Our critic tunes us in to the best series of ’16

Whatever 2016 may have brought elsewhere, to TV it brought an abundance of riches. There were more scripted shows this year than any one person could watch — and more good ones than any Top 10 list can contain. Still, tradition wins out, so here are USA T

SHOW OF THE YEAR

1 THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY (FX) A surprise, a revelation and — in the end — a healing gift, this miniseries took a story many of us thought we knew and showed us how little we really understood. Tightly written and stunningly performed, particularly by Emmy winners Courtney B. Vance, Sarah Paulson and Sterling K. Brown, O.J. was more than just a crackling courtroom drama. It was a terrific exploration of the strains of the early 1990s and a brilliant, humanizing story about the people most directly affected by the event. TV coverage of the trial tended to turn Johnnie Cochran and Marcia Clark into buffoonish cartoons; how fitting it is that TV, with a huge assist from producer/ director Ryan Murphy, Vance and Paulson, has now turned them back into human beings.

2 ATLANTA (FX) This dazzling tragicomedy was an artistic breakthrough for star, writer and creator Donald Glover and a welcome reminder that America has always been a more interesting and diverse country than TV sometimes lets on. Playful, brave and shockingly accomplished, Atlanta may be the first major series to treat poverty as its driving force and subject, rather than using it to set up a story about drugs, gangs and crime.

4 INSECURE (HBO) In a year highlighted by terrific new talents, none shone much brighter than Issa Rae. As star and writer, she showed us the glories that await when smart, funny, humane and — in this case — profane new voices are given a chance to be heard.

5 FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE (TBS) Seldom has righteous anger and a take-no-prisoners approach combined for better results. Unlike more namby-pamby comedians, Bee does not alter her act for universal appeal. But for those who came to love her, Full Front

al was the best thing to come out of this election season.

6 WESTWORLD (HBO) Well, that was ... something. What exactly was going on in this extremely well-acted mix of sci-fi thriller, conspiracy drama and rumination on the nature of storytelling is still up for debate. But at least it’s a show worth debating.

7 BLACK- ISH (ABC) Broadcast’s best series, this comedy (like Speechless and Mom) is a throwback to the days when network sitcoms actually tried to reflect, comment upon and even improve the world around them. And it did so while being consistently funny, which is no easy task.

8 THE NIGHT OF (HBO) A tragedy with darkly comic overtones, this searing HBO series examined the losing battle waged by those swept into the criminal justice system to emerge with their lives and their dignity intact. Driven by great performances from Riz Ahmed and John Turturro, this adaptation of a British series never felt less than 100% American — to both our pride and dismay.

9 THE CROWN (Netflix) Come for the glittering excess in what is said to be one of the most expensive series ever made. Stay for Peter Morgan’s insightful script and a near flawless cast, led by Claire Foy as a young Queen Elizabeth II launching her record-setting reign.

10 SPEECHLESS (ABC) Another example of the fine work the broadcast networks can still do when they set their minds and money to it, this gutsy comedy about a strong-willed mother fighting for her son with cerebral palsy is one of the funniest and most authentic shows on the air. And what a cast, led by a highenergy turn from Minnie Driver — making the most of her best TV role yet — and sweet, skillful and sometimes poignant performance from Micah Fowler.

AMERICAN CRIME STORY BY RAY MICKSHAW, FX; ATLANTA BY GUY D’ALEMA, FX; THE AMERICANS BY PATRICK HARBRON, FX; INSECURE BY ANNE MARIE FOX, HBO; BLACK-ISH BY GREG GAYNE, ABC; THE CROWN BY ALEX BAILEY, NETFLIX; FULL FRONTAL BY ALI GOLDSTEIN, TBS