Trotter's Top Thirty TV of 2020

In a pretty uneventful year which we shall never, ever speak of again, there was some truly marvellous television broadcast. And also occasionally we had the time to binge watch stuff that's actually been airing for many seasons but gliding under the radar for many reasons.

So, to end the year on a frivolous note (an arbitrary listing of ultimately non-important stuff) but also a non-frivolous note (television, stories about other people, the arts and culture never being MORE important in keeping us entertained and distracted from the hellfire raging outside), here's my Top Thirty TV Shows of 2020...

30 Charlie Brooker's Antiviral Wipe - BBC

At 30 not necessarily because 29 other shows were better, more that I'd just like to get talking about Coronavirus and Brexit out the way early tbh. Charlie Brooker returned and made us realise what Black Mirror's success has come at a cost of. Not that we can blame him, but the Little Englander in me misses the days of Cunk and Shitpeas wanging on about unimportant stuff.  A reminder of simpler times!

29 Friday Night Dinner - Channel 4

Absolutely under-rated gem from Robert Popper with a top class cast and a modern spin on those classic British sit-com traditions of ridiculous set-ups leading to farce. Responsible for 'Shit on it!' becoming a favoured swear around these parts and providing funny but poignant moments such as the death of 'Horrible Grandma' (openly called that by all the family - made all the sadder with the recent death of the excellent Rosalind Knight who played her.

28 Grace and Frankie - Netflix

Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda continue to earn their 'Must Be Protected At All Costs' status in this (now six season long) gem of a sitcom, giving voice to an unconventional take on elderly ladies' lives in the traditional sitcom format.  If they do decide on a spin off after the forthcoming final season, they could do worse than give June Diane Raphael who plays the exasperated and exasperating Brianna her own show. 

27 Unbelievable - Netflix

It's not just the incredible plot (based on a true story of a woman suspected of making up rape accusations) that sets this mini-series apart, but the three core performances from Merritt Wever, Toni Collette and Kaitlyn Dever. It's not exactly Christmas feel good viewing obviously, but is well worth a watch for how it twists your sympathies backwards and forwards as new info is revealed and how the system deals with vulnerable women in good and (mostly) bad ways. I'd watch anything Wever is in now, based on this performance alone, which probably explains why I stuck with 'Run' until the bitter end!

26 The Good Place - Netflix 

Although it was probably cursed to never be able to live up to THAT season one finale twist (which I still won't spoil despite it being more than long enough ago for you to have either watched it or read about it), The Good Place did more than a good job of wrapping up its run. And to be honest, the finale probably is far more touching now given what we've all been through in the year that followed its final airing in January. A sweet, silly, heartfelt show about relationships, life, death and everything in between whilst also giving the world the most entertaining Philosophy 101 tutoring we didn't even know we needed at the time!

25 The Masked Singer - ITV

Yes I'm deliberately transitioning from life, death, everything and Philosophy 101 into The Masked Singer, the most ridiculous, bonkers show on earth. Take over the top costumes, the likes of which haven't been seen since Animal Kwackers (look it up and see why Gen X was always going to be fucked up), clues to the singers' identity that wouldn't be out of place on 3-2-1, panelists convinced that Beyonce and Justin Bieber would be happy to spend several weeks in a glorified aircraft hangar in Zone 6 and then a genuinely exciting unmasking that gets the audience (and you at home) screaming 'Take It Off!' only to see Teddy Sheringham and Alan Johnson unmasked after all that!

It's also a show that simply has to be made for the domestic market - have you tried watching even the US version and having the tension build up to reveal someone you've never seen in your life before. Not even Rita Ora can drain its pure primetime joy. It also gave us this genuinely great performance by a Girls Aloud singer in a giant, regal bee costume.

24 Pennyworth - Amazon StarzPlay

Not everyone is a fan of the too-numerous comics-to-tv genre I know, but I've got a high threshold for them. Despite that even I was sceptical we needed a series about Batman's butler Alfred before Bruce was born. We've been there before with tv shows unable to use the more famous characters saved for the movies so only tangentially related to the comics you want to see on screen in the first place. However, Pennyworth may also have been pitched as 'We'd like to re-do The Avengers (no, not those ones) and The Saint but realise they'll never get picked up so let's throw in a few Batman references'.  What you get is an evocative swinging 60s caper vibe that really does a great job of capturing the sometimes-bizarre plot and atmosphere of those classic shows. 

Jack Bannon gives a charismatic turn as the title character (whisper future Bond?). Also, Paloma Faith is in it and she is tolerable!

23 White Lines - Netflix

So the 90's are so far in the past now that you can make generational flashback murder-mystery dramas out of them now, I'm afraid! White Lines takes the hedonism of the Ibiza scene and twists it into something dark and mysterious. Sadly cancelled after the one season, it wraps up solidly enough to tie up all the mysterious loose ends it needs to. Even if it sadly means we won't see more of Daniel Mays' star turn as hapless ex-DJ turned small time dealer, Laura Haddock as the woman in the centre of it all, or Nuno Lopes with his shirt off.

22 Better Things - iPlayer

Season four of Pamela Arlon's comedy-drama study of three generations of women and girls continues to get more confident the longer it progresses. It's paced like nothing else on tv at the moment, where characters might just be hanging out and talking about stuff that isn't going to be paid off later, not foreshadowing some great truth, but that gives you emotional insight into the well-rounded characters created - who sometimes are spiteful, frustrating or upsetting for the sake of it but have each others' backs. None of which especially sells it as a comedy I have to admit, but it's genuinely one of the funniest and sweetest shows airing right now. The New Orleans-based stand-alone episode being one of the highlights of the year.

21 All Creatures Great and Small - Channel 5

A remake. A 'deliberate feel-good nostalgia-drama' to please the housewives. Airing on Channel 5. None of which ticks many of my 'must see tv' boxes I have to admit. But this is such a well made, acted, shot drama that you can't help fall for it. Samuel West is a stand out as Siegfried  - almost making you forget Robert Hardy's original. Channel 5's only crime is not ordering more of the first season (hopefully they'll rectify it for season 2). The Beeb dropped the ball by not commissioning this (and perhaps explains the shows only downside - the absence of the seminal theme tune). Throw in a guest stint by the late Dame Diana Rigg and you get an idea of the quality on offer. Heart warming feel good tv at its best (with a touch of sadness to get the tear ducts flowing) - exactly what this year needs, let's be frank. And the recent Christmas special was exactly what you'd hope it would be.

20 Stargirl - Amazon Prime

As near a 'new Buffy' as we're likely to get anytime soon.  Incorporating some of the more obscure DC Comics characters as far back as the 1940's, Stargirl was a fun exploration of the well-worn generation differences trope just with super powers and mortal enemies thrown in for good measure.

19 Work in Progress - Sky Comedy

At the start of the year everyone was probably in a much better place to watch a comedy about a lesbian who decides to postpone her suicide for 180 days after her therapist dies in her session.  Doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs, but the bleak, absurd premise is just the start of a great character study of a queer woman and her queer friends. Abby McEnany writes and stars in the semi-autobiographical take on why we keep going in the bleakest of circumstances - but does so in a wryly comic way. That gay characters in a comedy are finally allowed to do daft, stupid, but nuanced things rather than be absolute basket-cases or saints, is just so refreshing.

18 Great Pottery Throw Down - Channel 4

Along with Strictly and Bake off there were few shows this year that you would say we absolutely _needed_ - The Great Pottery Throw Down was one of these for me.  Rescued by Channel 4 (or perhaps just taken out of contractual hiatus a required number of years after Bake Off left the Beeb), Bake Off's pottery cousin was the feel good shot in the arm we all required before we get the real shot in the arm we need. The advantage this show has over Bake Off is that we can appreciate far more whether something is well done, rather than rely on Paul and Prue telling us it tastes good.  Also - pottery is literal alchemy - it's just astounding how clay can make so many different forms - and learning what oxides would produce what colours was fascinating.  Thankfully renewed with a fourth season on the way in a few weeks to save us all over again! Bring on The Crying Judge!

17 Sex Education - Netflix

A lot of attention was on Sex Education season two as to whether the lightning in a bottle from the premier season was still there or if it was destined to be a bit...limp. The writers wisely expanded the reach of the show to focus on more of the supporting characters, with Aimee Lee Wood in particular being allowed time to shine with a tricky storyline.  Gillian Anderson is as excellent as ever, but the young cast all step up to those levels. Sex Education is already proving to be as fertile a ground for young UK talent as Skins was before it - hopefully it'll have the stamina to stay around for some time yet.

16 The Boys - Amazon Prime

Continuing where the first season left off (literally), The Boys - the last comics adaptation on the list I promise! - was as irreverent to your traditional comic tv reimagining as to the source material itself.  It remained as violent and sick as season one but also stopped short of some of the more 2D elements of the Garth Ennis-penned comic it was based on.  Sometimes it didn't quite work (several attempts to humanise members of The Seven other than Homelander) felt a bit premature in the scheme of the series but more often than not it worked - especially removing more of the sexist aspects of the comic. Plus - lots of exploding heads!

15 I Hate Suzie - Sky One

I would watch anything Billie Piper stars in, let's just make that clear from the off. Her trajectory from bubble-gum pop teen to beloved actress is basically a couple of steps away from Youngest National Treasure We Have. True, the premise of a young pop star/actress whose career is derailed when a compromising phone video goes viral, isn't a massive stretch (minus the video obviously!) but the emotional twists and turns required for the role certainly calls for a strong performance. Each episode is loosely based around the stages of grief and cleverly shot and produced to reflect each. The show, often humorously, demonstrates the hypocrisy at play in the media holding women to completely different standards to men.  It also resists a neat and tidy ending for a far more thoughtful one. Whether there should be a season two is debatable, but another series starring Piper and co-written by Lucy Prebble would be great.

14 Disclosure - Netflix

So often discussion regarding trans men and women gives everyone a voice except trans men and women themselves. Netflix takes what shouldn't be a bold, rare move but sadly is, and gives the community a platform to talk about their own experiences and histories.  The parallels between 'trans discourse' today and 'gay discourse' in the 80's and 90's are made very clear here, as is the media's role in perpetuating the myth of 'transwomen as predators' so commonly used against the community today by left and right wingers alike. Actor and writer Jen Richards in particular articulates really well the perpetuated garlanding of awards given to straight men 'playing' transwomen such as Eddie Redmayne and why this is harmful and also in this clip puts into context some of the misogynistic arguments unfairly levied at transwomen.  A really enlightening watch.

13 Pen15 - Sky Comedy

The second season of Pen15 really got a chance to dig into the two lead characters (played by writers/co-creators Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle) so much so that you often forget the 30+ year old actors are playing teenaged hyper-realised versions of themselves.  There's a complete innocent charm to this coming of age tale with some stand out episodes (such as when they believe (hope?) they have developed witch powers, take leading roles in the school play and struggle with boys in essentially every episode). A unique, refreshing comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously but takes growing up very seriously indeed.

12 Industry - BBC1 / iPlayer

Definitely one of those 'I'll give this a go as a pandemic distraction' shows but one which turned out to be (almost infuriatingly) a class act in its own right. Viewers of a certain age will see so many parallels between Industry and This Life that I'm sure there's a good drinking game to be had out of the comparisons - not least the Christmas Party scenes - but despite a feeling of treading old ground and being _slightly_ too late with the 'Big City workers are awful' premise, there was no denying Industry's high production values, solid to great cast, soundtrack and plotting. The characters sometimes acted too out of character as to leave you really puzzled but then when does acting out of character blur the line of being young, reckless and ambitious.  The ending in itself is pretty damn shocking an 'about turn' that actually makes complete sense when you consider these characters have been behaving awfully from the get go and it's only the tropes of television that make you expect redemption/change instead of just believing what was shown to you all the way through.  Season two can't come quick enough.

11 Gangs of London - Sky Atlantic

Quite often now, seasons of prestige drama are stretched out at least 3-4 episodes too long and as a result nothing much can seem to happen from one episode to the next.  You definitely can't accuse Gangs of London of this. Early on you realise that each episode has at least one cinematic-level massive, violent action piece - the pinnacle of which being The One at the Country House - where describing it with mere words would never do it justice.  There's also The One with The Hot Butcher, The One in the Office, The One with the Makeshift Torture Chamber and The One at the Abattoir - which makes it all sound like a mirror universe version of Friends. Sure it's unnecessarily violent at times but as often it's absolutely necessarily violent. It gets all a bit too twisty-turny at the end, which is a shame as a more straight forward ending may well have put it in the Top Ten - but I guess they realised they'd need a plot for season two after all. 

10 Mrs America - BBC iPlayer

Top notch casts don't always translate to great drama but, in this case, Mrs. America easily succeeds. Cate Blanchett got most of the plaudits as the baffling, full-of-contradictions Phyllis Scholarly but any of Rose Byrne, Uzo Aruba, Sarah Paulson, Tracey Ulman or Margot Martindale could have easily carried the series from their perspective. Focused on the birth of women's rights in the States it deftly showed the various perspectives of the women who fought for the cause and, in Schlafly's case, bizarrely fought against it. Unlike most historical dramatisations though, it took time to dig into the women's motivations rather than  caricaturing them.  Most interesting was the tension shown between women's rights and black rights (and also whether they are intersectional or separate) which is still rife to this day and also evident in the feminist movement against transwomen.  In short, Mrs. America was a fascinating insight into a period of American history but also gave you plenty to consider about today.  Cracking opening titles too!

9 Inside No. 9 - BBC iPlayer

Thankfully, we're already talking about Steve Pemberton and Reese Shearsmith's dark comedy anthology as a national treasure.  Each series has given us masterclasses in how much can be done with the half hour comedy turn. Even with this, the fifth season, they found ways to shock and surprise, even if by now you are well-trained to be looking for the horrific twist that will come near the end. Highlights of this season were 'The Referee's a..' (where the referee being a...isn't what you think, 'Misdirection' which gives multiple examples of its title and 'Thinking Out Loud' a perfect Covid half hour of individual webcam chats that all come together dramatically at the end. If they just had 'cleverly put together' in their favour then they wouldn't feature so highly, the fact that they are by turn humorous, tragic and hilarious by turn just makes Inside No. 9 all the more special.

8 What We Do In the Shadows  - BBC iPlayer

We can point to What We Do In the Shadows whenever anyone argues against another needless remake/reimagining of film or tv properties that really don't seem ready for such a remake. WWDITS takes the concept of the film, inept, pathetic vampires living in edge of city America film a documentary, and runs with it with a brand new cast. And whilst season one paid a bit too much homage to the original, this year the vampires really took flight (sorry) with a Matt Berry cry of 'BAAAAT!' Berry is the stand out but the whole core cast (and astute casting of guest appearances including Mark Hamill Himself) tip the show into the classic category.  It's the Hamill-featuring episode which is the standout here, with Berry going deep undercover as Jackie Daytona Regular Human Bartender.  And by deep undercover we mean jabs a toothpick in his mouth and becomes 'unrecognisable'. 

7 Devs - iPlayer/Fox

There's a couple of shows on this list that are pretty difficult to review without spoiling what makes them so good in the first place, one's still to come and one is Devs. It's probably best to say 'talented IT programming guy gets accepted into a hyper-secretive, but much-sought-after role which isn't anything like it seems' and leave it at that. Except to say its some of the best shot television of the year and Nick Offerman definitely doesn't play to type.

6 Lovecraft Country - Sky Atlantic

I wasn't really aware that HP Lovecraft was such a massive bloody racist to be honest.  So premiering a series based on his revolutionary horror stories in the year when Black Lives Matter tragically became a global protest movement didn't really seem that astute a move. Actually it was one of the best moves in a year full of bad ones. Centring the story on a black family experiencing southern, Jim Crow American racism in the 1950's that Lovecraft would have been right behind was a bold and brilliant move. The series does stutter at first finding its feet and that of its characters but quickly finds a confident groove that weaves multiple storylines together until they all dramatically pay off in the end. Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors (tipped for the next Bond btw) rightly get plaudits for their portrayals of the lead romantic duo but others shine brightly too notably Michael K Williams (as always) deftly moving from unlikeable to heartbreakingly relatable by season's end and Wunmi Mosaku as Jurnee's wayward half-sister. The final episode is probably one of the best endings of the year and makes the 'strange happening of the week' more than worthwhile getting to such a well-written payoff. In fact, it wrapped so well that it not being able to come back for a second season due to its stars' rising so fast, wouldn't be _too_ upsetting. I lie - we need a second season.

5 The Mandalorian - Disney+

Have to admit to not being a huge Star Wars fan (some people will probably find that almost sacrilegious), never saw Star Wars originally at the cinema, didn't have the toys etc. So the mixed response to the 'final trilogy' and Solo films didn't enrage me as much as many fanboys. For the record I preferred The Last Jedi. After a pretty good first season, but one which really got attention mostly for the title character's travelling companion more than anything else. But season two really raised the bar. Each episode (and they really were stand alone, distinct episodes) practically matched the films in terms of scope, score, cinematography and the beautiful paintings used in the closing titles. You may sometimes have to ask anyone in your household more familiar with the various planets, minor characters and portliness than yourself (or Google it) but overall The Mandalorian was probably the most entertaining, easy to watch drama of the year.

4 The Expanse - Amazon Prime

A more complex watch, the pandemic at least gave us the chance to tackle some of those series we've wanted to get up to speed on but the sheer volume of episodes already aired or airing had put us off (or maybe you baked or learned a language instead of binged-watch tv series). Based on a series of sic-fi novels (that are actually going to be completed, so no chance of being burned by dragon-fire twice here) each season builds on what has gone before but focuses on a different aspect or scenario caused as a result of the story to date,  It's tricky to explain without giving too much away but, suffice to say, characters may be the main focus for one arc and then disappear for whole seasons before coming back in.  Which makes sense, as...space is kinda...big! Space travel and exploration are shown to have their strict limitations, nothing is easily solved by teleporting across a galaxy - travel is hard and high risk and many pay the price for doing just that. It's switch to Amazon seems to also have coincided with an even greater quality of storytelling with season five episode three giving the audience almost as big a moment as in that other show's Red Wedding - except here the pay off was set up over several seasons/episodes - which made its execution so much sweeter.  If you have the time, and hanker for another sic-fi show as good as the Battlestar Galactica remake was then The Expanse is well worth diving into.

3 Schitt's Creek - Netflix

I probably don't need to go into great detail about Schitt's Creek given what a phenomena it became this year while we were (mostly) all stuck indoors and craving some feel good television. It's unlikely that it would have become such a big hit otherwise unfortunately, given that it had been airing for five years and as many seasons and was coming back for a final bow. But one global pandemic and every major Emmy award later and it's given Dan Levy and his talented cast global (meme) ubiquity. Catherine O'Hara's Moira steals most of the headlines and rightly so, although Annie Murphy's nuanced playing of Alexis is my absolute favourite.  It's easy to see why it became so popular this year, giving everyone permission to laugh uncontrollably and then cry buckets, at the circumstances where even the appalling (at first)  Rose family are welcomed unquestionably into the small town of Schitt's Creek. David's eventual relationship with Patrick is one of the sweetest portrayed on television, the fact that they are gay is both the least important and most important aspect - and so refreshing for it to be played that way. I ould go on, but you've probably watched it (and the tear-inducing documentary Best Wishes, Warmest Regards - trailer linked above) several times anyway.

2 Babylon Berlin - Sky Atlantic

Following a few tv critics on Twitter pays off big time sometimes. I'm not sure I'd have watched the marvellous Babylon Berlin otherwise. But if I sold it as Cabaret-meets-Ipcress Files-meets-Twin Peaks I'd have watched it from the first episode instead of having to binge the first two seasons.  I say 'having to' as if it was a chore rather than some of the best tv I've seen in years. This is especially true of the last few episodes of season two - which I won't give away but involves a speeding train and high stakes. Liv Lisa Fries is also a revelation as the main female lead, Charlotte Ritter, surely an action icon for our times (or at least the Weimar Republic of the 20's).

The way the show blends the camp, cabaret of Berlin with some exhilarating action set pieces is unlike anything I've seen before. Indeed, the first season ends with one of the most thrilling scenes in recent tv history which itself apes its own first episode ending, but in...er...a more bloody fashion. Babylon Berlin is a gem and you should watch it now.

1 Dark - Netflix

It's so infuriating for my favourite show to be one that is so difficult to explain without giving what may be too much away. So on the face of it, it's a present-day tale of missing children in a small German town which just happens to be next to a nuclear power plant and whose main protaganist recently lost his dad to suicide. Except...it's not really about that, mostly. Let's just say, over the course of the three seasons you get to see more of the small town of Winden and its families over many generations. The casting of younger and older versions of characters is so good that sometimes you think they've used prosthetics rather than other people. Most satisfyingly though, Dark is a rare example of a complex, serial narrative that not only pays off well in the end but ties enough of its complexities up by the end for it to make sense in a very satisfying way.

Trotter's Top Twenty TV of 2019

Despite 2019 being an absolute dumpster fire of a year, we were blessed with some of the best television ever - hence 20 and not just 10 selections and not a Game of Thrones in sight (which at the start of the year I'd have been alarmed at, but given the high quality of what else was available, didn't mean the end of the world - just the end of Benioff and Weiss' careers hopefully)...

20) Guilt (BBC)

Definitely winner of 'Best 2019 Show You've not Heard of'. In an era dominated by huge, expensive, lengthy epics with the world(s) at stake, this Scottish original drama of two brothers who hit and run on an elderly man and then things only get worse, is well worth a watch, especially for finally giving Mark Bonnar a starring role - four episodes in total but packed with story, bish bosh.

19) Titans (Netflix)

Poorly marketed in the trailer as 'Robin says a swear', this DC Comics show seemed destined to fall foul of the trait of thinking comics' adaptions need to be over the top violent and 'adult' to be taken seriously.  Fortunately, Titans was more carefully plotted and well-considered than that and a very easy binge watch, taking enough from the comic series to be worthwhile but altering enough to stay interesting. It also did a good job of introducing the team over the course of the whole season rather than rushing things in the usual comic origin story formula.

18) Star Trek: Discovery (Netflix)

Following up a relatively well-received first season of a property beloved by rabid fans who can turn toxic on a miscast character or trait is tricky.  Introducing a version of the most iconic of those characters is even bolder, along with another new captain.  Discovery, although slumping a little early on, rights the ship and tells an intricate tale where you genuinely don't know what will happen next.  And the culmination of the season also gives them much more freedom for where to boldly go next.

17) The Good Place (Netflix)

Reviewing tv by calendar year is always a bit tricky - mostly the series that air on mainstream channels air the back end of one season and then the first part of the next at either end of the year.  Such is the case with The Good Place, so whether the final few episodes will cement its place in the top comedies of the decade or consign it to its very own Bad Place is still unclear. However, it still rattles through plot like no other series (even most dramas) and the characters have all found their voices - even if the central plot of Eleanor/Chidi still doesn't quite convince. And Ted Danson continues to impress and the behind the scenes podcast is a gem.

16) Grace and Frankie (Netflix)

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin continue to charm their way through one of the best feel-good shows airing at the moment. The main premise of the show, demonstrating that the elderly don't all act the same or should be treated the same, has been expanded and the rest of the cast given the time to develop, especially June Diane Raphael as Grace's daughter Brianna.

15) The Boys (Amazon Prime)

Okay, sometimes overly sweary and violent comic adaptations get it bang on.  Although in some ways The Boys can't get away with what the comics' source material did (DC originally published it until the higher-ups got wind of what Garth Ennis was doing with his not-very-well-hidden-versions of the Justice League).  There are still more than enough gross, shocking or hilarious (or all three) moments here - including the answer to the question 'what if a baby had super powers?' tat you never thought you needed to know. Also, Karl Urban deserves this!

14) The Loudest Voice (Sky Atlantic)

I put off watching this show for a while, like some others on the list, as good as they are you need to be in a particularly robust state of mind I think to view toxic predators running major corrupt media outlets.  However, the story of Roger Ailes' rise and spectacular fall at Fox News was a tale of our times.  Russell Crowe was incredible as the title character - so much so that eventually you completely forget it's him playing the role; Sienna Miller gets the rump of the prosthetics' budget by the looks of it though.

13) Stranger Things (Netflix)

There's nothing better than a great tv show becoming great again after a bit of a slump.  Season three of Stranger Things recaptured the highs of its first season in spectacular form, upping the stakes and the scares and focusing on some of the under-used supporting cast rather than the 'stars' to a very successful degree. In particular the addition of Maya Hawke (Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's daughter) who stole every one of her scenes and further developing the friendship between Eleven and Max rather than making them stereotypical love rivals or bitchy teens.

12) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC)

A bit like the 2012 Olympics, could we actually pull off something that just doesn't seem in our wheelhouse? It was an emphatic yes (like the Olympics), admittedly helped by the recent dip in form of the US version.  Thankfully, instead of trying to copy the glamorous / bitchy side of the mother show the producers were brave enough to let the UK traditions and tropes be given air.  The Final Three may have been obvious from the start (and divisive in their final placings) but the UK season may have not only secured a place for a long running series here, but also give the US edition the shot in the arm it desperately needs. And the challenge to top 'that' Snatch Game.

11) Pose (BBC)

At first, the shift in focus away from the premiere season's elaborate plots around prep for the weekly balls and subsequent glam, was something to miss.  But as the show developed it was obvious this move was intentional as the full impact of the AIDS crisis started to take centre stage. A funeral episode in the centre of the run, despite being a tad OTT in its storyline, was one of the most moving episodes of television this year and had me in buckets.  Despite/because of all this, the finale trip up state was so refreshing and ended on an uplifting note.  There's still no more important a show for highlighting transpeople's lives and rights - especially as so little seems to have actually changed.

10) Only Connect (BBC)

A bit unusual to have a long-running quiz show on a 'best of' list - but if the list is ultimately recommending what you should watch I don't see the problem! People have dismissed it as being as difficult as University Challenge but the good thing with Only Connect is that, once you start to grasp how the clues generally are structured you can at least get a few right.  And even when you don't have a scooby, the questions are often at least admirably clever in their construction - whereas University Challenge leaves you feeling inadequate because you don't know your Latin and your classical music, you're at least as likely to get a question about Little Mix on Only Connect.

9) The Mick (Paramount)

Sadly now cancelled, even after one of the best runs of a comedy in the last few years. The Mick starred Kaitlin Olsen as Mickey, essentially a similar version of her 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' character.  Irresponsible and forced to take care of her three nephews and nieces and then hilarity ensues.  The Mick took the usual US tv comedy tropes and turned them on their heads - including casting actually likeable, odd-ball kids who grew in importance as the show progressed and they proved they could hold their own.  See also Speechless for 'gone too soon US comedies when there's so much other dross on air'.

8) Sharp Objects (Sky Atlantic)

Despite airing at the start of last year, very few shows stayed with me in terms of mood and tone as Sharp Objects. This was thanks mainly to Jean-Marc Vallee's incredible directing, ramping up his style from Big Little Lies - all quick cuts, flashbacks, and emotive scenery shots and then added stifling heat and sun of Missouri. Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson excelled in their roles and the troubled past of the lead family was as intriguing as the central murder mystery.  No other show evoked their setting (despite me never being there) as Sharp Objects.

7) The OA (Netflix)

Yet another gone-before-their-time show, a victim of Netflix's new tendency to cancel rather than finish the tales their subscribers sign up to see.  The OA is very definitely not to everyone's taste (hence the cancellation) but for a series that cared as much for traditional storytelling techniques as it did about episode length and when to place your titles (i.e. not at all) it was doing something unique in the tv stratosphere.  Gone too soon - but at least it went out on one of the craziest endings to a tv show ever - which I'll obviously not spoil here - take a look for yourself!

6) Mr Robot (Amazon Prime)

In a year with very high profile failures to land their endings (mentioning no dragons in particular) it was very heartening that Mr Robot, which started out in an equal flurry of hype and attention but then found the media gaze wandering elsewhere, managed to stick a very emotional and satisfying landing indeed. When a show can have you questioning absolutely everything that's going on (and in a very divisive way) but then have the skill to not only pull it back but explain itself so well, that's when you know the show runner knows what they're doing. We have to get more discerning when selecting which shows to go back and watch - it's good to know that some will be worth the investment.

5) Watchmen (Sky Atlantic)

Did we need a retelling/follow-up to DC's classic Watchmen story, one where the creators have made it clear they would sanction no follow-up? No we didn't.  Was David Lindelof's Watchmen one of the best shows of the year.  Yes, emphatically. Starting off on by featuring very few elements of the original story was an odd move, but then centring the history of race relations in the States, actually bringing a real-life tragedy to prominence (the Tulsa 'Black Wall Street' massacre). Regina King and Jean Smart were amazing in their respective roles and the way the story progresses, surprises and interlinks across its nine episodes (mirroring the number of panels per page of the comic can't be coincidental) is masterful. Lindelof, with this and The Leftovers now under his belt, has certainly banished any of the demons of Lost's finale.

4) Dark (Netflix)

If you're a confusing, subtitled-from-German, complex animal of a show, why not double-down with your second season? Dark did just that, requiring a high level of concentration, revisiting of previous episodes, using wiki/google through your fingers to remind yourself enough without spoiling what's to come.  It's a very hard programme to discuss without giving away some of its wonderful secrets and twists, but trust me the investment is well worth it.  Unlike other shows who make it up as they go along, there is a clear plan at work here - even the air date of this season was important to the mythology of the show.  Definitely one to binge on before its final, third season.

3) Russian Doll (Netflix)

Fans of Orange is the New Black would already know how charismatic a presence Natasha Lyonne was and how you'd miss her for the stretches she wasn't featured in the large ensemble cast.  So binge-watching Russian Doll requires no effort whatsoever, and actually helps navigate the Groundhog Day of the storyline. The central concept of the show doesn't get in the way of it being funny and genuinely watchable.And while the title of the show eventually becomes evident, it isn't laboured at all - and you'll also say 'cocker-roach' rather than cockroach from now on I'm afraid...Should she risk a second season? Well, as we'll get to, there are two schools of thought about that.

2) Succession (Sky Atlantic)

The 'little' show that could...and did. While HBO was throwing its weight behind Game of Thrones' final season publicity push, ultimately it was Succession that carried off all the plaudits. While its first season was very good, it didn't get so much attention immediately - but slowly, thanks to social media buzz and some very meme-worthy dialogue and scenes, attention became focused on The Murdochs in the Dynasty Universe.  Season two focused down on each of its episodes as mini-plays where the family are gathered, sometimes tenuously so...and away we go.  Like Mad Men before, its hard to root for any of these selfish, rich idiot creatures at first, but gradually, ever soon gradually, you suddenly find yourself cheering them on (although often against each other to be fair). My faves are the revelatory Matthew Macfadyen playing completely against what UK viewers are accustomed to in the wimpy, useless Tom - and the superbly caustic, yet sympathetic Kieran Caulkin and his bizarre relationship with Gerri.  Succession, any other, ordinary year would easily be the best thing on tv, but this wasn't any ordinary year...

1) Fleabag (BBC)

Because we have Fleabag, we'll always have Fleabag.  Taking the fourth wall and tearing that down again with the introduction of Andrew Scott's 'Hot Priest'.  Starting with a shot of Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the loos, bloody nose: 'This is a love story'. Cut to the choppy guitar of the title screen.  And it was a love story, but not just of the priest, of sisterly love and of learning to love yourself - and saying goodbye to us, the voyeur. So many great scenes, searingly funny lines, heartbreaking confessions and joyous triumphs.

It's a huge risk for a writer to cave and return to something they'd previously said they'd finished with - and here the contradiction of Fleabag is apparent. Season two wouldn't exist if PWB had decided to stop at season one, but, having seen season two wouldn't another season spoil possibly the most perfect final season of tv ever made? How could she top season two? Except she did top season one with two so she could do it again, couldn't she? In a way I hope we don't find out and this is the end of it. The perfect ending.