Hey! We’re so close to the end of the year, which means it’s a great time to reflect on 2019. It was a wild year for a number of reasons, but MAN was the TV great! So much existential charm! So many female-led shows! HOT PRIEST.
Here’s a list of my favorite shows of 2019:
10. Unbelievable
I’ve become very, very tired of rape story crime procedurals. But this one is something special. After all, Vulture called it one of the most feminist crime shows out there, and it’s a searing look at how the criminal justice system addresses stories of sexual harassment. The first couple of episodes are especially disturbing to watch, but they’re worth it. (Netflix)
9. Shrill
Shrill is one of the only screen adaptations that I like more than the book — and don’t get me wrong, I loved that book. It’s funny, it’s smart, and the pool party scene is a revelation. (Hulu)
8. Veronica Mars
Was I extremely skeptical about a series reboot more than ten years after the original show ended? Yes, I really really was. But did this show totally surpass my expectations? Yes, it absolutely did. I will happily watch much much more of this show. (Hulu)
7. This Way Up
This one is great, especially if you’re a fan of Fleabag. It’s about a woman who’s trying to rebuild her life after having a nervous breakdown, and it’s messy and funny and full of charm. (Hulu)
6. Dead to Me
This is a black comedy about grief and friendship. I love stories with plot twists that totally surprise me, and Dead to Me WENT there. Season 1 ends with a real cliffhanger, so I can’t wait for season 2. (Netflix)
5. Undone
Undone is the story of a woman who gets in a car accident when she sees her dad on the side of the street. The problem is, her dad died a decade ago. I don’t want to get too much into the plot, but it’s a beautifully-rendered story about how find meaning in the slog of everyday life. (Amazon Prime)
4. The Good Place
The Good Place from the team who made The Office and Parks and Rec, but this time, it’s not about a ragtag group of employees making a mess out of a low-stakes situation. This is a literal fight for human existence, and it’s so full of heart. (NBC)
3. Russian Doll,
Ok, by now you may have noticed a pattern. Existential crises! Charming indifference combined with endless earnestness! Total hilarity! But Russian Doll is really special. It was so good, I was disappointed to learn they’re making a new season — not because I wouldn’t love more of the story, but because this was such a perfectly executed story and I worry that any addition would change that. (Netflix)
2. Succession
This show is pure soap opera ridiculousness but it’s so exquisitely rendered that I savored every moment of it. To be clear, everyone in it is an undeniably terrible person, but they’re also somehow still relatable. I can’t wait to see where this show goes in season 3. (HBO)
1. Fleabag
I hear more and more stories these days about women who couldn’t find the roles they wanted to play on TV, so they just made up their own and became showrunners. But more than anything I’ve ever seen, this feels like Phoebe Waller-Bridge poured her entire heart and soul into this show. It’s hilarious, it’s intense, and the Hot Priest is sexy AF. I will be the first in line for anything else this woman makes, hands down. (Amazon Prime)
So. What have I missed? Email me at nerdettepodcast@gmail.com and let me know. Up next week: my favorite books of 2019!
Have a great week! (And if you like what you just read, sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.)