The best upcoming TV series to watch in Singapore

Available on Viu

Starring Ji Sung from the hit Korean drama Kill Me, Heal Me, tvN's new series The Devil Judge is set in a dystopian version of South Korea, where criminal trials are streamed live from the courtroom. Head trial judge Kang Yo Han is known for his merciless punishment of the corrupt and greedy, making him a hero of the people – but harbours secrets of his own. Be excited for intriguing subterfuge and political machinations, and it helps that Ji Sung looks mighty good in a suit. 

Available on Netflix

More a film trilogy than TV series, Fear Street will delight with its mix of horror, gore, supernatural and romance. Based on popular novels by R.L. Stine, the first edition Fear Street Part 1: 1994 introduces us to the notorious town of Shadyside, where a teen and her friends are pulled into a centuries-old mystery involving an evil force. Expect plenty of high-adrenaline sequences and jump scares set to a cool 90s soundtrack in this grown-up sibling to Stranger Things. Parts two and three are available on July 9 and 16 respectively. 

Available on HBO Go 

Afternoon, Upper East Siders. It looks like there's a new generation of New York private school teens to keep an eye on. Word has it that they're part of the new Gossip Girl reboot, an extension of the pop-culture classic if you will. But don't expect the old gang to reprise their roles. With a new cast comes a new story, and this one explores how much social media – and even the landscape of New York itself – has changed nine years after the original blogger's website went dark. This can only mean one thing: hot, hot tea. Till next time. XOXO, Gossip Girl.

Available on HBO and HBO Go 

Not everything is as picture-perfect as it seems, and the same can be said for the would-be vacationers in the new HBO limited series The White Lotus. Set at an exclusive Hawaiian island resort, we follow various hotel guests and employees as their idyllic holiday devolves into a tangled web of events and relationships that reveal darker complexities of the people involved and even the island itself. 

Available on Viki 

Song Ji Hyo has cemented her variety star status on Running Man, but she's now returning to her actress roots in The Witch's Diner. Coming to Netflix in mid-July, she undergoes a dramatic transformation as mysterious witch Jo Hee Ra, who runs a restaurant selling food that grants wishes in exchange for customers' souls. Described as a dark fantasy drama, The Witch's Diner will no doubt teach us a lesson or two about being careful what you wish for. 

Available on Apple TV+ 

Fear of losing their romantic spark forever, a couple sets out on a backpacking trip that’s designed to reinvigorate their relationship. But this isn’t just any ordinary trip. Along the way, the couple discovers a magical town in which everyone is living a studio musical from the 1940s – think WandaVision but old-timey Broadway. However, they can’t leave town until they find “true love”.

On Netflix July 23

The last episode of Kingdom Season 2 left many of you hanging: who is Jun Ji Hyun's character Ashin? Does this mean there will be a third season of Kingdom? While the second question is not yet answered, sate some of your curiosity with Kingdom: Ashin of the North, a special episode that will unveil the mystery of Ashin and the origins of the resurrection plant. Expect tragedy, betrayal and a whole lot of vengeance.

On HBO Go July 23

From WarnerMedia comes Traffickers: Inside the Golden Triangle, a HBO Asia Original documentary series that will take you into the secretive epicenter of illicit drug production inside the Golden Triangle. Follow the rise and demise of three infamous drug lords in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos through exclusive interviews with members of their inner circles, drug enforcement agents and victims' families, as well as never-before-seen archive footage and immersive recreations. 

On Apple TV+ July 30

Helmed by Grammy and Academy Award-winners Mark Ronson and Morgan Neville, Apple TV+'s new six-part docuseries explores the groundbreaking technology that has shaped music as we know it. Each episode spotlights music's unique combo of artistry and technology in candid conversations with Paul McCartney, Questlove, King Princess, Dave Grohl, Adrock and Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Charli XCX and more. It also introduces original music created using groundbreaking technology and techniques including reverb, synth, autotune, drum machines, sampling and distortion.

On Apple TV+ August 6

Joseph Gordon-Levitt wears many hats in Mr Corman. Written, directed, produced by and starring the man himself, this upcoming Apple TV+ comedy-drama series follows the titular character who is a 30-something artist at heart but not by trade. Kinda like Disney’s Soul, he finds himself teaching when his lifelong dream of a career in music didn’t go according to plan. If that’s not bad enough, his ex-fiance decides to move out, leaving some space for his high school buddy to scooch in. But unlike Soul, he deals with anxiety, loneliness and self-doubt in the real world.

On Apple TV+ September 24

Science fiction fans will want to tune in to Foundation, the first-ever on-screen adaptation of Isaac Asimov's iconic and award-winning novel series of the same name. The series follows the revolutionary Dr. Hari Seldon and his band of loyal followers, as they travel across space and time to establish The Foundation in an attempt to preserve and rebuild civilisation. In this quest, they go up against the ruling Cleons – a long line of emperor clones – among other deadly crises and a tangled web of loyalties and relationships. Foundation is backed by showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer, and will star Emmy Award nominees Jared Harris and Lee Pace. 

On Apple TV+ later this year

Another hot new TV series starring Tom Hiddleston, The Essex Serpent sees the Golden Globe Award-winner as lead character Will Ransome, the trusted leader of a small rural community. Adapted from Sarah Perry’s British Book Award-winning bestseller of the same name, the Apple Original drama series observes a widow who relocates from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. She then becomes intrigued by a local superstition: a mythical creature known as the Essex Serpent, which – lo and behold – has returned to the area.

On HBO Go later this year

If it’s action that you want, then it’s action that you’ll get. HBO Max’s character-driven six-part thriller follows “The Man” who is desperately searching for his identity after being pursued by an epic tank truck chase in the heart of the Australian outback. While he wakes up in the hospital hurt but miraculously alive, he seems to have no recollection of who he is. And if you think the chase stops there, you’re wrong. With merciless figures from his past after him, The Man’s search for answers propels him through the vast and unforgiving outback.

On HBO Go later this year

What do you get when you combine two brilliant visionaries and storytellers? A new series worth binge-watching. Adapted by Steven Moffat from the beloved novel by Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveller’s Wife is helmed by Emmy-winning director David Nutter whose works include Game of Thrones, Band of Brothers, and The Sopranos. The series spotlights the intricate and magical love story of Clare and Henry, as well as their marriage, which comes with an unlikely problem: time travel.

Available on Netflix

Thursdays just got a whole lot better with the return of Hospital Playlist Season 2, a heartwarming slice-of-life South Korean drama centering on five doctor friends at Yulje Medical Centre. The first season left us with some questions: how will Songhwa respond to Ik-Jun's confession? How will the 'Wintergarden' couple navigate a workplace relationship? Will Min-ha's love be requited? Whatever it is, you can look forward to tearjerking patient stories and mature friendships that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy well into Friday. 

Available on Disney+ 

If you think Loki deserves his own spin-off show after watching all those Thor and Avengers films, then thank the Disney+ stars. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the God of Mischief is finally stepping out of his brother’s shadow for a new six-episode crime thriller that lands him in a world of trouble with the bureaucratic TVA, centring on an alternate version of Loki created in a new timeline – all thanks to the stolen Tesseract, really.

Available on HBO and HBO GO 

If you've got the time for crime, then add this new HBO Asia Original Taiwan series to your watchlist. Trinity of Shadows follows a murder investigation that leads a trio of righteous detective, up-and-coming public official, and rookie policeman into a dark labyrinth of power play. But as they get closer to the truth, they are forced to confront their demons, which is all connected to a cold case from three years ago.

Available on Netflix

A curiously heartwarming story set in post-apocalyptic times, Sweet Tooth follows 10-year-old deer-human hybrid Gus in a world that's been beseiged by a virus that's killed off half of the world's population, and at the same time when half the births are half-human hybrids. Based on the flagship series produced under DC Comics' now-defunct imprint Vertigo Comics, this coming-of-age tale will simultaneously creep you out and pull on your heartstrings. 

Available on Apple TV+ (new episode available every Friday)

Reminiscing about the 80s? Get extra nostalgic as Apple TV+’s new 10-episode dramedy takes you back to the decade of big hair, neon outfits and synth-pop. It stars Emmy and Golden Globe-nominee Rose Byrne as a woman who is a dutiful housewife on the outside but a tormented soul on the inside. Things start to really shake up when she discovers aerobics. Combining her newfound passion with the burgeoning technology of videotape, she starts to make her way towards empowerment and success – with her guns blazing, no less.

On Disney+ 

Disney+ brings the best-selling book series by Trenton Lee Stewart to life with its upcoming eight-episode original series The Mysterious Benedict Society which stars Emmy Award-winner Tony Hale. In the heat of a global crisis known as The Emergency, Tony Hale’s eccentric character recruits four young, gifted orphans for a dangerous mission to save the world. When a little digging led them to the mind behind the worldwide panic, who happens to be their headmaster Dr Curtain, the unlikely heroes have no choice but to devise a plan to defeat him.

Available on Apple TV+ (new episode available every Friday)

Based on the best-selling novel Lisey’s Story by Stephen King, the new eight-episode limited series stars multiple award-winners Julianne Moore and Clive Owen as wife and husband. The deeply personal, pensive thriller checks in on the titular character two years after her famous novelist husband’s death, and reveals a series of unsettling events that triggers Lisey to revisit the memories of her marriage that she has deliberately buried in her mind.

Available on Apple TV+

Created and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, The Me You Can’t See opens up the much-needed conversations about mental health and emotional well-being. With storytelling at its core, this timely docuseries transcends culture, age, gender, and socioeconomic status to destigmatise the highly misunderstood subject. Listen to the stories of popstar Lady Gaga, actress Glenn Close, and celebrity chef Rashad Armstead, as well as the many people from across the globe. Together with accredited experts from around the world, the show also sheds light on the different pathways to treatment.

Available on Disney+ (new episode available every Friday)

So you’ve seen the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, now get ready for a follow-up on the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy after the events of the Clone War. For the uninitiated, the Bad Batch is a unique squad of clones who are genetically different from those in the Clone Army where each has a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.

Available on Apple TV+ (new episode available every Friday)

This new Apple TV+ series created by award-winning novelist Neil Cross reimagines the adventure of Paul Theroux’s best-selling book The Mosquito Coast which also celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. A beefed-up version of the 1986 film, the series follows the perilous journey of a radical idealist and brilliant inventor who uproots his family for Mexico in an attempt to run from the US government.

Available on Disney+ (new episode available every Friday)

This Star Original shines its torchlight on the search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. But when two private detectives and an ex-cop – who’s also an estranged wife to one of the detectives – discover that they aren’t the ones who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to find them before it’s too late.

Available on Netflix

From the pages of Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling Grishaverse novels comes an eight-part series that takes us through a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. But it’s not as easy as it seems as dangerous forces including a crew of charismatic criminals are at play. It will take more than magic to survive.

Available on HBO and HBO Go

Can’t get enough of Bridgerton? There’s new period drama to get hooked on. From the creator of pop culture phenom Buffy the Vampire Slayer comes The Nevers, a six-part HBO original set in London during the final years of Victoria’s reign. Expect more girl power as the drama reveals the extraordinary abilities of women known as the “Touched”. Topped with relentless enemies and a mission to change the world, you can say it’s an old-timey version of X-Men.

Available on HBO and HBO Go

Kate Winslet channels her inner Sherlock as Mare Sheehan, a small-town Pennsylvania detective who investigates a local murder while dealing with her own life problems. The seven-part limited series delves further into the dark side of a tight-knit community and takes a closer examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present.