CarterMatt Awards 2019: Batwoman, Euphoria, Watchmen, Stumptown among Best New Show nominees
Today we’re kicking things off with Best New Show — an award that allows us to recognize a series that burst on to the scene in a big, bold, and awesome way over the past year. That’s really the only criteria that we’ve got here. As long as the show premiered in 2019, then they were part of our consideration.
Voting rules – You can vote for this award however often you want until the closing of the voting window — all polls close at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time (3:00 p.m. Eastern) on Tuesday, December 31. For more technical information on voting (and multiple voting), read the bottom of this article; meanwhile, visit our CarterMatt Awards Landing Page for all of the 2019 categories, plus a schedule as to when new polls will be posted.
Now, let’s get to sharing the Best New Show nominees for 2019…
Batwoman (The CW) – We knew entering the start of the season that The CW had something that was going to be incredibly entertaining on their hands — a notable comic-book character and a known lead in Ruby Rose. What they’ve turned the show into is something that is dark, magnetic, but also still emotional at times. It’s a perfect addition to the Arrowverse pantheon, one of the best in all TV.
Euphoria (HBO) – What the Zendaya-led series produced over their first season is a powerful portrait of youth in America in 2019, one that can be painful and triggering as well as hopeful. This is a show about self-discovery and the differences that can define us, but also bring us together.
Evil (CBS) – We knew that this was going to be good from the moment that it was announced that Mike Colter would be teaming with The Good Wife duo of Robert and Michelle King. What we have here is a story that is perfectly creepy when it needs to be, but also still mysterious and within the CBS mold. It pushes the envelope, while at the same time being familiar enough to enjoy.
His Dark Materials (HBO/BBC) – Adaptations are hard, and that is especially true for a series that is having to capture the imagination of Philip Pullman … especially on a budget. Yet, His Dark Materials is a well-crafted work with excellent characters and tremendous casting. It’s daring in its adaptation, but we respect it for taking the big swings it feels necessary.
The Mandalorian (Disney+) – There are definitely times we worry about the number of streaming services that are currently on TV, but through a limited number of weeks Disney+ has more than justified its existence. Also, The Mandalorian is providing something that we’ve wanted for decades — a bonafide Star Wars series that feels worthy of bearing its name.
Roswell, New Mexico (The CW) – Sure, it’s a show about aliens … but it’s also a lot more than that. It captures life, culture, mystery, and also relationships in such a captivating way. It’s also a rare “reboot” that manages to have some of the original soul while also creating something new, something that feels perfectly respectful to the original.
Stumptown (ABC) – Cobie Smulders is fantastic as the lead for what is one of the best new network shows of the year. ABC’s got a long history of good detective/private-eye shows, and this one manages to capture the humor of a Castle with some sharp action and strong characters.
Watchmen (HBO) – This was TV’s biggest gamble in 2019 — a follow-up to one of the most treasured graphic novels of all time. Yet, to date Watchmen has delivered on all of the hype, bringing us a stellar narrative filled with various twists, turns, and also love for the original story. Also, Regina King continues to be one of television’s best.
Now, it’s time to vote!
Check out the poll below, and be sure to visit our landing page for more categories.
I can’t see the poll on an individual category page; what do I do? – If you are on mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page and click to view the non-AMP version. If that does not work, give the poll a moment to load! On some mobile browsers, it may take a moment to show up. If you are still having trouble, try switching to a different device.
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Results are now closed. View the winners here!