Top 10 American TV shows to watch out for in 2014

Written By Maharsh Shah | Updated:

The first quarter of the year is over. Are you still watching re-runs of the old American show? Now it's time to look beyond them. 2014 has started with a bang for audiences who are hooked on to American TV shows, thanks to the brilliant, brooding atmospheric, and the recently concluded True Detective. This is the golden age of American TV. There has been no other era in the past wherein the anticipation to your favourite TV show outdoes the anticipation to the most awaited movie of the year. Here is a list of the 10 most anticipated American TV shows that will hit the small screen in 2014. These shows range from spy thrillers set in the late 18th century to hospital drama's set in the 1900s. They contain popular super heroes and sure to get you hooked. Here's what to watch out for

10) The Red Road
USP: Aaron Guzikowski is the show runner. He is the guy who has written big star box-office busters like Contraband (2012) & Prisoners (2013), The Oscar nominated latter - in my opinion was probably the best thriller last year, and a movie which in years to come is going to create a sensational cult following. It will be interesting to see what Aaron comes up with on TV.

What's it about: This gritty drama is about an unlikely couple (a cop and an ex con) who have to fight odds and be together to keep their respective warring communities at peace.

Starring: Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo from Game Of Thrones) and Martin Henderson (Torque). If True Detective is anything to go by, 2014 is already a great benchmark year for unlikely duos in gritty set ups!

9) The Strain
USP: Guillermo Del Toro is arguably among the most influential filmmakers of all time. He serves as a writer and executive producer on this new sci-fi show. For starters, Del Toro is the guy who has written or directed among your favourite movies of all time. He has written The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013), The Blade Trinity, and he has directed last year's best summer movie Pacific Rim (2013) and the stunning game changer movie Pan's Labyrinth (2006) which was nominated for a total of six Oscar awards, out of which it won three, amongst others.

What's it about: It is being touted as a pant wettingly scary show, as Dr. Ephraim Goodweather leading an investigation into a nasty virus that has taken the city of New York into complete captivity.
Starring: Corey Stoll played the troubled Peter Russo in the smash hit Season 1 of House of Cards, the most talked about show of last year. Everyone was keen to see where he would go after that. Now you know.

8) Tooken
USP – Tine Fey & Robert Carlock? Already had you? Its been a year since the super successful 30 Rock, ended its 7 year run. We were already getting withdrawal symptoms of not seeing Fey on screen, well the wait is over. Aided by her 30 Rock writer, Fey & Carlock have created this new show, which has been green lit for a 13 episode Season 1 to premiere later this year.

What's it about: Tooken is about a woman, who is a survivor of a doomsday cult, and has come to New York to start her life afresh. I think this is going to be one crazy comedy.

Starring: Ellie Kemper – The Office, 21 Jump Street, Bridesmaids

7) Believe
USP: Alfonso Cuaron & JJ Abrams. A huge chunk of the talent in Hollywood is shared between the two men mentioned above. The former has just won an Oscar for Gravity (Best Director), he is responsible for the best Harry Potter movie (The Prisoner Of Azkaban), he is responsible for among the best Charles Dickens adaptations on screen (Great Expectations), and he is responsible for a movie that lovers of art house world cinema adore ( Y Tu Mama Tambien). The latter is responsible for Star Trek & Star Trek: Into Darkness, Mission Impossible 3, Super 8, Cloverfield, along with TV shows like Lost, Fringe, Person Of Interest and is going to be directing the new Star Wars franchise.

What's it about: Do you still want me to talk about this show? My guess is you are not even reading this; you have already started watching the show. well, anyway, it is about a gifted young girl, who has psychic abilities, and is on the run from the bad guys who want to steal her powers, on the run she forms an unlikely but lovable partnership with her protector.

Starring: Jake McLaughlin (Warrior, Safe House)

6) Looking
USP: Michael Lannan is the main guy behind this HBO show. He has worked on shows like Sons Of Anarchy and is best remembered for the critically acclaimed Robert Pattinson starrer Remember Me (2010)

What's it about: This show is a romantic comedy set in San Fransisco revolving around three gay friends, and it follows their trials, tribulations, careers and love lives. It's a modern slice-of-life show, and thankfully doesn't portray gay men as stereotypes, it is refreshing to see them as normal people.

Starring: It features Jonathon Groff (Frozen, Glee), Murray Bartlett, and Frankie Alvarez.

5) Flash
USP: Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, are the guys who have given us the superemely addictive TV Show Arrow. They're now ready with a spin off. After taking on Green Arrow, now they give us Flash Gordon, who is amongst the most loved superheroes in the DC universe.

What's it about: When you first meet Barry Allen, he's just a forensic scientist working for the police department. He's just an ordinary man. As we always do on Arrow, the makers keep things as grounded and realistic as possible. That's how the audience will be introduced to Barry and get to know him, before his life gets a little bit faster.

Starring: Grant Gustin, the new comer with loads of potential mainlines the show; he has already made an appearance as a recurring character on Arrow and Glee. Arrow made a super star out of the relatively unknown Stephen Amell, this show will do the same for Grant.

4) The Knick
USP – Steven Soderbergh the feisty, filmmaker par excellence retired from film making to focus on life and making TV shows. Name doesn't ring a bell? This guy has directed Erin Brockovich, Oceans 11, 12 & 13, Traffic, Magic Mike, Haywire, Contagion, Side Effects and last year's award sweeping TV movie Behind The Candelabra starring Michael Douglas & Matt Damon.

What's it about: After the successful Banshee, HBO's new subsidiary channel Cinemax will now present this show. A doctor in this hospital drama, saves lives of patients without any modern technology whatsoever, because its still the 1900's. Could this be an ER or Grey's Anatomy set in the 1900's? I think it will be way better. Way way better.

Starring: It stars Clive Owen. Yes Clive Owen. Remember him from Closer?

3) Tyrant
USP – Loved the 3 seasons of Homeland? All the seasons of Six Feet Under? Tyrant is written and produced by the same guys. The writers have promised in interviews, that this show explores a space like no other prime time TV show has ever before. I would take their word.

What's it about: The son of a Middle East dictator returns to his homeland to attend a family wedding, and how he draws an innocent American family into the workings of a Middle Eastern nation. My prediction? If Breaking Bad had one Walter White turning into a monster. I think this one will have an entire family turning into Walter White.

Starring: Adam Rayner as Bassam "Barry" Al Fayeed, Jennifer Finnigan as Molly, his American wife. Justin Kirk plays John Tucker, the U.S. diplomat to Baladi.

2) Mob City
USP: – Frank Darabont is making it. Yes he is the same guy who directed Shawshank Redemption. Yes, he is the same guy who gave us The Walking Dead.

What's it about: America is obsessed with Gangtser shows. This show delves into the life of dreaded gangster Mickey Cohen and his decades long battle with the heroic real life cop William Parker. We saw the same story on film last year in The Gangster Squad starring Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling, but I believe that TV and its season formats are a better outlet based on real life stories that have gone on for years.

Starring: Jeremy Luke plays Mickey Cohen, with Neal McDonough playing William Parker.

1) Turn
USP – Craig Silverstein (Bones, Terra Nova) and Barry Josephson (Bones, Tales From The Crypt) are the producers and writers of this new show ready to premiere on AMC (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, The Killing), which is slowly but surely etching its way to being amongst the best content providers on television.

What's it about: Spy dramas make for exciting television, film or literature. We love the gadgets, the explosions, the vamps and the action. Turn takes a turn from all of the above. It is about the first spy ring in the history of America. Set in the late 18th century, it tells us of the first espionage ring ever during the American Revolution.

Starring: It stars Jamie Bell (King Kong, The Adventures Of Tintin), amongst others.

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