House of the Dragon and 40 other sci-fi/fantasy shows to look forward to in 2024

2023 is over. We had some laughs, made some memories, and watched too much TV. And we’re looking forward to doing it all over again this year.

So what does 2024 have on tap for us TV lovers, particularly those of us who enjoy sci-fi, fantasy and superhero shows? As usual, a ton. Let’s run down what to look out for in the new year:

1. Echo (January 10, Disney+)

We’ll take these in chronological order, at least for those shows where we have some idea when they’re coming out. First on the docket is Echo, a Marvel superhero series that follows Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she returns home to Oklahoma after the events of Hawkeye. At the end of that show, she squared off against criminal mastermind Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). Surely there will be consequences.

Maya is a deaf Native American Choctaw and an expert fighter you don’t want to cross. I wonder whether there are a ton of people interested in a Hawkeye spinoff, but Maya is an interesting character, and the prospect of seeing D’Onofrio back in action as the Kingpin is intriguing.

2. True Detective season 4 (January 14, HBO and Max)

Okay, we’re two shows deep and we’re already breaking the rules, since True Detective isn’t really sci-fi or fantasy. But it is kind of spooky and moody, and that’ll do in a pinch.

Plus it’s a good series. The firsts season is still the best, but with Jodie Foster and Kali Reis playing a pair of detectives investigating disappearances at a research center in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska, perhaps season 4 can put the show back on top.

Season 4 is the first season of True Detective to come with a subtitle: Night Country. See? Spooky and moody.

3. Halo season 2 (February 8, Paramount+)

The first season of Halo, based on the popular video game franchise, aired on Paramount+ to decent reviews but little fanfare. We’ve always known that a second season of this military sci-fi drama was coming, but have heard next to nothing since. Still, star Pablo Schreiber (Master Chief) announced in May of 2023 that filming on season 2 was done, so we expect it to be along soon enough. Whether it can generate more buzz this time around remains to be seen.

4. Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3 (February 21, Disney+)

And one more Star Wars show for the road! This will be the final season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, an animated series about a group of rogue clone troopers who abandon the Empire to strike out on their own. This is the fifth Star Wars show airing on Disney+ in 2024, which is great news for Star Wars fans and maybe a bit exasperating for those looking for some variety in their TV diet.

5. Avatar: The Last Airbender (February 22, Netflix)

I’ll admit I’m excited for this one: Avatar: The Last Airbender was an animated series that ran on Nickelodeon for three seasons back in the 2000s. An epic fantasy inspired by East Asian cultures, the series remains beloved to this day, which isn’t surprising because it’s exciting, funny, charming and all-around awesome.

Now, years later, Netflix is making a splashy live-action remake. It could crash and burn like M. Night Shyamalan’s 2010 live-action movie version, or it could right what was wrong and introduce this story to a whole new generation. I’m hoping for the latter.

We’re not close to done. Click the button below to read on!