10 TO SALUTE Loads of TV shows were great in 2017; here are the 10 best

NEW YORK » So-called “Peak TV” remains the blessing and the curse for viewers in 2017, with the tally of scripted series now totaling some 500. Where to begin saluting all the great shows? Here are 10 to salute, recall fondly and, for viewers who missed any of them, catch up with:

“American Gods” (Starz). A former convict is hired upon his release by a charismatic con man and finds himself in a hidden world where a battle brews between Old Gods and New Gods. The stated premise for this dazzling series makes no more sense than the series itself will for many viewers. No matter. The trippy, eye-popping visuals (along with brilliant acting) never gives the viewer time to feel confused.

“The Americans” (FX). For its fifth season, this thriller about Russian spies posing as 1980s-era all-American marrieds (Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) took an illuminating look at the American Dream while gaining unsought relevance as the Cold War of that distant age is bestirring anew.

“Big Little Lies” (HBO). Money can’t buy happiness in the cushy seaside Northern California community where this miniseries unfolds. Every wife and mother has a beef with other locals while the men mostly misbehave. Then someone dies violently. It’s a gripping mystery and social dissection that puts women in the forefront, with an extraordinary cast including Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley.

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (CW). This romantic-musical-comedy-drama never fails to find insight and humor in the plight of a smart, attractive young woman who also happens to be a bit loony in matters of love. Co-created and starring the radiant Rachel Bloom, it is funny, poignant and supercharged with musical production numbers that would find a warm welcome on any Broadway stage (how DO they create and film those witty sequences week after week?).

“The Deuce” (HBO). In this ambitious drama series, the denizens of the Deuce (shorthand for Manhattan’s 42nd Street wasteland) trace intertwined narratives

PATRICK HARBRON — FX VIA AP This image released by FX shows Keri Russell, left, and Matthew Rhys in a scene from “The Americans.” For its fifth season, this thriller about Russian spies posing as 1980s-era all-American couple took an illuminating look at the American Dream while...