For this top TV shows of 2023 list, we asked our writers to select their favorite series from across genres, networks, and countries. From sci-fi to generational storytelling and workplace comedies, we’ve covered it all. We took a poll of the top TV shows for 2023 from our writers. Taking into consideration the series they listed and where they fell on those lists, we were able to capture a year in television from animation to live action and streaming and network just the same.
Now, to make the top TV shows of 2023 list, it had to have been a live-action series, aired in the calendar year of 2023, and had to be considered a “series” by the platform it aired on, and we also didn’t limit by the number of episodes.
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But in a year of amazing TV shows in 2023, we would be remiss not to mention that for the first time in 80 years, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA held a double strike for over 100 days in order to receive a living wage, protections from AI, and more. Both guilds reached respective agreements, but this year, regardless of its strength of creativity, was also a reminder that it’s not the studios that deserve the credit but the talented people behind and in front of the camera. You can not have top TV shows in 2023 without the fight of the creatives behind them.
25. Scavenger’s Reign
Showrunner: Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner
Where to Watch: MAX
“Scavenger’s Reign is a gorgeous sci-fi epic that uses body horror to the fullest while understanding the unique strengths of animation as a medium. It’s whimsical, it’s dark, and it’s a testament to what animators can do when given the opportunity to be creative and innovative, not just in their craft but in their storytelling.” – Kate Sánchez
24. Poker Face
Showrunner: Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman
Where to Watch: Peacock
“I’ll keep things brief because Poker Face is best left entered with no information so that you won’t get mystery specifics from me. What I can say is that Poker Face is perfection. The pacing, the characters, the settings, and the eccentricities all showcase the very best of what Rian Johnson can do. Weird with just a hint of irreverence, comedy is centerstage as much as whodunnit crafting, and I can’t wait for more. With all of Rian Johnson’s strengths and none of his weaknesses on display, Poker Face is some of the best television you will ever watch, and it knows that.”
23. The Last of Us
Showrunner: Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
Where to Watch: MAX
“…There is no doubt that this show has changed the way people will look at the post-apocalyptic genre. Humanity, the good, bad, and ugly, has never been on display better than in The Last of Us. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey deliver award-winning performances as they bring one of the most beloved video game duos to life, wrestling with this perilous landscape. Further, the care and attention to detail by showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have the series transcend the expectations of another video game adaptation. Instead, The Last of Us delivers some of the best moments of television in recent memory.” — Adrian Ruiz
22. Welcome to Wrexham Season 2
Showrunner: John Henion
Where to Watch: Hulu
Welcome to Wrexham Season 2 has become the gold standard of football documentary series. Endlessly entertaining, the show goes deeper into the intricacies of a football club, a town, a city, a whole country. The documentary has recognised that whilst the sporting achievements of the Welsh club, for both teams, are phenomenally riveting, there are further stories to be told. Dozens of them. It is the variety that is delectable, and the respect with which the subjects of the documentary are treated no matter the angle.” — Will Tucker
21. Gen V
Showrunner: Michele Fazekas
Where to Watch: Prime Video
“Bloody, bold, and blazing with the intention to startle, Gen V refuses to hold back, taking aim to knock The Boys off its pedestal as the most shockingly violent series airing. While the series takes its time in developing the relationships of these characters and in finding out the greater mystery that hovers around them, there’s a distinctive charm that makes it an easy, engaging watch from Episode 1. It’s rough around the edges, but Gen V is a strong addition to this world…” — Allyson Johnson
20. Warrior Season 3
Showrunner: Jonathan Tropper
Where to Watch: MAX
“Warrior continues to set a standard for Westerns and action on television. Capturing revenge with consequence and action with emotion is what makes the series gold, and this season in particular, intimately grand. Warrior is a series that deserves to continue long past Season 3. Still, it’s made the most of its 10-episode run to present a story that never lost sight of its character amid action sequences and fantastic reimaginings of some of Lee’s iconic marital arts moments. With so much drama and flare, Warrior’s ability to keep the narrative connected throughout its seasons is a fantastic feat.” — Kate Sánchez
19. Heartstopper Season 2
Showrunner: Alice Oseman
Where to Watch: Netflix
“Heartstopper remains a beautiful look at young love and growing up in Season 2 of the series. One of Netflix’s strongest programs, this second season solidifies the strength of the series in the pantheon of young adult series about growing up and finding love. Heartfelt, beautiful, and beyond words, Alice Oseman’s Heartsopper is a stellar slice of life.” — Kate Sánchez
18. Good Omens Season 2
Showrunner: Douglas Mackinnon
Where to Watch: Prime Video
“Good Omens Season 2 maintains the fantastical energy of season one and the punchy humor of the novel while creating a sense of wonder. Thrumming with immense tenderness and curiosity and anchored by the charismatic performances of Sheen and Tennant and their considerable chemistry, Season 2 best captures the whimsy of their self-made universe. Tucked away in their bookstore where books are very rarely loaned, Crowley and Aziraphale’s stories are vast and endless, as old as time itself, and yet each scene they share brings with it something new.”
17. Primo
Showrunner: Shea Serrano
Where to Watch: Freeve/Prime Video
“Shea Serrano captures the joys of growing up in a crazy Mexican family and the pressures that come with it… With so few Latino-led and created series on television, PRIMO stands out because it isn’t about something deep and dark with some hidden immigration subplot or issue with gangs. Instead, it’s just a boy, his eccentric tìos, and their everyday life. It’s a sitcom, first and foremost, and it succeeds because of how recognizable the family is to my own and others I know. There is awkwardness and joy here. PRIMO is authentic, sure, but it’s also effortlessly funny in a way that only a tìo could make you laugh.” — Kate Sánchez
16. What We Do In The Shadows Season 5
Showrunner: Paul Simms
Where to Watch: Hulu
“After a relatively lackluster Season 4, What We Do in the Shadows Season 5 is a welcome return to form, delivering some of the funniest episodes of the series to date. The characters may be back in their expected places by the season finale, but that doesn’t negate the growth and change they’ve gone through, even if they’re still the idiotic and self-centered vampires we’ve grown to love. With one of the strongest ensembles casts on television who continue to find more outlandish ways to play their characters (with Berry, in particular, a continued highlight), the series continues to be an annual highlight as it ups the ante to put its ensemble in increasingly weird scenarios.” — Allyson Johnson
15. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Showrunner: Chris Black and Matt Fraction
Where to Watch: AppleTV+
“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an epic scale for TV not just in how it brings to life Godzilla and other Titans, but in how it tells its story. From the founding of Monarch in the past to the current time after G-Day, the series captures the majesty of monsters and how humans are ultimately flawed at interacting with the world around us.” — Kate Sánchez
14. Succession Season 4
Showrunner: Jesse Armstrong
Where to Watch: MAX
“Succession Season 4 will forever stay with me. No character will sit in the uncomfortable cracks of my body quite like Kendall Roy did but no one will ever play the game better than Shiv did as the only one who accepts herself as a monster, a wife, a mother, and a daughter. She grieved, fought, and consistently was betrayed time and time again by the men in her life. When it’s all said and done, Shiv wins because she lost the hardest, and that’s why Succession excels at being a well-executed tragedy.” — Cidnya Silva
13. Abbott Elementary Season 2
Showrunner: Quinta Brunson
Where to Watch: Hulu
Abbott Elementary continues to capture the highs and lows of working in education. It captures the humor in the banal and empathy in the absurd and is a series the world is better for. It’s light on education that does work to showcase joy among the roadblocks and continues to set a standard for comedies on network television.” — Kate Sánchez
12. Blue Eye Samurai
Showrunner: Amber Noizumi and Michael Green
Where to Watch: Netflix
“A hybrid of genres, Blue Eye Samurai is an unflinching look at revenge, gender, and the paths we take when we let pain be the driving force in our lives. Mizu is complicated, and so is the hazy way her traumas all interact. She has been hurt. She has caused pain, and throughout her story, she moves from a machine of violence into someone thoughtful, even if she doesn’t recognize it fully.”
11. I’m A Virgo
Showrunner: Boots Riley and Tze Chun
Where to Watch: Prime Video
“I’m a Virgo is an excellent exploration of social themes through fantasy. The series uses the beauty of genre storytelling to show audiences a coming-of-age story that explores the contradictions of the world. It’s a series that understands how to use the absurdity of its premise to showcase the complexity of the morality behind heroes. It pulls apart who gets to set moral foundations and who is oppressed by them. The absurdity, the whimsy, and ultimately the weirdness of I’m A Virgo make it a success. It uses all of that to tell a grounded story of belonging and morality in a way that feels naive and exploratory in the best ways.” — Kate Sánchez
10. My Adventures with Superman
Showrunner: Jake Wyatt
Where to Watch: MAX
“My Adventures with Superman Season 1 wields an abundance of heart, humor, and introspection with classic characters who’ve been revitalized. They’re familiar yet new, making them all the more enjoyable. The series’ ability to understand that Superman can be interesting as an optimistic, kind, figure bolsters the storyline as you watch the world try to undermine that compassion. So many villains and naysayers doubt him because they can’t understand someone who’d risk life and limb with no expectation for anything in return. The series understands the power of Superman isn’t just in the muscle and might he holds, but in his ability to be a beacon of kindness and humanity.” — Allyson Johnson
9. Our Flag Means Death Season 2
Showrunner: David Jenkins
Where to Watch: MAX
“Our Flag Means Death Season 2 is as hilarious as it is emotionally honest, with only a few stumbles as it eases into the final passage of the season’s story. Dripping with romance and joyfully written to allow each character’s moments to shine, the series continues to improve by allowing the natural charisma and magnetism of certain characters to play out naturally while expanding the world and viewpoints of the characters living in it. Our Flag Means Death Season 2 goes beyond simply being better than its predecessor and makes the case for it being one of the best comedies on TV in years.” — Allyson Johnson
8. Reacher Season 2
Showrunner: Nick Santora
Where to Watch: Prime Video
“Reacher Season 2 may have changed gears, but it still hits when it needs to with emotional impact and a stellar mystery of corruption that pays off. Prime Video’s top-tier action offering, the mixture of detective work, heroism, and thorny corporations, make it all stand as tall as Ritchson in the series line-up. Even when it stumbles, Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher is something I need more of, and quickly.” — Kate Sánchez
7. Bargain
Showrunner: Byun Seung-min
Where to Watch: Paramount+
“A good disaster series, a great action series, and an even better character study on the desperate people doing desperate things, Bargain captures the audience from the moment the uncomfortable facade it presents you is shattered, and the organ trade takes the focus until the bitter end. One of the top series of the year by a mile, Bargain is innovative, smart, mean, and filled with a talented cast and crew that is unmatched by any production out right now. If this is an example of the caliber of international projects that Paramount+ is investing in, sign me up for every single one.” — Kate Sánchez
6. Star Wars: Visions
Showrunner: n/a
Where to Watch: Disney+
“Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 is a stunning feat of animation in every episode. It highlights the power and wonder of animation and shows that the medium is well beyond just one form of accepted animation that Americans see nominated for the Oscars every year. Gorgeous and intimate, this anthology series is necessary and wonderous in equal measure.” — Kate Sánchez
5. Invincible
Showrunner: Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cory Walker
Where to Watch: Prime Video
“At just four episodes so far, Invincible Season 2 doesn’t feel like a hollow Part 1, as many of the split seasons a lot of shows we’ve seen do. Instead, the length of the episodes and the pacing are expertly crafted to ensure that the audience gets answers, sees the foundation for the full eight-episode season, and has a reason to come back without losing an impact along the way. Invincible Season 2 is stellar and heartfelt while showcasing how you can bridge edgy humor and bloody action with emotional storytelling at the same time. As we wait for the second half, one thing is clear: Invincible Season 2 knows what makes the genre a fruitful ground for exploring humanity.” — Kate Sánchez
4. One Piece
Showrunner: Steven Maeda and Matt Owens
Where to Watch: Netflix
One Piece is magical, with clear reverence for the source material shown through the direction, set designs, the casting, the performances, just everything. One Piece is a surprising success for Netflix, and for the United States in general when it comes to creating a live-action version of a beloved Japanese animation and manga. This is not just astonishing because of the adaptation itself but because One Piece is a juggernaut in storytelling, the series meaning a lot to generations of fans. Netflix rises to that challenge with charisma and a love for Oda’s work… Fans will see Oda’s fingerprints throughout One Piece. Hopefully, we see our Straw Hats sail again and see new faces join the crew as the Grand Line comes into view.”
3. Castlevania: Nocturne
Showrunner: Clive Bradley and Kevin Kolde
Where to Watch: Netflix
“There is truly no Western animation studio bringing this amount of talent to action sequences nor embracing the ugly elements of characters with unflattering angles to tell story points as much as knowing how to create desire on screen. Everything about the animation in this series is striking. Castlevania: Nocturne is an exquisite take on revolution, freedom, and cycles of violence without losing its video game roots or dark fantasy action. Balancing these two elements against each other and creating characters that clearly exist well beyond our time with them on screen, this series is a triumph and lives decidedly outside the shadow of the past. Here’s to a second season, may Netflix confirm it soon.” — Kate Sánchez
2. The Bear Season 2
Showrunner: Joanna Calo
Where to Watch: Hulu
“To be in this business, there must be a love for the craft, an expectation for inevitable resets, and the hard truth that life will continue outside the kitchen no matter the triumphs. Time doesn’t stand. Still, calls will be missed, relationships lost, and not every win will be spot-free and seamless. Humans have a penchant for error, which will undoubtedly rear its ugly head. Sydney gets her successful opening night and celebrates it by vomiting in the back alley due to her stress.
The Bear Season 2 is in many ways better than the first as it digs deeper into the characters and their lives as they try to contend with what they want from their careers and what their means of making a living offer them. With thoughtful direction and beautiful, lived-in performances that build formidable chemistry between the entire cast, The Bear remains one of the most dynamic comedies on television and excels in its ability to take visual and narrative risks.” — Allyson Johnson
1. Silo
Showrunner: Graham Yost
Where to Watch: AppleTV+
“A little bit of Bioshock, a whole lot of Fallout, and fueled by tension and mystery, Silo is a series that shouldn’t be ignored. Like much of AppleTV+’s programming, the series is pushing the boundaries on production value, effects work, and storytelling. That said, like other Apple Original gems, it stands the risk of being lost in the shuffle if only for how little reach the streaming platform has. And for that, it would be a shame.
Silo is the best sci-fi on TV right now. With its intricate sets, sprawling lore that doesn’t leave holes in in-world reasoning, and a cast of characters that are infinitely interesting in their roles, Silo is as great as they come. A deep mystery box, Silo is a winding story with a reward for those who trust its tension-building story.” — Kate Sánchez
Our Top TV Shows of 2023 showcases the diversity of genres of talent available on streaming platforms and beyond. Whether it’s through episodic releases or seasonal ones, the love is there. From drama and sci-fi to comedy fantasy, 2023 had much to love. Did your favorite make out top TV shows of the 2023 list? Let us know on social media: @butwhythopc.
Synopses for the Top TV Shows of 2023 list were taken from our previously written reviews or our writers.
