10 TV Shows We’re Excited to See Return in 2014
Television is to me like sleep is to college students: a fun time-waster but also, essential for survival. It may sound dramatic but if I go too long without watching my favorite show, I resort to watching bad sci-fi specials and cuddling the remote when no one’s looking. These withdrawal symptoms are exacerbated when TV shows reach their mid-season hiatus or go off the air for long periods of time. Thankfully, it’s a new year, and that means it’s time for some of these shows to come back on the air. As proof that I need a new hobby, here’s a list of TV shows that I’m most looking forward to seeing again.
1) Sherlock
Return date: January 1st, 2014 at 9PM (Yay, it’s back!)
Out of all the attempts made to capture Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective on film, BBC’s Sherlock is the only one that truly succeeds. (Sorry, Robert Downey Jr.) Benedict Cumberbatch’s perfect brooding face paired with the creative use of floating text and quick wit make this series worth watching, even if you have to watch each scene multiple times to understand Sherlock’s train of thought.
2) Orange Is the New Black
Return date: Unknown
Netflix took a huge risk when it debuted its online-only TV series Orange Is the New Black in 2013 but it has certainly paid off. The show, starring Efron-seducer Taylor Schilling and ex-Donna Laura Prepon, has developed an almost cult-like following and has become the object of affection for many binge-watchers. Rumor has it that the second season has already finished filming but the release date has yet to be revealed.
3) The Walking Dead
Return date: February 9th, 2014 at 9PM
If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, then you have experienced the insufferable anticipation that comes during the winter months after AMC producers have left audiences with an emotionally taxing mid-series finale. (SPOILER ALERT) This year, the cliff-hanger episode ended with a headless Hershel and an explosive prison stand-off that was eerily similar to the previous season’s barnyard catastrophe.
4) Game of Thrones
Return date: March/April 2014
There’s nothing I want more than to find out what Khaleesi will do with her dragons next season on Game of Thrones. Yeah, I know, I could read the George R.R. Martin books and find out before the TV series airs but it doesn’t bring the same sense of wonder that watching the characters on TV brings. I’m also currently wrapped up in the new David Sedaris book so Westeros is going to have to wait until the spring, which is the predicted release date for the new season.
5) American Horror Story: Coven
Return date: January 8th, 2014 at 10PM
We’ve gushed about AHS time and time again on HelloGiggles but that’s not going to stop me from praising it one more time. From the FrankenKyle love triangle to the snappy new cast members (Kathy Bates and Emma Roberts continue to impress me), this AHS season is turning out to be one of the best.
6) New Girl
Return date: January 7th, 2014 at 9PM
The return of everyone’s favorite “adorkable” comedy raises a slew of questions: Will Schmidt ever figure out his love life? What will happen between Jess and Nick? Will we see Winston attempt to complete another puzzle? Only time will tell.
7) The Following
Return date: January 10th, 2014 at 9PM
Though The Following may be a bit too dark for some people, it is one of my favorite new shows of 2013, partly because of the gut-wrenching, psychologically traumatizing murders each cult member commits and partly because of Kevin Bacon. The lack of dancing that you’d expect from the Footloose star is counterbalanced by Bacon’s smoldering gaze and wispy hair, which remains perfectly intact.
8) American Idol
Return date: January 15th, 2014 at 8PM
American Idol will be my guilty pleasure until the day it finally gets cancelled. Having watched since Kelly Clarkson tearfully sang her victory song, I’ve witnessed the good, the bad, and the ugly on this reality series. I don’t know which category this season will fall under but with Harry Connick Jr. joining the panel of judges, I hope the show can shift the focus away from the celebrity bickering and back to the contestants.
9) How I Met Your Mother
Return date: January 13th, 2014 at 8PM
Now that Ted and “the mother” have finally sealed the deal with a wedding ring, how will the popular sitcom actually end? I suspect the final episode will chronicle the funeral of the two children that have spent 9 seasons listening to their father’s love story. But who knows? Perhaps the writers are less gruesome than I am.
10) Girls
Return date: January 12th, 2014 at 10PM
With Charlie on his way out and Hannah’s OCD spiraling out of control, Girls is shaping up to be an unpredictably entertaining series. While I can’t claim to understand all of the decisions the characters make, I can sympathize with the crazy lives of twenty-somethings. After all, at 20 years old, I’m on my way to becoming one of them.
What TV shows are you looking forward to watching again in 2014? What would you add to this list?
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