The 10 Most Anticipated TV Shows of Winter 2024-2025

Don’t worry: TV isn’t gonna stop. The overwhelming amount of shows that define the streaming era will continue unabated into 2025, from new contenders to returning faves to captivating one-offs, and Paste is here to help you stay afloat in the deluge with our annual winter TV preview. The next four months brings new seasons from some of the best shows on TV, including Severance, The White Lotus, Yellowjackets, and more, as well as the second season of the international smash Squid Game. Among the new debuts are an adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s beloved One Hundred Years of Solitude, a British-American coproduction Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (based on one father’s search for truth and improved safety procedures after the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight), Pixar’s first TV series Dream Productions (from the world of Inside Out), and the Stephanie Hsu-starring rom-(and-death)-com Laid. And of course there will be a bounty of promising specials (like the annual Dr. Who holiday episode, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Netflix Christmas special), reality shows, and game shows (more Traitors, anybody?) 

Not all of these shows could make our list, unfortunately, and that just speaks to the wealth of TV on our way this winter. To qualify for this list shows have to premiere between December 1st, 2023 and March 30th, 2024, and need to have at least a confirmed premiere month if not an actual date. (The Righteous Gemstones‘ fourth season is in the can and already being promoted by HBO, and could very well be airing by March, but it isn’t on our list because HBO hasn’t given any indication when it’ll be starting up.) And if you have thoughts, observations, disagreements, or words of support, you’re always free to leave a comment.

Here are the TV shows we’re most looking forward to this winter.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Network: Disney+
Premiere Date: December 2
Status: New Series

It’s a popular refrain that Star Wars is all about its weird little guys, from Jawas all the way up to Babu Frik. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, the latest Disney+ series set in a galaxy far, far away, takes that to heart and introduces the weirdest little guys imaginable: children. Skeleton Crew—or, as it’s been called by almost everybody since it was first announced, “Goonies Star Wars”—focuses on four kids from an orderly, well-heeled planet who accidentally hyperspace jump into a galactic adventure involving pirates, fake Jedi, and the kind of weird little guys you actually expect from Star Wars, like an alien who’s part owl, part cat, and entirely voiced by Alia Shawkat. Along the way they hang out with a charming rogue (is there any other kind?) played by Jude Law, and—oh yeah—discover a mystery that changes everything they thought they knew about their upbringing. Creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have a very clear vision here—a wonder-filled, ‘80s-influenced kids’ adventure set in the Star Wars universe—and their undistracted pursuit of it results in a show that, based on the three episodes (out of eight total) that were provided to critics, can be both rousing and by-the-numbers in equal measure. Hopefully it’ll be fun watching these kids find their way through the galaxy over the remaining five episodes. —Garrett Martin

Black Doves

Network: Netflix
Premiere Date: December 5
Status: New Series

At first glance, Netflix’s high-profile new espionage thriller Black Doves, starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, feels like a show most of us have seen before. To be fair, we probably have, to one degree or another. There’s a mysterious covert group that deals in dangerous international secrets, a spy trying to hide a double life from their family, an assassin wondering whether it’s time to call it quits, and an agent who can no longer quite decide which aspects of themselves are fiction or reality. The streamer is clearly aware of this, if only because all of the associated marketing materials surrounding this show have leaned into that same all-too-familiar imagery: colorful explosions, a sudden hail of bullets, creative hand-to-hand combat, often with a quippy one-liner thrown in here and there for good measure. But while Netflix seems to (inexplicably!) want potential viewers to believe that Black Doves is a traditional revenge thriller with a dash of geopolitics thrown on top, I’m here to tell you that couldn’t be further from the truth, in the absolute best way possible.  Yes, those familiar spy thriller elements are key parts of the show. But much like fellow Netflix series The Diplomat before it, Black Doves is utterly delightful precisely for all the ways it manages to shake up the tried-and-true formula so many recent dramas like it have embraced. [Full Review] —Lacy Baugher Milas

Secret Level

Network: Amazon
Premiere Date: December 10
Status: New Series

Secret Level is a new anthology series from Tim Miller and Blur Studio (Love, Death & Robots) where each standalone episode is set in the world of a different videogame. The lineup of games it will adapt is quite eclectic, with household names like Pac-Man or Dungeons & Dragons alongside stranger picks like the since-discontinued Concord. Regardless, Blur Studio is a fairly natural match for the series, as in addition to animating Love, Death & Robots, they’ve created cinematic trailers and cutscenes for several videogames. It will be interesting to see how they come together with the cast, which includes well-known voice actors like Laura Bailey alongside screen actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keanu Reeves, and Kevin Hart. —Elijah Gonzalez

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Network: Netflix
Premiere Date: December 11
Status: New Series

If you were to create a list of novels that seem impossible to adapt, Gabriel García Márquez’s seminal magical realist masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude would likely be near the top. However, that hasn’t stopped Netflix, who are planning to adapt the book and its countless abstract turns over two seasons. For those who haven’t read the novel, it follows seven generations of the Buendia family in the fictional Colombian town of Macunda as they witness inexplicable happenings, partake in revolutionary conflicts, and meet tragic ends. While García Márquez refused to sell the rights to this story during his lifetime, his surviving family agreed to an adaptation provided the series be made in Colombia by a Colombian director and spoken in Spanish, which Netflix agreed to. Adapting this story will be a tall task, but if this team can pull it off, there will likely be little else on TV like it. —Elijah Gonzalez

No Good Deed

Network: Netflix
Premiere Date: December 12
Status: New Series

From the minds of Netflix’s Dead to Me, No Good Deed is a dark comedy series that explores family dynamics, real estate, and buried secrets. Starring Emmy Award winners Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano, the show centers on Lydia and Paul Morgan, empty-nesters who clash over selling their family home in Los Feliz. As their differing views on the sale create tension, the series weaves a tale of intrigue, personal baggage, and hidden motives. The show’s supporting cast is as packed as its top of the call sheet, including Linda Cardellini (reuniting with creator Liz Feldman after Dead to Me), Teyona Parris (WandaVision), O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale), Poppy Liu (Hacks), and Abbi Jacobsen (A League of Their Own), among others.
No Good Deed, set to premiere on December 12th, looks to be a twisty yet humorous watch, with strong performers to elevate the material.—Joshua Harris

Laid

Network: Peacock
Premiere Date: December 19
Status: New Series

In Laid, Ruby (Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu) notices that people she’s dated in the past start to meet untimely, mysterious deaths. Determined to figure out what’s going on, Ruby, and her best friend AJ (Zosia Mamet), revisit her romantic history, reconnect with her former flames, and try to get to the bottom of this tragic pattern. Hsu, in her biggest role since Everything Everywhere All At Once, leads the unconventional romance series with her physical comedy chops seemingly on full display. From the creators of Always Be My Maybe, Laid promises strange mysteries and a deeper exploration of love and loss to entertain viewers when the series drops on Peacock on December 19th.—Joshua Harris

Squid Game

Network: Netflix
Premiere Date: December 26
Status: Returning Series

The initial fervor around Squid Game was well-deserved, as it leveraged its death game premise for timely anti-capitalist critique that was subsequently totally ignored when Netflix released a head-scratching reality TV spinoff that brutally missed the point. But now, three years later, a true follow-up is finally almost here, and it seems like the second season will center on Gi-Hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he re-enters the game to try and end them for good. While it will be difficult to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was the original season, the good news is that the series’ writer and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, is still handling showrunning duties. On top of this, he apparently wrote the script for the second season and also the final season in tandem, meaning the series will hopefully avoid overstaying its welcome and feel cohesive. Whether this upcoming run can maintain both the quality and cultural impact of its predecessor remains to be seen, but it will probably still be one of the biggest shows of the winter regardless. —Elijah Gonzalez

The Traitors

Network: Peacock
Premiere Date: January 9
Status: Returning Series

The ultimate chaos-filled television experience is finally back. The third season of the U.S. version of The Traitors promises a thrilling blend of deception, strategy, and suspense when it premieres on January 9th on Peacock. Featuring 21 new contestants from popular reality shows like Survivor, Big Brother, Vanderpump Rules, and The Real Housewives, this season will keep viewers guessing as players navigate a high-stakes game where alliances are fragile, and betrayal is just around the corner. Hosted by Emmy Award winner Alan Cumming (doing appropriately campy accent work), The Traitors Season 3 promises an intense ride of intrigue and drama as contestants battle to uncover who among them is a Traitor and who is faithful. The second season, which gave us some of the best lines of dialogue this year, firmly established the series as a cultural phenomenon. With a cast featuring more iconic reality TV personalities, this season is poised to be a must-watch for fans of backstabbing and high drama.—Joshua Harris

Severance

Network: Apple TV+
Premiere Date: January 17
Status: Returning Series

As with a lot of TV these days, it feels like it’s been several lifetimes since the previous season of Severance came out, so it’s reassuring to finally have this long-awaited follow-up on the horizon. For those who aren’t caught up, the show is a sci-fi thriller set in a world where workers can receive a procedure that separates their consciousness to essentially create two selves: an “Innie” who is conscious during work hours, and an “Outie” who has no memory of their labor. Essentially, this makes it feel like the Outie never has to work while the Innie never leaves it. The first season did an excellent job diving into the moral rot at the center of this premise as it lambasted corporate culture, and hopefully, the second will do the same while also providing satisfying answers to its big mysteries. —Elijah Gonzalez

The White Lotus

Network: HBO
Premiere Date: February
Status: Returning Series

Everyone’s favorite hotel franchise with a knack for frequent murders is back, and this time it’s showing audiences a brand-new location. The White Lotus is heading to Thailand for Season 3, bringing its signature mix of luxury, scandal, and intrigue to a fresh backdrop. Despite losing a beloved character, the HBO drama has cast a star-studded group of tourists and hotel staff. Carrie Coon (The Leftovers), Walton Goggins (The Righteous Gemstones), and Shalini Peiris (The Ark) are among the newest cast additions. With a new set of guests, returning characters (yay, Natasha Rothwell!), and plenty of drama on the horizon, this season promises to bring even more excitement, intrigue, and unforgettable moments. HBO recently confirmed that Season 3 of The White Lotus will premiere in February.—Joshua Harris

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