Best TV of 2023

It’s time to review the very best television from 2023- the best, at least, in my humble opinion. This is a mix of shows lauded by many (*cough* HBO *cough*) and some hidden gems that were too good to miss. Below are my top 5 of the year:

Shrinking: I loved the relaxed, neighbors hanging out with neighbors vibe of “Cougar Town”, and “Shrinking” has that exact same feel- a disparate group of colleagues and neighbors forming a found family and supporting each other through major and minor ups and downs. The acting is superb, with funny turns from Harrison Ford, and an utterly delightful Jessica Williams, among so many others. I’m not sure where they can go in Season 2, but I know I want to spend more time in this lovely Pasadena community created by Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein.

Ghosts: I’m so glad I started watching this show on regular, old network TV. “Ghosts” is proof that “Abbott Elementary” isn’t the only good half-hour sitcom on network TV right now. It also manages to be funny and heartwarming with no laugh track. The characters are unique and well-drawn, with each episode focusing on a different ghost’s backstory, and how it connects to the present day. Don’t sleep on it- it’s totally charming.

The Last of Us: This show needs no support, not only because it has bears the HBO Sunday night mark of excellence, but also because it has a built-in audience of gamers who already knew and loved the characters and story. Well, I didn’t know the original, but I quickly fell in love with the bleak world of the show. Yes, there has been a lot of post-apocalyptic entertainment lately, like “Station Eleven” and “Leave the World Behind”, but this one isn’t as bleak as it seems. The world it portrays is cold and forbidding, but the father/daughter bond of Joel and Ellie at the heart of the show infuses the action with hope. At the center of this awful, new world are stories of love and human connection (and occasional bursts of action and zombies).

Daisy Jones and the Six: This show was a little uneven, a tad soapy at times, but when your story is all about musicians, the music better be good. And the music in “Daisy Jones and the Six” was very, very good. After I watched it, I played that soundtrack- the Aurora album whose creation is the heart of the story- on repeat. Besides catchy, Fleetwood Mac-inspired tunes, the show also charts the rise and fall of a pop rock group. It’s a story perfect for those of us who consider “Almost Famous” and its behind-the-scenes look at a ’70’s rock group’s tumultuous tour a favorite. Riley Keough was especially good.

Hijack: This show should come with a warning: do not watch if you have high blood pressure. Or, in my case, “Hijack” might have elevated my blood pressure to an alarming degree as I watched every agonizing new episode this summer. I wasn’t sure if I could continue. But the story was so taut and suspenseful, and Idris Elba so compelling, that I couldn’t resist. It all might be incredibly implausible, but who cares? It was like watching a great action movie every week.

Noteworthy:

Normal People: Wow. I binged this in three days, which I rarely do. What an achingly lovely portrayal of first love. It’ll put you through the ringer for its raw portrayal of abuse and suicide, but it also manages to be tender and real. And I finally get the Paul Mescal hype. I.Get.It.