6 hidden TV gems you might have missed (and they're all returning this month)
January is a time for resolutions, renewal and binge-watching away the winter doldrums. What better way to do that than with these more obscure – but no less rewarding – hidden gems, all returning this month. USA TODAY's TV staff picks favorites:
'Future Man': Hulu (streaming)
In Season 1, slacker janitor Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson) was whisked into the future to save the world after his success at a video game identified him as mankind’s unlikely savior. If that sounds like “The Last Starfighter” from 1984, it’s supposed to. The sci-fi-ish comedy, echoing the pop culture obsessions of executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, is a smorgasbord of TV, film and video game references, turbocharged with R-rated humor. Spoiler alert: Josh saved the world – although now it appears he didn’t. Season 2 opens in 2162, with Dr. Stu (Haley Joel Osment) planning to move humanity to Mars. Can Josh save the day again? Even if he can’t, at least we’ll die laughing. – Bill Keveney
'I'm Sorry': TruTV (Wednesdays, 10 EST/PST)
Andrea Savage has been called a female Larry David (and, in fact, she appeared on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" last season). But her brand of unfiltered cringe humor is less caustically applied to family life in this comedy she created and stars in as Andrea, a Los Angeles comedy writer. She juggles her career with her marriage to a calming husband (Tom Everett Scott) and raising her daughter, who creates all kinds of anxiety when she starts kindergarten in the second-season premiere. – Gary Levin
'Corporate': Comedy Central, Jan. 15 (Tuesdays, 10:30 EST/PST)
Medieval alchemists tried to transform lead into gold. “Corporate” succeeds, turning life at a dismal office job – something many viewers try to escape via TV – into sterling entertainment. Sad-sack junior-execs-in-training Matt and Jake (stars and executive producers Matt Ingebretson and Jake Weisman) scheme to get by in a company dominated by a dictatorial CEO (Lance Reddick) and his vicious sycophants. The show takes corporate dread to new heights – or depths – but either way, it’s funny. And oh so relatable. Season 2 guest stars include Kyra Sedgwick, Elizabeth Perkins and Andy Richter. – Bill Keveney
'High Maintenance': HBO, Jan. 20 (Sundays, 10:30 EST/PST)
The premise is deceptively simple: Bicycle-riding weed dealer plies his trade and meets eccentric, everyday New Yorkers. But HBO's "High Maintenance," based on the web series created by Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld and starring Sinclair as the nameless peddler, is more nuanced, complex, sometimes melancholy and often hilarious. Last January's second-season premiere, "Globo," was a standout episode that followed characters in the wake of an unseen tragedy. The new season begins far from Brooklyn as The Guy takes his RV on a road trip for some chill time. – Gary Levin
'Crashing': HBO, Jan. 20 (Sundays, 10 EST/PST)
“Crashing” has never been better than in its third season, which has bigger stars – John Mulaney, Ray Romano and Amy Schumer cameo – and bigger struggles for affable stand-up comic Pete (Pete Holmes). After facing his first major rejection from New York’s legendary Comedy Club, Pete rebounds with an audacious new girlfriend, Kat (Madeline Wise), and a lucrative gig performing on a Christian variety tour. Kat’s dynamic presence brings a jolt of excitement to the occasionally rudderless show, forcing Pete to re-examine his fractured faith and long-term goals, as well as his uncertain relationship with an ex (Jamie Lee). – Patrick Ryan
‘The Magicians’: Syfy, Jan. 23 (Wednesdays, 9 EST/PST)
Starting “The Magicians” can be dangerous if you have to work the next day. The fantasy series melds an acerbic sense of humor with “Harry Potter” and “Narnia”-style mythology, and it's incredibly addictive. Nowhere else can you get mile-a-minute pop culture references, evil fairies, vengeful gods and salacious sexual and romantic relationships. – Kelly Lawler
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 6 hidden TV gems you might have missed (and they're all returning this month)
