FOR YOUR (RE) CONSIDERATIO

The shows you need to watch

IT’S the calm before the storm — that holiday TV lag leading into the glut of new shows premiering in 2018.

So what better time to look back over the past year in TV — and to recognize those shows that probably won’t make any “Best Of ” lists, but that were lost in the 400-plus shows that aired in 2017.

Here, in no particular order, are series that deserve a second look. “Nathan For You” (Comedy Central) Comedian Nathan Fielder’s series, which mostly features a mixture of absurdist and cringe-worthy comedy, was elevated by its fourth season finale, which was unusually serious with an unexpected emotional punch — demonstrating that no comedy is too broad to include heart. “Manhunt: Unabomber” (Discovery) In the current glut of true crime shows (“Mindhunter,” “Ameri

can Crime Story”) this miniseries about the FBI investigation of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski (Paul Bettany) slipped between the cracks, but is utterly absorbing. “Black Sails” (Starz) The year’s best show you’ve never heard of. The pirate drama has flown under the radar, but its fourth and final act was epic yet intimate, tragic yet hopeful — and filled with elegant performances, battle sequences to rival “Game of Thrones” and a pitch- perfect conclusion. “Alias Grace” (Netflix) While Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s

Tale” has deservedly made it onto just about every “Best Of ” list, 2017’s other Margaret Atwood adaptation has remained outside of the spotlight. “Alias Grace” is just as finely wrought. It’s brimming with psychological depth and a soaring performance from Sarah Gadon. “Line of Duty” (BBC/ Hulu) Season 4 of this British procedural, starring Thandie Newton (“Westworld”) as a shady detective, featured a mixture of psychological suspense and sur- prises, rendering it as addictive as “Mindhunter.” “Search Party” (TBS) The comedy’s darker second season cemented “Search Party” as a smart heavy hitter a la NBC’s “The Good

Place.” It doesn’t get as much notice but it’s not to be missed. “Glitch” (Australia/Netflix) “Glitch” follows a group of inexplicably resurrected people in small-town Australia. It originated as a FrencFrench show (“Les Revenants ”) and had an American incarincarnation (A&E’s “The Returned,” Re cancelled after onone season in 2015). This AAustralian incarnation, wwhich premiered on that country’s ABC network, is the strongest yet. “Younger” (TV Land) TThough this dramedy folfollowing a 40-something who pretends to be in her 20s didn’t get as much buzz as other lifelife-overhaul series including Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” it continued to delight in its fourth season. “Taboo” (FX) A polarizing show laudable for its sheer audacity: FX let Tom Hardy do what he wanted (assisted by “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight), and nobody appeared to say “no” at any point. Its logic doesn’t always track, but if you embrace its atmospheric camp — threats, billowing coats and enough significant glances to rival “The

Crown” — it’s a wildly fun ride. “The OA” (Netflix) Filmmaker Brit Marling’s first show defied convention, featuring episodes of varying lengths and straddling genre lines — from conspiracy to sci-fi to family drama. Thanks to a flawed ending, it wasn’t as crowd-pleasing as “Stranger

Things” but is worth sampling.