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I was holding off on posting my list so I could try to fit in another show or two (looking at you, Station Eleven), but I haven't really even started the ones I was looking at so I'm just going to call it now. This year TV took kind of a backseat to gaming for me, but I still did manage to watch a number of good shows. The standout, looking over my list, is that I have a lot more comedies than usual. In fact the usual "prestige drama" is almost completely absent. What does that say about me, or television, or the world in general? I don't know, here's a list! 10. Hawkeye This spot could honestly go to any of the MCU Disney Plus shows this year (except Falcon and Winter Soldier, probably), but Hawkeye gets the nod primarily because of recency bias. It really was a fun and entertaining show, though, and pulled off the “MCU movie in TV show form” better than any of the others. 9. The Great I loved the first season of The Great, and in many ways the second season continued the same quality. The performances were still excellent, and the show is as fun and funny as ever. The only thing keeping me from putting it higher on my list is that this season kind of spun its wheels plot-wise. I can understand wanting to keep certain actors in the fold given how hard they're crushing it, but the narrative really suffered as a result. 8. Girls5Eva I didn't really have much in the way of expectations for this show, but it seemed like an easy binge so I gave it a shot. Boy am I glad I did, because it was a delight! Just the classic Tina Fey model of rapid-fire joke delivery, general silliness, and a good amount of heart. Very excited for the next season, whenever that may be. 7. Mare of Easttown As someone who's watched both Broadchurch and Happy Valley, Mare of Easttown didn't really break much new ground. The DNA of both those shows was evident, but where MoE really shone was in the performances. A lot of people were nominated for and won awards, and they were all deserved. 6. I Think You Should Leave The first season of ITYSL was lightning in a bottle. It came out of nowhere and was instantly one of the funniest individual seasons of a show I'd ever seen. The sophomore season had a lot to live up to as a result, and I think it generally did. There were a few clunkers throughout, as is the nature of sketch shows, but bits like the Existential Crisis Prank Show, Dangerous Nights, and Tables have become instant classics in my mind. 5. The Witcher Despite sharing many of the usual concerns about the timeline shuffling, I was a big fan of the first season of The Witcher. The second season, though, improves upon the first in two important ways: opts for a more linear approach, and it brings Ciri into the main action of the story. These changes make a huge difference. 4. Only Murders in the Building I've never really been a big Martin Short fan, it's been years since I really enjoyed a Steve Martin project, and prior to this show I don't think I'd ever even heard Selena Gomez speak. But somehow the combination of all these elements was a weird, quirky little show that managed to hit all the right notes for me. 3. What We Do in the Shadows Quite simply, WWDITS is pound-for-pound the funniest show on TV, and this season was no exception. We got to see a bit more range from the characters this year, and every one of them proved up to the challenge. 2. Ted Lasso I waited until the season was over before I started watching (I was a late arrival to the first season and I found the binge to be a fantastic experience), and some of the negative chatter had me a bit worried. As it happens, though, I found myself enjoying this season as much as I enjoyed the first. What was once a surprise delight has now officially become a reliable pleasure. 1. Mythic Quest Honestly, no one is more surprised than me to find this at the top of my list. When I sat down to make this list there were several that came to mind, and then I went in search of any I might have missed. When I saw this on a list and was reminded that the second season aired this year, all of a sudden I knew I had my #1. I originally heard about this show while its first season was airing, but I didn't want to sign up for yet another streaming service, so I ignored it. It was Ted Lasso that got me to try out AppleTV, and once I was in I figured I'd give this show a shot. The end result: I binged the first two seasons in less than a week. I was hooked. The writing is sharp, the characters are compelling, and the performances are both hilarious and emotionally resonant. Just an all-around great show.
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Jan 13, 2022 04:42
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| # ¿ May 10, 2024 01:54 |
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Very glad my decision to leave Station Eleven off my list didn't damage its standing (I loved it, but it felt like a 2022 show to me so it'll be near the top of my list next year)
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Feb 22, 2022 16:03
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I left Station Eleven off my list last year with the intent of putting it on this year, and I think it'll still land near the top.
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Dec 9, 2022 15:34
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