There is no mistaking the fact that we are currently in a golden age of serialized television, however many of the shows that came to convince us TV had taken over from the movies as the source of high end drama with great writing and acting are either finished or at a very mature stage. While the world waits for the latest seasons of huge TV shows like Game of Thrones, we are also waiting to see what the next big thing is going to be, and 2016’s upcoming new shows appear to hold what could be some interesting gems.

Here, we look at some of the different things coming to air in 2016. Look out for the best DIRECTV packages to make sure you don’t miss out on your next TV addiction!

Underground

This show is hotly anticipated because of its sensitive subject matter, which is sure to bring about the potential (if handled well) for some intense storytelling as well as exciting drama. It follows a group of slaves who have a plan to escape from the plantation they are being kept on – a plan involving a 600 mile journey.

Love

Fans of sensitively handled insights into love and relationships like HBO’s Girls may well be looking forward to this show about a couple dealing with the everyday situations affecting modern love. Starring Paul Rust and Community’s Gillian Jacobs, it looks set to have its funny moments, but is a potentially relatable series that should have broad appeal.

Vinyl

This HBO drama has an incredible all star cast and lists Mick Jagger and Martin Scorcese among its executive producers. A story of the 1970’s music industry starring Bobby Cannavale, Olivia Wilde and Ray Romano, it could do for the 1970’s period what Mad Men did for the sixties!

Preacher

Preacher is the long awaited adaptation of the cult hit comic book series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. A Supernatural story with everything from vampires to angels, as well as a compelling central trio of characters in terms of the series’ protagonist Jesse, a preacher who develops the power to command people using the voice of God, his estranged girlfriend Tulip, and a mysterious Irish rogue called Cassidy. This show will be aired on AMC and could well become one of the network’s impressive line of critically acclaimed, popular shows, along with Breaking Bad, Mad Men and The Walking Dead (which was of course, also a comic book adaptation).

The Lion Guard

Great television doesn’t only appear in the adult market, and this animated Disney TV series following Kion, the son of Simba from The Lion King, and his friends who have formed a cross species unit to keep peace in their homeland, is set to be enjoyed by people of all ages.

These are just a few of the shows likely to be becoming major talking points for TV fans over the next 12 months, so make sure you catch them!