2023 in Review: Best Love Triangle, Worst CGI, Cringiest Dialogue, Wildest Fight and 80+ More TV Superlatives
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You might assume that the quality of a TV show hinges on the obvious factors, like believable writing and standout performances. And you wouldn’t be wrong! But the minutiae of a series — from costumes to cute kids to catchy original music — are just as crucial, and that’s what we’re honoring as TVLine’s Year in Review comes to a close. (Catch up on all of our year-end content here.)
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In the list below, we’ve recognized the winners — or losers, in some cases — of more than 80 ultra-specific categories related to 2023 television, from the wildest fight scene to the best performance given by an animal. (We ended up with a tie for the latter category, because, what, we’re just supposed to pick one adorable dog?! Impossible.)
And though many of our “round-up” categories give well-deserved kudos to this year’s shows — other superlatives include Best Single Episodes, Most Stylish Character and Kid You’d Be Proud to Call Your Own — not every award is one you’d want to win: We’re also calling out this year’s most disappointing show, the worst CGI and the dumbest line of dialogue uttered by a character, among other 2023 missteps.
Keep scrolling to see all of our final Year in Review accolades, then drop a comment with your own winners and losers!
MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR (DRAMA): Nonso Anozie, Sweet Tooth
Plus…
MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Zoe Winters, Succession
BIGGEST ACTING REVELATION (DRAMA)
Dominique Fishback, Swarm
MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS (COMEDY): Allegra Edwards, Upload
Plus…
MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR (COMEDY)
Doug Jones, What We Do in the Shadows
BIGGEST ACTING REVELATION (COMEDY)
Ari Notartomaso, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
BEST SINGLE EPISODE (DRAMA): “Connor’s Wedding,” Succession
Plus…
MOST IMPROVED DRAMA
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE (DRAMA)
Hijack (Apple TV+)
BEST MONOLOGUE
Roderick’s lemons speech, The Fall of the House of Usher
BEST SINGLE EPISODE (COMEDY): “The Testi-Roastial,” The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Plus…
MOST IMPROVED COMEDY
The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)
BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE (COMEDY)
And Just Like That… (Max)
BEST COMEDY DUO
Paul and Gaby, Shrinking
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ANIMAL (tie!): Gus as Six-Thirty, Lessons in Chemistry and Bluebell as Betty, Will Trent
Plus…
BEST PERFORMANCE ON A BAD SHOW
Patricia Arquette, High Desert
BEST PARENT/CHILD CASTING
Ashley Johnson and Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us
BEST CASTING OF YOUNGER COUNTERPARTS
Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
BEST PERFORMANCE OPPOSITE ONESELF
Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers
BEST NEW CHARACTER ON AN ESTABLISHED DRAMA: Sheriff Gordo Sena, Dark Winds
Plus…
BEST NEW CHARACTER ON AN ESTABLISHED COMEDY
Loretta, Only Murders in the Building
MOST UNDERUTILIZED GUEST STAR (MALE)
Michael Cimino, Never Have I Ever
MOST UNDERUTILIZED GUEST STAR (FEMALE)
Samantha Sloyan, The Morning Show
MOST DISAPPOINTING SHOW: The Crowded Room (Apple TV+)
Plus…
BEST REBOOT, REVIVAL OR SEQUEL SERIES
Party Down (Starz)
LAMEST CAMEO
Kane Brown, Fire Country
BEST CAST REUNION
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (Netflix)
BEST DEATH SCENE: Kenan Thompson’s death by umbrella, Chucky
Plus…
BEST EULOGY
Maeve on Erin, Sex Education (watch it here)
BIGGEST TEARJERKER
Dancing With the Stars‘ tribute to Len Goodman (watch it here)
MOST CONVOLUTED STORY ARC
Everything to do with PADRE, Fear the Walking Dead
WORST WIG: Grand Admiral Thrawn, Ahsoka
Plus…
BEST COSTUMES
Queen Charlotte (Netflix)
WORST CGI OR GREEN SCREEN
Prom Pact‘s A.I. extras
MOST STYLISH CHARACTER
Nalini, Never Have I Ever
LEAST STYLISH CHARACTER
Beth, Fatal Attraction
BEST REALITY SHOW JUDGE: Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper, The Voice
Plus…
WORST REALITY SHOW JUDGE
Michael Strahan as a Dancing With the Stars guest judge
BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE (REALITY)
Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)
BEST COUPLE (ROMANTIC): Sharon and Vince, Fire Country
Plus…
BEST COUPLE (NON-ROMANTIC)
Joel and Ellie, The Last of Us
ON-SCREEN COUPLE WITH ZERO CHEMISTRY
Mason and Nadia, Citadel
BEST LOVE TRIANGLE: Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah, The Summer I Turned Pretty
Plus…
WORST LOVE TRIANGLE
Fatima, Zac and Karen, Sistas
MOST HEARTBREAKING BREAKUP
Midge and Susie, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
MOST OVERDUE BREAKUP
Big Red and Ashlyn, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
MOST UNEXPECTED COUPLE: Cameron and Muriel, Virgin River
Plus…
MOST OVERDUE COUPLING
Travis and Eli, Station 19
BEST COUPLE REUNION
Natalie and Will, Chicago Med
SEX SCENE WE WISH WE’D NEVER SEEN
Dolphin blowhole orgasm, Gen V (yep, you read that correctly)
SEX FOR WHICH WE’RE IMPATIENTLY WAITING
Kate and Austin, The Diplomat
BEST PROPOSAL: Casey and Brett, Chicago Fire
Plus…
WORST BOYFRIEND
Tedros, The Idol
WORST GIRLFRIEND
Jack, Ted Lasso
BEST MUSICAL MOMENT: “Over and Done,” Schmigadoon!
Plus…
MOST CLUELESS CHARACTER
Ronald, Jury Duty
MOST ANNOYING CHARACTER
Kelly Kilmartin, Physical
MOST FRUSTRATING CHARACTER
D-Mac, Power Book IV: Force
BEST FEMALE BONDING: Gaby and Liz, Shrinking
Plus…
BEST FEMALE FEUDING
Mrs. Russell and Mrs. Astor, The Gilded Age
BEST BROMANCE
Roy and Jamie, Ted Lasso
BEST MALE FEUDING
Billy and Eddie, Daisy Jones & the Six
KID YOU’D BE PROUD TO CALL YOUR OWN: Gus, Sweet Tooth
Plus…
KID YOU’D PROMPTLY DISOWN
Ellen, Fatal Attraction
BEST DAD
Raylan, Justified: City Primeval
WORST DAD
Ward, Outer Banks
BEST MOM
Yan Xu, Heartstopper
WORST MOM
Donna, The Bear
BEST SIBLINGS: Belly and Steven, The Summer I Turned Pretty
Plus…
WORST SIBLINGS
Bradley and Hal, The Morning Show
CUTEST KID
June, BEEF
THE JORDAN CATALANO DREAMINESS AWARD
Tyler Lawrence Gray, Wolf Pack
WILDEST FIGHT SCENE: Luffy vs. Buggy, One Piece
Plus…
BEST VILLAIN
Gordon Ford, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
WORST VILLAIN
Nate, Ted Lasso
MOST ENJOYABLE SCENERY CHEWING
Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian
LEAST ENJOYABLE SCENERY CHEWING
Lennie James and Kim Dickens, Fear the Walking Dead
BEST DANCE NUMBER: “Kaput,” Schmigadoon!
Plus…
CATCHIEST ORIGINAL SONG (tie!)
“Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?”, Only Murders in the Building and Daisy Jones & the Six‘s entire soundtrack
BEST MONTAGE
Upstairs-Downstairs astronauts vs. Mars workers, For All Mankind
DUMBEST LINE OF DIALOGUE
“I swear, if we don’t get in touch with my mother, and fast, I fear that this may very well become the days of our lives.” — Days of Our Lives
BEST BINGE WATCH: Hijack (Apple TV+)
Plus…
BEST “COOL CRED”/DINNER PARTY CONVERSATION-STARTER PROGRAMMING
Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Super Models (Apple TV+)
TV EVENT THAT DIDN’T LIVE UP TO THE HYPE
Jeopardy! Masters
TV EVENT THAT EXCEEDED THE HYPE
Succession‘s series finale
Missed any of our Year in Review 2023 content? Go here to catch up on all things best, worst and most!
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