New And Returning Shows We’re Excited For This Year

I love binge-watching shows. It might very well be my favorite pastime right next to eating good food and reading a great book. You give me a free Saturday and a show I’m excited to watch, and I’ll show you the laziest person in the world for however long it takes me to finish the show. If you doubt my skills, I caught up to One Piece back when it was around 750 episodes in about 2-3 months. It’s all I did in my free time. My friends come to me to ask what TV shows are worth watching and which ones I didn’t like all that much. So here are some of the new and returning shows we’re excited about this year. 

New 2023 TV Shows 

The Last of Us

The Last of Us is one of the best video game experiences I have ever had, and I’ve played my fair share of games. There’s a reason it won Game of The Year, Best Narrative, and Best Design when it came out. So for HBO to take on the zombie apocalypse family story that so many of us love both terrifies and excites me. If any streaming service can do this story justice, it’sit’s HBO. The same guy who did Chernobyl is in charge of The Last of Us, so I really do have a lot of faith in this project. Add on to the fact that Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) is Joel, and Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones) is Ellie makes the project even better on paper. 

I’m not going to lie. I don’t think I will watch the season as it airs. I hate zombie shows, as they terrify me. It took so much in me to play the game, and I don’t know if I can handle the jump scares coming our way in the show. I might just wait to muster up the courage and binge the whole thing in one sitting when it’sit’s nice and bright outside.   

Release Date: January 15th

Ahsoka

Ahsoka is the new show I’m most excited about this year. Andor is the best Star Wars property we’ve gotten since the first season of Mandalorian. I have actively avoided every piece of information about this show. I want to go in with the innocence of a small child. The less I know, the better! Ahsoka was the second most hated Star Wars character after Jar Jar Binks when she first appeared in the Clone Wars, but everyone now loves her. She is the GOAT! Ahsoka helped Mandalore when they needed it. She appears in Star Wars Rebels and has some of the best moments in the show. Seeing Ahsoka in live action in the Mandalorian was peak TV. So I cannot wait to see a whole show centered around her. (Be advised. I will be writing about the show when it comes out.) 

Release Date: At some point later this year.

Break Point

Do I care about tennis? Not one bit. But Break Point is from the people who gave us Drive to Survive, so if they can make me care about Formula 1, they might convince me about tennis. I’m interested to see the faux drama they produce with their reality TV editing, but Drive to Survive was a fun entry point into a sport where I had zero knowledge about the rules. Tennis’Tennis’ popularity has been on the rise in the US, and I wonder if Break Point will boost its popularity even more.    

Release Date: January 13th

Returning TV Shows  

The Mandalorian Season 3

We went from a lack of good Star Wars content to an overabundance, and you won’t ever hear me complain. Star Wars steadily put out some of its best content over the last few years, and the catalyst to it all was the first season of The Mandalorian. Andor was the best TV show of last year, and it’s not even close in my book, so I’m excited to see how they further the story of Mando and Grogu in my most anticipated returning show of the year. So much could happen that I’m excited to see what path the show takes. If I’m completely honest with myself, in my heart of hearts, I want to see little Grogu wield the darksaber at some point as a cross between his potential as a Jedi and his Mandalorian heritage. It won’twon’t happen, but I want it so badly.   

Release Date: March 1st

X-Men 97”

When you talk about Saturday morning cartoons, X-Men 97” has to be a part of the conversation. This show was my introduction to the X-Men, which later led to X-Men Evolution and Wolverine and the X-Men. The movies were good too, but I’m a sucker for a good cartoon. So when I heard that they were continuing the story and making new episodes for X-Men 97”, I about lost my sh**. This was one of my favorite shows as a kid, right next to TMNT, Batman the Animated Series (RIP Kevin Conroy), and Spiderman (1994). So you bet your ass that I will be up on a Saturday morning with the sugariest cereal I can find, binging the show like the seven-year-old I am at heart.

Release Date: Fall 2023

The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2

Have you spent an insane amount of time watching voice actors play D&D to get through the pandemic? Same, cause it’s some of the best content out right now. Yes, I am a fellow critter, and when The Legend of Vox Machina dropped, I binged all the episodes. I know they changed some things for the sake of animating it, but I loved the series so much. Seeing the group’s campaign animated for our viewing pleasure felt like an early Christmas gift. I don’t know what to say to convince you to watch this series other than ”GO WATCH IT NOW!” Since they announced season 2, I have had a countdown on my phone. I am bubbling with anticipation and cannot wait much longer.  

Release Date: January 20th 

And if you are looking for more TV show recommendations, then check out our Best Tv Shows from 2022 article.