The year 2023 is likely to mark a turning point in television. The writers' and actors' strike, which brought all or part of Hollywood to a standstill, is expected to have an impact on television shows and series. The new phase in the streaming wars has left platforms focused on making profits and curbing spending, cracking down on shared accounts and finally allowing advertising. In the end, the new era of television will be very similar to the old one. Just as the series that captivate viewers will continue to have the same ingredients that have always captivated audiences.
Succession (HBO Max) is an example of this. The final season played in the soap opera-tinged family drama genre and reached new heights with characters who were as easy to love as they were to hate. It was also one of the many series that reached its finale in 2023. This list includes Happy Valley, Blue Lights, The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel, Barry, The Crown and Ted Lasso, although in this case it is not clear whether this is a definitive ending.
Meanwhile, “Suits” — a drama about lawyers that ran between 2011 and 2019 — was a hit on Netflix over the summer. Another sign that classic television shows never die. And while we continued to see familiar stories, there were also new twists, such as “Jury Duty,” in which everyone is an actor reserved for a juror, and the mockumentary “Cunk on Earth,” in which a real-life moderator Asks historians unusual questions.
Beyond premieres, new seasons, and endings, 2023 was also marked by the death of Friends star Matthew Perry, and millions of people felt the strange feeling of having lost a friend. Television is and remains so powerful.
The 10 best series of the year
Succession
Platform: HBO Max
Seasons: 4
Genre: Drama
Cast: Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfayden
Country: United States
Running time: 60 minutes
Succession began as a satire about the 1%, who control virtually half of the world's wealth. But the final episode ended like a classic tragedy, although it contained the brightest moments of the Roy brothers, and its protagonists experienced the same sorrows and joys as 99% of humanity. The finale of Jesse Armstrong's series challenged the viewer and challenged himself.
From Hector Llanos
little faith
Platform: Movistar Plus+
Seasons: 1
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Raúl Cimas, Esperanza Pedreño, Julia de Castro, Chani Martín
Country: Spain
Running time: 15 minutes
Twelve 15-minute episode recaps of 12 months of a normal couple with a boring, almost boring life. In this everydayness, in the curiosities of everyday life, between apathy and failed attempts to break the monotony, lies the charm of this hilarious comedy about Juan Maidagán and Pepón Montero. The situations are so memorable that it's impossible not to laugh.
From Natalia Marcos
Happy valley
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Seasons: 3
Genre: Crime
Cast: Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Steve Pemberton
Country: United Kingdom
Running time: 58 minutes
Fans of the adventures of Sergeant Catherine Cawood (played by Sarah Lancashire) had to wait seven years to enjoy the third season, but the wait was worth it. Created by Sally Wainwright, the series turns what is traditionally seen in noir (in books and on television) on its head. It is so dramatically powerful, so sharp on crime and so beautifully balanced by a touch of absurdity that the result is a magnificent tragicomedy about life, loss and the strange world in which we live.
From Juan Carlos Galindo
The bear
Platform: Hulu
Seasons: 2
Genre: Comedy Drama
Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Molly Gordon, Jamie Lee Curtis
Country: United States
Running time: 30 minutes
Work is a big part of our routine, and part of the appeal of TV shows has always been that they immerse us in work environments where we can pass the time. Be it the police station, an office or a bar. The bear and his collection of colorful characters also triumph. The difference is that here we're happy to watch from the sidelines as the restaurant/time bomb saves itself just seconds from potential explosion. Watching the show is not a relaxing experience, but everything is exciting and relevant. It addresses mental health, work and family…the fabric of life.
From Eneko Ruiz Jimenez
The Messiah
Platform: HBO Latin America
Seasons: 1
Genre: Drama
Cast: Macarena García, Roger Casamajor, Lola Dueñas, Ana Rujas, Albert Pla, Carmen Machi
Country: Spain
Running time: 60 minutes
Directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvos (known as Javis in Spain), La Mesías is one of the most important Spanish-language series of 2023. The show tells the story of how religious fanaticism destroyed a family. And how two siblings survived despite everything. It's a story with many layers, with impeccable cinematography and outstanding performances.
From Natalia Marcos
The last of us
Platform: HBO Max
Seasons: 1
Genre: Horror. theatre
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge
Country: United States
Running time: 50 minutes
We live in a time of constant adaptations, sequels and spin-offs. Who would have thought that a video game would give us one of the most complex and profound human relationships to exist on screen? In an apocalyptic world, two strangers come together to remind us that hell isn't always made up of other people. A tough guy is tasked with ensuring the safety of a teenager who never had a childhood. He lost his daughter and she lost her parents. Together they travel through a desolate land. “The Last of Us” manages to combine action film entertainment with a moving character story. Just like “The Leftovers,” reality forces us to consider our extinction, and fiction imagines answers to our fears and hopes.
From Hector Llanos
Blue lights
Platform: Apple TV (UK)
Seasons: 1
Genre: Crime
Cast: Jonathan Harden, Sian Brooke, Valene Kane, Richard Dormer
Country: Ireland
Running time: 60 minutes
Blue Lights is probably one of the biggest surprises of the year. Nobody does mini-series like the Brits, and that's evident again in the six-episode series, which follows the lives of three young police officers in Northern Ireland. It seems like a simple story: the difficulty is to achieve the intensity and emotionality and to resist the temptation to drag the story out. An impeccable police series in every respect.
From Juan Carlos Galindo
The wonderful Mrs. Maisel
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Seasons: 5
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub, Marin Hinkle
Country: United States
Running time: 57 minutes
Amy Sherman-Palladino ascends to creative Olympus by masterfully completing the circle of the wonderful Mrs. Maisel. In this final season, Midge is given the kind of opportunity that wasn't typically available to women of her time. She has to track it down with her bare hands. Brilliant acting duo Rachel Brosnahan (the titular star) and Alex Borstein (her loyal agent) prove that the great love stories are sometimes platonic; that a woman doesn't need a man by her side to feel complete, although the unconditional support of a good friend never hurts.
From Hector Llanos
Just murders in the building
Platform: Hulu
Seasons: 3
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez
Country: United States
Running time: 30 minutes
The Arconia has been a crime scene for three seasons now. And it still manages to keep viewers glued to the building's windows as they follow the adventures of Oliver, Charles and Mabel, the trio of loners united by a passion for true crime. There was a bonus in this year's case: Meryl Streep plays one of the main murder suspects. Ironically, Streep plays a failed actress who gets her big break at the end of her career. Watching this mystery comedy is always an enjoyable experience, perfect for a bit of escapism and enjoying good performances and high-level production.
From Natalia Marcos
Reservation dogs
Platform: FX on Hulu
Seasons: 3
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Elba Guerra, Sarah Podemski, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Devery Jacobs
Country: United States
Running time: 30 minutes
If someone tells you that a show is “necessary,” run away from them or make new friends. However, one could argue that Reservation Dogs is a much-needed series because no one has ever portrayed a Native American community in this light. This is a portrait of lost teenagers. Their culture plays an important role: there's a bumbling Indian god who guides them and plenty of satire about white prejudice. But their adventures are as personal as they are universal. The difference is that they are the ones writing their story. And it is fun.
From Eneko Ruiz Jimenez
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