With movie theaters shuttered for the time being and prospective audiences presumably self-quarantining at home, people looking for entertainment to consume have never had more time on their hands to just sit and binge a bunch of television. With that in mind, we polled our fans on social media to find out what new shows everyone was most looking forward to in the month of July, whether it was a brand new series or a popular one returning with a new season. It’s probably no surprise that three of the top five are Netflix originals, considering the sheer volume of the streaming giant’s output, but we also got an Amazon original and a series on TNT. Read on to find out the full list!
#1 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 31
Netflix’s adaptation of the comic book series created by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way enjoyed a successful first season, earning a Certified Fresh 75% on the Tomatometer and an even more impressive 86% Audience Score. For those who haven’t had a chance to check out the show just yet, we won’t discuss any spoilers from Season 1 here, but suffice it to say that the way it ended left enough fans anxious to find out where the show might go in Season 2 to propel it straight to the top of all of our social media polls. The only bad news is that we’ll have to wait until the tail end of the month before we get to see it.
#2 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 17
Another offering from Netflix, this fantasy series reimagines the classic legend of King Arthur by telling the origin story of the young woman who would eventually become the fabled Lady of the Lake. Based on the novel of the same name co-written by Frank Miller, it stars Kathering Langford (who also appeared in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why) as Nimue, who travels with a young Arthur (Devon Terrell) to seek out Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård) and help confront the evil King Uther Pendragon. This one came in just under The Umbrella Academy in both our Facebook and Twitter polls.
#2 pick by our Instagram fans, #3 pick by our Twitter fans, #5 pick by our Facebook fans
Premieres on TNT on July 19
Originally created as a limited series based on the novel of the same name by Caleb Carr, The Alienist surprised a lot of people by scoring a number of awards nominations and subsequently announcing that it would return for another go. The second season, dubbed Angel of Darkness, adapts the second novel in the series and sees the return of stars Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, and Dakota Fanning as their characters reunite to track down a missing infant, only to uncover a more sinister threat. A lot of people are happy they’re coming back for another investigation, and there are hopes that the third and upcoming fourth novels in the series will ensure further seasons of the dark, period thriller.
#3 pick by our Facebook fans, #4 pick by our Instagram fans, #5 pick by our Twitter fans
Premieres on Amazon Prime on July 3
The first season of Amazon’s Hanna expanded on the ideas of its source material, the Joe Wright-directed 2011 film of the same name, and delivered something entirely its own, and while the reviews weren’t over the moon, the audience response was strong. Fittingly, Season 2 looks to expand that world even further, and fans who have been waiting to find out where Hanna (Esme Creed-Miles) goes next and how she will evolve will be pleased to know that, according to the critics, it’s even better than Season 1.
#4 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 2
The third Netflix series to make it into the top five this month is another fantasy, albeit one based on modern (ancient?) religion. Loosely based on a comic book series first published in the mid-’90s, Warrior Nun centers on a young woman who is gifted with immense power and compelled to join a secret order of — you guessed it — warrior nuns who battle against supernatural evil. The series has generated interest from curious and cautiously optimistic viewers looking for another fantasy fix, and reviews indicate it’s not perfect but still worth checking out.
Thumnail image by NETFLIX