Torrent of fresh shows hits the small screen

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This article was published 08/01/2018 (3066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The televisions that sit in the exalted areas of our living rooms haven’t changed since the calendar flipped to 2018. What’s showing on those TVs, however, is another story.

The new year ushers in a new crop of series and a bunch of new seasons of existing favourites. CBC alone delivers 10 series that are either season debuts or outright premières over the next two months.

It’s next to impossible to keep up with the Peak TV universe, but here are 10 new shows or season premières that might help you keep up with the blizzard of new shows hoping to catch your attention:

Burden of Truth (premières Wednesday, 8 p.m., CBC) — Selkirk has been abuzz for this weekly legal drama, which is produced by ICF Films, eOne and Winnipeg-based Eagle Vision since it began filming in around the Interlake city earlier this year. The show is more than lovely Prairie scenery though. Actress Kristen Kreuk (Smallville, Beauty and the Beast) plays Joanna Hanley, a hot-shot big city lawyer who is dispatched to to her old hometown, Millwood, for a case that revolves around mysterious tremors suffered by female high school students. The hour-long show touches on several hot-button topics, one of which is the growing division between urban and rural communities. Selkirk, which stands in for the fictional Millwood, may have never looked more fab.

Counterpart (pilot episode debuted in December, Episode 2 streams Jan. 28, CraveTV) — For those who can’t get enough of Academy Award-winning actor J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), this slick, Kafkaesque thriller just might be the ticket. He plays meek bureaucrat Howard Silk, but the twists begin early and often in the opening episode, which can be viewed on CraveTV this month prior to the 10-episode series’ official launch on Jan. 28. Starz, the U.S. network behind the series, has already signed off for two seasons of the show, which is filmed in Berlin, adding to its creepy feel.

Schitt$ Creek (Season 4 premières Tuesday, 9 p.m. CBC) — This zany series with the naughty name has become a pillar of CBC’s lineup and a surprise hit south of the border, where it’s streamed on Netflix. Season 4 promises more uncomfortable situations from the riches-to-rags Rose family (Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy) who try to cope with life in Schitt’s Creek.

Cardinal (Thursdays 8 p.m., CTV, Season 2 premièred Jan. 4) — This crime drama is based on the mystery novels of Canadian author Giles Blunt, and the six-episode second season is adapted from his third novel, Blackfly Season. The story revolves around a bug-bitten woman with a gunshot wound, whose case could be connected to a body of a biker who is found in a cave by detectives John Cardinal (Billy Campbell) and Lisa Delorme (Karine Vanasse).

Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (premières Jan. 17, FX Canada) — The question is whether the slaying of fashion designer Gianni Versace will resonate with viewers as much as American Crime Story’s opening season subject — the legal saga of O.J. Simpson. The provocative casting choices created much of American Crime Story’s buzz, and this season’s proves no different, with stars such as Penelope Cruz, Ricky Martin, Edgar Ramirez, Mike Farrell and Judith Light in key roles.

Workin’ Moms (Season 2 premières Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. CBC) — Another surprise comedy hit returns to CBC for a second season of mining laughs from the sometimes overwhelming moments of motherhood. For Season 2, Canadian singer Jann Arden joins a star-studded cast that includes Catherine Reitman, Dan Aykroyd and Mimi Kuzyk.

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction (Premières Friday, Netflix) — David Letterman returns to the talk-show game, and who better to help launch the hour-long series than former U.S. president Barack Obama. Future guests include George Clooney, Tiny Fey, Howard Stern, Malala Yousafzai and Jay-Z. Letterman may be back on TV, but this is certainly semi-retirement; only six shows have been made and they will be streamed once a month on Netflix.

Celebrity Big Brother USA (Premières Feb. 7, Global, CBS) — The reality show, which tells its dedicated core of viewers to expect the unexpected, will unveil a new celebrity edition of the show that will be telecast from Feb. 7-25. The show continues with its unexpected theme by keeping the names of those who will be ensconced in the house, a secret. In other words, you’ll have to tune in to find out if reality show staple Gary Busey will make an entrance.

9-1-1 (Wednesdays, 8 p.m., Fox, premièred Jan. 3) — TV has embraced first responders for decades, and this action series continues the love for paramedics, police officers and firefighters and the unpredictable careers they lead. The cast holds even more promise, with the likes of Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) Angela Bassett (American Horror Story) and Peter Krause (Six Feet Under) in leading roles.

Good Girls (Premières Feb. 26, NBC) — Described as a mix between Breaking Bad and Thelma and Louise, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Retta (Parks and Recreation) and Mae Whitman (Parenthood) play suburban women who’ve had enough with making ends meet. They decide to take things — and handguns — into their own hands and hold up the local supermarket, but the heist takes a turn when they walk off with far more money than they expected.

alan.small@freepress.mb.ca Twitter:@AlanDSmall