We are halfway through 2019, and what a year it has been for television. We have seen some of the best shows in TV history bow out this year with their final seasons. We have seen some relatively newer shows make triumphant returns. In addition, we are still waiting for some highly anticipated second seasons to critically acclaimed original shows. Overall, if you are a series junkie, this is what paradise looks like
The 7 Best Returning Shows in 2019
Where does one even begin? There are so many shows to choose from. Every major network comes out with amazing new original shows every year. However, many of them do not make it past the final season. Shows take frequent mid-season breaks, go on production hiatus or get canceled altogether. If a certain show is on Netflix, it might end up on HBO GO. Times like this make me thankful for my Spectrum HBO GO subscription.
On the other hand, sometimes networks pick up canceled shows almost the next day. Shows move from networks to streaming services. Showrunners leave and their replacements bring their own flair to the game. Overall, it can get confusing to narrow a list down to just 7 returning shows in 2019. Lucky for you, we have braved through the confusion and bring you are the following seven shows:
- Game of Thrones Season 8
- Ozark Season 2
- Madam Secretary Season 6
- Sacred Games Season 3
- The Son Season 2
- The Tick Season 2
- American Gods Season 2
Let's take a closer look at these returning shows without giving away too many spoilers.
Game of Thrones Season 8
Game of Thrones is perhaps the last great show from the prestige cable era days. The show started out in 2011, based on George R. R. Martin's best-selling Ice and Fire saga. The show immediately became a global favorite, with fans in almost every country with access to cable or the internet. However, the final season in 2019 left fans divided.
Many believe the narrative was as strong as Littlefinger's promises. That being said, feature-length episodes every week kept people glued to their screens after 9 pm. We religiously avoided human contact until we had safely seen the week's episode. The finale was bittersweet, but the show is on this list simply for the nostalgic value and our emotional investment in it.
Ozark Season 2
Ozark is a gripping crime drama revolving around a suburban family suddenly uprooted and landing in the Lake of the Ozarks. Meet Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) a seemingly harmless accountant who launders money for a drug kingpin.
When Marty's partner is killed after trying to defraud their criminal client, all hell breaks loose. Marty talks his way out of certain death by promising to launder even more money in a remote and out-of-the-way location in the Ozarks. Marty's family is not too happy about the change. Season 2 explores Marty and the rest of the Byrdes navigating life in the Ozarks while trying to launder enough money to keep their lives intact.
Madam Secretary Season 6
The ten-episode sixth and final season of Madam Secretary is everything you can hope for from a gripping political drama. Meet Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord, formerly an analyst with the CIA. McCord is appointed to the job by order of the President after her predecessor dies under mysterious circumstances.
Watch of Madam Secretary explores political diplomacy, maneuvering, protocol, and negotiations. At the same time, the show also brings out the life at home of a high-powered politician. T'ea Leoni does an amazing job of portraying the sharp, savvy, and brash politician with the will to see her country prosper.
Sacred Games Season 2
Sacred Games is nothing like you'd expect from Bollywood. There aren't dance numbers and lavish weddings. Instead, there are shootouts, drugs, and car chases. There is a battle of wills and wits between an honest policeman on a mission and a crime lord who has clawed his way up from the gutter. Sacred Games is a gritty, dark crime drama about Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan) and Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui).
The first season met with critical approval and a warm welcome from a primarily Southeast Asian audience. Season 2 of Sacred Games drops on August 15th.
The Son Season 2
The Son is a gritty period drama set in turn-of-the-century Texas that you might have missed. Meet Texas rancher Eli McCullough (Pierce Brosnan), the head of a colorful Texas family. The show traces the family's roots from 150 years ago and explores how Eli transforms from a family man into a paranoid, calculating killer.
Season 2 of The Son is still loosely based on Philip Meyer's novel of the same name. Catch Eli maneuvering and doing everything it takes to keep his ranch and oil dynasty alive.
The Tick Season 2
This one is for the millennials. The Tick is set in a world where superheroes and villains are real and commonplace. In this world, an entirely normal accountant named Arthur discovers a secret conspiracy involving a long-thought-dead supervillain.
The more Arthur tries to expose the conspiracy, the more he is ridiculed, and the more obsessed he becomes. It seems he has no allies, except a blue-latex wearing superhero named The Tick. The only problem is, Arthur isn't sure if The Tick is real or part of his imagination. Created by Ben Edlund, the creator of the original animated series, season 2 of The Tick dropped in April.
American Gods Season 2
You may have forgotten about American Gods, but the show is about to make a comeback after a 2-year hiatus. Join Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), a recently released ex-convict embroiled in a world where fantasy and reality meet. Shadow finds out that gods and mythical creatures are not only real, but they walk among us.
Season 1 left us on a cliff hanger, but it is still only a quarter of the way into Neil Gaiman's epic story. See the old gods pick up arms against the new ones in a fight for godly survival. Prepare yourself for a lesson in fantastic theology. American Gods season 2 premiered on Starz on March 10th.
Most of these shows either air on streaming services or premium networks like HBO, Starz, and Showtime. That means you may need to dust off your Spectrum cable TV packages and get your channel lineup in order. Have fun catching up on these returning shows this year. Let us know if you feel we missed some shows.