Despite my undying love for films, we have now reached a stage where the quality found on TV is actually far superior to 90% of offerings churned out on the silver screen. Since running through my top ten favourite shows of 2015 in November, I have discovered a plethora of other top notch shows. Here are ten of them:
10. Master of None
Where Are We: Season 1
What’s It About: Semi autobiographical take on professional life and the dating scene as an Indian American in 2015.
Why It Is Good: Aziz Ansari has wasted no time since Parks & Recreation ended back in March 2015. As well as becoming a household name on the stand up comedy circuit, he created and starred in this gem. With all Ansari’s usual commentary on technology and social interaction, Master of None also has a boatload of heart beating through it’s core.
Check out second episode ‘Parents’ for a smart and quietly heartbreaking take on discovering your roots and family. Ansari is perhaps not the first of the Parks & Rec alumni that you would consider able to carry his own show, but with Master of None he has pulled it off in spades.
Best Quote: ‘If you go back far enough we’re all one-sixteenth something. I’m probably one-sixteenth black. You think they’re gonna let me play Blade?’
For Fans Of: Parks & Recreation, The Office (US), Party Down
9. Adventure Time
Where Are We: Season 7
What’s It About: Jake the Dog and Finn the Human go on many magical adventures.
Why It Is Good: Beloved by people of all ages, Adventure Time is a cultural smash hit that remains fresh and vital even after going over the 200 episode mark in 2015. Season 7 has seen some of the vast array of supporting characters back stories fleshed out, none more so than Marceline and Princess Bubblegums in the 8 part ‘Stakes’ saga.
The universe and back story inherent in Adventure Time continues to grow to incredible levels and there is a whole world to explore for anyone who has yet to catch what is simply one of the all time greatest cartoons.
Best Quote: ‘To live life, you need problems. If you get everything you want the minute you want it, then what’s the point of living?’
For Fans Of: Regular Show, Rick and Morty, The Simpsons
8. Daredevil
Where Are We: Season 1
What’s It About: Blind lawyer Matt Murdock and powerful millionaire Wilson Fisk are locked in a battle of good vs evil.
Why It Is Good: Daredevil marks the first time in the entire Marvel franchise where the creators have been given free reign to make something as dark and gritty as they wish. The result is a violent, bleak and powerful superhero story. Whilst Daredevil exists in the same universe as The Avengers movies, thematically it is worlds away.
This lack of constraint breathes a new lease of life into a genre that is in danger of becoming ubiquitous and stale, and the strong cast featuring Charlie Cox, Rosario Dawson and Vincent D’Onofrio brings much needed gravitas.
Best Quote: ‘My grandmother, she was the real Catholic. Fear of God ran deep. You’d have liked her. She used to say, “Be careful of the Murdock boys. They got the devil in ’em’
For Fans Of: Watchmen, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel
7. South Park
Where Are We: Season 19
What’s It About: Four foul mouthed school kids tackle the big issues facing the planet: racism, inequality and Barbara Streisand.
Why It Is Good: South Park has always been an incredibly ambitious show but in season 19 Trey Parker and Matt Stone stepped it up a notch by having a linear storytelling approach that followed on through the entire season, rather than 10 unrelated, stand alone, episodes.
With the town of South Park itself transformed and numerous new characters introduced, Parker and Stone took big risks with season 19 rather than resting on their laurels, and the result is yet another intelligent and compelling series of South Park.
Best Quote: ‘Ad got me… Ad got me, Sharon’
For Fans Of: Archer, Family Guy, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
6. Jessica Jones
Where Are We: Season 1
What’s It About: Private detective Jessica Jones tries to escape her former abuser
Why Is It Good: Daredevil took the MCU in an exciting new direction but Jessica Jones was the real success story of the two. Jessica Jones is as hard hitting as it is possible for a Marvel production to be, and in Krysten Ritter they surely have a future star in the title role. Alongside Ritter, David Tennant is incredibly frightening as the evil Kilgrave and Jessica Jones is worth watching for his performance alone.
While Daredevil was fresh on arrival, it did eventually succumb to superhero cliché by the end of the season, Jessica Jones is a joy from start to finish however and season 2 is already confirmed to be on its way.
Best Quote: ‘Would you put day drinking under experience or special abilities?’
For Fans Of: Hannibal, Daredevil, X-Men
5. Peep Show
Where Are We: 9th and final season
What’s It About: Two thirty something’s wanking into a flannel
Why Is It Good: In terms of longevity Peep Show is unparalleled in the comedy world. 54 perfect episodes were rounded off in true Jez and Mark style as Peep Show returned to it’s roots for a familiar but hilarious final season.
The final episode was a fitting end for the El Dude Brothers but it was the penultimate entry ‘Kid Farm’ that ended up being the jewel in the crown of season 9. From Jez letting a snake loose in a children’s play area to Mark burying his drunk ex wife in the ball pool, ‘Kid Farm’ was absolutely vintage Peep Show.
Best Quote: ‘Because they’re so famously reliable – snakes!’
For Fans Of: The Office (UK), Fresh Meat, Inbetweeners
4. Narcos
Where Are We: Season 1
What’s It About: The quite frankly unbelievable exploits of real life drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Why Is It Good: The first 3 or 4 episodes are as good as any other show in this genre. Whilst Narcos loses steam slightly towards the end of the season, Wagner Moura’s spellbinding performance as Escobar keeps Narcoscompelling throughout.
Narcos is just 1 of 5 Netflix original series on this list which shows what a stellar year it has been for the streaming service. Not only has this been great for Netflix subscribers but it has also made competitors up their game with acclaimed shows like The Man in the HighCastle and Transparent coming out on Amazon Prime.
Best Quote: ‘Geniuses are always branded as crazy…’
For Fans Of: The Sopranos, Peaky Blinders, Life on Mars
3. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
Where Are We: One off 6 part true crime series
What’s It About: See title
Why It Is Good: The story of Robert Durst would be considered too far fetched to possibly be real if presented as fiction, which makes this documentary all the more unbelievable. As well as director Andrew Jarecki bringing all his skill to this HBO production it is Durst himself who is the real star.
Durst makes for a charismatic and jaw dropping interviewee and it in the interviews where Durst is at his most candid and interesting. Without giving too much away the conclusion of The Jinx is genuinely unforgettable. Has to be seen to be believed.
Best Quote: I couldn’t possibly say the best quote without giving away the ending. Watch it and see.
For Fans Of: Capturing The Friedmans, Paradise Lost, Making A Murderer
2. Ash vs Evil Dead
Where Are We: Season 1
Whats It About: Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams makes his long awaited return to the Evil Dead franchise.
Why It Is Good: Reuniting the star and director of Evil Dead in Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi sees the old magic return with Ash the same wise cracking, boom sticking, groovy loser that we all loved so much first time round.
When the series eventually returns to the cabin that started the whole thing off it is incredibly eerie to see it mostly unchanged since it’s first appearance back in 1981. As a long time fan of all the Evil Dead movies it was especially thrilling to see Ash return to his old stomping ground.
Best Quote: ‘The other first thing I got to do is some cardio, ’cause my heart is jackhammering like a quarterback on prom night.’
For Fans Of: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Strain, Xena: Warrior Princess
1. Making A Murderer
Where Are We: Season 1
What’s It About: Steven Avery spends 18 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Making A Murderer follows the sensational murder case that follows.
Why It Is Good: Despite dropping in the final three weeks of the year, Making A Murderer is easily the most talked about TV show of 2015. Possibly one of the most addictive shows ever produced, Making A Murderer lends itself perfectly to Netflix’s binge watch format. I watched the first 8 hours back to back in a pizza fuelled stupor.
It is impossible to describe how involving Making A Murderer is to the uninitiated. Watch it now before it becomes so ingrained in popular culture that it is impossible to avoid spoilers.
Best Quote: Yeah? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
For Fans Of: Serial, The Stairway, West of Memphis