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 “The Fall of the House of Usher” on Netflix: An Enthralling and Eloquent Masterpiece

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

“Nobody gets away with anything…not really…”

The Fall of the House of Usher is a limited series from The Haunting of Hill House creator, Mike Flanagan that released on October 12th 2023. The supernatural horror series features eight episodes available to stream now on Netflix. It stars Bruce Greenwood, Carla Gugino, Mary McDonnell, Samantha Sloyan, Kate Siegel, Willa Fitzgerald, Mark Hamill, Zach Gilford, and Carl Lumbly. Each episode runs for approximately 60-65 minutes.

Siblings, Roderick and Madeline Usher, have built an empire of wealth with their prosperous, but potentially harmful company, but when their heirs all begin dying one by one, dark secrets are unlocked.

Here is the trailer:

The Fall of the House of Usher has plenty of familiar faces from The Haunting of Hill House world, but this show has a slightly different feel, shining a light on some of the most disturbing aspects of humanity. Is this series worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A clever mix of gothic horror and whodunnit mystery.

The gothic horror elements were absolutely present in this particular series, channeling the works of Edgar Allan Poe in a modern way. The whodunnit mystery style added some charm in as well, hooking the audience completely as we watched this unfold.

By the time I got to the end of episode two, I could not stop watching this series. The episodes were on the longer side, but it never felt that way. Each one was filled with beautiful cinematography, moving performances, and welcomed nods to a classic short story that transported me back to the page. I loved that this series embraced its inspiration while still creating something chilling, thought-provoking, and shocking of its own in the process.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Exceptional performances.

Fans of The Haunting of Hill House anthology will be pleased to see several familiar faces in this entry. We also welcomed in several new actors, who did an incredible job. Overall, I was really impressed by the performances, as these characters didn’t necessarily have the heart and soul of previous ones, but they were still layered and intriguing all the same.

Stand-out performances go to the amazing Carla Gugino and Willa Fitzgerald, who dominated the screen and then some. Wow!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Jam-packs in a lot…

I really don’t have too many cons for this series. Episode one was really over-stuffed with set-up and I was slightly overwhelmed by the time jumps, but I think the series found its way with this with the remaining episodes.

This series had a different feel from the others, highlighting characters obsessed with drugs, sex, and power, but it still resonated with me by the time I got to the end, proving to be another worthy Mike Flanagan series.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 1000 percent!

Sheer perfection with a deliciously dark plot worth devouring.

The best show I’ve watched all year!

If you enjoyed Mike Flanagan’s previous series, you’ll find plenty to love in this new entry that isn’t afraid to take some risks along the way that certainly pay off.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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