My Year in Television (2023)

Welcome to my ninth annual television-shows-of-the-year list!

2022 Edition: https://g-bugay.wixsite.com/filmlists/post/my-year-in-television-2022

Outside of music, my consumption of media was down across the board. I didn't get to as many new shows as I would've liked, but I still kept up with a lot of ongoing series and managed to watch a few notable premiers. Below you will find the 25 best seasons of television I saw in 2023, a few honorable mentions, a fail-of-the-year, as well as a watch-list of series I didn't get to but hope to catch in the near future.

25) Queer Eye Season 7 (Neflix) - The gang set up their new quarters in New Orleans, Louisiana. Karamo and Jonathan are my favorites of the cast, but all five bring joy and their unique perspective to the subject of each episode.

24) Black Mirror Season 6 (Netflix) - While I found most chapters of the new season to be middling, the final episode, titled Demon 79, is fantastic and features a great performance from Anjana Vasan (We Are Lady Parts).

23) Yellowjackets Season 2 (Showtime) - While this does end up making the list, the fact that it's at 23 is a real disappointment given how much I enjoyed season 1. The performances are still top notch, but a lot of this season felt like pointless filler, with writing that just spins its wheels.

22) Painting with John Season 3 (HBOMAX) - Another season where John stretches the limits of what television can be. There's a whole episode that is entirely audio.

21) You Season 4 (Netflix) - There's not much else to say about this show that I haven't said already. It continues to execute extremely campy drama in an entertaining and well produced fashion.

20) Sex Education Season 4 (Netflix) - The final season of this Netflix coming of age series is definitely the weakest. But there's still plenty of moments that will leave you an emotional wreck, and for the most part the finale stuck the landing.

19) Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix) - As a fan of the Edgar Wright live-action film, I was pleasantly surprised that this show was able to divert from both that and the source material in really fun and imaginative ways.

18) Love and Death (HBOMAX) - Elisabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons are dynamite in this miniseries that goes in to the secrecy and elaborate planning around an affair. The real life story (also featured in the series Candy) takes a lot of intriguing twists and turns.

17) How to with John Wilson Season 3 (HBOMAX) - Based in NYC, each episode features a main topic such as public bathrooms, big city noise, and birding. John always ventures down extremely odd rabbit holes that are not even remotely connected to the initial subject. In the final season, he ventures across a giant pumpkin growing contest, a vacuum cleaner convention, a self-proclaimed eunuch that is involved in cryonics, and much more.

16) Ted Lasso Season 3 (Apple TV) - Similar to Sex Education, this series peaked in season 1 and slowly declined over the final couple of seasons. Despite that, just being around these wholesome characters is a delight. The show ends the same way it began, with the universal message to "Be curious, not judgmental."

15) The Great Season 3 (Hulu) - This show peaked in season 2, with the combination of humor and drama both shining. The third season isn't as funny, but the foundation of the characters and the plot leads to truly compelling drama.

14) Only Murders in the Building Season 3 (Hulu) - Meryl Streep joins the cast and rather predictably livens up the proceedings. She gets to play a fun role, in essence being a wannabe actor, something that is antithetical to Streep's actual status. While the mystery is well done, the comedy is what truly makes this show sing.

13) Poker Face (Peacock) - This anthology series form Rian Johnson features Natasha Lyonne as a woman who has one special skill, the ability to tell if someone is lying. Johnson (Knives Out) takes this premise and crafts entertaining whodunits with plenty of guest stars and locales.

12) Jury Duty (Amazon) - A combination of a prank show and a mockumentary. A man is put on a jury and is unaware that the rest of the jurors as well as the courthouse staff are actually paid actors. The results are as hilarious as you might expect.

11) Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix) - A half-white, half-Japanese woman disguises herself as a man in 17th century Japan. She learns how to be a Samurai from a blind man who doesn't judge her for her mixed race features. This is a wonderful animated action series that touches on identity, revenge, and forgiveness.

10) The Last of Us (HBOMAX) - This was about as good as an adaptation of the beloved Naughty Dog video game as one could hope for. Episode 3, titled Long, Long Time, is one of the best on screen romances I've seen in a long, long time.

9) Welcome to Wrexham Season 2 (FX/Hulu) - Sports documentary series provide an insider look into an organization, including management, staff, players, and fans. While that certainly provides its own form of entertainment, the most important part is having dramatic events on the field. Fortunately, there's not only one, but two Wrexham teams that get highlighted. Promotion hangs in the balance and each team has to fight and claw until the very end to try to achieve their goals.

8) Barry Season 4 (HBOMAX) - This ensemble drama ends strong with great work from actors Stephen Root (Monroe Fuches) and Anthony Carrigan (Noho Hank). Star and director Bill Hader grew in confidence and skill behind the camera throughout the production of the series, and he helms the director's chair in every episode of the final season.

7) Dave Season 3 (FX/Hulu) - This series doubles as both a television show and an album. The album, Penith, released on January 19th 2024. Andrew Santino (Mike), Dave's manager, gets a more prominent role and shows off his comedic chops.

6) Beef (Netflix) - Most people can relate to an occasional instance of road rage. This show, starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, takes that to the extreme to see the lengths people will go if they feel they've been slighted.

5) Blindspotting Season 2 (Showtime) - If you're tired of seeing a lack of originality in the world of remakes and sequels, check out this truly inventive and ambitious show. You never know where each episode might take you. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after two seasons, but don't let that stop you from watching one of the best shows to come out this decade.

4) Fargo Season 5 (FX/Hulu) - This anthology series returned to scintillating form after a disappointing fourth season. Jon Hamm and Juno Temple are extremely captivating as the two leads. The story is thrilling from start to finish, featuring the shows trademark dark humor as well as sprinkling in some folk horror.

3) Cunk on Earth (BBC/Netflix) - Easily the funniest mockumentary I've ever seen. Diane Morgan (After Life) plays Philomena Cunk, a dim witted journalist who recaps the history of the planet in the most fatuous way imaginable.

2) The Curse (Showtime) - I never would've predicted that Nathan Fielder (Nathan for You, The Rehearsal) and Benny Safdie (Good Time, Uncut Gems) would collaborate on a project. But I'm so thankful they did, because the result is a show with a wholly original tone and atmosphere. The character work is sensational, and the climax will leave you completely gobsmacked.

1) The Bear Season 2 (Hulu) - I didn't think they could produce a second season that matched the quality of the first (which I ranked number 2 on my 2022 list), but they somehow managed to exceed that bar and then some. There are so many great guest appearances sprinkled in throughout the 10 episodes. Episode 7, titled "Forks," is the best episode of television I've ever seen.

Honorable Mentions:

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Season 10 (HBOMAX) - John continues to raise the bar. Despite being off air for months due to the writers strike, the show managed to tackle a bunch of important issues. While the subject matter can get heavy at times, the writers know when to add a bit of silliness to lighten the mood. My favorite silly tangent from season 10 involves a bird of the century contest taking place in New Zealand.

The Great British Bake Off Series 14 (BBC/Netflix) - Alison Hammond replaced Matt Lucas as one of the co-hosts. While Lucas' wit was missed, Hammond adds even more of what the show is known for, wholesomeness. And frankly, and long as Paul is there giving out his rare and sought after "Hollywood Handshake," I'll be right there soaking up every minute.

Jack Ryan Season 4 (Amazon) - John Krasinski ends his run as CIA operative Jack Ryan. It's adequate. I'm not mad I watched it. Will I ever think about it again after I'm done writing this blurb? Probably not.

The Circle Season 5 (Netflix) - My favorite reality series keeps on chugging. The best part of this series is seeing people choose to be authentic when they don't have to be. To choose to be real over trying to be someone that you think others will like or admire. Social media is a cesspool and this show manages to showcase how you should (Tom) and shouldn't (Marvin) operate online.

Fail-of-the-Year:

Party Down Season 3 (Starz) - The first two seasons of this show are magic. Unfortunately, the newest season, without the consistent presence of Lizzy Caplan, fails to provide the engaging drama that intersperses the laughs.

Watch-List:

I'm a Virgo

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal

The Crown Season 6

Hilda Season 3

The Righteous Gemstones Season 3

Lupin Season 2

Loki Season 2

Swarm

Silo

The Fall of the House of Usher

Rain Dogs

Scavengers Reign

Killing It

Full Circle

Dark Winds

Our Flag Means Death

Gen V

Dead Ringers

Reservation Dogs

Abbott Elementary

Succession