It’s that time of year when we think back on all the incredible films and television we’ve watched this past year. Some were excellent. Others…just okay. While I will never claim to have seen every single new show drop, I watch A LOT. This is why I will have three Top 10 favorite lists for you: New Series, Returning Series, and Canceled/Finished Broadcast Series!
Here is my list of my Top 10 Favorite NEW scripted shows of 2023! First, let’s start with…
HONORABLE MENTIONS
There are a couple of series that didn’t quite make it to my Top 10, but I think should be on your radar. Those are Disney+’s Goosebumps and Netflix’s That 90s Show. Goosebumps puts a new spin on the books you know and love, weaving familiar stories together into one ongoing narrative. It’s sort of like an interconnected anthology series, where each episode draws from a different book and centers around a different character.
That 90s Show takes me back to a world I’ve missed, led by my favorite characters from That 70s Show, Kitty and Red. The premise of the series is perfect. Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna’s (Laura Prepon) daughter Leia is spending the summer with her grandparents. This allows for fun cameos for us old-timers but also allows the new characters their own space.
10. Night Court
I really hope the sitcom is making a comeback. Sometimes you’re so over the drama, the horror, the YA Love Triangle that you want to turn on something silly. That’s why the NBC Night Court reboot is on my Top 10 List. The show is nostalgic for the original that I love but with an updated twist. The storylines are fun, heartfelt, and the perfect pallet cleanser when your normally scheduled programs get to be too much.
9. Gen V
I really enjoyed the first season of Prime Videos, The Boys. However, I fell off during season 2 and never picked it back up. However, I still enjoyed the world and all the gorey, crazy chaos. So, when watching Gen V I was brought back to everything I loved about the first season of The Boys with a YA Twist. This series was written for me.
8. School Spirits
The new Paramount+ Series, School Spirits is based on the Graphic Novel by Nate & Megan Trinrud and Maria Nguyen. The series and novel focus on a young woman named Maddie who is stuck in the afterlife…in High School! I love a good whodunit, and School Spirits keeps you guessing the entire way through. Once I think I know what’s going on, something or someone new is thrown into the story that changes everything. After that wild cliffhanger at the end of season 1, I cannot wait to see where the series goes from here!
7. Swarm
Prime Video’s Swarm is a dark descent into Queen Bae-obsession. This series is not a light-hearted romp, it is a horror/thriller and you find that out very quickly. Swarm doesn’t pull any punches and the kill count gets high fast, along with the incredible cameos. I loved that every episode makes you think, as well as want to discuss what you just watched. So, make sure you have a buddy.
6. Based on a True Story
Peacock’s Based on a True Story is truly the surprise of the year for me. Maybe it’s because I love True Crime, maybe it’s the great cast and outrageous storyline? I don’t know! It’s just fantastic. Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) and Chris Messina (The Mindy Project) are fantastic together. They skillfully convey the mixture of wavering love and exasperating animosity that often characterizes couples in such circumstances. However, the true standout performance in this series is delivered by Tom Bateman in his role as Matt the plumber. He effortlessly steals the spotlight in every scene he appears in.
5. Shrinking
A surprise stand-out of the year for me is AppleTV+’s Shrinking. The series stars Jason Segal (How I Met Your Mother) and Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) as therapists fighting their own demons. Segal plays a recent widow who is trying to manage his grief, save his relationship with his daughter, as well as help his patients without getting fired.
The writing and performances showcase the tumultuous nature of the human experience, capturing both the chaotic and uplifting moments that define it. It is truly refreshing to witness portrayals of imperfect characters navigating the complexities of life, adding a sense of authenticity to the storytelling.
4. Daisy Jones and the Six
Obsessed is putting it lightly. During the pandemic, I was listening to Taylor Jenkins Reid‘s novels. Yes, I’m an audiobook girlie. The Daisy Jones and the Six novel is fantastic, and the show is nearly perfect. Not only did Prime Video bring the story to life, but the cast also recorded the iconic album spoken about in the novel, “Aurora”. Did I purchase the Vinyl? Yes. Yes, I did.
The casting for Daisy Jones is fantastic. Each actor brought these characters to life as if they were plucked from my head. My biggest issue with the adaptation is the refusal to make Daisy the wreck of a character she is in the book. You don’t need to make her more likable to have a good ending. She trash. Let her be trash.
That said, If you love the drama of rock bands, and getting a peak inside of what makes them tick, as well as fall apart, then this series is for you.
3. FOUND
I LOVE a procedural. I grew up watching them with my dad and they have found a special place in my heart. It’s hard to create something new when there are so many spin-offs of the same series. The series is reminiscent of some of my favorite procedural shows of the past. There’s a Dash of Prodigal Son with a hint of Without a Trace and a whisper of Scandal. That said, somehow FOUND feels brand new and even more exciting.
The series follows Gabi Mosley (Shanola Hampton), who is a recovery specialist. Gabi also runs a crisis management team that helps find those who are forgotten. Gabi was kidnapped as a little girl who saved herself. So, driven by her passion and need to regain her power she crosses lines to help herself and others. FOUND brings an important conversation to the forefront in a digestible way. Every episode of the show focuses on a distinct community that is grappling with various challenges, encompassing a wide range from indigenous women to unhoused populations. The factual information it presents is firmly based on the unfortunate realities that form the foundation of its premise.
2. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
I’m a huge fan of Netflix’s Bridgerton series. I’ve read all the books and have enjoyed the adaptations so far. However, the Queen Charlotte one-off story stands out on its own. In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story we see Charlotte is dealing with the pressures of her children providing an heir to the thrown. This storyline serves as the catalyst to send us back to the beginnings of her betrothal to King George III, their love story, as well as his spiral into madness. The story is as compelling as it is heartbreaking.
While some people will scoff at the liberties in storytelling taken, I look at the Queen Charlotte series similarly as I would Reign or The Tutors. This is a dramatization loosely based on history. That said, the way the writers flesh out the king’s spiral into madness is powerful. I’m hoping that the success of the first A Bridgerton Story spinoff means we’ll get a Violet and Edward season!
1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Choosing Percy Jackson and the Olympians may be a controversial choice. However, I stand by it. FINALLY, Rick Riodoran’s incredible book series has been given the visual adaptation it truly deserves. The cast is spectacular. Not only are they age-appropriate, but their acting and chemistry are spot on.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is also full of action and monsters! The mythological creatures and characters are straight of out my favorite books. I appreciate that the series has chosen to lean into the silly along with the scary. I’m amazed by how this series has impeccable pacing, and dynamic physicality, as well as insightful lessons on Greek mythology for those who may be curious.
For more TOP 10 List stay tuned to THS!
