We are now in the doldrums of February; it’s still a bit chilly, the days aren’t long enough yet, and Valentine’s Day candy sales are down to the bone.
Luckily we always have TV – and nowadays we often have a lot of it! This week is no exception, with plenty of flair to take the edge off. Most notably, there are major franchise releases such as Avatar: The last airbender And The Walking Dead: Those Who Live, both mark a dramatic return to a major property (live action and “with Rick and Michonne,” respectively). But you can also go off the beaten path, with a new sci-fi thriller from Apple starring Noomi Rapace, or an animated sci-fi comedy from Prime Video starring Keke Palmer and Stephanie Hsu.
Here are this week’s best new TV premieres and finales:
New shows on Netflix
Avatar: The last airbender
Genre: Live-action cartoon adaptation
Date of publication: February 22, with all episodes
Showrunner/creator: Albert Kim
Form: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley and more
Water. Soil. Firework. Sky. Long ago, the four nations lived in harmony – but that was in cartoon form. Now Avatar: The last airbender is coming to live-action, with eight new episodes from Netflix. Spoiler alert: the Fire Nation is going to change everything again when they attack.
Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 6
Image: Netflix
Genre: Sports docuseries (fast car guys)
Date of publication: February 23, with all episodes
Showrunner/creator: James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin
Form: A bunch of Formula 1 drivers from 2023
Season 6 covers Formula 1’s most recent season, meaning audiences will see for the first time how the ups and downs of the season (including the very first Vegas race) fell upon the drivers.
But this time it’s more than that: with plenty of controversy and upheaval surrounding F1 teams heading into the 2024 season – including a major team change and an undisclosed accusation that has reportedly seen Red Bull ask their team boss to resign – no doubt Drive to survive season 6 will be a lot to read in.
New programs on Prime Video
The second best hospital in the galaxy
Genre: Animated science fiction comedy
Date of publication: February 23, with all eight episodes
Showrunner/creator: Cirocco Dunlap
Form: Stephanie Hsu, Keke Palmer, Kieran Culkin and more
What kind of cases do you get in an intergalactic medical facility? A whole host of things, including parasites, time loops, and STDs in space. Luckily, the crack team – or at least the second-best crack team – in the universe is here to tackle all these health problems. It’s an animated comedy, so chances are everything will go well, without any mistakes or anything.
Expats season 1 finale
Photo: Jupiter Wong/Prime Video
Genre: Drama
Date of publication: February 23
Showrunner/creator: Lulu Wang
Form: Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, Ji-young Yoo and more
After the night of the blackout changed everything for our three leads, the women all must face their choices, face their grief, and find a way – any way – to move forward.
New shows on Apple TV Plus
Constellation
Genre: Twisty science fiction
Date of publication: February 21, with three episodes
Showrunner/creator: Peter Harnas
Form: Noomi Rapace, Jonathan Banks and more
After heading into space and experiencing a near-fatal accident on the ISS, Jo (Noomi Rapace) returns to Earth ready to rest and recover with her daughter. But suddenly, pieces of her life seem changed – or even missing.
Criminal Record season 1 finale
Genre: Crime procedural
Date of publication: January 10
Showrunner/creator: Paul Rutman
Form: Cush Jumbo and Peter Capaldi
Eight episodes in, this crime thriller turns personal, asking both detectives to focus their energies on their children as they work to correct the miscarriage of justice at the heart of the show.
New programs on AMC Plus
The Walking Dead: Those Who Live
Genre: Zombie spin-off
Date of publication: February 25, with one episode
Showrunner/creator: Scott M. Gimple, Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln
Form: Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira and more
There have been countless Walking Dead spin-offs, but this is the first – and the long-awaited, long-promised one – with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), working to reunite in what AMC will call an “epic” love story.” According to their plot summary, the two are “kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable force. By the spirits of who they were. Can they find each other among all those walking dead?