Revisiting 2016, Part 3
The usual disclaimer: There's too much great TV out there. We're at the point where nobody can watch everything that's supposed to be good. I watched over 50 shows this year, and still had to skip dozens of other critical favorites. On the other hand I did watch over 50 shows, and it would be useless to list them all here, so here are just my personal highlights.
MY FAVORITE NEW CHARACTER.
Miss Quill, Class
Runner-up:
The Good Place's Jianyu
WORST NEW CHARACTER.
Dear The 100: We already have to put up with Jaha, we didn't need Pike.
Runner-up: Alicia's terrible sister on Kingdom
MY FAVORITE PERFORMANCES / NEW FACES OF THE YEAR.
Westworld was mostly a mess, but Thandie Newton always delivered.
Runners-up:
Brandon Mychal Smith, Sweet/Vicious, You're The Worst
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
George MacKay, 11.22.63
Lauren Ash, Superstore
Jared Abrahamson, Travelers
MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR.
Their more famous cast mates got the awards recognition,
but Connor Jessup and Joey Pollari made American Crime's second season.
Shoutout to Kingdom's Jonathan Tucker who's been brilliant for years on that show.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR.
Eyewitness could have been a fun little thriller, but it takes itself way too seriously.
Its plot twist are ludicrous, the character motivations are often baffling,
and its drab greenish look makes it the ugliest show I've seen this year.
Sometimes even the gay is not enough for me to save a show.
SADDEST CANCELATION OF THE YEAR.
Runner-up: Let's pour one out for Limitless.
WORST SHOW/EPISODE OF THE YEAR.
I admittedly only watched the pilot, but I doubt the stale gay panic jokes got any better.
WORST SCENE OF THE YEAR.
Whatever the fuck this was on Westworld.
BEST TV MOVIE OF THE YEAR.
BEST INFOTAINMENT SHOW OF THE YEAR.
BEST LATE NIGHT SHOW OF THE YEAR.
MY 15 MOST FAVORITE EPISODES OF THE YEAR (in alphabetical order).
11.22.63: "The Kill Floor"
The Americans: "The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears""
Black-ish: "Hope"
Class: "Detained"
Doctor Who: "The Return of Doctor Mysterio"
The Fosters: "Potential Energy"
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: "Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs"
Killjoys: "Schooled"
Legends of Tomorrow: Night of the Hawk
Mozart in the Jungle: "Touché Maestro, Touché"
Mr. Robot: "m4ster-s1ave.aes"
This Is Us: "Pilot" and "The Pool"
Underground: "Cradle"
You're The Worst: "Twenty-Two"
And now...
MY 15 MOST FAVORITE SHOWS OF THE YEAR (in alphabetical order).
This time travel miniseries was a lot of fun and then did what was most important: It stuck the landing.
Probably my favorite show of the year, American Crime's second season was a brilliant examination of the subjectivity of truth.
Yes, it really is that good. Believe the hype.
The Americans gets better with each year, but it's hard to imagine they will top their exciting, all-around excellent fourth season.
A deliberate throwback to the socially conscious multi-cam sitcoms of the 70s, The Carmichael Show is probably the most underrated comedy on TV right now.
Yes, the plotting was sometimes too rushed, but the Doctor Who-spinoff is still everything I want from a teen mystery show, including some kick-ass gay characters.
This sci-fi show doesn't talk down to its audience and has some of the best worldbuilding on TV right now.
The Flash just makes me happy. I'm always watching it with a big grin on my face.
In its second season, the musical comedy found itself, delivered an absolutely hilarious season and then got canceled.
Forget Westworld, this is the show about AIs suddenly developing consciousness you should be watching.
It was impossible to top the perfect third season, but Please Like Me still delivered three fantastic and three great episodes.
Two college students fight against rape culture in the most audacious vengeance fantasy/quasi-superhero show on TV. And it's funny!
Uniquely structured, completely devoid of cynicism and - to quote Tumblr - "full of feels", This Is Us fills the Parenthood-shaped hole in my life.
We got several time travel shows this year, but Travelers is the one with the most intriguing premise, told with a uniformly great ensemble.
A period show about the horrific times of slavery doesn't sound very entertaining, but Underground is fresh and exciting without downplaying the seriousness of its subject.
And in case you missed it, here is last year's list.