The 20 best TV shows of 2023 (so far)

This docuseries could literally just be stunning footage of surfers taking on massive swells set to Philip Glass’ emotional score—and cut out all of the plotting and drama and remarkably likable surfers’ backstories and struggles—and it’d still probably make this list. There’s just something hypnotic about that combination of image and sound. But HBO’s 100 Foot Wave, of course, is much more than that. And this sophomore season, which follows big-wave surfer Garrett McNamara (does he sound like Will Forte to anyone else, by the way?) & Co. dealing with the global pandemic and a hurricane set for Nazaré, Portugal, among a bunch of life changes, was further proof that this is the most absorbing project Chris Smith has helmed since American Movie. [Tim Lowery]

Abbott Elementary became an instant success when it debuted in late 2021, and rightfully so. Season two amplifies exactly what made ABC’s sitcom a success. In its sophomore run, Abbott doubles down on the Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) romance, evolves its characters, and relies on the entire ensemble for a laugh-out-loud 20 minutes. If anything, this year’s run of Abbott episodes proves that this Philadelphia public school-set comedy isn’t just a replacement of mockumentaries like The Office and Parks And Rec; it’s charting its own path for hopefully a long time to come.

Abbott is one of several current network sitcoms that have revived excitement for the genre. The second seasons of NBC’s American Auto and Grand Crew didn’t miss a beat either this year, with outings that were diverse, hilarious inclusions to the network’s slate. It’s just too bad that NBC gave the the ax to Grand Crew last week, a reminder that television, even in a time of Peak TV, remains very much a business. [Saloni Gajjar]

Barry pulled off a neat trick not often seen on television: it ended as an entirely different show than what it began as. In season one, it was a dark comedy about a hitman who tries to quit the business and chase his dreams as an actor in LA. By season four, it was a contemplative meditation on trauma and PTSD with a few moments of levity. And it makes sense that the show would evolve along with its characters; you probably wouldn’t be the same person after you murdered your mentor’s beloved partner, either. Why should the show keep carrying on as a comedy when everything else had changed around it? Though Barry’s final season was largely overshadowed by Succession, it quietly pulled off one of the best finales in TV history. [Jen Lennon]

Beef is like lightning in a bottle. Lee Sung Jin’s series begins with a tense, ill-fated meeting between Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and accelerates from there. This dark comedy relies on twisted humor to deliver a smart character study of its two Asian American leads, examining their similarities and differences while speaking to a broader immigrant community. The show pulsates with energy—sexual, emotional, thrilling energy, thanks to Yeun and Wong’s career best performances. It’s heartbreaking, then, that the show’s brilliance is impacted by the poor way Beef’s creator and producers’ handled of the David Choe situation. While it puts Beef’s three-season plan in question, there’s no doubt the series is one of Netflix’s strongest, most creative originals in years. [Saloni Gajjar]

The funniest series to hit Netflix in a while (maybe since the debut of I Think You Should Leave), this mockumentary from Black Mirror’s Charlie Brooker made its way from BBC Two to the streaming behemoth back in January, offering a tried-and-true British-comedy setup: Take a nitwit and have said nitwit interview people who know what they’re talking about. Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan, who showcases some fantastic on-the-fly timing here) is a bit Ali G and a bit Alan Partridge but definitely her own thing, and watching her sit down with famed archeologists and academics and the like to discuss world history, all while utterly out of her depth and occasionally making the topic about herself and her hangups, is a joy. [Tim Lowery]

Netflix’s Korean melodrama The Glory elevates a storytelling formula as old as time: victim of an unjust crime dedicates their life to vengeance against their tormentors. Here it’s Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) against her wealthy, brutal school bullies. What makes The Glory stand out is its stunning intricacy and unrepentant villains, as writer Kim Eun-sook sets up a sprawling web of lies and corruption to destroy the bullies in unexpected and highly satisfying ways. Add in a bit of levity from the supporting cast, excellent performances all around, and gorgeous cinematography, and it’s clear why this has been the drama of the year. [Quinci LeGardye]

The sketch comedy powerhouse I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson has jam-packed its six short season three episodes with even more of the big reactions and bizarre characters fans have come to love and crave. In addition to the show’s titular co-creator and star Tim Robinson, faves like Sam Richardson, Patti Harrison, and Will Forte are back this go-round, joined by newcomers including Jason Schwartzman and Tim Meadows, who all mesh seamlessly with the show’s unique brand of childlike logic and syntax. In the words of a season three character, silent performer Richard Brecky, “[we] love this stuff!” [Meredith Hobbs Coons]

Jury Duty can easily be slotted as the biggest surprise hit of the year. No one expected a heartwarming prank show (put in the simplest terms) to be such a winner. Yet that’s exactly what it is. Amazon Freevee’s gamble pays off because of James Marsden’s goofy, heightened personality, a roster of talented actors playing fake jurors, the invention of a sexual act called “Soaking,” and a ridiculous central case. But Jury Duty would fail if it wasn’t for Ronald Gladden, who got tricked for three weeks. Luckily, the world will keep making it up to him because he’s a treasure who makes Jury Duty a wholesome watch. [Saloni Gajjar]

For a tale about a fungal infection that turns humans into ’shroom-headed ghouls, it made sense that The Last Of Us kept morphing before our eyes. In the early episodes of Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin’s adaptation of the hit video game, it seemed like TLOU would be your basic dystopian zombie thriller. Twenty years after society fell apart, humans repel the infected from barricaded cities under brutal martial law. So far, so Walking Dead. But as we followed lone wolf Joel (Pedro Pascal) and special cub Ellie (Bella Ramsey) out of Boston and westward to find out why she’s immune, the story mutated. It became a grisly morality play, broken humans betraying each other for power, revenge—to turn into dinner. (Bill and Frank’s triumphant if tragic love affair in the third episode was a standalone ray of hope.) Ultimately, for all its apocalyptic eye candy (Boston in ruins and festooned with vines) and bravura monster mayhem (cue the head-ripping Bloater), the series was a father-daughter heartbreaker, sold by Pascal and Ramsey’s outstanding passion and chemistry. [David Cote]

The Legend Of Vox Machina season two wastes no time setting up its main antagonists. At the beginning of episode one, Emon is attacked by the Chroma Conclave, a cabal of four lethal dragons (one of whom is voiced by Lance Reddick in one of his last roles) seemingly intent on destroying the world. It’s a story familiar to anyone who watched the Critical Role web series that the animated show is based on, but seeing it come to life with gorgeous animation is still a delight. The series’ second season also adeptly balances its large cast, breaking off the seven (!) main characters into smaller groups for individual quests. The stakes are higher this time around, but the adventures are just as much fun. [Jen Lennon]

Lockwood & Co. has already been canceled by Netflix, but it’s worth celebrating the series’ stellar first (and now only) season for its ability to empathize with its teen characters without talking down to them. It’s rare to find a YA series that doesn’t feel like it’s pandering to its audience, but Lockwood & Co. wastes no time in establishing that its team of young ghost hunters has inherited a cataclysmic problem that they didn’t cause but do have to fix. In London, deadly ghosts have been sporadically appearing over the past 50 years, and they need to be dealt with—except adults can’t see the ghosts, so it’s up to teenager-staffed agencies like Lockwood & Co. to exorcise the rogue spirits. It’s a shame that the series won’t get a chance to explore more of its highly detailed and fascinating world in future seasons, but the eight episodes we got were still pretty wonderful. [Jen Lennon]

The Other Two season three isn’t quite over yet, but it’s already taking the series in some intriguing new directions. The comedy isn’t afraid to get dark as the Dubeks all attain the fame and success they aspired to, only to realize that it doesn’t make them happy. It’s not a groundbreaking premise, but the way The Other Two gets deep into its characters’ mindsets is what really sets the series apart. The hilarious satire from the first two seasons is still there, but it takes a new form in season three, commenting on the lifestyles of the rich and famous from three newly minted Hollywood insiders’ perspectives. [Jen Lennon]

Party Down is a breath of fresh air because it’s a years-in-the-making TV revival that doesn’t disappoint. The overdue third season picks up where the show left off 13 years ago, dipping us back into the lives of our favorite caterers/Hollywood dreamers. While Party Down doesn’t tonally change its narrative or characters, it’s unfathomable achievement lies in how it progresses and adapts to an ever-changing industry. It’s a perfect blend of physical comedy (thank you, Ken Marino), a new sweet romance, and biting comedy. The six new episodes, along with the returning and new cast, are a treat. [Saloni Gajjar]

One of 2023’s hardest-to-describe series, Jason Woliner’s brilliant true-crime comedy Paul T. Goldman lands somewhere between The Rehearsal and The Act Of Killing. Based on the self-published spy novels of a man Woliner met on Twitter, the director spent 10 years examining and adapting the tales of Paul T. Goldman, who believes his ex-wife is the head of an international sex-trafficking ring. With Goldman’s help, Woliner deconstructs Goldman’s beliefs piece by piece, allowing his camera to capture the hilarious, awkward ways Goldman squirms around reality. What could be a way to make fun of a delusional shlub becomes a relatable story for anyone with baby-boomer parents who fell down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole. It might be the story of a generation. [Matt Schimkowitz]

After its so-so first season, Perry Mason had a lot going for it. Led by a committed Matthew Rhys through a beautifully produced 1930s Los Angeles, it was only a matter of time before Mason turned a corner. Two episodes into its snappier second season, it found its footing. Avoiding the prequel pitfalls that kept the star attorney from taking the stand in his first outing, season two pushed Mason into a compelling, team-focused case that gave Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, and Justin Kirk meatier material to chew, dredging up L.A.’s history of gentrification and connecting the dots between its past and future in a satisfying and stylish mystery. Sadly, HBO canceled Perry Mason, but the show leaves behind a banger season as its legacy. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Surprising no one, Rian Johnson has done it again with his Columbo-inspired Poker Face. The Knives Out director’s Peacock series is a roaring triumph. Each eclectic and funny episode, featuring a smorgasbord of talented actors, unspools compelling mysteries. It’s easy to get sucked into the world of Poker Face because of its ace: Natasha Lyonne. There’s no one better to play Charlie Cale, an acerbic and lofty human lie detector. Johnson and Lyonne’s team-up has resulted in an early contender for one of the best shows of the year; watching it is akin to reading an absorbing, page-turning thriller. Thankfully, the show is already renewed for round two. [Saloni Gajjar]

HBO lucked out with its Sunday night programming this spring, with Succession and Barry airing back-to-back and Somebody Somewhere acting as a sunny breather right after. In its second season, Bridget Everett’s wholesome comedy found a way to be poignant and funny at the same time. The credit goes to how the evolving, warts-and-all friendship of Sam (Everett) and Joel (Jeff Hiller). The irreverent comedy captures the subtleties of everyday life with gravitas, and it’s impossible not to fall in love with it. The series remains underrated as hell, but Somebody Somewhere is easily one of the best shows of the year. [Saloni Gajjar]

Jesse Armstrong’s monumental odyssey about a family of wealthy fuck-ups is not only one of the finest TV shows of 2023 so far, but it’s one of the best communal TV viewing experiences we’ve had in years. It’s partly because of how intrinsically Succession captures the current political and media zeitgeist—the four seasons act as a fascinating capsule for what the American democracy is undergoing during its time. In its unmissable final season this year, Succession heightened the stakes by taking out a key player, allowing the remaining cast to put their best foot forward. The precise, scathing writing, acting, direction, editing, music—you name it—all worked in sync to create an almost perfect farewell. [Saloni Gajjar]

The 20th season of the best damn culinary competition out there was a bittersweet one, what with the announcement that, after 17 years, this would be Padma Lakshmi’s last run as host and all. But this batch of episodes was more than a sendoff to the best to ever do it. Set in London—save for the final two installments in Paris—this round of Top Chef brought together winners and runners-up from the original version of the show, as well as its international editions, with toques hailing from Jordan, Thailand, Mexico, Poland, the Republic of the Congo, and elsewhere. Watching these ace chefs serve dishes to their literal heroes was pretty moving, especially as All-Stars approached the finale, and the global framing made contestants’ backstories, as Christina Izzo put it in her excellent recaps, have even more emotional wallop. [Tim Lowery]

Yellowjackets season two had a lot to live up to, and it’s a testament to the show’s writing that it mostly succeeded in maintaining the high bar of quality from season one. The series came out of nowhere in 2021 but quickly hooked viewers with its mysterious story about a high school soccer team whose plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, forcing them into a Lord Of The Flies-esque scenario. Season two gave us just enough answers to sate our appetites without showing its hand about the larger mystery. Yes, the team definitely engaged in cannibalism; no, that’s not the unforgivable thing they’re all afraid of anyone else finding out about. That question of what the Yellowjackets did out in the woods, and whether or not there really is a supernatural element at play, will likely not be answered until the show’s planned fifth season. But if Yellowjackets keeps giving us episodes like this, it’ll be worth the wait. [Jen Lennon]