My Year in Television (2018)

Welcome to my fourth annual television-shows-of-the-year list. Despite the rise in the quantity of streaming services and the amount of content put out, 2018 was a year that was largely dominated by basic/premium cable offerings. As per usual, I got around to watching a lot of television and put together a top 10 list, some honorable mentions, as well as my biggest disappointments of the year.

1) Patrick Melrose (Limited Series: Showtime) - This might just rank number 1 on my all time list. The performance from Benedict Cumberbatch is otherworldly. It’s hands down the best depiction of drug abuse and its root causes that I’ve ever seen.

2) Atlanta (Season 2: FX) - Not much to say other than this matched the brilliance of season 1. It’s innovative, it’s funny, and it’s politically conscious.

3) Barry (Season 1: HBO) - This was the most pleasant surprise of the year for me. I went in thinking I would enjoy this show mainly for comedic purposes, but ended up being enamored by the action and drama.

4) Sharp Objects (Limited Series: HBO) - Beautifully shot with great actresses. Provides an in-depth look at emotionally abusive parenting and the harsh physical and psychological damage it can cause.

5) Kidding (Season 1: Showtime) - This show worked better as individual episodes as opposed to a season long arc. It makes sense given Michel Gondry, with mostly a film background, directed most of the episodes. There were a bunch of terrific episodes (Most notably: Episode 4 - Bye, Mom).

6) Escape at Dannemora (Limited Series: Showtime) - Ben Stiller has directing skills! This was a terrific slow burn of a true story, with emphasis on the intimate details which led to a prison escape in 2015.

7) Bojack Horseman (Season 5: Netflix) - Another fantastic, brutally sad season. Free Churro was the best episode of television this year.

8) Better Call Saul (Season 4: AMC) - The weakest season of the show yet. Goes to show how high of a standard the show has set that the worst season was still this good.

9) The Deuce (Season 2: HBO) - While it didn’t reach the heights of the first season, the screenplay, performances, and direction are all top notch.

10) Lodge 49 (Season 1: AMC) - The Big Lebowski as a TV show is an apt description. It’s melancholic yet sweet, absurd yet grounded.

Honorable Mentions (No Particular Order):

The Terror (Season 1: AMC)

Glow (Season 2: Netflix)

Cobra Kai (Season 1: Youtube Red)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Season 5: Fox)

Daredevil (Season 3: Netflix)

Castle Rock (Season 1: Hulu)

Patriot (Season 2: Amazon)

Handmaid's Tale (Season 2: Hulu)

Killing Eve (Season 1: BBC)

Silicon Valley (Season 5: HBO)

American Vandal (Season 2: Netflix)

Fails of the Year:

1) Legion (Season 2: FX) - After a brilliant season 1, I was bummed to see the show take a nose dive in season 2. A total lack of tension or chilling moments.

2) Ballers (Season 4: HBO) - This show just keeps going in circles. Each season presents a new, seemingly impossible task that Dwayne Johnson decides, for some reason, he should try to tackle (pun intended).

3) Westworld (Season 2: HBO) - Although it had 2 amazing episodes (Kiksuya, The Riddle of the Sphinx), the season as a whole was pretty disappointing.