Making a Top 10 list for TV shows proved much harder than it was for the movies. Obviously, there are many TV shows to look forward to, but since I started watching more Korean TV, the number of new things doubled. I have to admit that I’m slowly starting to prefer K-content over American or European-produced shows therefore this list will mostly contain Korean TV shows. However the real problem with that is a lot of them are continuations, but they are still NOT confirmed completely. So, I was forced to put them at the end of the list just in case it turns out that they will not premiere this year. The process of choosing the Top 10 for this list relies heavily on personal preference (obviously), but I also looked into shows that look very promising. Of course, just like with anything, there are certain fears and doubts, but alas the excitement is always bigger than to worry in advance. Anyway, let’s dive in!
10. Hellbound Season 2
Created by Yeon Sang-ho
Hellbound is based on a popular webtoon, and it was expected to return for Season 2 in 2022 when they made the announcement. Created by none other than the director of Train to Busan, Yeon Sang-ho, the drama reached very high numbers in its first season and kept the audience in suspense with the ending. The only thing that makes the 2024 release date for Season 2 very questionable is the production announcement trailer that was dropped five months ago by Netflix. Even if they finished filming by now, post-production takes up a huge portion of the series, so this might not arrive till 2025.
Even so, if it does arrive by the end of this year, it is definitely something to look forward to. Korean dramas are excellent in setting up supernatural mysteries, and this one is no exception. There are still many unanswered questions to solve, so fingers crossed we’ll get some answers this year.
9. All Of Us Are Dead Season 2
Created by J.Q. Lee and Kim Nam-Soo
I wrote about the first season here on Couch Soup, so naturally, I am incredibly excited for Season 2. This one was announced exactly a year ago, and many talked about a 2024 release, which hopefully will happen. However, since it is not confirmed yet, it had to land itself in the 9th place because, just like with Hellbound, there’s a possibility that All Of Us Are Dead will only arrive in 2025. I am currently watching season 1 again to refresh my memory, and I have to say this series still packs a big punch.
I constantly find myself worried for the characters (even though I know their fate) and jump out of my skin when close calls happen. The structure of the entire season is also very admirable, to say the least. *Spoilers* if you haven’t seen Season 1, but it ended with the termination of the zombies with a big mighty bomb and the military taking care of the ones who survived somehow. But, the big question lies with the special infectees. The ones who got bitten but didn’t turn, however, gained all the strength, resilience, and, unfortunately, the hunger for human flesh along the way. And their bite can still turn people into zombies. One of the first season’s protagonists, Nam-ra (Cho Yi-hyun) is still out there along with presumably more of the special infectees.
Another outbreak can be assumed for Season 2, possibly this time around taking over Korea completely, but we shall see. Once again, there are many mysteries surrounding the series, and we need answers sooner than later.
8. Gyeongseong Creature Season 2
Created by Jeong Dong-yun
Alright, so this one is definitely coming out this year, AND I think I know the exact date, too. At the end of Season 1 and in the teaser for Season 2, there’s a date on the TV: June 25th. I think that is our release date, folks. It is not confirmed yet, but I think they were sneaky sneaky about it all.
This one is super exciting because they literally released Season 1 as a two-parter in December 2023/January 2024, so when Season 2 arrives (this summer – mark my words), this will be one of the quickest turnarounds. It wouldn’t be surprising either, as we know that they shot the two seasons together so… here’s hoping.
Gyeongseong Creature ended with a time jump, so it will be very exciting to see how it will all be handled going forward.
7. Three Body Problem
Created by Alexander Woo, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Alright… I have – like many others – personal beef with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss because of a certain series *cough* Game of Thrones *cough, cough*. Three Body Problem and all its follow-ups by Cixin Liu are brilliant books. And most importantly it is a fully finished series. Game of Thrones, as we all know, started off really, REALLY great until we reached the end where even though HBO pushed for more seasons, Benioff and Weiss said no… leaving us with a massive disappointment. Probably one of the biggest ones in TV history, to be honest.
My fear with this one is that both of these creators are great storytellers – as long as they are interested in the material. Hopefully, they won’t get “distracted” by other projects, and we won’t receive legendary interviews like:
“Dany kind of forgot about the Iron Fleet.”
I really am trying to swallow my worries here, but it is hard. The trailer looks good; I know the material they are working with is excellent, so at the moment, it seems like we will be fine. The question is… for how long? Sure, the Three Body Problem isn’t as long as Game of Thrones (and also finished, so you know, that’s a good sign), but at this point, who knows? I guess we should wait and see.
6. Shōgun
Created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks
Based on the 1975 novel by the same title by James Clavell, it was time to finally get an adaptation of this book. Stacked with a fantastic cast – please don’t kill Hiroyuki Sanada – and great material to work with, I am hoping this one will turn out to be great.
The novel was a fictionalized version of historical events; connections could be made between real historical figures. Although the series went through some hardships, as its filming was pushed back from 2019 to 2020 and also lost its writer at one point, but it is finally here. The trailer looks amazing and, to be honest, promising, so let’s see what comes out of it. They adapted Clavell’s book once already in 1980 as a mini-series, and it was highly successful.
5. The Bear Season 3
Created by Christopher Storer
If you haven’t watched The Bear yet, what are you doing with your life? Alright, fine, it took me some time to get around to it and watch it, but I got there in the end. I think once I got over the first three episodes of Season 1, I was hooked. The Bear, despite being categorized as a comedy series, is a very heavy drama a lot of times. Sure, it has its more light-hearted moments, but yeah… this ain’t no comedy, my dudes.
It is winning all the awards left and right for a reason. The character moments are well thought out and important; the story is full of everyday things that are able to resonate with the audience. This series speaks volumes to people who have worked in the industry, in restaurants, pubs, kitchens or any kind of catering event. So, as I am one of those people, trust me when I say The Bear reflects real life perfectly.
Season 3 is fortunately still scheduled to come out this year, so whether it will be around spring or autumn, we can for sure look forward to this one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
4. The Acolyte
Created by Leslye Headland
The Star Wars series we’ve all been waiting for. No? Just me? Nah! I don’t think so. This new and exciting project comes a bit out of nowhere, but all together, it is a welcome surprise. It tells the tale of the end of the High Republic era or probably the downfall of it. The thing is, we don’t know too much about its story just yet. One thing to be excited about, though, is that it will be full of Jedi. That in itself is something we haven’t seen in a while, and let’s be fair: we all love the lightsaber warriors.
The other thing going for this series is the incredible cast. Amandla Stenberg, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Carrie Anne-Moss, and none other than Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae.
3. The Penguin
Created by Lauren LeFranc
Seven words:
Colin Farrell is back as The Penguin.
If you didn’t know it yet, The Penguin was the best part of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. This is a fact. Sure, we can potentially swoon over Robert Pattinson too, but the reality is Farrell stole the show. (And Andy Serkis, I will never shut up about Andy Serkis)
But the announcement of The Penguin getting a standalone series definitely wasn’t on people’s bingo cards when they came out of the cinema. Yet here we are. It was originally slated for a 2023 drop, but it got delayed to this year thanks to the reorganization of DC. Either way, it is a true win for us to see the glorious return of Colin Farrell in the role.
2. Avatar – The Last Airbender
Created by Albert Kim
Listen. This would be number one if I am honest, but I have another series drop that just makes me overly happy. But this does too, so you know in reality this one is a tie. I shouldn’t even number these.
Anyway if you grew up watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, this one is a biggie for you all, just like it is for me, because damn, this is easily one of the best animated TV shows you’ll ever watch. It does have some contenders, but you know, still the best.
The only fear we can really have is the adaptation part. Sure, it is already more accurate looking than the abomination we do not talk about here, and I can literally point out the scenes from the trailer that are just the greatest tributes to the series. My biggest worry is the episode numbers. Book one had 21 animated episodes, while the live-action series will only have 10. But those 21 episodes were 25-30 minutes long, so hopefully, these 10 will be 50-60 minutes long.
We’ll see how it all goes, but it is damn good to be an Avatar fan right about now.
1. Sweet Home 3
Created by Park So-Hyun, Jang Young-woo and Lee Eung-bok
So. If you’ve been following my work, you know that I LOVE Sweet Home. I wrote not one but two articles about it.
I was a tiny bit angry with Season 2 simply because it opened up hundreds of questions, and then it ended. It was obviously a mid-season, and thankfully, Season 3 was confirmed for this summer.
Song Kang, who plays the protagonist, just announced his mandatory military service, so it looks like either Season 3 will be the final one or his character will die. It is my honest opinion that Season 3 should be the last one as I think it would benefit the show heavily. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love this show, but just like every other series, it shouldn’t overstay its welcome.
These are the top 10 TV shows you should be excited about this year, in my honest opinion. Do you have your own list? Please do share in the comments!
