For those of us who love TV, this time of year is a dead zone. Your favorite series are either running reruns or not returning for months to come. But here’s some exciting news: 2011 is bringing in more exciting changes than we usually see — and we’re not just talking about the fact that American Idol is moving to a new night for the first time in a decade. From a handful of promising looking British imports to a new HBO series that’s being referred to as “The Sopranos with swords,” after the jump we’ve rounded up 10 of the most interesting new shows that we could find. Add anything that we’ve missed in the comments.
Being Human (SyFy) Premieres: January 17 Based on the popular British series of the same name, Being Human is a drama about the everyday lives of three 20-something roommates who just happen to be a werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost.
Bob’s Burgers (FOX) Premieres: January 9 Comedians Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, and Jon Benjamin provide voices for this animated comedy about a family who owns a burger joint; it’s executive produced by the same people behind Dr. Katz and King of the Hill.
The Borgias (Showtime) Premieres: TBD Set in medieval Italy and based on the real-life story of the corrupt and power-hungry Borgia family, this series should be a nice replacement for those craving some historical soap a la The Tudors. Plus it stars Jeremy Irons.
The Cape (NBC) Premieres: January 9 When an honest cop is framed for a series on murders and then presumed dead, he assumes the identity of his son’s favorite comic book superhero and decides to take the law into his own hands.
Game of Thrones (HBO) Premieres: April Based on George R.R. Martin’s books, this fantasy series — which has been described as “The Sopranos with swords” — follows the power struggles between the royal families of the Seven Kingdoms.
Luck (HBO) Premieres: TBD Luck, which stars Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, and Michael Gambon, is a show about the behind-the-scenes world of horse racing. David Milch, creator of NYPD Blue and Deadwood, and famed director Michael Mann are behind the project.
Portlandia (IFC) Premieres: January 21 Longtime friends Saturday Night Live star Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein of the band Sleater-Kinney play both themselves and other characters in this improv comedy set in Portland, Oregon.
Shameless (Showtime) Premieres: January 9 Based on the award-winning British series of the same name, William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum star in this dark family dramedy about a dysfunctional family in Chicago willing to do anything to make ends meet.
Skins (MTV) Premieres: January 7 Yes, it’s yet another British import! The original series is the harshest, most uncompromising view of teenage life we’ve ever seen on TV, and from the looks of it, the MTV version will be sticking closely to the same script.
Young Justice (Cartoon Network) Premieres: January 7 An animated series about the younger sidekicks to the Justice League’s main heroes — with voice work from Danica McKellar (Winnie from The Wonder Years) and Jesse McCartney (Greek).