Seven Seconds
Release Date: February 23, 2018
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Creator: Veena Sud
Cast: Regina King, Russell Hornsby, Clare-Hope Ashitey
“Regina King wasn’t in much of “The Leftovers’” final season, so her new show better have been worth it. Granted, that’s a high bar, but “Seven Seconds” certainly offers a premise worth investing in: “After a white cop accidentally hits and critically injures a black teenager, a northeastern city explodes with racial tensions, an attempted cover up and its aftermath, and the trial of the century.” OK, so perhaps this is more in line with “American Crime” than any of King’s previous work, and her role is bound to be intense: She’s playing the kid’s grieving mother. As for behind-the-scenes talent, Veena Sud is the creator “The Killing,” and no matter how you feel about the later seasons, that first one was exquisite. Here’s hoping she can capture the magic even longer with King at her side.”
Altered Carbon
Release Date: February 2, 2018
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Creator: Laeta Kalogridis
Cast: Joel Kinnaman, Martha Higareda, James Purefoy
“Creator and showrunner Laeta Kalogridis originally optioned the rights to “Altered Carbon” with the intention of making it into a feature film. Richard K. Morgan’s novel, set more than 300 years in the future, tells of a society that’s been utterly transformed by technology. Per the official synopsis, “consciousness can be digitized; human bodies are interchangeable; death is no longer permanent.” But a film adaptation would’ve demanded an R-rating to honor the original material — including murder, sex, and more graphic content — and a big budget to match, so Kalogridis is now making it into a TV show. Sci-fi fans get ready. This could be the “Sense8” replacement you’ve been craving.”
Disenchantment
Release Date: 2018
Length: 10 half-hour episodes
Creator: Matt Groening
Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Nat Faxon, Eric Andre, John DiMaggio
“Matt Groening has created two animated series: “The Simpsons” and “Futurama.” To say expectations are high for this — his third animated comedy and first at Netflix — would be an understatement. He’s got a stellar cast in his corner: Nat Faxon and Eric Andre are hilarious character actors, and Abbi Jacobson is an underrated voice actor, especially given her recent accomplishments in “BoJack Horseman” and her awesome new podcast, “A Piece of Work.” Plus, she’s playing a “hard-drinking young princess” with a “feisty elf companion” and “her personal demon, Luci.” So this half-hour comedy set in medieval times is off to a good start on paper. But can the follow-through live up to the hype?”
Dogs of Berlin
Release Date: 2018
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Creator: Christian Alvert
“For anyone who liked Netflix’s first original German-language series, “Dark,” get excited for No. 2. “Dogs of Berlin” isn’t a supernatural thriller, but it is a drama focusing on two Berlin police detectives who team-up against their will to take down an underworld willing to destroy the cops at any cost. They face attacks so personal, it’s hard to tell which side of the law they should be on. Christian Alvert, a writer-director of films including “Antibodies” and “Case 39,” will write, direct, and serve as showrunner on his second TV series (after the 2014 show, “Tatort”).”
Everything Sucks!
Release Date: 2018
Length: 10 half-hour episodes
Creators: Ben York Jones, Michael Mohan
Cast: Peyton Kennedy, Jahi Winston, Patch Darragh, Claudine Mboligkpelani Nako
“‘Member the ’90s, guys? Netflix sure hopes so. After finding immense success in teen period dramas with “Stranger Things,” the streaming giant has picked up another coming-of-age story, this time set in the following decade. “Everything Sucks!” follows two groups of high school misfits — the A/V club and drama club — in a comedy series aiming to be the next “Freaks and Geeks” or “Happy Days.” That would go along nicely with Netflix’s lineup of actual ’90s comedies, including “Full House” and “Friends.””
Kiss Me First
Release Date: Early 2018
Length: Six hourlong episodes
Creator: Bryan Eisley
Director: Misha Manson-Smith
Cast: Tallulah Haddon, Simona Brown, Matthew Beard, Haruka Abe
“A mix of live-action and CGI scenes seems like just the right creative concoction for a story about a lonely video game addict who meets a “party girl” with a dark secret. The two meet online, in a gaming site known as Agora, but they become friends in real-life… until one disappears and the other starts investigating what happened while assuming her missing friend’s identity. A co-production with E4, the mystery series shot in London and Croatia starting back in December 2016, so even with extensive post-production work, we’re expecting this one sooner rather than later.”
Lost In Space
Release Date: May 2018
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Creators: Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless
Cast: Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Ignacio Serricchio, Parker Posey, Maxwell Jenkins
“Adapted from the 1965 series of the same name — and probably not at all from the 1998 movie starring William Hurt and an unjustly maligned Matt LeBlanc — the reboot of “Lost in Space” is sticking very close to the original conceit: The Robinson family, a crew of travelers on a mission to colonize a new planet, get stranded light years from their intended destination and must figure out a way to get back on track. In the new series, Toby Stephens is Commander John Robinson with Parker Posey playing Dr. Smith. Most importantly, the robot known for shouting, “Danger, Will Robinson!”, will appear in a yet-unseen modified form. The look of this big budget reinvention will play a big part in its success.”
Maniac
Release Date: 2018
Length: 10 half-hour episodes
Creator: Patrick Somerville
Director: Cary Fukunaga
Cast: Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, Justin Theroux, Sonoya Mizuno, Sally Field, Julia Garner, Jemima Kirke
“Honestly, for all the photos and details surfacing about this hotly anticipated dark comedy, there’s not much more you need to know beyond Justin Theroux’s recent Instagram post. If this is what the series is going to look like, then we’re 100 percent on board. From “The Leftovers” writer and producer Patrick Somerville and “True Detective” Season 1 director Cary Fukunaga, “Maniac” is an adaptation of a 2014 Norwegian series about two patients in a mental institution who live somewhere between the real world and their wild fantasy worlds. With all this talent involved, those worlds are only limited by the finest of imaginations.”
O Mecanismo
Release Date: 2018
Length: Eight hourlong episodes
Creator: Jose Padilha
Cast: Selton Mello, Caroline Abras, Erique Diaz, Lee Taylor
“Fresh off his success with “Narcos,” Jose Padilha (“Elite Squad,” “Robocop”) is moving from his role as executive producer and director to creator with the latest Brazilian original series, “O Mecanismo.” The drama is loosely based on investigations into corrupt oil and construction companies in Brazil via a retired federal police deputy (Selton Mello) and his mentee (Caroline Abras). Shooting began in May 2017, with Padilha, Marcos Prado (“Estramira”), and Felipe Prado (“Drift”) directing. “O Mecanismo” is one of many foreign language originals Netflix is debuting in 2018, as the streaming service expands its already lengthy global reach.”
The Umbrella Academy
Release Date: 2018
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Showrunner: Steve Blackman
Cast: Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, Aidan Gallagher, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan
“Marvel isn’t the only superhero game in town anymore, as Gerard Way’s graphic novel series “The Umbrella Academy” moves into Netflix this year. After their dad dies, a dysfunctional and disbanded family of superheroes reluctantly gets back together to discover what happened to their fallen father. The Monocle, Spaceboy, Number Five, The Horror, and The White Violin have powers as variant as their personalities, so it’ll take an “Justice League”-style team-up for this group to come together as they should. Wait. That’s not Marvel. Oh, well.”
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
Release Date: 2018
Length: Six episodes
“Three years after leaving his landmark post as host of “Late Night,” David Letterman is returning to the desk. Well, not the desk at CBS, but a desk for Netflix where he’ll be conducting interviews with “extraordinary people” as well as venturing out into the world for in-the-field assignments. Some interviews will be filmed in front of a live audience and, thanks to the freedom at Netflix, they’ll run longer than traditional late night segments. Considering Letterman’s ventures as a producer, executive, racing enthusiast, and philanthropist, it’s not surprising he’s back on TV; but we’re hoping what he does with the opportunity will be.”
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Release Date: 2018
Length: Six hourlong episodes
Creator: Joel and Ethan Coen
Cast: James Franco, Zoe Kazan, Tim Blake Nelson, Stephen Root
“The Coen Brothers are coming to television: writing, directing, and producing every episode of the six-part Netflix limited series, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” Though the Academy Award winning siblings are credited producers on “Fargo,” they’ve never tried their hand at television. (It’s a “in title only” kind of thing for “Fargo.”) But the pair behind “No Country For Old Men” and “True Grit” are certainly familiar with westerns, and their cast is an inspiring bunch, no matter what the specific story might be. As of now, we know Tim Blake Nelson is the titular Scruggs and each hour will focus on a different character and storyline. But that’s it. How exciting.”
Insatiable
Release Date: 2018
Length: 13 hourlong episodes
Creator: Lauren Gussis
Cast: Debby Ryan, Dallas Roberts, Christopher Gorham, Erinn Westbrook, Sarah Colonna
“Originally developed for The CW, Netflix scooped up this story of a beauty pageant coach who picks up a vengeful new client after the teen-skewing network passed on the pilot. Described as a darkly comedic and quirky drama series, the acquisition-original hybrid comes from Lauren Gussis, a former executive producer on “Dexter” and “Once Upon a Time.” Considering the quantity and variety of CW shows already available (and presumably popular) on Netflix, it seems fitting that the streaming giant would take control of a property the network barely let go.”
The Good Cop
Release Date: 2018
Length: 10 hourlong episodes
Creator: Andy Breckman
Cast: Tony Danza, Josh Groban, Monica Barbaro, Isiah Whitlock Jr.
“When you think of Tony Danza’s son, what are the odds you picture Josh Groban? Well, after Netflix debuts its latest crime procedural, “The Good Cop,” you may change your tune. While not an official spinoff of ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” the Netflix series does follow an earnest, young do-gooder who always follows the rules. As Tony Jr., Groban is the son and polar opposite of his character’s father Tony, played by Danza. Danza is a disgraced ex-cop who nevertheless wedges his way into his son’s profession and personal life, offering advice on everything from cracking cases to attracting the opposite sex. The two form quite the duo, and “Monk” creator Andy Breckman is hoping he’s got another long-running hit on his hands. If there’s any singing involved, it will obviously help those odds.”
Safe
Release Date: 2018
Length: Eight hourlong episodes
Creator: Harlan Coben
Cast: Michael C. Hall, Amanda Abbington, Audrey Fieurot
“Everything is not as simple as it seems. In “Safe,” Michael C. Hall plays a widower who perseveres despite the pain to raise two healthy, well-adjusted daughters. But even though the fractured family lives in a picturesque gated community and continues to thrive at work and in school, one fateful party changes everything. A murder and disappearance expose secrets long forgotten and long repressed. Written by Danny Brocklehurst, who worked on the original version of “Shameless,” “Safe” reads like the third part in a dark family trilogy, after “Bloodline” and “Ozark.” This year we’ll find out if it’s the next Netflix hit (like the latter).”
Watership Down
Release Date: Late 2018
Length: Four hourlong episodes
Cast: James McAvoy, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Olivia Colman, Nicholas Hoult, John Boyega
““Watership Down” is a co-production between the BBC and Netflix and the latest interpretation of Richard Adams’ acclaimed 1972 novel. Previously brought to the big screen in 1978 (with John Hurt as Hazel) and made for TV in 1999 (with Stephen Fry), the story tracks a group of rabbits who seek to escape the destruction of their home by finding a new one, but they face many dangers and temptations during their escape. The film version is widely known for its traumatizing effect on young children, and don’t expect the new adaptation to lighten up at all. “Watership Down’s” CGI animation will be brought to life by “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” animator, Pete Dodd. This one was expected in late 2017, but has been pushed toward the end of 2018, with still no official date on the books.”