Television has been thriving this year. It wasn’t easy to narrow down my personal favorites. This list are my picks for the best shows that premiered this year.
10. Willow
Growing up, Willow was the perfect high-fantasy Sunday afternoon movie. A warm and cozy feeling always surrounded the Ron Howard and George Lucas 1988 classic, and the TV series is no different. I was given the first three episodes to watch, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the “new” story is just as enchanting as the film. You can watch it on Disney Plus.
9. She-Hulk
She-Hulk was a fun and wild ride. It knew its audience and predicted how the haters would react. It’s just an enjoyable show with good humor and female empowerment. Jennifer Walters is a perfect hero for young kids to look up to. It’s great to see a confident, driven woman as the main character.
8. Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is exciting and heartwarming. The show feels like it’s geared toward a young audience, but it also has maturity to it. Its star is also a standout and an excellent addition to a mega-franchise.
7. Our Flag Means Death
This show is so funny and heartfelt. It’s entertaining, witty, and has amazing representation. There are a lot of details and love put into it. You can watch the first season on HBO Max before the second season hits the streaming service.
6. Obi-Wan Kenobi
This show was just so encapsulating. I loved every moment of it. It had so many surprises and characters you fell in love with. If you haven’t already, watch it on Disney Plus.
5. Andor
Sticking with the Star Wars theme, Andor was one of the most sophisticated shows to hit Disney Plus. From its opening scene, Andor will have you enamored.
4. Under the Banner of Heaven
This show is so gripping. Andrew Garfield does some of his best work as detective Jeb Pyre as he investigates the murder of a woman and her baby daughter. The test of his faith throughout the series is so fascinating to watch. You can binge the season on Hulu.
3. Wednesday
This series has taken the world and social media by storm, and it’s for a good reason. This entertaining take on the beloved Adam’s Family member is morbidly fun. Binge the whole first season on Netflix.
2. House of the Dragon
Another social media sensation is House of the Dragon, the much-anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones. This series was so engaging from the first episode. It’s intriguing to see how everything began. Also, Matt Smith’s performance was impeccable. Unfortunately, we have a bit of a wait for a second season. The upside is if you somehow have missed the show, you can watch it on HBO Max.
1. A League of Their Own
Batter up! The time has come for a new lineup of Rockford Peaches. This reboot has a fresh perspective while also giving you winks and nods to the original film. As much as I love the movie, it’s limited on time. There’s not much room to dive into the deeper issues that plagued people, mainly women, in the 40s. The most significant differences you’ll see are same-sex couples and a deeper dive into racism and sexism. There’s still a heartfelt story surrounding a “farm girl” with a talent for baseball, but there’s also time well spent on the other girls on the team and those who weren’t even allowed to try out. Everything was so well-done. The fashion, the music, the comedy, the drama. It is exceptionally well-written and clever. Also, the representation is off the charts! It’s a reimagined home run! So far, a second season has not been confirmed, which is insane to me. But you can watch the fantastic first season on Prime Video now!
