Here are the best TV shows of 2020
Tales of personal struggles made for great viewing
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 disr upted, but, for tunately, 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 TaylorJoy) 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- offagain romance between Irish schoolmates couldn’t have been easy to trans
late 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 EdgarJones 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
delight fully 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-inthe- throat 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 Arab ella( the brilliant Michaela Coel), a young author, who after having her drink spiked during a night of on-the-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.