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A Good Wife spinoff! And 5 other new TV shows you need in your life

The lowdown on the latest couch-worthy fodder, from a juicy HBO drama starring Reese Witherspoon, to Riverdale, the best teen soap since Gossip Girl.
A Good Wife spinoff! And 5 other new TV shows you need in your life

Photo, The Good Fight, CBS.

With both mid-season premieres and mid-winter hibernation season well underway, what better time to zip up your coziest onesie, veg out on the couch and take in a new show? Here, your next TV obsessions: the good, the badly behaved — and the zombies.

Big Little Lies (HBO) Big Little Lies (HBO)

Big Little Lies The novel that titillated a million wine book clubs is sure to become the show that everyone is talking about. One clue is that Reese Witherspoon (aka, the world’s best celebrity book recommender), developed the project from page to screen. It also co-stars Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodly and Laura Dern. The multi-narrative miniseries is about the dark underbelly of idyllic family life. Where can I watch?: HBO Canada, premiering Feb 19th. TV shorthand: A darker Desperate Housewives, with a dash of Damages.

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The Good Fight (CBS) The Good Fight (CBS)

The Good Fight Cure that case of Alicia Florrick withdrawal with this spinoff that brings back the divine Diane Lockhart (a.k.a., the equally divine Christine Baranski) and Cush Jumbo, who played Alicia’s partner, Lucca. The show opens with Diane announcing her retirement — only to learn that she’s lost everything to a Bernie Madoff type. So it’s back to work — with drama and sensational statement necklaces sure to ensue. Where can I watch: W Network, starting February 19 at 8 p.m. TV shorthand: The Good Wife minus its emotionally unavailable lead.

One Day at a Time (Netflix) One Day at a Time (Netflix)

One Day At A Time The classic '70s family comedy is reimagined with the help of its original creator (and sitcom whisperer) Norman Lear. The laughs and life lessons now centre around a Cuban-American clan. Like many Lear comedies of yore (he did All In the Family), this one knows how to mine stereotypes for laughs. It has retro touches (a multi-camera filming style and a laugh track), as well as a few modern updates: Schneider is a now the hipster neighbour — not a vaguely menacing handyman with keys to the apartment. Where can I watch?: Netflix. TV shorthand: The heart-warming, insta-nostalgia blast of the Fuller House reboot — and it’s actually funny.

Santa Clarita Diet (Netflix) Santa Clarita Diet (Netflix)
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Santa Clarita Diet Drew Barrymore makes her small-screen series-regular debut playing an everyday mom who unexpectedly joins the undead. The show — which be warned, is quite gory — is a send up of suburban culture (i.e., the real zombies are the white-picket-fence crowd). Timothy Olyphant co-stars as Drew’s husband, who stands by his woman — even when she’s throwing back human organs like they’re bonbons. Awwwwww. Where can I watch?: Netflix. TV shorthand: Modern Family meets Walking Dead.

Mary Kills People (Global Television). Mary Kills People (Global Television).

Mary Kills People LOLs and euthanasia aren’t exactly obvious bedfellows, but the combination works in this dark (duh) dram-edy about Mary (Montreal’s Caroline Dhavernas), an ER doc by day who runs a secret life-ending business after dark. The provocative politics of the show come second to the complex characters and insta-grabby storylines (like Mary hooking up with one of her clients). Where can I watch?: Global, 9 PM, Wednesdays.
TV shorthand: The subversive single mom with an illegal secret makes it feel like Weeds, with a dash of Grey’s Anatomy.

Riverdale (Netflix) Riverdale (Netflix)

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Riverdale If you grew up thinking Archie and company were a little too vanilla, dig into this 2017-set reboot, where Betty’s on Adderall, Veronica’s just in from the Big Apple, and Archie’s dad is played by Luke Perry(!!!) The first-season storyline follows the murder of one of the Blossom twins, who were bit characters from the original comics. But some things never change (read: Betty and Veronica are still fighting over everyone’s favourite ginger). Where can I watch?: Netflix. TV shorthand: Finally, a show that deserves the "new Gossip Girl" descriptor.

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