The best streaming shows of 2023
Shrinking (Apple TV Plus)
Harrison Ford and Jason Segel might not sound like a conventional pairing for a comedy-drama, but it’s a duo that surprisingly works well together. Shrinking tells the story of a psychiatrist who is grieving over the loss of his wife to the point of neglecting himself and his relationship with his teen daughter. Out of the blue, he decides to take an unorthodox approach to how he handles patients, a move that not only appears to benefit his patients but also helps the doctor in his own healing process. However, this change in direction also has a dark side, something his mentor, Ford, attempts to shield him from. The show expertly balances sweet comedy with occasional raunchy moments, while also weaving in drama around the many captivating characters you’ll genuinely care about. Bill Lawrence, one of the creators, is also responsible for beloved shows like Scrubs and Ted Lasso. Whether you’re a fan of Lawrence or not, this fact alone will likely give you a better idea of what to expect here, albeit with a slightly more somber tone.
Release date: January 27, 2023
Genre: Comedy/drama
Rating: TV-MA
Creators: Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein
Cast: Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Lukita Maxwell, Christa Miller
Poker Face (Peacock)
I’ve always been drawn to the typically gruff, street-smart characters that Natasha Lyonne tends to portray, so I was quite excited about the concept of Poker Face. It turned out to be even better than I had anticipated. Lyonne plays a woman with a built-in BS detector that’s almost supernaturally accurate. When she accidentally uncovers that her boss is involved in a murder, she finds herself in deep trouble, leaving her no choice but to go on the run. Along the way, she strangely encounters a series of random murders that she helps solve through her meddling and curiosity. While Poker Face has a darker comedic tone, it still reminds me a bit of Monk, partly due to its case-of-the-week format but also because you know who the killer is from the beginning, and the focus shifts to figuring out the how and why. Each episode introduces an almost entirely new cast, except for Lyonne, yet Poker Face excels at making these characters feel real and important in each episode’s 48 to 67 minute runtime.
Release date: January 26, 2023
Genre: Crime comedy-drama
Rating: TV-MA
Creator: Rian Johnson
Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Benjamin Bratt (recurring)
Beef (Netflix)
I’ve been somewhat underwhelmed by Netflix this year, but Beef pleasantly surprised me. This 10-episode comedy-drama starts with a straightforward premise: two people are both stressed out to the point of losing it, so when they cross paths, what should have been a minor road rage incident escalates into a massive feud that threatens to unravel their lives, careers, and relationships. Ali Wong and Steven Yeun shine with their natural chemistry, making their feud all the more enjoyable. There’s an abundance of talent both on screen and in the writer’s room. In an era where fans and critics often disagree, it’s noteworthy when a show maintains a rating of around 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of approximately 95%.
Release date: April 6, 2023
Genre: Dark comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Creator: Lee Sung Jin
Cast: Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, David Choe
Silo (Apple TV Plus)
Set long after the end of the Earth as we know it, Silo tells the story of ten thousand people living miles deep in a massive silo that shields them from a deadly, toxic world capable of quick death. No one knows what caused the world’s demise, why the silo was constructed, or the history of the world itself. It’s believed that over a century ago, an evil rebellion led to the destruction of all previous records. It becomes evident from the outset that the Silo is controlled by an oppressive government with its secrets. However, when a Sheriff breaks a rule and several residents die under mysterious circumstances, an engineer named Juliette begins to realize that everything she knows about the Silo and its history is a lie. Silo stands out as one of the best apocalyptic-themed series to emerge in years and evokes a Fallout vibe due to the vault concept, though this show is undeniably more grounded by comparison.
Release date: September 2, 2023
Genre: Sci-Fi / Drama
Rating: TV-MA
Director: Graham Yos
Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Rashida Jones, Common
Gen V (Amazon Prime)
While I admit The Boys wasn’t my cup of tea, I can’t deny that it is a well-done show with a strong following, so it’s no surprise that the spin-off Gen V is making its way onto our list of the best shows of 2023. This newer series revolves around a university dedicated to crimefighting, founded by Thomas Godolkin. You can expect the same moral ambiguity and dark secrets that you’d find in The Boys, just shifted to a college setting. If you found the superpowers in The Boys to be somewhat lacking, you’ll be pleased to see that Gen V takes a more creative approach, introducing much more unique (and sometimes gory) abilities and exploring them in much greater detail. Given the school for superheroes setting, it’s not surprising that the show would place more emphasis on training and the development of these distinctive abilities.
Release date: September 29, 2023
Genre: Dark comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Creators: Craig Rosenberg, Evan Goldberg, Eric Kripke
Cast: Jaz Sinclair, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips
The shows might be our top five picks for new streaming shows but everything on this list is so close in quality that it is almost impossible to pick. There were many other great shows that came very close to officially making it onto this list, such as Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Frasier, Fellow Travelers, and Rain Dogs, but we couldn’t include them all, or this list would have quickly become overwhelming! Below are just five more that we felt deserved to be on this list, even if just as a shorter mention:
- The Irrational (Peacock/NBC) — Technically a network and streaming show simultaneously, this crime drama focuses on a behavioral scientist who is often called in by the FBI or police to help with unusual cases.
- The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix) — This horror drama follows Usher, the corrupt CEO of a pharmaceutical company as his children start to die suddenly and horrifically. Soon he must face his dark past, as someone is clearly out for revenge.
- Primo (Amazon Prime) — A coming-of-age story about a Latin American teenager balancing home life, his college plans, and trying to find himself in our crazy world.
- A Murder at the End of the World (Hulu) — Essentially this series is a modern retelling of Clue, centering on an amateur detective invited to participate in an isolated retreat in Iceland by a reclusive billionaire. After a guest ends up dead, Darby sets out to solve the murder before the killer strikes again.
- The Last of Us (Max) — The show that proved video game adaptations could make for good TV isn’t as high on the list as you might think but that’s simply because the latter part of this year saw a lot of great new entries. Still, if you’ve yet to watch this, we highly recommend it.
The best returning streaming shows of 2023
That was a look at all our favorite new shows, but quite a few good shows were returning for new seasons as well. Below we’ll take a more detailed look at our top five and then will briefly look at five others in quicker bullet format.
Fargo, Season 5 (Hulu)
By the name alone, you might assume this is just a straightforward adaptation of the 1996 movie, but that’s not quite the case. This latest season felt like a well-done mix of the Coen Brother’s work combined with the series’ ever-gripping narrative. Although it’s a difficult balance to strike, Fargo’s unique mix of intrinsic storytelling elements and distinctive visual style managed to keep fans coming back for more