While 2020 has been one of the hardest years imaginable, I’ve tried to find silver linings wherever possible. One of those silver linings is that I’ve had lots of time to discover new (and old) TV shows, music, movies, and books. So, I’ve decided to introduce something new to the blog—my top 7 in each of these categories for the year. For those of you who don’t know, 7 happens to be one my favorite numbers. Isn’t this so much more interesting than a top 5 or top 10? Anyway, I hope I can help you find some new things to enjoy! 🙂
#7—Floor is Lava
Okay, don’t judge me, but this reality competition show from Netflix was exactly what I needed in 2020. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry—it’s precisely what it sounds like. In this show, teams of three compete in complex obstacle courses in an attempt to cross a room with a floor made of “lava.” This is basically a version of the famous childhood game on steroids, and it is soooo amusing. Watching people launch themselves at slippery lava-covered objects, only to then disappear into the red-orange sea below, is a wonderful way to feel better about both 2020 and yourself. This is a show truly anyone can enjoy, and while it may be a very stupid kind of fun, it certainly made my year brighter.
#6—Anne with an E
Although Netflix canceled this delightful show after its third season, fans everywhere (including me) are desperate for more. With a talented young cast and episodes that tackle serious, important issues, Anne with an E is a wonderful watch. I never read the Anne of Green Gables series, but from what I can tell this show does it justice. The lead characters are incredibly likable and the actors have wonderful chemistry. This series would be higher on my list if only it had a more conclusive ending or I had watched it more recently than February.
#5—The Wilds
While I only discovered this show less than a month ago, it has quickly risen through the ranks as one of my favorites from this entire year. The Wilds is an Amazon Prime original based around a Lord of the Flies scenario but with nine teenage girls whose plane crash landed near a deserted island. The big twist? That plane crash was no accident. This show is a fascinating one, with mysteries that leave you with a thousand questions and theories. Each episode follows one of the show’s central characters, mixing flash forwards to a government investigation with backstory and important events on the island. While the girls can be petty, crass, and otherwise infuriating, their real flaws are partnered with redeeming qualities that leave you rooting for each and every one. If you’re looking for something that is part human vs. nature, part teen drama, and part mystery, The Wilds is exactly what you need.
#4—The Witcher
If you haven’t watched this show…YOU NEED TO. It is the most mind-boggling, confusing, intoxicating, crazy fantasy show I have ever seen. Once you finish the action-packed first season, you’ll want to immediately go back and watch the whole thing again. It has everything a good fantasy show needs, from monsters and monster hunters to castles, balls, witches, and so much more. However, the Netflix show’s real strength lies in its overlapping and interwoven timelines. Without giving too much away, I’ll say this: you’re gonna be trying to figure out every piece of this show long after the final episode is through.
#3—a million little things
Another latecomer to my 2020 television inventory is ABC’s a million little things, which my mom and I started watching in early November. We had seen commercials for years and knew the show be good, but it wasn’t until we sat down and watched the first six episodes in a row that we realized just how good it really is. Based around a group of men and their families who struggle to cope with their friend’s suicide, this show is brimming with drama, lovable-yet-flawed characters, and complex relationships. I’ve become enamored with the marriages, parenting choices, careers, and relationships in this show. I highly recommend to anyone who needs a bit of drama and family/friend love, but be warned—it can be a major downer at times. Like, a cancer/depression/suicide/divorce/car accident type of downer.
#2—The Queen’s Gambit
This one’s no shocker, as it dominated Netflix’s top 10 for nearly a month and has been raved about by critics around the world. This critic is no different, and the nuanced relationships and incredible drama of The Queen’s Gambit have made it one of the best shows of 2020 by far. While the main character Beth Harmon is hard to root for in some moments, for the most part she is a strong, level-headed, intelligent, and stylish young woman who is good at what she does and she knows it. I fell in love with the setting and characters on this show, but what’s even more impressive is the fact that it made chess (yes, chess!) really interesting.
#1—Away
This show is a bit of an underdog because I nearly forgot about it when I originally drafted my top picks for this list. However, after looking back more thoroughly at what I’ve watched this year, I can say with certainty that Netflix’s Away comes out on top. This show stars Hilary Swank as the captain of humankind’s first mission to Mars. I’m normally not a huge science/space lover, but this show is absolutely enrapturing. With a slew of lovable yet realistically flawed characters, Away managed to find the perfect balance of action, relationships, comedy, and character development. My only complaint? The astronauts face a lot more challenges than they should have considering it’s a multi-billion-dollar mission. But of course, that nail-biting, high stakes drama part of what makes the show so damn good!
Honorable Mentions: Seven Seconds (Netflix), On Pointe (Disney+), Station 19 (ABC), The 100 (The CW), The Morning Show (HBO), Bridgerton (Netflix), How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)