Since I’ve already made a
separate list for anime series, this list is exclusively made up of just shows from
the West, both animated and live-action.
I had seen tons of shows in 2018.
By mid-year alone, I had watched twice the amount of shows I usually had
by that time of the year (and, at that point, I had not yet seen the majority
of the anime shows I had seen in 2018).
Still, I feel that 2018 deserves just a “top 10” list instead of the
usual “top 20” – not because there were only ten shows I found worthwhile and
enjoyable, but because I want to focus on what I think were the cream of the
crop.
10.) The Venture Bros.
9.) Legends of Tomorrow
The showrunners need to get rid of Mona Wu though.
8.) Barry
“Right off the bat, Barry compels with its goofy yet ambitious premise; the productive, unpredictable narrative sustains it. Thoughtful writing is thoroughly apparent, from the jokes to the dialogue to the overall storytelling. Moreover, as a dark comedy, it’s not only concerned about being comedic. It also gets just plain dark. And when it shifts to a more serious tone, the lampooning critique of Hollywood romanticizing transforms into a poignant, profound study of morality and psychology. On top of this, its dynamic transitions from laughs to gunfights to reflections to heartbreaks go seamlessly.”
Click here for the full review.
7.) Voltron: Legendary Defender
“I eventually recognized that Legendary Defender is better than Defender of the Universe in every sense. Characterization, themes, aesthetics, action, direction, writing, humor, plotting… the former did it better in every category there is.”
Click here for the full review.
6.) Cobra Kai
“The writing is intelligent, resulting to three-dimensional characters, absorbing storytelling, sharp dialogue, rich drama, and hilarious jokes; the fight choreography is exciting; the music choices and the performances are effortlessly winning. Most importantly, though it captures the tone of the original films and has plenty of throwbacks, it doesn’t solely rely on just being a nostalgia trip – though it’s an excellent one, for the record – but it emphatically justifies its existence.”
Click here for the full review.
5.) Jack Ryan
“John Krasinski portrays the reluctant but capable action hero that Jack Ryan is with impeccable delivery. Moreover, intelligence and morality are much more important characteristics of Jack Ryan than brawn, and Krasinki’s take on the character hammers this essential detail home without being pretentious about it. Harrison Ford is still my favorite Jack Ryan, but Krasinski is now probably my second.”
Click here for the full review.
4.) Bodyguard
“Addicting. That’s the best word for this show. Every episode ranges from 56 to 75 minutes. But because it’s so absorbing, one can easily watch the entire series in one sitting – which I did. Tedious parts are minimal. Mostly, the narrative is thrilling and gripping. The direction masterfully builds and releases tension, resulting to several unforgettable nail-biting scenes. Furthermore, it subverts expectations with truly surprising twist-and-turns. The red herrings may come off as frustrating at times, but they are undeniably effective. One is left guessing up until its jaw-dropping final reveal.”
Click here for the full review.
3.) Daredevil
Season 3 is the best this show has
ever been. In fact, it’s the best season
of all Marvel’s Netflix shows.
Despite that, it was cancelled along
with Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Hopefully, these cancelled shows – most
especially Daredevil – will find a new
home somewhere. And soon.
2.) Westworld
This is the show that topped my mid-year TV list. And, for a long time,
it remained there. Then came…
1.) Castlevania
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