It turns out I watched a lot more new TV shows than I thought I did, and it has been a ridiculous year for television so far.
We’ve had fantasy, superheroes, weird dramas, comfort TV returns, and a few shows that completely came out of nowhere and grabbed me. These are all shows that debuted this year, so don’t expect any second seasons. There is, however, one show that’s the exception to the rule simply because it’s my favourite show of the year.
10. The Madison
There’s something comforting about a show that knows exactly what tone it wants. The Madison balances character drama with a slower pace and lets its moments breathe. It feels more interested in people than plot twists, and I ended up getting invested much faster than I expected.
I only watched the show because I was supposed to review it, but then I ended up falling in love with it. It actually makes me want to watch more Taylor Sheridan shows.
9. Not Suitable for Work
This show understands modern work culture in a way that feels almost too real. It’s most definitely the most relatable show of the year and, unfortunately, I can see a little bit of myself in each character.
This might not be a show that critics love, but I do believe everyone else will be crazy about it. I love the humour, and Mindy Kaling once again proves that she can still create great stories, even though she also created that awful Velma show.
8. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat
I just realised this can technically be seen as a second season, but I think of it more as a spin-off.
If you don’t know what the show is, it’s basically a fictional reality show with only one real person. The series follows Anthony, who believes he has been hired as a temporary worker at a family-owned business to help manage the annual company retreat. Everyone in the show besides Anthony is an actor, and this leads to some funny and wholesome moments.
7. The Burbs
I love stories where something feels slightly off from the very beginning. The Burbs takes suburban normality and slowly turns it into something much stranger. It balances humour and mystery really well and kept giving me reasons to watch the next episode.
I know there are a lot of people who didn’t like this, but just give it a chance. Keke Palmer is amazing, and the whole mystery is something you’ll never see coming.
6. Star Wars – Maul: Shadow Lord
This might be one of my favourite modern Star Wars stories. Maul has always been an amazing character, and it’s about time he got his own show.
This series finally lets him exist as more than just a cool character design and turns him into a genuinely compelling lead. It proves that Maul isn’t just some crime lord or Sith Lord. He isn’t simply a bad guy, even though he also isn’t a good guy. The show is also packed with amazing supporting characters.
5. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
This isn’t exactly what I wanted from a Game of Thrones spin-off, but it’s so awesome.
Who would’ve thought that a comedy set in Westeros would be this much fun? It’s a smaller-scale story that focuses less on saving the world and more on people trying to survive in it. Dunk and Egg bring a completely different energy to Westeros, and I’ve loved every minute of it.
The show still delivers the heartbreaking deaths the franchise is known for while balancing them with more heartfelt storytelling. I’m already counting down the days until the second season.
4. Spider-Noir
This immediately jumped onto my radar. I was webbed into the story as soon as I hit play on episode one, pun intended.
The black-and-white style, detective energy, and completely different take on Spider-Man make this feel fresh. Nicolas Cage is awesome, and I’m happy the role simply allowed him to be himself. The show is stylish without becoming style over substance, and the atmosphere alone makes every episode feel unique.
3. Wonder Man
I think this surprised me more than anything else. Instead of trying to be another giant superhero event, it becomes this weird Hollywood satire mixed with an identity drama. It’s funnier than expected and far stranger in the best possible way.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is phenomenal as Simon Williams, and his chemistry with Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery is electric. They’re basically the best MCU duo at the moment. I can’t wait to see them return.
2. Widows Bay
This is probably the biggest surprise of my TV year. A show that dropped quietly and quickly became the talk of the internet.
I started it too late, which is why I didn’t do a full review, but trust me, it’s one of the best things on television. It’s a slower mystery with a great atmosphere and enough emotional weight to stop it from feeling like just another puzzle-box show.
I got pulled into this one very quickly. I don’t know how they managed to balance the comedy with the horror and mystery, but I absolutely loved it.
1. Scrubs
Look. I know. This is technically a continuation and not a reboot, but it still ended up feeling like something new.
Yes, it’s the same show, but it introduces new characters while also refreshing the franchise, especially if you consider season nine canon. I’m just glad I get to revisit one of my favourite shows again, and this time I’m a little older and understand some of the characters much better.
In fact, I might just go back and rewatch this season.
