2023 in Review: The 20 Best Shows
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TVLine’s annual year-end retrospective is officially here! And we could save the best for last, but really, where’s the fun in that?
Rather, our Year in Review kicks off with a ranking of 2023’s 20 best series, a list created by our editors’ spirited debates and reminiscences about the past 12 months of television.
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Our ranking below covers the spectrum of broadcast, cable and streaming, from the sophomore slump-less Abbott Elementary to Fargo‘s triumphant return to a standout second season for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. We’ve got returning veterans (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Succession) and breakout newbies (Silo, Shrinking), plus a few hidden gems from this TV year (if you’re not watching Dave… well, why not?).
But as much as we love a good spoiler here at TVLine, we won’t ruin the entire list for you. Keep scrolling to see our picks for 2023’s best shows — including our No. 1 pick for the best show — then drop a comment with your own favorites!
Still to come in TVLine’s Year in Review: Worst Shows of 2023, Biggest Plot Twists, Sexiest Scenes, Character Deaths That Nearly Killed Us, Shocking Cast Exits and much, much more!
20. The Other Two (Max)
Max’s showbiz satire was funnier than ever in its third (and ultimately, ugh, final) season, skewering everything from Jeff Bezos’ billionaire status to Disney’s famously tepid approach to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Stars Heléne Yorke and Drew Tarver respectively took Brooke and Cary to new, cringe-worthy lows, as Brooke made a half-hearted attempt at do-gooding and Cary’s desire for fame became even more insatiable. But The Other Two also proved it could still surprise us, wading into occasionally dramatic waters — Brooke and Lance’s breakup fight, or the surprisingly moving series finale — that were just as effective as the show’s nonstop punchlines. — Rebecca Iannucci
19. One Piece (Netflix)
Netflix has bonafide TV gold on its hands with this live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s long-running manga series about a ragtag group of pirates on a global quest for the ultimate treasure, the titular “One Piece.” A winning combination of breathtaking visuals, a delightful tone, incredible fight scenes and inspired casting resulted in a final product that managed to both impress critics and appease fans — an incredibly rare dual feat, especially in the inconsistent realm of live-action reimaginings. — Andy Swift
18. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
An occasionally uneven final season does not mask the simple truth: The Amazon comedy went out with a bang. Not only did Season 5 produce some of the finest episodes in Maisel’s entire run — we’re looking at you, Episode 6’s hilarious and heartbreaking Susie-centric “The Testi-Roastial” — but Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino delivered the period-appropriate goods when it mattered the most, i.e. via the immensely satisfying series finale. — Michael Ausiello
17. Silo (Apple TV+)
To be honest, this dystopian drama had us at “the last 10,000 people on Earth reside inside a mile-deep home.” But Silo took that provocative premise and added to it a knockout cast led by Rebecca Ferguson (and many of whom stuck around a lot shorter than you might have expected!), incredible and tactile production design, and a twist or two that even those who read the first of Hugh Howey’s Wool novels did not see coming. — Matt Webb Mitovich
16. The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy ended their time at Netflix the way they started it: by scaring us silly while making us ache (in a good way!). Usher, based on various works by Edgar Allan Poe, followed the immensely satisfying formula the executive producers put forth in The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. First, have a terrific ensemble play out an emotionally resonant saga. Then, sprinkle in just enough jump scares to distract from the deftly woven existential dread! Even better: This time around, Flanagan added heavy hitters Bruce Greenwood and Mary McDonnell to his troupe, giving Usher a solemnity befitting the final jewel in the horror auteur’s Netflix crown. — Kimberly Roots
15. Dave (FXX)
With its third season this spring, Dave maintained its status as one of the best shows that not enough people are talking about. The FXX comedy took a deep dive into its protagonist’s psyche as he searched for new love and interrogated his own thirst for fame. The result — as is often the case with Dave — was a bizarre, sincere, reliably funny and surprisingly cameo-filled (Brad Pitt?!) batch of episodes, building to an unpredictable finale that was as horrifying as it was hilarious. — R.I.
14. Fargo (FX)
FX’s pitch-black crime anthology has made a triumphant return with Season 5, easily its best and most exciting outing in years. (Yes, only three episodes have aired so far, but trust us: It keeps getting better.) Juno Temple is a real spitfire as Minnesota housewife Dot, and Jon Hamm turns that old Don Draper mystique on its head as macho sheriff Roy Tillman. Season 5 strips away the indulgences that derailed previous Fargo seasons and ups the ante with a barrage of high-octane action sequences. Are we hooked again? Oh yah, you betcha. — Dave Nemetz
13. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
The Paramount+ show’s sophomore run was a crowd-pleasing affair that gave us a little bit of everything. From Una Chin-Riley’s thought-provoking ethics trial to that charming musical episode that had us singing its praises (and proved this cast has serious vocal chops) — and let’s not forget that bonkers crossover with the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks — Season 2 took big creative swings that elevated the show to bold new heights and yet, never forgot its roots. — Keisha Hatchett
12. The Great (Hulu)
The Hulu series delivered another — ahem — great season of absurdist comedy and political intrigue as Peter and Catherine finally called a truce and recommitted themselves to their marriage. The couple’s twisted romance felt especially engrossing this season, due in large part to Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult’s beautifully layered performances that were as devastating as they were funny. And the show’s needle-drop ending moment, during which Catherine danced through her grief to the tune of AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long,” highlighted an invigorating season of growth and loss tinged with raucous humor. — K.H.
11. Snowfall (FX)
Set during the height of the 1980s crack epidemic, FX’s captivating drama ended its run on a series high as Franklin Saint wound up destitute and wandering the neighborhood he destroyed with drugs. Portrayer Damson Idris was brilliant in his final outing as the ruthless dealer, delivering a standout performance that deftly illustrated how greed, ego and addiction fueled the character’s gut-wrenching demise. It’s an unspeakable crime that Snowfall never received the Emmy recognition it deserved, especially after an exceptional final season that solidified its status as one of the all-time greats. — K.H.
10. A Small Light (Nat Geo)
National Geographic’s gripping retelling of Anne Frank’s tragic story didn’t get a lot of love when it was released. And that’s a shame, because the limited series — told from the perspective of Frank family friend/protector Miep Gies (excellently played by Bel Powley) — did its subjects a great service by leaning into the moments of joy that sparked even in the darkest days of the Franks’ and Gies’ lives. With a modern sensibility and an examination of hatred that sadly still reverberates throughout the world, A Small Light was a profoundly moving project anchored by the warm gravitas of Liev Schreiber as Anne’s father, Otto Frank. — K.R.
9. Abbott Elementary (ABC)
There was no sophomore slump for the hit ABC comedy, which continued to bring the laughs in its second season while also deepening its characters in ways that were both hilarious and illuminating. (Barbara’s school-fire meltdown is an unforgettable example.) With thoughtful but funny storylines, like the introduction of Janine and Melissa’s messy family dynamics, Abbott Elementary successfully expanded its scope beyond the school walls. Meanwhile, the delicious romantic tension between Janine and Gregory is still alive and well, even after the pair took some steps forward and backward in their “will they/won’t they” dynamic. — Vlada Gelman
8. Shrinking (Apple TV+)
A series about grief turned out to be one of the year’s funniest and most heartwarming. Jason Segel lit up the screen as a widower struggling to parent his teenage daughter and move on from his loss. His big life change sparked an avant-garde approach to his work as a therapist, leading him to fly off the rails personally and professionally, as the impeccable supporting cast — including Harrison Ford, Christa Miller and Jessica Williams — landed well-executed quips and touching moments. Poignant and wildly entertaining, Shrinking proved that silver linings do exist, even if dark clouds may be blocking our view. — Nick Caruso
7. BEEF (Netflix)
Netflix’s story of two unhappy souls whose paths collide after a vicious road rage incident spawned both humor and tragedy, and allowed stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun to showcase their deep arsenals of talent. From comedy that bordered on absurdism to the emotional meltdowns that had our jaws scraping the floor, the series took some thrilling turns before culminating with a literal bang that nearly destroyed us. By its end, BEEF‘s flame-broiled insanity left us hoping creator Lee Sung Jin has something else to throw on the grill soon. — N.C.
6. Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)
Now this one was a surprise! Amazon Freevee’s wildly chaotic prank comedy flew under the radar at first, placing an unsuspecting real guy named Ronald on the jury of a completely fictional court case, but it delivered more laughs than just about anything on TV this year. The twists were almost too crazy to believe — James Marsden cracked us up playing an arrogantly entitled version of himself — but it was the underlying sweetness here, with Ronald bonding with his fellow jurors as the trial dragged on, that made all those long days in the jury box worth it. — D.N.
5. The Last of Us (HBO)
Executive producers Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin blended a cracking-good cast (expertly led by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey), beautifully spare scripts and loving devotion to/willingness to deviate from the source material — a post-apocalyptic zombie video game! — all to create one of the finest dramas we’ve seen in years. Let’s take a moment, as well, to acknowledge standout guest stars like Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman and Ashley Johnson, whose performances propelled the deeply moving story toward its gorgeous, albeit devastating, Season 1 conclusion. — K.R.
4. Poker Face (Peacock)
Star Natasha Lyonne and director Rian Johnson teamed up to pen a love letter to classic TV detective dramas with this charming Peacock mystery. It’s a real throwback, with Lyonne’s amateur private eye Charlie Cale solving one self-contained mystery per week and meeting a roster of fun guest stars, but Lyonne’s sassy, quippy performance brings it all right up to the present day. This isn’t bulls—t: We could watch her solve crimes all day. — D.N.
3. The Bear (Hulu)
The first season of Hulu’s culinary dramedy, it turns out, was just an appetizer. Season 2 was even more delicious, taking its sweet time to let the drama marinate as chef Carmy and his pals worked their butts off to build a fine-dining restaurant from scratch. The energy was infectious, the emotions were raw, and the performances were astoundingly good, cutting right to the bone. Throw in an all-timer of a holiday episode with a feast of big-name guest stars, and The Bear’s sophomore outing somehow left us both supremely satisfied and hungry for more. — D.N.
2. Succession (HBO)
Expectations were sky-high for the fourth and final season of HBO’s corporate drama — and somehow, series creator Jesse Armstrong went out and surpassed them. What began as a cutthroat battle for control of the Roy family empire turned to tragedy with the stunning death of patriarch Logan Roy, giving us one of the finest hours of TV drama we’ve ever seen. But then the claws came out again as Logan’s children turned on each other, fighting to claim a legacy that none of them could ever truly live up to. We’re sorry it had to end, but we can’t imagine it going out on a higher note than this. — D.N.
1. Reservation Dogs (Hulu)
Sterlin Harjo’s masterpiece once again balanced heavy drama with belly laughs as we followed the Rez Dogs through their last introspective journeys and kooky antics. The final season took welcomed detours to explore the older generation’s dynamic and Deer Lady’s painful past, both of which elicited series-best performances. Despite the death and horrifying history told throughout, the series continued serving up witty humor as a side dish to its beating heart, always keeping us on our toes as we dug deep inside the characters’ growing pains, sense of community and fears of the future. Though it feels like Reservation Dogs is gone far too soon, its excellent finish will forever be a prime example of a series that went out on its own terms while at the very top of its game. — N.C.
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