» home » blog » top-10-shows

Top 10 Shows

Posted 2024-12-05 Tags: tv ,  top 10 ,  review , 

I previously wrote my Top 10 Movie and have followed it up with Top 10 Shows. Again, these are not the shows that I think are necessarily "the best" because there are TV shows that are made with more craft than the ones I have selected. These are the ones that are my favourites, though, for whatever reason. Like movies, I'm not putting these in any particular order.

The Good Place

I think it is generally rare that a show has a plan, sticks to the plan, and does not overstay its welcome. The Good Place definitely does that, and it got me to fall in love with its cast of characters. Every member of the cast is just about perfect for their role with Ted Danson being notable as Michael. And though it's not well established enough to be on this list, I really enjoyed him in A Man on the Inside, which is delightful. The Good PLace is full of heart and I have to love a show that had moral philosophers on call to make sure that the things the show was saying checked out.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I know that Joss Whedon is not someone to be admired, but I think that despite his relatively rancid actions, he managed to put together a show that was pretty great and empowering. From the first episode, things were flipped around - the "girl in distress" in the opening scene turned out to be the monster - which was a big twist in the 90s - and the little blonde teenage girl was the biggest badass of all time. The writing is great, the cast is great, the monster-of-the-week format explores a lot of issues. Hush is one of the best episodes of TV I've ever seen, and it mostly came about because people thought the writers relied on quips and quirks too much. Years later, I still think Sarah Michelle Gellar is one of the coolest people.

Ted Lasso

Insert DaringTodayArentWe.meme image here; I love this show. I like the sports underdog aspect of it; a team working their way up together can be an inspiring story, and this one is pretty good. I like the growth that almost every character goes through, from Ted facing his fears to Jamie learning how to be a leader. I love Rebecca, from start to finish, and the friendship that she shares with Ted along the way is beautiful. My favourite scene is when Ted is playing against Giles Rupert at darts, and he says Be curious, not judgmental. This is another show with laughs, heart, great lessons, great story. I probably cried for half the episodes I watched. Heck, I teared up just now rewatching that scene I just linked.

Schitt's Creek

Wait, is everything going to be a heartwarming comedy about a group of people you learn to love over a few seasons? The Roses are the absolute worst at the beginning of the show, but by the end, you love all of them. Daniel and Eugene Levy are fantastic show developers, and I hope they make more. I love how all of the Roses grow and learn to be regular people over the course of the show and David and Patrick are one of my favourite TV couples.

The Expanse

Not a heartwarming comedy about a group of people you learn to love! This is my favourite science fiction show of all time; it is relatively hard sci fi, and I found that I really enjoyed that. Good characters, good acting, great story. I enjoy the multiple storylines happening concurrently, and I enjoyed the cool factions and their interplay with each other. I will watch just about anything that Shohreh Aghdashloo does.

The Muppet Show

A heartwarming comedy about a group of people puppets that you learn to love! I guess I like to laugh when I am watching television. I have loved the Muppets for the entirety of my life, and part of it is that when I was a kid they were funny and pure, and when I was older there are jokes that are more for adults that make me laugh for other reasons. I also used to think that Statler and Waldorf were "the bad guys" until I turned into one of them. Of all the variety shows that exist, this one is out in front for me, and I will watch it over and over again. Yes, even over Flying Circus.

The Flanagan-verse

Like with the movie top 10, I will cop out and group some things together. I will put The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher all together as if they were seasons of a horror show, a la American Horror Story (honorable mention?). Each season is a great standalone horror story, masterfully crafted, with incredible attention to detail. Flanagan surrounds himself with talented people and uses them well, playing to their strengths and telling creepy tales.

Taskmaster

From Greg's unhinged introduction of Little ALex Horne, to the completely incomprehensible attempts of whomever is this season's nuttiest contestant, to the absurdity of the tasks themselves, there's nothing about Taskmaster that I don't love. I love how well the show has taken off in other countries as well, including a Quebecois version which is pretty good.

Brooklyn 99

Another Schur show, this crosses off my "police procedural" box, it's a heartwarming comedy about a group of cops that you learn to love. I have a type, I guess. I enjoyed all the seasons, and I especially love Captain Holt. I love that he loosens up and learns to love and be loved by the squad through the course of the show.

Fleabag

Dark and witty, I like both seasons of this show. It's hard not to love The Hot Priest - Andrew Scott is brilliant in everything he is in - but I also like the darkness of the first series. Understanding why Fleabag is so broken and what is going on with her and why things are so bleak and how she deflects with humour... there is a lot going on in series one, and I think it's undervalued. But the love story with Hot Priest is a great one, and the way he can sense us and how Fleabag talks to us is a great touch.

Honorable Mentions

I considered all of these, but discarded them for various reasons. Some of them have seasons which really leave a sour taste (Sherlock) and some are shows that I loved as a child but haven't revisited at all as an adult.

← home older →