From sweeping period pieces, to thrilling horror, to the most dysfunctional family in television history, 2023 delivered an endless amount of captivating TV series. Honestly, it’s understandable if you couldn’t keep up with all of it, because a new prestige project premiered almost every week. Whether you missed that one show everyone is still talking about, or you want to relive the series that’s still living in your head rent free, check out our picks for 2023’s best TV series.
Suggested Reading
Swarm - Prime Video
Yes, Dominique Fishback is an absolute force of nature as Dre, a young woman obsessed with pop superstar Ni’Jah. However, what makes “Swarm” so irresistible is how brilliantly it navigates multiple genres, making them all feel essential to the story and expertly handled.
Hijack - AppleTV+
No one handles an action/thriller like Idris Elba. In “Hijack” Elba is an expert negotiator who must help save his hijacked flight from terrorists. The seven episode series is told across the seven hours of the flight, ramping up the tension and making viewers feel connected to the action. Once you watch that first hour, you’re hooked and must stay to the end.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story - Netflix
This “Bridgerton” spinoff follows Queen Charlotte as she arrives to England and marries King George. Their epic love story is beautifully unraveled, as their devotion to one another is revealed. However, it’s the way Charlotte and her best friend, Lady Agatha Danbury, take control of their destiny as Black women that sets this outing apart from the rest of the “Bridgerton” universe. They are unapologetically powerful in a world that desperately wants them to shut up and accept weakness.
Poker Face - Peacock
Natasha Lyonne is Charlie Cale, a fiery casino employee on the run, who also happens to be a human lie detector. As she travels across the country, she repeatedly finds herself landing in absurd murder-mysteries. The cases of the week are riveting, but it’s the way each story reveals another piece of Charlie while also showcasing the star-studded lineup of guest stars in totally new ways, that makes the show so fun. It’s a series you need to block out the day for, because I guarantee you will end up binging this one.
Abbott Elementary - ABC
Just when we think we have “Abbott Elementary” figured out, it brillantly swerves in a direction we didn’t see coming. Quinta Brunson and her team’s writing is always spot on, with the fantastic cast never missing a laugh. While every episode is hilarious, two standouts, “Fire” and “Mom,” are destined to become classics. Before Season 3 premieres on Feb. 7, you can catch up with the Emmy-winning comedy on Hulu.
Black Cake - Hulu
Adapting Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel was no easy feat, but the Hulu series delivered the kind of glorious, sweeping epic that we don’t normally see centered around Black characters. As the Bennett siblings unravel the mystery of their mother’s past, it’s a reminder for all of us to get to know our parents as people with their own interesting life experiences.
Loki - Disney+
As “Loki” Season 2 prepared to premiere, we wondered how it would address Kang’s variants, and the increasingly unstable timelines. What we got was a beautifully crafted redemption arc, where the God of Mischief finally realized his “glorious purpose,” sacrificing himself to protect the multiverse, in the process becoming the King he always knew he was. And seriously, give Tom Hiddleston all the awards for his masterclass on performing a complicated hero’s journey.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves - Paramount+
Not only is “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” based on a real legendary Black hero, it treats him as a fully realized character with complex emotions. He uses his intelligence just as much as he uses his gun, celebrating the man beneath the legend.
Snowfall - FX
After six seasons of building Franklin into an ambitious, ruthless drug kingpin, “Snowfall” had to figure out how his story would end. Throughout Season 6, Damson Idris was a force to be reckoned with as he ratcheted up Franklin’s paranoia and desperation. The show had been telling us all along that he wasn’t a hero, therefore his devastating downfall was well-deserved. “Snowfall” stuck the landing with a pitch perfect finale. If you missed out on this amazing drama, you can catch up on Hulu.
The 1619 project - Hulu
No matter how hard conservatives wish, they cannot pretend that slavery didn’t happen, and they can’t ignore the many, many contributions Black people have made to America’s history. This point is driven home in the must-watch docuseries, featuring Nikole Hannah-Jones’ examination of her own life and the Black experience in America.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Paramount+
This prequel to “The Original Series” continues to elevate the franchise with riveting stories of discrimination, PTSD and identity. It also provides a captivating showcase for Celia Rose Gooding to add new elements to the influential life of Nyoto Uhura.
High on the Hog - Netflix
The most interesting examination of Black culture and history can be found in this acclaimed Netflix docuseries. Season 2 takes the exploration of food’s impact on Black culture to the cajun flavors of New Orleans, the Harlem Renaissance and the civil rights movement.
The Last of Us - Max
If you only watch one episode of TV this year, it needs to be “Long, Long Time.” It is the most complete, beautiful, emotionally devastating story of the year. Even if you’re not into horror, it’s so well done, you have to appreciate the artistry of the episode.
The Bear - Hulu
“The Bear” is about Carmy’s drive to turn his Italian beef sandwich shop into a fine-dining restaurant. It’s populated by fun, interesting characters. However, Season 2 gives Ayo Edebiri’s Sydney a chance to find her own place separate from Carmy. Watching her confidence grow was empowering, and grounded some of the series’ more over the top moments.
Succession - Max
No matter how dysfunctional or off the rails you think your family is, at least you’re not the Roys. The extra long break between Seasons 3 and 4 caused a heightened level of anticipation for the drama’s final season. Would Logan finally name a successor? Could the siblings get past their issues and present a united front? While we got some of the answers we wanted, when all was said and done, we still had questions. But overall “Succession” delivered a satisfying ending, which can’t be said for all of HBO’s high-profile dramas.
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