After a challenging 2023 marked by budget cuts, labour strikes, and layoffs, streaming services are back and making up for lost time.
That said, if you’re looking for something to binge, here’s five new TV shows to immerse yourself in while making February a month to remember.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Feb. 2)
Available on Amazon Prime Video, Mr. & Mrs. Smith stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as John and Jane Smith—two strangers who land jobs at a spy agency and who later agree to an arranged marriage.
The series reimagines the 2005 action-comedy film by the same name, starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The updated version differentiates itself by altering the initial connection between the husband-and-wife duo.
In the original 2005 film, the assassins are oblivious to each other’s spy identities—John thinks his wife is a tech support consultant, while Jane thinks her husband works in construction. Conversely, in the new adaptation, the characters embark on the series as partners, recruited by a mysterious entity to act as a fake married couple during a mission.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (Feb. 4)
After 12 glorious seasons, Curb Your Enthusiasm is officially ending. The last season will once again delve into the chaotic world of Larry, played by Larry David, as he navigates his everyday existence, inevitably finding himself amidst various moments of chaos.
Despite only the first episode having aired on HBO, early reviews indicate this final season maintains the high standard of excellence the show is known for. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, there’s still plenty of time to catch up and join Larry on his unforgettable journey through the unpredictable landscape of everyday life.
One Day (Feb. 8)
Based on the novel One Day by David Nicholls—which also inspired the 2011 movie of the same name starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess—Netflix’s new series chronicles the love story of Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) who speak for the very first time on July 15, 1988, the day of their university graduation.
Consisting of 14 episodes, each episode finds them a year later on July 15, encountering diverse stages in their lives as they fall in and out of love, grow, and overcome the challenges of adulthood.
Though I don’t think we really needed another One Day adaption, I’m curious to see how the TV show compares to the heart wrenching film.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Feb. 22)
Nearly two decades following the debut of the original animated series, the beloved anime is receiving the live-action adaptation it has long deserved, featuring a cast that accurately reflects its cultural essence.
Given the disappointment of the 2010 M. Night Shyamalan debacle, when the adaptation was criticized for its whitewashed casting, it’s understandable why fans are skeptical of Netflix’s new adaptation. However, Netflix has promised the series will be of better quality and more faithful to the original source material.
For those who missed out on the obsession 20 years ago, the upcoming live-action series offers an opportunity to delve into the story of a band of friends guiding the last airbender on his journey to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, master of all four elements.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (Feb. 25)
Although the zombie series that was once the biggest show on television concluded in 2022, its expansive universe continues to thrive with numerous sequel series on AMC and AMC+. The latest addition to the franchise, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, is set to bring romance to an unlikely setting—a zombie apocalypse.
Centred around iconic The Walking Dead characters Rick, played by Andrew Lincoln, and Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, the spin-off series promises a distinct look and feel compared to its predecessor. The latest spin-off resumes the storyline following Michonne’s departure from the original series. In her quest to find her presumed-deceased partner, Rick Grimes, Michonne navigates the aftermath of their separation. Spoiler alert: Rick is, in fact, not dead.
Though I’ve never seen the original series, the allure of romance in a zombie apocalypse is something I can 100 per cent get behind.
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