The Best TV Shows of 2023 So Far, From ‘Dave’ to ‘Succession’

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

ABC

Quinta Brunson’s public school mockumentary continues to almost single-handedly prop up the idea that there can still be great shows on the traditional broadcast networks. Its second season was even stronger than its first, leaning into what each member of this terrific ensemble does best, and tweaking our expectations when necessary. (There are, for instance, just enough episodes where Ava proves herself competent, if unconventional, to make it feel plausible that she still has a job.) The unresolved sexual tension between Janine and Gregory still feels obligatory, but everything else — including a lot more screen time for William Stanford Davis as the eccentric Mr. Johnson — is really clicking. 

Barry (HBO)

MERRICK MORTON/HBO

The final season of Bill Hader and Alec Berg’s black comedy about a hitman-turned-actor-turned-fugitive had incredible highs (Fred Armisen’s surprise appearance, the showdown between NoHo Hank and the Raven in the finale), but also frustrating lows (the first episode after the time jump, the world absolving Barry of all blame for his crimes). But when Barry was on its game, it was one of the most indelible shows TV has ever seen. 

Beef (Netflix)

ANDREW COOPER/NETFLIX

We’ve all been on the giving or receiving end of road rage at one point or another. But none of us have let it spiral out of control like Ali Wong and Steven Yeun did in this weird, riveting, uncomfortable dramedy about a pair of strangers who start a feud as an excuse to ignore the messes they’ve made of their respective lives. Wong showed a whole new side of herself as a performer, Yeun continued to prove he’s one of the best and most versatile actors we have, and the whole thing was addictive. Creator Lee Sung Jin would like to continue the story, even if the ending we got this season felt perfect.

Cunk on Earth (Netflix)

NETFLIX

Diane Morgan has starred in a number of British TV shows and specials, working alongside writers like Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker. The latest Philomena Cunk miniseries — in which our titular fool attempts to survey the history of the planet, with help from a variety of real-life experts who do their best to be patient with her — is hilarious from beginning to end, and a great introduction to the character to anyone who hasn’t been lucky enough to see her before. Just be warned: you will get “Pump Up the Jam” stuck in your head for several weeks afterward.

Dave (FXX)

FX

Lil Dicky’s fame leveled up dramatically in the hip-hop comedy’s third season, which in turn meant more and bigger guest stars, including Brad Pitt, Rachel McAdams, and Drake, among many, many others. But Dave works not just because of its slightly fictionalized hero’s celebrity, but because the real Dave Burd and the show’s other writers have such a strong grasp of the character and his struggles to not sabotage himself at every turn. 

The Diplomat (Netflix)

ALEX BAILEY/NETFLIX

Keri Russell’s latest TV role saw her involved in international intrigue and a bit of spycraft, just as her last one did. The similarities to The Americans end there, however. The Diplomat put Russell into pure star mode, relying on her innate charisma, likability, and facility with a joke to buoy a complicated story about an American foreign services expert being thrown into the deep end with a new assignment as ambassador to England. A great showcase for Russell, and a breezy, addictive entertainment. 

Happy Valley (AMC+/Acorn/BBC America)

MATT SQUIRE/LOOKOUT POINT/AMC

Seven years after we last saw her, seen-it-all Yorkshire cop Catherine Cawood returned for one final case. The belated third season of Happy Valley was a fitting farewell to a wonderful character — played by Sarah Lancashire, in one of the all-time great dramatic performances TV has ever seen. And the time away helped set up the concluding story, where Sarah’s now-teenage grandson Ryan got to know the series’ chief villain Tommy Lee Royce — aka the archvillain of the entire series. 

The Last of Us (HBO)

HBO

The bar for the title of Best Videogame Adaptation For Film Or Television was pitifully low before The Last of Us came along. But Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin’s translation of Druckmann’s best-selling post-apocalyptic game should recalibrate expectations for anything like it going forward. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were both fantastic in the lead roles. The show frequently outdid The Walking Dead in its ability to show that the true monsters tend to be other people, not zombies (or the zombie-adjacent). And in the Nick Offerman/Murray Bartlett showcase “Long, Long Time,” it gave us one of the most beautiful episodes of television in a long… well, you get the idea. 

Mrs. Davis (Peacock)

SOPHIE KOHLER/PEACOCK

Even with the combined pedigrees of co-creators Tara Hernandez (The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon) and Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers, Watchmen), it’s still kind of shocking that a series this strange, inexplicable, and proudly stupid got greenlit. And yet here was this tale of a world ruled by an algorithm, and of the nun (played with brilliant comic fury by Betty Gilpin) determined to destroy this AI with the help of… the Holy Grail? Less prestige drama than live-action Looney Tunes, Mrs. Davis featured some of the crazier plot twists you will ever see, yet managed to be genuinely moving and thoughtful even in the middle of all its ridiculousness. 

Party Down (Starz)

COLLEEN HAYES/STARZ

Most TV revivals struggle to adjust their premises and characters to the passing years. In the case of this workplace comedy about a team of cater-waiters — among the more improbable revivals ever, given how few people watched its original run — the idea of people being trapped short of achieving their dreams is relatable in any era, and at any age for the characters. Adam Scott and company proved sharp as ever, and new faces like Jennifer Garner, Zoë Chao, and Tyrel Jackson Williams fit in perfectly with the old gang. More, please!

Poker Face (Peacock)

PEACOCK

Old school rarely feels as cool as it did with this throwback mystery series, created by Glass Onion mastermind Rian Johnson, and starring Natasha Lyonne as a human lie detector who keeps running into killers as she tries to avoid her own murder at the hands of a wrathful casino boss. Whether arguing with a flatulent dog or with a fabulous collection of guest stars — Nick Nolte, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Chloe Sevigny, and Stephanie Hsu, to name just a few — Lyonne was hilarious, strong, and incredibly watchable. 

Shrinking (Apple TV+)

BETH DUBBER/APPLE TV+

While Ted Lasso was busy making a mess of its third (and possibly final) season, one of its co-creators (Bill Lawrence), and another of its writers (Brett Goldstein) were teaming up with Jason Segel to craft this very winning new comedy starring Segel as a therapist struggling to cope with the death of his wife. After some bumpy early episodes, Lawrence and company figured out exactly how to deploy Segel and the rest of the wonderful ensemble — highlighted by Harrison Ford having the time of his life as Segel’s crotchety, occasionally stoned, mentor — so that the story wound up mattering much less than the chance to watch funny people be funny together. 

Somebody Somewhere (HBO)

MARIAN WYSE/HBO

In an era where the business seems reluctant to greenlight anything that’s not part of a big, loud franchise, or otherwise based on preexisting IP, it’s remarkable that we’ve already gotten two seasons — with a third officially ordered — of Bridget Everett‘s lovely little original of a dramedy, starring her as Sam, a woman struggling to figure out her life as she sinks deeper into middle age. The second season was just as strong as the first, giving supporting players like Jeff Hiller (amazing!) and Mary Catherine Garrison even more to do, while still keeping strong track of Sam’s journey. A miracle that this show is still with us for at least a little while longer.

Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+)

TRAE PATTON/PARAMOUNT+

After two frustrating, forgettable seasons, Picard went full fan service for its third and final year, reuniting Patrick Stewart with virtually the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. (Brent Spiner even got to play Data again, even though we’ve seen the android die twice before!) What could have felt like shameless pandering instead soared because of the decades-long chemistry between Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and the rest. 

Succession (HBO)

HBO

The only reason “Long, Long Time” hasn’t definitively staked a claim for Best Episode Of The Year By Far is that the farewell season of Succession had multiple candidates for the title, most notably “Connor’s Wedding.” Jesse Armstrong and company absolutely stuck the landing of this entire season, and in particular found just the right note to end on for Shiv, Roman, and, especially, Kendall.

From Rolling Stone US.