Looking for a way to avoid the post-holidays winter doldrums? You’ve come to the right place. There are a bunch of women-centric and created shows premiering or returning in the next couple months — and they’re the perfect escape from blizzards and bomb cyclones. We’ve collected some of the most promising titles here.
Lena Waithe, Emmy-winning “Master of None” writer, created the much-anticipated Showtime series “The Chi,” a sprawling ensemble about life in southside Chicago. Another new series is “Good Girls,” Jenna Bans’ NBC dramedy about three suburban mothers who rob a grocery store to solve their financial woes.
The recently announced “Citizen Rose” will chronicle actress and activist Rose McGowan’s life as she prepares to release her book, “Brave.” It will also offer new insight into one of the most outspoken and ballsy women currently working in show business.
In addition to new original series, there will also be a few TV adaptations/reboots hitting the airwaves this winter. The popular podcast “2 Dope Queens” — and hosts Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson — will tape four hour-long episodes for HBO. Roseanne Barr is revisiting her beloved series about a working class family with a “Roseanne” reboot for ABC and the classic ’80s film “Heathers” will get a millennial makeover on the soon-to-launch Paramount Network.
And, of course, there are a bevy of returning feminist series to look forward to, including “UnREAL,” “The Good Fight,” and “Jessica Jones.”
Here are just some of the women-centric and women-created series airing this winter. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
January
“The Chi” — Created by Lena Waithe (Premieres January 7 on Showtime)
On Chicago’s south side, an average day finds kids prepping for school as their parents head off to work, young adults trying to make a living, and the elders keeping an eye on things from their front porches. But in this tough neighborhood, real dangers threaten daily to squelch dreams, and the simplest decisions can have life or death consequences. “The Chi” is a timely coming-of-age drama series centered on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption.
“Black Lightning” — Co-Created by Mara Brock Akil (Premieres January 16 on The CW)
Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Ann McClain), and principal of a charter high school that also serves as a safe-haven for young people in a neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero in his community. Nine years ago, Pierce was a hero of a different sort. Gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, he used those powers to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning, but he left the superhero days behind. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him… or so he thought.
“The Resident” — Co-Created by Hayley Schore (Premieres January 21 on Fox)
“The Resident” centers on an idealistic young doctor who begins his first day under the supervision of a tough, brilliant senior resident who pulls the curtain back on all of the good and evil in modern day medicine. Lives may be saved or lost, but expectations will always be shattered.
“Bellevue” — Created by Jane Maggs and Adrienne Mitchell (Premieres January 23 on WGN America)
Thrilling and eerie, “Bellevue” is a mystery set in a small blue-collar town with a lot of “good people” who “live right” and take it upon themselves to make sure the neighbors do too. Driving the series is Detective Annie Ryder (Anna Paquin), a cop whose intense and brazen personality has always been at odds with her hometown. When a transgender teen goes missing, Annie dives in to unravel the disappearance that suggests foul play, despite finding herself in a difficult position as she must cast suspicion on people she has known all her life. As the case pulls her further away from her family, she is also confronted by a mysterious person from her past with disturbing answers and a terrifying need to get inside her head.
“Citizen Rose” (Documentary Series) (Premieres January 30 on E!)
This five-part documentary follows Rose McGowan as she readies her memoir/manifesto “Brave” for release all while going up against the Hollywood machine and those who try to silence her activism.
“Step Up: High Water” — Created by Holly Sorensen (Premieres January 31 on YouTube Red)
Welcome to Atlanta, home of High Water — the city’s most competitive performing arts school. When twins Tal and Janelle (Petrice Jones and Lauryn Alisa McClain) relocate from Ohio, they find themselves thrust into a world where every move is a test. As they attempt to navigate their new world — on and off the dance floor — they’ll discover just how deep they’re willing to dig to realize their dreams and seize their moment.
February
“Altered Carbon” — Created by Laeta Kalogridis (Premieres February 2 on Netflix)
This new series is set 300 years in the future, when human minds are digitized and downloaded from body to body. Based on the classic cyberpunk novel by Richard K. Morgan.
“2 Dope Queens” — Directed by Tig Notaro; Written by Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson (Premieres February 2 on HBO)
The hit comedy podcast “2 Dope Queens,” featuring Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, comes to HBO as a series of four themed hour-long specials. Taped before a live audience at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, the show features the fun, fearless queens dishing on “Cocoa Khaleesis,” dating white baes, sex, New York-living, the best borough for pizza, and more.
“Stargate Origins” — Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan (Premieres February 15 on Stargate Command)
Young Catherine Langford (Ellie Gall) embarks on an unexpected adventure to unlock the mystery of what lies beyond the Stargate in order to save the Earth from darkness.
“Good Girls” — Created by Jenna Bans (Premieres February 26 on NBC)
Three suburban mothers (Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman) suddenly find themselves in desperate circumstances and decide to stop playing it safe and risk everything to take their power back.
“UnREAL” — Created by Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (Returns February 26 on Lifetime)
The third season finds Rachel (Shiri Appleby) and Quinn (Constance Zimmer) with a whole new challenge in their capable producer hands, as their fictional reality program Everlasting shakes up its formula by featuring a female suitor — or “suitress,” to be exact. Played by “Masters of Sex” alumna Caitlin FitzGerald, Serena heads to the mansion surrounded by impressive suitors, but she’ll face off against Rachel and Quinn as they attempt to fashion another season of “true love” for the camera. (Entertainment Weekly)
March
“Heathers” (March Premiere TBA on Paramount Network)
“Heathers” is an hour-long pitch-black comedy anthology set in the present day, based on the 1988 cult classic film of the same name. The much-anticipated reboot perfectly blends drama, love, rivalry, and comedy into a modern-day masterpiece.
“The Good Fight” — Co-Created by Michelle King (Returns March 4 on CBS All Access)
At the start of Season 2, the world is going insane and the Chicago murder rate is on the rise. Amidst the insanity, Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo), Maia Rindell (Rose Leslie), and the rest of the law firm find themselves under psychological assault when a client at another firm kills his lawyer for overcharging. Meanwhile, Diane battles with a new partner at the firm, Liz Reddick-Lawrence (Audra McDonald); Maia becomes tougher after her parents’ scandal puts her on trial; and Lucca is brought back into the orbit of Colin Morrello (Justin Bartha).
“Jessica Jones” — Created by Melissa Rosenberg (Returns March 8 on Netflix)
New York City private investigator Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) is beginning to put her life back together after murdering her tormenter, Kilgrave (David Tennant). Now known throughout the city as a super-powered killer, a new case makes her reluctantly confront who she really is while digging deeper into her past to explore the reasons why.
“The Terror” — Created by Soo Hugh (Premieres March 26 on AMC)
The crew of a Royal Naval expedition searching for the Arctic’s treacherous Northwest Passage discovers instead a monstrous predator.
“Roseanne” — Created by Roseanne Barr; Co-Executive Produced by Roseanne Barr, Sara Gilbert, and Whitney Cummings (Premieres March 27 on ABC)
This revival of the ’90s sitcom will reunite the entire original “Roseanne” cast: Roseanne Barr (Roseanne), John Goodman (Dan), Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Laurie Metcalf (Jackie), Michael Fishman (D.J.), and Lecy Goranson (Becky).
“Siren” (Premieres March 29 on Freeform)
In the mermaid-obsessed sea town of Bristol Cove, everyone’s lives will change when actual mermaids come ashore, which soon causes a war.
