The Small Fries

It’s 2016, and the spring line-up for major television shows looks promising. With January being halfway over and February upon us, we see shows returning from their long Winter hiatus as well as new shows unfolding before us. It won’t be long before these seasons are over and we are into Summer, patiently waiting for the Fall premieres. I have taken a look at some of the shows premiering this year and have compiled a list of the ones I am most excited for. Of course my list features the popular shows such as Game of Thrones and Outlander, but it also features shows that are new to television that sound promising.

The Expanse

The popular cable network, Syfy, has a couple of shows that have really caught my attention recently. One of them being The Expanse. Though the first episode aired on December 14, 2015, this is one show to watch in 2016. Set hundreds of years in the future, we see the human race colonizing in the solar system and Mars becoming a very independent military power. Tensions begin to rise between those on Earth and Mars, placing them on the brink of war. In this setting, insert Detective Joe Miller and a rogue ship captain, Jim Holden. They come together to investigate the case of a missing woman. This leads them on a race across the solar system that could lead to a great conspiracy being exposed.

I have heard this show being deemed as the Game of Thrones in Space. Naturally, that sold me on the show. As obsessed as I am with Game of Thrones and anything about outer space, I knew this show was for me. A full review of the first five episodes is currently in the making. However, I suggest checking this show out for yourself.

Watch full episodes on Syfy.com or Hulu.

Catch The Expanse on Syfy, Tuesdays at 10/9 ET.

The Shannara Chronicles

The highly anticipated Shannara Chronicles made its debut on January 5th this year on MTV. The show is based off the popular book series under the same name by Terry Brooks that was first released in 1977 and is set in a post-apocalyptic world known as The Four Lands. It roughly follows the storyline in The Elfstones of Shannara, which is set 300 years after The War of Races--ending magic and confining demons into a realm known as The Forbidding. The Ellcrys is basically the gateway into this realm, and as long as it is living, the demons will stay there. The series focuses on Will, Amberle, and Eretria who must fight to stop the Ellcrys from dying alongside with the last Druid, Allanon.

Considering MTV is producing this show, I watched the first episode with absolutely no expectations. I knew that if I went in with high expectations for a show about this celebrated Sci-fi classic, I would be extremely disappointed. A full review with the first four episodes is in the final stages of editing and will be published shortly. All I can say is stick it out through the first 45 minutes of the two-hour premiere, because it shows some promise (unless that is wishful thinking on my part).

Watch full episodes on MTV.com

Catch The Shannara Chronicles Tuesdays at 10/9c on MTV.

The Magicians

Calling all witches, wizards, and anyone with an interest in the magical lands! Once again, Syfy has promised another thrilling show based off the widely popular trilogy, The Magicians by Lev Grossman. This show is set to premiere on January 25th. The story centers around Quentin Coldwater, who enrolls into Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy in order to be trained as a magician. Soon, he discovers the magical world, Fillory, from his favorite children’s books, Fillory and Further, is real. Meanwhile, his childhood friend, Julia, desperately tries to learn magic after her rejection into Brakebills.

Syfy called for the first season to have 13 episodes back in May 2015. I hope that it gets an extension, as I am a huge fan of the trilogy and can’t wait to see some of my favorite scenes go from page to screen. The premiere on the 25th with be a double episode feature. So, set your DVRs or tune in, and get ready to travel into the world of magic.

Catch The Magicians Mondays at 9/8c on Syfy.

The Walking Dead

Returning to AMC on Valentine’s Day will be the popular show, The Walking Dead. We were left with several cliffhangers at the end of the mid-season finale back in November. We found out Glenn was indeed alive (I KNEW IT) but had yet to return to Alexandria. Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham were captured on the road by people who work for Negan (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Walkers had broken through the walls in Alexandria, stranding several inside their homes until the horde passed. Deanna was bitten and ultimately died. Carol found out about Morgan’s secret hostage. Rick and a few Alexandrians dressed in Walker blood and guts and are still currently attempting to walk through the horde undetected. Let’s hope Judith doesn’t decide she wants to start crying in the middle of their trek.

These last few weeks have been torture while I wait patiently for my questions to be answered. New characters are going to be introduced in the premiere, one which I hear will be another lying, cheating, and just plain terrible human being (The Governor reincarnate?). With new characters being introduced, that obviously means we are going to lose some too. I’ve heard several rumors saying this season, particularly this half, is going to the bloodiest yet. *cries*

Catch the mid-season premiere February 14th on AMC.

Vinyl

When it comes to HBO, they have spot-on shows. For the most part. (Lena Dunham's Girls excluded). Afterall, they are the network that Game of Thrones has called home for the last five-six years. On February 14th, they are releasing another drama called Vinyl. With names like Scorsese and Mick Jagger attached to the show, it’s hard not to be intrigued. The show is set in 1970’s New York and will take viewers on a wild ride through the sex and drug riddled music business just before the dawn of punk, disco, and hip-hop. The main protagonist, Richie Finestra, is trying everything in his power to save his record label company and possibly his soul without destroying everything. The show is scheduled to run the HBO standard 10 episodes for the first season.

Just by watching the trailer, this looks like a show that can unite music lovers from all generations: The nostalgic ones who grew up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s as well as those today who enjoy the classics from “back in the day.”

Catch Vinyl February 14 at 9/8c on HBO.

Fuller House

From 1987-1995 Full House was a widely popular sitcom. 11 years later, Netflix has decided to revive the show. D.J. Tanner-Fuller is recently widowed and a mother of three boys. She moves in with her sister Stephanie, who is an aspiring musician, and her best friend Kimmy, who is mother to a teenaged daughter. Much of the original cast is set to be regulars on the show, minus the Olsen Twins who got their start on Full House as Michelle Tanner. The episodes are to air on February 26.

Though I am excited to see a revival of one of my favorite 80s/90s sitcoms, I am a little apprehensive to see D.J. being widowed much like how her father, the widower, in the original series. I hope Netfilx hasn’t recycled the OS storyline and just pulled a gender swap with the characters. I guess I will just have to patiently wait until February before I make my final judgement.

Catch Fuller House February 26 on Netflix.

Outlander

IS IT APRIL YET! After finishing Dragonfly in Amber last spring, I have been biting at the bit for season 2 of Outlander, the popular drama on Starz. I’ve stocked up on my tissues and everything. Last season, we saw a restored Jamie and pregnant Claire on a ship for France to stop the Jacobite Revolution and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Several new cast members have been added to the list (spoilers…) and beautiful pictures from the set have been released (more spoilers…). Now, all I need is the show to be here...yesterday. This season you can expect to see Claire and Jamie playing the old game of politics in order to prevent history from happening and wiping all of Highland life out of Scotland. This highly emotional and nail biting season will leave you torn and puffy eyed by the end, if it is anything like the book (I definitely ugly cried at the end). On top of an intense season ahead, I’m just ready to have the Frasers back in my life.

Catch Outlander on Starz this April.

Miss season 1? Both parts are available on Blue-Ray/DVD!

Game of Thrones - WINTER IS HERE!...almost.

Things I know about the upcoming season: As much as Jon Snow. Speaking of him...SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN’T SEEN THE END OF SEASON 5:

Jon Snow. Is. Alive. He has to be. But if I dive into fan theories right now, it’d be a rabbit hole we’d never climb out of. This season we can expect to be reunited with the long lost Stark, Bran. The last time we saw him was at the end of season 4 when he finally made it to the Three-Eyed Crow. What his story has in store for us is shrouded in mystery to me, because I’m not caught up on the books yet (I’m getting there!). However, at the end of last season, we saw many things take place that are definitely going to have huge impacts on what happens this season. Cersei did a walk of shame throughout the streets of King’s Landing (ahahaha). Daenerys took flight on Drogon and was later surrounded by a horde of Dothraki. Arya has gone blind, or so it seems, in the House of Black and White. Sansa and Theon have apparently escaped Winterfell and her crazed husband, Ramsey. Stannis Baratheon may or may not have died at the hands of Brienne of Tarth. But ultimately, the scene that left me sitting in the dark contemplating my life for an hour was the Julius Caesar equivalent in The Night’s Watch. Yep, Jon Snow’s own brothers stabbed him and left him to die in the snow. However, he is as dead as Glenn...oh wait, Glenn survived in The Walking Dead. So, Jon isn’t dead. I’m convinced. Or in denial. Mainly convinced.

With all that happened at the end of season 5, questions still remain and will hopefully be answered this season. Season 6 will be the first season where book readers and non-book readers will be on the same playing field since George R. R. Martin has to postpone the publishing of the Winds of Winter. No one knows what to expect this season. All we can do is patiently wait, theorize, and speculate what will take place.

Tune in to HBO on April 24 at 9/8c for the season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones!

Need to catch up? Season 1-5 are on HBOGo and HBONow.

This is only the beginning of a great year in television. Hopefully what follows this Winter/Spring season will be just as awesome.

What television shows are you excited for this year? Tell us in the comments below!

--Kasey