Top TV Shows of 2020

It’s that time of the year again. Actually, it was that time of year last week but I’m finally getting this posted now.

I don’t really have time to write about TV these days but have been doing this list in some form going on a decade so the tradition continues. 

My usual disclaimer is that as one person, obviously I didn’t watch everything but I did watch a lot and from all the different TV watching options that exist even in the midst of a pandemic, here are my 30 favorite shows from 2020.

I’ll address some blind spots right out of the gate. I bailed midway through season 4 of Better Call Saul (I’ve never liked it as much as some) and while I intend to catch up, I still haven’t so I haven’t seen season 5 which I hear was fantastic. I didn’t watch The Mandalorian because I just don’t like Star Wars stuff and I haven’t gotten to The Undoing or The Flight Attendant yet. I did watch Normal People but its exclusion is not a mistake. I just hated it.

As for everything else, I kind of fudge the eligibility window and say if your season drops mid-december or later the previous year, you’ll be included on this year’s list. So that’s how You qualifies and who knows? If I end up loving Bridgerton, it’ll be on next year’s list. And maybe I’ll stretch the math some more if I end up liking The Flight Attendant as much as I think I might and include it next year. I mean, I do this list out of compulsion and just because I need some outlet to share my TV thoughts so I can make up my own rules.

And as always, since I did take the time to do this, I’m always appreciative of anyone who reads, shares, comments on and engages in any way with this list. Even if it’s just to say I got it all wrong.

Please be forewarned that there are some SPOILERS included in these entries.

So with those rules and exceptions in mind, here are my Top 30 Shows of 2020:

30. You (Netflix)

You is a guilty pleasure but it’s a show that’s so comfortable in its skin as a guilty pleasure that the execution is never bogged down by some high-minded identity crisis. It’s pulpy fun and Penn Badgley just sells every scene, whether through his screen presence or omnipresent narration. It’s clear that it’s gonna take some work to keep this formula fresh but I thought his romance with Love was so different from season one with Beck that it kept things interesting, particularly when you consider the dynamic with her brother, Forty, and the return of Joe’s scorned ex, Candace. I thought the supporting characters and stories were generally more interesting this time around and as the twists and turns got crazier towards the ending episode, I couldn’t help but appreciate the morbid, ridiculous thrill of it all.

29. Dead To Me (Netflix)

Much like season one, Dead To Me continues to operate within a bunch of falling dominoes of plot contrivances, inexplicably bad luck and a whole host of “THINGS WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER IF YOU JUST TOLD THEM THE TRUTH!” scenarios. TV like that can either be really fun or really aggravating depending on the execution and they mostly always find the right groove with this one. A lot of that hangs on Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini who give such excellent performances, hitting the comedic and dramatic notes both perfectly. This season was about as funny as the first but I thought some of the dramatic scenes worked even better and the show often went to surprisingly real and vulnerable places with the characters despite the outlandish backdrop. I was impressed that they found a way to mix the story up in an interesting way in its second season and am looking forward to seeing how they tie it all together in the third.

28. The Good Place (NBC)

This show faltered a bit for me by the end after two great seasons (with the second season surpassing even the first) and I didn’t enjoy the reset that put them all back on Earth trying to earn their way to The Good Place as much as I had previous adventures, but that isn’t to say I didn’t find much about the finale very funny and satisfying. Particularly the last couple installments where they finally do end up the real Good Place, an opportunity for some more outrageous gags that the show became known for and the existential freak out about how miserable being happy all the time might make somebody. In the end, I don’t share the theology of The Good Place but I do appreciate its celebration of the human condition and ultimately reveling in the messy, broken parts of us that make us who we are and keep this world interesting. 

27. I Hate Suzie (HBOMax)

This British import made it to the States this year and was the perfect binge for anyone looking for an eight episode anxiety attack. Suzie is a moderately successful actress whose professional opportunities and marriage are rocked by the sudden reveal of a sexually explicit photo. Billie Piper is very good in a laser-focused character piece about a woman coming against the ultimate public shaming and the show’s pace and execution allows us to experience every claustrophobic moment of it. There are some feminist critiques about the public’s reaction to this sort of thing, an honest exploration of Suzie’s sexuality and the evolution of unhealthy urges and the show is never afraid to get messy in showing Suzie’s shortcomings as friend or a wife as well…while certainly not letting her husband off the hook either. I think there was an easy girlboss approach to this that only emphasizes Suzie’s righteous anger and ends with her knocking everyone who’s wronged her down a peg (and there is a bit of that) but the series opted to be more complex and harder to digest which is ultimately what a character as interesting and complicated as Suzie deserves.

26. Schitts Creek (Pop)

Was the final season of Schitt’s Creek its strongest and the one deserving of an Emmy sweep? No. People who don’t like the show tend to say it’s not funny enough despite being cute and generally pleasant and that’s fair when it comes to episodes that don’t get the balance quite right. This final season was heavy on sentimentality and a little light on laughs so it didn’t work for me as well as others, although there were still some funny episodes; I was particularly fond of the one where Alexis was dating an older guy and the one where Bob is encouraged to start dating again after his separation. Not to say there weren’t other laughs along the way but this was definitely more of a feel good season with everything coming together neatly for the characters and considering the sweet little escape this show has been all these years, it felt right. 

25. High Fidelity (Hulu)

After a popular film based on a popular book, some could argue that this TV iteration of High Fidelity wasn’t necessary, but you know one of the things I love about TV is the way it can dig into a concept and reap the benefits of long-form storytelling. That certainly happened here. This was a really solid first season and I’m disappointed we won’t get to see more. Zoe Kravitz has been burdened with the blandest role in Big Little Lies and a bland role in Fantastic Beasts so for a lot of viewers, this might be their first time discovering that she can actually act and help craft a fun, interesting character in Rob. Like the film, the show is all pop culture, top five lists and dating woes, a charming little alternative romcom. Rob isn’t always an easy character but thanks to smart writing and Kravtiz’s performance, we find ourselves fully invested in her story while also enjoying the company she keeps, particularly Da’Vine Joy Randolph as her friend/employee, Cherise, who steals every scene she’s in and always delivers the biggest laughs.

24. Dare Me (USA)

I once saw this show described as Friday Night Lights meets Pretty Little Liars but I never watched PLL so I can’t can’t confirm….although I’ve seen plenty of the key art and I think it seems accurate. What I love about Dare Me is that it wonderfully captures the intricacies of small town life, it immerses you in all the little details of this community and culture–much like FNL–but instead of an inspirational, tough-loving coach leading the cheerleading squad at the center of the story, there’s a chain-smoking adulterer whose challenging approach shifts towards the unhealthy quite frequently. Amidst this backdrop, there’s an ominous cloud over the entire season. Glimpses of tragedies to come, tensions building in every interaction, small things starting to seem more and more wrong. It’s a slow burn at times but the build is never dull or tedious. It’s the sort of show that seems specifically designed to be consumed through a binge and instead it was lost being very off-brand over at USA. I hope new audiences discover it now that it’s on Netflix and even if that doesn’t mean any new seasons will magically be ordered (though, one can hope), at least others will get to witness this hidden gem.

23. Saved By The Bell (Peacock)

Mark this down as the biggest surprise of the year for me but I really loved this Saved by the Bell reboot that I had very little interest in when I first heard about the concept. Some of the teasers and trailers did catch my attention but it wasn’t until I was fully immersed in the show did I realize what an impressive undertaking this ended up being. They managed to bring back old cast members while still establishing a core group of new students that are funny and we actually end up caring about (Josie Totah being a particular stand out). They managed to have a lead character that could have easily been a poorly written underprivileged/overachiever model minority stereotype while the others around her got all the good laughs, but they find a lot of solid ways for Daisy to be funny and Haskiri Velazquez is terrific. As for the returning cast members, they all do solid work for the most part with Mario Lopez really surprising me with not only how funny he could be but how good he was in what ended up being an emotionally satisfying arc for him. As with all the older cast members (most hilarious with Zack and Kelly), the show is interested in all the fun nostalgia their presence brings while also interrogating some of the morals and assumptions from the original incarnation while maintaining a witty and sardonic tone so things never get preachy.

22. Ozark (Netflix)

I’ve decided to fully embrace my love for this show, haters be damned. And I guess I understand the haters. From the beginning, it drew comparisons to Breaking Bad, with a story about ordinary people pushed from one extreme to the other after embarking on a criminal enterprise. And it’s not as good as Breaking Bad but it’s still quite good and good for a lot of the reasons Breaking Bad was but also with its own spin on things. Often times, Jason Bateman might have the same sort of line delivery that was so funny in Arrested Development, only here it’s happening in a world of murder and mayhem and his demeanor, the dialogue, the often ridiculous turn of events means that the show is often very funny despite its dark tone (and the literal darkness invading every shot). This season was the best yet with the stakes of being involved with the cartel made clearer than ever, the arrival of Wendy’s mentally unstable brother, the tension in Marty and Wendy’s marriage and the lengths they go to play each other (most amusingly with their therapist) and a significant wedge being shoved between Ruth and the Byrds. It has found a good rhythm and pace, the tension doesn’t relent and this entire season felt like we were being catapulted into what is sure to be a thrilling final season.

21. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

I’m not gonna write a lot about Brooklyn Nine-Nine because I’ve already written a ton about it over the years but I’ll just say that it’s on this list because it remains incredibly consistent. Like, when I think about all of the beloved comedies from the past several years,  I can think of some shows with higher highs but a better batting average? Honestly, probably not. And this year was no exception. A really fun arc with Vanessa Bayer as Debbie, a great Doug Judy episode, JK Simmons as Dillman, Cheddar getting kidnapped and a delightful finale. If you’ve fallen behind, I’ll just let this serve as your reminder that B99 is still great.

20. The Great (Hulu)

I don’t always immediate gravitate towards period pieces but this satirical take on Catherine The Great’s story was a fun surprise for me this year, which actually wasn’t that much of a surprise considering it came from Tony McNamara, the writer behind the Oscar-nominated film The Favourite which I also loved. The Great operates very much in that same vein of humor and tone, making a snack out of the true story of Catherine the Great’s rise. Elle Fanning is good in the role, as are the supporting actors who surround her, but it’s Nicolas Hoult as the vain, insolent Peter the III (her husband, who she spends the majority of the season plotting to kill) who steals every scene he’s in. 

19.  Dave (FXX)

This is definitely a show that had it not been for some of the critical buzz around it, I would have skipped over it entirely. Everything promotional for the show (including the ludicrous key art) painted as something really shallow, crude and immature and I mean, it’s fine if that’s what you’re into but I like my comedies to have at least a little more going for them than penis jokes. And don’t get me wrong, those are here too. In the first few episodes, we hear in great detail about Dave’s deformed penis, affinity for milking porn and by the end of the season we witness him defecate in the woods. So yeah, it’s still got a hefty dash of immature humor. But it pretty quickly wears down your defenses and you can’t help but succumb to its charms. I’m so far removed from this world that I didn’t know Lil Dicky was even a real rapper, but this comedic take on his rise to fame is kind of cute when it’s not being totally disgusting. As the season progresses, there are some really great episodes about dealing with fame, balancing chasing your dreams with maintaining your relationships and the bullying that contributed to who Dave would grow up to become. The clear standout is “Hype Man,” in which we discover that Dave’s friend and hype man, GaTa, is bipolar. And in spite of all the aforementioned juvenile humor, the show actually handles his story in a really smart and sensitive way.

18. Sex Education (Netflix)

The raunchy teen comedy returned for a second season with even more on its mind and a better grasp on how to tackle it. It corrected some of its wrong turns which resulted in Eric standing up for himself and growing more confident and Otis and Maeve learning some hard lessons separately. In fact, those two as a romantic coupling isn’t the most convincing pairing to me so keeping them apart for much of the season worked, even if there was still the obligatory pining. The series continued to address a number of sexual issues head-on but the most effective portion of the series was Maeve supporting Aimee after she was sexually assaulted on a bus and the two of them finding camaraderie in an unlikely group of girls from school who have all experienced their own form of trauma. 

17. Mrs. America (FX on Hulu)

One of the frustrating things about the Trump era is watching so many react to him as though he were some kind of anomaly that came out of nowhere and not a very natural result of Republican politics of the past few decades. In fact, if you’re like me (born in ‘87), you’ve grown up with a very polished representation of who Reagan was and what he stood for. I think Mrs. America makes for an excellent and pretty entertaining history lesson of the events that coincided with his rise, showing the seeds being planted for what would eventually grow to be the MAGA cult we see today. It also shows the age-old battle of liberals vs. progressives with the more pragmatic liberals using the same talking points that are recycled today, even when some fall to the wayside in the fight for equality. Cate Blanchett is very good as Phylllis Schlafly and while the show does humanize her, it’s not concerned with making her sympathetic. Really, having her as the central character just provides a throughline that connects the characters as we’re shown the struggles and victories of second-wave feminism. 

16. The Magicians (SyFy)

Part of my feelings for this season are tainted by the finale which I didn’t feel was particularly strong, the characters were too spread apart in the end and obviously the fact that we’re never getting more episodes is pretty disappointing. I’ll probably rewatch when it gets added to Netflix and see if my feelings change having time to process. That being said, the season as a whole was great. The show continued to be one of the funniest, smarting and most exciting shows on TV, bouncing back with ease after the loss of its leading man. In fact, Alice working through her grief provided some of the strongest material of the year, which, of course, also led to dark magical shenanigans. I don’t think I’ve ever written about The Magicians without mentioning my love for Hale Appleman and Summer Bishil who continued to be fantastic this year (it was especially nice to have Appleman back to being Eliot full-time) with the standout episode being one that included a body swap among the two characters. Unsurprisingly, they nailed it, both giving superb performances. And the episode was so representative of what I love about this show. Incredibly funny, sweet, moving, a little bats@#! crazy. It will definitely be missed.

15.The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)

The Queen’s Gambit is an absorbing tale of obsession, genius and addiction. Captured in stylish and beautiful ways, bringing the mood to the screen with the perfect combination of striking shots, montages and music used to its full potential. Anya Taylor-Joy always makes for an intriguing and often captivating screen presence and this series is no exception as she commands your attention right from the opening frame. Whether playing chess, plotting how she’ll acquire pills or alcohol next or engaging with one of her opponents or would-be suitors, Taylor Joy is incredibly skilled at using her unmistakable eyes to play up the drama, mystery or emotion of a moment. It’s one of those weird situations where I really liked the show but probably didn’t love it as much as the buzz around it leads me to believe others did, but it’s a compelling story done very right and they manage to depict chess in a way that makes it feel tense and urgent, which isn’t easy to do. That’s especially true when it comes to the final showdown in the show’s finale in which I thought every note was played perfectly.

14. Search Party (HBOMax)

I’ve always had an appreciation for this little hipster indie comedy that’s mostly flown under the radar while it aired its first two seasons on TBS, but this third season surpassed the first two handedly. Part of it is that a season full of courtroom drama and a high profile spectacle of a case is just really entertaining to watch with these strange and awkward characters; it was just naturally more fun than the navel gazing semi-mysteries we’ve been given before. But of course, the comedy of this season was most drastically helped by the arrival of Shalita Grant as Dory’s lawyer, Cassidy, armed with way too much confidence and an abundance of vocal fry, her screen presence and line delivery was hilarious all season long. Pairing her with Louie Anderson as Drew’s lawyer made for an unexpectedly perfect comedy duo but I love what they brought to the show. Grant’s performance is one of my favorite of the year and this season is certainly good and funny enough that anyone who hasn’t yet should just binge watch the whole series on HBOMax.

13. My Brilliant Friend (HBO)

Season two of this HBO/RAI co-production is even better than the first, freed from the burden of so much world-building and instead able to give even more focus to the friendship of Lila and Elena, the ways they are there for each other and the ways they let the events and expectations of the world damage their friendship. It’s the story of clumsy, awkward romance for Elena who is still finding her voice and confidence both in writing and in love, enjoys the escapism of the beach and continues to both love and be intimidated by her friend. We watch Lila suffer through an abusive marriage, her cold, fearless approach to her ogre husband, and eventually her bravery and impulsiveness leads to new love with its own set of challenges. A lot of times, My Brilliant Friend feels like a more sophisticated type of teen drama–a compliment coming from me–one that always finds the deeper meaning in each glance, each exchange, one that explores that societal factors that color each interaction and one that’s able to capture the looming dread or unspeakable beauty of any given shot depending on the circumstances. It’s a beautifully told story anchored by two impeccable performances, you can’t help but remain fixated on Lila and Elena as they take on the world and learn more about themselves and each other.

12. Ted Lasso (Apple TV)

About halfway through the first season of Ted Lasso, I tweeted that I thought it was really good but would pass over to great if it was just a little bit funnier. I still stand by that and that probably has it a few spots lower than some others have put it on their lists. But while I think the rhythm of the show calls for a few more solid jokes sprinkled in, don’t misunderstand that I fully get why so many embraced this show and also found it to be ideal pandemic comfort food. It’s infused with an infectious optimism, courtesy of the titular character brought to life with irresistible charm by SNL alum Jason Sudeikis. On paper, the show is about an embarrassed football coach who has an opportunity to coach the other kind of futbol (which he knows nothing about) in England but sports are really just the foundation here. Not since Eric Taylor has any coach been able to get us in our feeling quite like Ted Lasso whose caring, joyful approach to life is just frankly pleasant to behold. You just feel happy watching the show. And as cute and comforting as the whole thing is, the show’s strengths is the way it brings you in deeper with all of these characters. The aw shucks optimist is wrestling with some demons of his own, the perceived ice queen has a vulnerable side, the wild party girl and stoic and slightly angry sports veteran are both generous and caring when given the opportunity. Even the shy towel boy can surprise you when unleashed in what was definitely one of the strongest comedic scenes of the season. Could it have made me laugh more? Sure. But it was really good at making me smile and that really counted for a lot this year.

11. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)

If people are singing, I’m probably in unless the results are something insufferably horrible like NBC last musical attempt, Rise. So I was probably an easy sell but I think through the course of its first season, Zoey proved to be something special beyond just the easy smiles earned by its gimmick. In a nutshell, the show follows Zoey who, after an MRI interrupted by an earthquake, starts to hear people break out into songs that just so happen to reveal exactly what’s in their heart. The show isn’t perfect, I’ll admit. Like most jukebox musicals, some of the selections work better than others (occasionally feeling like they just felt like they should squeeze one more song in) and some of the work storylines are pretty weak (and silly, as in The Chirp which is just a laughably weird idea) but the show’s heart soars and it manages to be endlessly charming and funny along the way. A lot of that has to do with Jane Levy who just shines in this role (particularly in a standout episode in which the effects of her musical condition are reversed and she finds herself being the one breaking out in song) and she’s surrounded by an excellent cast where there’s no weak link. All of these fun (and sometimes heartbreaking) musical numbers exist in the midst of Zoey’s emotional journey, saying goodbye to her dying father who suffers from the same degenerative condition that claimed the life of series creator, Austin Winsberg. It could have easily been a real downer but even as Zoey’s father draws closer to death through the season, the show itself feels much more like a celebration of life and I think Winsberg real personal connection the material allowed Zoey to become a truly unique and special experience.

10. Never Have I Ever (Netflix)

If you, like me, watched all six seasons of The Mindy Project and thought it could be incredibly funny but suffered from being unfocused and inconsistent, Never Have I Ever seems like the reward for our troubles. It boasts a lot of Mindy Kaling’s signature style and humor, but it’s put to such perfect use here through a coming of age tale about a 15-year-old girl named Devi, played by fantastic newcomer, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. It’s got everything you’d want in a teen dramedy, a girl trying to come to terms with her identity, a fun love triangle and great friends who are on journeys of their own. But it’s the family dynamics that take the show to the next level, with Devi still working through the death of her father and finding herself at odds with her mother (Poorna Jagannathan, who’s excellent in the role).  When Never debuted in late April, the reality of the pandemic and our life in lockdown was just setting in and it seemed to be the sweet, funny balm we all needed and as we watched over on Twitter, it felt like were all having the first communal experience in weeks that wasn’t exclusively centered on dread and misery. Whether going for laughs or heart, the show lands every blow and I hope we get to see many more seasons of Devi’s journey ahead.

9. Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)

Little Fires Everywhere was such a compelling watch. Provocative, incredibly acted, engaging on a number of different levels and just the sort of show where you genuinely didn’t know what was gonna happen and it was all so complicated and muddied that you honestly weren’t even sure what should happen a lot of the times. With a legal case involving an adopted Chinese girl and her mother who desperately wants her back after dropping her off at a fire station in a moment of desperation being the center piece for much of the drama, Little Fires is a stirring exploration of race, class, identity and every other complicated piece of being human. Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington are as electric together as you’d expect, Joshua Jackson gives a more subtle performance but is very good in it, as are all the young actors playing the teenagers on the show. Like, seriously. They did an incredible job finding young talent, some future major stars amongst this cast to be sure. Even in a flashback episode where the young version of Reese and Kerry’s characters are shown, the casting is perfect with AnnaSophia Robb and Tiffany Boone perfectly embodying their younger selves. It’s hard to not focus on the casting because it really is so good and it ensures that despite all the melodrama packed into this story, it’s sold and delivered with grit and honesty.

8. Insecure (HBO)

Though obviously much more adult than Never Have I Ever, season four of Insecure seemed to strike the right tone to bring us comfort while the world felt like it was burning and foster a feeling of community over on Twitter as we watched it together every Sunday night while we couldn’t leave our homes. It was the same show it’s always been but it just felt like it was doing all the things it does well really really well. It was funnier and more thoughtful and poignant and just the perfect 30 minute escape every week, even when some of the situations were tough. Having Issa and Molly at odds all season was sad to watch, but it gave both characters really strong arcs and both actresses the chance to deliver their best performances to date. I loved that story, the focus on friendship and the growth they both needed to experience and how it was brought to the screen. It was also a really funny season though; I especially remember laughing a lot at “Lowkey Done” in which Issa finds herself in all sorts of strange situations as she tries to do good deeds for strangers. The season highlight, however, was “Lowkey Happy” which felt just like this really stylish independent film. Two people just talking and connecting, beautifully shot with excellent chemistry. It was romantic and funny and surprising, getting us all re-invested in Issa and Lawrence in a way I don’t think most of us expected.

7. The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

One of the great TV tragedies of the year is that The Good Fight wasn’t able to finish out what was shaping up to be its strongest season yet. From its start, there have been elements about the show that I absolutely loved and other parts that just didn’t work, namely Maia but also the addition of Roland Blum in the third season almost derailed an otherwise great year. This season, we’re left only with the characters we care about with a couple new additions that really mesh with the whole ensemble. They took a page from the show’s predecessor and shook up the law firm in a way that provided new tensions, there was Diane’s quest to uncover the truth about Memo 618 and Julius’s compromise as a judge and Luca navigating the complicated world of being befriended by an ultra rich client. For a show that’s always been smart, this season felt like it was operating at its peak and every story arc was intriguing and entertaining, bolstered by the trademark timely cases regarding trans athletes or an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s death (an investigation that would naturally involve a Chicago Law Firm). There are some cast turnovers that have me concerned for the future but freed from a central character that just never quite worked, The Good Fight hit a real stride this season and I’m disappointed we couldn’t get more.

6. The Crown (Netflix)

I’m not someone with all that much interest in the royal family typically but The Crown excels in capturing these historic figures and moments and really humanizing them in a way that makes their lives compulsively watchable. Not humanizing in the sense that you’re gonna necessarily walk away sympathizing all that much over the plight of the royal but in that they are whole people with their own mess and vulnerabilities behind all the pomp and circumstance. The pace is slow and meticulous but when it’s at its best, I still get sucked in and find the series incredibly bingeworthy. After a less impressive third season, season four delves into some particularly fascinating material and two new additions (Gillian Anderson in a transformative role as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin doing an eerily great job as Princess Diana) breathe new life into the series. Finding the perfect balance between the political and familial conflicts of the royal family, fleshing out stories that were mainly just newspaper or tabloid headlines before now. It’s just a remarkably well-done drama, the fact that it’s based on truth barely matters at this point because at it’s best (which The Crown certainly was this year), you become so immersed in the world of this family and who these characters are that you can kind of forget about their real-life counterparts for the moment and just get lost in the sharp, witty dialogue and excellent performances. 

5. Pen15 (Hulu)

In its first season, Pen15 took an idea that could have been a silly gimmick and molded it into something with real heart and depth. In just seven episodes, the first half of the second season we were given this year builds upon that success and forces you to feel things so deeply painful and awkward, you’d almost be mad about it wasn’t so good at making you laugh hysterically the next second. Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle (the grown women portraying the lives of two middle schoolers) are giving the most committed performances on television. They are just completely dedicated to the concept and there’s not a shred of vanity to be found. And whether it’s one of Maya’s trademark spiraling breakdowns or the two of them maniacally trying to fix all of life’s problems through witchcraft, there’s never a time when they worry about giving too much. And it pays off. From young love to middle school popularity and the pain of watching your parents’ marriage fall apart, Pen15 captures the feelings of adolescence in perhaps the most vivid and authentic way I’ve ever seen and as cringe-inducing as all of it may be, it’s also strangely cathartic.

4. The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)

Nothing about this show is conventional. A show about the violent abolitionist John Brown told through the eyes of a freed slave, a young man posing as a girl who goes by Onion. A show that is about a deeply serious subject matter that manages to be frequently hilarious. A historical drama that manages to feel more extreme or outlandish than many works of fiction. Ethan Hawke’s positively unhinged performance as Brown is enough of a selling point on its own but really every unbelievable element of this show is worthy of awe and plenty of disbelief. Full of action and humor, The Good Lord Bird is also extremely smart and contemplative, well equipped to parse the complicated legacy of John Brown. His passion was righteous but were his methods justified? That’s an age-old debate but I think the interesting angle here is examining the way in which Brown didn’t listen to the advice of Frederick Douglass or the insight of slaves and others most affected by the results of the war he was looking to start. It’s a wild ride and the most exhilarating history lesson to make it to TV in quite some time, but in a year where many white Americans were questioning what it means to be a good ally, the story of John Brown raises some compelling questions.

3. Bojack Horseman (Netflix)

Early this year, we said goodbye to Bojack Horseman. As someone with a well documented aversion to animation, it’s no small feat that Bojack was able to become one of my favorite shows and now, closing out its final season, one that I might actually argue didn’t get enough praise at the end, despite plenty of critical acclaim throughout its run. The show wrote itself into a corner by allowing its central character to do so many unforgivable things that almost any outcome would have felt too neat or unearned. These final eight episodes have Bojack facing the fact that getting sober doesn’t absolve him of all his sins and the weight of the past almost proves to be too much. I don’t think it would be out of bounds for the show to have opted for the darkest of endings, especially with the beautiful afterlife-adjacent penultimate episode it provided, but I really love the route they took instead. After another rock bottom and plenty of real world consequences, Bojack understands more than ever that there’s no easy fix to our brokenness, no one action or magic word that undoes all of our horrible mistakes. Every major character gets a fitting (and often very funny) ending, with some sweet moments emphasizing some of the major themes from the series. But it’s Bojack’s story and the tightrope they walked right to the ending that really stuck with me, culminating with a lovely final scene between Bojack and Diane. It’s a sad show, unflinching in its depiction of how disappointing people can be and how hard life often is, but there’s a quiet hopefulness at its center, something that comes as a result of a show being so raw and honest, even in a world populated by talking animals. 

2. I May Destroy You (HBO)

As a victim of sexual assault, what would you do if you had the opportunity to face your abuser again? Have an in-depth conversation that lasts all night? Maybe if you could understand him it would take away some of his power. Or maybe you would orchestrate a second sexual encounter, one where this time you hold the power. Of course, and I think this might be the most relatable response: you might just wanna kill him and spend your night trying to dispose of the body. The I May Destroy You finale is perhaps more effective than anything else on TV at burrowing its way into your brain long after the credits rolled. The same can be said for much of this incredible season of television in which Micaela Coel (as Arabella) was able to channel her own pain into a contemplative masterpiece, writing, directing and starring in every episode herself. It’s a tough entry point given the subject matter and the show only goes deeper from there with all sorts of provocative questions about relationships, consent and redemption folded into Arabella’s journey. Sometimes the show is quite funny, sometimes it’s dark and scary, sometimes it’s quiet and reflective, almost constantly challenging in some way. There’s a reason nearly everyone who does lists like these had this show right towards the very top; it’s a painful, honest examination of sexual trauma but the strength, healing and brave authenticity displayed throughout is nothing short of incredible, making I May Destroy You one of the most powerful projects we’ve ever seen.

1. The Boys (Amazon Prime)

I clamored for feel-good escapism like a lot of people this year and I think a lot of this list reflects that but this show ultimately claims my top spot for being the sharpest shot of reality we also desperately needed. It does not escape me that there’s more than a bit of irony that a show that so skillfully calls out American evils found in military, religion, media and capitalism streams on a platform belonging to one of the most disgusting companies capitalism can produce but alas, it’s where we are. Whatever moral confusion that causes, the show is great. It was consistently the thing that I enjoyed watching most every week. It works as an action packed super(anti)hero story, a dark comedy, political commentary,  fascinating character studies, all improved this year by the addition of the always excellent Aya Cash as a bigoted and dangerously charming old superhero named Stormfront. “They like what I have to say, they just don’t like the word Nazi” may be the most representative line of our times. Not exactly subtle, but that’s not really what this show traffics in. I appreciate the takedown of American’s nationalism and alt-right trolls but the other big draw is just watching in horror as Homelander does all these terrible things in the name of God and country and Anthony Starr delivers an unbelievably chilling performance. I don’t suspect this show will be on the Emmy radar but he definitely deserves a nomination.