Several highly anticipated science fiction TV shows are airing in 2020. Some are brand new, while others are popular shows returning with new seasons. When it comes to science fiction TV, 2020 will be full of high-octane action, superheroes, and big-name properties like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel.
2019 was a similarly huge year for the genre, which gave audiences the first live-action Star Wars spinoff TV series, The Mandalorian, and of course new seasons of big hits like The Expanse, Stranger Things, Star Trek: Discovery, and more. 2020 will continue the trend, with streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ contributing a great deal to this year's list of anticipated shows.
It should be noted that since it's still early in the year, not all of 2020's biggest shows have been revealed, since some still don't have official release dates. For example, Netflix has yet to announce Stranger Things season 4 for 2020. Here are the most anticipated new and returning shows officially confirmed to release sometime in 2020.
Walking Dead: World Beyond
AMC's Walking Dead: World Beyond is the third show in the Walking Dead universe. Premiering on April 12, World Beyond - which will only last for two seasons - focuses on a young group of characters who must fight to survive in a world full of zombies ten years after the apocalypse. The show hasn't even started yet, and crossovers with the other Walking Dead shows have already been teased.
The Boys
2019's The Boys offered a dark, crude, and unique take on the superhero formula. The Amazon series is set in a world where superheroes are controlled by corporations, and another group is dedicated to keeping them in check. After its first season was a huge success, Amazon fast-tracked season 2, and it's now expected that The Boys will return in mid-2020.
Devs
Created by Annihilation director Alex Garland, Devs is an upcoming eight-part limited series that stars Sonoya Minuzo as a woman who believes that a cutting edge tech company is tied to the disappearance of her boyfriend. Her search leads her to a conspiracy that could change the world. Garland's work in the science fiction genre is largely driving the hype behind Devs, which will premiere on FX on Hulu on March 5.
Snowpiercer
Snowpiercer tells the story of a group of people who live aboard a train that traverses through a world that was transformed into a frozen wasteland. TNT's post-apocalyptic series, which is set to premiere on May 31, deals with class warfare and social injustice. The series is based both on Bong Joon-ho's 2013 movie and the French graphic novel. The series stars Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connelly.
Agents of SHIELD
As Marvel Television comes to an end, the show that started it all will deliver its seventh and final season in mid-2020 on ABC. The Agents of SHIELD season 6 finale set up season 7 by introducing a new version of Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). It also teased a time travel adventure that involves the advanced beings, the Chronicoms, who have rewritten time to suit their own purposes.
Westworld
Based on the 1973 film of the same name, HBO's Westworld is set in a Wild West amusement park that allows people to live out their fantasies by using robot "hosts". Though not quite a replacement for Game of Thrones, Westworld is one of HBO's most-talked about shows and a major success for the network. Westworld is set to return in March 2020 for a eight-episode third season.
Y: The Last Man
A live-action adaptation of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning comic book series Y: The Last Man has been in the works as early as 2007. A film was in development, but it never happened. However, a Y: The Last Man TV series from FX will finally bring the story to life. Y: The Last Man is about what happens when a disaster wipes out every male of every species, creating a world full of women. One man and a monkey are the sole-surviving males on the entire planet. Y: The Last Man is expected to air sometime in 2020.
The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian season 1 expanded on the world of Star Wars by introducing new aliens, planets, and concepts while at the same time honoring the lore established in various Star Wars movies, novels, comics, and cartoons. The series, which has been described by many as the best Star Wars has been since the original trilogy, drove most of the success experienced by Disney+, so for a streaming service that's currently light on original content, the new season is sure to be a top priority. In fact, filming for The Mandalorian season 2 has already begun.
WandaVision
Originally, the plan was for Marvel Studios to kick off its slate of MCU shows on Disney+ with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in late 2020, with the others following in 2021. It would seem that the gap between The Mandalorian and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has caused Disney+ to adjust its schedule. WandaVision has been moved up to 2020, though a more specific window hasn't been confirmed. Ahead of her role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch returns for WandaVision, a show that will pair her with Paul Bettany's titular android for a story that takes place in the 1950s.
Star Trek: Picard
Perhaps the show that science fiction fans are anticipating the most is Star Trek: Picard, the second Star Trek series from CBS All Access. As the title suggests, Star Trek: Picard sees Patrick Stewart reprise the role of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jean-Luc Picard. Behind only William Shatner's Kirk, Picard is the second most iconic captain in the history of Star Trek. Just the fact that Stewart hasn't played Picard in 18 years is enough to create a significant amount of buzz around the show. The return of other Star Trek characters further builds on the hype of a series that promises to send one of Star Trek's most beloved heroes in an exciting new direction.