Ambitious adaptation of Hugo Award-winning book 'American Gods', X-Men spin-off series 'Legion' and a gritty take on 'Wizard of Oz' are among the highly-anticipated new shows in the new year.
- Dec 26, 2016
AceShowbiz - With new year always comes new beginnings. For TV channels, it's time to unleash their best programs that will get you hooked as soon as we welcome 2017. And your schedule will only be more colorful with the arrival of a bunch of new scripted TV shows from superhero-themed series to revival, some of which have been eagerly awaited by both critics and audiences.
To help you shorten your list of which freshmen you should tune into, AceShowbiz presents a guide to Must-Watch New TV Series in Midseason 2017. The selected works are divided into three groups based on their tones and genres. Here in the first part, we'll discuss the much-talked about shows, mostly adaptations of famous works that have drawn a lot of attention due to their original works. If you are into comics, classic tales and fantasy stories, then the likes of "American Gods" and "Emerald City" are definitely for you.
AMERICAN GODS
From the network that has enjoyed success with "Outlander" and the man behind "Pushing Daisies" and "Hannibal", "American Gods" went through a lot of obstacles before it comes into fruition, including being passed on by HBO. But Starz and Bryan Fuller finally brought Neil Gaiman's vision to life. The Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel is a blend of ancient and modern mythology, following Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), an ex-convict who works for Wednesday (Ian McShane), a con-man. Unbeknownst to him, Wednesday is actually the god Odin, who is gathering old gods for an epic war against the new gods. Be ready for non-standard TV-show sex scenes as the novel provides the show with dark fantasy material.
EMERALD CITY
This latest reiteration of L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz" is definitely not for children. At the hands of the visionary Tarsem Singh, the filmmaker responsible for moody, visually stunning projects such as "The Cell" and "Mirror Mirror", "Emerald City" is a gritty take on the popular tale. This small-screen adaptation follows 20-year-old Dorothy (Adria Arjona), who is suddenly transported to the mystical land full of magic. In exchange for bubbly and light tone, the fantasy drama series adds a romantic element by exploring Dorothy's relationship with the Scarecrow (Oliver-Jackson Cohen). Yes, you read it right, the two characters are more than just friends on this show. And there's Vincent D'Onofrio as the guileful Wizard, who has an important question for Dorothy, "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"
LEGION
Superheroes have been invading television in the last few years and now mutants finally get their chance to shine on the small screen. "Legion" centers on David Heller (Dan Stevens) whom not all of us are familiar with, but he has a close tie to a famous "X-Men" character, Professor X, in the comic books. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age, he begins to question if the visions and voices in his head are real. Promos for the psychological thriller hint at some mind-bending scenes which require a little bit of extra brain work to digest while at the same time present us with jaw-dropping visuals not every TV show can offer.
MARVEL'S IRON FIST
Based on another Marvel character, "Marvel's Iron Fist" is an upcoming Netflix series that follows Danny Rand (Finn Jones), a martial arts expert with the ability to call upon the power of the Iron Fist. Due to the nature of his abilities, you can expect to see a lot of intricate fighting sequences instead of gun-toting or explosive scenes. An heir who was missing for fifteen years, Danny returns to New York City to reclaim his family company. But when a threat emerges, Danny must choose between his family's legacy and his duties as the Iron Fist. Sharing the same universe with other Marvel-Netflix series, the show will inevitably feature a crossover, with Carrie-Anne Moss already set to reprise her "Marvel's Jessica Jones" role of Jeri Hogarth.
POWERLESS
We have been amazed by Superman, Supergirl, The Flash and many other superheroes alike who become the protector of a certain city. But what if you're a normal person who lives in a town full of super-powered people? Unlike most DC Comics adaptations, "Powerless" captures the life of an employee, Emily (Vanessa Hudgens), who learns that her expectations far exceed those of her new boss (Alan Tudyk) and officemates. As everyone must cope with the collateral damage of superheroes and supervillains, it will be up to her to lead the team toward their full potential and the realization that you don't need superpowers to be a hero. Set within the world of the DC Universe, the show is highly likely to feature familiar superheroes.
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
An adaptation of Lemony Snicket's popular children books, "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is a perfect entertainment for the whole family, with a touch of wickedness, fantasy and adventure. Unlike the 2004 film that left fans feeling disappointed, Neil Patrick Harris, who plays the nefarious Count Olaf, claimed that Netflix's take is "super faithful to the books. I think at times it's shockingly dark." To ensure this, Daniel Handler (the real name of Lemony Snicket) was involved in a lot of things, including helping write the theme song. So mark Friday the 13th of January as the day you'll be able to follow the Baudelaire children as they attempt to escape from Olaf's clutch and uncover dark family secrets.
