There’s no TV experience like seeing your old(ish) favorites gearing up for return seasons, and that’s happening a lot in February, which makes for a fantastic upcoming month on TV. Not only will the South Park guys make their razor-sharp comeback, but Snowfall returns to crank up the mean-streets-fueled tension, and Killing Eve brings us back to assassin-land for one final season of reverse cat-and-mousing.
Another twist for you: three tried-and-true franchises are returning with new iterations. The O.G. Law and Order show makes its way back to the airwaves with old and new blood, and Will Smith’s bringing back his Fresh Prince story in the more dramatic Bel-Air. In addition, the ever-popular Vikings is spinning off with a prequel series, all while Pam & Tommy will rock your world. That’s still only about half of the shows on this list (Julia Garner brings a real-life scandal to life in Inventing Anna, Will Arnett’s comedically taking on procedural shows in Murderville, and much more), so there’s no shortage of fresh content coming your way even though (numerically speaking) February’s a shorter month on the calendar. TV can be our valentine.
Here are the biggest shows worth noticing in February:
Pam & Tommy (Hulu limited series streaming 2/2)
The wild real-life story gets an adaptation that’s gloriously trashy and will hit you in the feels with all the guilty-pleasure notes that could make you binge it all in a few sittings. It’s a throwback to the time when the Internet barely existed, but it could be used to propagate a stolen celebrity sex tape that set tons of wheels in motion and threw a wrench into a love story, and it’s sort-of a heist story, which could have been all fun and games if it hadn’t hurt someone in such a devastating way. There are heavy issues along the way, but mostly, this selection is a blast. Sebastian Stan and Lily James are spooky good in their doomed romance with Jason Mantzoukas voicing a penis and Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen as the mulletted bad guys.
South Park: Season 25 (Comedy Central series returning 2/2)
Back in the early 1990s, it’d be hard to envision a world where the South Park dudes would be cranking out the social satire like no one’s business. Not only are they taking over Casa Bonita and inspiring an orchestra, but there’s a whole heaping helping of Paramount+ specials coming our way in addition to a full-on season of f-bombs and rightful torching of Cartman. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are still crushing the adult animation game like no other, and it’s good to have them back.
Murderville (Netflix limited series streaming 2/3)
Procedural shows have already reached parody height in some instances and been lampooned to death (in a largely enjoyable way), so how about another spin on the procedural crime-comedy drama? This show stars Will Arnett as a senior detective who’s accompanied by celebrity guest stars while investigating murders-of-the-day. However, the twist with this show is that the guest star never receives a script, so they have to think quickly and improvise the heck out of this thing while attempting to figure out the killers. In other words, Annie Murphy, Conan O’Brien, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch, and Sharon Stone are your guinea pigs.
Raised By Wolves: Season 2 (HBO Max series streaming 2/3)
If you’re a fan of the brand of android-generated confusion inspired by Westworld, then you’ll want to give this Ridley Scott show a chance. Mother’s still doing everything she can to reboot humanity on an unfriendly planet, but as it turns out, her bloodletting strategy isn’t so friendly either. Don’t expect this show to make total sense, but sci-fi fans will love the questions that the show poses with sweeping, sometimes trippy visuals to go along with the intellectual ride.
Inventing Anna (Netflix limited series streaming 2/11)
As if Julia Garner didn’t already rule the small screen in Ozark, we’re getting another heaping helping of her. This time, though, the tight corkscrew curls are largely hidden while Garner portrays Anna Delvey, a real-life Instagram “legend” and fake German heiress. In reality, Delvey was a master con artist who captivated New York’s social elite and ended up dragging the hell out of the American dream in the process. This Shondaland limited series follows the investigation into Anna’s misdeeds, along with how she stares down trial and keeps those lies alive, all as inspired by Jessica Presler’s New York Magazine article that will get you primed.
Reacher: Season 1 (Amazon Prime series 2/4)
Size matters (unlike with the Tom Cruise film) with this adaptation (starring the 6’2″ Alan Ritchson) of Lee Child’s bestselling novels of the veteran who transitions to civilian life as a drifter. He finds himself wandering the country and ends up in Georgia, where he’s pinned for a homicide that he didn’t commit. Cue a massive conspiracy and plenty of violence and hopefully a healthy dose of leading-man charisma. The real question here is whether Reacher genuinely eschews the cell phone, but you gotta tune in to find out.
Bel-Air: Season 1 (Peacock series streaming 2/13)
The Will Smith-produced Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot previewed a different tone than the comedic original with things promising to get a little bit gritty (because no one can resist that these days) and legitimately dark. In this version of the story, we get to see what happened in Philly that sent Will to brighter California stomping grounds with Uncle Phil bringing his nephew to California “for a better education” and (probably) some fresher threads. That’s the official story, and that appears to be where the darkness begins to ebb, and oh boy, there’s another new Aunt Viv.
Severance: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming 2/18)
Ben Stiller executive produces this dramatic show starring Adam Scott, a leader at a company that’s put its employees through a surgical procedure that essentially divides their work and personal headspaces. It’s a weird take on the work-life balance question, and along the way, Scott’s character must solve a mystery that really makes him question what the hell his company’s been doing. Sounds very Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Maniac, and obviously, this show is meant to make us think.
Space Force: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming 2/18)
Yep, this is happening again. Enough people must have enjoyed a frustrated, bad-boss Steve Carell playing astronaut while John Malkovich somehow finds himself on this series as well, and Lisa Kudrow gets shipped outta there for baffling reasons, but hey, the first season of The Office wasn’t nearly as good as the rest, so maybe there’s some hope for redemption here. Positivity, y’all.
Snowfall: Season 5 (FX series returning 2/23)
The late John Singleton’s brainchild sees Franklin’s family in a ridiculously rich state and about to achieve all of their dreams. However, the cocaine-associated death of basketball star Len Bias raises plenty of heat from politicians, law enforcement, and the LAPD is essentially militarized. All of this somehow makes South Central LA even more dangerous than it already was, due to the C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) units, while the family sees the walls closing in around them.
Law & Order: Season 21 (NBC series reviving 2/24)
Following the semi-triumphant return of Elliot Stabler to the Law & Order universe, Dick Wolf and the other Powers That Be decided there was no time like the present for a revival of the franchise’s flagship series. Expect to see the return of Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson (but surely no Chris Noth) and the addition of Hugh Dancy as the O.G. show continues to live in syndication while SVU continues to go strong. The real question here is this: will we see Ice-T make a cameo? C’mon, every show in this universe could use some Fin Tutuola.
Vikings: Valhalla (Netflix series streaming 2/25)
Six seasons of the saga weren’t enough for fans of the action-packed, shout-filled O.G. series. This sequel spinoff series follows different stories set 100 years ahead with a different generation of heroes chasing destiny. In the midst of it all, the show will introduce history-famous Vikings, including Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter). As expected, clashes will be bloody between the English royals and the Vikings while everyone argues into oblivion about Christian and pagan beliefs and fights for the most glory and (of course) for survival.
Killing Eve: Season 4 (BBC America series returning 2/27)
Last season ended with winners and losers aplenty. And c’mon, you didn’t think that Villanelle and Eve would be able to get along in the long term, right? Imagine what domestic life would be like for these two. A former MI6 officer and an assassin who can’t give up the life (or the luxury trappings) are as ill-equipped for reality as Westley and Buttercup in The Princess Bride. Yet there’s no reason why they’ll be able to resist each other forever, but Eve is hellbent upon revenge this season while Villanelle desperately wants to prove that she’s not a “monster.” Good luck to both of them? Meanwhile, Carolyn’s doing the real work by attempting to avenge poor Kenny’s death.
