The Best TV Shows: 2020 + Video

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

2020 was almost the year without movies. With multiplexes closed around the world for a substantial part of the year, many of us turned to the small screen for entertainment. With a lot of time on our hands, there was also substantial programming to boot. From event series to new streaming launches, there have been so many excellent shows that aired in 2020 that we had to extend our list to include the 20 best! It was still hard to whittle down the list to just these, so if you feel we missed one of your favorite shows, let us know in the comments below. Here is to one of the best years of television ever!

Honorable Mentions: The Third Day, His Dark Materials, Ted Lasso, The Twilight Zone, Westworld III, I Know This Much Is True, The Stranger, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Crown, Better Things, Harley Quinn, We Are Who We Are, The Plot Against America, High Fidelity, I'll Be Gone In The Dark

With so much TV, it was hard to pick even just twenty series to make this list. Shows named in the honorable mentions above were some of the top programming of 2020 in their own right and remain some of truly great shows. Check them out if you get the chance. Many were limited or event series that will be available on their platforms for years to come while one was on a streamer that debuted and folded within the last twelve months. If you haven't seen any of these, check them out in the new year!

20: Star Trek Picard (CBS All Access)

While we may not be seeing much Star Trek on the big screen, the small screen has been thriving. With three series airing at the same time for the first time since The Next Generation, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine were on the air, Trek delivered the first sequel series to Gene Roddenberry's universe since 1995. With Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Jean Luc Picard, this new series is as cinematic as any Trek film while telling a wonderfully constructed continuation for many TNG characters. The best part about Picard is that while it evokes nostalgia, it never does so just for nostalgia's sake. This is a dramatic and sweeping series that is both a character study of a beloved character as well as one of the best Star Trek stories ever.

19: Yellowstone (Paramount Network)

Taylor Sheridan learned something from his time as an actor on FX series Sons of Anarchy. He took his experience on that drama and his familiarity with western storytelling to craft Yellowstone. Part soap opera and part crime thriller, Yellowstone is a modern western that takes the best elements of cowboys and Indians and updates it for the 21st century. Sexy, violent, and intricate, this is a series that will appeal to viewers who are not fans of the genre. Led by Kevin Costner as the patriarch of the Dutton clan, Yellowstone showcases an ensemble of actors who chew every scene they are in. From Gil Birmingham and Wes Bentley to Cole Houser and Kelly Reilly, the main cast here is just as good as the supporting players. Season three introduced Lost star Josh Holloway who is a worthy foe for the Duttons. Never coasting by on filler stories, each chapter of Yellowstone is must-see television.

18: The Vow (HBO)

The ongoing NXIVM scandal rocked Hollywood when it made headlines in 2018 with the arrest of founder Keith Raniere and Smallville actress Allison Mack. This documentary series chronicled the founding of Raniere's cult and all of the crimes that led to the eventual downfall. Set over nine episodes and featuring actress Catherine Oxenberg as she tries to extricate her daughter India from the cult, The Vow is a deeply disturbing look at a crime that is still being investigated. Led by former NXIVM cult members and investigative journalists, this series features extensive footage and background into the cult that many may not be familiar with beyond the headline news. With a second season already in the works, The Vow is one of the scariest looks at cults you are likely to see.

17: Tiger King (Netflix)

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, the series that everyone was talking about was Tiger King. Directors Eric Goode & Rebecca Chaiklin's documentary made Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin household names across the globe and kickstarted an entire swath of memes and jokes related to the series. But, even without the memes, Tiger King is still a bizarre story that you have to see to believe. Over six episodes, Tiger King keeps leaving you wondering if things could get more insane, and then they do. While nowhere near the quality of the other documentaries on this lit, the sheer crazy factor that Tiger King has working for it makes it worthy of being on this list.

16: What We Do In The Shadows (FX)

Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement did the impossible and created a television series based on their feature film of the same name that managed to be as good (if not better). With a new household of vampires, the small screen version doesn't stray much from the tried and true formula of the first season. The big differences this year are that Guillermo (Harvey Guillen) continues to struggle with his family legacy of vampire hunting. Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) continue to get involved in crazy hijinks and subplots, often accompanied by emotional vampire Colin Robison (Mark Proksch). They also upped the guest star game this year with appearances by Mark Hamill, Benedict Wong, Craig Robinson, and Haley Joel Osment, all of whom looked to be having a blast with this crazy series. While Waititi did not helm any episodes this season, Clement stayed on board and helped the show consistently be one of the funniest series airing.

15: The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)

Another series with a dedicated fanbase, the second season of The Umbrella Academy plays with the conceit of time travel even more than in the first. Splitting the family across different years in the past, this season loosely follows the comic book storyline while deepening the character development for the entire Hargreaves clan. Led by Elliott Page as Vanya, the added focus on each member of the Academy helped raise the stakes for this story. Breakout performances this season came from Robert Sheehan as Klaus and Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, both of whom do exceptional work here. A superhero story on one hand, The Umbrella Academy is a quirky family drama that soars by having these fictional creations feel realistic despite their unbelievable powers. With a third season already on the horizon, I cannot wait to see how they resolve the jaw-dropping cliffhanger at the end of the season finale.

14: Star Trek Discovery (CBS All Access)

The second season of Discovery was a marked improvement over the first but was still beholden to the canon and established lore of the original Star Trek series. By launching the crew and their ship almost a thousand years into the future, Discovery gets to invent new mythology for the Trek universe, unlike anything we have seen before. Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, and the rest of the cast appear invigorated this season as the writers no longer have to worry about the timeline. For the first time since The Next Generation, we are seeing a look at the future that we have never seen before. Star Trek has not been this exciting in years and there are no longer any limits as to where this story can go.

13: DEVS (FX)

Alex Garland's Ex Machina and Annihilation took science fiction into unique territory but is event series Devs eclipses both of those films. Led by Nick Offerman and Sonoya Mizuno, Devs is very different than anything else on television. Atmospheric and provocative, Devs is a confoundingly complex story that talks about big picture concepts about humanity and technology without relying on action sequences or comedy. A dark and disturbing tale, Devs is a puzzle box of a series that will have you dissecting each scene long after it has ended.

12: The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix)

Mike Flanagan's Hill House was scary. Very scary. The follow-up, Bly Manor, is not. But, it was never supposed to be. Featuring legacy castmembers in wholly different roles, this reinvention of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw is a gothic romance and a ghost story. With an interconnected cast and similar ghostly easter eggs as the first season, this show understandably disappointed some hoping for another Bent-Neck Lady. That does not make it a failure in the least but definitely means you need to revisit it with a different perspective. Bly Manor is most certainly haunting to the very definition of the word and succeeds because it never tries to replicate what its predecessor did.

11: Raised By Wolves (HBO Max)

With the first episodes helmed by Ridley Scott in his first North American television series, Raised By Wolves is a unique science-fiction epic that tackles the topic of religion in a fantastic manner. With surreal visuals and a uniquely haunting score, the cast of Raised By Wolves delivers, especially leading roles by Vikings star Travis Fimmel and a breakout performance by Amanda Collin. This is a wholly original science fiction story that is unlike anything else on the airwaves.

10: The Boys (Amazon Prime)

I will be honest and say that I was not a huge fan of the first season of The Boys. When I first reviewed it, the series felt like a mediocre cross between MYSTERY MEN and WATCHMEN. But after rewatching it, I grew fonder of the story especially as it reached the season finale. Season two is a marked improvement over the first. with a much darker tone despite some solid humor. Karl Urban and Antony Starr continue to steal every scene they appear in while Aya Cash makes Liberty the breakout character of the season. Eric Kripke once again manages to take a comic book that many thought of as unfilmable and make it into destination television. This is the series fans of the source material hopes for and one of the best comic book adaptations in a long time.

9: Lovecraft Country (HBO)

When your series is advertised as a joint collaboration between Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams, you likely have high expectations. Lovecraft Country shatters those by telling a story that blends horror, fantasy, and science fiction with a timely tale of race. While this series was created and filmed before the Black Lives Matter movement, this story could not have debuted at a better moment. With star-making turns by Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett, Misha Green's adaptation of Matt Ruff's novel takes the source material and expands to create a musically charged epic that ventures from Chicago to Massachusets, rural America to the front lines of the Korean War, all peppered with the monstrous creations of H.P. Lovecraft lurking in the shadows. Lovecraft Country is a sexy, violent, and powerful series that is deeply rooted in genre storytelling while still defying cliches and stereotypes.

8: Bojack Horseman (Netflix)

After six seasons on the air, Netflix's animated series came to an end. Despite mixed reviews when it premiered, the series would grow a dedicated fanbase who appreciate the show's realistic take on what it means to be human, despite the main character being a horse. With the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Allison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, Aaron Paul and a slew of guest stars, Bojack's struggles with addiction and depression populate stories set in an alternate Hollywood where humans and animals co-exist. The ridiculousness of the premise may have prevented a wider audience from appreciating the series, but Bojack Horseman told a brilliant story over 77 episodes that rivals the quality of series like The Simpsons, Archer, South Park and more. If you like your comedy with a dose of the surreal and a heavy amount of socio-political commentary, Bojack is your show.

7: Better Call Saul (AMC)

After five seasons, it is getting harder and harder to say anything about Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould's companion series to Breaking Bad. Led by Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, and Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul has transformed the character of Jimmy McGill as much as Walter White grew from mild-mannered chemistry teacher to drug kingpin. With one season to go, Better Call Saul continues to plow ahead to the events at the start of Breaking Bad. With the feud between Gus Fring and the Salamancas growing, the series has turned Giancarlo Esposito's villain into a three-dimensional creation. While we also learn more and more about Banks' Mike Ehrmentraut, the central coupling of Jimmy and Kim Wexler continues to provide some of the best acting we have seen on the small screen. While we know where Saul, Mike, and Gus end up, this season continues to keep viewers on the edge and that is a sign of top-notch storytelling.

6: The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)

How could a series about chess be one of the most compelling dramas of the year? Take the talents of star Anya Taylor-Joy and the writing skills of Scott Frank (who also directed every episode). With actual chess masters like Garry Kasparov consulting on the games played in the series, The Queen's Gambit rocketed to become one of the most-watched series in Netflix history for a reason: the immaculate production design and tackling of topics ranging from substance abuse to gender discrimination are central to the story of a young orphan's rise to the top tier of the chess world that treats a board game as thrillingly as a boxing match. The Queen's Gambit is a period piece about a bygone era but rather than evoke nostalgia, it organically tells a story reflective of the 1960s. A fresh take on tried and true themes, this is a limited series that will keep you glued from start to finish.

5: Schitt's Creek (Pop)

I started watching this comedy just before the final season debuted. I don't know how I skipped it for four seasons despite Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy being two of the most reliable comic talents of the last half century. With Dan Levy proving himself to be one of the most talented writers working today and with great turns by Annie Murphy, Chris Elliott, Emily Hampshire and the entire ensemble, Schitt's Creek is as hilarious as it is heartfelt. Blending the small town oddities of shows like Parks and Recreation with a nonstop run of quotable lines, the series wrapped up this year at the height of it's popularity rather than overstaying it's welcome. Starting out as what seemed like a take on Christopher Guest's classic comedies, Schitt's Creek found a rhythm of telling a serial story that developed the Rose family from narcissistic and vapid to one of the most likeable families in television history. I defy you to watch this show and not have a smile on your face by the time you finish.

4: The Mandalorian (Disney+)

The first season of The Mandalorian showed the world the potential Star Wars has on the small screen. Taking a cue from the serials that inspired George Lucas, Disney+ found themselves sitting on a goldmine thanks to Pedro Pascal's understated performance as the titular character accompanied by the damn cute Baby Yoda. With the currently airing second season, Favreau and Dave Filoni have brought fan favorite animated characters to live action in Bo-Katan Kryze (played by Katee Sackhoff) and Ahsoka Tano (played by Rosario Dawson). While each episode utilizes a quest of the week format, it has turned the world away from binge-watching series in one sitting to discussing and theorizing about what will come next week to week. With improved production values and special effects, the second season of The Mandalorian has improved over last year in every way and shown everyone that we need more live action Star Wars television series in our lives.

3: Perry Mason (HBO)

Over fifty years since the Raymond Burr television series defined courtroom procedurals on the small screen, Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald reimagined the classic character of Perry Mason for a new generation. Originally set to star Robert Downey Jr (who remains a producer), the series features The Americans star Matthew Rhys in the title role as the private detective turned attorney at law. Rolling the time period back to post-World War I Los Angeles, this series blends the brutality of Boardwalk Empire with a noir sensibility. This is a devastating mystery that pulls no punches as it rockets towards it's conclusion. With a cast featuring Juliet Rylance as Della Street, Chris Chalk as cop Paul Drake, Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland, and John Lithgow as Mason's mentor E.B. Jonathan, this reboot takes familiar characters from the source material and invigorates them.

2: The Outsider (HBO)

Stephen King adaptations are usually very good or very bad. Thankfully, The Outsider is very, very good. Based on King's 2018 novel which is connected to his Bill Hodges trilogy (side note: see Mr. Mercedes on Peacock for connections to this story), The Outsider follows Georgia detective Ralph Anderson (played by Ben Mendelsohn) who investigates the grisly murder of a local child supposedly at the hands of teacher and little league coach Terry Maitland (played by Jason Bateman). Despite evidence that shows Maitland in two distant places at the same time, Anderson decides to delve further with the help of savant investigator Holly Gibney (played by Cynthia Erivo). As the story unfolds, things get stranger and more horrific before coming to a shocking conclusion. With episodes directed by Bateman and Karyn Kusama and writing by Richard Price and Dennis Lehane, The Outsider defies what you may expect from a Stephen King story. Even though scripts for a second season have been written, HBO passed on a sophomore run for the show. Even if it never garners additional episodes, The Outsider works as a tense thriller worthy of comparisons to True Detective with superb turns by Mendelsohn and Erivo.

1: Fargo (FX)

Noah Hawley’s adaptation of The Coen Brothers classic film should never have worked. Over the first three seasons, the FX anthology series has not only paid respect to the feature film but has created a genre unto itself. This year, the fourth entry in the saga took a very different perspective as it chronicled the gangland rivalry between the Italian and African-American crime families in 1950s Kansas City. Led by Jason Schwartzmann and Chris Rock, this season of Fargo ranks as one of the best crime stories ever put on film with a breakout performance from Jesse Buckley. A brutal and darkly funny epic, the fourth season of Fargo is a masterpiece.