The Last Of Us:
The recent adaptation of the beloved video game series “The Last Of Us” was one of the most popular TV shows of 2023. The series was originally released in 2014 and created by creative director Neil Druckmann and former game director Bruce Straley of Naughty Dog, LLC. Set in a post-apocalyptic United States ravaged by a zombie disease known as the Cordyceps virus, the story follows Joel, a survivor of the epidemic, who accompanies Ellie, a teenage girl who is immune to the virus, across America so that a revolutionary group can attempt to find a cure. The original publication of the game was so well received that it garnered a sequel in 2020 featuring grown-up Ellie. Another draw to the popularity of the adaptation is the outstanding blockbuster cast: Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, both known for their roles in “Game Of Thrones,” star as the lead characters Ellie and Joel.
The seven-episode season will be released in April 2025. The second season will bridge the gap between the first and second “The Last Of Us” video games and include a character many die-hard fans have mixed opinions on, Abby Anderson.
Yellowjackets:
“Yellowjackets” is an American thriller television series from the brains of Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. The series follows two different timelines. One set in 1996 follows a high school girl’s soccer team that, while traveling to nationals, ends up in a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. The stranded teens try to survive for nineteen months as the group becomes more and more wild and deranged. The resulting cult drives them to do the unspeakable. The second timeline features a handful of the survivors twenty-five years later in 2021 when a mysterious threat causes them to reunite. The newest season is the third in what the creators hope is a five-season-long show. Filming began in early May 2024 with an official release date of February 15, 2025.
The Handmaid’s Tale:
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is a popular adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel. Set in a near-future United States renamed Gilead under a patriarchal totalitarian state, those who are fertile are known as the Handmaidens whose job is to restore Gilead’s population which had deteriorated due to environmental problems. The show and novel follow the lead protagonist Offred during her time as a Handmaiden.
As The Handmaid’s Tale quickly ran out of source material, with only one novel for content, the makers of the television series had to pull some creative strings. The original novel never gives Offred’s true name; however, the TV show does, referring to her as June Osborne. The show only has one book to pull from, which leaves off on a major cliffhanger, giving it the freedom to explore new plotlines and go more into detail with character development, such as the complicated character Serena Joy.
Coming back for its final season in 2025, the end of “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a long-awaited one. Offred, played by American actor and producer Elisabeth Moss, resumes her role in the coming season and puts Offred’s story to rest after eight years. The show’s official Instagram account revealed they began filming in September 2024. Although most details regarding plot lines and release dates for the season have been kept under wraps, the final season is set to premiere in the spring.
Wednesday:
“Wednesday” is a popular variation of the classic 1960s TV show “The Addams Family” about a “creepy” and “kooky” family, who has quickly become one of the most iconic families in the world of film.“Wednesday” takes a unique spin on the original series, following a teenage Wednesday Addams, portrayed by rising horror star Jenna Ortega, as she navigates the world of the supernatural and high school while trying to prevent killings in a nearby town and find the truth behind her mysterious parents. The show credits Tim Burton, known for his whimsical and scary movies, as the writer for four out of the eight episodes of season one.
Premiering in 2022, the show earned overwhelmingly positive reviews, many of which applauded Ortega’s performance. The production of season two of “Wednesday” was heavily delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. The show is set to premiere sometime this year, though the exact date has yet to be determined.
Stranger Things:
Being one of the most beloved and watched TV shows in Netflix history, “Stranger Things” is known for its 1980s nostalgic vibes and music and focuses on a group of kids as they attempt to solve a mystery of an alternate dimension stealing citizens. The show was created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the Duffer Brothers. The well-awaited show will be the series’ fifth and final season, bringing this fantastic program, which has been on air since 2016, to a close. Similar to “Wednesday,” the show had a delay in its production due to writer strikes but has been progressing since the Writers Guild of America strike ended.
Production on the newest season was completed on December 20, 2024. Although there has yet to be an exact date of release, the final season of “Stranger Things” is expected to hit our screens in mid-2025.
This year looks like a great year for television, as many of the viewers’ favorites are coming back.
