Runners-up: Archer (FX on Hulu); Barry (HBO); Harley Quinn (Max); I Think You Should Leave (Netflix); Invincible (Prime Video); Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee); The Last of Us (HBO); The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video); Rick and Morty (Cartoon Network); Vinland Saga (Netflix)
10. Scavengers Reign (Max): When a colonizing ship crash lands on an alien planet, its crew must rely on their wit, tenacity, and ruthlessness to escape alive. While an animated series about space exploration seems an unlikely candidate for the scariest show of the year, its flora and fauna are enough to keep you up at night.
9. The Righteous Gemstones (HBO): As far as Danny McBride and Jody Hill collaborations are concerned, I’m a Vice Principals guy. The first two seasons of Righteous Gemstones were uneven, struggling to find the right balance between comedy, satire, and soul. The gospel finally came together in season three.
8. Cunk on Earth (BBC Two/Netflix): Philomena Cunk (played by the ponderous Diane Morgan) explores human history in interviews with world-renowned experts. Cunk on Earth combines offbeat humor and questions so stupid they often contain actual depth.
7. Beef (Netflix): What happens when a road rage incident goes too far? Apparently, it becomes embroiled in violence, classism, and sexual politics. According to Beef, revenge is a dish best served not at all. When it is served, though, it happens in equal portion hilarity and heartache.
6. Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake (Max): The odds that a beloved animated show would be mined for nostalgia and spun off in 2023? Inevitable. The odds that the spin-off was as good as (and at times better than) the original? Remote, to say the least.
5. Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix): Add a cutting-edge blend of 2D and 3D animation, classic samurai tropes with some notable twists thrown in, and the rule of cool and you get Blue Eye Samurai. I’m not wholly convinced Netflix didn’t produce this show specifically for me.
4. The Curse (Showtime/Paramount+): The Curse will be easier to evaluate once the full picture has been revealed, but even halfway through, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie are crafting a show as challenging as it is uncomfortable. Fielder and Safdie are scrutinizing dozens of issues, including performative liberalism, ideological purity tests, gentrification, generational wealth, and, crucially, HGTV. Even issues caught in the periphery will have your full attention once the credits roll. Unpacking the show is almost as stirring as watching it.
3. How To with John Wilson (HBO): John Wilson completed his third and final docu-season the same way he started his first: capturing the bizarre, grotesque, awkward, absurd, hilarious, and touching. Whether it’s vacuum cleaner collectors, cryogenics, or 9/11-themed bodybuilding contests, Wilson identifies what makes humans, well, human.
2. Succession (HBO): When it comes to the final season of all-time great television shows, the question becomes, “Can they land the plane?” Have they laid the appropriate breadcrumbs? Did the narrative arcs make sense? Was the conclusion satisfying? For Succession, the answer to all of these was unequivocally yes.
1. The Bear (FX on Hulu): You’ve heard of the sophomore slump, but how about the sophomore swell? Okay, that doesn’t totally work, but you know what does? The Bear season two.
Episode six, “Fishes,” and episode seven, “Forks,” are as good of a one-two punch as television has ever seen. They gave Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) layers. They redeemed Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). Side characters like Tina, Marcus, and Sugar became living, breathing entities. The Bear went from a show about a restaurant to the show about a restaurant.
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