Welcome to my third annual top ten list where I cover both dramas and comedies in separate lists. I split these up for a very good reason: I have absolutely no ability to distinguish quality between a comedy and a drama. If you asked me to compare the fifth season of The Simpsons with the first season of The Sopranos, I would be utterly incapable of ranking them against each other. It's like two different languages for me. Plus, I tend to favor dramas whenever I do force myself to compare it and I just don't want to make a list with 15 of 20 shows being dramas. The fact is that dramas have more stakes and more stakes mean I have more investment in what happens, and that leads me to deeming a certain show better. I don't want to do that.
With that said, this is probably one of the first years where there would be a very real danger that I'd have more comedies than dramas in a top 20 list. I can't be certain of course. But I really struggled to create a top five for drama, partly because I just didn't feel passionate about five shows that were worthy of a top five ranking. I'd go through the list and sort of mentally note "top five," "back half of top ten," and "potential top ten show." For comedies, I legitimately had seven shows that I thought were worthy of a top five placement and for dramas, I ended up labeling a ton of shows as back half and not many in the top half.
Anyway, this is just an odd year to me at least. A fair number of shows that appear on most end of year lists were shows that I thought were good, not great - or great, but with glaring flaws. Some of those shows will make my list still. I've introduced this long enough, and so I'll get on with the post.
#10 Jane the Virgin - CW
Seasons 3-4 (20 episodes)
Model Episode: "Chapter 61"
Jane the Virgin wins out on the #10 spot for essentially two reasons: the first is that it has more episodes than the other shows I was considering and maintained quality in those extra episodes. You'd be surprised at how few episodes most of the seasons on this list have. 20 is by far the most of any show on this list. The network drama is dead, that is except if it airs on the CW. (With that said, this is the lone representative from that network and only one other show was seriously considered, but I do watch SEVEN shows from this network)
The second reason is that they handled a major death of a character in pretty much the best way possible. It is a little annoying that this character had to die simply because that was always the plan, BUT they did one of the more fairly smart narrative choices I've seen. They skipped ahead three years. Long enough to where the pain was mostly gone, but they still dealt with the death in a smart way and found a way to seamlessly put it into the story. The model episode above is one such example. I also included that episode because it is deals with the grandmother being an illegal immigrant in a thoughtful way.
#9 Fargo - FX
Season 3 (10 episodes)
Model Episode: "The Law of Non Contradiction"
Two years ago, season 2 of Fargo found its way on my list. It was the second best show on my list and really, it very easily could have been #1 on my list no problem. 2015's top ten dramas was an enormously and inconceivably stacked year. There is absolutely no way that the third season of Fargo would have made that list. The third season is a clear step down from the first two seasons in my opinion, but clearly it's still a very good show!
If I were to pinpoint my main two issues with this season, it would be the villain and the police chief. Both were played by wonderful actors who were in no way at fault. VM Varga, played brilliantly by David Thewlis, was an obnoxious villain in exactly the way the show intended. But he was too omniscient and too brazen. He knew everything and he would do everything in broad daylight. It makes you wonder how the fuck the guy has never been caught. He's not charming. He's not fun to watch. Basically, the way he acted was at odds with what happened. If it was revealed that it was all a ruse, that this guy was no master criminal, it would have made a lot more sense to me. And the police chief, as played by Shea Whigman, was the worst kind of plot device. He literally only existed because if he didn't, Gloria Burgle (Carrie Coon) would have figured out the whole thing in two episodes. So that's why it's all the way down to #9 for me.
#8 Stranger Things - Netflix
Season 2 (9 episodes)
Model Episode: "Chapter Six: The Spy"
Usually, when a season of television goes so off the rails as "Chapter Seven: The Lost Sister" does, it would cost the show a spot here. I'm curious as to how I would rank this if it weren't for that episode to be honest. But I decided to keep it in because I admired the ambition and I do think it was a genuine need on a character basis for Eleven to have. The fact that it was largely not very good doesn't harm the show as much as it could have for those two reasons.
If I had to pretend that episode didn't exist - and for rewatch purposes I will - the second season is just as good as the first season. I have a few little quibbles with the show like Dustin's stupidity driving the plot instead of it making sense and the probably realistic but still irritating behavior of the boys towards Max. Overall though, it's thrilling. It probably peaks in Chapter Six, which makes the random detour in Chapter 7 all the more blunt and unwelcome. Still, I'm mostly along for the ride with this show and it's a pretty great ride.
#7 The Handmaid's Tale - Hulu
Season 1 (10 episodes)
Model Episode: "Late"
The Handmaid's Tale was a season of two halves. The first half was legitimate "best show of 2017" quality. The second half... would not be on this list at all. Thus, a tough conundrum for myself seeing as most shows more or less remain consistent throughout seasons. This season was somehow simultaneously great and makes me think a second season won't be very good. Because - having not read the book - apparently the show struggled when it deviated from the book and it deviated from the book largely in the 2nd half of the first season.
But that's next season. This season taught me that Alexis Bledel can act. No joke there. I didn't know she could before "Late" and now I at least know that she can with the right part. (I haven't seen Gilmore Girls so my opinion is based off her appearances in Sin City and Mad Men). Anyway the first half is fantastic. If I could, I'd probably edit the first season down to six or so episodes and then just pretend it was a great miniseries. Unfortunately the further expansion of the world building past what was in the book just left more questions than answers.
#6 FEUD: Bette and Joan - FX
Season 1 (8 episodes)
Model Episode: "And the Winner is...(The Oscars of 1963)"
I'm not sure that Feud would be on this list if it weren't for Susan Sarandon. I haven't seen that many Bette Davis movies and I am not familiar with how she acted in real life so I'm not exactly qualified to say this, but she seems to embody the spirit of Davis near perfectly. Jessica Lange isn't bad, but she's more or less competent. Where I can't imagine Davis being played by anybody else, I can fairly easily see somehow else playing Joan Crawford just as effectively. But I digress.
Anyway this is basically a classic feud, the perfect subject of what I imagine Ryan Murphy wants to do every season. Two enemies who are more alike than different who nonetheless let the few differences between them consume them and transfer it into hate. One big difference that is probably accurate but makes it very easy for me to take a side is that Crawford was more concerned about looking like a movie star and Davis was more concerned about the craft. The show was also able to use the time period to examine the sexism that contributed to their feud. And I can't forget about the wonderful work that Alfred Molina does as Robert Aldrich in this series.
#5 Legion - FX
Season 1 (8 Episodes)
Model Episode: "Chapter 5"
Calling Legion a comic book series - which it technically is - doesn't seem to do it justice. I don't say this because comic book series aren't capable of greatness, but the differences between this and, say Arrow, are so great that they don't seem to belong in the same genre. Legion is a commentary on mental illness disguised as an X-Men series. It is an expert use of the unreliable narrator, which I think is a very difficult point of view to capture in a way that's not endlessly frustrating. Our main character's mind is so unstable that we can't truly know what's real and what's not.
Like I said, that has the potential to be ridiculously frustrating, but it's all in the execution. Legion is something that couldn't have existed effectively 10 years ago. I've been watching Pushing Daisies, which aired on a major network and largely looked fake as shit. This series has some of the best special effects ever seen on TV. I can't imagine they have a large budget either. I have to give special props for the performance of Aubrey Plaza in this season. If you had any suspicions that her character on Parks and Rec was her not really acting, just watch this series and see her be amazing in it. Dan Stevens, a true bore in Downton Abbey, is also genuinely amazing here.
#4 The Leftovers - HBO
Season 3 (8 episodes)
Model Episode: "It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World"
It feels a bit weird for me to include The Leftovers here. I have typically been separated from the popular critical opinion on this show. I almost don't know what to do with myself now that I don't have to explain why this critically beloved show is off my list. I genuinely think a few things changed though. This is an altogether weaker year than normal for me. And The Leftovers cut the crap. They stopped focusing on the Guilty Remnant, a huge burden for me from fully embracing the show. Basically, in the first season there was the good parts of The Leftovers and the parts that I tolerated. In the second season, there were more good parts and still parts that I tolerated. There wasn't much that was just tolerated in the last season.
I still feel like I'm more down on this show than the people who love it, a weird thing to think since I placed it #4. I've always absolutely loved the episodes that was from the perspective of a single character ever since the show started. I believe the first ever one of those episodes featured Christopher Eccleston's character, Matt Jamison. So it's only fitting that my model episode in the last season is also focused on him. But in reality, most of the main characters get a comparable episode, even an unexpected one focused on a tertiary character, Kevin Garvey Sr.
#3 Alias Grace - CBC
Season 1 (6 episodes)
Model Episode: "Part 2"
Remember when I said that The Handmaid's Tale would stand a good chance of being near the top of my list if it was condensed into a 6 episode miniseries? Well, here's an example done right. Developed and written by former actor Sarah Polley - who seems to have stopped acting seven years ago at only 31-years-old despite being the lead in a fair number of movies, this series didn't have as much choice admittedly. Watch the series and you'll understand why it's a miniseries.
It's a little difficult to explain the appeal of Alias Grace because I want to share as little as possible. It's no spoiler that in the second episode, Alias Grace explores the difficulties of being a woman in the 19th century, even for a smart one who knows men are up to no good. I mean that's essentially what the whole series is about for the most part, but this one has a harder punch. The ending of the series is also bound to be at least a little divisive - at least for the people going in who haven't read the novel like myself. Like I said though, I'm purposefully sharing as little as possible here so you can experience it like I did.
#2 Better Call Saul - AMC
Season 3 (10 episodes)
Model Episode: "Chicanery"
Better Call Saul remains two different prequels and thus almost like watching two different shows. It works though because both characters are going through a moral deterioration. Granted, I probably would have come up with a different title, because it makes it sound like it's only Saul Goodman's show. It's also about Mike, the lovable cleaner for Gus Fring in Breaking Bad. Both of their worlds are getting closer and closer throughout the third season. I wonder if at any point, it will feel like the same show no matter whose perspective its from?
I obviously have no issue with the two different shows part of Better Call Saul since it is #2 on my list. The main conflict - and most emotionally engaging - remains Chuck vs Jimmy. And I think the series high occurs during "Chicanery" which is the courtroom episode of the third season. I'll be interested to see how many more seasons this show has in it, but they appear to be more than halfway done based purely off how Jimmy has slowly progressed into Saul.
#1 The Americans - FX
Season 5 (13 episodes)
Model Episode: "Dyatkovo"
Sigh. You know I really do want to put a different show here for once. I'm starting to approach fanboy territory. It's just I can't physically put another show here as long as The Americans remains at the top of its game. This show is just on my wavelength at all times. It didn't help that any show competing with The Americans for the #1 spot had less episodes. I feel compelled to give shows that have a harder responsibility - making more excellent episodes and following through with it - more props than shows that "just" need to make eight excellent ones. No worries though. The Americans only has one more season in it and I actually really do hope that it keeps the #1 spot.
Here's a fun fact. There have been two - TWO - shows that have been on my top ten for all 3 years of me doing this. The Americans has been #1 all three years. The other show? Jane the Virgin somehow. I'll feel some pressure to keep those streaks going for next year (I can't imagine The Americans not at least making an appearance even if it's not #1 again, but Jane the Virgin has its work cut out for it)
Honorable Mentions
Could Easily Be On This List
The Deuce - This show probably suffered most from not really having identifiable episodes to distinguish from each other. In making this list, I looked at standout episodes to determine a peak and with the exception of a shocking ending to one of them, the whole show just kind of morphed together for me.
MINDHUNTER - Call it the weak pilot effect. I was engaged in the pilot because of David Fincher's direction, but the show didn't really get interesting until episode two. There was just a whole lot of exposition to go through in the pilot episode that probably could have been condensed. Listen, my reasons for excluding these shows are flimsy as hell, but that's why they're on this section.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - It's sort of tough to grade a show like this against the rest of the shows since I'm only including 2017 episodes. So I'm not actually grading a full season, but the end of one and the beginning of another. You can see how that would be a negative towards landing on this list.
Just Didn't Have Enough Great Episodes
Big Little Lies - If I could pinpoint why this show didn't make my list, it's probably The Leftovers problem (pre-season 3 at least). Parts of it REALLY worked and other parts weren't all that compelling. Reese Witherspoon is very good in here, but her character just pales in comparison to the abuse storyline - well both abuse storylines. And she's not a minor part of the show!
Mr Robot - I kind of feel bad that I left season one off my top ten back in 2015 because I was truly as into Mr Robot as every other big fan. Then season two kind of left me cold. I thought season three was in an improvement, but I'm just not as into this show as I once was. This season weirdly peaks in the middle.
Game of Thrones - Oh boy. The tight narrative plotting of George RR Martin is nonexistent in this latest season and I say this as someone who got through half of the first book and gave up. I've never thought of Game of Thrones as a turn off your brain show, but it kind of is now. You just can't think too hard about anything happening or it falls apart for me. Certain individual one-on-one scenes still work as well as they always have and the battle scenes are amazing so it's got that going for it.
Other shows of note
These shows were never truly in consideration, but I feel they are good enough to be worth mentioning.
Sneaky Pete - Got a Justified hole in your heart? Well here's a show that's not as good, but the names involved alone should sell you on it: Bryan Cranston, Margo Martindale, Graham Yost is the showrunner.
The Crown - This show's greatest weakness is ironically the reverence it has for the crown, thus making it incapable of ever truly criticizing the principal players or analyzing them too deeply.
The Girlfriend Experience - The creators did something truly interesting this year and that's having 7 episodes following one person and 7 episodes following another story. It wasn't as good as the first season, but I admire the audacity.
That takes care of my top ten TV dramas for 2017. I'm sure there's a show you like that I did not mention and the chances are either don't watch that show or I didn't get a chance to watch it in time. For example - not that I think it would make my list - I am not caught up to Shameless at the moment so it wasn't considered.
