The 19 Netflix Original Series to Be Excited About in 2019
After the holidays, the last thing anyone needs is more stuff, and after a record-setting 2018, the last thing anyone needs is more TV — except, you know, of course we do. Supply is only trying to meet demand, and most TV viewers are looking for fresh content through the most popular and plentiful streaming service out there: Netflix.
And Netflix is not about to disappoint. Priming for another year of seemingly unending content — including movies, stand-up specials, interactive series, kids’ shows, reality TV, docuseries, and more — the Netflix original series docket is far from neglected. Below, IndieWire has gathered a list of new shows primed to hit the service in 2019, and this annual preview may be even more enticing than last year’s.
“Carmen Sandiego”
Release Date: January 18, 2019
Length: 20 half-hour episodes
The real Carmen Sandiego was too tricky to pin down, so Netflix had to draw its own map to the elusive woman in red — literally. An animated educational comedy from producer and showrunner Duance Capizzi (“Jackie Chan Adventures,” “Transformers Prime”), “Carmen Sandiego” is described (in Netflix’s officially summary) as “a modern day Robin Hood” who travels the globe (duh) and steals from the criminal organization V.I.L.E. to give back to its victims. Technically, Carmen (voiced by Gina Rodriguez) is a criminal in the eyes of most law enforcement agencies, but her rogue escapades are so grand it’s hard for her pursuers not to be impressed. Aside from the big episode order from a bullish Netflix, the voice cast is worth getting excited about — in addition to Rodriguez, Finn Wolfhard and Miley Cyrus round out the voice actors.
“Black Earth Rising”
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Length: Eight hourlong episodes
Following up his Emmy-nominated 2014 series “The Honourable Woman,” Hugo Blick is telling another female-led contemporary thriller. Michaela Coel stars as Kate Ashby, a legal investigator in London whose difficult past comes back to haunt her when her adoptive mother takes on a case prosecuting an African militia leader. Though now she works for an American barrister named Michael Ennis (John Goodman), Kate was born in Rwanda and orphaned by the genocide. She wants answers about what happened to her birth family, and the new case might offer some insight. A co-production with BBC Two, “Black Earth Rising” already aired across the pond, earning strong early reviews from British critics.
“Russian Doll”
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Length: Eight half-hour episodes
Produced by Amy Poehler, Leslye Headland, and Natasha Lyonne, “Russian Doll” is a new Netflix comedy about a young woman named Nadia (Lyonne) who goes to a “seemingly inescapable” NYC party as the guest of honor. The series tracks her escapades over one wild night and includes co-stars Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Chloë Sevigny, Brendan Sexton III, and Lyonne’s “Orange Is the New Black” co-star Dascha Polanco. Best of all, the first season, produced by Universal Television and Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions, is written and directed entirely by women. (Headland, Lyonne, and Jamie Babbit directed all eight episodes.) So if you’re a fan of Emmy-nominee Lyonne, “Russian Doll” is your chance to get to know her artistry as a performer, writer, director, and producer. Hard to say no to that.
“The Umbrella Academy”
Release Date: February 15, 2019
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Based on the comic book series created and written by Gerard Way, “The Umbrella Academy” is Netflix’s YA superhero replacement for all those canceled Marvel shows. On a seemingly random day in 1989, 43 powerful babies are born to 43 disconnected women who didn’t appear to be pregnant 24 hours prior. Of those infants, seven are adopted by a billionaire who thinks these choice children can save the world. Flash forward to today and only six remain, the dad’s dead, and the estranged family has to work together to figure out why and how he died — plus help prevent the tiny little issue of an impending global apocalypse. Starring Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Mary J. Blige, and Robert Sheehan, showrunner and EP Steven Blackman’s drama has gotten a lot of early hype. Now, much like those special kids, it just has to live up to expectations.
“Turn Up Charlie”
Release Date: Spring 2019
Length: Eight half-hour episodes
Idris Elba helped create a show about a struggling DJ and perpetual bachelor who becomes a manny to a famous friend’s daughter as one last shot at the good life. OK, let’s break that down because holy cow what a show! Idris Elba — Luther himself, the man who gave the inspirational “Pacific Rim” speech, the would-be future James Bond — is playing a British DJ. That alone is exciting, but he’s also a total playboy! So what’s it take to break down a lothario’s worse tendencies? A cute kid to take care of! With Piper Perabo(!) co-starring and Elba serving as a very invested executive producer, “Turn Up Charlie” sounds like one of the most fascinating new shows of 2019, if not all time — and knowing Elba deejays as a side hustle only elevates our interest in the real-world parallels within this fictionalized show. Bring it to us, now.
“Our Planet”
Release Date: April 5, 2019
Length: Eight hourlong episodes
Netflix’s answer to “Planet Earth” even has David Attenborough. The popular 92-year-old narrator of the award-winning BBC America series — that, presumably, has been a popular streaming option on Netflix for years now — will guide viewers through eight episodes of never-before-filmed wilderness areas, including the ice caps, oceans, deserts, and forests. It took four years trekking through more than 50 countries to create “Our Planet,” and there will be more silly and stunning species to discover, more outstanding and expansive locales to devour, and all the simply gorgeous nature footage audiences crave. “Planet Earth II” served as a powerful reminder as to why the world’s human population needs to protect its natural resources, and “Our Planet” looks to continue the themes of respect, preservation, and appreciation.
“Tuca & Bertie”
Release Date: TBA 2019
Length: 10 half-hour episodes
Much of the buzz circling “Tuca & Bertie” — an animated comedy about the friendship between two 30-year-old bird women — will be about the actors voicing said bird women, and rightly so. Tiffany Haddish (Tuca, a cocky, care-free toucan) and Ali Wong (Bertie, an anxious, daydreaming songbird) are so immensely talented, and offer such distinct voices, their addition to Netflix’s animated cannon is already guaranteed to spark a few chuckles. But veteran ani-fans should recognize the equally distinct and equally charming visual stylings above as the work of one Lisa Hanawalt. Hanawalt serves as a producer, production designer, and lead artist on “BoJack Horseman” — one of the most visually lavish TV series ever made. Her work has bridged television already — if you haven’t read “Coyote Doggirl” or listened to the “Baby Geniuses” podcast, get to it — but this is her first gig as creator, meaning there’s plenty more to be excited about than just the voices.
“AJ and the Queen”
Release Date: TBA 2019
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Two icons of the queer community are coming together for this hourlong Netflix comedy: RuPaul (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”) stars as Ruby Red, a drag queen on a cross-country road trip, in Michael Patrick King’s (“Sex and the City”) tale of two misfits trying to live large. Who’s the second misfit, you ask? Well, Ruby is traveling with her sidekick AJ (Isabella Gaspersz), a recently orphaned, tough-talking, and scrappy 11-year-old who stows away in her ’90s RV and becomes a key part of her trip. Ruby’s goal is to spread love and acceptance as she scoots from city to city, club to club — and her most effective way of getting that point across is through big, crazy, absolutely killer musical numbers, which she performs in every club (and hopefully every episode). This sounds like exactly the kind of show audiences need in 2019, but no release date has been set — bring it on.
“Living With Yourself”
Release Date: Late 2019
Length: Eight hourlong episodes
What’s better than Paul Rudd in a Netflix series? How about two Paul Rudds in a Netflix series? In “Living With Yourself,” Rudd plays George Elliot, a fellow so down on his luck he tries an experimental new procedure to make him into a better person. But when he comes out of it, George discovers he’s been replaced by a new and improved George. Directed in its entirety by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (“Little Miss Sunshine”) and created by Timothy Greenberg (“The Daily Show” and “The Detour”), the eight episodes are told from multiple perspectives with intersecting storylines, all raising the question: Do we really want to be better? If being better means double the Rudd, I think we just answered that question for them.
“Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings”
Release Date: TBA 2019
Length: Eight hourlong episodes
Following the success of “Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors” — and, you know, a pretty epic singing career — Netflix is bringing Dolly’s musical storytelling to an episodic format. Told as an anthology series, each of the eight episodes will be based on one of Parton’s songs, showcasing the stories, memories, and inspirations behind her most beloved numbers. But there will be new music scoring each episode, along with more classic hits, and the genres of each entry will span love stories, westerns, and revenge comedies. If you’re a fan of Dolly — or showrunner Patrick Sean Smith (“Greek,” “Chasing Life”) — then “Heartstrings” is going to be right up your alley.
“Central Park Five”
Release Date: TBA 2019
Length: Five hourlong episodes
From director and writer Ava Duvernay and executive producer Oprah Winfrey, “Central Park Five” tells the true story of five Harlem teenagers’ wrongful conviction. Spanning from the spring of 1989 — when the teens were questioned about Trisha Meili’s rape in Central Park — to their exoneration in 2014, each part of the limited series will focus on one of the kids: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. Duvernay, who wrote and directed every episode, looks to expose the breakdown of America’s criminal justice system by chronicling every phase of the Central Park Five case, and she’s lined up one helluva cast to tell the story. Vera Farmiga, Niecy Nash, Felicity Huffman, Blair Underwood, Michael K. Williams, Joshua Jackson, Jovan Adepo, Famke Janssen, John Leguizamo, and more are set to make “Central Park Five” an awards centerpiece for the network, and a critical talking point for the country.
“Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City”
Release Date: TBA 2019
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Ellen Page is going to be all over Netflix in 2019 — the “Umbrella Academy” star (see above) is also a series regular in “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City,” a limited series inspired by Maupin’s books but following up the 1993 miniseries of the same name. The “next chapter,” as Netflix calls it, will track Mary Ann’s (Laura Linney) return to San Francisco and reunion with her daughter, Shawna (Page) and ex-husband, Brian (Paul Gross). Though she originally left to pursue a career, she’s quickly drawn back into the eccentric lifestyle of her weed-growing former landlady Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis). Linney and Dukakis both starred in the original miniseries, and a number of new and returning cast members will be populating these “Tales,” including Charlie Barnett (as Ben Marshall), Victor Garber (as Sam Garland), Zosia Mamet (as Claire Duncan), and Molly Ringwald in a yet-to-be-announced role.
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