There is one returning TV series many of us are particularly anxious to see, to finally find out if a certain character is or is not really most sincerely dead. Yes, HBO’s “Game of Thrones’’ returns on April 24, and fans — or anyone who glances even cursorily at entertainment sites — will quickly learn whether or not Jon Snow is still in the land of the living. And there are many others excellent returning shows, including History’s “Vikings’’ (Feb. 18), FX’s “The Americans’’ (March 16), and Amazon’s “Catastrophe’’ (April 8), that just can’t premiere soon enough. But TV’s winter season is also packed with promising newcomers as well as last wraps of groundbreaking TV series. Here are some of the highlights.
VINYLAs far as eager anticipation goes, this new series is at the top of my list. The behind-the-scenes talent is formidable and proven, including Mick Jagger, the “Boardwalk Empire’’ pairing of Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter, and George Mastras of “Breaking Bad.’’ The milieu — the coke-fueled rock music business in 1970s New York City — is irresistible, with fictional characters mingling with based-on-real-life characters such as Lou Reed and David Bowie. And the acting talent is promising, with Bobby Cannavale, Olivia Wilde, Juno Temple, and Ray Romano in big roles. Feb. 14, HBO
11.22.63 This eight-part series is Hulu’s most ambitious move yet, with the possibility of bringing more attention and award nominations its way. The drama is based on the novel by Stephen King, who co-executive produces with J.J. Abrams, and it stars James Franco as a Maine high school English teacher who, with encouragement from his sick friend Al (Chris Cooper), travels back in time to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Easy peasy? No, of course not. The past doesn’t like to be changed, and it puts many obstacles — including falling chandeliers — in his way. Feb. 15, Hulu
LOVESo many projects that Judd Apatow has been involved with have been memorable, among them “The Ben Stiller Show,’’ “The Larry Sanders Show,’’ “Freaks and Geeks,’’ “Girls,’’ and theatrical features including “The 40-Year-Old Virgin’’ and “Trainwreck.’’ So I am extremely eager to check out “Love,’’ which he co-created and co-wrote. He has a knack for making stories that are funny and revolve around genuine emotions. The 10-part series, which Netflix has already renewed for a second season, features Paul Rust and Gillian Jacobs (from “Community’’) as a pair of opposites who meet as they’re each coming out of other romantic relationships. Feb. 19, Netflix
HAP AND LEONARD This 1980s-set six-episode series, a genre mix of thriller, mystery, and comedy, is based on characters created by the prolific author Joe R. Lansdale. Michael K. Williams — yup, Omar from “The Wire’’ — plays Leonard, a gay Vietnam veteran with anger issues. And British actor James Purefoy plays Hap, a laborer and ex-convict. Together, the best friends get caught up in criminal activities in their East Texas town. Also in the mix: Christina Hendricks from “Mad Men,’’ as Hap’s ex wife. March 2, Sundance
DOWNTON ABBEY FINALE I’m sorry for our loss. The show that opened the eyes of mainstream TV viewers to the power of British period dramas, the show that put PBS’s scripted programming back on the map and on the awards circuit, the show whose comic repetitions have inspired enough drinking games to keep audiences soused once a week, is leaving the air for good. Of course, rumors of prequel series and feature films are in the air, fueling the hopes and dreams of “Downton Abbey’’ addicts from Cambridge, Mass., to Cambridge, England. March 6, WGBH 2
OF KINGS AND PROPHETS This new series will court controversy, as it tells the biblical story of King Saul (Ray Winstone), the first ruler of Israel, and his future successor, David (Olly Rix). It’s filled with sex and violence, so much so that ABC has said it may offer two cuts of each episode, edited-down versions on TV and racier ones online. Is the explicit material an attention-getting way to sell a mediocre series? We shall see. March 8, ABC
THE PATH Aaron Paul knocked it out of the park as Jesse Pinkman on “Breaking Bad,’’ a role that brought him three Emmys. How is he following up his brilliant turn on one of TV’s best-ever series? In “The Path,’’ he’ll play a man whose family gets caught up in a controversial cult group in upstate New York run by Hugh Dancy’s charismatic leader. It sounds juicy. And it helps that one of the executive producers is Jason Katims, the guy whose last three series — “Friday Night Lights,’’ “Parenthood,’’ and “About a Boy’’ — have all been exceptional. March 30, Hulu
THE RANCH This new multi-camera comedy from Netflix is a “That ’70s Show’’ mini-reunion, as it brings together Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson, a.k.a. Kelso and Hyde. They’re contentious brothers trying to run a ranch in Colorado (cue merry-go-round-shot pot-smoking scenes?) with their father, played by Sam Elliott. What makes me a little curious about the show is the presence of Debra Winger, who plays their mother. She hasn’t done a lot of acting work in recent years, and I’ve missed seeing her. Her great turn in season three of “In Treatment’’ in 2010 was a tease. April 1, Netflix
AMERICAN IDOL FINALEMany of us stopped watching “American Idol’’ somewhere in the later-middle-point of its 15-season run, circa Phillip Phillips. But few of us would deny the impact that the series has had on the TV landscape — and the music landscape — since its 2002 premiere. The finale is bound to be a splashy event, with lots of alums back in the house and, perhaps, some schmaltzy moments from Ryan Seacrest, one of the only constants throughout the entire run. April 7, Fox
THE NIGHT MANAGER The BBC and AMC joined forces to make this six-part adaptation of John le Carre’s 1993 novel. Tom Hiddleston, the British actor who plays Hank Williams in the upcoming “I Saw the Light,’’ stars as a former British soldier recruited by an intelligence operative regarding the secret arms trade. Also in the cast: Hugh Laurie, following up “Veep’’ and, of course, “House’’; Tobias Menzies from “Outlander’’ and “Game of Thrones’’; and Olivia Colman, who was the heart of “Broadchurch.’’ Fingers, as they say, crossed. April 19, AMC
MATTHEW GILBERT
Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert.
