best of 2023: TV

A few notes before I begin:

- Not all of these were first released in 2023, but that's when I first watched them.

- I haven't finished some of these series, but I've watched enough episodes to put them on this list.

- I posted where to watch them after the review.

- Anime will get its own post later. 

- These are in random order; I couldn't really pick a favorite!

- And as always, your mileage may vary.

1. Andor:  The backstory of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), the Rebel spy featured in Rogue One, which is in my opinion by far the best Star Wars film since the original trilogy.  It's done by the same people who did Rogue One, too, and it shows.  There are plenty of awesome special effects, fun action, and great set design, but it's the mature, thoughtful writing that really shines.  (Disney+)

2. The Bear:  A chef (Jeremy Allen White) named Carmy leaves the fine dining world to take over his family's restaurant after his brother's suicide.  I'm going to sound like a real sappy asshole here, but I had a hard time watching the first season, as great as it was, because I just felt so BAD for Carmy!  Things kept going wrong, his big blue eyes would well up, and my empathy gland got squeezed so hard it hurt.  Season 2 was more hopeful for the most part, and I was glad for the reprieve.  Fantastic writing---the dialogue is the most natural since The Wire---and terrific acting from the entire cast.  (Hulu)

3. The Last of Us:  Joel (Pedro Pascal) is a gruff man trying to get by in a world overrun by clickers, which are very fast, vicious humans mutated by cordyceps.  He's tasked with getting a miraculously immune young girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the country so researchers can create a cure.  The two video games are in my top five of all time, so believe me when I say this is a damn near perfect adaptation.  (Max)

4. She-Hulk:  Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) accidentally gets exposed to Hulk blood and now must figure out how to balance her career as an attorney with her new identity as a gigantic green superhero.  I saw some clips and GIFs of this show and did NOT think I'd like it; boy, was I wrong!  Tatiana Maslany is great and it's funny as hell. (Disney+)

5. Bloodhounds:  A kindly moneylender recruits two boxers to take down a predatory loan shark in this exciting Korean drama. (Netflix)

6. Cobra Kai:  Johnny Lawrence, the bully from The Karate Kid, is down on his luck, so he decides to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo.  However, he finds himself facing opposition from Daniel LaRusso, his former (and now very successful) punching bag.  It's a lot of fun---watching Johnny try to cope with modern times is a blast---and I love that they managed to get William Zabka and Ralph Macchio (as well as some other characters I won't spoil) back too.  (Netflix)

7. The Devil's Plan:  In this clever and engrossing reality show, contestants (most of whom are Korean celebrities, though the only one I'd heard of was Seungkwan from the idol group Seventeen) face off in numerous games of strategy and skill over the course of a week.  (Netflix)

8. Reacher:  Jack Reacher, the hero of Lee Child's novels, is 6'5" and super muscular...so he was played by Tom Cruise in the movie.  Uh, okay?  Fortunately, the TV series rectified that error and cast Alan Ritchson, who more than adequately fills Reacher's very large shoes.  Reacher is an ex-soldier and drifter who goes to a small Georgia town in search of his brother.  He's falsely arrested for murder, and when he's released, he teams up with two cops to uncover a conspiracy.  Lots of great, bone crunching action, and whooo Reacher is fun to look at.  Plus he's very protective, and I would be lying if I said watching a huge handsome dude punch an animal abuser didn't give me a wetty.  (Amazon Prime)

9. Gen V:  A college for superheroes has dark secrets, and some of the students are determined to bring them to light.  It's a spin-off of The Boys, so you know what THAT means:  graphic sex, foul language, and enough gore to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.  (Amazon Prime)

10. Squid Game: The Challenge:  This game show is based on the Korean drama that pretty much everyone watched in 2021, but fortunately nobody gets killed!  456 contestants start out, and as they're eliminated, money is added to the pot until one person is left with a $4.56 million prize.  Most of the games are based on ones from the original, but there are a few new twists too.  The finale airs tomorrow, so I'll be curious to see who wins!  (Netflix)