Like every year since the second year of television’s existence, most of the midseason premieres are weighed down by stuff you’ve already seen with new window dressings. Some have been run through the copy machine with old character names crossed off and new ones scribbled in, while others are old properties warmed over with familiar, mass-market appeal actors. SFF fans, however, have had a pretty decent 2014-2015 television season so far. If you like superhero/comics, that is. Or bonkers fantasy mysteries that treat plot holes like prime real estate. Lucky for me, I fit squarely into both camps. Ya’ll can have Girls and Survivor and The Blacklist, and I’ll sit over here happily binging on Agent Carter and Sleepy Hollow and Forever.
Of course, not everything came up Milhouse. Gotham has been an increasingly grave disappointment as each episode slips further and further into pointlessness. Constantine has the distinction of premiering with the same structural/character issues currently plaguing season two of Sleepy Hollow, with both shows showing little interest in salvaging themselves from the wreckage. At least we have Agent Carter. Ah, Hayley Atwell, moon of my life, my sun and stars. Hey Marvel, can I trade an Ant-Man movie for more Peggy Carter?
An overview of the good, the bad, and the terrible of early 2015:
Shows with an “*” are new.
Sunday, January 4
*Galavant (ABC, 8p)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, 8:30p)
Downton Abbey (PBS, 9p)
Resurrection (NBC, 9p)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 9:30p)
Monday, January 5
Gotham (Fox, 8p): And I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. was the world’s most boring superhero television show. I have been proven wrong.
Sleepy Hollow (Fox, 9p): Maybe, oh, I dunno, Katrina could maybe do something this season that isn’t inane, unhelpful, or pointless?
Tuesday, January 6
*Agent Carter (ABC, 9p):
Forever (ABC, 10p): My numero uno guilty pleasure.
Person of Interest (CBS, 10p): One of these days I’m finally going to get around to watching this. One of these days.
Wednesday, January 7
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX, 10p)
Thursday, January 8
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8p): Every day I dislike this show more and more.
Archer (FX, 10p)
Elementary (CBS, 10p): Every day I like this show more and more.
Portlandia (IFC, 10p)
Sunday, January 12
Castle (ABC, 10p)
Tuesday, January 13
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 8p): It makes my soul hurt to think this is the final season. I think I’m dying.
Wednesday, January 14
Criminal Minds (CBS, 9p)
Nova (PBS, 9p)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FXX, 10p)
Broad City (Comedy Central, 10:30p)
Friday, January 16
Constantine (NBC, 8p): Here’s hoping the remaining eps improve in the new year. Drastically improve.
*12 Monkeys (Syfy, 9p): Syfy clearly wants this to be their next BSG, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’ll be more like Z Nation.
Grimm (NBC, 9p)
Helix (Syfy, 10p)
The Fall (Netflix)
Saturday, January 17
The Musketeers (BBC America, 9p)
Monday, January 19
The Originals (CW, 8p): This and Vampire Diaries are the vampire/werewolf/witch show you’ve been waiting for.
Jane the Virgin (CW, 9p): Easily one of the best new non-SFF shows on TV. Absolutely adorbs.
*The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (Comedy Central, 11:30p): Counting Neil deGrasse Tyson’s announced-but-not-shot new late night show, Star Talk, of the 22 late night hosts, we officially have 4 PoC. Now if only we had some women and LGBTQ people with hosting duties…
Tuesday, January 20
The Flash (CW, 8p): Barry Allen, you have exceeded my expectations more than I ever could’ve hoped.
Supernatural (CW, 9p): Once again, I’ll be reviewing Supernatural a few eps at a time.
Justified (FX, 10p): Dude, Tuesday is a night full of difficult television choices. There’s just sooo much on. It’s impossible to choose!
Wednesday, January 21
Arrow (CW, 8p): I can’t wait to see how they mix mystical Ra’s al Ghul with the show’s down-to-earth-ness. It’ll be a great test for how they’ll do with having CBS’ Supergirl in the same universe as CW’s Arrow and Flash.
The 100 (CW, 9p)
Thursday, January 22
Vampire Diaries (CW, 8p): If you like paranormal romance, you’re in luck!
Reign (CW, 9p): Historical romance mixed with fantasy. It’s like the YA network TV version of Outlander.
*Backstrom (Fox, 9p): Oh joy. We haven’t had a dramedy about a grumpy genius male antihero solving impossible cases in literally days.
Saturday, January 24
Black Sails (Starz, 9p)
Wednesday, January 28
The Americans (FX, 10p)
Thursday, January 29
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC, 9p): BEST. EVER.
Thursday, February 5
*Allegiance (NBC, 10p): Why bother with the network knockoff when you could just watch The Americans?
Sunday, February 8
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9p): Yep, I’m still reviewing it.
*Better Call Saul (AMC, 10p): *sigh* I miss Breaking Bad.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO, 11p)
Thursday, February 19
*The Odd Couple (CBS, 10p): Only including this because I’m in the midst of a massive Friends marathon and I want all the Matthew Perry (and Thomas Lennon) I can get.
Vikings (History Channel, 10p)
Friday, February 27
House of Cards (Netflix): GIVE ME ALL THE KEVIN SPACEY YOU HAVE.
Saturday, February 28
*The Good Witch (Hallmark, 8p)
Sunday, March 1
Once Upon a Time (ABC, 8p)
Bates Motel (A&E, 9p)
*Secrets and Lies (ABC, 9p)
*The Last Man on Earth (Fox, 9:30p): Will Forte!
*Battle Creek (CBS, 10p)
The Returned (A&E, 10p)
Tuesday, March 3
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC, 9p)
Monday, March 4
*CSI: CYBER (CBS, 8p):
Broadchurch (BBC America, 10p): Let’s pretend the American version was some collective nightmare and forget it existed by watching season 2 of David Tennant and Olivia Colman be awesome.
Friday, March 6
*Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Tuesday, March 17
*iZombie (CW)
Friday, March 20
*Bloodline (Netflix)
Thursday, March 26
Bones (Fox, 8p)
Tuesday, March 31
*Weird Loners (Fox, 9:30p)
Saturday, April 4
Outlander (Starz, 9p): Oh Jamie! *swoons*
Friday, April 10
Daredevil (Netflix): I’m very excited about this. Not as excited as I am for Luke Cage, but muchly so.
The Messengers (CW)
Sunday, April 12
Game of Thrones (HBO, 9p)
Saturday, April 18
Orphan Black (BBC America, 9p)
Thursday, May 14
*Wayward Pines (Fox, 9p)
TBA
Beauty and the Beast (late May or early June)
Hannibal (late spring)
Louie (spring)
Turn
The Whispers
And that concludes our brief tour of what’s new and what’s looming in the near future—let us know which shows you’re looking forward to (or dreading) in the comments…
Alex Brown is an archivist, research librarian, writer, geeknerdloserweirdo, and all-around pop culture obsessive who watches entirely too much TV. Keep up with her every move on Twitter, or get lost in the rabbit warren of ships and fandoms on her Tumblr.
