Top 10 best TV shows of 2017 — new and returning
TV has become one of the most effective medium of media that places the modicum of important storytelling. I have had many TV series to in which they are able to explore through the components of human nature and conditions. After watching many, many, TV shows that I have watched this year, I have concocted the list containing 10 best ones for me.
American Vandal (Netflix, 2017-present)
At first, I wasn’t sold of the concept. Stretching the corniest jokes of them all — dick jokes? Bleh. But I was proven wrong. This is a satire, wrapped in a true crime-styled mockumentary. The sleuthing and the illicit acts that these high-schoolers do to get the truth; traps us in a conflict of conviction. Staggeringly gripping.
Big Little Lies (HBO, 2017-present)
Intended as a limited series, HBO went to announce that there will be a season two, and honestly: I’m so here for it. Packed by some of the best actresses you’ll ever find in a cast, this show tells a big little lie (hehe) of a murder-mystery, hidden in weirdly entertaining lives of the of rich, white housewives. The show went to be so successful that they bring home quite a lot of awards.
Broad City (Comedy Central, 2014-present)
Favorite buddy show of all time for me, sorry other male-centric-buddy-shows! This season, Abbi and Ilana delve into the biggest struggle of all: adulthood. Compared to the previous seasons, I find myself to be more emotionally related to both of them. As it turns out, this season has some of their best episodes so far, my faves are Mushrooms, Sliding Doors, and Witches.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW, 2015-present)
I can’t keep telling you guys how important this show is, I even wrote it on VICE Indonesia. This season, it’s all about Rebecca’s struggle from the lowest of the low, to her recovery. It’s groundbreaking how they manage to tackle the stigmatization in mental illness and the perception of the people who have them. Astonishingly heartbreaking, and still, very funny. How about that men-trashing anthem, huh?!
Difficult People (Hulu, 2015–2017)
I just love shows about New York. This one is a banger for me and right when it gets funnier, Hulu went and cancelled the show. Thanks a lot, Hulu!
Billy and Julie are two very bitter people/comics trying to get their lives together in the entertainment industry. This show is so educational in terms of pop culture references. In their last season, they managed to talk about the moral dilemma of working with Woody Allen, as well as their traditional running gags/mockery of Kevin Spacey.
The Good Place (NBC, 2016-present)
After they pulled one of the most impressive plot twists I’ve ever seen on TV (by a COMEDY series). I was ready of how they’re going to handle season two — and they do not disappoint at all. I love Mike Schur comedies, they have all the best cast (Parks and Rec, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), but this one is a stunner show about the afterlife that’s filled with philosophy jokes, food puns, and an emotional portrayal of an AI.
The Leftovers (HB0, 2014–2017)
The bleakest show this year has finally ended in their third season — in the most optimistic way possible. To explain this show is hard because it’s kind of about the aftermath of a small apocalypse (see?). Yet I was so satisfied by how it manages to put us in the darkest moment possible and started to uplift us within many moments of existential altercations. The Leftovers also features some of the best cast I’ve seen on TV, but Carrie Coon is definitely the MVP for this shot.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon, 2017-present)
You might think that this is the most wholesome, bland show ever — but it really is not. This show tells a Jewish housewife in the 1950s left by his no-good, wannabe comedian husband for another woman. Crushed by that tragedy, she finds out that standup comedy turns out to be her forte instead of her husband’s. Funny, crude, and artistically beautiful — Rachel Brosnahan who plays the titular role already got a few nominations in her pocket.
One Day at a Time (Netflix, 2017-present)
The manifestation of a thousand warm hugs that is filled with love and emotions. I don’t know how to describe it already. Shows about families always have a soft spot in my heart, especially Latin families (Jane The Virgin, Ugly Betty for starters). This one is actually an adaptation of the same show in the 50s. Yet I feel like this one is just the right fit for my little heart. Funny, lighthearted, and genuine.
Search Party (TBS, 2016-present)
The millennial noir dramedy that we need. Starring Alia Shawkat as Dory, the show tells about the disappearance of her college mate. Despite never knowing her fully, somehow it becomes her decision to find her. In retrospect, the show no longer becomes the murder-mystery, but rather swarming with existential dread. It’s funny, bleak, and entertaining for its anxiety and comedy as the relief of said anxiety.
