Ranking my Top 10 Television Shows of 2023: Which Shows Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2023, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 10 TV Shows of 2023. 

While some returning shows continued strong, others fell off slightly. Meanwhile, some other new shows completely captivated my attention, paving their way into my top 10.

Without any further delay, let’s get to my list!

My Top 10 Television Shows of 2023 are:

10

Who Is Erin Carter?

Image courtesy of Netlix

I love guilty pleasure thrillers and this series checked off all those boxes and then some. It was so addicting and a binge-watcher’s dream. If you’re looking for a soapy action-packed series with tons of twists and turns, this one is for you!

9

Poker Face

Image courtesy of Peacock

While I personally feel that this series started off a lot stronger than it finished, Natasha Lyonne was absolutely fantastic in this one. Her quirky, dry humor really elevated things and I really liked the vignette style with each episode. 

8

A Murder at the End of the World

Image courtesy of FX on Hulu

A fantastic and modern whodunnit that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Every reveal was so well crafted and I liked the flashbacks just as much as the present day mystery, making this a layered and thought-provoking series worth checking out.

7

School Spirits

Image courtesy of Paramount+

A delightful and charming surprise that I absolutely fell in love with. A clever mix of Ghosts and Veronica Mars, featuring a major twist that really elevated this show into something spectacular.

6

Yellowjackets (season 2)

Image courtesy of Showtime

One of my favorite shows of last year stayed strong with season 2, providing us with darker and more shocking moments than ever before. Yellowjackets is so addicting and doesn’t hold anything back, bringing two timelines together seamlessly in a disturbing, but fascinating series.

5

Found

Image courtesy of Peacock

Another big surprise was how quickly I became addicted to this series. It started off like your standard crime series and then it presented us with an insane twist that hooked me completely and didn’t stop there. Each week reveals more pieces of the puzzle and Shanola Hampton and Mark-Paul Gosselaar are dynamite on screen!

I can’t wait for new episodes to return in the new year!

4

The Horror of Dolores Roach

Image courtesy of Prime Video

This series was an absolute gem for horror fans and Justina Machado killed it! The bite-sized episodes made this one extremely easy to binge-watch and the plot channeled Sweeney Todd in a clever way.

I’m really disappointed that this series was canceled because it was so fresh and spectacular. I’m hoping another platform picks it up, but either way, you can still enjoy the first season. That cliffhanger is still bugging me though…

3

The Last of Us

Image courtesy of Max

Probably the best video game adaptation I have seen on the small screen. The Last of Us has been a long time coming and it delivered with powerful moments and performances on screen.

2

The Night Agent

Image courtesy of Netflix

The most addicting series of the year for me. The Night Agent was jam packed with insane twists and plenty of action to keep you anxiously pressing play on the next episode until the very end. More series like this please!

Honorable Mentions:

Full Circle

Based on a True Story

Class of ’07

You (season 4)

The Witcher (season 3)

The Summer I Turned Pretty (season 2)

Harlan Coben’s Shelter

Justified: City Primeval

Only Murders in the Building (season 3)

Nancy Drew (final season)

Drum roll please…

1

The Fall of the House of Usher

Image courtesy of Netflix

An eloquent and deliciously dark masterpiece from start to finish. This series was everything I hoped for and more with powerful characters, stand-out performances, and beyond shocking moments, making this my favorite series of the year by far! I loved every second of it!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post some of YOUR favorite television shows of 2023. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing in the new year!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

 

 

Spoiler-Free Review of “Harlan Coben’s Shelter” on Prime Video: An Addicting Mystery with Layers!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I just want answers…”

Harlan Coben’s Shelter premiered on Prime Video on August 18th 2023 with the first three episodes available now. There will be eight episodes in total that will air weekly. The YA mystery thriller series stars Jaden Michael, Constance Zimmer, Sage Linder, and Adrian Greensmith. Each episode runs for approximately 45-55 minutes.

After undergoing a family trauma, Mickey moves in with his aunt in New Jersey and adjusts to his new life. Only things get complicated when he passes by a creepy house and an old woman tells him a secret that will alter his life forever, as he tries to piece together the truth with his new group of friends.

Here is the trailer:

Shelter is Harlan Coben’s first YA series adapted for television, featuring an intriguing mystery with enough moving pieces to keep you coming back for more. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Characters to root for!

I really like all of the characters so far, but especially this group shown above. In a way, this show has similar vibes to School Spirits and Stranger Things, but it’s got its own feel and mystery. It took me an episode or so to warm up to these characters, but now I can’t wait to see what they do next and I honestly care about what happens to them.

Images courtesy of Prime Video

A mystery that hooks you from the start.

I love the eerie vibe to this series. I’m always hooked by Harlan Coben mysteries, but this one is really interesting and I think it has a lot of potential already. We have a lot of moving pieces that will hopefully pay off in the end. I’ve got some working theories already and I can’t wait to see how the rest of this unfolds. 

Either way…I’m intrigued and ready for more.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

The crazy subplots are back.

This should come as no surprise for a Harlan Coben series. You need to pay attention to these series because you’ll miss some minor detail that will make way more sense by the time you get to the end. 

That being said, the first episode felt a bit overwhelming, chaotic, and slightly messy, but I think it found its way by the time we got to episode two. So stick around if you’re feeling this way initially.

Some of the dialogue is also a bit generic and cliché, but the actors are making the most of it.

I’m also not sure how I feel about the weekly episode approach. I’m used to these addicting series being on Netflix, where you can binge-watch the entire thing. Luckily we got three episodes at once for the release, but I wish all of them were available now.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in!!!

The first YA Harlan Coben streaming series doesn’t disappoint!

Shelter is a consuming watch that already has me anxiously waiting for more episodes to drop.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Harlan Coben’s Shelter in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

 

 

 

 

Spoiler-Free Review of “School Spirits” on Paramount+: A Charming YA Supernatural Mystery

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Welcome to the club…”

School Spirits released on March 9th 2023 on Paramount+ with the first three episodes available to stream now. The remaining five episodes will air weekly. The YA supernatural mystery series stars Peyton List, Kiara Pichardo, Kristian Flores, and Spencer MacPherson. Each episode runs for approximately 44-48 minutes.

Maddie winds up stuck in limbo in her high school as she attempts to investigate her own mysterious disappearance with the help of other ghosts who reside there.

Here is the trailer:

School Spirits is a delightful mix of Ghosts and Nancy Drew with a mystery that really pulls you in. Is this YA series worth your time? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount+

Light and fun.

This series could have easily overdone it with teen drama and excess fluff, but it already managed to find the perfect balance of mystery and fun from the very start, which is not always easy to do. 

The show is filled with likable characters and I really like Maddie, which has kept me more invested in the mystery revolving around her own disappearance.

The episodes aren’t super long and the pacing has been on point for the most part, knowing just how to hook the audience at the end of each episode, reeling us back in for more.

Images courtesy of Paramount+

A solid mystery.

Sure, it may not be that original, but I’m already forming my own list of suspects and I really want to know what happened to Maddie. The time jumps were a little jarring at first, but I started to get used to them as the series progressed, giving us more clues to ponder over. I’m hoping for a shocking reveal, but it’s too early to tell how this mystery will unfold. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount+

Weekly episodes…

I watched the first three episodes in one sitting and was ready for more, but we’ll have to wait for the rest of the episodes to release each week, which is a bummer. This is one of those shows where you get really wrapped up in the story so I’m just afraid that viewers may forget to tune back in or could lose interest without the binge-watching option available. You may be better off waiting until all the episodes drop before watching this one…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount+

I’m in!!!

School Spirits has a super cute premise and a charming cast with an addicting mystery at its core.

This series has been a pleasant surprise so far and I can’t wait to watch more episodes!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on School Spirits in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

Girl Number Thirteen Lurking Promo

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!