New year, new shows! September may be the time when the television season officially starts, but January is always just as busy, with a plethora of new and returning programs. We already gave you a preview of the shows to check out this week, but now it’s time for a more comprehensive roundup of the rest of midseason’s offerings. From the final season of Parks and Recreation to the premiere of The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore to the return of The Americans, here are 22 shows that should be on your radar.
Girls — Season 4 Premiere Sunday, January 11 at 9 PM on HBO
Last season of Girls was, as all seasons of Girls have been, pretty hit or miss. There is no doubt that Season 4 will be, too, especially as it separates the group of friends by shipping Hannah off to Iowa for a prestigious writers’ workshop. But most importantly: Shoshanna got a haircut!
Shameless — Season 5 PremiereSunday, January 11 at 9 PM on Showtime
Shameless always tends to fade into the background, amid HBO and AMC’s Sunday night shows, but after a stellar Season 4, it’s time for this pitch-perfect dark dramedy to get its due. Season 5 will explore Ian’s possible bipolar disorder, Fiona’s new job, and the general Gallagher tendency toward self-destructiveness that’s always at play.
Togetherness— Series PremiereSunday, January 11 at 9:30 PM on HBO
From the Duplass brothers comes a quietly funny and charming comedy about four adults — including a married couple — who are all living together under the same roof (along with two children) while trying to get their shit together. Starring Mark Duplass, Melanie Lynskey, Amanda Peet, and Steve Zissis, Togetherness might become your new favorite HBO program.
Parks and Recreation — Season 7 Premiere (Final Season) Tuesday, January 13 at 8 PM on NBC
It’s unfortunate that NBC is burning off the final season of Parks and Recreation with double episodes for just a few weeks, but at least it means we’ll get twice as much Ron Swanson every week! Season 6 ended with a twist: the series jumped ahead in time, skipping over Leslie’s pregnancy and fast-forwarding to find the Pawnee crowd in new roles.
Kroll Show — Season 3 Premiere (Final Season) Tuesday, January 13 at 10:30 PM on Comedy Central
Season 2 of Kroll Show was one of the strangest seasons of television last year. It elevated sketch comedy to a new level by creating an entire in-show universe where Kroll’s characters and fake shows all existed in each other’s worlds. Season 3 — which Kroll has recently announced will be the series’ last — revisits these characters (and adds a few more).
Broad City — Season 2 PremiereWednesday, January 14 at 10:30 on Comedy Central
Finally, Broad City is back! The funniest, sharpest, strongest, and most feminist show of 2014 returns to Comedy Central with a whole new season of Abbi and Ilana’s broke and stoned adventures in NYC. Whatever the best friends get themselves into this season, you’ll know they’ll always be just that: best friends.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Season 10 PremiereWednesday, January 14 at 10 PM on FXX
Ten seasons! Who knew It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia would not only make it to Season 10 but also continue to find new and more deplorable plots for our favorite group of drunk misfits. While the show has certainly shown signs of wear during some of the newer seasons, Season 10 gets off to a great start.
Man Seeking Woman — Series PremiereWednesday, January 14 at 10:30 PM on FXX
FX/FXX has been on a roll with comedy series (You’re the Worst, Married) and it’s looking to keep it up with Simon Rich’s Man Seeking Woman. Based on Rich’s book of short stories, The Last Girlfriend on Earth, Man Seeking Woman follows Josh Greenberg (Jay Baruchuel) on a supernatural search for love — involving trolls and time travel.
12 Monkeys — Series Premiere Friday, January 16 at 9 PM on Syfy
It’s understandable if you’re wary about a 12 Monkeys television show (or any other movie-to-TV adaptation, for that matter), but the premise is one that may lend itself well to a Syfy original series. In the series, James Cole (Aaron Stanford) time travels from 2043 to the present day in order to stop a deadly virus from killing off nearly the entire population.
The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore — Series Premiere Monday, January 19 at 11:30 PM on Comedy Central
If there is one person who can help ease the pain of Stephen Colbert leaving Comedy Central, it’s Larry Wilmore. The immensely funny and talented comedian/writer will host his own late-night program starting, appropriately enough, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Colbert can stay on CBS; I’m eager to welcome to our new late-night king.
Justified — Season 6 Premiere (Final Season) Tuesday, January 20 at 10 PM on FX
Truth be told, Justified hit its peak early on in its run, but every season has had its unforgettable moments. Still, every show must end at some point, and fortunately, Justified is ending before it gets stale. The final season is a must-watch — and not just for Timothy Olyphant’s hat, and face, and the way he leans.
Backstrom — Series Premiere Thursday, January 22 at 9 PM on Fox
Rainn Wilson returns to television as Backstrom, an irascible, obnoxious, but highly intelligent detective. Based on a Swedish book, Backstrom sounds like House in the police-procedural world, which I’m sure is a concept that will work for plenty of viewers.
Sirens — Season 2 Premiere Tuesday, January 27 at 10 PM on USA
USA has had a rocky road to travel on the way to original comedy, but Sirens proved to be a strong debut. The EMT-centric comedy from Denis Leary did surprisingly well in Season 1 and became a well-rounded, enjoyable comedy. For lighthearted fun, check out Season 2.
The Americans — Season 3 Premiere Wednesday, January 28 at 10 PM on FX
Ask just about any television critic, and they’ll agree that Season 2 of The Americans was one of the most spectacular — and devastating — seasons of television last year, a flawless tour-de-force that began and ended with unfortunate deaths. It also ended on a shocking cliffhanger involving the Jennings’ daughter, and I can’t wait to dive back in.
Fresh Off the Boat — Series Premiere Wednesday, February 4 at 8:30 PM on ABC
Fresh Off the Boat is the best new comedy of the midseason bunch. Based on famous chef Eddie Huang’s childhood (and his memoir of the same title), Fresh Off the Boat follows young Eddie as his family moves to DC in the mid-1990s and he has to assimilate to his new environment. With smart writing, a great soundtrack, and a feel similar to Everybody Hates Chris, it’s the must-watch sitcom of 2015.
Better Call Saul — Series Premiere Sunday, February 8 at 10 PM on AMC
Whether you love or hate the idea of a Breaking Bad spinoff, there’s no denying that Saul Goodman was one of the best characters of that series, a smooth-talking lawyer asshole played brilliantly by Bob Odenkirk. He’s a good choice for a spinoff, so here’s hoping the series will be even half as good as its inspiration.
The Odd Couple — Series Premiere Thursday, February 19 at 9 PM on CBS
Another year, another misguided remake. This time, CBS attempts to reboot the popular sitcom The Odd Couple, about mismatched roommates (one is neat, the other is messy!). Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon will take over the lead roles, with a supporting cast that includes Lauren Graham, Leslie Bibb, and Yvette Nicole Brown.
Battle Creek — Series PremiereSunday, March 1 at 10 PM on CBS
The biggest draw of Battle Creek are its creators: Breaking Bad‘s Vince Gilligan and House‘s David Shore. Written a few years ago, the cop drama follows two opposite partners: Special Agent Milton (Josh Duhamel) and Detective Russ (Dean Winters, best known as Dennis Duffy from 30 Rock!).
The Last Man on Earth — Series PremiereSunday, March 1 at 9 PM on Fox
The Last Man on Earth is my most-anticipated sitcom premiere of 2015, and not just because it starts the perpetually underrated Will Forte, who has been patiently waiting to lead a comedy since his Saturday Night Live departure. Last Man on Earth seems like a perfect place for him to start: Forte (who also writes), in 2022, travels the world searching for other signs of life.
Secrets and Lies — Series Premiere Sunday, March 1 at 9 PM on ABC
Ryan Phillippe and Juliette Lewis star in this ABC remake of an Australian drama series. American Crime is about a man (Phillippe) who must fight to clear his name when he’s accused of murdering the young boy whose body he found in the woods. Lewis plays the detective who goes after him.
American Crime — Series PremiereThursday, March 5 at 10 PM on ABC
ABC’s other crime-centric series — this one an anthology, or “event series” — American Crime also centers on a murder. Instead of just focusing on the possible suspect, American Crime also explores the race, class, and gender politics that surround the murder and how it affects the entire town.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — Series Premiere Friday, March 6 on Netflix
This sitcom created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock jumped ship from NBC to Netflix (and got a second-season renewal in the process, months before the first season was even set to premiere). It stars The Office‘s Ellie Kemper as a naive woman who escapes a doomsday cult and must learn how to exist in the real world.