The Best of TV in 2023

According to ... me.

There’s a lot of chatter that in the wake of the strikes in Hollywood that TV and movies won’t be the same going forward, and that a lot of what we’ve enjoyed in the last few years might end up being viewed similarly to how we view films in the 1970s - a moment of creative exploration that isn’t sustainable any longer.

That certainly would be a shame because there was a lot of great television on this year.

Before I get into the list of what I liked, a disclaimer for some shows that won’t be on the list because … I didn’t watch them. In some cases, there’s a “yet” at the end of that sentence, and in some cases I’m just not interested. I’ll let you decide which is which.

The Gold, Fargo (S5), Fall of the House of Usher, Black Mirror, For All Mankind, The Curse, Drops of God, Reservation Dogs

OK, so we’re covered there.

Just Missing The Cut …

These are shows I did watch, mostly enjoyed but found lacking enough in some ways that I wouldn’t put them on the “Best Of” list.

Primo is a really sweet situation comedy by Shea Serrano and Michael Schur, two writers I truly love - and the show is truly its own thing, following a family in San Antonio that’s absurd, loving and complicated. It very much feels like a show working out its own awkwardness, but if Amazon/FreeTV gives it that space, I have big hopes.

Silo is a show I wanted to love. I read the books it is based on, and Rebecca Ferguson is a compelling actor - but the show is very much a mystery about what’s really happened in the past, what lies are going on, etc., and it was too often several beats too slow for me.

Similarly, while I enjoyed the second season of White Lotus, it couldn’t compare to the first and also felt very sure that I reached my limit of Jennifer Coolidge, even when she gave us gems like this.

Justified: City Primeval felt like a primer on what it COULD be (and perhaps will), and Daisy Jones and the Six was so well done but also just consistently felt a bit soulless and man, they overplayed one song so many times it needs to be reflected in how I judge the show. Finally, The Afterparty continued to be quite clever and fun but just felt a bit lacking compared to its debut season.

All of those “misses” are good though, and you should try them out if you haven’t yet. But the following are shows I really enjoyed and need a bit more discussion about.

Finally, a hat tip to Once Upon A Time in Northern Ireland, a four-part documentary on The Troubles that I really enjoyed right before I left for my Ireland trip, but didn’t fit nicely into this discussion.

Thriller/Suspense Shows That Might Be Sort of Stupid

It surprises me not only how many shows like this I enjoyed this year but how many of them were even being developed. All of these made me want to binge watch and the shows that didn’t drop all of their episodes at once really got me waiting for next week. These shows include Hijack, Warrior, The Night Agent, The Diplomat and Full Circle.

Of these, only Warrior was not a debut show but instead an unexpected third season about the late 1800s in San Francisco, and the battle between the Chinese gangs, Irish cops and laborers, and the city at large. It also has excellent action/martial arts and while fairly stupid is really enjoyable.

The Night Agent, The Diplomat and Full Circle are all very different shows, but they all rely on suspense, directorial choices in how the story is revealed and all were truly enjoyable. Of these, I think The Diplomat is the only one due at least a second season if not more, but they’re all truly enjoyable pieces of television.

Hijack might be the epitome of this category and I’m quite sure a lot of decisions and logistics wouldn’t pass the sniff test if I tried to think harder about it, but in the moment it was truly fun to watch Idris Elba and others deal with a hijacked plane and what was really going on.

Let’s dump those all into the 10th spot, if we are doing a top-ten list. OK, now it’s time for a countdown:

9. Party Down - Was this a truly tremendous season of television? I can’t say that it was, but it was SO satisfying and well done. Sometimes when you get a surprise extra season of a TV show you thought ended too soon it feels like a reunion, a payday, or something else that isn’t really created for fans. This was not that - it hit all the same notes from the original show and was incredibly satisfying. (And funny!)

8. Lessons In Chemistry. This was also a book I read this year and often the adaptations are such pale imitations of the source material, it’s hard to enjoy. This was fairly delightful, and Brie Larson really thrived here, as did Lewis Pullman, who I hope to see more of.

7. Jury Duty. This show - which calls itself a “reality hoax sitcom television series” - is about a jury that needs to be sequestered. That jury includes actor James Marsden, playing himself. It ALSO includes a ton of actors playing other characters - and one juror who honestly believes he’s doing his civic duty and spending some time with some very odd folks, including Marsden. (Marsden is so incredible in this show, somehow being narcissistic, insecure and sweet all at once.) I fear they’ll try to keep going with this format and I doubt it can be as successful, but the eight episodes are a wonder - very funny and somehow really uplifting as well.

   

6. Barry. Season 4 - the final season - of Barry was absolutely wild. Not only did we see the conclusion of many characters stories, but there was an out-of-nowhere time jump that not only worked but showcased so much of what made the show work so well. I think I was supposed to enjoy the show a bit more than I did (it was so uncomfortable at times it hurt), and the earlier seasons leaned more on the comedy side of things, but somehow this season managed to still be funny and dark as hell. An impressive conclusion to Bill Hader’s story.

5. The Last of Us. I didn’t play the videogame, and honestly post-apocalypse shows aren’t super my jam after seeing how poorly The Walking Dead went after awhile, but when this show hit, it was tremendous. The third episode, “Long Long Time” is quite easily one of the best episodes of television this season or any season. Too often, the show slowed down or didn’t show the “big bad” nearly enough, but it was so well done I trusted it to get there (and it did, at least in Season 1).

4. Slow Horses. I haven’t seen the last episode of Season 3 (because it hasn’t aired yet) but I feel very confident about putting this show this high as the most recent season is SO well done, so fun and clever and suspenseful … I wish there was so much more of it. Gary Oldman is of course a delight, but the rest of the cast is too and this show FEELS like something that could just keep going (and I hope it does).

   

3. Beef. This show on Netflix was described to me as a “road rage” series with Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, and I assumed that meant it was a comedy. And it is extremely funny at times, but also dark, experimental, deep and insightful. It’s consistently surprising and absurd, while still feeling grounded in our world. I can’t recommend it enough, and I also can’t really go much more into it without spoiling it. Check it out.

   

2. The Bear. Season 2 wasn’t for everyone - I know a few folks who actually didn’t finish it, which means they missed two of the best episodes of television this season in “Fishes” and “Forks.” The latter, I’ve already noted here, was my favorite episode of TV this season and was so well done it summed up so much of what makes this show special. Focusing just on those episodes ignores some other top contributors though, and why this season took a step forward I didn’t know it could.

   

1. Succession. This can’t be a shock to anyone as this show might be the most lauded TV show in the last five plus years, but it ended tremendously, feeling both realistic and almost inevitable while still being compelling. The show took risks this season (the third episode, plus the election episode are all-timers) and it also gave us this, which is a present that keeps on giving.

It was, indeed a tremendous year of television. What were your favorites? Anything I missed or got wrong? Chime in.