To say that 2023 was a wild year for the TV landscape would be an understatement. Writers and actors went on strike in order to win fair contracts. Major streamers continued removing entire shows — some merely months old — from their catalogues in a disturbing cost-cutting measure. And in one week in May alone, we said goodbye to not one, not two, but four beloved — and highly awarded — TV shows: Succession, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Barry, and Ted Lasso.
But amid all this upheaval, there was some truly wonderful TV. New and returning shows alike captivated audiences with stories of star-crossed pirates, teen angst, and epic fantasy worlds. We cracked up at comedies like Platonic, swooned at Bridgerton's most romantic series yet, and celebrated the return of fan favorites like Yellowjackets and Only Murders in the Building. Animated stories like Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and Castlevania: Nocturne transported us to exciting new realms, while on the flip side, Netflix finally proved it could do the impossible and made a solid live-action One Piece.
Given that there was so much great TV to choose from in 2023, we couldn't just stop at a top 10 list. Instead, we've settled on our top 20 TV shows, featuring everything from mushroom zombies and alien parasites to frazzled chefs and scrappy detectives. If you're looking to catch up on the shows everyone's been talking about or just hankering for a favorite new binge-watch, we can guarantee you'll find what you're looking for somewhere on this list.
Here are the 20 best TV shows of 2023.
20. Beef
A pair of star-crossed frenemies ground Beef's roaring plot, and what an absolute delight they are. We first meet Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong) when the duo get into a road-rage incident, which later spirals out of control into an all-encompassing feud. This then becomes a larger vessel untangling Danny and Amy's private lives while simultaneously exploring the dueling motivators of identity and purpose (it is an A24 show, after all). Beef truly shines thanks to its stars' electrifying chemistry; powerhouse performances from Yeun and Wong draw you into their world, no matter how messy it is. The show's final second is arguably one of the most rewarding finales we've seen on TV this year, and on Netflix ever. — Yasmeen Hamadeh, Contributing Entertainment Writer
How to watch: Beef is now streaming on Netflix.
19. Shrinking
Grief can be a real asshole, and no show in 2023 captured this more accurately — and hilariously — than Shrinking. Jason Segel stars as Jimmy, a widowed father/therapist who's been pretty checked out since his wife died months ago. But now, he's trying to heal, himself, his patients, and the teen daughter (Lukita Maxwell) who is officially over his mess. But progress — as any good therapist will tell you — isn't a straight path.
In the search for closure, Jimmy urges his patients to break rules, take up boxing, and push themselves out of their comfort zones — for better or for utter catastrophe. Getting his back is his grumbling mentor (Harrison Ford at his absolute best gruff-but-lovable), his very hydrated yet hyper colleague (Jessica Williams, radiant), his volatile yet vulnerable client (newcomer Luke Tennie, positively crushing it against a wall of star power), and his nosy but generous next-door neighbor (Scrubs' Christa Miller with her signature sharpness). These quirky characters collide in mental crises and merciful comfort, creating a show that has the kooky comedy echoes of Scrubs and Ted Lasso. Which makes sense, since Segel co-created this gem with Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Shrinking is now streaming on Apple TV+.
18. Abbott Elementary, Season 2
With its first season, Quinta Brunson's grade school-set sitcom earned critical praise, an adoring audience, and a slew of awards, including three Primetime Emmys. Our hopes were sky-high for Season 2, and week after week, Brunson and her incredible ensemble delivered with new misadventures full of humor and heart.
Emmy-winner Sheryl Lee Ralph reunited with her bestie on and offscreen, Lisa Ann Walter, to bring a mix of righteous side-eye and unrepentant snark as only this dynamic duo can. Fan favorite Janelle James delivered new angles to her hustling principal, including a surprisingly touching arc about Black History Month. Chris Perfetti continues to mine white privilege and overzealous allyship for sharp laughs. But the best bit of this second season may be the slow-burn romance between Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (thinking woman's sex symbol Tyler James Williams). A slew of inspired guest appearances come a close second, including The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, Leslie Odom Jr., Taraji P. Henson, and Gritty. Yes, that Gritty. — K.P.
How to watch: Abbott Elementary is now streaming on Hulu.
17. Top Boy, Season 5
For over a decade, Top Boy has been one of the best British shows on TV, and the series finale pushes its complicated characters to the absolute limit. It's the powerful, bloody end this masterpiece of a series deserves, as well as a deeply moving farewell to the fictional London estate Summerhouse. Directors Myriam Raja and William Stefan Smith do a masterful job of exploring the themes previously established by creator Ronan Bennett — family and criminality, police brutality and systemic racism, and much more — through nuanced characters and storylines.
Season 5 picks up after Season 4's shocking finale, with teen Stefan (Araloyin Oshunremi) left grieving in the fallout, and anti-heroes and London drug dealers Dushane (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson, aka grime pioneer Kano) figuring out where their loyalties lie while trying to get out for good. When a rival Irish gang (led by Saltburn star Barry Keoghan and Bad Sisters' Brian Gleeson) arrives, everything's on the table. Luckily, this final season really leaves no loose ends. Without a doubt, the women of Top Boy are the real core of the show, with superb performances from standout Jasmine Jobson, alongside Simbi Ajikawo (aka acclaimed rapper Little Simz) and Saffron Hocking. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
16. Primo
Primo is the kind of coming-of-age ensemble comedy that dreams are made of — and it's the best new sitcom of 2023. Created by Shea Serrano and executive-produced by Michael Schur (The Office, Parks and Recreation), Primo is a loosely autobiographical series based on Serrano's San Antonio upbringing.
Standing in for Serrano is Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), a high school junior whose five uncles and single mother Drea (Christina Vidal) are highly invested in his well-being, which leads to some hilarious mishaps. Primo deftly balances Rafa's more grounded school life and college dreams with his wild family life, which includes barbecues gone awry and the world's most competitive game night. Episode set-ups are often standard sitcom fare, but Primo is elevated by its sharp writing, hyper-specific characters, and a phenomenal ensemble that gels right off the bat. We may only be one season in, but there is no doubt in my mind that the Gonzales family already belongs in the TV family hall of fame.
How to watch: Primo is now streaming on Amazon Freevee.
15. Mrs. Davis
So very much happens in this remarkably chaotic, surprisingly tender, relentlessly original show about a nun who wants to kill an algorithm, starring Betty Gilpin (GLOW): Schrodinger's cat, enormous quantities of neon green whale sedative, a love triangle with Jesus, stage magicians, a sword the size of a pickup truck, flawed moms, an elaborate heist involving a special tool christened The Constipator, explosions, Character Actress Margo Martindale, and a liminal space that serves a divine falafel.
Mrs. Davis is a "just trust me and go in cold" show, a "just enjoy the ride" show, a "don’t think about it too hard, but it'll mostly stand up if you do" show. Now someone please give Betty Gilpin her Breaking Bad, her Barry, the prestige star vehicle she deserves. (Gilpin could do Kendall Roy, but Jeremy Strong couldn't do Sister Simone. There, I said it.) — Caitlin Welsh, Australia Editor
How to watch: Mrs. Davis is now streaming on Peacock.
14. The Curse
The Curse is the kind of show that makes you cringe so hard you hope to disappear into the void, but what else would you expect from Nathan Fielder? The madman behind Nathan For You and The Rehearsal co-created this surreal comedy with Benny Safdie, and the two star alongside a very game Emma Stone for a tale of an HGTV show gone terribly wrong.
Fielder and Stone play a couple trying to get their house-flipping series off the ground, only to be thwarted at every turn by their own shortcomings and obliviousness. (Or maybe by a supernatural curse?) From there, The Curse jumps into overdrive, tackling everything from the ethics of reality TV to gentrification to the tokenization of Native Americans. Oh, and it throws mirror houses and micropenises into the mix, because why not? Aesthetically distinct and thematically ambitious, The Curse takes big swings and isn't afraid to be polarizing in the process. And while its commentary doesn't always land, there's no denying that there's a fascinating method to this cringe-inducing madness.
How to watch: The Curse is now streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.
13. The Fall of the House of Usher
Mike Flanagan plus Netflix has added up to some of the most hair-raising watches of the last decade, ranging from menacing mini-series like The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and The Midnight Club to a twisted adaptation of Stephen King's novel Gerald's Game. But Flanagan outdid himself with The Fall of the House of Usher. Not only did he take on a classic tale of terror from King of Spookiness, Edgar Allan Poe, but he also weaved in a nerve-rattling web of references to Poe's creepy characters, short stories, and even a real-life nemesis. Then he baked all of that Poe-y goodness into a family drama featuring a Sackler-like cast of degenerates who profit from other people's pain (management needs).
Boasting an ensemble of familiar faces, The Fall of the House of Usher delivered mounting horror, shocking gore, and a library's worth of allusions. As the damned patriarch, Bruce Greenwood was our guide through his gnarly family tree. But it was devilish fun to watch Henry Thomas as a worrisome wife guy, Rahul Kohli as a chaotic bisexual gamer, Ruth Codd as a well-meaning but big-mouthed stepmum, Samantha Sloyan as a Goop-gone-wild, and Carla Gugino as the wealthy's worst nightmare: a devil who can't be bought off. Ripe with scares and harrowing turns, The Fall of the House of Usher was a feast for the eyes and our dark souls. — K.P.
How to watch: The Fall of the House of Usher is now streaming on Netflix.
12. Barry, Season 4
Over the course of its four-season run, Barry ditched any notions that its hitman-turned-actor protagonist was a lovable guy worthy of redemption. No, Barry (Bill Hader) is a bad person, and the show forces you to sit with that as Barry's actions — and Barry itself — get darker and darker.
Barry's tremendous final season is the culmination of the show's transformation from prestige comedy to surreal (but occasionally still quite funny) nightmare. From Barry's time in prison to Sally's (Sarah Goldberg) new acting class to Gene's (Henry Winkler) attempts to capitalize on turning Barry in, Barry Season 4 is all about quests for redemption and freedom — and how far we're willing to go to get there. Hader's horror-tinged direction guides us through each arc with an unflinching strangeness, resulting in some of Barry's wildest sequences and biggest narrative swings to date. It's all led up to a brutal series finale that — love it or hate it — reminds us of Barry's singular tone and its own quest to force us to see Barry for who he truly is.
How to watch: Barry is now streaming on Max.
11. The Other Two, Season 3
The Other Two's third season improves on perfection. As the season starts, everyone in the Dubek family — including "the other two," Cary (Drew Tarver) and Brooke (Heléne Yorke) — has found success in the entertainment industry. But is it enough? The Other Two addresses that question with its trademark mix of sharp showbiz satire and affecting family drama, delivering a slew of instantly quotable zingers along the way.
More than that, what makes this third (and final) season of The Other Two so spectacular is its willingness to push farther and farther into the absurd, bringing its insane portrayal of the entertainment industry to new heights. Where else could you find a Pleasantville parody about filming a procedural drama? Or a spy caper centered around driving an armpit across a country? Or an industry party haunted by invisible non-industry people? It would be a miracle to pull just one of these wild gags off, but The Other Two nails each one and more. Truly, it's the show that keeps on giving, right until the end.
How to watch: The Other Two is now streaming on Max.
10. Jury Duty
The verdict is in! Jury Duty is guilty of being one of the most unexpectedly delightful new shows of 2023. Combining realty TV and comedy in a court room, this Freevee series is uniquely hilarious, thanks to its unwitting leading man.
Created by The Office producers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, Jury Duty centers on Ronald Gladden, an average Joe (Schmo) who believes he's being filmed as part of a documentary on the American jury system. Little does he know that everyone else in the court — from the judge to the lawyers and the bailiff, right down to his fellow jurors — are all actors, improvising to see how he'll react. While the premise sounds like a prank, the results are winsomely heartwarming, as Ronald strives in every circumstance to be a stand-up guy. That's the payoff, but the best hook? James Marsden plays himself as a comically arrogant, name-dropping celebrity douchebag who will defend his filmography — even Sonic The Hedgehog — until the gavel goes down. — K.P.
How to watch: Jury Duty is now streaming on Amazon Freevee.
9. Somebody Somewhere, Season 2
Joining Succession, Barry, and The Last of Us in HBO's stacked Sunday lineup this year was Somebody Somewhere, a deeply moving slice-of-life dramedy that continues to shine in its second season.
As we enter Season 2, we see Sam (Bridget Everett) settling far more comfortably into life in her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, and her friendship with Joel (Jeff Hiller) plays a big part in that. The pair's everyday activities, from their strolls around the park to their "teeny 'tini" nights, are endless sources of naturalistic, everyday joy, and they continue to prove that Everett and Hiller have some of the best chemistry on TV. In addition to its many laughs, Somebody Somewhere also features quietly melancholy moments, rounding out the show's all-encompassing portrayal of life. It may be a quieter series than its HBO Sunday brethren, but Somebody Somewhere is equally worthy of praise, and everyone everywhere should treasure it.
How to watch: Somebody Somewhere is now streaming on Max.
8. Scavengers Reign
Not only is Scavengers Reign the best sci-fi show of 2023, it's also one of the year's best, period. This animated gem strands us, along with several spacefaring castaways, on the uninhabited planet Vesta. It's a stunning world full of intricately realized alien ecosystems, something like a cross between the fantastical worlds of Studio Ghibli and Annihilation's dread-inducing Area X. Scavengers Reign lets the beauty of Vesta speak for itself, occasionally feeling like an alien nature documentary. There is horror here, too, in the form of intergalactic parasites and, more pressingly, human interference in an unknown ecosystem. As Vesta's lone human visitors fight to find their way home, they'll wreak havoc — intentional or not — on this new planet, resulting in a destructive chain reaction.
In the center of this riveting yet completely isolating landscape, Scavengers Reign manages to find something deeply human as well. Each survivor reckons with the lives on Earth they may never get back to, and past mistakes that they may never get to amend. Questions of human sentience and redemption mingle with contemplative moments of stillness, making for a rewarding story (and planet) you'll want to visit over and over again.
How to watch: Scavengers Reign is now streaming on Max.
7. Poker Face
With its tribute to 1970s classic Columbo's reverse whodunnit (aka "howcatchem") formula, Poker Face feels like the best possible combination of new and old TV. The structure may be familiar, but creator Rian Johnson and star Natasha Lyonne keep this wonderful mystery-of-the-week show feeling fresh.
While Peter Falk's Detective Columbo is a man of the law, Lyonne's new case-cracker Charlie Cale is a scrappy outsider on the run... with a special skill. She has the uncanny ability to tell when anyone is lying, something that comes in very handy when it comes to solving the murders she keeps encountering across the U.S., whether she's at a Texas barbecue, a retirement home, or even a hilarious dinner theater performance. With each of these murders, Poker Face crafts an exceptionally satisfying puzzle box for Charlie to piece together, along with the help (or hindrance) of Poker Face's myriad guest stars. Best of all, in an age of TV trying to be "10-hour movies," Poker Face's episodic structure is refreshing beyond belief. And that's no lie.
How to watch: Poker Face is now streaming on Peacock.
6. Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers may have the same name and central conceit as the 1988 David Cronenberg film, but this miniseries is no retread. For starters, creator Alice Birch (The Wonder, Conversations with Friends) gender-swaps the dual starring roles of twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle, with a mesmerizing Rachel Weisz taking over from the original's Jeremy Irons. This recasting is anything but cosmetic: Being women themselves renders their work more personal and allows Dead Ringers to further explore their relationship to pleasure, sex, fertility, and the female body in a way the original couldn't.
The Mantles share everything, from their medical practice to their lovers to their dreams of opening a birthing center and research clinic. However, their close-knit, one-of-a-kind relationship begins to fray as Beverly begins a long-term relationship of her own, and as Elliot's research begins to push past ethical boundaries. In Cronenbergian fashion, Dead Ringers is full of squeam-inducing body horror, although the show skews more towards medical gore. However, it also mines horror from the dehumanizing and racist origins of obstetrics and fertility science. Thanks to choices like these, Dead Ringers sets a new course far away from the storyline of the original, both building on it and standing apart in its own, brilliant way.
How to watch: Dead Ringers is now streaming on Prime Video.
5. I'm a Virgo
No show from 2023 is as original, or as radical, as Boots Riley's I'm a Virgo. The Sorry to Bother You filmmaker brings us on a wild odyssey alongside 13-foot-tall teenager Cootie (an excellent Jharrel Jerome) as he explores the world outside his home in Oakland, California, for the very first time.
Cootie's journey brings him face to face with many wonders of our world, from the magic of subwoofers to the highs of first love. However, it also acquaints him with major systemic evils, including racism, police brutality, and labor exploitation. Trust Riley to deliver a strong anticapitalist message wrapped in surrealism. Bizarro, brilliant, and boasting some of the most distinctive visuals of the year, I'm a Virgo occupies a singular space on TV, one that everyone should check out.
How to watch: I'm a Virgo is now streaming on Prime Video.
4. Reservation Dogs, Season 3
No other show on TV was able to juggle the peaks and valleys of human joy and sadness quite like Sterlin Harjo's groundbreaking series about four Native American teens in Oklahoma, which came to a phenomenal end in 2023. After all, only a Reservation Dogs episode could make you bust out laughing at the dumbest of fart jokes, then punch you in the gut with musings on grief and lost friendships.
In a show full of high points, Reservation Dogs' third season gave us plenty more to think about. We witnessed Elora Danan's (Devery Jacobs) aching family reunion and the Deer Lady's (Kaniehtiio Horn) haunting origin story, one rooted in American atrocities. We cheered as the Rez Dogs took on a daring rescue mission and grew further into themselves. And we could only look on in awe as this final season spun a masterful tale of community ties spanning generations. Hilarious and devastating in equal measure, Reservation Dogs proved itself to be one of the greats, as well as a necessary showcase of Indigenous talent.
How to watch: Reservation Dogs is now streaming on Hulu.
3. The Last of Us
With its high stakes post-apocalyptic tension and the brilliant dynamic between leads Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), The Last of Us hit the ground running when it launched earlier this year. But when the beautifully poignant third episode landed, with its contained story about two men, Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), sharing a doomed romance amid the end of the world, it was clear Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's video game adaptation would be more than just a standard zombie thriller. Over its nine-episode run, the show moved from strength to strength, mixing plenty of soul-destroying moments with scenes of levity, as well as posing some deep and difficult questions about the choice between saving the people we love and humanity as a whole. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
How to watch: The Last of Us is now streaming on Max.
2. The Bear, Season 2
It's no easy feat for a TV series to make an even bigger impression with its second season than with its first, but Christopher Storer's The Bear pulls it off. Filled to the bubbling brim with tension, emotionally raw performances, and writing that's realistic enough to scald, the kitchen-set drama sees the return of the troubled Berzatto family, this time struggling to open an upmarket restaurant while battling money and safety issues. From delving into the shared familial trauma of Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Natalie (Abby Elliott) via a nightmarish Christmas dinner flashback in "Fishes" to fleshing out the character of Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) at an upmarket restaurant in "Forks," Season 2 is even more of an emotional rollercoaster than the show's first. It traps us in the pot early, slowly turns up the heat, and then lets us cook. — S.H.
How to watch: The Bear is now streaming on Hulu.
1. Succession, Season 4
An unmatched tragicomic examination of the ultra-wealthy, Succession's first three seasons had already earned it a spot in the Great Television pantheon. Still, Season 4, in all its unsparing, scorched earth glory, more than sealed the deal.
How do you even begin to describe Season 4 of Succession? It decimated us with its weighty narrative risks, like an early farewell to Logan Roy (Brian Cox). It made us scream-laugh at its razor-sharp dialogue (all hail the ludicrously capacious handbag). It captivated us, week after week, with Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Roman's (Kieran Culkin) grief, anger, and sloppy betrayals of one another. Perfectly calibrated stakes, painful blowout arguments, and some truly WTF one-liners made sure that each episode of Succession was a capital-E Event. And as if that weren't enough, the show capped off a monumental run with a staggering yet completely satisfying finale. Thanks for everything, Succession. It's with great sadness that I wish you one last loving "fuck off."
How to watch: Succession is now streaming on Max.
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