10. Stranger Things - This season of Stranger Things was a long time coming, and it was worth the wait. Darker, bigger, more emotionally resonant, Stranger Things took an horrific turn (not in terms of quality, in terms of story), and left us with nightmares. The episode "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab" is a cinematic masterpiece on the small screen. I don't know how Stranger Things will end, but this last season made we count down the days till we found out.
9. We Own This City - David Simon's spiritual sequel to The Wire came and went much like its predecessor. When I look at most of the Emmy nominations this year for the Limited Series categories, I can name someone from this series that was more deserving. Of course, that is the history of David Simon after his initial success with The Corner. Emmy voters have continually ignored his brilliance, and We Own This City is no different. It is bold, dark, brilliant, and quietly, yet impressively, effective.
8. Better Things - Better Things ended on a pitch-perfect note. Pamela Adlon's quirky, funny, loving series about family, friendship, motherhood, and life was one of the finest shows of the last decade. It's last season concluded the series with aplomb, and left a whole in our hearts that will not soon be filled.
7. Better Call Saul - Better Call Saul may never have the same level of recognition as its predecessor Breaking Bad, but damn if it didn't blaze its own trail. It's final season was its finest and darkest and proved that it should only be compared to itself.
6. The White Lotus - The White Lotus' second season takes us to Italy, and continues the awkward, funny, dark, twisted humor of the original series. It was fantastic, and I think I speak for its fans when I say, I can't wait to see what Mike White and his team do with this intriguing series next.
5. Somebody Somewhere - This gem of an indie comedy was so funny, honest, and real, and was led by a jaw-dropping performance from Bridget Everett. I was so thrilled to see it got a second season. It deserves it for its honest insight into humanity, something we all need to see.
4. The Rehearsal - A series that is equal parts cringe and funny, bizarre and funny. Like many folks, I was both intrigued and flabbergasted by The Rehearsal, and its creator Nathan Fielder. But many moons later, I am still thinking about this series, which is the tell-tale signs of brilliance.
3. Hacks - Hacks Season 2 goes on the road, deepens the dynamic between Deborah and Ava, and brings some great material to some of its supporting cast, particularly Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs. It completely avoided the sophomore slump, built on its excellent first season, and remained one of the funniest, sharpest, and best shows on television.
2. Abbott Elementary - Every once in a while, a show comes along that reminds you that broadcast television is not dead, and can still make some real small screen gems. Abbott Elementary is one of those shows. Emmy Winners Quinta Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph, and the rest of the amazing cast, lead a pitch-perfect comedy about teachers in an inner city school in a mockumentary style. It is such an honest, funny, and refreshingly unique comedy series that has only gotten better in its second season.
1. Heartstopper - Heartstopper made our hearts stop. While most of us stopped being teenagers awhile ago, something about this series felt universal. It wasn't just made for teens. It was made for the many generations before it that wanted to have a crush on the guy we liked in high school, that hoped our parents would understand, that wished we could be happy and have friends, and somehow, despite all the pressures of being a teenager, we could find our people. This show was pure joy, and a wonderful new edition to the television landscape.
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