21 TV Shows to Watch in November and December
In the gallery above, our editors have selected the most interesting TV shows (including TV movies and specials) debuting during the final months of 2019, listed in order by premiere date.
Series debuts November 12 on Disney+. While the Disney+ launch day schedule includes a few original films, a High School Musical spinoff, a Pixar series, and a Marvel reality series, among other original shows and several hundred Disney catalog titles, one newcomer is clearly drawing the most advance interest, and it's not even close: The Mandalorian, the first live-action series set in the Star Wars universe.
Created (but not directed) by Jon Favreau—directors include Taika Waititi, Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Deborah Chow, and Bryce Dallas Howard—the eight-episode series is set sometime during the gap between the sixth and seventh Star Wars films and stars Pedro Pascal (Narcos) as the title character, a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy. Joining him in the cast are Nick Nolte, Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, Carl Weathers, and ever-cheerful filmmaker Werner Herzog (who plays a villain, naturally). Expect a more character-driven, smaller-scope approach rather than constant action and expensive special effects—not that Disney is being cheap; episodes reportedly cost $15 million apiece. And prior knowledge of Star Wars is not a prerequisite to following the story.
New episodes will stream roughly on a weekly basis, though some will be spaced just a few days apart (including episode 2, which streams on the 15th), and a second season is already in pre-production. Note that Disney is keeping the show under wraps until the premiere, so you will not see any advance reviews. However, buzz out of a 27-minute industry preview in early October was very strong, with observers likening the series to the original film trilogy.