From ‘The Last of Us’ to ‘Beef’, the best new TV shows of 2023

CNN
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HBO’s best show of the year was Succession, but perhaps the worst was Sam Levinson and The Weeknd’s The Idol, which showed how boring the (probably steamy) sex and nudity was. proved.

There’s been plenty of good TV and even more mediocre TV in between, but it’s been complicated by writers’ and actors’ strikes, forcing networks and streaming services to juggle schedules to keep the programming faucet from drying up. I no longer get it.

Among the new shows, including continuing and limited series, there’s an eclectic roster of highlights, including Amazon’s “Swarm,” Netflix’s “The Night Agent,” the delayed “Keishi Creature,” and more. There were some worthwhile shows. ” to name a few, but this was not widely adopted.

This year also proved to be a front-loader, with some of the best new releases arriving in the first half of 2023. The list is listed below in alphabetical order. Also, an honorable mention for an unusually fruitful year for basketball-related documentaries.

‘small light‘ (National Geographic/Disney+): A heartbreaking limited series about Miep Gies (played brilliantly by Bel Powley), an ordinary young woman with extraordinary courage who protects Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis. With a strong cast, including Liev Schreiber as Otto Frank, the series manages to make a story we thought we knew seem fresh and urgent.

‘Ahsoka‘ (Disney Plus): The series got off to a slow start and suffered from a clunky script early on, but the live-action version of Rosario Dawson’s animated character not only tied into Star Wars history, but also paved the way for its next direction. It seemed to be showing. A quadrant of the galaxy that this series can and should explore in the coming years. For those who want to see Star Wars return to the big screen, Ahsoka served as a potential bridge, a new hope.

‘beef’ (Netflix): What begins as a street assault turns out to be one of the most tortuous shows of the year, with great performances from Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as the duo, whose excesses and anger pull them and those around them deeper and deeper into the abyss. It becomes one.

‘daisy jones and the six‘ (Amazon Prime Video): Clearly indebted to Fleetwood Mac, this Amazon series tells the story of a thriving but disbanded ’70s band, starring Riley Keough and Sam Claflin as lead singers who are at once at odds and attracted to each other. It captures the atmosphere and music of the time. other.

‘5th generation‘ (Amazon Prime Video): The series, about a college superhero who aspires to join the Seven, overcomes skepticism about another spin-off of “The Boys” universe, cleverly capitalizing on its flagship show while concocting its own mysteries. It provided enough gross-out moments. Its predecessor.

‘hijack‘ (Apple TV+): Idris Elba plays the right man in the right place, and vice versa, as a negotiator on a hijacked plane between Dubai and London in this low-key, tense “24”-style thriller.

‘the last of us‘ (HBO): A new show of the year in terms of commercial appeal and buzz, this HBO series, with Pedro Pascal, Vera Ramsey, and a whole cast of guest stars, overcomes the traditional curse of video game adaptations and delivers an apocalyptic We overcame the challenge of creating a thriller with a twist. shines in this story of a potential savior of a devastated world and her crusty protector.

‘contraction‘ (Apple TV+): A strong ensemble cast elevates this Apple series about a grieving psychologist (Jason Segel) and those around him, allowing Harrison Ford to showcase his comedic talents, but most importantly Was funny.

Honorable mention: Basketball documentaries: For some reason, 2023 produced a series of standout documentaries dedicated to NBA legends that worked individually but complemented each other nicely when seen in concert.

“Steph Curry is underrated” (Apple) featured current players whose long-range shooting fundamentally changed the game, while three others focused on big men who once dominated basketball. “Bill Russell: Legend” (Netflix), “Goliath” (Showtime), a three-part documentary series dedicated to Wilt Chamberlain, who fought Russell and had a complicated relationship with him.and “The luckiest man in the world” ESPN’s four-part series on the life of Bill Walton explores the life of Bill Walton, a man whose career was cut short by an injury and who overcame a stutter to become a basketball analyst.You’ll either love him or hate him. Regardless, he seems to talk about anything other than the matches he is in charge of.

Chamberlain’s famous quote, “No one cheers for Goliath” (hence the title), makes it easy for sports fans to root for more productions like this.