The Best TV Shows of 2020, from New Critical Darlings to Returning Favorites

In 2020, the challenge for television viewers wasn't finding something good to watch—it was narrowing down a panoply of worthy shows into an (at least somewhat manageable) selection. What with Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and NBC's Peacock joining an already crowded space—think Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and your regular old cable channels—our culture's content machine is quickly approaching maximum capacity. (Of course, the pandemic has disrupted production industry-wide, but as there were already plenty of shows already in the bank, viewers still had more than enough TV to fill their weekends with.)

Sure, it's a barrage of episodic fare—but while we have it, might as well enjoy the best of this TV largess. Here, 2020's top new and returning television series.