Greetings TV Fans! For today, I am going to be listing my top favorite television shows that aired in 2017 on local networks. While some shows near the top of my list were no surprise for me, there were others that were a pleasant revelation, providing just the right amount of entertainment. There were also some shows that I used to enjoy a lot which fell short this past year and are in need of something earth-shattering to happen in 2018 to get them back to the top of the pack. While I haven’t gotten a chance to view all shows that aired new episodes in 2017, I did get to more than I initially anticipated. Please feel free to include some of your favorites below as well. Once again, I will be breaking the shows into 3 categories: the best of the best, honorable mentions, and shows that have lost some steam. Please note some spoilers are ahead.
The Best of the Best of television shows airing on local networks for 2017 in no particular order are:
Riverdale
Supernatural
The 100
The Mick
Prison Break Revival
The CW network had some real contenders for 2017 and proved that they are not just a network holding on to a few fan favorites to survive. It is no secret that Supernatural has been the longest running show on their network, but I was pleased to see so much content in the episodes airing in 2017. Sam and Dean continued to keep fans hooked with their charm and humor while dealing with the British Men of Letters and understanding why their mother is back from the dead. The boys encountered new enemies and dealt with their own inner demons along the way, reminding us that they can be just as vulnerable as we are deep down. The 100 proved to have another addicting season, which has been the perfect mid-season show in my opinion. Clark and the others left us with a cliff-hanger, where they end up going back into space because the world is no longer habitable. Will they survive? Seems likely since we should have another season premiering soon, but all bets are off. The most pleasant introduction for me on the CW was Riverdale, based on the Archie comic series. While the series has just the right amount of bubble gum pop providing fans with a nostalgic feel from the comic series, it takes on a life of its own. Riverdale gives fans the perfect blend of romance and mystery, providing more depth for some of our beloved characters. Fox also had some great shows airing in 2017, including The Mick and Prison Break Revival. Kaitlin Olson proved that she can be a starring lady for sure, stepping out from the shadow of her stars on It’s Always Sunny to provide fans with a raw and edgy new comedy balanced with some family values in-between. Since I am a big fan of Prison Break, I was excited to see the revival air this year, providing fans with a solution to the ending that left so many of us wondering what went wrong. Michael and Lincoln were back with a new prison to escape from, bringing some new and old friends along for the ride. The series still had that same amount of edge-of-your-seat action that hooked us initially, allowing us to root for the brothers once again.
Honorable mentions for television shows airing on local networks for 2017 in no particular order:
Grimm
Hawaii Five-0
Once Upon a Time
Modern Family
Grimm aired its last season in 2017 which was actually entertaining and brought everything full circle for fans. While the series had lost some of its edge from earlier seasons, this last one proved that it would not go out without a fight. While one fairy-tale show came to an end, Once Upon a Time started fresh introducing some new characters and story-lines along the way. While some of our favorite characters are no longer around, it made sense to give the show a fresh chance. Some of the newcomers have actually been quite entertaining, working nicely with fan-favorites, Regina and Hook. Will they be able to keep the momentum going? Time will tell. Hawaii Five-0 and Modern Family are shows that I consistently watch that gave us just the right amount of consistent entertainment to satisfy fans. While both shows have been on the air for a while now, they are still giving viewers what they are looking for, but may need to refresh every once in a while.
Television shows airing on local networks for 2017 that are running out of steam in no particular order are:
Arrow
Elementary
Lethal Weapon
I have watched all of the episodes from the three shows above and was somewhat disappointed overall in the seasons from 2017. While Lethal Weapon started out promising, it has not had the same punch it initially gave us when it premiered. Perhaps the show has run its course, but I am confident it still has a spark left to give us the action and laughs we enjoyed originally. Elementary had very low ratings in 2017 and fans are still waiting for a new season. While it looks like this may happen, it will have to be something so over-the-top and different to bring fans back. Arrow has been slipping with each new year which is very disappointing for me. While the CW has had some great success with its super-hero shows, Arrow keeps slipping and forcing story-lines. I am still rooting for Oliver Queen, but perhaps we need to shake things up and keep a character that has been killed off actually dead. I will keep watching, but Arrow is losing steam for sure. Let’s make it a great 2018 for shows everywhere and hope these shows ignite a spark that will keep viewers coming back for more and more.
I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post some of your favorite television shows from 2017 that aired on local networks below. Happy viewing and the countdown to 2018 is here!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
