Picking from the host of TV shows that have aired so far in 2020 to identify the best TV shows of the year is particularly challenging right now, thanks to the fact that we have such quantity to go with the quality of shows out there.
The availability of so many streaming video services, to complement the quality offerings available on cable networks like HBO and AMC, have blessed TV audiences with an embarrassment of riches to enjoy during the now-months-long coronavirus pandemic. Setting quality aside for a moment, there’s no question we’ve got more than enough content to pick from to enjoy right now, thanks to everything from the existence of streamers like Netflix and Amazon’s streaming product to new arrivals like Apple TV+ and Disney+.
When you think about it, it’s pretty remarkable that during the pandemic that a streamer like Netflix hasn’t really eased up on its release cadence at all (even though lots of productions were brought to a temporary halt). In July alone, for example, Netflix is releasing 60 original movies and shows. But we should also note — that brings us to an interesting point on the calendar now. We’re at the halfway point of 2020, which makes this an ideal time to stop and take stock of the TV we’ve enjoyed so far this year and to consider what’s deserving to be mentioned on a list of the best TV shows of 2020 thus far.
Below, you’ll find 8 series that comprise our ranking of the best TV so far in 2020. It’s a mix of both existing shows that debuted new seasons this year, as well as completely new series altogether. Our list is also presented in no particular order, with a couple of honorable mentions at the end, and almost all of the major streamers are represented. And with that, let’s dive right in:
Season 5 of AMC’s Better Call Saul premiered back in February, and this season got me fully onboard and declaring that I’m now much more of a fan of this Breaking Bad prequel than I am of Breaking Bad. The latter was a bit grittier and more violent, while this one has been a fascinating character study, built around watching Bob Odenkirk’s portrayal of the lawyer Jimmy McGill (aka “Saul Goodman”) slowly and surely “break bad.” It’s not all at once, and you can’t pinpoint one specific moment when Jimmy leaves the side of the angels and crosses over.
There are run-ins with the cartel, the cinematography makes the New Mexico landscape look so incredible, the slow-burn nature of the storytelling makes it feel like reading a novel to me… there’s just so much to like here.
This series from France gets my vote as the best show I’ve seen in 2020 — in fact, I’m going to go so far as to call it my favorite show, period.
The Bureau (or Le Bureau des Légendes, as it’s known in France), is a spy drama that’s been called France’s equivalent of Homeland. Season 5 debuted this month in the US (on the Sundance Now channel) but viewers would do well to first dive into Seasons 1-4, which are available directly through Sundance Now or via the Sundance Now channel add-on that you can attach to your Amazon Prime Video subscription (and you can also buy the individual episodes via iTunes, if you like). The show is set in a “bureau” of the Dírection Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure, or D. G. S. E. — France’s equivalent of the CIA. The protagonist is French intelligence officer Guillaume Debailly (aka “Malotru,” played by actor Mathieu Kassovitz, who American audiences will recognize from the movie Amélie), and the seemingly authentic tradecraft that he and his fellow spooks employ is fascinating to watch.
