Here they are, the 10 shows that I enjoyed the most throughout 2017. Even those that are on the networks, I found once they moved over to Netflix to stream.
So without further ado, here's the shows that made 2017 great...
Honorable Mention:
Raising Hope: The Complete Series
Raising Hope had sharp writing and a stellar ensemble cast. There were a few episodes that didn't click, but for the most part, every single episode was a winner. The entire series was streaming on Netflix earlier this year, but alas has departed at this point. As with most dysfunctional families that have hit the airwaves over the years, it was the underlying love for one another that was the key ingredient that kept audiences wanting to come back.
10) The Man in the High Castle: Season 2
Back for a 2nd season on Amazon, this look back at an America that has lost WWII and is now under occupied German and Japanese control continues to steam ahead. With visions of what should have been, things are heating up as the Germans and Japanese are no longer trusting each other. It will be interesting to see how it all explodes next season!
9) Sneaky Pete: Season 1
A series I assumed would be a 1 and done, Sneaky Pete starts slowly, builds, and then suddenly it's finishing up so quickly and you realize you don't want it to be over. Then they hit you with a killer cliffhanger, and that's when you realize how, and why, it needs to be back for at least one more round!
8) American Gods: Season 1
From Starz, American Gods brings us a bloody, violent conflict between the old gods that were brought to American shores by immigrants and the new gods of 21st Century America. Anything with Ian McShane in it is almost guaranteed to be good.
7) The Good Place: Season 1
The rare network show that I found on Netflix by chance. This tale of life after death is very witty and has a fun cast. Strong finish to the season threw the whole concept up into the air, so it will be interesting to see how they retool it for the 2nd and subsequent seasons. I'm sure some people know already, and I hope to find out next year. :)
6) The Defenders
Take the 4 Netflix Marvel franchises, mix together and fix the one issue they all had: too many episodes. You wind up with the crisp, 8 episodes that for me, are the highlight of what they've put out. Sadly, reading the internet, it appears the Defenders was also the least watched of all the shows to this point. My guess, and it's supported by comments I've seen far and wide...
I'm not watching that until I finish the other series I'm behind or haven't started yet.
Pfft.
There really isn't much in this one that's a spoiler for any series except Daredevil Season 2.
My advice: don't wait, move right along to this one.
5) The Great British Baking Show
Leave it to PBS and the British to give you a cut-throat reality series where the contestants are nice, the judges are likable, fair and give you honest criticisms instead of just being mean. Seems like just the opposite of all the other reality shows, and maybe that's why this one is so refreshing and good!
4) GLOW: Season 1
You don't have to be a fan of wrestling or the actual GLOW series from the 80s to appreciate this one. I think if you are, then your enjoyment is even greater for what this series managed to pull off. So don't let the subject matter of this show put you off. It's the drama of what the ladies (and men) go through behind the scenes that drives this show.
3) American Vandal: Season 1
A note for note parody of the true crime shows that are on ever network, including Netflix's own Making a Murderer, American Vandal takes a silly idea and runs with it...and it works! Each episode ends with a new revelation of the case, and makes you want to click 'next episode' to find out what happens! One of the few shows on the list where I truly went the binge route and finished in 2-3 days.
2) Stranger Things: Season 2
A return trip to Hawkins Indiana just in time for Halloween was pretty much the highlight of a great year of television. The Halloween inspired episodes played at just the right time of year, and fan momentum and expectations for the series were getting stronger from the end of last season to now. With new characters and a little more for Will to do this time around, there was pretty much something for everyone to enjoy this season. So enjoy it while you can, the kids are growing up, and we probably have 4 or fewer seasons of this show to look forward to.
1) Psych: The Movie
As with all television shows, they all ultimately come to an end whether the audience wanted them to or not. The best you can hope for is to go out on top, with the audience clamoring to have you come back, posting petitions for Netflix, Amazon or anyone to pick it up and continue. Or you can dare to hope that a reunion movie could happen somewhere down the road. And for Psych-os everywhere, that's just what we got as the year came to a close. A return to...San Francisco and it picked up in real time years after the series ended. Everyone was back in what the creators are hoping for the first of 6 potential Psych reunion movies. My fingers are crossed that the ratings were good enough, and this might become an annual holiday event.
So that's a wrap on the 2017 television season. We'll see if any of these return to the list at the end of next year, or which new shows manage to bump them from the list!
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