August 26, 2019 – It may be a new trend for a streaming show to take a year or two break before returning with its next season. 2019 has had many such shows. See the list below.
After a one-year break, this popular Netflix series returned. Season 2 was just as fresh, clever, and haunting. If you like sci-fi, put this at the top of your watch list.
Creators: Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese
Cast: Oliver Masucci, Karoline Eichhorn, Jördis Triebel
Language: German
IMDb: 8.8
Where: Netflix
Mr. Robot took a year off before returning for its fourth and final season. There’s much to appreciate in the smarts category here. This is an original show (ala Breaking Bad) with subtle acting and innovative cinematography. The final season was one of the strongest, but I wasn’t a fan of the series finale.
Creator: Sam Esmail
Cast: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin, Martin Wallström
IMDb: 8.6
Where: Amazon Prime, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Google Play, Vudu
Returned after a one-year break. Season 5 wasn’t my favorite of the seasons, but this is still one of my favorite cop shows of all time. One British outlet called it the “king of the crime dramas.” Another called it “the decade's best British drama.”
Creator: Jed Mercurio (Bodyguard)
Cast: Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar
IMDb: 8.6
Where: Acorn TV (for season 5), Hulu (for previous seasons), iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
Another Netflix hit with a one-year break. Season 3 is just as much fun as previous seasons. Continues to be a great show.
Creators: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder
IMDb: 9.0
Where: Netflix
After a four-year break, Idris Elba returned as the grizzled detective John Luther. This was the final season for the show. A must see if you’re a fan. NOTE: As of this year, this show is no longer on Netflix.
Creator: Neil Cross
Cast: Idris Elba (The Wire), Warren Brown, Dermot Crowley
IMDb: 8.5
Where: iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
After an unpopular sophomore season (I liked it somewhat) and a four-year break, True Detective returned for a Season 3 that resembled Season 1 in tone and storyline. Mahershala Ali’s character is shown in three different time periods. He nails the role in all three but is especially gripping as an elderly man. Maybe more than the previous seasons, Season 3 really showed that the focus of True Detective is not so much the case as how it affects its stalwart detectives.
Creator: Nic Pizzolatto
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Carmen Ejogo, Stephen Dorff
IMDb: 9.0
Where: HBO, Hulu, Amazon On Demand, iTunes, Vudu
While there was a Veronica Mars movie in 2014, the series itself has had a 12-year break. Kristen Bell returns as the titular private detective. I like this show, but it’s not for everybody.
Creator: Rob Thomas
Cast: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni
IMDb: 8.3
Where: Hulu, Amazon On Demand, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play
After a two-and-a-half-year break, Netflix’s The OA returned for a second season that had just as many oddities as before. For Season 2, the show went broader in scope, adding a new location (San Francisco), a new central character (Detective Karim Washington), and some bigger-budget effects. Even if I don’t agree with all its existential questions or conclusions, I applaud this show’s originality and creativity. (Note: There will not be a third season.)
Creators: Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
Cast: Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs, Scott Wilson, Kingsley Ben-Adir
IMDb: 7.8
Where: Netflix
After a two-year hiatus, The Godfather of fantasy shows returned for its eighth and final season. I was not a fan of how the series ended. As an analogy, it would be like the world’s most beautiful woman decided to mess up her face with plastic surgery. Oh well. It was really good up to a point.
Creators: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Cast: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington
IMDb: 9.5
Where: HBO, Amazon On Demand, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play