You may have seen it said we’re now past the golden era of TV content. That may be so, but just check out the following list of TV shows that aired in 2023.
Of all the end-of-year lists we’ve put together here at ShortList, this may just have been the most difficult to whittle down to a mere 20. Some brilliant shows were left on the cutting room floor.
Indeed, if there was a problem with watching TV in 2023, it was one of having too much, not too little, to watch. Reflecting on the past 12 months in TV, it’s tempting to conclude we may have just hit the saturation point for streaming.
There are now so many distinct services asking you to pay a premium for their shiny content, something’s got to give.
That’s something to worry about another day, though. For now, let’s remind ourselves of the TV glut that we all gorged on in 2023. Which was your favourite show? Make sure you vote below.
The best TV shows of 2023
The Last of Us: at NOWPutting the idea there’s no such thing as a good video game adaptation well and truly to rest, The Last of Us was one of the best and most-talked-about dramas of 2023. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are outstanding as reluctant travelling companions making their way across a zombie-ravaged America, though the finest episode barely featured either actor. In fact, Long, Long Time (starring Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett) may just have been the finest single episode of any TV series all year.
The Bear (season 2): at Disney+The second season of The Bear brought us more delicious-looking food, more stylish casual wear, and more heartfelt drama. Chef Carmy and the rest of the Chicago crew struggled to relaunch their humble sandwich shop as an upmarket restaurant. There’s plenty of progression to be made by all along the way, both professionally and emotionally, and the season also features one of the most riveting and downright stressful family dinner episodes you’ll ever see.
Silo: at Apple TV+Rebecca Ferguson stars as the new sheriff in a city-sized bunker following some kind of apocalyptic event, the origins of which are lost to what remains of humanity. It’s the cue for a brilliantly paranoid and distinctively styled slice of sci-fi, as Ferguson aims to get to the bottom of who killed her lover and what exactly her predecessor was trying to tell her before his own untimely exit. The good news is we’ll be getting at least a second season of Silo, so it’s well worth investing your time in.
Slow Horses (Season 3): at Apple TV+Haven’t caught up with Apple TV+’s offbeat spy thriller series? you’re missing a trick. If the prospect of watching Gary Oldman chew the scenery as the repulsively watchable head of a dysfunctional MI5 department isn’t enough, then come for the sharp dialogue and brilliant supporting cast. Season three is arguably the best yet, with plenty of double-crossing, exciting chases, and those memorable character moments that set it apart from every other show of its kind.
Reacher (Season 2): at AmazonAlan Ritchson returns as Jack Reacher, a nomadic military veteran with biceps as big as his deductive powers. His is a far more faithful take on the hero from Lee Child’s popular books than wee Tom Cruise ever was, even if his acting range is rather more limited. In this second season, Reacher discovers his former squad is being bumped off, prompting him to get the old gang back together and go on the hunt for answers and vengeance.
Foundation (Season 2): at Apple TV+This second season of Apple’s ambitious Isaac Asimov adaptation might not stick close enough to the source material according to die-hard fans, but this is still a compellingly epic sci-fi story. What’s more, arguably the show’s biggest original creation – a constantly regenerating cast of cloned emperors – presents arguably the strongest moments of this follow-up season. It sees our heroes, the practitioners of a form of scientific theory that borders on religious, such is its prognosticative power, struggling to mitigate mankind’s inevitable collapse.
Fargo (Season 5): at AmazonAnother season of the anthology series that loosely spins off from the Coen Brothers’ 1996 movie. It keeps only the original’s quirky sensibility, Upper Midwest setting, and a handful of wider tributes to the Coen’s oeuvre. After a somewhat divisive season four, the fifth season is a triumphant return to form, with all the lilting dialogue, bizarre killers, and borderline slapstick violence that entails. This season’s story sees Juno Temple’s apparently benign housewife fleeing from John Hamm’s libertarian cowboy sheriff. It’s an absolute hoot.
Succession (season 4): at NOWArguably the most consistently outstanding TV series of the decade so far wrapped up in 2023. Season four of Succession did not disappoint one bit. After a relatively low key start, the series took some extreme evasive manoeuvres, managing to surprise its audience whilst staying utterly true to each and every one of its lovably hateful characters. It was a truly masterful conclusion that left us wholly satisfied and pining for more at the same time.
Colin From Accounts: at bbc.co.ukWe haven’t included too many comedies on this list, but then few reached the bar set by Colin From Accounts. This sharply written and performed Australian series concerns a middle-aged brewer, a chaotic nurse, and the dog they conspire to maim all living under the same roof. The chemistry between the two leads is evident (they are married in real life), while we lost count of the open guffaws that the eight episodes elicited from us.
For All Mankind (Season 4): at Apple TV+This alternate-history science fiction series has been quietly ticking along in the background on Apple TV+, commendably attracting support from the tech giant despite rarely being at the forefront of conversations. Season four jumps ever closer to our own time, but this version of 2003 sees an established base on Mars and a drastically different cultural scene. It’s all handled with a deft groundedness, and there are just enough blockbuster thrills and spills to keep things lively.
Barry (Season 4): at AmazonSome people hold that Barry has been the best thing on TV for the past five years. We’ll leave that decision up to you, dear voter, but we will say that Season four wraps up the story of everyone’s favourite amoral killer remarkably well. It sees the noose tightening on our anti-hero (played by Bill Hader) as the threads of his complex double life come apart. Turns out, being an aspiring actor and an arch assassin in trouble with the mob isn’t particularly sustainable.
Top Boy (season 3): at NetflixAt one point it didn’t look like this cult British crime drama would survive long enough to finish its compelling story, but for the timely interjection of a certain influential fan named Drake. We’re glad the rapper put his money where his mouth was, because this final season is memorably hard-hitting stuff. It sees matters finally coming to a head between erstwhile friends and partners Dushane (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson), who are now rival drug kingpins vying for a tiny slice of London.
The Fall of the House of Usher: at NetflixMike Flanagan wrapped up his prolific run of Netflix originals in brilliant style with The Fall of the House of Usher, a very loose eight-part adaptation of various Edgar Allan Poe stories. Join billionaire Roderick Usher as he talks us through the grisly and deeply strange demise of his entire six-strong family line, one awful grown-up brat at a time. An all-star cast featuring Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, and Mark Hamill lends weight to this beautifully produced chiller.
Invincible (Season 2): at AmazonWe only got the first half of Invincible’s second season in 2023, but that was still sufficient to make it one of our favourite TV shows of the year. Following the devastatingly bloody conclusion to season one, our young superhero Mark Grayson struggles to recover from the murderous actions – and subsequent disappearance – of his Superman-analogous dad. It’s a slow and steady start, but the brilliance of the world building and a brutal mid-season finale have us hungry for more.
Blue Eye Samurai: at NetflixOne of the most brutal yet beautifully drawn animation series of this or any other year, Blue Eye Samurai tells the tale of a vengeful ronin who must hide her mixed race heritage and her gender alike as she slaughters her way across a deeply insular 17th century Japan. Blue Eye Samurai doesn’t pull any punches with the explicitness of its material, but it never feels cheap or exploitative with it. Rather, it tells a deeply empowering story, all whilst keeping the action flowing.
Beef: at NetflixBeef was one of the hardest to categorise series of 2023. It’s a comedy, but of the excruciatingly cringey kind, as Steven Yeun’s loser building contractor and Ali Wong’s aspiring entrepeneur become involved in an unseemly road rage incident. As fractures in their respective personal lives become apparent, an ostensibly minor confrontation builds into a bitter feud. It can get pretty dark, but Beef keeps the (hugely uncomfortable) laughs coming at a steady rate too.
Fleishman is in Trouble: at Disney+Fleishman is in Trouble belongs in a particular dramedy category all of its own. Jesse Eisenberg plays the neurotic New York doctor and soon-to-be divorcee to Claire Danes’s successful agent. Lizzy Caplan plays Fleishman’s bored suburban mum best friend, and the narrator of her friend’s eventful story. The way Fleishman is in Trouble plays with shifting perspectives and the audience’s own loyalties is truly masterful, and there’s one breakthrough moment of an episode late on that will leave you stunned.
Poker Face: at NOWPoker Face provided 10 much needed doses of escapism in the middle of a somewhat downbeat 2023. Everything about the show just feels right, from the throwback murder-of-the-week structure to Natasha Lyonne’s casting as a preternaturally gifted amateur detective on the run from a vindictive Las Vegas mobster. Knives Out director Rian Johnson once against displays his love of classic murder mysteries, this time riffing on Columbo, all whilst applying just enough of a modern spin to keep things fresh.
Black Mirror: at NetflixCharlie Brooker sailed his beloved dystopian anthology series into new waters in this sixth season. It retains its knack for riffing on current technological and cultural concerns, but elsewhere the show experiments with bold genre exercises. At least three of the six episodes play around with horror tropes, while another dips back into science fiction – all with a dark psychological twist, of course. Yet more Hollywood talent joins the cause too, from Salma Hayek playing herself to Josh Harnett and Aaron Paul playing increasingly embittered astronauts.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: at NetflixScott Pilgrim Takes Off acts as both a reboot of, and a tribute to, Edgar Wright’s cult favourite (but commercially disappointing) comic book movie oddity of 2010. This time the tale of Scott Pilgrim, an indie band bassist with a hyperactive imagination, is rendered in animated fashion. The entire original movie cast is back to provide voices, but the story makes some deeply daring choices that diverge from the graphic novel source material – with creator Bryan Lee O’Malley’s wholehearted approval and direct involvement, we might add.
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Jon Mundy is a freelance writer with more than a dozen years of experience writing for leading tech websites such as TechRadar and Trusted Reviews.
