10. Homeland - Homeland had its rough patches, particularly that god-awful third season, which dropped it out of most of the awards world and off the minds of most critics. But over the last several seasons, Homeland picked up speed again, and its final season was a jaw-dropper. It was intense, well-acted, well-written, and impeccably directed with a series finale that left viewers only wanting more. Homeland has been an excellent television series over the last decade, and it has showed us more of the world than maybe we ever wanted to see, but maybe we needed to see. It will be missed in the television landscape.
9. Mrs. America - A stunning miniseries, that kind of got swallowed up by Watchmen (not complaining here really, I was one of those die-hard Watchman fans that relegated Mrs. America to 2nd place), but it really was a stunning work. Led by an amazing cast, particularly Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Margo Martindale, and Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America was a powerful political work that showcased the multi-faceted struggles of the Women's movement, and also made it feel incredibly relevant despite it being historically set. I'm hoping that the year-end awards give it some love, especially with Watchman not in the running.
8. Ozark - This show has been such a slow build, but it really knocked it out of the park in its third season. Everything about the season was better than the previous two, with suddenly sharper writing, direction, and particularly acting. Ozark is the definition of addictive television, which often means a lack of substance. Ozark's third season you can have both.
7. Everything's Gonna Be Okay - I loved Please Like Me, Josh Thomas' previous comedy series, so I was definitely excited about his new series on Freeform. It did not disappoint. Like his predecessor, Everything's Gonna Be Okay is a brilliant mix of comedy, family, heartbreak, and emotional depth. This show was so well made, so emotionally resonant, and so honest, it was hard not to easily get attached. I can't wait to see what season 2 holds for our characters.
6. We Are Who We Are - Luca Guadagnino brings his signature style to television with his new HBO series We Are Who We Are. In classic Guadagnino fashion, this series is a blurry, hazy, effortless look at youth, duty, family, and young love. It was a unique series that stood out in the television landscape this year.
5. What We Do in The Shadows - One of my favorite Emmy nominations this year was when What We Do in the Shadows was nominated for Best Comedy Series. What a well-deserved honor for one of television's best comedies. Taiki Waititi and his team took their quirky film and made a hilarious and unique television experience that got even better in its second season.
4. Insecure - Insecure kind of blew up its world this year, and while it wasn't always the easiest show to watch, particularly as we say Issa and Molly pull apart, it stayed true to its style that made it such a success in previous seasons. Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, and Natasha Rothwell were brilliant as always, the storylines were raw, honest, funny, and left us only wanting to know what happens next.
3. Small Axe - Steve McQueen's new anthology series is winning a lot of critics awards on the film circuit this year. While I agree that each of these films could have been submitted as films, and they might be Oscar winners instead of Emmy winners, Amazon has made it clear that this is television, so that is why it is on this list and will be featured heavily in next year's Awards Psychic Television Awards. It really is a masterwork series, with brilliantly distinct and beautifully wrought episodes that prove that McQueen really is one of the best filmmakers working today.
2. The Crown - Season 4 of The Crown was easily its best yet. The storylines were so sharp, so relevant, with some episodes that were just jaw-dropping good. The additions of Emma Corrin and Gillian Anderson also helped provide a great boost for a series that just continues to thrive.
1. (TIE) Better Things and Schitt's Creek - I have written so much about these two shows this year, I will leave it at this: at the end of 2020 these are still the two best comedy series, the two best shows on television this year, and absolute masterpieces.
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