The 15 Best TV Shows Of 2020… So Far

The Great is, for lack of a better word, great. The Hulu comedy provides a historical-ish account of Catherine the Great’s (Elle Fanning) marriage to Emperor Peter III (Nicholas Hoult) and her rise to power in 18th century Russia. Catherine, a German princess, arrives in Russia ready to fall in love with Peter, but his vain, immature nature pushes her to realize that a greater love awaits: that of the empire itself. The Great could easily present this well-known story straight-up, but instead, it infuses it with humor, wry commentary, and, at times, sheer ridiculousness. Add in crack performances from Fanning and Hoult and a costume budget that would make Queen Elizabeth II green with envy, and you’ve got a period dramedy for the ages. — Claire Spellberg

Stream The Great on Hulu

When the sixth and final season of Schitt’s Creek premiered in January, I remember thinking it was the perfect show to offset all the negativity and uncertainty in the world. That was JANUARY. What a difference a few months makes, right? Things are bad, but the final season of Schitt’s Creek offers moments of solace by allowing us to visit a feel-good world where kindness and empathy reign supreme. — Josh Sorokach

Where to watch Schitt's Creek

Vastly underrated, Mae Martin’s superb comedic drama told the story of a Canadian stand-up comic living and working in the UK while dealing with her new relationship, and old addictions. Stealthily brilliant scenes like Mae confronting her mother (Lisa Kudrow) while riding through a haunted house perfectly encapsulate what was so unique and special about Feel Good: comedic set-pieces that, like Martin’s stand-up, get to deeper emotional truths. — Alex Zalben

Stream Feel Good on Netflix

The Goonies meets The O.C. is basically a pitch right across home plate no matter the circumstances, but Netflix’s Outer Banks hit the spot when it debuted right towards the top of quarantine timez. Add in a ridiculously charming young cast, a treasure hunt plot that was thrilling and emotional, and cinematography that was so much better than it had any right to be, and you have a recipe for another hit from the premiere streamer. When’s Season 2? — Alex Zalben

Stream Outer Banks on Netflix

Rob McElhenney and Megan Ganz’s new comedy is the reason why you need Apple TV+. Mythic Quest applies the insanity of a typical workplace comedy to a video game development studio. And it’s hilarious. Few stages are better suited for comedy than mixing the egomaniacs of the tech world with the reactionary intensity of die hard video game fans. Yet what elevates Mythic Quest isn’t its humor but its intelligence and heart. Between every battle between the mods and online Nazis or screaming matches over shovels there’s an insightful look into the balance between capitalism and art. Mythic Quest won’t just make you laugh. It’ll make you question your career choices. — Kayla Cobb

Stream Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet on Apple TV+

Who knew that grief and trauma could be so much… fun? Even with its heavy AF premise (how many dead spouses can one show have?), Netflix’s Dead to Me came back for a sophomore season that was faster and funnier, supercharged by the chemistry between Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. And we can’t forget James Marsden, playing the total opposite of his Season 1 character and becoming the sweet-hearted dream date that we needed in 2020. But true to its subject matter, Dead to Me also gave its leads some of the meatiest scenes of their careers—and y’all, they went in. Never cross Christina Applegate at a city council meeting! — Brett White

Stream Dead to Me on Netflix

HBO’s The Plot Against America invited us into the home of a family that seemed familiar just as they found themselves trapped in a version of history that never happened, but felt like it could have. Based on Philip Roth’s novel of the same name, The Plot Against America follows the Levin family as Charles Lindbergh runs as a far-right Presidential candidate opposite FDR in 1941. Lindbergh taps into anti-Semitic sentiment and takes America on a dark path that puts American Jews in the crossfire. The Plot Against America doesn’t stick with you because it seems shocking, but because you can see its horrors happening with the gentlest of pushes. — Meghan O’Keefe

Stream The Plot Against America on HBO

Few rewrites of history are as hauntingly relevant as creator Davhi Waller’s examination of the Equal Rights Amendment. On its surface, Mrs. America tells the story of the ratification of the ERA and how one woman, Cate Blanchett as a truly chilling Phyllis Schlafly, managed to uproot this surefire piece of legislation. But more than that, this series is an examination into the systems of internal and systematic hate that have quietly shaped this country. Starring Uzo Aduba, Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Banks, Margo Martindale, Sarah Paulson, and Tracey Ullman, the most jarring part of Mrs. America isn’t that Phyllis Schlafly was successful. It’s that America is still fighting the same battles it did decades ago. — Kayla Cobb

Stream Mrs. America on Hulu

Normal People is the kind of show you feel in every fiber of your being. Based on Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel of the same name, the Hulu drama tracks two Irish teens, Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal), as they attempt to make their relationship work across a span of four years. During that time, Marianne and Connell’s emotional hangups consistently push them apart, but their electric chemistry prevents them from breaking up for long. Normal People presents a winding, emotional story of love found and lost (a feat impressive on its own), but award-worthy performances from its two leads elevates the show into Best of the Year range. — Claire Spellberg

Stream Normal People on Hulu

Before Tiger King took the world by the throat in its jaws, Cheer was the big breakthrough documentary series of the year. Following the Navarro College cheerleading team as they battled to make it to “mat,” the series stripped bare the pain, struggle, and work that goes into the sport of cheerleading. The series was an addictive soap opera about the trials of winning a championship as well as a harrowing look at a sport that is often written off as fluff. Cheer might be a strangely distant memory for those of us living in summer 2020, but it is still one of the most profoundly good docuseries Netflix has ever made. — Meghan O’Keefe

Stream Cheer on Netflix

Against all odds, the fifth season of Better Call Saul was the show’s best yet. Expert writing, breathtaking cinematography, and Emmy-worthy performances from, let me check my notes… everybody (but especially Rhea Seehorn) combined to produce a truly exceptional season of television. If there’s been a better one-two punch than “Bagman” and “Bad Choice Road” this year, friend, I ain’t seen it. Instead of referring to Better Call Saul as a “Breaking Bad prequel,” it might be time to start calling Breaking Bad a “Better Call Saul sequel.”  — Josh Sorokach

Where to watch Better Call Saul

Never have I ever fallen for a show so hard and so fast as I did with Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s new teen rom-com series for Netflix. The endlessly charming Maitreyi Ramakrishnan stars a hot-headed high school sophomore named Devi, who is attempting to process the death of her father, her identity as an Indian-American teenager, and the fact that her best friend Eleanor got a boyfriend before she did. Season 1 hits all the delicious tropes you love—high school bad boy, enemies to friends to lovers, love triangles—and it does it with competence and nuance. Also, give the voiceover narration by former tennis pro John McEnroe a chance. It pays off. — Anna Menta

Stream Never Have I Ever on Netflix

The vampires of Staten Island continue with their clueless shenanigans in Season 2 of What We Do in the Shadows, but with more supernatural beings — witches, a literal troll from the internet, and some sewer-dwelling vampires — in the mix, it only gets funnier. And when Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) finally stands up to his boss, there’s really nobody left to save Nandor (Kayvan Novk), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Lazslo (Matt Berry) from themselves. Not even Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). — Greta Bjornson

Where to watch What We Do In The Shadows

Dave has been a monster hit for FX, largely thanks to the justified worth of mouth praise the half-hour hip hop comedy series has earned. I’ve recommended it to tons of friends. Sure, some I’ve had to provide with the disclaimer that there are a ton of dick jokes, but ultimately, there’s another body part we saw a whole lot more of, and that’s the heart (you know, not literally, but you get it). There were a lot of unexpected moments throughout the first season, and it’s what made the comedy so rich. But the sweet, self-aware moments are what truly make this show shine. And Benny Blanco too, he was pretty great. — Lea Palmieri

Where to watch Dave

High Fidelity was just cool–but it took a lot of effort to make the Hulu dramedy feel effortless. The major hurdle? The series was based on a cult classic film, itself based on a beloved novel. The creative team had to not only live up to the expectations of generations of fans, they had to sell an entirely new generation on the idea that vintage vinyl and top 5 lists were the epitome of cool. They succeeded, thanks in large part to a career-best performance from the impossibly chill Zoë Kravitz and a breakout, star-making turn from Da’Vine Joy Randolph in the role that made Jack Black a breakout star 20 years ago. Plot-wise, High Fidelity remixed the novel and film like a professional DJ, sifting together the plot hooks you love with new-to-you dramatic beats. High Fidelity Season 1 is a TV mixtape that you want to replay again and again. — Brett White

Stream High Fidelity on Hulu