20. The Staircase
“Making a Murderer” was revived in 2018 after sending a cinematic idea that had been around for a long time into a new stratosphere back in 2015. The Netflix series was one of the first docuseries to completely take over pop culture, and it sparked a series of other, similar stories. The number of true-crime documentary series is constantly growing, but none this year were more compelling than “The Staircase,” and that includes the second installment of “Making a Murderer” that aired in October.
“The Staircase” is a 13-episode miniseries that follows author Michael Peterson and his pursuit to prove that he did not kill his wife Kathleen in their picturesque North Carolina manor. The ups and downs are captivating enough to make the viewers change their minds repeatedly throughout the course of the show, and everyone gets screen time in this miniseries, from the lawyers to the individual family members. It’s a grind of a watch, and it’s not for everyone, but if you make it through the first twist or two, you’ll be hooked until the end. -Rusty Odom
19. The Goldbergs
The most conventional show on this list, “The Goldbergs” continues to mine, well, gold from the 1980s home movies of showrunner Adam Goldberg. Like “Parks and Recreation,” the show finds its jokes in love and optimism instead of insults. Also like “Parks,” it has a huge cast of recurring characters, memorable callbacks and an unquenchable spirit. There is nothing groundbreaking here, just an immensely likeable, fun show. We all can use a break like that once in a while. -Bill Foster
18. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
I don’t know what I have to do to convince people that this is not just some rom-com chick-flick pastiche but instead one of the most interesting and ambitious shows around. At this point, Rebecca Bunch has: been obsessed, stalked folks, been in therapy, attempted suicide and wound up in prison. The show is unflinching in showing that its anti-heroine is simply not the person she thinks she is and that good intentions never can excuse horrible behavior. And yet … Bunch somehow remains loveable. Combine her exploits with excellent ensemble acting, ridiculously funny scripts and two musical numbers per episode that always advance the plot while being catchy, funny and visually daring and you have a show like nothing else that has ever been televised. -BF
17. Wild Wild Country
Let’s be honest: In this day and age of the absurd, it’s really hard to be shocked anymore. That is until you sit down to watch this Netflix docuseries. The true story is set in the early ‘80s in rural Oregon where the Rajneeshpuram commune decided to settle and set up shop amongst the rural folk. Almost instantly, the “cult” is engaged in land disputes, legal battles and a ridiculous power struggle with the small Oregonian town it calls home.
The star of sorts of the show is Ma Anand Sheela, Rajneesh’s fiery assistant who was willing to take her fight to the Supreme Court. After the controversial guru is eventually deported, Sheela becomes the de facto leader of the ashram, which in turn leads to fierce battles with the city council and state legislature over protected lands. The new leader is a public-relations wizard who uses her sharp tongue and cunning tactics to baffle the town until finally her power-tripping leads her down a crazy road involving crime and prison time.
In interviews, Sheela is both candid and vague in her denials about any serious crimes being committed, although she does admit to openly antagonizing the townspeople. Ultimately, you’re left not liking anyone in the docuseries. The locals are racist and closeminded, while the Rajneesh community is just plain bullying at times. The entire story is aptly described as wild and is truly must-see TV that makes for one compelling, gripping story. -John Flannagan
16. GLOW
The lovable misfits that make up the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling brought back their antics after earning high praise for their debut season on Netflix. It’s a show about women’s wrestling, sure, but it’s just as much a look behind the curtain into the day-to-day lives of women (and to a lesser degree, men) trying to make it in Hollywood in the ‘80s. Crazy hair, strange fashions and indecision abound, and the show does a good job of giving every character at least a little something to make you want to invest your time in watching it. Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin are terrific as the two leads, and the cast as a whole is very funny. -RO
15. The Deuce
When David Simon and George Pelecanos created “The Wire,” they made the best show in TV history (at least as far as I’m concerned). So when I heard they were taking on a new HBO show starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, suffice it to say that I was excited. The subject matter concerning the early days of the porn industry in 1970s New York City isn’t easy to digest and somehow is harder to watch at times than “The Wire.”
One of the things that made that iconic drama so special is that viewers found themselves rooting for people that they couldn’t stand in the previous season. That show also was acclaimed for how accurate it was in recreating the uncomfortable truths about Baltimore during that era. “The Deuce” seems to be following the same blueprint, only this time on 42nd Street in the Big Apple.
The twins that Franco plays were real people with real stories, and the creators have tried to stick to those narratives as closely as possible. The second season was a bit of a slow burn, but the series inclined over the last quarter of the year and set up what could easily be the big payoff for this show in season three, which reportedly will be the show’s last. -RO
14. Black Mirror
Netflix continues to eliminate boundaries with its original and acquired content, and the collection of mind-bending stories on “Black Mirror” is the most impressive jaw-dropper of them all. These independent episodes use technology and mankind’s instincts to create intricate stories of human discovery and struggle in a world filled with evil. It’s incredibly realistic, pushing the imagination to understand, speculate and relate. Each episode is as captivating as the last yet entirely different, introducing the view to new writers, directors and actors. This show is the new bar when it comes to modern, sophisticated sci-fi television, furthering that ambition with a new interactive (choose your own adventure) movie, “Bandersnatch,” that you must check out. -Matt Miller
13. Salt Fat Acid Heat
Chef and author Samin Nosrat developed her bestselling cookbook of the same name into this wonderfully absorbing four-part Netflix series. Each episode focuses on one of the titular elements of flavor and expounds upon it with amazing clarity. The show is set up to be half travel show, half cooking demonstration; Nosrat visits an exotic locale where she dissects the flavor profile that most defines that region (Japan for salt, Mexico for acidity etc.). Endearingly goofy but also sharp as a tack and obviously incredibly knowledgeable, she excels in her role as host, adeptly introducing complex scientific concepts in a manner that is super easy for even the worst of cooks (like me) to follow and understand.
Nosrat’s ability to break different cuisines down to their simplest building blocks while simultaneously highlighting similarities between cultures is special, and the sheer amount of educational instruction she packs into each installment is impressive if not slightly overwhelming at times. Adding to the show’s dynamism are its flawless direction, editing and cinematography. In just four roughly half-hour episodes, “Salt Fat Acid Heat” completely changed the way I look at gastronomy – an extraordinary feat I can’t say about any other food-related programming. -Matt Rankin
12. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Rachel Brosnahan has won back-to-back awards at the Golden Globes for her portrayal of the titular character, and she deserves it. Her possession of Midge Maisel, a stronger-than-she-realizes, separated Jewish woman in ‘50s New York City is as thorough a depiction as anything we’ve seen on the small screen since the show began. Brosnahan is gorgeous and incredibly charming as Maisel, but it is the character’s wit that makes her a big hit as she winds her way through the stand-up comedy scene in an era before women did much of anything behind a mic except sing.
It’s nearly impossible to take your eyes off of Brosnahan as she navigates through these dynamic performances, but the supporting cast is equally great. Season two even spends a portion of the season in France, which added a fun twist to the storyline where it could have completely derailed it. There’s a particularly memorable scene in which Midge finds herself onstage with her jokes being told through an interpreter. If you’ve seen the show, you know how the routine goes. If you haven’t, the first two seasons are available for streaming now on Amazon. -RO
11. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The most intelligent show on television has reinvigorated long-form journalism at a time when Americans’ attention spans are at an all-time low. “Daily Show” alum John Oliver has revolutionized satirical news (with the help of HBO and its large budget) by creating a carefully structured, fact-packed show with the ability to initiate action amongst its millions of viewers. Each week’s anchor segment is a minimum of 15 minutes spent tackling prominent, timely or under-appreciated aspects that affect our lives, with particular focus on how government and corporations contribute to these issues. The perfect combination of knowledge and humor produces a unique experience, leaving viewers both informed and entertained. This critically acclaimed, award-winning show has set a new bar for satirical news to which others are struggling to even remotely approach. -MM
10. Tales From the Tour Bus
Mike Judge has accomplished some pretty innovative things in the medium of television. From “Beavis and Butt-Head” to “King of the Hill” to “Silicon Valley,” he’s found a way to stay relevant over the span of nearly three decades. That alone is high praise, but what’s better is that his newest project might be his best yet. “Tales from the Tour Bus” is a music lover’s dream. The show follows the lore of yesteryear from some of music’s biggest names, deciphering which wild tour stories might be fabrications by getting firsthand takes from people who were there in the moments in which they took place.
The show is animated, which lends a comedic value to scenes that otherwise would be pretty rotten and allows for more interesting and fantastical recreations. The first season focused on the outlaw country movement and featured Johnny Paycheck, Waylon Jennings and Blaze Foley to name just a few. The second season went with the funk and highlighted George Clinton, James Brown and Bootsy Collins, Morris Day and the Time and Rick James among others. The show separates fact from fiction in many cases, but most of the time the real stories are crazier than the folklore. It’s a must-watch for fans of either genre of music or anyone fascinated by road culture. -RO
9. Barry
Bill Hader is a former Marine sniper-turned-hitman who decides to quit a life of crime and become an actor after a “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”-like encounter with an acting class. It’s a clever setup that barely hints at the emotional depth the show eventually mines from its titular character. With only eight 30-minute episodes in the first season, the amount of plot through which the show churned was impressive to see. Henry Winkler has his best performance since you-know-who, and the show ended with one of the greatest cliffhangers of all time. -BF
8. Succession
HBO delivers more groundbreaking television with “Succession,” Greek tragedy filled with dark humor and driven solely by the actions and performances of the characters. This drama chronicling the lives of members of a Fortune 500 family is filled with incredible dialogue delivered by an amazing ensemble cast that includes Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfadyen and many more. The entire show is structured around bringing these characters together for intense, uncomfortable and hilarious interactions that ultimately result in riveting drama. Completely comfortable with featuring characters that seemingly have no redeeming qualities, “Succession” may be the best-written show of the year. -MM
7. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Considering the massive impact that the chef/author/holder of the self-described “best job in the world” had on me and so many others, distilling Anthony Bourdain’s weekly TV presence into a tidy blurb for these purposes is impossible and, in many ways, disrespectful to his enormous legacy. In the days and weeks following Bourdain’s apparent suicide in late spring, an outpouring of love and grief ensued, culminating in countless beautiful eulogies celebrating the life of the magnetic personality being written. Too numbed by the sudden loss and feeling unable to adequately encapsulate or elucidate what Bourdain had meant to me personally, I refrained from contributing my jumbled thoughts at the time.
I began watching Bourdain during the first season of “No Reservations” in 2005 and was immediately hooked by the host’s narrative style and enamored with the distant lands he chose to explore. I followed his exploits through “The Layover” and over to CNN, reading three of his books along the way. In my estimation, no other person in the history of television has been able to so accurately and effectively deliver to domestic audiences takes on cultures different from our own in such a nuanced and respectful manner – which makes his passing such a devastating blow to America’s understanding of global issues. Bourdain was an integral force in breaking down barriers, and his loss leaves a gaping hole.
Months passed before I was tasked with this assignment, and still it has proven difficult to keep my emotions in check while describing the genius of “Parts Unknown.” Both seasons 11 and 12 aired in full during the 2018 calendar year, the former containing some of the series’ best episodes (“Bhutan,” “Uruguay,” “West Virginia”) and the latter sadly abbreviated but featuring the same gorgeous cinematography, timeless pacing and elegiac editing that had come to define the show and which served as a loving sendoff to the departed scribe. “Indonesia” was the first episode not to include Bourdain’s trademark narration; its absence drove home the finality of his death, and the content, with its stark and moving conversations about mortality, was just as foreboding and sobering.
My first time traveling abroad to a place where my native tongue wasn’t the official language occurred three years ago in a trip to Germany. After experiencing multiple layovers and having been awake for more than 24 hours, my wife and I (mostly) successfully navigated the public transit system to arrive at Potsdam, a city on the outskirts of Berlin. It was a minor yet satisfying accomplishment that I wouldn’t have attempted to undertake without having been influenced by Bourdain’s fearless lifestyle.
The “Berlin” episode of “Parts Unknown” debuted on June 10, 2018, just two days after his passing. An episode that explores in detail both the lightness and the darkness of the human spirit yet which also revels in the promise of the future proved to be difficult and emotional viewing for us, especially given the circumstances surrounding its premiere. Many tears were shed, but it also served as a fitting tribute and a proper way to say goodbye to a man who had meant so much to so many. May he experience in death the peace he searched the world over for in his life. -MR
6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Thankfully picked up by NBC within 24 hours after being unceremoniously canceled by Fox, “Nine-Nine” is just now hitting its stride after five complete seasons. With Rosa’s and Holt’s relationships, the show has developed some much-needed emotional depth, but with the annual Halloween Heist and the Pontiac Bandit, it’s still the most consistently funny, reliable sitcom on TV. If you ever find yourself wondering what happened to comedic television, watch this show. If you’re not hooked by one of its famous cold openings, well … I suppose you can try something else. -BF
5. The Good Place
Unfortunately, this show is so dominated by huge surprises and cliffhangers that it is impossible to describe in any sort of detail without ruining it. The first season cliffhanger is two years old now, but I still am reluctant to spoil it, as it was so breathtaking in its audacity and surprise. Suffice it to say that “The Good Place” is relentlessly inventive in its dialog, its metaphors, visually and intellectually. The show routinely references esoteric philosophy and great works by Kant, Nietzsche, Locke and the like. It plays games with timelines (on the show, between 300-400 years have passed since its premiere), characters’ memories, super powers, demons, angels etc. Ted Danson is perfect; I think it’s his best-ever role – including that other show that made him not just a little famous. This is one of the best sitcoms ever made. Do not miss it. -BF
4. Better Call Saul
This show is a minor miracle. I never believed that a comedy about characters whose fates we already knew could succeed – let alone become as transcendent and affecting as “Better Call Saul” has. “Saul” is telling the same story as its storied predecessor: good man with good intentions becomes bad. However, it does so on a smaller scale with smaller ambitions that somehow seem bigger because of the intense focus. The show lets us empathize and feel for Jimmy as he struggles to be a good man, but it never lets us forget that, just as Walter White’s narcissism and pride laid the seeds for his downfall, Jimmy McGill contains the seeds of Saul Goodman from the very beginning. -BF
3. Homecoming
“Homecoming” might lead the pack of shows that wouldn’t exist without the wallet-busting success of “Breaking Bad” or “Mad Men” years before it. Creative risk-takers like Netflix and Amazon immensely help shows like this one – with its confounding plotlines, unknowable directions and masked intentions – to thrive. A paranoid government conspiracy based in a corporate military rehabilitation center, “Homecoming” features some quietly stunning cinematography and compelling performances from Julia Roberts and Stephan James, but the show shines in what it doesn’t show. The lack of an ultimate payoff keeps the show constantly on the verge of a breakthrough, a device that will drive some viewers mad, but that’s kind of the point here. Sometimes life’s answers aren’t found or even explored, and “Homecoming” is interesting and smart enough to let you know that’s okay. -Andy Vinson
2. Ozark
The second season of “Ozark” finds the Byrde family moving towards accepting the absurdity of the town and the awful situation in which they find themselves. As in the first season, the second introduces a series of minor problems and major catastrophes which Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) must overcome in order to survive. Throughout the course of the season, Wendy grows stronger and more assured, using her political savviness to her family’s advantage, while Marty begins to question the direction their lives have taken and weakens as the episodes progress.
“Ozark” presents the same kind of climactic, edge-of-your-seat thrills that have earned the show comparisons to “Breaking Bad.” Without giving too much away, the second season had the potential of being a real barnburner, but ultimately it slowed down near the end. Given the chills it induced along the way, though, that’s probably for the best. Here’s to hoping that the third installment will be just as explosive. Also making “Ozark” interesting to local viewers was the inclusion of two Knoxville actors: Mike Stanley, who played the Snells’ bodyguard, and artist Matthew Atchley. -JF
1. Atlanta
Donald Glover has become a master of all the crafts he has undertaken, propelling him to massive success over the course of the last four years. With authentic and intricate storytelling delivered by one of TV’s best casts, “Atlanta” has staked its claim as essential viewing in the medium. Glover’s writing is impressive, and his performance as Earn maintains the show’s fluidity. However, it’s Brian Tyree Henry (Paper Boi) and Lakeith Stanfield (Darius) that truly bring life and added dimension to the cast of characters. Henry and Stanfield are uniquely hilarious, and Henry’s standalone episode “Barbershop” is the funniest thing I saw on the small screen this year.
With both individual and collective character development comes intense moments of heartbreak, passion, struggle and consequence that make “Atlanta” a riveting, thought-provoking show about the lives of those just trying to make it and find a modicum of happiness in this weird world. Glover continues to expand his talents, refine his art and redefine what is possible, leaving you wanting more after each exposure to his creations. We all should feel lucky to witness and enjoy the making of a legend. Even if we never were to see another new episode of the show, the first two seasons would live on as some of the best TV in the history of the invention. -MM
