In this era of "peak TV," there is an unprecedented amount of watching options. In fact, the number of original scripted series on American television reached a peak of 455 last year.
So, what can we look forward to early in this new year?
Whitney Friedlander writes about television for Esquire, Complex and Paste. She joined the Frame's John Horn in studio to discuss some of the most talked-about shows making their debut in the coming weeks.
Interview Highlights
The shows generating buzz:
The revival of "Twin Peaks" that Showtime is doing - everything involved with that show, even the release date has been...very kept under wraps. We're probably going to learn about it in the next couple weeks.
Still of cast from Showtime's "I'm Dying Up Here."
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Via Showtime
)
"I'm Dying up Here," which is a Showtime series about comics in the 1970's that's executive produced by Jim Carrey, is getting a lot of buzz. It is a period drama, but it has a lot of amazing talent in it and shows about comics are not necessarily the easiest thing to do because casting something like that...you have to find an actor who's funny, an actor who can be a comic.
Then there's the heavily promoted and hotly anticipated "Young Pope."
"The Young Pope," which is the new HBO show...[starring] Jude Law and Diane Keaton is total Emmy bait. Jude Law is a pope and Diane Keaton as...his essentially personal secretary. How do you not want to watch something like that?
On shows that are winding down:
There's "The Americans," which is finally... after years and years and years, is finally getting some respect. They've already announced that they're winding that show down.
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" on FXX is now in its twelfth season and the female star of that is now on "The Mick," so if "The Mick" does well, what's going to happen with "Always Sunny's" filming? Because those are on related networks - "Mick" is on Fox. They get a little bit of leeway and "Always Sunny" is kind of done on a shoestring budget anyway, but it's like... how much longer can that show go on?
On 2017 television trends:
"Training Day" is certainly an interesting one. They've kind of flipped the roles: Bill Paxton is now the Denzel Washington character. There's also shows like "24: Legacy" which is a remake of the "24" series, which now has a new lead.
Justin Cornwell and Bill Paxton in "Training Day."
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Via CBS
)
All of that is certainly working on the same platform of, this was a successful franchise, what can we do to continue it? Sometimes it does really well. Sometimes like "Limitless" or... "Minority Report," we never know exactly what's going to happen, if the audience is going to care about a TV version of "Training day."
For Whitney Friedlander's complete television preview, click here.