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- Why 2023 Was a Huge Year for New TV Shows
- 50 Upcoming TV Shows To Watch In 2023
- 1. The Last of Us
- 2. Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches
- 3. Velma
- 4. That ’90s Show
- 5. Night Court
- 6. Accused
- 7. Poker Face
- 8. Shrinking
- 9. Lockwood & Co.
- 10. Dear Edward
- 11. The Company You Keep
- 12. Liaison
- 13. Daisy Jones & The Six
- 14. School Spirits
- 15. Extrapolations
- 16. Swarm
- 17. The Night Agent
- 18. Rabbit Hole
- 19. The Big Door Prize
- 20. Beef
- 21. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
- 22. Tiny Beautiful Things
- 23. Florida Man
- 24. The Last Thing He Told Me
- 25. Mrs. Davis
- 26. Dead Ringers
- 27. Love & Death
- 28. Citadel
- 29. A Small Light
- 30. Bupkis
- 31. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
- 32. Silo
- 33. City on Fire
- 34. XO, Kitty
- 35. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
- 36. The Idol
- 37. Based on a True Story
- 38. The Crowded Room
- 39. Secret Invasion
- 40. Full Circle
- 41. Justified: City Primeval
- 42. Special Ops: Lioness
- 43. Twisted Metal
- 44. Painkiller
- 45. One Piece
- 46. Ahsoka
- 47. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
- 48. Gen V
- 49. Lessons in Chemistry
- 50. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
- Major TV Trends Behind The 2023 Lineup
- How To Choose What To Watch First
- Viewing Experiences: What It Felt Like To Follow 50 Upcoming TV Shows In 2023
- Conclusion
Television in 2023 did not politely knock on the door. It kicked it open, dropped a dozen streaming passwords on the floor, and asked, “So, are we watching zombies, witches, spies, chefs, superheroes, detectives, or emotionally damaged rich people today?” The answer, naturally, was yes.
From prestige dramas and video game adaptations to comfort sitcoms, glossy fantasy, true-crime thrillers, and franchise spin-offs, the 2023 TV calendar was packed with new stories competing for attention. Some arrived with giant fan bases already attached, while others sneaked in quietly and became word-of-mouth favorites. The common thread? Viewers had more choices than ever, and their watchlists began looking less like entertainment plans and more like part-time jobs.
This guide highlights 50 upcoming TV shows that hit screens in 2023, focusing on real series premieres, reboots, limited series, and major franchise launches across Netflix, HBO, Max, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, Paramount+, AMC, FX, and broadcast networks. Whether you love post-apocalyptic heartbreak, courtroom tension, young-adult fantasy, murder mysteries, or shows where everyone has fabulous coats and terrible secrets, 2023 had something ready to steal your evening.
Why 2023 Was a Huge Year for New TV Shows
The best upcoming TV shows of 2023 reflected a changing entertainment world. Streaming platforms were no longer just bonus libraries for old favorites; they were the main battleground for prestige storytelling. At the same time, traditional networks still pushed reliable formats like legal dramas, procedurals, sitcom revivals, and competition shows. The result was a wild mix: expensive science fiction on one tab, cozy comedy on another, and a murder mystery waiting patiently in the corner with suspiciously dramatic lighting.
Another major trend was adaptation. In 2023, many of the biggest TV releases came from books, video games, podcasts, comics, films, or established franchises. The Last of Us proved that video game stories could become emotionally powerful television. Daisy Jones & The Six turned a bestselling novel into a fictional rock documentary. One Piece brought a beloved manga and anime world into live action. Percy Jackson and the Olympians gave a famous fantasy book series another chance to win over fans.
Of course, not every show needed a built-in fan army. Original series like Poker Face, Shrinking, Silo, The Big Door Prize, and The Diplomat earned attention by offering sharp concepts, strong casts, and the kind of “just one more episode” energy that turns a quiet Tuesday into a 2 a.m. negotiation with your alarm clock.
50 Upcoming TV Shows To Watch In 2023
1. The Last of Us
HBO’s The Last of Us arrived as one of the most anticipated shows of 2023. Based on the acclaimed video game, it followed Joel and Ellie across a devastated America, blending survival horror with heartbreaking human drama. It was not simply “the zombie show”; it was the emotional damage show with excellent production values.
2. Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches
AMC expanded its Anne Rice universe with this supernatural drama about a neurosurgeon who discovers she belongs to a powerful family of witches. Gothic family secrets, dangerous powers, and moody New Orleans atmosphere made it a natural pick for viewers who like their drama with a candlelit curse.
3. Velma
Max’s adult animated take on Velma Dinkley reimagined the famous mystery-solver with a more irreverent tone. The show stirred plenty of discussion, proving once again that Scooby-Doo-related content can still make the internet bark loudly.
4. That ’90s Show
Netflix brought back the basement hangout energy with That ’90s Show, a sequel series connected to That ’70s Show. Nostalgia, teen chaos, and familiar faces helped make it a comfort-watch candidate for viewers who still remember dial-up internet like a war story.
5. Night Court
NBC revived the classic sitcom with a new generation of courtroom comedy. With Melissa Rauch leading the cast and John Larroquette returning, Night Court aimed for old-school broadcast charm in a streaming-heavy world.
6. Accused
Fox’s anthology drama Accused presented a different criminal case each episode, showing how ordinary people arrive at extraordinary legal trouble. The format gave viewers self-contained moral puzzles without asking them to memorize seven timelines and a prophecy.
7. Poker Face
Peacock’s Poker Face starred Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, a human lie detector wandering through murder-of-the-week mysteries. Created by Rian Johnson, it revived the pleasures of classic case-solving TV with a stylish modern wink.
8. Shrinking
Apple TV+ delivered a warm, funny therapy-centered comedy with Shrinking. Jason Segel played a grieving therapist who starts telling clients exactly what he thinks, while Harrison Ford brought dry humor so sharp it could slice through a couch cushion.
9. Lockwood & Co.
Netflix’s supernatural adventure followed teenage ghost hunters in an alternate London plagued by spirits. With mystery, danger, and youthful rebellion, it appealed to viewers who like fantasy worlds where children are somehow more competent than every adult in the room.
10. Dear Edward
Apple TV+ adapted Ann Napolitano’s novel into a tender drama about a boy who survives a plane crash and the people connected by the tragedy. Emotional, character-driven, and reflective, it was built for viewers who enjoy heartfelt stories with tissues nearby.
11. The Company You Keep
ABC’s romantic crime drama starred Milo Ventimiglia as a con man whose personal life becomes tangled with a CIA officer. It mixed undercover tension with relationship complications, because apparently dating is not stressful enough without federal secrets.
12. Liaison
Apple TV+ entered spy-thriller territory with Liaison, starring Vincent Cassel and Eva Green. The series combined cyberattacks, espionage, and old romantic history, making it ideal for fans of sleek European tension.
13. Daisy Jones & The Six
Prime Video adapted Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel into a music-driven limited series about a fictional 1970s rock band. With backstage drama, complicated chemistry, and original songs, it gave viewers a band breakup they could obsess over without buying concert tickets.
14. School Spirits
Paramount+ mixed teen drama with supernatural mystery in School Spirits. The story followed a dead high school student trying to solve her own disappearance from the afterlife, which is certainly one way to make detention worse.
15. Extrapolations
Apple TV+ assembled a starry cast for this climate-focused anthology drama. Set across a near-future timeline, Extrapolations explored how environmental change could reshape relationships, politics, health, and survival.
16. Swarm
Prime Video’s Swarm delivered a dark, satirical look at celebrity obsession and fandom culture. Co-created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the show was strange, sharp, and deeply uncomfortable in exactly the way it intended.
17. The Night Agent
Netflix found a major thriller hit with The Night Agent, a fast-paced conspiracy series about an FBI agent pulled into a dangerous plot. It was the kind of show designed for viewers who say “one episode” and then accidentally watch six.
18. Rabbit Hole
Paramount+ put Kiefer Sutherland back into conspiracy-thriller mode with Rabbit Hole. The series followed a corporate espionage expert framed for murder, giving fans plenty of paranoia, double-crosses, and urgent hallway walking.
19. The Big Door Prize
Apple TV+ offered a quirky small-town comedy about a mysterious machine that reveals people’s life potential. The Big Door Prize mixed humor, identity questions, and existential panic in a charming package.
20. Beef
Netflix’s Beef turned a road-rage incident into a blistering study of anger, class, loneliness, and revenge. Starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, it became one of the most talked-about new shows of 2023.
21. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
Paramount+ expanded the Grease universe with a musical prequel about the formation of the Pink Ladies. It brought 1950s style, teen rebellion, and plenty of choreography to the small screen.
22. Tiny Beautiful Things
Hulu adapted Cheryl Strayed’s work into a heartfelt series starring Kathryn Hahn as a writer whose own messy life informs her advice column. It was funny, painful, and emotionally honest in the way good advice often is.
23. Florida Man
Netflix leaned into crime comedy with Florida Man, a twisty story involving a disgraced ex-cop, a missing girlfriend, and the Sunshine State’s unmatched talent for bizarre headlines.
24. The Last Thing He Told Me
Apple TV+ adapted Laura Dave’s bestselling novel into a mystery thriller starring Jennifer Garner. The story followed a woman searching for answers after her husband disappears, leaving behind secrets and a cryptic message.
25. Mrs. Davis
Peacock’s Mrs. Davis was one of 2023’s strangest delights: a nun battling an all-powerful artificial intelligence. It combined faith, technology, absurd comedy, and adventure into a show that refused to behave normally.
26. Dead Ringers
Prime Video reimagined David Cronenberg’s psychological thriller with Rachel Weisz playing twin gynecologists. Dark, stylish, and unsettling, Dead Ringers was not exactly “light background viewing while folding laundry.”
27. Love & Death
Max dramatized the true-crime story of Candy Montgomery with Elizabeth Olsen in the lead role. Love & Death offered suburban tension, religious-community pressure, and a violent case that has fascinated audiences for decades.
28. Citadel
Prime Video’s expensive spy series Citadel starred Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as agents caught in a globe-trotting espionage war. The show aimed big, with action, romance, memory loss, and franchise ambition.
29. A Small Light
National Geographic’s limited series told the story of Miep Gies, who helped hide Anne Frank and her family during World War II. A Small Light brought historical courage into focus through intimate human drama.
30. Bupkis
Peacock’s Bupkis gave Pete Davidson a fictionalized version of his own life, blending celebrity satire, family comedy, and self-aware chaos. It was loose, odd, and very much built around Davidson’s personality.
31. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Netflix expanded the Bridgerton universe with a prequel centered on Queen Charlotte’s rise and romance. Elegant costumes, palace intrigue, and emotional storytelling helped it become a major event for period-drama fans.
32. Silo
Apple TV+ delivered strong science fiction with Silo, adapted from Hugh Howey’s novels. Set in a massive underground community, the series explored truth, control, survival, and the danger of asking too many questions.
33. City on Fire
Apple TV+ adapted Garth Risk Hallberg’s novel into a mystery drama involving a shooting in Central Park and a web of connected New Yorkers. It offered crime, music, privilege, and city secrets.
34. XO, Kitty
Netflix spun off the To All the Boys universe with XO, Kitty, following Kitty Song Covey to an international school in Seoul. Romance, identity, and teen confusion were all on the syllabus.
35. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Max turned the famous Gremlins franchise into an animated origin adventure. Cute creature? Yes. Potential disaster? Also yes. Basic rule: never trust anything adorable after midnight.
36. The Idol
HBO’s The Idol became one of the year’s most discussed releases before and after its premiere. Set inside the pop music industry, it mixed fame, control, scandal, and controversy into a glossy drama.
37. Based on a True Story
Peacock’s dark comedy starred Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina as a couple who see opportunity in America’s true-crime obsession. It asked what happens when podcast culture meets extremely poor decision-making.
38. The Crowded Room
Apple TV+ released this psychological crime drama starring Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried. The series explored trauma, investigation, and identity through a dark, mystery-driven structure.
39. Secret Invasion
Disney+ brought Marvel’s Nick Fury into a paranoia-heavy story about shapeshifting Skrulls infiltrating Earth. Secret Invasion traded some superhero spectacle for spy tension and trust issues.
40. Full Circle
Max’s Full Circle, from Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon, connected a botched kidnapping to layered secrets across New York. The limited series offered crime drama with a social conscience and a strong ensemble cast.
41. Justified: City Primeval
FX brought back Raylan Givens in Justified: City Primeval. The sequel series sent the laconic lawman into a new case in Detroit, proving that a good hat and a sharp line can still do serious television work.
42. Special Ops: Lioness
Paramount+ entered military thriller territory with Taylor Sheridan’s Special Ops: Lioness. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, and Laysla De Oliveira, it focused on undercover operations, loyalty, and the cost of national-security work.
43. Twisted Metal
Peacock adapted the video game franchise into a post-apocalyptic action comedy starring Anthony Mackie. With cars, chaos, and a terrifying clown, Twisted Metal was not designed for peaceful Sunday meditation.
44. Painkiller
Netflix’s Painkiller dramatized the opioid crisis and the rise of Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin empire. The limited series joined a larger wave of scripted projects examining corporate accountability and public health damage.
45. One Piece
Netflix’s live-action One Piece faced enormous expectations from manga and anime fans. With colorful world-building, pirate adventure, and a surprisingly warm tone, it became one of the year’s biggest adaptation stories.
46. Ahsoka
Disney+ expanded the Star Wars galaxy with Ahsoka, starring Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano. The series connected animated lore with live-action storytelling, giving long-time fans plenty to analyze between episodes.
47. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
AMC sent Daryl Dixon to France in this Walking Dead spin-off. The change of location gave the long-running zombie universe a fresh visual identity and a new survival mission.
48. Gen V
Prime Video expanded The Boys universe with Gen V, a college-set superhero satire where young supes train, compete, and uncover ugly secrets. It was bloody, funny, and absolutely not suitable for a campus brochure.
49. Lessons in Chemistry
Apple TV+ adapted Bonnie Garmus’s bestselling novel with Brie Larson starring as Elizabeth Zott, a chemist navigating sexism, ambition, grief, and unexpected television fame in the 1950s and 1960s.
50. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Disney+ closed the year with a major fantasy release: Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Based on Rick Riordan’s novels, the series followed a young demigod on a quest involving gods, monsters, friendship, and the eternal danger of being twelve.
Major TV Trends Behind The 2023 Lineup
Adaptations Became the Main Event
Many of the most anticipated TV shows of 2023 were adapted from known material. Books, games, comics, and older franchises supplied built-in audiences, but they also raised expectations. Viewers did not simply want familiar titles; they wanted faithful worlds, smart updates, and characters who felt worth revisiting.
Streaming Platforms Competed With Identity
Each platform leaned into a different flavor. Apple TV+ continued building a reputation for polished dramas and science fiction. Netflix offered global adaptations, fast-moving thrillers, and YA romance. Prime Video invested in big genre swings. Disney+ leaned on Marvel, Star Wars, and beloved book properties. Peacock became more interesting with mystery, comedy, and game-inspired action. In short, the streaming menu got bigger, stranger, and harder to cancel.
Genre Blending Was Everywhere
One reason the 2023 TV slate felt so lively was that shows refused to stay in one lane. Mrs. Davis mixed religion, artificial intelligence, and adventure. Beef combined comedy, rage, and psychological drama. Based on a True Story turned true-crime obsession into satire. Poker Face blended old-fashioned detective structure with modern character comedy. The result was television that felt less predictable and more willing to take risks.
How To Choose What To Watch First
If your watchlist contains all 50 titles, congratulations: you have ambition, taste, and possibly no free weekends until next spring. A smart way to begin is by choosing according to mood. For prestige drama, start with The Last of Us, Beef, Silo, Lessons in Chemistry, or A Small Light. For lighter viewing, try That ’90s Show, Shrinking, XO, Kitty, or The Big Door Prize.
For mystery fans, Poker Face, School Spirits, The Last Thing He Told Me, and A Murder at the End of the World offer different kinds of puzzle-box storytelling. For franchise lovers, Ahsoka, Gen V, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians provide familiar worlds with new angles. For viewers who crave action, Citadel, The Night Agent, Special Ops: Lioness, and Twisted Metal bring speed, danger, and enough explosions to make your soundbar feel employed.
Viewing Experiences: What It Felt Like To Follow 50 Upcoming TV Shows In 2023
Keeping up with upcoming TV shows in 2023 felt a little like standing in front of a buffet where every dish was labeled “limited-time only.” You wanted to sample everything, but there were only so many hours in the evening and only so many streaming subscriptions a normal person could justify before their bank app started judging them. One week, everyone was talking about The Last of Us. The next, a friend insisted you had to watch Beef. Then Silo appeared, Ahsoka landed, One Piece surprised skeptics, and suddenly your casual hobby required a spreadsheet.
The most enjoyable part of the 2023 TV experience was the variety. You could watch a serious HBO drama on Sunday, a cozy Apple TV+ comedy on Tuesday, a Netflix thriller on Thursday, and a superhero satire on Friday. The old idea of “TV season” felt less rigid. Instead of waiting for fall premieres only, viewers received major releases in January, March, May, August, October, and December. The calendar never really took a nap.
That constant flow created a new kind of social viewing. Instead of everyone watching the same network episode at the same time, people gathered around cultural moments. The Last of Us inspired emotional conversations about adaptation and grief. Beef led to debates about anger, class, and whether anyone in the show needed therapy immediately. Queen Charlotte brought romance fans together. Gen V gave The Boys fans more outrageous superhero commentary. Percy Jackson gave book readers a reason to cautiously hope again.
There was also a practical challenge: choice overload. With so many new TV shows in 2023, viewers had to become their own programmers. Some people waited for full seasons before starting. Others watched weekly to avoid spoilers. Some followed critics. Others trusted TikTok clips, group chats, or the ancient sacred method known as “the thumbnail looked cool.” The best strategy was not to watch everything, but to watch intentionally. Pick a drama, a comedy, a comfort show, and one wild-card series. That way, your viewing life feels exciting instead of like homework with theme music.
Personally, the strongest 2023 TV experiences came from shows that gave viewers something to talk about after the credits. A great series did not need to be perfect; it needed a reason to stay in your head. Maybe it was the tenderness of Shrinking, the dread of Silo, the adventure of One Piece, or the mystery rhythm of Poker Face. The year reminded audiences that television is not just content filling a queue. At its best, it becomes a weekly ritual, a conversation starter, and a small escape hatch from ordinary life.
Conclusion
The 2023 TV lineup proved that the small screen was anything but small. It delivered massive franchises, intimate dramas, bold comedies, literary adaptations, video game worlds, supernatural mysteries, spy thrillers, and comfort-watch sitcoms. Some shows became instant cultural events, while others found smaller but passionate audiences. Together, they showed how broad modern television had become.
For viewers, the best approach was simple: do not try to conquer the entire list at once. Start with the shows that match your favorite mood. Choose The Last of Us for emotional survival drama, Poker Face for clever mysteries, Beef for sharp character work, Silo for science fiction, Queen Charlotte for romance, Gen V for superhero chaos, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians for fantasy adventure. The joy of 2023 television was not just that there were 50 upcoming shows to watch. It was that almost every kind of viewer had something worth waiting for.
