Best of 2018, TV Series


Today I continue my look at the Best of 2018, ending my three days on TV with my picks for the best TV Series of the year. There were 495 scripted series that aired in 2018, yet it was a year that was probably marked more by what didn't air. There was no "Game of Thrones." There was no "Stranger Things." And a few other took the year off, as well.

Which isn't to say that there weren't good shows that aired in 2018. Below are the 10 that were my favorites among the many, many I watched. They appear in ascending order.

10. 9-1-1, season 1 and 2
About: This was one of the first new shows of 2018 to air, kicking off its short first season in early January. Its second season kicked off in the Fall. Both have been good. Ryan Murphy is a good storyteller who is good at bringing to life interesting and compelling characters. This show, which focuses on firefighters, paramedics, cops and a 9-1-1 operator was one of the most interesting new shows of the year, and continues to be one of the better offerings on network TV.

9. Daredevil, season 3
About: It was a big, and a rough year for Marvel series on Netflix, as all of them aired new seasons and most were subsequently cancelled. That was true of "Daredevil," which offered its third season, which will be its last season. Yet, it was one that was quite compelling and turned into a showcase for its performers, including a great season from Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and from Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin.

8. The Good Place, season 2 and 3
About: This daring and ground-breakng comedy isn't afraid to take chances. We saw that in the end of the second season, which was incredible. This third season started a bit slow, but it, too, has been marked by some fascinating and stellar episodes, including my favorite of the year "Janet(s)". This is one of the best comedies on TV.

7. Superstore, season 3 and 4
About: It's been a good year for network sitcoms. "Superstore" is the little show that could. It doesn't get as much critical acclaim as "The Good Place," and it doesn't have as high a profile, but this work place comedy successor to "The Office" just keeps getting better. After a wild end to the third season, this fourth season has reached new heights. It has been consistently funny and something I look forward to each Thursday.

6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, season 5
About: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is the second show on this list that aired a brilliant season and was cancelled. FOX bid it farewell in May. Fortunately, NBC stepped up and brought it back. And its sixth season will air beginning January10. That's good because, like the previous two on this list, this show just keeps getting better. The fifth season was a great showcase for the wacky world and talented performers, and I can't wait to see what they have up their sleeve for season six.

5. GLOW, season 2
About: This 1980s-set series about female wrestlers is one of the most interesting and creative shows on TV. The second season built on the world and featured some interesting and strong performances. In a year where a number of my favorites from 2017 didn't come back, this one did and was just as strong.

4. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, season 2
About: Speaking of shows that returned strong in season two, "Mrs. Maisel" remains a treasure. Rachel Brosnahan is an incredible lead, and this season built the world out for Tony Shaloub and Alex Borstein as well. All were great, and each of the episodes was a fun treasure. Plus, the season headed in unexpected directions and I'm not even sure what to expect when it's back for season three.

3. Killing Eve, season 1
About: This is the highest of the new shows on this list. This cat-and-mouse series featuring a covert British agent and an assassin, played by Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, respectively, was one of the most engaging shows of the early Spring. Both ladies were great in their roles and this was a show that built a fascinating world and left you wondering where it was going to go from one moment to the next.

2. Bosch, season 4
About: This show just remains a steady pleasure. Titus Welliver is great in the lead role, and the characters and stories are so well defined by the source material and showrunner Eric Overmeyer. This is one of the truly overlooked gems in the Amazon catalog and, in fact, in terms of overall quality I'd say Amazon had the better year in 2018.

1. The Americans, season 6
About: Quietly one of the best shows on television throughout its run, "The Americans" ended with a fascinating and brilliant season this Spring. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys were great, and the series ended with a fantastic episode that was heart-breaking and defied expectation, yet felt like the perfect ending to this story at the same time. This was my favorite show of 2018, and it will be missed.

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