The Most Unmissable TV Shows of 2020
Updated at 9:37 a.m. ET on January 10, 2020.
2019 brought about the end of some TV titans (Game of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory), long-running hits (Elementary, Suits, Veep), once-hot comedies (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Jane the Virgin, Transparent), critical darlings (Fleabag, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, You’re the Worst, Baskets), and everything in between (the entire Marvel-Netflix universe, Legion, Ballers). And yet there is still ... too much TV. With the new decade comes a fresh crop of small-screen offerings adding to the seemingly infinite amount of programming available. But don’t worry: We’ve taken on the task of weeding through every title announced to highlight what to prioritize for your viewing pleasure. Below, our picks for 25 shows to look forward to in the first few months of 2020, and the ones to keep an eye on the rest of the year.
PARTY OF FIVE (FREEFORM, AIRING WEDNESDAYS)
The reboot of the 1994 Fox show follows a family of five orphaned siblings, but instead of a drunk driver, ICE is the culprit this time around. The parents of the Acostas, Javier (Bruno Bichir) and Gloria (Fernanda Urrejola), entered America without papers and are deported years later, leaving the children to fend for themselves. The result is a tearjerker of a series that’s not only timely and political but also intimate and wrenching in its earnestness.
AJ AND THE QUEEN (NETFLIX, JANUARY 10)
RuPaul anchors this sparkly, sequin-drenched comedy about a strapped-for-cash drag queen who goes on tour in an RV and finds an unlikely ally in a 10-year-old (Izzy G.). But the show isn’t all wigs, fake boobs, on-stage hijinks, and guest stars (including former contestants Bianca Del Rio and Valentina). The series explores love, identity, and self-acceptance,) understand well.
