Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in “The Diplomat.” (Netflix/TNS)
We close the book on a year that saw Hollywood weather writers and actors strikes, resulting in almost no work for nearly six months. Tough times for anyone who makes a living in TV.
But it also functioned as an overdue course correction. Streamers have been loathe to admit they’re churning out more shows than audiences can keep up with — and providing inadequate budgets to market them all — and the 2023 work stoppage was an excuse to cut back on things instead. How convenient.
The strikes hit TV networks the hardest. Broadcasters resorted to an unsatisfying mix of reruns and reality. But weekly episodic TV was already in a diminished state, and this is ironic considering older seasons of these very shows, from “NCIS“ to “Grey’s Anatomy,“ are among the most popular on streaming platforms. Only NBC managed to premiere new shows in the fall (completed before the strike and held back just in case) with “The Irrational“ and “Found.” Though mediocre, at least they were new! (The bar is low.)
Overall, 2023 wasn’t an embarrassment of riches, not when “Suits” — which hasn’t produced new episodes since 2019 — was the show of the summer on Netflix. Meanwhile, audiences are making their preferences known: Prestige TV is great, but viewers also want lighter options that look sharp and are designed with weekly viewing habits in mind. Meaning: Self-contained episodes that don’t require the homework of serialized shows. I like to call this background TV, because it can withstand a semi-distracted viewer. The original “Law & Order“ was a master of the form. Too bad the reboot is so terrible.
If 2023 was a lackluster year, I point the finger at risk-averse executives for relying too heavily on new variations of old intellectual property. Or giving us yet another series excavating the inner lives of the ultrarich. There’s so much wealthaganda! It’s boring. And the blame lies not (entirely) with the writers, but with the studios who decide what gets made.
Here’s a bright spot: In recent years, I’ve lamented the weird absence of fictional storylines about labor conditions and strikes, despite these issues being ever-present in our daily lives. So a shoutout to Season 4 of “For All Mankind“ for being the one of the few series to step into the breach this year (along with a clunky attempt by “The Gilded Age” — the less said about that show the better).
With that out of the way, these are my top shows of 2023 (in alphabetical order):
“Annika“: One of the better offerings from PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery, thanks to the British actress Nicola Walker, who knows how to play self-aware discomfort for laughs. Her police detective is forever breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the camera, rambling on about literary references that often serve as a metaphor for whatever is happening in her life. There’s a ruminative, conspiratorial quality to these moments, delivered with the droll, half-distracted, straight-faced energy of: “You see this too, right? You get it.” Where to watch: PBS.org; also available on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and more streaming sites.
“The Bear”: The show grabbed audiences by the collar in Season 1, generating all kinds of sweaty, grease-splattered, slice-of-life drama inside a Chicago Italian beef sandwich shop. But Season 2 unveiled a different plan: Turn the old joint to turn it into a fine dining establishment. What could go wrong? The show, which has been renewed for a third season, is proof that original ideas — if treated with care and skill — still have the power to draw sizable audiences. There’s nothing high concept about the show. It’s defined by its intensity and charm and warmth, despite the clashing personalities within. Anchored by a pair of salt-of-the-earth performances from Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear” is about the stuff of life — mundane, stressful, exhilarating — as the group struggles to figure out, yet again, how to surmount daunting odds and build something together. Where to watch: Available on Hulu.
“The Diplomat”: Keri Russell stars as a U.S. ambassador to the U.K., and to get a sense of the show’s tonal sensibility, it’s worth looking to creator Debora Cahn’s previous credits: “Homeland” and “The West Wing.” Cahn takes the best from both shows and jettisons all the stuff that doesn’t work — namely “Homeland’s” panicky Islamophobia and “The West Wing’s” smug self-satisfaction — but keeps the low-key wit and juicy political strategizing. The writing has a real snap to it, and if you’ve been experiencing “West Wing” withdrawals, pining for sharp-elbowed banter among high achievers, Cahn lands on a less showy but far more enjoyable stylistic approach than Aaron Sorkin ever did. A second season is on the way. Where to watch: Available on Netflix.
“Drops of God”: Nobody watched this one because Apple couldn’t be bothered to promote it. But it’s unexpectedly absorbing and satisfying, about two young wine experts battling for a massive inheritance. A French woman and a Japanese man are named in the will of a world-renowned wine aficionado. The former was the man’s daughter, the latter his star pupil. The pair go head-to-head in a test of their wine expertise. Loosely based on the Japanese manga of the same name, “Drops of God” is not a title that rolls off the tongue. And tonally, the series is somewhat clenched at first, which reflects the personalities of the two main characters. But by the end, a sense of release and euphoria washes over everything. Director Oded Ruskin captures a world that is high-end but also lived-in, leaving room for small moments of humor. It’s gorgeously cinematic (shot by Rotem Yaron) from the warm, sunny landscapes of French vineyards to the glass-and-concrete of upscale Tokyo to the winding roads of a quaint Italian village. Where to watch: Available on Apple TV+.
“Only Murders in the Building”: Surprise! Another murder to solve! The warm-cranky friendship between Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez remains the show’s gravitational pull, but the heart of Season 3 belongs to Short, who can embody a sadness accumulated over a lifetime, and then deliver a very funny, perfectly judged reaction shot a moment later. Where to watch: Available on Hulu.
“Poker Face”: Invoking memories of “Columbo” but with a 21st-century sensibility, Natasha Lyonne plays a woman on the run who also has an uncanny ability to clock when people are lying. And since dead bodies turn up in every town she stops in, well, it’s a talent that comes in handy. The show has a scratchy-piquant sense of humor all its own and is stacked with a who’s who of guest stars. Where to watch: Available on Peacock; also available in Blu-ray and DVD on Amazon.
“The Night Agent“ (Netflix): I debated whether this should make the list. It’s not a show I anticipate people talking about 10 years from now. But it’s propulsive and smart. And it’s the kind of storytelling that has become increasingly rare: Solidly made television that isn’t based on a reboot or relying on a gimmick. The show centers on a young, square-jawed FBI agent who finds his personal and professional life upended when a woman needs his help. It’s vaguely in the neighborhood of “Three Days of the Condor,“ the 1975 Robert Redford political thriller about a man who doesn’t know who he can trust, even at the government agency where he works.
“Schmigadoon!”: Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key found themselves in Schmicago for Season 2, with its winking homage to Broadway musicals from the ‘60s and ‘70s, including some of Bob Fosse’s greatest hits along with hippie-inflected shows like “Hair.” Somehow the comedic zaniness of this improbable mashup works. The series is like a game of Name that Reference and it’s a hoot if you have a decent familiarity with musicals from this era. Where to watch: Available on Apple TV+.
“Swagger”: This is a spiritual cousin to “Friday Night Lights,” but with a focus on basketball. (It’s loosely inspired by the childhood of NBA player Kevin Durant.) The pressures can be especially stark for young phenoms who are shouldering all kinds of expectations, and the show looks at what it means to be a kid with the potential to go all the way to the pros. Initially following a group of 14-year-old elite basketball players, the show’s second season catches up with the boys in their senior year of high school, when their hopes for college recruitment are on the line. Orlando Jones joined the cast this season as the school’s athletic director, a man who has fully bought into respectability politics. It’s a wonderfully nuanced performance, one of the best of Jones’ career. Where to watch: Available on Apple TV+
“Young Love”: The animated series from Chicago native Matthew A. Cherry (based on his Oscar-winning short film “Hair Love”) is charming but not treacly. It centers on a little girl and her parents living on Chicago’s West Side. You can see the obvious care that was put into capturing the city. The visuals are unquestionably Chicago, from images of the river downtown, to the “L” zooming by, to the recognizable wooden back porches on brick three flats, courtesy of the show’s art director Ed Li. Where to watch: Available on Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime.
Nina Metz is a Tribune critic. nmetz@chicagotribune.com.
Originally published at Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune