5 Shows to Watch From New York Comic Con

If you’re a fellow TV addict, you’ll know that New York Comic Con just happened this weekend, and although many of the panels were comprised of television series that have already been on our radar, the convention unveiled a ton of new trailers as well as first-episode premieres. Which means, sneak peeks galore into some of small screen’s most anticipated shows. Expectedly, the list of programs at NYCC included a significant amount of superhero features, but various standouts are also original dramas. So you don’t have to scour the Internet to decide which new shows you’re going to be watching, we at HYPEBEAST have done it for you. Check out our Top 5 Shows to Watch From New York Comic Con.

5. Gotham (FOX)

Gotham is by no means a new show, currently being in its second season, but if you’re not already watching it maybe you’ll consider it after Robin Lord Taylor (who plays Penguin in the series) made this announcement at NYCC this weekend: Paul Reubens aka Pee-wee Herman will be playing Penguin’s father. With Season 2 being dubbed Gotham: Rise of the Villains, the show has already promised to delve into the origin stories of DC’s most legendary bad guys, including The Riddler, Mr. Freeze and the Joker (well….we’re not so sure about this one anymore). Gotham airs on Monday nights 8pm ET/PT on FOX.

4. Ash vs Evil Dead (Starz) 

Catching fans off-guard with a surprise screening of various series’ first episodes seemed to be a trend at NYCC this year but hey, we’re not complaining. Ash vs Evil Dead was among those premieres and judging by social media reactions, it did not disappoint. Horror junkies have no doubt had this cult spin-off on their radars since Starz’s release of the official trailer earlier in July, but the NYCC panel has undoubtedly turned up the hype. Being home to Black Sails and Spartacus, the network definitely won’t be holding off on the blood and gore trademark to the Evil Dead franchise. With Lucy Lawless (Xena) joining Bruce Campbell (reprising his role as Evil Dead’s Ashley ‘Ash’ J. Williams) and director Sam Raimi in the series, this show definitely makes it on to our Top 5. Ash vs Evil Dead will premiere on Starz October 31.

3. Outcast (FOX)

Based on the comic of the same name by Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, horror fans can look forward to another creepy, scary TV show. The series will follow Kyle Barnes (played by Patrick Fugit of Almost Famous), a troubled young man who has been tormented by demonic possessions all his life. Barnes is accompanied by Reverend Anderson, a West Virginia evangelist who believes that he is God’s soldier in the crusade to abolish evil on earth. Incidentally, he is also a pathological drinker and gambler. If the show is anything like the trailer, it’s sure to keep you up at night. Outcast will premiere on FOX in 2016.

 2. Jessica Jones (Netflix)

You’ve probably already seen plenty of teasers and trailers from the forthcoming series based on Marvel’s Jessica Jones, but fans get a first look at the series from the cast and crew at the official New York Comic Con Jessica Jones panel. The series will follow a disgraced superhero who now works as a NYC detective who, according to leading actress Krysten Ritter, is a “tough, badass mess.” Fans at the panel were pleasantly shocked when they found out that they would be treated to an exclusive screening of the new show. Reviews of the first episode reveal that Jessica Jones is surprisingly open in its portrayal and discussion of sex and sexuality, considering that Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptations have been, thus far, quite conservative. Jessica Jones will premiere on Netflix on November 20.

1. The X-Files (FOX)

Those who were lucky enough to get into The X-Files panel at New York Comic Con were able to watch the premiere episode of the iconic sci-fi show, which was then followed by a Q&A panel with series creator Chris Carter and none other than Agent Fox Mulder himself (played by David Duchovny). As IGN reports after the screening, Mulder and Scully are no longer together and “are not in a very good place.” As audiences move through a fast-moving episode where “a lot happens,” plenty of conspiracies are uncovered and we see a flashback potentially involving the Roswell ship crash. The X-Files miniseries event is set to premiere on FOX in January 2016 with a special two-night event. Part I will air on Sunday, January 24 and Part II on Monday, January 25.

Honorable Mentions

Blindspot (NBC)

Blindspot is a new series about a woman found in the middle of NYC’s Times Square, covered from head to toe in brand new tattoos. Nicknamed “the illustrated woman,” the markings on her skin seem to be clues leading to a sinister government conspiracy. Although the concept might recall FOX’s Prison Break, Blindspot is much more perplexing in that the main character suffers from amnesia and much of the show is dedicated to unraveling intricate memories that seem to be intertwined in a complex government-related mystery. Already having aired four episodes, the show has been met with largely positive reviews and has been hailed as one of NBC’s best new dramas. Blindspot airs at 10/9c on NBC. Check out the exclusive NYCC Sizzle Reel above.

The Shannara Chronicles (MTV)

Although at first the trailer seems like a doozy, things quickly pick up as Allanon (that’s right, it’s Manu Bennett aka Crixus from Spartacus) makes his entrance, complete with ominous warnings about the end of the world. Based on the best-selling novels from Terry Brooks, fantasy fans can look forward to this series set in a world after the downfall of our civilization. The series is also unexpectedly graphic. Although the show will air on MTV, the trailer is rife with bloody scenes and very Silent Hills-eque demons. And with Jon Favreau (Iron Man) being one of the producers, we are sure to see tons of action in this new series. The Shannara Chronicles will premiere on MTV in January 2016.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (CW)

Already home to superhero hits, Arrow and The Flash, the network is set to introduce yet another DC series as a spin-off of the two aforementioned shows. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will introduce a mélange of DC heroes and villains, including: Ray Palmer, The Atom, Hawkgirl and Rip Hunter. With the success of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., this new series is bound to attract the attention of comic fans everywhere. However, with CW being a channel that historically caters to the tween crowd, we’re only giving DC’s Legends of Tomorrow an honorable mention.