Here are the 16 comedies and dramas that got us through the year.
Comedy was a priority in 2017. No surprise there: It was that kind of year. But it was also a good time to drop into richly layered dramas—fantastical worlds steeped in danger ( Game of Thrones, Stranger Things 2) or American landscapes filled with a more familiar kind of treachery ( Big Little Lies, Godless).
The point, in either case, was not reality but escape, often courtesy of Netflix. The streaming platform had an exceptional 2017, beating most network and cable channels for originality and quality.
Herewith, the Newsweek culture team’s favorite shows of the past 12 months. Some are returning soon, so use the long weekend to catch up.
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Tyler Alvarez of the Netflix docu-crime satire “American Vandal.” Tyler Golden/Netflix
American Vandal (Netflix)
The most subversive comedy of the year—a lampoon of the relatively new true-crime-mystery series—stars former Vine celebrity Jimmy Tatro as a wrongfully punished stoner hoping to prove himself innocent to the school board. The show, co-created by Dan Perrault (CollegeHumor) and Tony Yacenda (Lil Dicky’s music video “Pillowtalking”), wrings genuinely moving moments from a deceptively simple premise: two AV nerds (played by Tyler Alvarez and Griffin Gluck) try to exonerate a kid they have zero in common with. If nothing else, it proves that funny white dudes still have something to say. —Emily Gaudette
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Creator Vince Gilligan’s flair for casting became apparent with Breaking Bad, a drama filled top to bottom with actors who could be confused with real folk walking the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico (where the show was set). With this prequel, the story of how one of those people became sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman, Gilligan and co-creator Peter Gould have assembled the strongest ensemble on TV, beginning with stars Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks and Michael McKean, whose character’s slow slide into madness during a superb Season 3 highlights just one of the things Gilligan does brilliantly: The setting and springing of narrative traps. —Mary Kaye Schilling.
Pamela Adlon with Olivia Edward, who plays her youngest daughter on “Better Things.” Courtesy of FX
Better Things (FX)
Yes, Louis C. K. has been a bad boy, but he did reinvent the sitcom with his FX show Louie, and you can see his fingerprints (too soon?) all over Better Things, co-produced with the show’s star, Pamela Adlon. The actress and one-time voice of King of the Hill ‘s Bobby (for which I will forever adore her) co-produced and co-starred on Louie, and she brings a similarly beleagured incredulity here, as a single actress who loves—though more often resents—her three self-absorbed daughters. As scathingly funny as R oseanne, Better Things follows in the latter’s footsteps in revealing what we all now know: parents are marginally more mature than their kids. —MKS
Shaileene Woodley, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman in “Big Little Lies.” Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/HBO
Big Little Lies (HBO)
What starts as a compelling if rudimentary murder mystery about affluent helicopter moms (played splendidly by Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern) swerves into something more nuanced and powerful: a psychological thriller about the insidiousness of domestic abuse. Entertaining bitchiness and long-suffering glances over glasses of wine aside, the story here is of women coming together to fight a violent bully (the insidiously creepy Alexander Skarsgård). What could be more timely than that? —Anna Menta
Will Arnett is the voice behind Bojack Horseman, a former ’90s sitcom star. Netflix
Bojack Horseman (Netflix)
At its best, this animated show about a has-been actor—half horse and half man in a world where talking animals and humans co-exist—is TV’s most astute satire of celebrity culture. In addition to being funny (the never-ending sight gags are worth repeated viewings), creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg has a way of wrenching the heart. Of course, none of that would be possible without the inspired voice work of Will Arnett (as cynical narcissist Bojack), Amy Sedaris (catty, all-cat celebrity manager Princess Caroline), Aaron Paul (cheerfully idiotic Todd) and Alison Brie (Bojack’s human soulmate, Diane). After awhile, this Hollywood doesn’t seem fantastical at all. —MKS
Rachel Bloom and Vincent Rodriguez III of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” Courtesy of The CW
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
Season 3 was the show’s darkest yet, and at times it was painful to watch Rebecca Bunch (played by show creator Rachel Boom) spiral ever deeper into depression and self-destruction. She’s downright villainous in her smear campaign against Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III), toys with the heart of her surprisingly sweet boss Nathaniel (Scott Michael Foster) and treats her loyal friend Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) like dirt. Few creators are brave enough to center a show—a musical comedy, no less—on a character with borderline personality disorder, and, with Bunch’s official diagnosis this season, Bloom took the show to the front lines of mental health representation on TV. —AM
Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson of “Detroiters.” Courtesy of Comedy Central
Detroiters (Comedy Central)
The criminally overlooked sitcom follows two guys, Sam Richardson ( Veep) and Tim Robinson, as they struggle to run a once-great advertising firm in a scrappy city full of weirdos. The humor is dumb but sweet—like Workaholics ’ heartfelt cousin, or M*A*S*H with lower stakes—and the show’s underemployed and immature leads indulge in enormously satisfying slapstick and silliness (such as, how many times you can throw a chair at a window before shattering it). A nice diversion from, well, everything. —EG
Ren Osugi and Yudai Chiba of “Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light.” Courtesy of Netflix
Final Fantasy XIV, Dad of Light (Netflix)
In this tongue-in-cheek Japanese soap opera, Yudai Chiba plays a lonely twentysomething trying to anonymously bond with his father within the world of Final Fantasy XIV. His in-game buddies are in on the plan, but his stressed-out millennial coworkers can’t figure out why he wants to bridge an intergenerational gap. His parents (played by Ren Osugi and Mako Ishino) are standouts as a middle-aged couple both charmed and terrified by modern technology. Easily the best video game adaptation in years. —EG
Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington of “Game of Thrones.” Courtesy of HBO
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Naturally, there was whining over Season 7, like too many storylines running in circles, or glacial pacing that amounted to a lot of waiting—for Jon and Dany to hook up, for the White Walkers to show up, for Jaimie Lannister to finally turn on his psycho twin, for Littlefinger’s whispers to be silenced forever. HBO’s highest-rated and most expensive show has a lot of expectations to excede, particularly in its final lap. But no complaints here. Creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss have taken George R. Martin’s epic fantasy series (including a book yet to be written) and turned it into an emotionally-weighted, gorgeously staged and utterly captivating TV saga for the ages. As with every single episode, I both yearn for and dread the show’s final scene in 2019, which I dearly hope includes Tyrion, Jaimie, Bronn and at least one dragon. —MKS
Marc Mayron and the lady wrestlers of “Glow.” Erica Parise/Netflix
Glow (Netflix)
Creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch (ha!) had us at women wrestling. We stayed for Alison Brie’s impeccable comic timing, Marc Mayron’s inspired casting as the foul-mouthed, sexist manager of a female wrestling troupe, and the actresses—most of them unknown—playing the ragtag band of big-haired, spandex-clad misfits who find that they’re more successful together than apart. The comedy, based on an actual low-budget ‘80s TV Show, The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, should be savored, though it’s a challenge not to inhale the 10 episodes in one five-hour sitting.
