2023 was an excellent year for TV. We were blessed with a plethora of series premieres, season debuts, second seasons, and, sadly, series finales. As an avid television watcher and reviewer, I’ve spent many hours analyzing and dissecting some of the year’s best (subjectively) TV shows. So, in no particular order, I want to highlight my 14 favorite TV shows of 2023.
Side note: Shoutout to Letterkenny and The Righteous Gemstones. While they barely missed the cut, I want to give them an honorable mention. They’re two of the funniest comedies out there. Too many great series aired this year, y’all.
The Bear
Yes, chef, The Bear deserves a spot on this list, especially after that stellar second season. Spearheaded by blistering performances from Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the series served a second course that was surprisingly more high-octane and anxiety-inducing than the first. It was also a brilliant meditation on mental health and what happens when we put our well-being on the back burner.
RELATED: 5 Books Fans of The Bear Have to Read
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the extraordinarily tense outing that was “Fishes,” complete with an all-star guest cast and a painfully explosive, nuanced turn from Jamie Lee Curtis. Another standout episode, “Forks,” gave everyone’s favorite cousin, Richie, a chance to shine. Well, that and a delightful impromptu Taylor Swift-themed karaoke session in the car.
The Great
The Great Season 3 turned out to be its last, which is not worth “Huzzah-ing” over. However, at least we have a collection of quality episodes that run the gamut from hilariously irreverent to absurd and incredibly dark. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult‘s electrifying chemistry carried this series for three seasons, and it was all the more palpable in Season 3. Hoult’s cheeky portrayal of Peter was also full of tender depth.
The tragedy that struck mid-season could’ve effectively derailed the story. Thankfully, it was the breeding ground for new narrative territory, such as a poignant exploration of grief and how it changes us. Fanning delivered her show-best work, as did Gwilym Lee. What lay on the other side of that grief was a life-altering, beautiful transformation for Catherine the Great.
RELATED: 7 Royal Questions We’ll Never Get Answered in The Great Season 4
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 boldly went where no Star Trek series had gone before by providing a full-fledged musical episode. “Subspace Rhapsody” proved polarizing among fans (just ask my Twitter account). However, it showcased toe-tapping tunes, gorgeous vocals (looking at you, Celia Rose Gooding and Christina Chong), thought-provoking lyricism and a fun, breezy plot that offered a reason for the inexplicable musical numbers.
Additionally, we were blessed with “Those Old Scientists,” a delightful crossover episode with Star Trek: Lower Decks, which saw Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) getting the live-action treatment as they interacted with Captain Pike and the Enterprise crew.
Overall, Season 2 brought us the hopefulness and lightness of Trek while mining the depths of the characters we love and providing high-stakes adventures in space. It was a lovely balance of comedy and sci-fi-infused drama.
RELATED: Check out our recaps for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds!
Swarm
2023 gave us an Atlanta-adjacent miniseries in the form of Swarm, a project from Donald Glover and Janine Nabers. It was a scathing indictment of parasocial relationships and a searing takedown of our obsession with celebrity. Dominique Fishback delivered a star-making performance as Dre, a messy, flawed character whose hyper-fixation takes her to dark places.
Fishback explored every nook and cranny of Dre, including her painful vulnerability, and even found humor in the surprisingly comedic moments. Swarm was a boldly surreal acid trip with a strong message, inventive cinematography and a top-tier leading lady. It’s the perfect watch for any Atlanta fan.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Midge Maisel performed her final set in Season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, with the series bowing out this past spring. Season 5 was just as fast-paced and boisterous as its predecessors, with jokes rattled off a mile a minute and unbridled comedic performances. This season broke new ground for the show by implementing a nonlinear approach to its storytelling, weaving flash-forwards into the present-day narrative.
RELATED: Check out our recaps for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!
Midge’s story was beautifully concluded, as was Susie Myerson’s, and their decades-long bond withstood the elements despite a significant conflict. That was thanks to Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein‘s natural onscreen camaraderie. Both actresses delivered nuanced, captivating work worthy of all the accolades.
Reservation Dogs
We bid farewell to Reservation Dogs this year, a groundbreaking comedy brimming with unrestrained hope, deep-seated heart and biting humor. Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi‘s series about a group of Indigenous teens ended its third season with one of the best series finales I’ve ever watched. Sure, it was bittersweet because I didn’t want the show to end. However, it was also full of hope, bursting at the seams with love while honoring the Native experience.
Season 3, in particular, honed in on multigenerational community and the bonds that sustain us in life. The teens experienced plenty of growth as the show spotlighted the older generation. There aren’t as many differences between generations as our preconceived notions led us to believe.
RELATED: Read our recaps for Reservation Dogs!
Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis, Kaniehtiio Horn and Graham Greene are seasonal standouts among an exceptional cast. “Deer Lady,” a powerful outing about the abhorrent Native boarding schools, is required viewing.
Hunters
Hunters is a series that deserved more. It deserved to fly above the radar and air at least one more season, if not for my own selfish reasons. Who wouldn’t watch a group of Nazi hunters take down baddies in the 1970s with the legendary Al Pacino as one of said baddies? Season 2 blessed us with the badass Jennifer Jason Leigh as she entered the fray as Chava, along with more stylized gore and Tarantino-esque action sequences. Season 2 was as brutal and brash as it was action-packed and darkly comedic.
Easily, the best part of Season 2 was the trial of Adolf Hitler, wherein the genocidal tyrant took to the stand to defend his actions while the world watched. It bore fruit in the form of a show-stopping performance from Carol Kane, who, like the series, deserved to be in the awards season conversation. Mindy’s searing monologue to Hitler elicited the waterworks from me.
RELATED: Best of 2023: GGA’s Favorite Things
Abbott Elementary
Is there any series more delightful and heartwarming than Abbott Elementary? The charming comedy returned for a second season, reaching new hilarious heights bolstered by Emmy-worthy (and winning — looking at you, Sheryl Lee Ralph) performances. Our favorite teachers (and principal) embarked on more mockumentary-style adventures, from Halloween parties and science class shenanigans to teacher conference steaminess.
Quinta Brunson brought warmth, humor and relatable awkwardness to her portrayal of Janine, while Tyler James Williams delivered a masterclass in wordless reactions. His fourth-wall-breaking facial expressions never failed to make me giggle, especially in response to Ava Coleman’s (Janelle James) advances.
Season 2 was a hoot and a half, striking the perfect balance between comedy and pathos. It’s the escapism we need in this devastating world.
RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: Janine Teagues
The Fall of the House of Usher
If you’re looking for your next Gothic horror fix, look no further than Mike Flanagan‘s The Fall of the House of Usher. This deliciously dark miniseries contained countless Edgar Allan Poe references, including character names, plotlines from his short stories and imagery. Flanagan really did his Poe-related homework in that regard. The series boasted enchanting performances across the board, but it felt like a true showcase for the shape-shifting genius who is Carla Gugino.
As Verna (The Raven!), Gugino tackled multiple characters while tapping into the show’s depths. She stole every scene, although Mary McDonnell and Willa Fitzgerald were hot on her heels. Fitzgerald and McDonnell were so precise in their portrayals of Madeline Usher that one couldn’t help but wonder if they might be the same person.
The Fall of the House of Usher delivered all the horror feels with a lush, beautifully cinematic, spine-tingling narrative that bore Flanagan’s unique creative stamp. He is a master of the genre.
RELATED: The Fall of the House of Usher: All the References to Edgar Allan Poe’s Works
The Other Two
If 30 Rock had a successor, it would undoubtedly be The Other Two. Season 3 took the series’ inherent zaniness and shot it out of a cannon through the stratosphere. It felt more surreal and larger-than-life than ever, with the show’s parodying of the entertainment industry and pop culture at large taking center stage.
Brooke and Cary Dubek were plunged into the deep end in Season 3, going darker than ever before. Just when you thought they were past the point of no return, the series found a way to redeem them before bowing out. Heléne Yorke and Drew Tarver offered darkly hilarious, high-energy performances, as did Molly Shannon, Wanda Sykes and Ken Marino.
One particularly heartbreaking scene between Yorke and Josh Segarra showcased the surprising depths of The Other Two and its ability to get introspective. Unfortunately, Season 3 was the show’s last.
Succession
Global obsession Succession barreled into 2023 with a thunderous, balls-to-the-wall fourth and final season. If anything, “Connor’s Wedding” proved this series is one of the most impactful dark comedies/dramas in the biz. The outing boasted dynamic, riveting performances from the cast, particularly Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck and Matthew Macfadyen. The episode had a theatrical, Shakespearean quality; however, the same can be said of any Succession episode. It’s an epic yet comedic tragedy.
As a whole, Season 4 pulled no punches, especially with the death of Logan Roy so early in the show’s final run. I found myself holding my breath more than once while watching. The series’ eclectic mix of dark comedy and piercing drama never lost its touch in the post-Logan episodes. In fact, the stakes have never been higher.
Plus, we were introduced to the “bitey” game. While I’d never play it, I’d be lying if I said that Snook and Macfadyen didn’t make it look like fun.
RELATED: Top 10 Roman/Gerri Moments on Succession in Chronological Order
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Decks debuted a fourth season that was as breathless and hilariously wacky as the ones preceding it. Season 4 crammed in plenty of fun Trek Easter eggs and a homage to Star Trek: Voyager while also reviving an unexpected character, only to swiftly deliver a conclusion for said character.
However, the best part of Lower Decks Season 4 was the focus on character development, particularly Mariner’s arc. Her progression was beautiful as she worked through her deep-seated trauma and learned to let go of her knee-jerk reaction to self-sabotage.
Plus, the addition of T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) to the Cerritos crew added a fun dynamic, from accompanying Mariner and D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) to Orion for a girls’ night to grappling with the complexities of her Bendii Syndrome diagnosis.
RELATED: Check out our recaps for Star Trek: Lower Decks!
Such Brave Girls
The series that most surprised me is, undoubtedly, Such Brave Girls. It’s my favorite comedy of the year. Kat Sadler‘s darkly comedic debut juggled dysfunctional family dynamics with grief, mental health, trauma bonding and much more. Sadler’s inventive approach offered a brutal, brash, laugh-out-loud-funny take on heavy-hitting topics that also delved into poignant territory. It found the funny even in the darkest of places while being hilariously relatable.
Sadler played the “straight” character so well, injecting Josie with awkwardness and understated pathos. Lizzie Davidson stole the show in her breakout role of Billie, delivering a no-holds-barred, hysterically bold performance.
Season 1 (fingers crossed we get a second season) proved that comedy can and should continue pushing boundaries (without punching down, of course). When you hit rock bottom, sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
RELATED: TV Review: Such Brave Girls
Barry
Barry bowed out in 2023, and we all collectively wept at the departure of such an innovative, boundary-pushing series. The immensely talented Bill Hader led the charge in Season 4, from writing and directing to acting and producing, carrying the dark comedy as it rode across the sunset-drenched horizon. Narratively, the series held nothing back in its final episodes as it propelled our characters toward their endgame.
Hader, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan, Michael Irby, Stephen Root, Robert Wisdom and Henry Winkler delivered supercharged performances. I can’t believe Goldberg continues to get overlooked for her work on this show.
As for the series finale, I sat there with my jaw on the floor for its 34-minute runtime. It was a bloody, ultraviolent, meta, deeply sad and strangely comedic experience — it was quintessential Barry.
What are your favorite TV shows from 2023? Sound off in the comments below!
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/top-10-films-2023/
[email protected]
What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
- RINGS OF POWER: Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Markella Kavenagh on Míriel and Nori’s Choices in Season 2 Finale - October 3, 2024
- RINGS OF POWER: Charlie Vickers on Sauron’s Motivations in Action-Packed Season Finale - October 3, 2024
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season Finale Recap: (S02E08) Shadow and Flame - October 3, 2024
