The best of 2020 TV.
Tales of personal struggles made for great viewing during a turbulent year
Thank God for TV. In a brutal lockdown year, when we were deprived of many entertainment options, TV became a reliable quarantine companion, helping to distract us and blunt our gloom. At least when we weren’t watching the news. Yes, productions were disrupted, but, fortunately, there was plenty of great stuff in the pipeline — so much, in fact, that we struggled to settle on just 10 standout shows for our year-end rankings. But we powered through anyway (what else was there to do?) and now present the top scripted series of 2020.
1. ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (Netflix)
A drama series about chess? Seriously? Sounds like a televisual tranquilizer. Of course, this 1950s-’60s- era saga about a wide- eyed orphan (the magnetic Anya Taylor-Joy) who storms her way to world chess domination while grappling with addiction is about so much more than a board game. Adapted from Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel, it explores the cost of obsession, the meaning of community and the folly of sexist assumptions — all while wrapping itself up in gorgeous costumes and visual dazzle. And yes, it somehow makes chess feel absolutely gripping, even kind of sexy. Checkmate.
2. ‘Normal People’ (Hulu)
With its delicate structure, sparse action and heavy reliance on internal dialogue, Sally Rooney’s acclaimed novel about the on-again, off-again romance between Irish schoolmates couldn’t have been easy to translate to the screen. But directors Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald worked alongside Rooney to skillfully create something exquisite — a tender, intimate miniseries about young love and all its messy complications. It helped, of course, that lead actors Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal exude a mesmerizing kind of chemistry. Even as they wrenched our hearts, we couldn’t take our eyes off them.
3. ‘Better Call Saul’ (AMC)
Back in 2015, we were among those who questioned the need for a “Breaking Bad” prequel. Why risk tarnishing the legacy of one of television’s greatest dramas? Now, after a sensational fifth season — its next-tolast — some fans and critics claim “Saul” has surpassed its predecessor. We’re not ready to jump on that bandwagon just yet, although we continue to be blown away by the show’s nimble plotting, unpredictable twists and the heartbreakingly terrific performances of Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn. All of which makes the lack of Emmy love this year even more galling.
4. ‘Pen15’ (Hulu)
In Season 2 of this shrewdly observed and delightfully off-kilter comedy, it became even easier to forget that it is actually two adult women — Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle — who are playing themselves as middle-school nerds in the era of Blockbuster Video, the Spice Girls and AOL. That’s a testament to just how deeply they dig into their roles. The show again had us laughing (and cringing) at all the goofy awkwardness of adolescence. But it also delivered some lump-in-thethroat poignancy as it dealt with rejection, identity confusion, divorce and strains in the girls’ friendship.
5. ‘I May Destroy You’ (HBO)
This spellbinding, London-set dramedy follows Arabella (the brilliant Michaela Coel), a young author, who after having her drink spiked during a night of onthe-town revelry, realizes she was sexually assaulted. It is occasionally difficult to watch as Arabella struggles to piece together what exactly happened, cope with the trauma and rebuild her life. But Coel’s strikingly powerful performance — along with some narrative gymnastics and unexpected bits of playful humor — keep viewers riveted. And the series gets better with each episode.
6. ‘Mrs. America’ (FX on Hulu)
Behold a vital history lesson that never feels like homework. The marvelous Cate Blanchett as conservative firebrand Phyllis Schlafly leads a dream team of actresses — including Rose Byrne (Gloria Steinem), Uzo Aduba (Shirley Chisholm), Margo Martindale (Bella Abzug) and Tracey Ullman (Betty Friedan) — in a handsomely crafted miniseries about the ferocious fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Through the eyes of these activists, we relived the highly polarized culture wars of their time while being reminded, once again, how much things have changed — and how much they haven’t.
7. ‘The Crown’ (Netflix)
After experiencing Season 4 of the sudsy British royal family drama, we don’t blame Prince Harry and Meghan for high-tailing it out of Buckingham Palace. While the introduction of Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) and a young Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) brought new energy to the series, it also demonstrated just how nightmarish and dysfunctional life inside the monarchy can be. Watching Diana and Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) squabble their way through a turbulent marriage made us feel like guilty voyeurs at times, but not guilty enough to hit the remote.
8. ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (Pop TV)
Whenever someone asked us to recommend a breezy, binge-worthy show to take their minds off all the bleakness of 2020, this hilarious and heartwarming Canadian import was our automatic go-to. In its final season, the series crafted satisfying and hopeful farewell arcs for the formerly wealthy Rose family — dad Johnny (Eugene Levy), mom Moira (Catherine O’Hara), son David (Daniel Levy) and daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy). Then came the crowning glory — a pitch-perfect, misty-eyed finale, followed by a historic Emmys sweep.
9. ‘The Great’ (Hulu)
Facts be damned. This scalding, “huzzah”-worthy period satire only occasionally sticks to historical accuracies and instead goes for dark humor and big, hearty laughs as it tells the coming- of-age story of Russian empress Catherine the Great. Elle Fanning is excellent as the young royal who sheds her sunshiny naiveté and becomes power hungry upon realizing the men in charge are morons. And Nicholas Hoult strikes comedic gold in playing her husband, Peter, as a callous, petulant frat boy prone to shockingly violent temper tantrums.
10. ‘Fargo’ (FX)
So what if the fourth edition of Noah Hawley’s Midwestern crime anthology didn’t quite measure up to those masterful early years. What does? Even though this story about warring crime families in 1950 Kansas City feels cluttered at times, it still makes for incredibly compelling TV. It’s a kick, after all, to watch Chris Rock take a dramatic turn as as a mobster, and Jessie Buckley steal scenes as a shady nurse. Ultimately, all the revered “Fargo” trademarks — the visual verve, eccentric rhythms, ominous intrigue and stunning twists — remain intact.