I'll be making a list for TV and Movies I've seen this year. As you'll see tomorrow, I had to make some changes to how I do the movie list, because there's just not enough to check in on. TV doesn't have that problem. Most of the best programming airs before July thanks to all the networks maneuvering to release around the Emmy voting calendar (i.e. November/December is to Movies as April/May is to TV). Last year, six of my mid-year top 10 series were still in my end of year top 10. This year, I'm expecting even more.
A couple clerical points I'd like to note. This list includes any show that has aired new episodes this year that I have seen, including some still in the middle of their seasons. For network shows, I'm only including the episodes that aired since 1/1/17, which certainly handicaps them against shows with full seasons. Finally, this is a snapshot in time. I reserve the right to switch up the order for my end of the year lists.
Favorite Episode: The Book of Nora
How to Find It: HBO Now/Go
I wish I had the dedication to write about TV the way I do about movies, because I'd've written a tome about The Leftovers every week it was on. I almost put out a retrospective piece on it too, but it got lost in the shuffle. I loved the divisive first season that many found too bleak. The more universally praised second season was terrific as well. The eight episode third and final season that aired this year was the best and craziest of the bunch. I love the world that Damon Lindelof and Tom Perotta built. I love all the performances too. I challenge you to find a stronger lead quartet than Carrie Coon, Justin Theroux, Christopher Eccleston, and Amy Brenneman. Every week was something new. Choosing a favorite episode is close to impossible. I could've picked "G'day Melbourne" for the no holds barred verbal brawl between Kevin and Nora. Or "Don't Be Ridiculous" which brought Mark Linn-Baker in to turn one of the series' running jokes into one of the best guest performances on any show this year. I wouldn't be wrong to call the out of sync "Certified" the season's best for sneaking in an extra-episode's worth of information in the margins of an already significant episode. I nearly went with the insanity of the tiger sex boat in "It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World" that has one of the great closing lines of any episode of TV. As the sequel to season 2's "International Assassin", perhaps the show's best episode overall, I have nothing bad to say about the lunacy of "The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)". However, I'm picking "The Book of Nora" for being the satisfying ending to the series that I didn't realize I wanted: a two-hander with a 20-years-older Kevin and Nora that reminded me that this series was a small character story, not about the larger mysteries of that world. This was a final season that really held nothing back, and I will miss it greatly.
2. Better Call Saul
Favorite Episode: Chicanery
How to Find It: Current Season Unavailable. Previous Seasons on Netflix
What the hell? Wasn't Better Call Saul supposed to be the comedy spin-off of Breaking Bad that we laughed off until it finished a moderately successful, albeit unremarkable, run? Instead, it's giving Breaking Bad a run for its money. The stakes will never be as high on Better Call Saul, but the talented team running the show sure makes it feel like it's high stakes. It's still two (almost three, depending on how you place Kim) shows in one. Mike Ehrmantraut's half got deeper into the Albuquerque underworld, finally putting him in a room with Gus Fring. Mike's story has because a lesson in how to move a narrative forward in as few words as possible without diminishing the audience interest at all. I'm amazed how much I care about Jimmy McGill's story. All the stakes on that side are small and interpersonal but no less impactful than a feud between two cartels. The trial in "Chicanery", the standout episode in a great season, was as tense as anything I'll see this year. I wasn't looking for Better Call Saul to become one of my favorite shows. It earned it.
3. Master of None
Favorite Episode: Amarsi Un Po
How to Find It: Netflix
Speaking of shows I never expected to like. Based on Parks & Rec and his stand up, I had no reason to think that Aziz Ansari (and the often under-credited Alan Yang) had something like Master on None in him when the first season premiered in 2015. I was ready for it with season 2. This is a thoughtful, inventive, funny, heartbreaking, and clever series. The second season isn't structurally different from season 1 - half random musings, half doomed romance - but there's a lot of room to be creative in that. This is another series with a lot of great contenders for my favorite episode. I admire the obvious Italian cinema homage of "The Thief" and the concurrent stories in "First Date". "New York, I Love You" introduces unconnected characters who I'd gladly watch an entire series about. "Religion" captures much of what made "Parents" the most discussed episode of the first season. By my year end list, "Thanksgiving" will probably and rightfully end up my favorite. For now, I've gotta go with the raw emotional nerve left by the hour-long "Amarsi Un Po" though. Ansari is every bit deserving of his Emmy love. Even though Francesca isn't as fully developed at Rachel was in the first season, Alessandra Mastronardi's chemistry with Ansari is undeniable. I hope it's not too long before Ansari and Yang are back with season 3.
4. Veep
Favorite Episode: Georgia
How to Find It: HBO Now/Go
Two things are undeniable: This was the weakest season of Veep in several years and Veep is still one of the best comedies on TV. It's almost splitting hairs to call seasons 4 & 5 an A+ and this an A-. The bench of characters they have to pull from is unbelievably deep. Julia Louis-Dreyfus continues to give an all-time great performance. Timothy Simons is a force. Sam Richardson is one of TV's great scene-stealers and does so with superb efficiency. Kevin Dunn, Gary Cole, Matt Walsh, Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky, Reid Scott, Sarah Sutherland, Clea Duvall, Dan Bakkadahl. All great! In season 6, the writing staff took a chance by moving beyond the President's office to mixed results. A few times, characters, Selina in particular, were a little too awful to the point of being mean. The show managed to remain just as funny though, so who am I to complain?
5. Review
Favorite Episode: Cryogenics, Lightning, Not Reviewing
How to Find It: Comedy Central's website if you sign in with your cable provider
Are you still not watching Review yet? Was my glowing praise of it in 2015 not enough? Or did you not even realize that a third season happened? Well, you aren't alone. Review was never watched by a large audience and Comedy Central's attempts to advertise for season 2 went unnoticed. Andy Daly and company were granted a tiny three-episode season 3 to end the show on their terms and did so with aplomb. All three episodes were great and the finale was fittingly dark, sad, and hilarious as "reviewer of life" Forrest MacNeil proved that he was his own greatest enemy. The whole series is only 22 episodes. That's a low time investment and it's well worth it.
6. Legion
Favorite Episode: Chapter 7
How to Find It: Illegally
The first of two Noah Hawley FX shows on my list. Just a soon as I was worried that there wasn't anything new a TV show could do with a Marvel property, this came along and blew me away. I mainly started watching because I liked what Noah Hawley did with Fargo and I'll see anything with Aubrey Plaza in it. Now I have to look up everything Dan Stevens and Rachel Keller have been in* because they are great too. This is probably the weirdest show I've seen this year (I haven't seen Twin Peaks, which I know would beat it). This show was overflowing with originality in a superhero show landscape that was starting to feel pretty stale. I could've easily named the excellent pilot as my favorite episode for how effectively it set up the universe and style of the series. Or, I could've gone with the oh-so-weird "Chapter 4". I loved the Bolero fight in "Chapter 7" enough to push it over the edge though.
*Except Downton Abbey. I've let that ship sail.
7. The Americans
Favorite Episode: Dyatkovo
How to Find It: Current season unavailable. Previous Seasons on Amazon Prime
The Americans had a weak 5th season only in comparison to the three seasons that preceded it. I love the patience of the show. They managed to make 15 minutes of digging a hole riveting. That's impressive. Matthew Rhys looks thoroughly miserable for 13 episodes and no one does that better. Keri Russell finally showed some cracks in her steadfast allegiance to mother Russia. Holly Taylor is the best child of a prestige TV protagonist since Kiernan Shipka in Mad Men (and possibly even surpassing her). As powerful as the scene was when Phillip and Elizabeth develop Paige's photographs of Pastor Tim's journal in "Darkroom", nothing this season tops the execution of a former Soviet traitor that nearly pushes Elizabeth over the edge in "Dyatkovo".
8. Fargo
Favorite Episode: Aporia
How to Find It: FX's website if you sign in with your cable provide. Previous seasons on Hulu
Season 3 of Fargo took a little longer to get going than previous seasons. The story was a little tighter in Season 1 and Season 2 went all-in repeatedly with great results. I loved the moral ambiguity of Season 3 too. Carrie Coon and Mary Elizabeth Winstead gave a pair of powerhouse performances that made up for other ills. I sure hope that Fargo doesn't go on hiatus for too long.
9. The Good Place
Favorite Episode: Michael's Gambit
How to Find It: Hulu
Only four episodes of the first season aired in 2017. I liked the first couple of those episodes fine. However, it's the big twist in the finale that was too awesome for me to not give it a place in my top 10. I don't watch shows to "figure them out", so I let the twist surprise me as much as it could and marveled at how it completely transformed the first 12 episodes. Besides, as I've said before: Kristen Bell + Ted Danson + Michael Schur is a winning formula.
10. 13 Reasons Why
Favorite Episode: Tape 6, Side A
How to Find It: Netflix
I covered a lot of this in a post already a few months back. As I figured, I've come off the high some. It's is an imperfect show that completely sucked me in.
(Notable shows I haven't seen this year: Twin Peaks, American Gods, Billions, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Catastrophe, Fleabag, I Love Dick)
I can't believe the shows that I'm leaving off this list. Big Little Lies (HBO Now/Go) and The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) were superb in nearly every way. I can see either of these moving into the top 10 by the end of the year. Silicon Valley (HBO Now/Go) is still one of the funniest shows on TV. Last Week Tonight (HBO Now/Go) is a victim of its own consistency. SNL (Hulu) had a banner season, especially Melissa McCarthy's inspired work as Sean Spicer. Speechless (Hului) capped off the strongest debut season for an ABC comedy since Modern Family. Oh, and When We Rise (Hulu). How could I forget that? You don't see many true mini-series like that any more, and Dustin Lance Black did a great job with it. It's impossible to see everything, but I'm pretty pleased with my selections so far this year.
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