I may not have been entranced with many movies this year, but there were excellent TV shows aplenty.
Let’s be honest, there are almost too many great TV shows these days.
There are so many studios making movie-quality TV shows on so many different streaming networks that there’s never enough time to watch all of them.
You could get paid to watch TV full-time and still not have enough time to watch them all!
In 2023, we watched many new TV series and saw several beloved shows come to an end. I’m including some from both categories in my list of favorites below.
It’s worth noting that, unlike my list of favorite 2023 movies, the TV shows below are not all family-friendly.
If you find yourself with extra time off between the holidays, cozy up on the couch with one or more of these terrific 2023 TV shows.
- Shrinking – This is my favorite new show of 2023, featuring incredible performances and infusing humor, edginess and heart-warming moments in equal measure. I wrote about Shrinking briefly once before. I can’t wait for season 2! Harrison Ford’s first role on the small screen is a memorable one.
- Beef – This show got a ton of hype so I watched it, but I honestly found it sad. It is about rage and how letting bitterness eat us up inside can ultimately destroy our lives. The acting is terrific and it’s very believable and entertaining, even darkly comical at times. Worth a watch.
- The Last of Us – This big-budget show has funky, fungal zombies, so you know I’m in. It also has Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey and some truly heartwarming moments including what is possibly the best single episode of TV ever: episode 3 aka Long, Long Time. I am psyched to see what season 2 brings in 2025.
- The Bear – I was late to this party but when season 2 of this buzzy, Chicago-based show came out this year, I watched both seasons straight through. Jeremy Allen White and his supporting actors are phenomenal. All I can say now is “Yes, Chef!”
- Jury Duty – I’m normally not a fan of prank or reality shows and this was a hybrid of both. One man thought he was in a real jury duty scenario but all others were actors playing a long trick on him. The joke’s on all of us because the producers somehow discovered the sweetest and most wholesome man in America to be their foil. Just watch it – Ronald Gladden is worth your time and James Marsden is wonderful, too.
- Special Ops: Lioness – This is another big-budget Taylor Sheridan banger that features women getting the crap beat out of them by men and life in general. Stellar performances by Zoe Saldana and the rest of the cast. It broke my heart but I couldn’t stop watching – I look forward to more seasons.
- Bupkis – Not many people watched this show, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I’m a fan of Pete Davidson and I’ll watch anything he’s in. He’s got some big-name costars and there are humor and heartwarming moments here. I find Pete charming, funny and I think this kid is going places.
Five of my favorite shows ended in 2023 and I enjoyed them all so much that I have to include them here.
- Sex Education – This is one of those shows about teens that you don’t want your teens watching – or at least not in the same room as you. This raunchy romp has grown on me over its four seasons and ended with one of the best series finales I can remember. I adore so many of the characters and actors – Gillian Anderson was amazing – but above all, I can’t wait to see where breakout star Ncuti Gatwa (who plays Eric) goes next.
- Sort Of – I adore this colorful, queer Canadian show and I’m truly sorry to see it end. The characters are glorious, led by nonbinary creator, writer and star Bilal Baig who plays Sabi, a gender-fluid Pakistani-Canadian millennial figuring out life, love and family in Toronto. I also adore the character 7ven (pronounced “Seven”) played by Amanda Cordner. When I was first learning about what being nonbinary or gender fluid meant, this show normalized it and gave me a reference point. I’ll forever be grateful.
- Sky Rojo – Pulpy, fast-paced and over-the-top, this show took me by surprise and held my attention in its vinyl-gloved hands. Fans of Tarantino’s ultra-violence will appreciate Sky Rojo, which walks a fine line between condemning yet also seemingly celebrating sexual exploitation. Watching this Spanish show made me search out other international shows and movies with English overdubs. There’s a lot of great entertainment out there to be found.
- The Other Two – I was sad to see this witty and sharp takedown of modern show business come to an end. Even when it got annoying at times, I stuck around because of my affection for Josh Segarra’s Lance character. He deserves his own spin-off. They did a beautiful job ending the series this year.
- Ted Lasso – I’ve already written about how much I love this show. Even if you have zero interest in football (aka soccer for you Americans), you’ll fall in love with the characters, writing and heart of Ted Lasso. I was sad to see it end this year, but there’s also something to be said for ending on a high note. This is a series I’ll re-watch again and again like Fleabag. It just doesn’t get any better.
Did I miss any of your favorite TV shows of 2023? Be sure to let me know in the comments below. I can always watch them during winter break!
