2019 TV shows you can't miss
As Game of Thrones comes to an end and as Disney's and Apple's streaming services begin, here's the best sci-fi and geeky TV coming in 2019.
2019's essential binging
Winter has finally come and gone for Game of Thrones, but there are a bunch of plenty sci-fi, fantasy, horror and generally geeky TV shows to obsess over and revisit in 2019. Whether they're on traditional television or on new streaming services from Disney, Apple and DC, here are some of the episodic adventures you'll binge this year.
Good Omens
David Tennant and Michael Sheen are a heavenly pair in Amazon's adaptation of Good Omens, the comedic, apocalyptic fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett.
Watchmen
HBO hopes we'll all watch the Watchmen, based on the legendary comic. Jeremy Irons and Regina King lead the cast, with The Leftovers co-creator Damon Lindelof in charge and Trent Reznor doing the music.
The Mandalorian
Star Wars icon Boba Fett inspires a new series from Disney and Jon Favreau about a galactic gunslinger, the mysterious Mandalorian.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones came to an end with season 8 on HBO, but fortunately there will be spinoffs.
The Twilight Zone
Jordan Peele enters The Twilight Zone, a reboot of the classic sci-fi anthology series. for CBS All Access. Kumail Nanjiani, Adam Scott and Sanaa Lathan star in the spooky tales. (Disclosure: CBS is CNET's parent company.)
Valley of the Boom
National Geographic's docudrama miniseries Valley of the Boom exposes the 1990s tech boom (and bust) in Silicon Valley. Bradley Whitford, Lamorne Morris and Steve Zahn star.
True Detective
Mahershala Ali is the new True Detective in season 3 of HBO's moody cop show.
Star Trek: Discovery
Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery introduces a new Spock alongside the familiar characters. The show streams on CBS All Access in the US and on Netflix elsewhere.
His Dark Materials
James McAvoy and Lin-Manuel Miranda star in the BBC's adaptation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series of magical novels.
What We Do in the Shadows
The New Zealand vampire comedy movie What We Do in the Shadows -- co-created by and starring Taika Waititi -- is retooled for US television on FX. Matt Berry and Kayvan Novak star.
Creepshow
The classic anthology series Creepshow is revived by horror streaming service Shudder.
Harley Quinn
Actor Kaley Cuoco voices DC kooky antihero Harley Quinn in an animated series debuting on the DC Universe streaming service in 2019.
Young Justice: Outsiders
The third season of the Young Justice animated superhero series will stream on DC's new digital platform, DC Universe.
Doom Patrol
Weird and wonderful DC Comics superhero outcasts Doom Patrol will be the stars of their own live-action show on DC Universe. Brendan Fraser plays a big robot.
Swamp Thing
A live-action version of Swamp Thing is bubbling up on the DC Universe streaming service.
Traitors
Bodyguard star Keeley Hawes is a 1940s spy in the BBC's Traitors.
Disney+ Marvel shows
When Disney launches streaming service Disney+ in 2019, it'll become home to various Marvel spin-off shows. At some point in coming years, you can expect to see live-action shows featuring Loki, Scarlet Witch and Falcon with Winter Soldier.
High Fidelity
Disney drops the needle on a new TV version of the Nick Hornby novel that inspired the 2000 movie about music obsessives.
High School Musical: The Musical
Another Disney+ reinvention, High School Musical: The Musical, is the much-loved teen romp with more tunes.
The Umbrella Academy
Netflix adapts the surreal superhero comic Umbrella Academy, co-created by rock star Gerard Way.
Deadly Class
SyFy adapts another comic about a school for super-scoundrels, Deadly Class.
Apple's streaming service
Apple is launching a new streaming service, which could land in 2019. The company has tapped a host of huge stars to create family-friendly content, including Oprah Winfrey, Damien Chazelle and M. Night Shyamalan. Planned series include an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels, a reboot of Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories and a new series from Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica veteran Ronald D Moore.
Apple video game comedy
Among the stars tapped by Apple are It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day, who are developing a comedy set in a video game studio.
See
We don't have an exact date for the launch of Apple's planned streaming service. But when we do, we can expect to "See" Aquaman star Jason Momoa in a sci-fi drama about a future where everyone is blind.
Wayne
Produced by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the guys behind Deadpool and Zombieland, this YouTube Premium series follows teenager Wayne on his dirt bike quest to win back his dad's stolen 1978 Pontiac Trans Am.
Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is more than Bruce Wayne's stuffy butler. This Epix show will tell the tale of the English special forces soldier's adventure before he takes up polishing the Batcave's banisters.
Our Lady LTD
Westworld star Jimmi Simpson plays a grifter in Epix neo-noir series Our Lady LTD, also featuring Ben Kingsley.
Our Planet
David Attenborough goes wild on Netflix for nature documentary Our Planet.
Devs
Alex Garland codes this FX show about a computer engineer probing the shadowy Silicon Valley tech company she suspects is behind the disappearance of her boyfriend. Nick Offerman stars.
The Boys
Karl Urban stars in The Boys for Amazon, based on the foul-mouthed anti-superhero comic.
The Passage
Federal agent Mark-Paul Gosselaar must protect a unique child from a sinister government project and a new breed of monsters in The Passage, based on the novels by Justin Cronin.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Tina Fey and Ellie Kemper reunite for the final season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix.
Ultraman
The Japanese superhero Ultraman returns in a new Netflix series.
Noughts & Crosses
Based on the Noughts & Crosses novels by Malorie Blackman, this BBC dystopian series focuses on a world where dark-skinned Cross people rule over pale-skinned Noughts.
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is back on the case as Hulu revives the show for a fourth season.
Carnival Row
Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom star in Amazon's Carnival Row, in which mythical creatures flee their war-torn homeland and settle in a neo-noir city.
Cortes
Amazon and Steven Spielberg revive a 50-year-old script by old Hollywood scribe Dalton Trumbo, telling the tale of 16th century conquistador Hernan Cortes. Javier Bardem stars.
Daisy Jones & The Six
Reese Witherspoon and Amazon produce Daisy Jones & The Six, a tale of rock 'n' roll excess.
Chernobyl
Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson recount the chilling tale of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on HBO.
Hanna
The 2011 movie centering on a teenage assassin is getting reloaded by Amazon, in a new series with The Killing stars Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos.
Invincible
Amazon turns to Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman for an animated adaptation of epic superhero comic Invincible.
Tales From the Loop
Amazon sci-fi series Tales From the Loop is based on the artwork of Simon Stålenhag, who adds futuristic sci-fi elements to pictures of everyday life.
The Expatriates
Nicole Kidman produces an Amazon drama based on Janice Y.K. Lee's novel The Expatriates, following the lives and loves of various women in Hong Kong.
Whiskey Cavalier
Tough but sensitive super-agent Will Chase -- codename Whiskey Cavalier -- teams up with codename Fiery Tribune, played by The Walking Dead's Lauren Cohan in this ABC spy romp.
The Feed
David Thewlis (second from left) stars in The Feed, a dystopian sci-fi co-production between Amazon and Virgin Media.
Shrill
Aidy Bryant stars in Hulu comedy Shrill about an overweight, aspiring journalist wants to change her life, but not her body.
Sex Education
Sex Education is in the cards for a confused 16-year-old with two divorced sex therapists for parents. Gillian Anderson stars in this Netflix comedy-drama.
MotherFatherSon
Richard Gere is a media mogul in trouble in the BBC's MotherFatherSon.