Christmas is over and the New Year has begun, which means one very important thing: TV is back! This is my list of the new shows that are starting over the next few months that I am most excited about checking out.

1. Agent Carter premieres Janurary 6 on ABC, stars Hayley Atwell, Chad Michael Murray, James D’Arcy, Enver Gjokai and Shea Whigham. This show was inspired by Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and a Marvel One-Shot short film of the same name. It takes place in the Marvel Universe and features Peggy Carter and her work with the Strategic Scientific Reserve, as well as her secret dealings with Howard Stark. The Cap movies have been my favorite from Marvel and I already love Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so watching this show seems like a no-brainer.

2. Empire premieres January 7 on Fox, stars Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Trai Byers, Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Gray. Howard plays Lucious Lyon, the head of a music empire who finds out that he has ALS. He must decide which one of his sons will take over his company after he is gone. Executive Producer Danny Strong is my main reason for wanting to watch this show. I loved him as an actor on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gilmore Girls and he is an even better writer, as proved by his work on Recount, Game Change and the most recent Hunger Games movie.

3. 12 Monkeys premieres January 16 on Syfy, stars Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Kirk Acevedo, Noah Bean, Emily Hampshire, Barbara Sukowa and Tom Noonan. Based on the movie of the same name, this show is about a time traveler who comes to the present day from 2043 in order to stop the release of a virus that will cause the death of 93.6% of the world’s population. I did not really like the film, so I am not sure why I am so excited about this series. The cast intrigues me and I am trying to watch more science fiction, so I will give it a go.

4. Sons of Liberty premieres January 25 on History, stars Ben Barnes, Rafe Spall, Henry Thomas, Michael Raymond-James, Ryan Eggold, Marton Csokas, Dean Norris, Jason O’Mara and Emily Berrington. This is a mini-series about the start of the American Revolution. It focuses on Sam Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Dr. Joseph Warren as they set out to change the course of history. Mostly, it just looks like a lot of fun!

5. Better Call Saul premieres February 8 on AMC, stars Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael McKean, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian and Michael Mando. A spin-off of Breaking Bad, this prequel focuses on the life of lawyer Saul Goodman six years before he meets Walter White. If the quality of this show is anywhere close to the amazingness that was Breaking Bad, then this should be pretty fantastic. Saul was not necessarily one of my favorite characters, but I enjoy Odenkirk and trust creator Vince Gilligan.

6. The Slap premieres February 12 on NBC, stars Peter Sarsgaard, Uma Thurman, Melissa George, Thandie Newton, Owen Tanzer, Zachary Quinto and Brian Cox. This mini-series is an adaptation of an Australian series of the same name, which was based on a novel by Christos Tsiolkas. During a 40th birthday celebration, someone slaps another couple’s misbehaving child stunning everyone at the party. This moment then ignites a chain of events within the group of friends that uncovers several secrets and challenges everyone’s values. I was more excited about this show before Mary Louise Parker was replaced with Uma Thurman, but the rest of the cast is great and I still find the plot incredibly interesting. There is not yet a trailer available for this show.

7. Bloodline premieres in March on Netflix, stars Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Sam Shepard, Sissy Spacek, Norbert Leo Butz, Jacinda Barrett, Enrique Murciano and Jamie McShane. This thriller centers around a close-knit family of adult siblings whose secrets are revealed when their estranged brother returns home. Two words: Kyle Chandler. That is really the only reason I need to check out this show.

8. American Crime premieres March 5 on ABC, stars Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton, W. Earl Brown, Richard Cabral, Caitlin Gerard, Benito Martinez, Penelope Ann Miller, Elvis Nolasco and Johnny Ortiz. After a young couple is murdered in their home, a town is forever changed by the racially charged trial. This show is set in Modesto, California but was filmed in and around Austin, Texas, so I will be interested to see what I recognize. I also may be a little biased because one of my friends helped with the casting.