures of two children as they explore a series of parallel universes. Confidence is clearly high in the new show, as Season 2 has already been commissioned, and while we don't yet have a premiere date for Season 1, it has been confirmed it will happen this year.

Adult Swim, November 10

After two long years, Season 4 of acclaimed animated show Rick & Morty arrives this fall. The dimension-hopping pair return for another 10 episodes of undoubtedly weird, dark, and hilarious misadventures, and while we don't have a confirmed premiere date yet, the first clip was recently released, and features an appearance from Thor Ragnarok director Taika Whatiti. And while we had to wait some time for Season 4, creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland have promised that this will be the last time there will be this long gap between seasons.

Netflix, TBC

Netflix's dark crime drama returns for its third season this fall. The show stars Jason Bateman as a corrupt accountant who launders money for a Mexican drug cartel in the Ozark mountains, with Laura Linney as his equally scheming wife. There were early comparisons to Breaking Bad, but show has now developed its own twisted tone, with unexpected humor and a family drama mixing with the often outrageously violent crime thrills.

Netflix, TBC

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 Halt & Catch Fire's Scoot McNairy joins the cast full-time for Season 2 as DEA agent Walt Breslin. McNairy was the uncredited narrator for Season 1 but will now figure as one of the main characters.