2018 MUST-SEE TV SHOWS

(BBC America) This miniseries documentary follows last year’s hugely acclaimed nature miniseries “Planet Earth II.” It’s a fivepart sequel to 2001’s “The Blue Planet.” Filmed over four years it features a score by Hans Zimmer (including a collaboration with Radiohead) and is narrated by the venerable David Attenborough. The doc examines the variety of life present in our oceans and the effects that climate change has had on them since the first series.

Counterpart: (8 p.m. Starz) Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons plays a low-level bureaucrat for a spy agency based in Berlin. One day he learns his organization is in contact with a parallel dimension and soon is working with his near-identical counterpart. The cast also includes Olivia Williams, Nicholas Pinnock, and Harry Lloyd, while Morten Tyldum (“The Imitation Game”) directs tonight’s episode.

Jan. 22

six-part miniseries from director Steven Soderbergh and writer Ed Solomon (“Men in Black”) finds the director experimenting with the very nature of storytelling. “Mosaic” was first released as an app in November that allowed users to view various plot threads, but the series takes a more conventional approach. It stars Sharon Stone, Garrett Hedlund, Frederick Weller, Beau Bridges, Paul Reubens, Jennifer Ferrin, Devin Ratray, Michael Cerveris, and James Ransone and airs across five consecutive nights with Friday’s finale spanning two episodes.

Waco: (Paramount Network) This six-part limited series (on the new network formerly known as Spike) depicts the infamous 1993 standoff between federal law enforcement and the Branch Davidian cult led by David Koresh (played by Taylor Kitsch) that eventually ended in a raid that left more than 70 people dead. The cast also includes Michael Shannon, John Leguizamo, Andrea Riseborough, Rory Culkin, Melissa Benoist, Paul Sparks, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim, and Julia Garner.

Jan. 26

Dirty Money: (Netflix) Alex Gibney and fellow documentary filmmakers investigate various criminal scandals in the business world, including a major bank’s role in laundering drug money, the theft of $20 million worth of maple syrup and Volkswagen’s deceit of government agencies in this new anthology series.

A Futile and Stupid Gesture: (Netflix) David Wain directs this biopic about the life of National Lampoon co-founder Doug Kenney, played by Will Forte. The cast also includes Domhnall Gleeson, Martin Mull, Joel McHale, Thomas Lennon, Jon Daly, and John Gemberling. The film is based on Josh Karp’s 2006 book.

Feb. 2

2 Dope Queens: (HBO) The popular stand-up comedy/storytelling podcast hosted by Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson comes to HBO in the form of four hour-long episodes directed by Tig Notaro. Each hour will revolve around a particular theme, including everything from blerds (black nerds) to hair. Each will feature a special interview guest (Jon Stewart, Tituss Burgess, Uzo Aduba, and Sarah Jessica Parker). Stand-up performances come from the likes of John Early, Rhea Butcher, Baron

COURTESY PHOTO Janelle Monae in “Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams” in an episode “Autofac.” Now on Amazon.

PHOTO BY JEFF DALY/FX Edgar Ramirez as Gianni Versace in “The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.”