Top 10 TV Series of the Year
Sorry I'm late. This is the first article this week I didn't prewrite and schedule to a degree. I apologize for that. I'm doing enough content today to carry us through December 25th though. That said it seems like people responded well to my Eminem album ranking I'm thankful for that. I love ranking things and doing lists so expect me to do these a couple of times a week because this is a true passion of mine.
Getting to today's business since most TV shows are wrapping up or are on mid season hiatus I thought it would be time to rank my top 10 TV series of the year. The TV series had to start airing during this year to be eligible which means Sherlock S4 which I doubled checked the air date of Jan 1 barely made the cut. I do want to add a precursor that I don't have Hulu so I didn't watch The Handmaiden's Tale which is a great book that I read for a course in college at Marshall University. That seems to be getting rave reviews so when I do finally sign up or check out Hulu I won't necessarily revise the list but I will write a separate article about it maybe critiquing it from the book which I still have somewhere.
Without further adieu here is my top 10 and a quick justification for it.
10) The Flash S4(CW)- This is the first time we haven't really had a speedster villain. It's exciting to see someone challenge Barry Allen on a level other than being faster than him. I'm sure the back half of the season will come down to Barry Allen's speed but it is great to not have a villain rely on a function and theme so heavily used in the show. You can jump in at the start of any season as they kind of recap stuff that happened previously. It is of course recommend to start at the beginning and you can see how the characters evolve from there.
9) The Blacklist S5(NBC)- I will admit I didn't expect The Blacklist to make it. I went back through the DVR to look at it. Normally this is a show that in S3 hit a low but S4 started climbing again. S5 has been excellent so far. The twists, turns, and callbacks to previous seasons make this hard to jump in at S5 but James Spader doesn't disappoint.
8) Better Call Saul S3(AMC)- The kinda prequel to Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul takes my favorite character from Breaking Bad and gives him a focal point. The callbacks to Breaking Bad are excellent and again not a show to just jump into. The story telling and dark humor are really what attracted me to this story. I feel like I was one of the few Breaking Bad fans that wasn't skeptical of this series and it is currently the best thing AMC has going.
7) Masters of None S2(NETFLIX)- Aziz Ansari may be my favorite comedian. He was a hit on Parks and Rec and his first true solo project is excellent. The all Italian episode at the beginning was excellent and different from what other shows are doing. Then the rest of the series seems like the biggest love letter to NYC that you can have. I always enjoy a good comedy but there is a reason this one is the highest on the list. You can watch S1 but it isn't a requirement.
6) Mr. Robot S3(USA)- WHOA! This show can be all over the place. Definitely start with S1, Sam Esmail is the creative person behind this TV series and it's amazing. There's a lot of weird twists and turns that kind of forces you to watch from episode 1. The peaks and valleys for these characters are excellent and the S4 set up has me definitely interested where the characters end up.
5) Sherlock S4(BBC)- This series made it in by the skin of it's teeth with a January 1 release date. The Christmas special isn't considered part of the season though Netflix may lump it in there. Now what is different about this series than the other series on this list are that the episodes are 1 hour and 30 minutes long. But there are only usually 3-4 episodes per season. You can kind of jump in at the start of the season but there are small arcs that carry over. I do recommend starting again with S1. There is a big return I don't want to give away with this season that was heavily hinted at during the S3 finale. Benedict Cumberbatch isn't only a movie star but he is also an excellent tv actor as well. And since this series started in 2010 but doesn't film yearly(S1 2010, S2 2012, S3 2014, S4 2017) it helps work all of his projects in.
4) The Good Doctor S1(ABC)- I didn't know what to expect from a story about an autistic doctor. ABC has had some recent shows that I've really enjoyed that didn't get a 2nd or 3rd season so I went in with reservation. However this has been the best fall prime time series. It's definitely the best show featuring a doctor since House.(I apologize Royal Pains I still love you as a TV show.) The lead actor Freedie Highmore(Bates Motel, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) shows a wide range as an actor both in the roles he takes especially as an autistic doctor. I did a lot of reading about him and his preparation and that makes me love the show even more. You can definitely jump right in since we are currently in S1.
3) The Punisher S1(NETFLIX)- Let me preface this by saying you don't need to watch Daredevil S1, Jessica Jones S1, Luke Cage S1, Iron Fist Season 1, or Defenders S1. You do need to see the characters introduction in Daredevil S2 though. This may have topped Daredevil S1 as my favorite in the series. Jon Bernthal brings the Punisher to life in a way that neither of the movies did before. The Thomas Jane performance was good. Jon blows that out of the water. I wasn't sure where they were going to bring the show after Daredevil S2. It started out much different than I expected it to. But the journey is worth the experience in this show.
2) GLOW S1(NETFLIX)- Here is another show you can jump right in. Now I know what you're thinking. I'm just a guy watching this show because it is about women's wrestling. Well if my preview of Clash of the Champions didn't indicate it earlier in the week I am a wrestling fan which originally attracted me to the show. HOWEVER, and yes it needs to be capped, this isn't just a show about wrestling. It's about how each character was created and how actual actresses were cast into wrestler parts. Marc Maron did an excellent job as the promoter. Allison Brie and Betty Gilpin brought their characters to life. The rest of the cast is excellent as well. The wrestling parts are just the background for everything that happens in this wonderful story. Can't wait for S2.
1) Game of Thrones S7(HBO)- The best show on TV 7 years in a row. Nothing tops it. You have to start in season 1. I also recommend the book series. I can't really say a ton about the show except you won't get all the twists and turns. There are some things happening in season 7 that were set up in season 1. This show is all about waiting and the long con. You have to stick with it. It will test you at points and do things you may not agree with but the story will continue. The story will get better. You will eventually get all the call backs. There are even some things hinted at in S7 where they have to pay off in S8 or you will be left wondering. The next season is the last season and in two years it will be time to see which one of the shows above can push itself to #1 on the list... or will we have a new comer to replace the best story that I've read/watched.
To recap it seems like I like comprehensive TV recommending you start with S1 on nearly every series. I even gave a different starting point for the Punisher with Daredevil S2. However there were 3 new shows at 2-4 that were on S1. 2 produced by Netflix that they have already green lighted for a 2nd season. The other is with ABC which is always a wait and see type of deal for May upfronts which we will cover. The rest are established shows. Game of Thrones has been my favorite show for 7 seasons now. Only one more season to go. We are living in a golden age of television. This is my 10 favorites for the year. Let me know in the comments below if you agree or disagree! What is your top 10?
Getting to today's business since most TV shows are wrapping up or are on mid season hiatus I thought it would be time to rank my top 10 TV series of the year. The TV series had to start airing during this year to be eligible which means Sherlock S4 which I doubled checked the air date of Jan 1 barely made the cut. I do want to add a precursor that I don't have Hulu so I didn't watch The Handmaiden's Tale which is a great book that I read for a course in college at Marshall University. That seems to be getting rave reviews so when I do finally sign up or check out Hulu I won't necessarily revise the list but I will write a separate article about it maybe critiquing it from the book which I still have somewhere.
Without further adieu here is my top 10 and a quick justification for it.
10) The Flash S4(CW)- This is the first time we haven't really had a speedster villain. It's exciting to see someone challenge Barry Allen on a level other than being faster than him. I'm sure the back half of the season will come down to Barry Allen's speed but it is great to not have a villain rely on a function and theme so heavily used in the show. You can jump in at the start of any season as they kind of recap stuff that happened previously. It is of course recommend to start at the beginning and you can see how the characters evolve from there.
9) The Blacklist S5(NBC)- I will admit I didn't expect The Blacklist to make it. I went back through the DVR to look at it. Normally this is a show that in S3 hit a low but S4 started climbing again. S5 has been excellent so far. The twists, turns, and callbacks to previous seasons make this hard to jump in at S5 but James Spader doesn't disappoint.
8) Better Call Saul S3(AMC)- The kinda prequel to Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul takes my favorite character from Breaking Bad and gives him a focal point. The callbacks to Breaking Bad are excellent and again not a show to just jump into. The story telling and dark humor are really what attracted me to this story. I feel like I was one of the few Breaking Bad fans that wasn't skeptical of this series and it is currently the best thing AMC has going.
7) Masters of None S2(NETFLIX)- Aziz Ansari may be my favorite comedian. He was a hit on Parks and Rec and his first true solo project is excellent. The all Italian episode at the beginning was excellent and different from what other shows are doing. Then the rest of the series seems like the biggest love letter to NYC that you can have. I always enjoy a good comedy but there is a reason this one is the highest on the list. You can watch S1 but it isn't a requirement.
6) Mr. Robot S3(USA)- WHOA! This show can be all over the place. Definitely start with S1, Sam Esmail is the creative person behind this TV series and it's amazing. There's a lot of weird twists and turns that kind of forces you to watch from episode 1. The peaks and valleys for these characters are excellent and the S4 set up has me definitely interested where the characters end up.
5) Sherlock S4(BBC)- This series made it in by the skin of it's teeth with a January 1 release date. The Christmas special isn't considered part of the season though Netflix may lump it in there. Now what is different about this series than the other series on this list are that the episodes are 1 hour and 30 minutes long. But there are only usually 3-4 episodes per season. You can kind of jump in at the start of the season but there are small arcs that carry over. I do recommend starting again with S1. There is a big return I don't want to give away with this season that was heavily hinted at during the S3 finale. Benedict Cumberbatch isn't only a movie star but he is also an excellent tv actor as well. And since this series started in 2010 but doesn't film yearly(S1 2010, S2 2012, S3 2014, S4 2017) it helps work all of his projects in.
4) The Good Doctor S1(ABC)- I didn't know what to expect from a story about an autistic doctor. ABC has had some recent shows that I've really enjoyed that didn't get a 2nd or 3rd season so I went in with reservation. However this has been the best fall prime time series. It's definitely the best show featuring a doctor since House.(I apologize Royal Pains I still love you as a TV show.) The lead actor Freedie Highmore(Bates Motel, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) shows a wide range as an actor both in the roles he takes especially as an autistic doctor. I did a lot of reading about him and his preparation and that makes me love the show even more. You can definitely jump right in since we are currently in S1.
3) The Punisher S1(NETFLIX)- Let me preface this by saying you don't need to watch Daredevil S1, Jessica Jones S1, Luke Cage S1, Iron Fist Season 1, or Defenders S1. You do need to see the characters introduction in Daredevil S2 though. This may have topped Daredevil S1 as my favorite in the series. Jon Bernthal brings the Punisher to life in a way that neither of the movies did before. The Thomas Jane performance was good. Jon blows that out of the water. I wasn't sure where they were going to bring the show after Daredevil S2. It started out much different than I expected it to. But the journey is worth the experience in this show.
2) GLOW S1(NETFLIX)- Here is another show you can jump right in. Now I know what you're thinking. I'm just a guy watching this show because it is about women's wrestling. Well if my preview of Clash of the Champions didn't indicate it earlier in the week I am a wrestling fan which originally attracted me to the show. HOWEVER, and yes it needs to be capped, this isn't just a show about wrestling. It's about how each character was created and how actual actresses were cast into wrestler parts. Marc Maron did an excellent job as the promoter. Allison Brie and Betty Gilpin brought their characters to life. The rest of the cast is excellent as well. The wrestling parts are just the background for everything that happens in this wonderful story. Can't wait for S2.
1) Game of Thrones S7(HBO)- The best show on TV 7 years in a row. Nothing tops it. You have to start in season 1. I also recommend the book series. I can't really say a ton about the show except you won't get all the twists and turns. There are some things happening in season 7 that were set up in season 1. This show is all about waiting and the long con. You have to stick with it. It will test you at points and do things you may not agree with but the story will continue. The story will get better. You will eventually get all the call backs. There are even some things hinted at in S7 where they have to pay off in S8 or you will be left wondering. The next season is the last season and in two years it will be time to see which one of the shows above can push itself to #1 on the list... or will we have a new comer to replace the best story that I've read/watched.
To recap it seems like I like comprehensive TV recommending you start with S1 on nearly every series. I even gave a different starting point for the Punisher with Daredevil S2. However there were 3 new shows at 2-4 that were on S1. 2 produced by Netflix that they have already green lighted for a 2nd season. The other is with ABC which is always a wait and see type of deal for May upfronts which we will cover. The rest are established shows. Game of Thrones has been my favorite show for 7 seasons now. Only one more season to go. We are living in a golden age of television. This is my 10 favorites for the year. Let me know in the comments below if you agree or disagree! What is your top 10?
Comments
Post a Comment