The TV beat has a problem: 2018 was a great 
year in television. On one hand, as the television 
addicts we claim ourselves to be, this “problem” 
has provided us with a myriad of excuses to avoid 
social contact and stay in. On the other hand, 
the consistent stream of quality television makes 
any effort to choose definitive favorites all the 
more difficult. The selection process itself was 
strenuous: on what criterion should we base our 
picks? Should we skew towards smart comedies, 
somber dramas, or meet somewhere in the middle 
with the wide range of dramedy hybrids on the 
market today? Should entertainment value be the 
main determinant or technical prowess? What 
role should cultural context and inclusion play? As 
best as we tried to pick shows that combined each 
of the above criteria, in trying to nail down an 

angle, it became very clear that no matter which 
shows we selected, and which order we placed the 
shows in, at the end of the day, it is subjective. So, 
if your favorite show does not end up making the 
cut, you still have pristine taste, champ!
Also, please consider the fact that this list was 
drafted before the Golden Globes; we do, indeed, 
have minds of our own.

1. 
“The 
Marvelous 
Mrs. 
Maisel” (Season Two)

After a pilot season that brought in two Golden 
Globes, four Emmys and an infinite amount of 
praise from critics, the cast and team of “The 
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” had a lot to live up to in 
the sophomore season of the Amazon Prime Video 
comedy. The show clearly did not disappoint. 
Rachel Brosnahan is a glowing, persistent light 
in gloomy world of cookie cutter comedies. Her 
magnificent performance is only enhanced by the 
equally impressive work of her costars, from the 
flawless comedic timing of Alex Borstein as Suzie, 
Maisel’s agent, to the love-to-hate-him role taken 
on by Michael Zegen as the star’s complicated 
ex(ish)-husband. Everything about “Maisel” is 
pleasing to watch: the saturated set design, the 
perfect soundtrack and the clever jokes woven 
into the show so well you might miss them. 
“Maisel” is so simply entertaining that it is easy to 
overlook the painstaking attention to detail that 
lies within the show. Once again, “The Marvelous 
Mrs. Maisel” has proved itself as the exemplar of a 
period comedy, highlighting the novel charm of a 
bygone era, but never failing to wryly critique the 
problems of it we have progressed from. One can 
only hope it will sustain its rule.

— Samantha Della Fera, Senior Arts Editor

2. “Atlanta” (Season Two)

Donald Glover and Hiro Murai have developed 
a symbiotic partnership for the ages. The Lennon 
and McCartney of modern TV, they achieved the 
rare feat of following up a brilliant debut season 
of TV with another, surpassing the first in terms 
of boldness, innovation and emotional resonance. 
There are too many episodes in season two that 
made me completely re-evaluate how TV can or 
should be done, in a way that reminds me of the 
way I felt I first watched “Twin Peaks” hit its 
stride. Donald Glover’s creative genius is common 
enough knowledge that any further lauding would 
seem redundant. More underrated are the virtuosic 
performances of Lakeith Stanfield as Darius and 
Brian Tyree Henry as “Paper Boi,” with the latter 
giving a nuanced and heartbreaking portrayal of 
depression this season. “Atlanta” continued to 
hit the surreal notes it did so well in season one, 
including a stunning “revelation” about Drake 

and perhaps the best episode of TV this year, the 
horrifying “Teddy Perkins.” Although the titular 
city remains its central focus, Murai and Glover 
take us to a variety of locales within it, from a 
German festival to a state college frat party (which 
also produces one of the show’s most memorable 
and disturbing scenes set to D4L’s “Laffy Taffy”). 
All that’s left is to wait and see what this duo can 
accomplish next.

— Sayan Ghosh, Assistant Arts Editor

3. “Barry” (Season One)

Hired assassins have had a moment this past 
year, but our two favorites could hardly be any 
more different. Just as “Killing Eve”’s Villanelle 

is vivacious and disturbingly passionate about 
her job, the titular hitman in Bill Hader’s 
brilliant “Barry” is increasingly frustrated and 
disillusioned with his. He finds his true calling 
in an acting class directed by Gene Cousineau, 
played by Henry Winkler in one of his greatest 
performances. 
Like 
“Killing 
Eve,” 
“Barry” 
straddles the increasingly fine line between 
comedy and tragedy, and is anchored by Hader’s 
masterful portrayal of depression and his quest to 
climb out of it, all while his past life clings on.

— Sayan Ghosh, Assistant Arts Editor

4. “Killing Eve” (Season One)

You know what’s tired? Having the same debate 
every three months about whether or not James 
Bond can be played by a Black man. You know 
what’s wired? Scrapping the whole James Bond 
idea and allowing “Killing Eve” to replace it as the 
premiere spy story in pop culture. It is rare that 
a show can hook you from the first minute and 
then retain that chokehold grip on your attention 
for the remainder of the season, but “Killing Eve” 
does it. What makes the show so engaging is its 
usage of the parallel narrative arcs following both 
Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh, “Grey’s Anatomy”) and 
Villanelle (Jodie Comer, “My Mad Fat Diary”). The 
quickness with which the show intercuts between 
protagonists makes it difficult for audiences 
to figure out exactly who to place our support 
behind, which keeps us watching. The first season 
of “Killing Eve” is particularly exciting because 
of its boldness in daring to diverge away from 
genre conventions. At first glance, “Killing Eve” 
appears to be just another thriller-drama, devoid 
of all humor. But then moments of dark, off-kilter 
hilarity occur — like a character accidentally 
dying from spraying perfume (that really wasn’t 
perfume) and before you know it, you’ve devoured 
the entire season. 

— Ally Owens, Daily TV Editor

5. 
“Bojack 
Horseman” 
(Season Five)

The animated show about a goddamn self-
loathing horse man continues to produce the 
realest content on TV. Let the brilliant animal 
puns (seriously, how do they still come up with 
them) draw you in, but let the touching, intelligent 
portrayal of everything from addiction to loss 
to abuse keep you mesmerized. Every season, 
“Bojack” delivers episodes that push the envelope 
of what we can expect from the medium itself 
— from an entire episode under the sea with no 
dialogue, to Seasons 4’s magnum opus “Time’s 
Arrow,” which let us into the deteriorating mind 
and traumatic past of Bojack’s mother. This season, 

we received “Free Churro,” an entire episode 
delivered as a monologue before ending on a note 
so absurd it pretty much sums up Bojack’s entire 
relationship with his mother. “Bojack Horseman,” 
in all its brilliance, continues to set the standard 
for absurdist comedy (where else can you find a 
season-long arc about a sex robot gone rogue?) 
that has the capacity to make nuanced social 
commentary.

— Sayan Ghosh, Assistant Arts Editor

6. “Insecure” (Season Three)

Well, I wanted to simply use a photo of Issa 
Rae as my justification for this ranking. But, alas, 
this job requires me to write, so I will attempt 
to summarize (in under 10,000 words) why 
“Insecure” ranks amongst the best television of 
2018. While single-handedly transforming what it 
means to be a funny Black woman on television, 
this is not the sole reason why “Insecure” is 
great television. With each season, Rae and 
her team raise the bar of quality for the show — 
the writing continues to become snappier, the 
characters more layered, the cinematography all 
the more beautiful. However, I want to zero in on 
what season three has done in particular. Season 
three, in many ways, was a season of transition 
for the characters of “Insecure,” and while 
still continuing to provide enjoyable, hilarious, 
escapist television, it does an excellent job 
reflecting real changes twenty-somethings must 
endure. Through seeing the central characters 
surmount changes of great magnitude, “Insecure” 
remains one of the few shows on television in 
which all characters, central and secondary alike, 
have an element of depth and authenticity to them. 
During season three, particularly, characters like 
bougie Tiffany (Amanda Seales, “Blackish”) and 
brash Kelli (Natasha Rothwell, “Love Simon”), 
who were previously minor and underdeveloped, 
were given the chance to evolve before our eyes 
into fully fleshed out characters with a semblance 
of a life outside of their interactions with Issa.

— Ally Owens, Daily TV Editor

7. “GLOW” (Season Two)

Because the season one finale neatly concluded 
the season-long arc dedicated to seeing whether 
the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling could actually 
produce a successful television program, I 
wondered where the show could take the ragtag 
bunch in its sophomore effort. I was pleasantly 
surprised to see that everything enjoyable about 
the first season was reproduced and elevated 
in season two. One of the best things about the 
second season was the opportunity to learn 
more about the real women behind the theatrical 
wrestling personas. While in the first season, the 
central drama afflicting the diverse ensemble was 
their satirical acceptance of their stereotypical 
roles, in season two, viewers are able to see what 
lies beneath the surface. Most memorable was 
the episode following Tammé’s (Kia Stevens, 
“Total Nonstop Action Wrestling”) struggle 
to explain to her son how and why she deals 
with participating in minstrelsy for a paycheck. 
Although we definitely saw more of the diverse 
ensemble cast than in season one, “GLOW”’s 
problematic tendency to centralize only its white 
characters remains. Being one of the best shows 
of 2018 does not mean it comes without room for 
improvement. Hopefully, in the forthcoming third 
season, we will be able to see the same heart and 
eclectic humor, but with better storylines for the 
characters of color. However, “GLOW” makes up 
for any shortcomings by finally providing viewers 
an episode completely dedicated to showcasing 
the show-within-the show in all its spectacular 
’80s-ness.

— Ally Owens, Daily TV Editor

8. “The Good Place”

As a fan primarily of comedies, I have never 
switched one on for the purpose of an intellectual 
challenge. That is, until I discovered “The Good 
Place.” From the beautiful mind of Michael 
Schur, a man that gave us both “Brooklyn Nine-
Nine” and “Parks and Recreation,” “The Good 
Place” is a comedy about death, decisions and 
doing the right thing (sounds hilarious, right?). 
It is the harmonious marriage of philosophy and 
comedy, two subjects that do not meet as often as 
they should. While watching “The Good Place,” 
you’ll find yourself chuckling along with loveable 
demon, Michael, played by certified silver fox Ted 
Danson and then moments later be captivated by 
a discussion of Kant with the dreamy Professor 
Chidi 
Anagonye 
(William 
Jackson 
Harper, 
“Patterson”). Yes, the entire cast is hot. “The Good 
Place” will challenge both your mind and your 
ability to pick up on some incredible niche jokes. 
And if the Golden Globes won’t say it, I will: this is 
one of the best shows of the year.

— Samantha Della Fera, Senior Arts Editor

9. “Queer Eye” (Season Two)

2018 was a long year. It’s hard to imagine that 
between Kylie Jenner giving birth, an Olympic 
games, a World Cup and Mark Zuckerberg taking 
over the government that not one, but two, 
seasons of the “Queer Eye” reboot were released. 
But, it’s true, “Queer Eye” triumphantly returned 
this year, and oh, was it wonderful. “Queer Eye” 
is the embodiment of joy neatly packaged in a 
makeover show. No matter how you may feel 
about individual members of the Fab Five (sorry, 
Antoni), the show undoubtedly acted as a force of 
positivity against a horrifyingly bleak year. While 
polarized political parties rip each other to shreds 
in Washington and across the country, “Queer 
Eye” reflected a different possibility: Georgia 
conservatives and queer men cuddled up on a 
couch shouting “Yas, Queen!” together. At its core, 
“Queer Eye” is a show about hope: Hope that some 

of our differences are not irreconcilable, and hope 
that it is possible to truly fall in love with yourself.

— Samantha Della Fera, Senior Arts Editor

10. “This is Us”

Late at night, when you’re lying next to 
someone you love, a thought might strike you. 
If one thing had changed, your whole life would 
be different. “This is Us” is a show operating 
only on this thought. Its third season continues 
the work of its predecessors, building beauty 
out of the humdrum. Just when it seems like the 
Pearsons might be living life with a little too much 
comfort, they’re set back. The big date doesn’t 
go as planned, a community retaliates against 
assumptions about them and depression puts you 
to bed when you don’t take your meds. Its honesty 
and self-awareness easily are the best part of 
“This is Us.” It’s how the Pearson family wrangles 
with the moments where things fall apart and 
makes do. It’s how they admit they overreact. It’s 
how they try to grow, and fail at it. It’s the want to 
love and be loved. It might be a story about them, 
but at times, it feels like it could be about you as 
well. Season three has not seen the show turn 
towards the saccharine. Instead, it continues to 
straddle the line of feel good television and reality. 
Season three tightens its hug around viewers and 
envelopes you in such a way that an hour of “This 
is Us” has begun to feel like home.

— Max Schwarz, Daily Arts Writer

The best television from TV’s best year in a long time

AMAZON STUDIOS

BBC AMERICA

FX

NETFLIX

4B —Thursday, January 10, 2019
b-side
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

