US TV Shows We’re Excited About For 2018… That Don’t Yet Have A UK Broadcaster…
Last week we posted a selection of ‘TV Series To Watch Out For That We *Know* Are Coming To The UK In 2018‘. This week we will take a look at some of the US imports that have yet to be imported… i.e. shows that, at time of writing, don’t yet have a UK broadcaster. Maybe this list might help nudge some of UK television’s acquisition teams into action! Here are some of the tv series we are *hoping* get picked up in 2018.
Happy! – Syfy US
‘Happy!‘ comes from the wonderfully warped mind of Grant Morrison, and is based on his comic book of the same name. The show stars Christopher Meloni (‘Law & Order: SVU’, ‘True Blood’) as Nick Sax, a corrupt, intoxicated ex-cop turned hit-man, who is adrift in a stinking twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, eczema, and betrayal. With a hit gone wrong, a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous child killer in a Santa suit on the loose, Nick and his world are changed forever… by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary, blue horse called Happy! The show is already airing in the US, and has been performing well for Syfy, it’s US network, despite a dip in ratings from its premiere (which is pretty normal.) Hopefully, a UK broadcast, maybe even Syfy UK, will decide to air the show soon!
Krypton – Syfy US
https://youtu.be/WIYI_snlOlA
‘Krypton‘ doesn’t start airing until March 2018 in the US. However, given it’s a Superman-related title from David S. Goyer (writer of Chris Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ Trilogy, ‘Man of Steel’, and ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’) you would think there would have been a shoe-in for an early pick up in the UK. The show tells the story of Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe – ‘The Halcyon’), grandfather to Kal-El, aka Superman. Set two generations before Krypton gets all explodey, the House Of El has been shunned and disgraced by Krypton society, but Seg is fighting to restore the family’s name and honour, and stop his world from descending into chaos.
Marvel’s Runaways – Hulu
https://youtu.be/plyJQG-nRN0
Based on the Marvel comic book, ‘Marvel’s Runaways‘ is airing on US streaming service Hulu. Being a streaming service, we don’t know actual ratings for the show, but we can say the reviews have been extremely positive, which you would think should nudge the UK broadcasters into action. Based on the 2003 comic book by Brian K. Vaughan (‘Buffy Season 8’, ‘Saga’) and Adrian Alphona (‘Ms Marvel’, ‘Uncanny X-Force’), ‘Runaways’ follows a group of teens who, despite their dislike of each other, must band together against a common enemy – their parents. When the group discover their various mums & dads are actually part of a super-villain group called “The Pride”, the teens learn their true heritage. Some find they have abilities, whilst others decide to swipe some magical items from their evil parents and set out to defeat them.
Nobodies – TV Land
I actually managed to catch the first episode of this brilliant comedy, exec produced by Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone, whilst over in the US last year. ‘Nobodies‘ is created by, and stars, Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf and Rachel Ramras, three friends who are members of LA’s legendary Groundlings improvisational and sketch comedy troupe. Whilst they have seen their fellow Groundling friends (such as McCarthy) go on to great success, this trio are still ‘Nobodies’, struggling to make a name for themselves in Hollywood. When they start to trade on the names of their more famous Groundlings colleagues to land a deal, things start to get wildly out of control. I would describe it as a cross between ‘Extras’ and ‘Episodes’, and extremely funny. Renewed for a 2nd season in the US, it’s about time one of the UK broadcasters decided to give it an air date!
Castle Rock – Hulu
https://youtu.be/K3U7Z94NHgg
This is another of those shows which hasn’t aired in the US yet, but given its pedigree, you would have thought someone in the UK would have locked down by now. Set in the Stephen King multiverse, ‘Castle Rock‘ is kind of a ‘Once Upon A Time’ for Stephen King fans… The show combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King’s best-loved works and plays out the fictional Maine town of Castle Rock – a location which has figured prominently in King’s literary career. It takes characters and elements from across King’s massive body of work and weaves them into a brand new story. The show comes from J. J. Abrams, is based on the work of Stephen King, and has a cast which includes André Holland (‘Moonlight’), Melanie Lynskey (‘Two and a Half Men’), Sissy Spacek (‘Carrie’), Jane Levy (‘Shameless US’), Terry O’Quinn (‘Lost’, ‘Hawaii Five-O’), and Bill Skarsgård (Pennywise in ‘It’.) If someone in the UK doesn’t pick this up soon, I’ll be very surprised!
Berlin Station – EPIX
Originally airing on US network Epix in 2016, and with a 3rd season on the way, I’m amazed no one in the UK has snapped this show up yet! ‘Berlin Station‘ is a contemporary spy series starring Richard Armitage (‘Spooks’, ‘The Hobbit Trilogy’, ‘Strike Back’) as Daniel Miller, an undercover agent who has just arrived at the CIA station in Berlin, Germany. Miller has a clandestine mission: to determine the identity of a now-famous whistleblower masquerading as “Thomas Shaw.” Guided by jaded veteran Hector DeJean (Rhys Ifans – ‘Notting Hill’, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’, ‘Elementary’) Daniel learns to contend with the rough-and-tumble world of the field officer – agent-running, deception, danger and moral compromises. With two major British actors in leading the project, and 3 seasons guaranteed, you would have thought the series would have ended up on UK TV by now, but no one seems keen to pick it up yet. Come on UK broadcasters!
This is just a small selection of the many shows which don’t yet have UK broadcasters or UK TV air dates. For our full list, go and check out the UK TV Air Dates page here.
