2016 brought us a stream of shows that tugged our hearts, messed with our minds and got us feeling awkward and alive all at the same time. From Divorce to Stranger Things to Westworld to Search Party to the Path to Chance, the titles themselves are intriguingly varied and so too is the subject matter.
One takeaway we did see in 2016 was the power of the TV ensemble--each show didn't rely on solo standout stars, but a cast that met us with life happenings (figuratively and imaginatively) that sucked us in and spun us dry repeatedly, until the next cycle that is.
Dramas were also a big part of the 2016 programming that stuck, with the exception of new sitcoms like American Housewife and Joey Matt Leblanc's most recent effort, Man With A Plan, the majority of the critic and public checkmarks were given to shows with specs of drama-suspense weaved into the narratives and plot lines.
While we await the return of our screen delicacies, we must also leave room for a whole new stack of shows that promise to wow in their own delightful (and freaky) ways. While traditional networks like FOX and NBC continue to push out primetime hits (like Empire and This Is Us, respectively), Netflix, FX, Hulu and even Amazon have become fruitful avenues for new wave creation and distribution; expect to see more of this model in the coming year(s). Here's a selection of shows to watch this year.
Alias Grace (Premieres: TBA/Fall 2017)
Adopted from Margaret Atwood’s novel by the same, Alias Grace is based on the true story of Irish-born Canadian maid and convicted murderer, Grace Marks. While imprisoned Marks strikes up a relationship with a doctor who’s trying to figure out what happened, prodding to see if Marks really did kill her employer and his lover. Production began shooting in August (and has since wrapped) at the helms of Canadian treasure, Sarah Polley, with brilliant stars like Sarah Gadon (who plays Marks), Paul Gross (Passchendaele, Due South), Anna Paquin (True Blood) and Zachary Levi (Chuck) in central roles. A Polley-Atwood coupling is a Canadian dream team worth noting and Atwood is even said to make a cameo in the production. David Cronenberg is also said to appear. The six-part mini series will air on CBC and Netflix.
