December may boast Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and parties galore, but January can't be discounted; it's when all sorts of new TV series come out, and for anyone who likes to sample new shows, it's an exciting time brimming with small-screen gifts. Only time will tell which shows become hits, but if you're wondering which ones are worthy of a coveted spot in your DVR queue, here are five to try:
The Carrie Diaries
When: January 14 on The CW
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb, Austin Butler
The gist: This prequel to Sex and the City revolves around the teenage Carrie Bradshaw as she sashays around NYC being young and fabulous. If you love the music and fashion of the '80s, this show is a non-stop vat of eye candy. Get ready for some serious neon.
The Mistresses
When: Date to be announced, ABC
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Yunjin Kim
The gist: This import of the British drama of the same name revolves around four women navigating the bumpy terrain of their complex -- and often illicit -- relationships.
Hannibal
When: Date to be announced, NBC
Starring: Hugh Dancy, Caroline Dhavernas, Mads Mikkelsen, Laurence Fishburne
The gist: This prequel to The Silence of the Lambs comes from Bryan Fuller, the person who brought us Pushing Daisies. Expect funny mixed with dark as we follow an FBI criminal profiler and his early relationship with pre-terrifying (or not) forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter.
The Americans
When: January 30 on FX
Starring: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich
The gist: The drama centers around two Russian KGB spies living in 1980s suburban America and posing as a real couple. The question is: will they become a real couple?
The Following
When: January 21 on Fox
Starring: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Maggie Grace, Natalie Zea
The gist: Mr. Footloose himself stars as an alcoholic former FBI agent who gets roped back onto the job when a serial killer he'd previously nabbed starts killing again. Viewers who fall faint at the sight of blood might want to sit this one out.
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