FandomWire’s 10 Best Television Series of 2023 is spoiler-free!
We may be living in the golden age of television series. From sleek and astute dramas, revenge thrillers, gonzo-spectacular Korean horror, witty comedies, and dramedies that set the gold standard in television programming. Stars have been made, legends have been born, and the term “instant classic” has never been more relevant.
Please read below FandomWire’s best television series of 2023!
FandomWire’s 10 Best Television Series of 2023!
Honorable Mentions: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+), Rabbit Hole (Paramount+), Killing County (Hulu), A Murder at the End of the World (FX), The Curse (Showtime), The Last of Us (Max), Ahsoka (Disney+), Loki (Disney+), Mrs. Davis (Peacock), Poke Face (Peacock).
10. (Tie) Reacher, Season 2 (Prime Video) & The Wheel of Time, Season 2.
I usually like to reserve my last entry for shows that are smart and are meant to entertain the masses. We have that with two Prime Video series in 2023: Reacher and The Wheel of Time. Both shows enjoyed breakout sophomore seasons!
Reacher is back, bigger, badder, and better than ever. Showrunner Nick Santora has crafted an adaptation of the Lee Child revenge thriller that’s enthralling, exciting, and relentlessly entertaining. Star Alan Ritchson surpasses superstar Tom Cruise’s portrayal of the legendary character in almost every way.
The Wheel of Time engages storytelling, retooled special effects, the introduction of new characters, and greater screen time for supporting characters. The episode “What Might Be” stands as Prime Video’s finest television episode the network has ever done.
Also Read: Reacher Season 2 Review: The Best Reacher Ever!
9. Upload Season 3 (Prime Video)
Upload remains the most ambitious sitcom on streaming television. What other streaming or network television sitcom satirizes American commerce better than the Greg Daniels sitcom? None; that’s your answer. Perhaps no show has ever captured the absurdity and even hubris of how the marketplace needs consumers and uses them as lab rats.
Also Read: 10 TV Stars You Probably Didn’t Realize Are Actually Related
8. Shrinking Season 1 (Apple TV+)
Smart and funny with an extraordinary empathetic heart, Shrinking’s poignant combination of love and levity is pure magic on the small screen. Bill Lawrence, the creator behind Ted Lasso, has created a trend that is the opposite of what we have come to expect from television, where the writers build up instead of tear down.
Also Read: Shrinking Review: Heartfelt, Honest Dramedy
7. Blue Eye Samurai Season 1 (Netflix)
Perhaps there has never been a more awe-inspiring and visually stunning piece of art than Netflix’s anime series, Blue Eyed Samurai. Where most series would stop there, creators Michael Green and Amber Noizumi pay attention to well-rounded character development. Along with an engaging story, the animated action series morphs into something envigorating and completely original.
Also Read: Blue Eye Samurai Did 1 Thing Right that Even Game of Thrones Failed to Achieve
6. Succession (HBO)
A fitting and brilliant ending to one of the most influential series in television history. The writing is sharp, the characters are complex, the themes are modern, and the entire experience is cinematic. The final season of Succession solidifies Jeremy Strong’s Kendall Roy as one of the greatest characters in television history.
Also Read: Brian Cox & 2 Other Succession Stars Dominate Golden Globes Best TV Actor Nominations
5. Jury Duty (Apple TV+)
The team behind Jury Duty, a creation by Lee Eisenberg (The Office) and Gene Stupnitsky (Good Boys) and directed by Jake Szymanski (No Hard Feelings), have the comic chops where the result should have never been in doubt.
Jury Duty is a wholly original comic undertaking that’s a high-wire act and a marvel in execution. Along with a homerun turn by James Marsden, this hysterical hoax will definitely spawn copycats but may never be equaled.
Also Read: New Warriors: Axed Freeform Series BTS Photos Revealed
4. Bargain Season 1 (Paramount+)
Bargain is a near-perfect K-drama horror thriller. Along with performances full of anxiety-ridden stress and humor, while delving into morally complex issues, this Paramount+ streaming series is binge-worthy, word-of-mouth escapist television that’s head and shoulders above the rest.
Also Read: 23 Gifts Ideas For Your Friends Who Are Die-Hard K-Pop And K-Drama Fans
3. Beef Season 1 (Netflix)
When I saw Beef all the way back in April, I wrote that you would not see a better new series all year. And you know what? I was right! The Lee Sung Jin series is a series of simmering sadness that comes to the surface in hilarious and often unexpected ways. A perfect blend of dark comic thrills that is frenetic, hilarious, anxiety-ridden, and wholly original.
2. Barry (HBO)
The HBO dark comedy masterwork Barry has always used its dark humor as a beard for something greater and to conceal ideas that are quite profound. The backdrop of an acting class in Bill Hader and Alec Berg‘s masterpiece was intended to serve as a blank canvas for exploring the depths of the human condition.
A twisted and macabre perspective on socialization would even give Erikson pause. The final season solidifies Barry as one of the greatest shows ever.
Also Read: Bill Hader Lost Out on a ‘Stefon’ Movie Deal Long Before Actor Took Home Multiple Emmys With ‘Barry’
1. The Bear (FX)
I very rarely call a series a classic because the term is overused. However, after watching the second season of The Bear last May, I couldn’t call Christopher Storer’s series anything less. It’s an American classic. Fresh, invigorating, and wholly original, The Bear keeps you coming back for more.
