10 of the best and 10 of the worst TV shows that came out this year
Meghan Cook
- This year brought a new lineup of comedies, dramas, thrillers, and docuseries.
- Some of the worst-reviewed shows of the year included "Queen Cleopatra" and "Saint X."
Plenty of new series entertained fans this year. But according to critics, some were better than others.
Here are the best and worst TV shows of 2023, according to critic scores.
Critics loved the highbrow drama “Drops of God.”
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Summary: After a titan in the wine industry passes away, his estranged daughter Camille (Fleur Geffrier) is forced to compete against her father's greatest student (Tomohisa Yamashita) to earn her inheritance.
The Apple TV+ drama was received as an intelligent, fast-paced series with rewarding plotlines.
"The writing, acting, directing, and cinematography all hit the right notes," Randy Myers wrote for The Mercury News.
“A Small Light” added new layers to the legendary story of Anne Frank.
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Summary: On the National Geographic series, Dutch woman Miep Gies (Bel Powley) takes in Anne Frank's (Billie Boullet) family at the height of World War II.
Critics admired "A Small Light" for handling a delicate subject with grace and faithfulness.
"'A Small Light' finds a fresh way into this tale of courage, resilience and tragedy and, in doing so, may well pass the story on to yet another generation," Rebecca Nicholson wrote for The Guardian.
The mockumentary “Cunk on Earth” had critics rolling with laughter.
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Summary: Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) travels the world, speaking to experts about untold secrets as she investigates the history of the human race.
Morgan's dry humor kept critics laughing from start to finish.
Michael Phillips wrote for the Chicago Tribune, "It's the funniest thing I've seen in months, and not just on Netflix."
The Australian comedy “Deadloch” offered a refreshing change of pace for crime fans.
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Summary: After a dead body washes ashore in their town, by-the-numbers Sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) is paired up with rough-and-tumble investigator Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) to solve the case.
Critics said viewers who take a plunge into the oddball Amazon Prime series will find a refreshing take on crime procedurals.
"It might sound a little cliche to say you'll be guessing all the way to the end, but you really will, with unpredictable pace-propelling twists rolled out from go to whoa," Luke Buckmaster wrote for The Guardian.
Critics tore through “Beef” in a matter of days.
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Summary: After a road-rage incident, art curator Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and struggling contractor Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) are caught in an escalating rivalry that threatens to spill over into their everyday lives.
Critics said Netflix's "Beef" was a binge-worthy drama with an explosive finale that will leave viewers hungry for more.
"With addictive performances, stellar writing, and an innovative tone throughout, 'Beef' will undoubtedly garner a dedicated viewership on Netflix due to its sheer originality," Anna Miller wrote for Discussing Film.
“Gen V” expands on the world of “The Boys” with dark wit.
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Summary: On the Amazon Prime spin-off for "The Boys," young college students with superpowers compete to earn a spot in the coveted Seven.
In the age of reboots, sequels, and spin-offs, critics were genuinely charmed by the worldbuilding of "Gen V."
"'Gen V' has the same irreverent, iconoclastic sense of humor as 'The Boys,' and introduces a new cast of superheroes with creatively designed powers that capture the audience's attention right off the bat," Audrey Fox wrote for Looper.
Critics said “I’m A Virgo” was bursting with creativity.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Summary: On Amazon Prime's "I'm A Virgo," 13-foot-tall Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) leaves his sheltered home and tries to accept his larger-than-life self.
Critics agreed it was a charming, weird, and wonderful series from "Sorry to Bother You" (2018) director Boots Riley.
"'I'm a Virgo' is a whimsical 'Alice in Wonderland'-style fantasy," Jeanine T. Abraham wrote for Medium.
“Telemarketers” pulled back the curtain on a nationwide con.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Summary: On HBO's docuseries, Sam Lipman-Stern looks back on his time working as a telemarketer for a suspicious corporate conglomerate.
Critics said that the scrappy early-2000s footage grounded the series in realism and added a grittiness that's noteworthy among a sea of glossy docudramas.
"It feels like a rebellious artifact, realized in real-time and with a kind of earnestness and zeal that the endless stream of glossy true-crime docs peeling off the streaming-service presses lack," Alison Lanier wrote for Pajiba.
Critics said period drama “Transatlantic” had a classic Hollywood flair.
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Summary: In 1940 Marseilles, France, Mary Jayne Gold (Gillian Jacobs) and Varian Fry (Cory Michael Smith) help European refugees fleeing from Nazi Germany to the US.
Critics praised the Netflix period drama — which was based on a true story — for blending several plotlines in a riveting, cohesive way.
"While the show isn't afraid to get as dark as its circumstances require, it's also not afraid to embrace the occasional moment of levity, from funny misunderstandings to romantic drama to even an unexpected musical number," Liz Shannon Miller wrote for Consequence.
The charm of “Platonic” was undeniable.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Summary: After a long rift, best friends Will (Seth Rogen) and Sylvia (Rose Byrne) reconnect when they need each other most.
Critics said Rogen and Byrne effortlessly carried their chemistry from the "Neighbors" film series over to the Apple TV+ show.
"'Platonic' works because Byrne and Rogen are such joys to watch together, and because viewers want to spend ten half-hour episodes watching them spend time together," Sarah Ward wrote for Concrete Playground.
On the other hand, critics were completely split on “Digman!”
Rotten Tomatoes: 57%
Summary: In a world where archaeologists are worshiped like heroes, Rip Digman (voiced by Andy Samberg) tries to reclaim his former glory a decade after being fired by the Smithsonian.
Critics were split on Comedy Central's "Digman!" Some called it a funny Saturday-afternoon cartoon, but others felt it was something to skip.
"'Digman' misses the mark in essentially every department," Brittany Vincent wrote for Decider. "Its jokes fall flat, its premise can't hold up an entire series, and the word 'arky' is overused to a maddening degree."
Critics felt like a great cast was wasted on “Secret Invasion.”
Rotten Tomatoes: 53%
Summary: On the Disney+ Marvel series, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) teams up with old friend Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) to stop rogue aliens from taking over Earth.
The phenomenal cast — Jackson, Mendelsohn, Olivia Colman, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke — was commendable, even if critics were weary of franchise fatigue.
"'Secret Invasion' is the epitome of the Marvel TV and film franchise," Richard Ferguson wrote for The Australian. "Even an armed chase through the streets of Moscow seems stunted, fake and without life."
“Citadel” had high ambitions but felt clunky to critics.
Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
Summary: Former spies and lovers Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Smith (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) reunite after learning that a syndicate of adversaries wiped their memories.
Critics wanted to let their guard down and let the Amazon Prime series take them on a fun adventure ride. But its overstuffed plot and rushed CGI proved too distracting to ignore.
"Audiences for action movies are willing to suspend disbelief if the payoff is worth the cost, but 'Citadel' never closes the sale," Brian Tallerico wrote for The Playlist.
Critics were left unimpressed by the “True Lies” reboot.
Rotten Tomatoes: 42%
Summary: On CBS' reboot of "True Lies," secret agent Harry Tasker (Steve Howey) tries to balance work and marriage when he invites his wife Helen (Ginger Gonzaga) to Paris on a spy mission.
Reviewers agreed that the series failed to translate any of the fun and spark of the 1994 movie that inspired it.
"Your eyes would be well advised to look for something better too," Pat Stacey wrote for the Irish Independent. "'True Lies' is truly dire — and that's no lie."
Bad reviews rolled in left and right for “Velma.”
Rotten Tomatoes: 39%
Summary: On Max's reimagining of "Scooby-Doo," high-school-age Velma Dinkley (voiced by Mindy Kaling) is forced to prove her innocence after a murder is pinned on her.
Critics came to a consensus that "Velma" reworked "Scooby-Doo" so radically that it lost all its most lovable ingredients.
"It's an empty shell of a farce that's not clever or engrossing. Just gross," Erin Maxwell wrote for LA Weekly.
Critics called “Florida Man” an overstuffed crime drama.
Rotten Tomatoes: 22%
Summary: Ex-cop Mike Valentine (Edgar Ramírez) promises to track down a mobster's girlfriend in Florida. But the gig spirals into something more sinister.
Critics said Netflix's "Florida Man" tacked way too many ideas to its storyboard, and lost a strong throughline in the process.
"'Florida Man' is a muddled show that has some interesting characters and story points, but they're lost in a show that's far too crowded," Joel Keller wrote for Decider.
With countless superhero shows on the market, “Gotham Knights” fell to the bottom rung.
Rotten Tomatoes: 21%
Summary: After Bruce Wayne dies, his adopted son Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan) is framed for his murder and forced to go on the lam with the children of Batman's greatest enemies.
"Gotham Knights" earned poor reception, with critics agreeing that there were much better superhero offerings than the CW show.
"There's too much other quality content based on comic book universes populating the broadcast and streaming landscape to make this feel like anything other than an embarrassing afterthought," Zaki Hasan wrote for The Wrap.
Critics said “The Idol” lacked any semblance of self-awareness.
Rotten Tomatoes: 19%
Summary: After her last tour ended in disaster, pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) tries to piece her fame back together with self-help guru Tedros (Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye).
Critics felt like the Max drama was desperately trying to be edgy — and ultimately fell short of anything boundary-pushing or fresh.
"'The Idol' tries so hard to be edgy and coolly shocking that you start to feel sorry for the show," Craig Mathieson wrote for The Age.
“Saint X” left critics unsatisfied on many levels.
Rotten Tomatoes: 19%
Summary: Based on the book by Alexis Schaitkin, "Saint X" follows Emily Thomas (Alycia Debnam-Carey) as she tries to solve the mystery of her sister's (West Duchovny) brutal death in the Caribbean 20 years prior.
Reviewers pointed to clunky dialogue and head-spinning plotlines while giving the Hulu thriller low marks.
"Unfortunately, its execution muddles the message on almost all levels," Adrian Horton wrote for The Guardian. "The timeline-switching is chaotic, the acting wooden, the pace doleful and the aesthetic cheap-looking."
Critics didn't know what to make of “Queen Cleopatra.”
Rotten Tomatoes: 18%
Summary: On Netflix's dramatic miniseries, narrated by Jada Pinkett Smith, the legacy of Queen Cleopatra is brought to life through reenactments and expert interviews.
Across the board, "Queen Cleopatra" received poor reviews from critics who said the series suffered from an identity crisis.
"With no distinctive aesthetic point of view on offer and nothing intellectually novel to engage with, 'Cleopatra' swiftly becomes a test of patience before it even reaches episode two," Joseph Fahim wrote for Middle East Eye.
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