DVD Corner

The Best Series Of 2023

2023 proved to be a rather odd year for televised and streaming series. Several of the very best shows ended their run and several of the very best shows bypassed this year and are scheduled to resume production next year and or release next year. Luckily, there were plenty of new series that wowed viewers, but there were also several high-profile series that turned out to be colossal busts (I’m looking at you “Secret Invasion”). Below I have listed my 10 personal favorite series along with a host of notable favorites. In the words of The Doctor, “Allons-y.”

1. The Last Of Us- There’s a lot of post-apocalyptic films and shows these days, but this Playstation video game adaptation is among the best in recent memory. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are perfect as the leads, but it’s the writing that really draws you in. “Long, Long Time” alone is the best episode of the year.

2. Beckham- A deeply intimate and engrossing documentary series that chronicles the life of football superstar David Beckham.

3. Succession- Did the HBO series end too soon? Maybe, but at least it went out on top.

4. Swarm- When this Donald Glover and Janine Nabers created Amazon series came out there was some buzz about it, but it quickly faded away. I’m not sure why no one seems to be mentioning this series in their year-end lists and awards, but they should be. It’s an unsettling horror/thriller/comedy about pop star obsession.

5. Party Down- After a 13 year break, the star-studded Starz comedy series was resurrected. The result? It’s just as great as the first 2 seasons. 

6. Barry- Bill Hader’s dark comedy comes to a close in an unexpected but always compelling fashion.

7. I’m A Virgo- Boots Riley is becoming quite the master of surreal comedies. His latest work is an original comedy about a 13 foot tall Black teen living in Oakland. The series deals with societal themes while also developing its own unique comic book-y mythology. 

8. Quarterback- It was a great year for sports documentaries. This series was an insightful look at 3 quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Mariota, and Kirk Cousins) at various stages of their career. Not only do you get a look at their personal lives, but you get a deeper look at NFL games (and preparations). 

9. Scavengers Reign- A wildly imaginative adult sci-fi animated series about survival. The world building here is nothing short of breathtaking. 

10. American Born Chinese- A splendid adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel. It’s part coming of age story, part mythological fantasy, and part martial arts adventure. 

Notables (In No Order): “Fargo,” “Doctor Who,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” “Star Trek: Picard,” “The Consultant,” “Star Wars: The Mandalorian,” “Dave,” “Beavis And Butt-Head,” “Fired On Mars,” “Star Wars Visions,” “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,” “King Of Collectibles,” “Battlebots,” “Black Mirror,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “Inside No. 9,” “Heels,” “Hard Knocks,” “Ahsoka,” “Our Flag Means Death,” “Chucky,” “10 Year Old Tom,” “South Park (Not Suitable For Children),” “Blue Eye Samurai,” “Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones And Harrison Ford,” “1923,” and “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.”

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