Listmania: The Best New TV Shows of 2015

Scene from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

With the dawn of 2015, it's time to look at the bright and young talents that will be filling up our TV screens in the year to come. The following is a list of shows that made their debut in the past year and more than lived up to the hype. The list features 15 shows that all caused gossip online and defined what serialized TV can do. There's a variety of selection here, including plenty from basic cable to streaming services like Netflix. So check out the list and enjoy because if you haven't been watching these shows, you probably should before there's an overwhelming amount to keep track of.

Aziz Ansari

1. Master of None (Netflix)

Following his departure from Parks and Recreation, it was a tough call to determine where Aziz Ansari would go next. Would he focus exclusively on his very successful stand-up, or even make movies? While those aren't off the table, there's definitely a lot to celebrate with his first series as writer, producer, actor and occasional director. It's a comedy that plays to his sensibilities and even gets very personal and intimate on the subjects of familial immigration, race casting in Hollywood, and sexual politics. It's a show that is often uproarious while also capturing something more profound about the current state of those in their early 30's. It's a great show with an impressive cast (Noel Wells and Alan Yang specifically) that is definitely pushing important boundaries for what a sitcom could be. Here's hoping that season two can keep it going.

Scene from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

2. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

It has been awhile since we last heard from Tina Fey. With the towering achievement that is 30 Rock behind her, where does she go next? In a move that continues the bad decisions of NBC, the show actually came after being rejected by other networks. Yet somehow it managed to be just what Netflix needed: a sensationalist comedy with a great cast lead by Ellie Kemper, and a great subtext based around survivors of abuse. Don't let that last part fool you. The show is so full of life and humor that you'll find it too addictive to watch just once. It's so great to have Fey back, and it's even better that Kemper actually has a vehicle suitable to her skills. If nothing else, it also could serve as you own conspiracy theory on where Don Draper would end up if he changed his identity.

Scene from Togetherness

3. Togetherness (HBO)

Before the year was even a month old, HBO unleashed the latest series from The Duplass Brothers. Paired between the younger, hipper Girls and Looking, Togetherness was a comedy for the aging 40-something as their relationships were fading as fast as their bodies. What the show managed to capture was a mix of the indie comedy aesthetic alongside some harrowing relationship plot lines. Even then, the show was at its best when allowed to improvise and have fun. This is nowhere near as notable as it was in "Kick the Can," where a day at the park turns into a riveting feud between everyone. The show also features some of the most uncomfortable nudity (both male and female) of the year, which only gives it more credibility as a show for a demographic that hasn't been seen too much on TV in this way. Here's hoping that the cast remains as strong as ever come next season.

Scene from Better Call Saul

4. Better Call Saul (AMC)

Here's a question: How do you top Breaking Bad? The answer is, you cannot. While this show's early outing is definitely rougher than its predecessor, it at least does an admirable job of trying to fit within the canon of the series. With a lot of great direction and memorable performances from Bob Odenkirk and crew, the show's attempt to be a legal crime drama has its intriguing moments, notably with Jonathan Banks in "Five-O." The season wasn't without its flaws (The Kettlemans), but at least it didn't ruin the reputation of the bad people of ABQ. When its only fault is being lesser than Breaking Bad, then that's a gamble that I'm willing to take - at least for now.

Scene from Humans

5. Humans (AMC)

Just when it seemed like AMC was about to run out of steam, Humans came along and offered the channel its first sci-fi series. It also helps that the results were an impressive ability to show our personal relationships with robots and how that is neither as great or as terrible as we'd think. There's plenty of suspense, but the best part is the slow drama that unfurls throughout the show's run. Beyond its lofty ideals, it's a show that feels like the next logical step for AMC without going into total ridicule (Fear the Walking Dead). Here's hoping that the success of Humans means that there's more intelligent dramas on the way to keep the network going into a miserable genre hole that ruins its reputation entirely.

Scene from Jessica Jones

6. Jessica Jones (Netflix)

In 2015, Netflix launched their crossover series with Marvel. While the movies have become more hit and miss, the promise of edgier superhero shows meant that there was a chance to see something exciting. Thankfully, Jessica Jones offered it in spades. The noirish series has the feel of terror around every corner and Krysten Ritter finally gets a role people will remember her for. It's a great show beyond its detective skills, choosing to add personal depth to Jessica Jones' character in ways that Marvel hasn't done before. It's a series about abuse victims, and it's done so in a way that's impressive for mainstream entertainment. The results are a welcomed sign for the Netflix-Marvel deal, even if it just goes back to silly action stuff when the next series comes around.

Bob Odenkirk

7. W/ Bob and David (Netflix)

It almost seems unfair to pit a series with only two hours of content against every other show on this list. However, that also serves as a compliment for what this 21st century reunion of Mr. Show ended up being. Bob Odenkirk and David Cross return to the world of offensive sketch comedy and have nary a weak sketch in the bunch. Whether it's the story of the pope who works from home, or the tech genius who uses his idiot brother for conventions in Russia; there's a lot of immediately memorable and amazing things to be found in this series' short run. Good luck forgetting the jokes, as they come loud and unapologetic. One can only hope that this isn't the end. If it is, here's hoping that we don't have to wait another decade for the next incarnation.

8. The Muppets (ABC)

In all honesty, I think that The Muppets have run their course. In today's modern society, the idea of kids being interested in primitive puppets seems a little hard to swallow. Even the fact that the live action sitcom The Muppets was to be more adult seemed problematic. However, there's enough juices in this version to keep people entertained. Even if the early episodes had their share of problems, the show quickly found its footing and even managed to make the mockumentary style far more endearing than it should be. It may not have the bite of their earlier movies, but this show is still a lot of fun, and that may be enough for this point in their legacy.

9. Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (Netflix)

Let's give credit where credit is due. While the dramas on Netflix seem to all be similar in length, their comedy series take liberty in orders. W/ Bob and David had four episodes while this one featured eight. Thankfully, the show has its own meta premise that plays into its b-movie summer camp film that preceded it by a good decade. In a strange twist, everyone's too famous and aged to get away with the gimmick - and that just makes the results all the more surreal and funny. The story gets stranger, but this is one that's best enjoyed with fresh eyes. It's a love letter to the movie while making fun of origin stories in general. It may not work for those not into this style of comedy, but it sure is bliss for those who do.

10. Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)

In a year that also saw Master of None, it's interesting to note that this was the first Asian family sitcom in several decades to be on broadcast TV. There was a lot of pressure to be an amazing achievement for an entire continent of people. While the show's creator Eddie Huang pretty much dismissed the show on grounds of authenticity, there's no denying that the show quickly managed to be about more than race relations. It was about a family dealing with identity and the familiar problems of youth. It may feel a little conventional otherwise, but the cast gives their all and makes for one of the more refreshing broadcast sitcoms of the past year.

Left to right: Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda

11. Grace and Frankie (Netflix)

Netflix's comedy outlet pretty much covered all of their bases this year. If you're a fan of the Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin comedies, such as 9 to 5, then this was such an easy sell. Thankfully, the two leads are just as spry and funny as ever. Even with the premise of two elderly ex-husbands getting married, the show manages to be more than a shocking gimmick. It's more about the value of having gal pals in old age, of whom you could talk to about very intimate things with. The show is not without heart, as it's not about spite, but how people learn to let go and live their lives in the face of defeat.

Jay Baruchel

12. Man Seeking Woman (FXX)

While a wildly inconsistent show in terms of jokes, Man Seeking Woman may be one of the most creative series to hit the airwaves in the past year. It took the simple concept of dating and made surreal and fantastical metaphors for every situation possible. The show features a variety of things; including a conjoined couple, an ugly troll, dating Hitler's daughter, and even penis monsters. Admittedly, this show is a lot of fun to figure out where they go next with things. Baruchel also deserves credit for making the show work beyond its gimmick, even if it does have some work to do to better itself for season two.

Bruce Campbell

13. Ash vs. Evil Dead (Starz)

There's a certain charm to having an Evil Dead TV series in 2015. While there hasn't been a film in close to 20 years (sans the reboot), it's refreshing to see Bruce Campbell back delivering one liners and brutally killing Deadites. Sure, the gimmick does wear thin from time to time, but the fact that it's a horror show that tears away the pretensions of other shows and focuses on the fun, it's quite an effective show. Yes, it does suffer from some low budget problems (this is Starz we're talking about), but that doesn't take away too much of the appeal. It's a pretty solid show and a good quick fix for those that just want a silly horror show to kill a half hour.

14. F is For Family (Netflix)

Coming in just below the radar is Netflix's last animated comedy series of 2015. It's a throwback to the inappropriateness of 70's culture, thanks in large part to profane comic Bill Burr. What makes the show particularly interesting is that despite the casual swearing and constant dark turns, it's a family comedy that manages to have a lot of sentimentality underneath the grime. It's the equivalent to what The Simpsons would've been in 1990, had the show been able to get away with more. For a show with only six episodes, it manages to make every moment count.

Rose McIver

15. iZombie (CW)

Rounding out the list is one of The CW's latest series in an otherwise really good year of TV. From the creator of Veronica Mars comes Zombie Veronica Mars. Thankfully, that's not as much of an insult as you'd think, as the show manages to have a lot of smarts and wit to it that makes its crime show trappings into something far more complex. Yes, the gimmick of a zombie eating brains for powers may seem silly, but the show is willing to embrace it, which allows it to be at very least one of the most enjoyable new shows of the year. It's good for a quick fix if you're looking for an hour long show with not a lot of stakes, but still has a pretty good story underneath.