The Year in TV: My Top 10 Favorite Shows of 2023
With 2023 now behind us, it's time to reflect on the year in television and celebrate the great shows that kept us glued to our screens. From gripping dramas to fun fantasy, fascinating sci-fi, and hilarious comedies, the world of television continued to deliver a diverse array of captivating stories, characters, and worlds.
In this article, I’m excited to present my list of the "Top 10 Favorite Shows of 2023." These are the series that not only entertained but also left a lasting impact on me, sparking conversations, and pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the ever-evolving world of television.
We all have different tastes, and the shows we watch affect us in different ways. This list of shows hit me in the right spot at the right time. Your list is most likely different than mine, which I appreciate! There’s a lot of shows that I didn’t get around to watching in 2023 that I still need to see.
So, let's dive in! This is my list of 10 favorite TV shows of 2023! Read through and share your own lists! Do you highly recommend any show that isn’t on my list?
The Bear Season 2
FX delivered an incredible second season for The Bear. This is one of my favorite shows and it’s a master class in storytelling and character development. This last season hit hard, and I just want to point out that Episode 7 was my favorite episode. That’s the episode where Carmy sends Richie to intern at a fancy high-class restaurant to prepare for the opening of The Bear. That episode really connected with me. This show is brilliant.
The series is about “food, family, the insanity of the grind, the beauty of Sense of Urgency and the steep slippery downsides. As the young chef Carmy fights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.”
Blue Eye Samurai
The Netflix animated series Blue Eye Samurai floored me! I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this series, but when I sat down to watch the first episode I was immediately hooked. The series told such a rich story, and as a fan of martial arts films, it delivered some seriously awesome, brutal, and bloody action! I was also a big fan of the main character Mizu, who might just be one of the most badass female characters created.
The series centers on a samurai in Japan's Edo period who is out for revenge. It’s described as a “provocative and visually stunning cinematic series” that “immerses the viewer in a world of vivid adult animation with a live-action edge. Set in Edo-period Japan, Blue Eye Samurai follows Mizu (voiced by Maya Erskine), a mixed-race master of the sword who lives a life in disguise seeking the deliverance of revenge.”
One Piece
It amazes me how incredible the live-action adaptation of One Piece turned out to be. This show was a blast to watch and I loved the vibe and energy of it! The show just made me happy and the uplifting positivity of it, especially the lead character Monkey D. Luffy, perfectly played by Iñaki Godoy, was so infectious, and that was so refreshing. On top of that, the story and character development were super strong.
One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew as they explore a fantastical world of endless oceans and exotic islands in search of the world’s ultimate treasure known as “One Piece” to become the next Pirate King.
Fall of the House of Usher
Writer and director Mike Flanagan did it again! He made yet another stunning horror series with Fall of the House of Usher. This guy just has a talent for telling great stories and developing fascinating characters and wrapping it all up in a beautifully dark and disturbing package. This series sucked me right in and took me on an insane demented ride, and I loved every second of it. In fact, right after I binged it all in, I immediately started watching it again.
The synopsis for the series reads: “In this wicked 8-episode limited series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.”
The Last of Us
HBO’s series adaptation of the hit video game The Last of Us ended up being a perfect adaptation. The creative team behind the series did everything right with bringing this story to life and the cast led by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey delivered such strong performances. I was so happy with how this series turned out, and other projects attempting to adapt video games into shows and films should learn from how this series handled the material.
The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a deadly virus. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone to the Fireflies, a cure-searching organization. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Gen V
Gen V delivered a great and insane wild new story in The Boys universe. I’m a big fan of The Boys franchise, and this spinoff was so much damn fun to watch. It’s so over-the-top, but the story and writing are strong and it’s filled with wicked satire. While Marvel and DC have been struggling with superhero projects, Gen V and The Boys are filled with quality violent, and vulgar entertainment.
The project is inspired by the G-Men, which is a parody of the X-Men in The Boys comic book series. “Set at America’s only college exclusively for young-adult superheroes (run by Vought International), Gen V is an irreverent, R-rated series that explores the lives of hormonal, competitive Supes as they put their physical, sexual, and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the best contracts in the best cities. It’s part college show, part Hunger Games — with all the heart, satire, and raunch of The Boys.”
Poker Face
Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s unique procedural crime series Poker Face was both a satisfying and compelling show. It follows a woman who has the uncanny ability to know when someone is lying and that helps her navigate through life and solve any kind of murder situation that she finds herself in. It happens a lot for her! This is a great show with fun writing!
Poker Face is a 10-episode mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.
Jury Duty
I was not expecting this hidden camera show to be as good as it was, but it entertained the hell out of me and had me rolling with laughter with every episode! The show was absolutely hilarious and is a must-watch for anyone who loves to laugh.
Jury Duty is a reality hoax sitcom television series created by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, about a fake jury trial. It stars Ronald Gladden as a juror who is unaware of the hoax. James Marsden co-stars alongside an ensemble cast.
Lessons in Chemistry
This one completely caught me off guard. My wife actually put this one on and I initially had no interest in watching it, but in a surprising turn of events, I completely fell in love with this show! The series stars Brie Larson and the character she played was perfect for her. I was completely invested in the story and characters, and as the story played out it took me through a whole range of emotions. Great show!
The show is based on Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling debut novel, and Larson takes on the role of Elizabeth Zott, a prodigious chemist “whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a patriarchal society.” After being fired she is given the opportunity to showcase her culinary talents on a TV show.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3
Patrick Stewart’s final season of Picard came to an end in an incredibly strong way. There were so many nostalgic emotions felt as I watched the story unfold. The writing on this final season was top notch and the fan service was incorporated in a really cool and smart way. As a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, this final season of Picard delivered in an awesome and epic way! I had such a fun time watching this show!
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) reunites with Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), who appeared in the first season of Picard, and it also featured Data (Brent Spiner), LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forg, Michael Dorn as Worf, Michelle Hurd as Raffi Musiker, Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher, and Jeri Ryan as Commander Seven of Nine.