2023 TV Shows: Year in Review

With 2023 at an end, I wanted show share my thoughts on all the new TV seasons I saw this year. I managed to watch through 16 seasons of TV this year. Most of them were new seasons to a preexisting show but there were a few that were brand new shows that came out this year. Overall, I thought this was a pretty solid year for TV. 

Before I start my ranking, I wanted to share a few honorable mentions. These are two shows that I started watching in 2023 but were not going to be finished until 2024. 

I. Percy Jackson and the Olympians

There have only been three episodes of this show so far but it seems incredibly promising. It is much more accurate to the book than the original film and I think is going to be significantly better than the movies. We haven't gotten far into the actual quest yet but I have very high confidence for this show. 

2. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

This show has a couple episodes left but has been very good up to this point. This show centers around a brother and sister who are trying to investigate the disappearance of their dad. What makes this show different than the Godzilla movies is that it manages to actually create characters that you care about not ones that are just there to be a POV for the monster action. It has a lot of fun globetrotting action and a solid mystery to it. I am still waiting to see if this show sticks the landing but so far I am very impressed with it.

With the honorable mentions done, here are my thoughts and ranking on the 16 TV seasons I watched this year. 

15. Citadel

Citadel was easily the most disappointing show I saw this year. On paper, it was right up my alley as a high-budget spy action show. Sadly, the end product was an incredibly boring show with very little action, no likable characters, and no compelling story. I am not sure what Amazon spent all the money on, snacks maybe, but it definitely wasn't on the action or set pieces of this show. I kept watching hoping it was going to get better or more exciting but it never did.

Score: 4/10 Grade: D

14. National Treasure: Edge of Tomorrow

This show started off promising but ultimately fell flat for me. I enjoyed all of the fun settings where our characters are trying to break into a historical landmark to retrieve something, similar to the Declaration of Independence mission in the original film. The episode at Graceland was a lot of fun. But beyond that, this show didn't really end up capturing the magic of the National Treasure films. Without Nicolas Cage around, the show was pretty much fighting a losing battle but I suppose the show was about as good as it could be without Nicolas Cage. 

Score: 6/10 Grade: C+

13. Willow

Willow was another Disney + show that couldn't really capture the magic of the original film. There were some aspects I enjoyed. I liked the whole world-building that was going on. It was interesting to visit in the original film and just as fun here. I also thought the different creatures and magical beings we encountered were all fun. Where this show loses me is that it tries to be a bit too modern. This show takes place in a medieval-like world but all of the characters act and talk like they are from the 21st century. It doesn't fit with the rest of the story. I can understand changing with the times, it isn't the 80s anymore but the characters should still talk and act like the setting they are in. I also felt that the story was a bit unfocused at times. It was unclear who the main protagonist was supposed to be as it kept switching. 

Score: 6/10 Grade: C+

12. Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion was an incredibly disappointing show. Secret Invasion is a great comic book storyline and this show did not do it justice at all. It was marketed as a small-scale political spy thriller starring Nick Fury which I was ok with. However, the execution was not good. There were some great moments in this. I thought the overall idea was interesting. I also thought the dynamic between Talos and Fury was good. I also enjoyed the backstory and depth we got from Nick Fury. However, the story as a whole just did not really go anywhere. The story just kind of meandered and then rushed through its finale which was also incredibly disappointing. If you want to see Secret Invasion done right watch the episodes of Doctor Who titled "The Zygon Invasion" and "The Zygon Inversion". 

Score: 6/10 Grade: C+

11. The Santa Clauses Season 2

This show was very much a mixed bag for me. I liked the whole family business aspect where Scott is trying to train Cal to be the next Santa and the whole subplot about Sandra becoming a witch. I think those two plot lines could have been good enough to base a season on. I also found the show to be incredibly funny at times. Gary steals every scene that he is in and The Magnasantas and Olga are both just hilarious. Where this story goes down for me is with the Magnasantis plot. They completely wasted his character giving the Mad Santa nothing to do until the last episode of the show. Scott doesn't even know the Mad Santa was around until the end of episode 4. I think this show would have been so much better if the Mad Santa was more of a threat throughout the season. The show made Mad Santa such a fun character, it just needed to actually do something with him. 

Score: 6/10 Grade: C+

10. iCarly Season 3

This was a season that I had a lot of fun with. I had a good enough time with the first two seasons of iCarly and this season just does more of the same. What made this season a bit different was that we got to see Carly and Freddy in a full relationship. This was something that was built up in the original show and finally gets paid off here. I also found this show to have a lot of funny moments. Spencer is always so hilarious. The worst thing about this season is that it ended on a big cliffhanger and then Paramount decided to cancel the show. Without a resolution, it is really hard to put this show any higher on the list. 

Score: 6.5/10 Grade: B-

9. The Continental: From the World of John Wick

This was a show I was a bit skeptical of at first. I wasn't sure how a spin-off show of John Wick was going to turn out. It didn't completely win me over but it was good enough. I enjoyed the backstory we got of Winston and Charon and how they became part of the Continental. I also liked how this show gave an outside perspective of this world. We get to see what the hotel and other aspects look like from the outside. I also thought the action was solid with a lot of practice fight sequences. The biggest issue I had was that the episodes were just too long. This show contains three episodes about 90 minutes each. I think it really needed to be split up into 5-6 40-50 minute episodes. I also couldn't really buy into the actor who played Winston. He didn't feel like a younger version of the character. 

Score: 7/10 Grade: B

8. The Mandalorian Season 3

The Mandalorian season 3 was the weakest of the show but still fairly decent. The Mando and Grogu dynamic was a lot of fun. This season also gives Grogu some new moments to shine and save Mando. I also really liked the plot about trying to reclaim Mandalore and the whole goal of reuniting the different factions. What keeps this season back for me is that the story just isn't as strong and it does take a little bit of time before things get going. I also felt that a few storylines that should have been season-long arcs were resolved too quickly. Overall, while it is the weakest of the series, I still had a good time with it. 

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B+

7. Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2

This is the first animated show to appear on this list. This is a great continuation of the story from season 1 and I think it is even better than the first season. This season has a lot more of a streamlined plot. While each episode does have its own mission, the overarching theme is just so much clearer. I also liked how this season focused more on the impact the end of the Clone War had on the Clone Troopers. It really humanized them as compared to treating them like mindless soldiers. I also liked the whole cloning aspect of the show. The biggest issue I had was that the season wandered a bit at times. There were several episodes that the Bad Batch didn't even show up in. Some of the episodes just feel a bit inconsequential. In the end, while it did have some issues, I felt this was a very solid Star Wars show. 

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

6. Ahsoka

Ashoka was the best Star Wars show that I saw this year. This show delivers everything one wants out of a Star Wars show. There are lightsaber battles, space fights, and shoot outs and they all are a great reminder of classic Star Wars. It is all really cool to see the different Rebel characters such as Ezra, Hera, Sabine, and Thrawn in live action. I also thought the Baylan and Shin characters were great additions to the story. They aren't exactly Jedi but aren't Sith either and it is interesting to see a different type of force user. I also like how we get a lot more depth from Ahsoka. The biggest issue with the show is that it is a bit bare on a story level. It has great Star Wars stuff in it but if you strip all action away, the story itself is pretty basic. Overall, this was a great Star Wars show and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here. 

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

5. What If..? Season 2

I quite enjoyed the first season of this show and the second season season was just as good. I like how each episode takes place in its own universe where small changes create huge story changes to characters. This show also gives some of the less prominent characters more time to shine such as Happy Hogan, Peggy Carter, Howard the Duck and Korg. The season also manages to tie together all of these different storylines into a big crossover final episode. It worked well in the first season and work just as good here. I just really like the gimmick of this show where it takes a familiar part of an MCU film, changes something seemingly minor about it and then builds this whole story out of it. Finally, I like how well paced the stories were. The episodes are only about 30 minutes but they do not feel rushed at all. The only issue I really had was that some of the episodes were a bit weak in terms of the characters they were focused on. Aside from that, this is a very good MCU show.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

5. Poker Face

Poker Face was one of the few new shows that I saw this year. This was a unique Mystery of the Week show from the director of Knives Out. I enjoyed the serialized nature of the storytelling with each episode being a different murder in a new setting. I thought Charlie was a fun character to center the show around. She is a bit of an offbeat person so it was to have a different type of person to follow. I also thought there were quite a few side characters that were a lot of fun. With each episode being in a different place, we get to see Charlie encounter all kinds of different characters. The only issue I had with the show was that it was a bit backward in its format. Instead of having the audience try and figure out the mystery along with Charlie, it shows what happens beforehand and we just have to watch Charlie figure it out. In the end, this was an original show that I had a lot of fun with. 

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

4. Loki Season 2

Loki Season 2 is the last of the Disney+ shows on the list. This was a great continuation of the story from season 1 and in my opinion even better than season 1. I liked how this show gives some of the side characters more time to shine as we get to learn about their pasts and see their relationships with Loki develop. The show gives a great arc for Loki and really does a great job of closing out his story. This season was also different than most MCU shows as it actually had an ending that wasn't rushed. The story here was very well-paced and gave adequate story to every episode without any feeling like a filler episode. The only issue I had with the show was that some of the side plots seemed a bit pointless or just didn't go anywhere. I am not sure what they show was going for with these but they really didn't add anything to the plot. Overall, this was a great season season and a solid close-out to Loki's story. 

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

3. The Last of Us

The Last of Us is another new TV show from this year. This was easily one of the best TV shows I have seen in a while. It has a great story from beginning to end. The relationship between Joel and Ellie is so well done. I like how the show takes us on this journey of their relationship as it grows from being bitter with each other to growing to be more like a father and daughter. I also like how the zombies were handled in the show. They are definitely present but they don't overshadow the story and let the main purpose of the show be about Joel and Ellie and their journey across the country. I also thought that the show did a great job of giving backstory to all of the characters. Even with the side characters, we get to see a bit of their history and why they are the way that they are. I don't have very much wrong with the show. The only issue I have is that some of the side tangents go on for a bit too long. Other than that, it is a very good, near-perfect show. 

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

2. Gen V

Gen V was the last of the new shows that I saw. This show is a spin-off of The Boys but still does a great job of being its own thing. There are references to The Boys but it is largely a standalone show which I appreciate. I think this show does a perfect job of showing what college life is like and the different issues young adults go through when they are trying to figure out how they are. Whether it be drug use, depression, eating disorders, or parental expectations, this show does it all and manages to give adequate time for each topic. The added aspect of everyone having superpowers is just icing on the cake and makes the story more action-packed and easier to engage with. Just like with The Last of Us, I have really no issues with this show. The only minor thing is that the ending felt a tad bit rushed but even with that, it is still a much better show than pretty much every other show on this list. 

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A+

1. The Bear Season 2

The Bear Season 2 was the biggest surprise for me this year. This show was not on my radar at all. I had heard about it on a podcast but didn't consider watching it until a colleague at work recommended it to me (shout out to Aaron Martin). This season follows Carmy Bearzatto as he attempts to open a new restaurant while also trying to navigate family issues and a new relationship. I don't know what it is about this show but it absolutely worked for me. The story stays compelling from beginning to end. All of the characters get fantastic arcs with Richie getting one of the best arcs I have ever seen in a TV show. I like that the show gets in-depth about all the headaches that go into opening a restaurant and I found it all extremely fascinating. I also really liked all the cooking moments and thought all of the food that was made looked really good. The show manages to give you tension, humor, emotional moments and so much more. This show has become one of my all-time favorites and I can't wait for the next season. 

Score: 10/10 Grade: A+