We’re halfway through 2023 and Consequence is looking back at the best pop culture has had to offer so far this year. Check out our list of the 15 best TV shows of 2023 below, and also take a look at our ranking of the best albums, best films, best songs, and best metal albums of the year to date.
What a year in television it’s been, and we’re barely halfway through it. The conversation online about the best TV shows of 2023 might have been dominated by HBO, which followed up the first season of The Last of Us with two thrilling final seasons of its Emmy series, but there was a pretty impressive amount of unique shows that captured our attention on a weekly (or binge) basis.
The industry might be in a moment of upheaval, as Writers’ Guild of America members strike for fair working conditions in the face of an increasingly complicated and brutal media landscape; the existence of these series is one of the best arguments possible for encouraging the studios to pay the writers what they’re worth.
There are some traditional comedies, dramas, and mysteries on this list, but there are also two series that blend unscripted and scripted comedy for a mind-bending take on reality, while shows about Hollywood itself made our list for the keen perspective they offered on this business of show.
There’s never any shortage of stuff to watch, these days. But maybe prioritize the below, if you haven’t already.
— Liz Shannon Miller
Senior Entertainment Editor
15. Grand Crew (Season 2)
Grand Crew (NBC)
Network: NBC
Created by: Phil Augusta Jackson
Cast: Echo Kellum, Nicole Byer, Justin Cunningham, Aaron Jennings, Carl Tart, Grasie Mercedes
The inclusion of Grand Crew on this list comes just as NBC officially announced its decision to not renew this great friends-hanging-out comedy. More fools they, as we have so few of them these days. So I’ll very much miss finding out what happens next to Noah (Echo Kellum) and his east side L.A. wine bar pals, but at least we got two seasons. The series, created by Phil Augusta Jackson, dug more into character relationships and the drama that comes with dating within one’s friend group this year, but rarely took the expected path for some of its most impactful moments. — L.S. Miller
14. Daisy Jones and the Six
Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video)
Network: Prime Video
Developed by: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Cast: Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Nabiyah Be, Tom Wright, Timothy Olyphant
Similar to another very successful Amazon Prime Video show (The Marvelous Ms. Maisel), Daisy Jones & The Six delights in hypotheticals: What if the band from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel was real? What would they sound like? How would the band and the rest of the book’s characters fit into the lore of the 1970’s music industry? Luckily, the show’s creators attempt to go above and beyond to answer these questions. The band’s fictional LP Aurora, helmed by Blake Mills, is as real as it gets; the music in the show, and the context these songs take on during their interpersonal spats, feels akin to watching a gripping Broadway musical. Besides the excellent tunes, perhaps the most surprising and compelling aspect of Daisy Jones is a breakout performance from Camila Morrone as Billy’s wife Camila — she carries significant weight throughout the story and does it with subtlety, empowered gazes, and an instant command of the room. — Paolo Ragusa
13. Party Down (Season 3)
Party Down (Starz)
Network: Starz
Created by: John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, Paul Rudd
Cast: Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Megan Mullally, Jennifer Garner, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoë Chao
Yes, the industry is relying too much these days on revivals and remakes, but every once in a while, the trend leads to something magical: the return of a TV show that was canceled too soon. And the return of fan-favorite Party Down did not disappoint creatively, as the creators found brilliant ways to update the series for these wobbly and uncertain post-COVID times. Plus, the show’s already top-notch original ensemble only got better thanks to new players like Zoe Chao, Tyrel Jackson Williams, and a promising young talent named Jennifer Garner (seriously, such a pleasure to see Garner getting to be a part of a show like this). Season 3 was great, and the only thing that could make it greater is Starz renewing it for a fourth season — because what those six episodes did was prove that Party Down could run forever, if given the chance. — L.S. Miller
12. A Small Light
A Small Light (Nat Geo)
Network: National Geographic
Written by: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, William Harper, Ben Esler
Cast: Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber, Joe Cole, Amira Casar, Billie Boullet, Ashley Brooke
The notion of an eight-part miniseries about the Holocaust may not sound all that appealing, but Nat Geo’s A Small Light is buoyant and powerful enough to rise above the miserablist pack. It’s the story of Anne Frank, but told from an unexpected lens: Miep Gies (Bel Powley), the Dutch secretary to the Frank family who helped them hide in the Secret Annex for two years, evading Nazi discovery. Even as the world grows darker, Miep’s courage and unexpected humor keeps everyone around her at ease, and the show itself light on its feet. Like the best stories of this era, what matters is not the grim ending we all know is coming: It’s the powerful resilience we see in those who chose to fight against such darkness. – Clint Worthington
11. Shrinking
Shrinking (Apple TV+)
Network: Apple TV+
Created by: Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein
Cast: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Christa Miller, Harrison Ford
After years of avoiding TV, Harrison Ford spent the first part of 2023 as a series regular on two TV shows, which is pretty mind-blowing. But we don’t need to talk about his involvement with the Yellowstone Cinematic Universe, though. Instead, let’s talk about Shrinking, the Apple TV+ dramedy that was perhaps a little wobbly in its early episodes, but, anchored by Jason Segel as a therapist and father trying to do better at both things, quickly found its footing as a heartfelt character story. It’s thus hardly a surprise that two of the show’s creators, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, come from Ted Lasso, a show fueled entirely by heartfelt characters. — L.S. Miller
10. Paul T. Goldman
Paul T. Goldman (Peacock)
Network: Peacock
Directed by: Jason Woliner
Cast: Paul T. Goldman
Another of Peacock’s slept-on gems is also one of its most indescribable. Equal parts true crime satire, deep-dive character study, and Borat-esque cringe doc comedy, Paul T. Goldman charts the semi-delusional quest of its titular figure — a middle-aged schlub who claims his second marriage was undone by international sex traffickers — to adapt his unbelievable story on the small screen.
In the hands of Borat 2’s Jason Woliner, though, it becomes just as much a profile of the man himself, putting him center stage in straight-faced reenactments of his po-faced script alongside actors like Frank Grillo and Dennis Haysbert. What starts as a voyeuristic exercise in laughing at a nebbishly guy with delusions of grandeur turns into something far broader and more interesting: A nod to the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of a chaotic, capricious world. – C. Worthington
09. Mrs. Davis
Mrs. Davis (Peacock)
Network: Peacock
Created by: Tara Hernandez, Damon Lindelof
Cast: Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, Andy McQueen, Margo Martindale, Elizabeth Marvel, Chris Diamantopoulos, Katja Herbers, Tom Wlaschiha, Ben Chaplin, Mathilde Ollivier
Here is an incomplete list of what you can expect to see in Mrs. Davis: Nuns, magic shows, decapitations (multiple), shoe commercials, cowboys, sword fights, Buffalo Wild Wings, a cult of people on a beach singing Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue,” a man named Schrodinger who has a cat, an old-timey scuba suit, and goodness, what else? Oh, yeah, a fascinating exploration of how science and faith are at war with each other in these wild modern times of ours. Betty Gilpin is outstanding in this funny, bonkers, and heartfelt series, which is never quite what you’re expecting (even if you’re expecting all the things I listed above). — L.S. Miller
08. Beef
Beef (Netflix)
Network: Netflix
Created by: Lee Sung Jin
Cast: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, David Choe, Patti Yasutake
Struggling contractor Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and successful small business owner Amy Lau (Ali Wong) seem like polar opposites when they get involved in a road rage incident. When the desire for revenge entangles their lives, however, Danny and Amy find they share an emptiness that can’t be filled; there’s no level of success that will allow each of them to truly be happy. Yeun and Wong’s performances will likely receive the most awards season attention this summer, but Joseph Lee and Young Mazino’s respective portrayals of Amy’s husband and Danny’s brother hopefully won’t go unnoticed: Both of them are crucial for humanizing the lead characters. — Eddie Fu
07. The Other Two (Season 3)
The Other Two (HBO Max)
Network: Max
Created by: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider
Cast: Heléne Yorke, Drew Tarver, Case Walker, Ken Marino, Molly Shannon, Brandon Scott Jones, Josh Segarra
The third season of HBO’s absurd comedy The Other Two has leaned further into its weirdness than ever before, often morphing into something outright surreal. Every episode is laugh out loud funny and features some incredibly clever pop culture references, with everyone involved really firing on all cylinders this season — don’t sleep on Josh Segarra, giving one of the best performances out there right now as weary fiance Lance. — Mary Siroky
06. The Last of Us
The Last of Us (HBO)
Network: HBO
Created by: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
One of the buzzier shows of the year, The Last of Us lived up to the (undead) hype. Two absolutely stellar central performances from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey propelled this survival story across the ravaged United States, where the horrors they encountered were far more than the zombies advertised. Plenty of episodes tip into the realm of horror, and the general subject matter might still be tough to take, here in the year 2023. But for viewers who can stomach it, The Last of Us is an incredibly moving, thoughtfully constructed, and emotional adaptation, worthy of the praise it’s received. — M. Siroky
05. Abbott Elementary (Season 2)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Network: ABC
Created by: Quinta Brunson
Cast: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, Sheryl Lee Ralph, William Stanford Davis
In the second season of Abbott Elementary, Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) and her fellow teachers continue to better the institution, despite issues like a teacher shortage, lack of resources, and the growing threat of Abbott itself becoming a charter school. Season 2 had a full 22-episode order, during which the romantic tension between Janine and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) continues to escalate, while Principal Ava Coleman (Janelle James)’s blunt sense of humor also shines. Plus, recurring fan-favorite Tariq (Zack Fox) makes his return, providing more hilarious and school-friendly raps. The season features various guest stars such as Vince Staples, who plays Janine’s short-lived love interest, Maurice, as well as Leslie Odom Jr., Taraji P. Henson, and Andre Iguodala. More importantly, it proved that Abbott Elementary is not a one-season hit — it’s a show built to last a decade, if it has the chance. Because there’s never a dull moment in the halls of Abbott. — Sun Noor
04. Jury Duty
Jury Duty (Freevee)
Network: Freevee
Created by: Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky
Cast: Ronald Gladden, James Marsden
What was advertised as a bold attempt at putting a regular person into The Truman Show via jury duty snuck up on viewers as one of the most heartfelt and life-affirming television shows in recent memory. Meet Ronald Gladden, a regular if horribly charming man who thinks he’s been assigned to serve on a sequestered jury, with one catch: Everyone else involved is an actor, and he’s the only one who doesn’t know he’s on camera. Despite the increasingly ridiculous shenanigans, Ronald Gladden responds thoughtfully and kindly, and by the end of the show, your faith in humanity might just be restored. — M. Siroky
03. Barry (Season 4)
Barry (HBO)
Network: HBO
Created by: Bill Hader, Alec Berg
Cast: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan, Henry Winkler
Like its title character, Barry has only grown darker and more unhinged since its debut season. The show’s concluding run proved to be no exception, embracing its most unconventional tendencies both structurally and thematically: From time jumps to major character overhauls (looking at you Fuchs/The Raven), Bill Hader and company held nothing back for the show’s final eight episodes, resulting in the type of ending that has you frozen in your seat throughout the entirety of the credits. By the time they wrap up, the only word you can muster also happens to be the title of the finale: “wow.” — Jonah Krueger
02. Poker Face
Poker Face (Peacock)
Network: Peacock
Created by: Rian Johnson
Cast: Natasha Lyonne
Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series revitalized mystery cinema, but his TV series Poker Face faced stiffer competition. Cozy whodunits have dominated the small screen since long before the streaming age, but Poker Face still managed to feel fresh by telling us whodunit right off the bat. Instead, the fun becomes watching Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale put the pieces together, and the suspense of not knowing is more than replaced by the suspense of her unwittingly talking to murderers. The jokes are as tight as the puzzle boxes Charlie solves, and Lyonne is such good company that Poker Face instantly felt like an old friend. — Wren Graves
01. Succession (Season 4)
Succession (HBO)
Network: HBO
Created by: Jesse Armstrong
Cast: Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Peter Friedman, Natalie Gold, Matthew Macfadyen, Alan Ruck, Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong, Rob Yang, Dagmara Domińczyk, Arian Moayed, J. Smith-Cameron, Justine Lupe, David Rasche, Fisher Stevens, Alexander Skarsgård
HBO has a somewhat rocky track record when it comes to wrapping up their acclaimed series, so as good as Succession had been for three straight seasons, the question remained: Will it stick the landing? Luckily, the answer, after “With Open Eyes,” was a resounding, unambiguous, dramaturgically sound yes.
Succession Season 4 accomplished what its fantastical counterpart, Game of Thrones, should have: It was shocking, but never cheap; it explored new ground, but never forgot its past; and the ultimate “victor” of the series was unexpected but entirely deserved. It’s not often a show like Succession comes along, one that so completely captures the zeitgeist, and it’s even less often that such a show comes through with this flawless of a conclusion. — J. Krueger
