10 Best-Written TV Shows Of The 2020s, So Far

The 2020s have seen the creation of several great TV shows, as well as the peak of others, with iconic franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars returning to the small screen. Since 2020, the medium has produced some of the greatest and most instantly-acclaimed stories of modern television. Ranging from post-apocalyptic horror to gritty crime thrillers, the decade thus far has had no shortage of excellent writing.

The 2020s haven’t just continued some already great shows, but have also played host to some great new series, some of which are adaptations, others fresh and original stories. The trend of excellent, well-written shows that began in the 2010s has more than endured in the 2020s, and there’s little sign of that ending. For audiences who love compelling and engaging television, there’s never been a better time to be a fan.

10 Justified: City Primeval Revived A Classic Crime Show

Justified: City Primeval

Raylan Givens in back for a new series based on Elmore Leonard’s novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit.”

Release Date

July 18, 2023

Cast

Timothy Olyphant , Boyd Holbrook , Marin Ireland , Alexander Pobutsky

Seasons

1

Justified remains one of the best crime series in recent memory, as well as arguably the best neo-western series of the 2010s. Revolving around no-nonsense US Marshal Raylan Givens as he’s sent home to Harlan County, the series details its protagonist’s pursuit of fugitives and confrontations with organized crime, Neo-Nazis, and corruption. In 2023, the show was revived for a miniseries, which followed Givens after leaving Kentucky.

Justified: City Primeval follows Givens in his new life as a father, still a Marshal, as he pursues a notorious outlaw, the Oklahoma Wildman. The miniseries made for a great return to form as Givens joins the Western-style manhunt, while also giving some closure to the hero’s story and the original series’ characters, but leaving it open for more.

9 The Last of Us Brilliantly Adapted Its Source Material

The Last Of Us

After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.

Release Date

January 15, 2023

Cast

Pedro Pascal , Bella Ramsey , Anna Torv , lamar johnson

Seasons

2

Creator

Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin

Related

REVIEW: The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 8 Veers Into Bloody Horror

The Last of Us Season 1’s penultimate episode reminds audiences how scary the show can be. Here’s CBR’s review.

An adaptation of the game of the same name, The Last of Us takes place in the aftermath of an apocalypse-level event that sees zombie-like infected ravage the world. The series tells the story of Joel, a survivor living under a military dictatorship who is charged with escorting Ellie to a research lab. Believed to hold the cure to the infection in her blood, Ellie proves to be a difficult partner along the way.

The Last of Us did a great job of exploring the lives of a variety of characters, with the third episode becoming one of the best-received TV episodes in history. The series took the game’s story and added heart to it, making audiences care about even small side characters, with Joel and Ellie’s story carrying the show.

8 Star Trek: Picard Reunited The Enterprise Crew

Star Trek: Picard

Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.

Release Date

January 23, 2020

Cast

Patrick Stewart , Alison Pill , Michelle Hurd , Santiago Cabrera

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

3

Star Trek has undergone a series of incarnations, but The Next Generation has endured as a fan favorite, in large part thanks to Patrick Stewart’s performance as Jean-Luc Picard. In 2020, the character returned to Starfleet in his series, Picard. The show begins with the aged captain joining Data’s synthetic daughter, Soji, on a new adventure — during which he fights for the rights of synthetics.

Picard quickly won over fans of Star Trek: Next Generation, especially as it reunited old cast members for new stories and resurrected their classic enemy, the Borg. The series helped breathe new life into the franchise by taking on new, poignant topics like the rights of artificial intelligence.

7 Only Murders In the Building Expertly Merges Crime And Comedy

Only Murders in the Building

Three strangers – who live in the same New York City apartment building and share an obsession with true crime – suddenly find themselves embroiled in a murder.

Release Date

August 31, 2021

Cast

Steve Martin , Martin Short , Selena Gomez , Amy Ryan

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

4

Creator

John Hoffman, Steve Martin

Only Murders In the Building tells the story of an unlikely friendship between three strangers; Charles Haden-Savage, a former TV actor; Oliver Putnam, a down-on-his-luck Broadway director; and Mabel Mora, an artist who renovates apartments. Bonded by their shared love of a true crime podcast, the trio come together to try and solve a murder in their apartment building.

Only Murders In the Building follows the three characters as they investigate the death of Tim Kono, a neighbor who was found dead after an alarm. The series stands out as one of the funniest comedies of the 2020s, and the casting of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez made for the perfect delivery.

6 1923 Took Yellowstone To The Old West

1923

Release Date

December 18, 2022

Cast

Harrison Ford , Helen Mirren , Sebastian Roche , Michelle Randolph , James Badge Dale , Marley Shelton , Brian Geraghty , Aminah Nieves

Seasons

1

Franchise

Yellowstone

Cinematographer

Corrin Hodgson

Creator

Taylor Sheridan

Distributor

Paramount+

Main Characters

Jacob Dutton, Cara Dutton, Father Renaud, Jack Dutton, Elizabeth Strafford, John Dutton Sr., Emma Dutton, Zane, Teonna

Prequel

1883

Production Company

101 Studios, Bosque Ranch Productions, MTV Entertainment Studios

Sequel

Yellowstone

Sfx Supervisor

Kenneth Cassar, Garry Elmendorf

Writers

Taylor Sheridan

Number of Episodes

8

Related

1883 Rips the Veneer Off the American Frontier to Tell a Unique Western

Centering the voices of women and Black cowboys, the Yellowstone prequel series, 1883, tells a poignant story that stands on its own.

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone franchise quickly established itself as a TV powerhouse, thanks to its mastery of the neo-western genre. In 2021, the series received a prequel in 1883. Starring Sam Elliott and Tim McGraw, the series tells the story of James Dutton, a Confederate Civil War veteran who joins a wagon party to leave Tennessee for Texas. As Dutton’s story continues, he moves to Montana, where he establishes the Yellowstone Ranch.

1883 channeled classic westerns like Deadwood and Unforgiven to deliver a fresh, gritty, and realistic take on the Old West. The show stands out as one of TV’s greatest prequels, with many finding it equal to or better than Yellowstone itself. The show is great for audiences who enjoy old-fashioned westerns, with the franchise’s best character development — especially for a single season.

5 Doom Patrol Explored DC’s Weirder Side

Doom Patrol

The adventures of an idealistic mad scientist and his field team of superpowered outcasts.

Release Date

February 15, 2019

Main Genre

Superhero

Seasons

4

Creator

Jeremy Carver

Streaming Service(s)

Max

Based on the cult comic book from DC, Doom Patrol tells the story of the titular team of outcast antiheroes, assembled by the cynical genius, Niles Caulder. The team of Robotman, Crazy Jane, Larry Trainor the Negative Man, Cyborg, and Rita Farr the Elasti-Woman are soon thrust into adventures, beginning with their battle against Mister Nobody and their trip to Danny the Street.

Doom Patrol has been praised for its compassionate writing, relatable character struggles (despite their oddities), and remaining faithful to the unique tone of the comic book. After a strong first season, the show only got better into the 2020s, with its third season having some of the show’s best stories.

4 The Boys Is A Fun Satire Of Superheroes

The Boys

A group of vigilantes set out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.

Release Date

July 26, 2019

Cast

Karl Urban , Karen Fukuhara , Jack Quaid , Erin Moriarty

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

4

Franchise

The Boys

Creator

Eric Kripke

Production Company

Kripke Enterprises, Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television

The Boys was created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson to serve as a dark parody of the superhero genre. In 2019, Prime Video adapted the comic into a show, which became an instant classic among superhero fans. Telling the story of a world where superheroes are secretly corrupt, violent analogs for iconic DC and Marvel figures, the show delves into scandal and revenge as humans band together to bring down the evil Homelander.

The Boys has a great combination of action, drama, dark humor, and satire, all of which combine to work as a brilliant, fresh take on the biggest genre of cinema. The series primarily revolves around Hughie and Billy Butcher, two regular men united by their shared loss at the hands of the villains. The show masterfully subverts some of the superhero genre’s greatest tropes and archetypes, delivering a grittier story that reframes superheroes as villains.

3 Ted Lasso Deals With Relatable Topics

Ted Lasso

American college football coach Ted Lasso heads to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League soccer team.

Release Date

August 14, 2020

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

3

Creator

Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence

Related

Ted Lasso Cast and Character Guide

Ted Lasso is a heartwarming show with many moments that stand out. But it’s characters like Ted and Rebecca that made the show special.

Ted Lasso tells the story of its titular protagonist, a football coach from an American college who is transferred to coach a Premier League soccer team in the United Kingdom. Despite no experience with the game, Lasso’s optimistic personality and charm win over the team, and he makes every effort to inspire the players to be the best.

Ted Lasso explored a variety of topics, with many praising its portrayal of mental health problems, such as depression, in its third season. With Jason Sudeikis cast in the leading role, the series managed to balance a more dramatic comedy, one that could make audiences laugh and think at the same time.

2 Andor Took Star Wars Down A Dark Path

Andor

Prequel series to Star Wars’ ‘Rogue One’. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero.

Release Date

September 21, 2022

Cast

Genevieve O’Reilly , Adria Arjona , Diego Luna , Kyle Soller , Alan Tudyk , Stellan Skarsgård , Denise Gough

Main Genre

Adventure

Seasons

2

Franchise

Star Wars

Characters By

George Lucas

Cinematographer

Frank Lamm, Adriano Goldman

Creator

Tony Gilroy

Distributor

Disney+, Walt Disney Television, Disney Media Distribution

Filming Locations

United Kingdom

Main Characters

Cassian Andor, Mon Mother, Luthen Rael, Bix Caleen, Dedra Meero, Syril, Maarva, Saw Gerrera

Producer

Kate Hazell, Kathleen Kennedy, David Meanti, Stephen Schiff

Production Company

Lucasfilm

Sfx Supervisor

Richard Van Den Bergh

Writers

Tony Gilroy , Dan Gilroy , Beau Willimon , Stephen Schiff

Number of Episodes

12

In a prequel to Rogue One, Andor tells the story of how Cassian Andor joined the Rebel cause. Beginning as a junk trader, the man is roped into an underground effort by anti-Empire fighters, who bring him along for one of their missions against an Imperial outpost. After things start to go wrong, Andor is left on the run from all sides, as the Imperial Security Bureau escalates its investigation into him.

Andor quickly garnered attention for its brilliant character development, with figures like Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael standing out as examples of this. The series also delivered an expert look at the under-explored dystopian side of the Empire, channeling George Lucas’ cult classic THX-1138. Since its release, fans have looked to Andor as a great example of genre diversity within the Star Wars franchise, delivering thriller, drama, and dystopia all in one.

1 The Bear Is A Masterclass In Dramatic Writing

The Bear

A young chef from the fine dining world returns to Chicago to run his family’s sandwich shop.

Release Date

June 23, 2022

Cast

Jeremy Allen White , Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Ayo Edebiri , Liza Colón-Zayas , Abby Elliott

Seasons

2

Studio

FX on Hulu

Creator

Christopher Storer

Distributor

Disney Platform Distribution

Production Company

FX Productions

The Bear tells the story of Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, an award-winning chef who leaves his life as a chef in a Michelin-star restaurant to go home to Chicago and run the family sandwich shop. However, having taken over from his brother after he took his own life, Carmy is left to deal with problems ranging from debts to a difficult staff.

The Bear has been universally praised by critics and audiences alike, so much so that, in 2024, the series earned an Emmy for its writing. The series is effective at telling relatable, realistic stories that skillfully merge drama and comedy as Carmy turns his family sandwich shop into the best that it can be.