The Best TV Shows of 2023

We have yet to feel the full effects of the double strikes that shut down Hollywood for a good portion of this year, and whether it was because we were paying more attention to things or because it was an unusually good year, television felt especially robust in 2023. Across genres and formats, TV shows repeatedly exceeded our expectations, and when our old favorites made their inevitable final bow, new gems stepped into their place.

Many wondered, after the end of Succession, if there would ever be a show that held our collective attention so intently (that is, until House of the Dragon comes back). What we saw instead was an eclectic mix that matches a variety of tastes, from stress-laden half-hour cooking dramas to animated series that pushed the boundaries of the medium. Plus one outstanding video game adaptation and a show where a guy had no idea the trial he was involved in was completely fake. He was a good sport about it, though.

To celebrate the year in television, we’ve picked 12 shows that not only stood out from the rest in terms of cast, writing, and sheer storytelling power, but also defined the ever changing landscape of short-form television, whether by splitting a complex story into digestible chunks or by bringing back the case-of-the-week. From fungus zombies to crumbling billionaire dynasties, from a lie-detector detective to a high-concept home improvement show, here are the best shows on television from 2023.

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