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| Killing Eve |
Every year there are a handful of new shows that come out and help to define the zeitgeist. In 2018, there were several shows that not only got the internet talking, but quickly assured themselves as the series that will define the next few years. In today's Listmania, there will be a look into the shows which premiered between January and December of this year and produced moments that proved why TV is still a viable medium. From high concept dramas to slapstick comedies, this year featured plenty of excellent programming worthy of giving a shot. These are the 15 that went above and beyond and may only continue to do so in years to come.
1. Killing Eve (BBC America)
While Phoebe Waller-Bridge left a memorable impression in Solo: A Star Wars Story, it should be noted that her writing for this dark crime drama was far more interesting. While her work is generally better remembered for comedy, she has more than enough skill at making a story of two women and obsession come to life with clues scattered throughout as Sandra Oh turns in one of the year's best performances. With an excellent wardrobe as well, this is a show that feels like it broke down the door and demanded to be loved right away. There's intention and power behind every frame, and it captures a different and subversive side to the crime drama that feels essential now. This is where the cat and mouse hunts must go. There's no place else to go, especially with a villain as immediately iconic as Jodie Comer's Villainelle.
2. Pose (FX)
Before the year was half over, Ryan Murphy had produced two of the greatest series of 2018 about identity. With the other being the second season of American Crime Story, his exploration of the drag queen scene in the 1980's ended up being one of his most ground breaking and important shows ever. While the sight of seeing queens dance before Billy Porter's sassy remarks, what made the show so powerful was the lack of glamour outside of the clubs, where the struggles of the LGBT community were allowed to be explored honestly and often for the first time by trans actors. The show provides a lot of the year's most emotional moments and the best performances as well, introducing actors who more than deserve to have long and successful careers. This is a show that pushes boundaries by trying to normalize and empathize with a community who hasn't been seen often in scripted dramas. Thankfully Murphy brings enough heart to the show to make it more than an exercise in camp.
3. The Bisexual (Hulu)
Desiree Akhavan had a strong 2018 on both TV and film. Her film, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, was a strong comedy exploring gay conversion therapy before Boy Erased came along. On TV, she continues to explore a much more complicated side of sexuality. Following a separation, Akhavan must find a way to be accepted and love, but finds it difficult when placed alongside her need for relationships and family. Her identity is as much about what separates her as what connects her, and there's plenty of experience thrown into every moment in the show. It's among the most affecting and personal of the year, and Akhavan's career is only going to continue to get more interesting as time goes on. This series never lacks a chance to be funny or sad, sometimes at the same time. It's great writing all around and evidence that the debate on sexuality is only going to get more interesting as time goes on. Hopefully Akhavan will be there to tell her stories.
4. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)
It may be silly to say, but the true expression of female empowerment came in the form of a TV reboot of a He-Man spin-off. Where the 80's series was more obsessed with muscular, sexual bodies, the new version features something a tad more realistic. The women in the show have different body types and their personal struggles have a depth that goes beyond heroes and villains. She-Ra must come to terms with her life as a former villain, managing to find acceptance from Glimmer and Bow as she uncovers her powers. It's a hero's journey that is plenty fun because this is one of those shows where every character is just as flawed as they are compelling forces of good. With a great supporting cast of princesses who go beyond typical expectations, this is one of the most enjoyable new series of the year as well as one of the most enjoyably playful and supportive. The show is a giant warm hug that ends every episode by throwing a blissful charm over the audience. Sometimes that's enough to make a show great.
5. Sharp Objects (HBO)
2018 was the year of writer Gillian Flynn. Along with the Steve McQueen movie Widows, she penned the screenplay for this miniseries based on her debut novel. Much like her other writing, there's certain aspects that can't avoid being controversial, especially as it explores the traumatic experiences of women within the crime drama structure. Add in a great supporting cast, and you get a series that pushed Amy Adams to yet another compelling performance that has enough layers to earn her an Emmy. Fans of dramas exploring complicated women will truly appreciate this series, especially with it featuring Big Little Lies director Jean-Marc Vallee once again behind the camera. It's one of the best stories of the summer, even at its most uncomfortable moments. It also proves that Flynn adaptations are the future of TV. The only thing missing is more Gillian Flynn novels to adapt.
6. Barry (HBO)
While it seemed like HBO's half hour comedies were doomed to grow stagnant, Bill Hader found a way to revitalize the format with a story of a hit man who turns to acting. It may sound like a gimmick, especially from a former Saturday Night Live member. However, it manages to go beyond the premise and finds the heart of a man rattled by death and the need to perform in a stressful environment of acting. The cast is just as great, managing to capture a blend of dark humor with psychological studies that lead to some of the most fascinating twists in any series this year. No matter how long the episodes are, Hader has found a calling card that proves he is capable of so much more than mugging for the camera. He can be a charismatic force of nature, finding depth in a character that could easily be seen as caricature.
7. The End of the F***ing World (Netflix)
One of the year's first surprise hits of the year was a show about two of the darkest teenagers you'll ever meet. The protagonist is so numb to happiness that he deep fries his hand before the first episode is up. The plot's focus around suicide may make it difficult to see as appealing, but the show finds a way to explore something human in the darkness. This is as much about getting inside the heads of mentally unstable people as it is the understanding of what it means to feel loved. It may be a crass and uncomfortable story in some ways, but it does more than enough to leave a mark with one of the strongest single seasons of TV this year. Many aren't happy that it's getting a second season given its poignant ending, but only time will tell if the show can move past darkness and find something else to explore that's still engrossing as well as gross.
8. Big Hero 6: The Series (Disney Channel)
As of 2018, Big Hero 6 remains the only contemporary Marvel movie to have won an Oscar (Best Animated Film). Part of that is likely due to the great cast of characters and world that is built inside the Japanese/American fusion of San Fransokyo. While the series may be presented in a more conventional style of animation, the stories are arguably a perfect companion to the film, capturing the humor of its characters and expanding personal relationships over time. It also helps that Scott Adsit returns as the lovable healthcare robot Baymax, whose deadpan analysis is always the highlight of any episode. The world of superhero TV has only gotten more crowded in recent years, but this is one of the few that is void of cynicism and lazy ideas. In its place is a simple idea of fun in episodes that are insanely rewatchable and fun. There may be more production values in any Netflix series, but they have one big flaw: they don't have Baymax.
9. Disenchantment (Netflix)
There was a time when the promise of a new Matt Groening show was the greatest idea in the world. Of course, this was a time when The Simpsons and Futurama were in their prime, serving as the pinnacles of genre parody. While his turn to fantasy isn't always a successful transition, it's definitely Groening going in an interesting direction. The stories have a lot more underlying connection and the final episode features a compelling twist to the preceding nine episodes. As a whole, there's room for this show to grow and become more interesting. For now, it's the third best Groening show out there, which is perfectly fine given what else is on his resume.
10. Kidding (Showtime)
After a recent middling career, Jim Carrey has finally returned to the world of pop culture with one of his most exciting roles in years. With help from collaborator Michel Gondry, this show satires children show hosts who seek to be the bright light of optimism while hiding darkness. Carrey plays a man whose life is falling apart, and it becomes increasingly sad. Without an outlet to express himself, it leads his art to be a demented reflection of his personality. It's definitely also one of Gondry's greatest works in awhile, as it captures the complicated emotions that come with being too optimistic in life. This will hopefully give a much needed boost to Carrey's career and that this is a start of many interesting, complex characters. Only time will tell, but this is a great start to whatever artful career these people decides to have.
11. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix)
There is a strong argument to make that this show ruined Riverdale. For fans of the Archie Comics series, they'll be familiar with the baffling and confusing recent season regarding a Dungeons & Dragons-type murder mystery. While it may be coincidental, it does feel like this was done to tie thematically into their highly anticipated spin-off. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is another series framed in the dark contemporary style with artistic cinematography, trendy cinematic references, and a love of all things edgy. With her first major role since Mad Men, Kiernan Shipka delivers a Sabrina the Teenage Witch for a new generation who is dark. Her world is full of fascinating and progressive characters, including an embrace of all gender orientations as they fight oppression. This is a coming of age story with a lot of scares to offer as well as some humor. It may not appeal to those who love the Melissa Joan Hart interpretation more, but for those willing to give it a chance, it's actually a rather successful reinvention.
12. Alone Together (Freeform)
Unfortunately, the amount of high end shows on Freeform tend to be few and far between. While there were trendier shows that premiered this year (Siren, Cloak and Dagger), none compared to the blissful wit of Alone Together. The story is simple: platonic friends Esther Povitsky and Benjia Aflalo go about their lives as stargazing Californian transplants. More than any other show, it captures the fun of friends who play into each other's indulgences and creates one of the strongest comedic duos. The stories may have never been exceptional, but it was only room for Povitsky to play up her love of glamor as she navigates mediocre jobs and desperation for friends outside of Aflalo. Maybe it's because the show was poorly marketed or that Freeform doesn't have a lot to offer, but it's a shame to see the show disappear so quickly. Over 20 short episodes, it proved that the friend sitcom still had a lot of juice left and could work in a modern context.
13. The Terror (AMC)
There was a time when AMC was associated with prestigious cable dramas that pushed boundaries. While they still have a few contenders (Better Call Saul), it has been awhile since a show has come out firing on all cylinders. This period drama is a story of men navigating the frozen tundra in a quest to get home. The only issue is that there's obstacles that seek to murder them. What the show does well is create dread over every episode, even if the visceral imagery is saved for powerful gut punches. This is a strong example of what a drama can be when allowed to follow its own path, finding intensity in the quietness instead of in zombies. While it will be tough to see how the show will keep up the pace in the long run, it at least has one hell of a first season under its belt, and proves that AMC is more than capable of pulling a few surprises out now and then.
14. Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas (HBO)
It seems like a rite of passage now that every person who ever appeared on The Daily Show under Jon Stewart would get their own show. There's of course Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Samantha Bee who have dominated the comedic discourse of politics over the past two years. But what about Wyatt Cenac, a prodigy of sorts whose low key vibe hides a deeper social commentary. Thankfully HBO found it wise to pair Oliver's Last Week Tonight with this variety show that deconstructed current events, especially as it related to how society sees civility. What value do the police have in our lives? The show is just as informative and entertaining as his contemporaries, but Cenac's approach to knowledge and humor is one of a kind. Even if this show never reaches the height of his peers, it's still one full of crucial information that will change how you see society. It's not as glossy as Last Week Tonight, but it still works.
15. Maniac (Netflix)
After leaving an indelible mark on pop culture with True Detective, Cary Fukunaga has returned to TV five years later with a sci-fi series that once again pushes boundaries. Lead by Oscar-caliber performers Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, it's a show that had fun with its simple premise of going into the mind of the mentally unstable. Once in there, the delusions conveyed so much creativity that ranged from gangster parodies to animal transformations. What makes it all more impressive is how it managed to convey a deeper study of Hill and Stone in ways that work. The show's average episode also benefited from not sticking to an hour long structure, and instead went as long as a story needed. It may be tough to fully understand Maniac after initial completion, but the literal head trip is one of the year's most exciting and original stories of the year, and it's great to have Fukunaga back out there messing with all of us.
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