We, as a media-consuming audience, have been kept thoroughly fed for the past few years. And Netflix has undeniably acted as the head chef. From the buzzing streets of old Britain to the hauntingly bloody and empty alleys of Shibuya, these shows accompanied us during our all-nighters and had social media in a chokehold for months. And along with our interest and love also came the audience's never-ending curiosity.
Whether the show ended on a cliffhanger that had us pulling out our hair or just had us craving for a little more time with our favorite characters and worlds, I, for one, was among those who had binge-watched shows at home while avoiding (not) social interaction. And now, four years into the post-pandemic era, our beloved characters continue to return on-screen for yet another season.
So here are shows ranging from Hindi to Japanese, making a comeback with new plots and characters to satiate our hyper-fixations and cure our chronically online selves.
**SPOILERS BELOW**
Alice in Borderland (Japanese)
(Upcoming Season 3)
Amidst the “post-apocalyptic” state of Shibuya, where everyone has vanished, we follow Ryōhei Arisu, an unemployed homebody obsessed with battle games, as he tries to survive these brutal death games in the arena that is now Tokyo. Where simple cards from a deck determined your fate—either betraying your trusted comrades or playing the most dangerous hide-and-seek game of your life.
"Alice in Borderland" is a Japanese thriller series based on the manga of the same name. It premiered in the winter of 2020, followed by its sequel 2 years later, in the same month.
Previously, viewers were left with a mind-numbing plot twist in the final moments. We see the characters, after collecting all the cards in the deck, wake up to what they think is reality, with all their memories from Borderland wiped. However, we are shown that the Joker card, which both we and the characters had forgotten, remains untampered with.
While seasons 1 and 2 closely follow the manga, which has a definitive ending, the directors have more creative freedom with season 3, evidenced by the introduction of the Joker card. Although there is no official release date yet, we hope it comes out sometime this year. Given that filming was completed in February and considering that the previous seasons premiered during the holiday season, we can deduce and hope that season 3 will be released in December of 2024.
All of Us Are Dead (Korean)
(Upcoming Season 2)
If "Highschool of the Dead" and "Train to Busan" had a love child, this show would be it.
"All of Us Are Dead" is a Korean series released in January 2022, and it has had fans yearning for more ever since the last episode aired. Based on the webtoon “Now at Our School,” the plot follows a group of students who fight for their survival amidst flesh-eating zombies, bullying, and martial law, all while being trapped in their high school building.
Season 1 ended with several plot holes and questions, concluding with Choi Nam-ra, a "hambie" or half-zombie, reuniting with the rest of the group on the school rooftop and then jumping off after delivering a cryptic “They’re here.” Another burning question for fans is whether Lee Cheongsan is actually dead. Although we saw him fall, his remains were not shown. Speaking from personal experience, if a character’s death hasn’t been visually confirmed, they are most likely still alive.
Although season 2 was officially announced in June 2022, it has been reported that production has been delayed until 2025. So, even though there is confirmation of season 2, the official release date has not yet been set.
Stranger Things (English)
(Upcoming Season 5)
I'm pretty sure this next one needs no introduction. Just listening to the first few seconds of "Running Up That Hill" transports us all back to the summer of 2022—a universal experience for our generation.
The Season 4 of Netflix's Golden Goose, ended on a cryptic note. The Hawkins gang outsmarts Vecna and thinks they've defeated him, but he survives and escapes. With Max now in a coma and the town of Hawkins ablaze and transformed into a portal to the Upside-Down, we were left with another cliffhanger, anticipating the next season's arrival, likely with a significant time jump in the story.
While filming was originally set to begin in the summer of 2023, the writers' and actors' strike caused a delay. Several months after the situation subsided, Netflix officially announced that production had started in January 2024. Although there isn't a specific release date, we can deduce that it will likely be out by spring 2025, considering the state of filming and production.
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (Hindi)
(Upcoming Season 2)
Roses, gold, grandeur, passion, and nationalism: five words that come to mind when you think of "Heeramandi." Produced by renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, this series features grand sets, espionage, love, nationalism, and the lives of courtesans in British India, with the yearning for freedom wafting in the air.
"Heeramandi" was released in May 2024 and has made headlines since it was first announced. It follows six women through their lives of art and seduction, taking viewers on a journey through their gold-lined webs of secrecy. Initially, the show was meant to have no sequel, but Bhansali had a change of heart and soon announced its return. The announcement came in the form of a flash mob of 100 twirling women in dazzling anarkalis during an event on the streets of Mumbai.
“In Heeramandi 2, the women now come from Lahore to the film world. They leave Lahore after the Partition and most of them settle in the Mumbai film industry or Kolkata film industry. So that journey in the bazaar remains the same. They still have to dance and sing, but this time for the producers and not for the nawabs. So that’s the second season we are planning, let’s see where it goes.”
-Sanjay Leela Bhansali, in an interview with Variety
On June 3rd, Netflix India officially announced the show's comeback in a video sharing snippets of the flash mob performance, though no official release date has been set.
Squid Game (Korean)
(Upcoming Season 2)
Now for the show that featured candies embedded with triangles, squares, and circles, and dolls shooting lasers from their eyes—the hit Korean series that turned innocent childhood games into nightmares where losing meant certain death. The series captivated the world, with almost every content creator either attempting the Dalgona Candy Challenge or making fan edits for Jung Ho-yeon.
The show returns after three years, turning heads and thrilling hearts. The plot of season 2 begins three years after Player 456, Seong Gi-hun, won the death games and came out alive with the prize money. Now, still determined to uncover the identities of those responsible, he uses the money to exact his revenge, only to learn that to bring down the system, he must re-enter it.
Released in 2021, the show earned the title of 'the most-watched Netflix show' of the year. After keeping fans hungry and waiting, Netflix finally announced the show's return on August 2nd. “The Olympics might be lighting up Paris, but the real game is coming this winter,” said Netflix, announcing the premiere of season 2 on December 26th this year, along with the confirmation of season 3, which will be out in 2025.
Maxton Hall (German)
(Upcoming Season 2)
This year has truly been great for shows, streaming platforms, and fans. With releases like "Bridgerton," "Lovely Runner," "Queen of Tears," "My Fault," and others trending online, it's safe to say we've been thoroughly entertained. One such show that had social media swooning was "Maxton Hall—The World Between Us."
A story seemingly straight out of a YA romance novel (based on the novel "Save Me"), it had viewers squealing with witty dialogues, character chemistry, and the fan-favorite enemies-to-lovers trope. The season finale ended on a cliffhanger, shifting from the rekindled romance of James and Ruby to the dramatic twist of James and Lydia's mother's death, which fans speculate was not a simple stroke.
With the Beaufort twins now having lost their last support pillar in a world full of elites and power-hungry businesses, and Lydia deciding to keep her baby, season 1 ended on a note that viewers are eager to see expanded.
With the German-language show's success coming quickly, becoming "the streamer’s most-watched international show of all time in its first week," the announcement of the show's renewal came a month after its premiere. Although there is no official release date, filming began on May 17th this year.
Honorable Mentions: Bridgerton (Season 4), One of Us is Lying (Season 2), The Umbrella Academy (Season 4), Sweet Home (Season 3), Elite (Season 8), etc.
With many new shows and films in the works, streaming platforms offer us endless pools of entertainment. As riveting shows and series make a comeback, it's time for us to cozy up and find more excuses to stay home—whether wrapped up in our beds or binge-watching with friends. So, dear readers, which project are you looking forward to most?
