Floating down the endless stream of great TV…
Every year this article becomes harder and harder to write. The sheer breadth of choice available on television is insane and, as ever, I am only one man so there are some shows I’m bound to have missed. I haven’t got round to War of the Worlds or The Morning Show yet, for example. May I also take this opportunity to say that I didn’t really care for The Mandalorian. Sorry. As a recap, this list only includes shows that were new to 2019 so no Fleabag. Let’s get on with it:
10. Sex Education (Netflix)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
This Netflix comedy about a socially awkward teenager (Asa Butterfield) having to deal with his ridiculous mother (Gillian Anderson) working as a sex therapist took that potentially reductive plot point and injected it with warmth and emotional resonance in a show that was both touching and hilarious. There are more prestigious shows missing from this list, but in terms of pure entertainment, Sex Education deserves its spot.
9. Euphoria (HBO)
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Another teen drama with a large focus on sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, Euphoria instead preferred to focus on the darker side of teen life. Think 13 Reasons Why but for grown ups. Featuring an astonishing performance in the lead role by Zendaya, HBO cemented their reputation for hard hitting and innovative television with this stunningly rendered meditation on the melodramas and heartbreak of teenage life.
8. State of the Union (Sundance TV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
This underrated gem flew under the radar in 2019 but it is definitely worth seeking out. With each episode clocking in at under 15 minutes, one could comfortably watch the entire first season in an afternoon. Written by Nick Hornby and starring Rosamund Pike and Chris O’Dowd as a couple in crisis, State of the Union manages to make impending divorce but funny and poignant. Perhaps the most underrated show of the year.
7. His Dark Materials (BBC/HBO)
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Perhaps only so low down this list because I haven’t finished it yet, His Dark Materials is the adaptation that thousands of Philip Pullman fans have been waiting for. Forget the disappointing 2007 film, this version is the real deal. Ruth Wilson is suitably malevolent as the enigmatic Mrs Coulter but it is Dafne Keen as Lyra who keeps His Dark Materials grounded. A breakout performance from a potential star.
6. What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Translating Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s beloved cult classic from the cinema to the small screen was always going to be a challenge, particularly with an all new cast, but this hilarious and invigorating spin on vampires and werewolves perhaps even surpasses the source material. The central cast of Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry and Natasia Demetriou share a wonderful chemistry to ensure that What We Do In The Shadows more than lived up to the hype.
5. Catch-22 (Hulu)
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
This one is a special one for me as Catch-22 is by far my favourite work of literature. I went into this Hulu adaptation a little worried that they might fail to capture the glorious anarchy of Joseph Heller’s classic novel but I needn’t have worried. Christopher Abbot is a revelation as Yossarian, George Clooney and Hugh Laurie bring the star power and Kyle Chandler almost steals the entire show as the inimitable Colonel Cathcart.
Catch-22 is an anti-war novel that explores the humanity (or lack thereof) that war wroughts. This adaptation embodied that dichotomy perfectly.
4. This Time With Alan Partridge (BBC)
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
It took me a while to click with the format of This Time… but when the show found its rhythm, it provided some of the biggest laughs of 2019. Coogan is wonderful as ever as the hapless comedy icon Alan Partridge but he was matched every step of the way by a wonderful performance from Susannah Fielding as his long suffering co-host Jennie.
This Time… proved that there is still life in Alan Partridge yet. Back of the net!
3. When They See Us (Netflix)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
The tragic story of the Central Park Five is as heartbreaking today as it is prescient. Police brutality, racial profiling and the American justice system are all dissected in this incredibly affecting and powerful miniseries from award winning director Ava DuVernay.
When They See Us is a difficult watch at times but then great art isn’t always just about entertainment. And When They See Us is undoubtedly great art. Perhaps Netflix’s finest hour of 2019.
2. The Virtues (Channel 4)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Shane Meadows’ long awaited return to the small screen was a typically emotionally draining but rewarding affair with a career best performance from the ubiquitous Stephen Graham leading the way.
The Virtues tackles the most taboo subjects of all in a way that is quietly dignified but still incredibly affecting. The sequence that sees Graham’s central character Joseph experience all the thrills and spills of a night out was as technically proficient as it was emotionally eviscerating. Gripping and important television from one of the U.K’s master directors.
1. Chernobyl (HBO)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
And so, to the undisputed winner. Chernobyl was a testament to the power of what television has become. It is now perhaps the only medium that can provide those cultural moments upon which we define the passage of time. 2019 will forever be intrinsically linked with the televisual event that dominated it.
Chernobyl managed to be haunting, compelling and prophetic all at the same time. A juggernaut of technical achievement and gut-wrenching emotion. Quite simply, one of the greatest television shows ever made. Not just the big of the year but a show that is also in the conversation for best of the decade. Incredible.
Honourable Mentions
Russian Doll
Umbrella Academy
Good Omens
The Righteous Gemstones
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
Watchmen
Fosse/Verdon
The Capture
World on Fire