Favorite New Shows of 2017

I don't know about you, but I can't believe we're already at the end of 2017. This year has gone by so quickly, with so much terrible stuff going on in the world. But we're not here to talk about that stuff, this post is a place to escape from some of the awful we are inundated with on a daily basis. Although, one of these shows in particular was hitting very close to home.

Below is a list of my favorite new shows that debuted in 2017, of the ones that I've been able to watch fully. There's so much TV now that it's impossible to watch everything! An interesting thing to note - all of these series have short seasons rather than the longer ones usually foisted upon broadcast network shows. I think the shorter seasons typically work much better as there isn't so much filler.

The Orville

I fully expected to hate this show. While I'm still not a big fan of Seth MacFarlane as the lead actor on the series, I've gotten used to him, and thankfully the show does a good job of giving side characters more focus in different episodes. They really tried to sell it as a kind of parody of Star Trek, but instead it's much more earnest than that, feeling more like Star Trek than the actual new Star Trek show (which I only have watched 1 episode of because I'm so sick of all these new online pay to watch systems, ugh). It's really creative while also feeling like something comfortable, all peppered in with little bits of humor that are more asides than anything else. If you haven't been sure whether to give it a try, I say do it. It's a lot of fun.

Big Little Lies

The mystery at the center of this series is what really drew me in. I didn't watch it while it first aired, but caught up and was able to binge it pretty quickly. It was nice to see a show featuring female leads, particularly ones that aren't always entirely likable, as it's just more realistic. I also have to admit that I figured out some of the central mystery early on and part of why I binged it so quickly was to see if I was right!

The Handmaid's Tale

I read this book some years ago, but I must admit that I don't really remember much about it. So I was a bit reluctant to watch the show, as I didn't really get too into the book version. However, because the show is able to expand on the world a bit more than the book did, it made the story of June aka Offred all the more poignant. It also feels so relevant to what's going on in the world today, that it felt a little too close to home at times.

Channel Zero: No End House

Technically this is an anthology series, so each season of Channel Zero features a completely new story. The first season was also pretty entertaining, but No End House was much better and just generally more entertaining while also being more creepy. Not to mention that the story is just well-done, with a clear arc for most of the characters. I think if you watch the first episode, you can't help but get drawn in. 

Honorable Mentions: The Gifted, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (both shows I enjoy, but am not caught up on)

Still Unsure About: Legion (this show is a little too weird for me), Runaways (only watched 1 episode so far, so can't really judge yet, but seems like I will enjoy it)

I Wanted to Like You, But You Kinda Sucked: The Defenders (soooo boring, I don't know how I got through it), Inhumans (I barely got through the pilot before just giving up on this completely)

Any new shows you loved that I should check out? Let me know in the comments!

My Favorite New Shows of 2016
My Favorite New Shows of 2015
My Favorite New Shows of 2014
My Favorite New Shows of 2013
My Favorite New Shows of 2012
My Favorite New Shows of 2011