2021 in Review: My Favorite TV Shows [Contributor: Jenn]

As we round out our sophomore year in a pandemic (ugh, can you believe it?) I’ve realized that essentially I need a Letterboxd for television. I watch way more TV than I do film, and this year was no exception. The truth is that between the fifteen different streaming services out there, it’s impossible to watch everything that is available to stream. That is never more evident than when we get to year-end lists and I read through picks from Vulture, EW, and more while realizing there are shows I’ve never heard of out there! Nevertheless, I have compiled some of the television shows that got me through 2021 — and ones that I personally think you should be watching.

For ease of access, I’ve broken the series down by which streaming service (or cable network) they’re available on. If you have access to one or all of these streaming services, I highly recommend checking these shows out. May they get you through your junior year (ugh) of the pandemic.

Note: Spoilers will be discussed below so read at your own risk!

APPLE TV+

Mythic Quest 

Look, I’ll sing the praises of Mythic Quest all day long but it’s an absolute shame that the series wasn’t nominated for any Golden Globe awards or Critics’ Choice awards. While season one was great, season two brought even more heart and twists to our favorite video game company. In addition to two stellar standalone episodes, Mythic Quest gave us growth and development for every character in its ensemble, delivered the feels (if you didn’t cry during “Juice Box,” are you a robot?), and propelled us into season three — and four, thank goodness! — with so much promise. I might be biased because I podcasted about this series incessantly this past year and adore all its stars/behind-the-scenes people, but I stand by it: Ted Lasso is Apple TV+’s golden child but Mythic Quest is its secret weapon.

Ted Lasso

Of course Ted Lasso landed on my list, y’all. Season two improved on what season one of the show delivered: promise to make us laugh hysterically and also weep. But what I particularly enjoyed about this show’s sophomore season was its insistence that its characters aren’t perfect. I like watching Ted make poor decisions or not realize the consequences of his actions. Even though it was frustrating, I like that the series made Nate a villain and didn’t neatly resolve that arc. I love that the show prioritized therapy and mental health. I love that the show made me weep overtly. And I love that even though there were elements this season that felt weaker or I disagreed with (controversial opinion: I can’t get on board Sam/Rebecca and I am mad that the show made me think for even a moment that they would do a Jamie/Keeley/Roy love triangle), they never overshadowed the series as a whole. Bring on season three, everyone!

Schmigadoon!

Do you love musicals? Do you love shows that poke fun of musicals while also BEING musicals? Then Schmigadoon! was just the series for you. Filled to the brim with a talented cast — Cecily Strong deserves awards, Keegan-Michael Key was so wonderful, Ariana DeBose keeps winning, Kristin Chenoweth and Aaron Tveit were perfect, etc. etc. — this comedy about a couple on the verge of a break-up winding up in an old-school musical town hit all the right notes. It was funny, the songs were incredibly catchy and paid homage to musicals (please, I beg you, listen to Cecily Strong sing a Sound of Music parody song that had me in stitches) while delivering some much-earned heart. If you have Apple TV+ and enjoy musicals, check this one out.

Acapulco

One of Apple TV+’s newest offerings is one of the most delightful. Set in the titular Mexico resort city, this Spanish/English show has a lot to offer. Think the same sort of storytelling as How I Met Your Mother but without the rage and way more fun! Eugenio Derbez plays the present-day version of Maximo, the show’s main character and whom we meet as a young adult who got his dream job: working at Las Colinas Resort. The series follows Maximo and his best friend Memo as they navigate resort politics, love, and friendship.

Season one wrapped and left us wondering what would happen next, so I can’t wait for a second season to get to know more about these characters and their relationships!

(Honorable mentions on Apple TV+ are Dickinson which continues to be zany and absurd, but also often fun as well as The Shrink Next Door which was a wild ride and often stressful. It made me not like Paul Rudd — simply because of the character he played which is based on a real person — and I really don’t love that feeling!)

HBO MAX

Hacks

This series is on nearly every “best of” list for 2021 and it’s deserved. Starring the impeccable Jean Smart, Hacks is the story of Deborah Vance who is a comedy legend. She reluctantly teams up with a young writer named Ava (Hannah Einbinder) because she’s been tasked with becoming more relevant to new audiences. It’s a plot that’s made even more compelling by the push-and-pull dynamic between Deborah and Ava, as well as the growth and regression that we see from both of them. Flawed characters are interesting and these two women are incredibly flawed — and I love it. Moreover, you will understand each character as a person, woman, and comedian by the end of the first season. Oh, and in addition to being compelling and well-written as a series, Kaitlin Olson recurring as Deborah’s daughter on Hacks is maybe one of my favorite performances in 2021. 

Starstruck

Do you want a rom-com miniseries that will make you feel all of the things, especially for Nikesh Patel? Good, then watch Starstruck on HBO Max! This six-episode first season stars — and is written and produced by — Rose Matafeo as Jessie, a normal 20-something who has a one-night-stand on New Year’s Eve with a famous actor (Patel). Honestly this description doesn’t even do it justice because the show is so funny, so sweet, and so swoony. Each episode focuses on a different season in the year as Jessie and Tom navigate their personal lives, their feelings for each other, and their life decisions. It’s so wonderful and I’m thankful it’s getting a second season because I honestly know Starstruck is one of the best shows I watched in 2021.

Insecure

The final season of Insecure is winding down and I’m not ready to let these characters go quite yet! I’m so impressed by Issa Rae, think that she deserves all the awards for playing Issa Dee so faithfully and beautifully, and I just want the best for Issa — the character and actress! Insecure’s last lap is bringing the character development, the tears, and the laughs as it’s clear that Issa and our other characters are growing up and moving on. I’m not ready for this journey to end, but I’m grateful to know that Issa, Kelli, Molly, and Tiffany are going to be okay. (Fine, the men will probably be fine too but I really care about that core friendship most of all!)

Mare of Easttown

Dramatic and harrowing from start to finish, Mare of Easttown was everything that I was promised it would be. Kate Winslet gave a compelling performance as Mare, a detective investigating the murder of a young girl who was also a mother. In addition to Winslet, Julianne Nicholson gave an amazing performance from start to finish as Mare’s best friend... especially when we get to a revelation at the end of the series. Honestly, even though I prefaced this article with a spoiler alert, I won’t tell you the twist of this show because I think it’s worth watching without knowing the ending. Just be aware that this is a heavy series so you might want to space it out with some fun.

NETFLIX

Never Have I Ever 

Over on Netflix, Never Have I Ever continued to shine. Mindy Kaling’s coming-of-age comedy focused on Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) navigating a love triangle between Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet) and Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison). In the end though, this season wasn’t just about Devi trying to juggle boyfriends, which she thought was so cool: it was also about her best friends, her mother, and her cousin trying to navigate life and love. Devi is an imperfect character who you don’t always root for but that’s beautiful! She’s a teenage girl so we should expect her to be selfish and petty and hurt other people occasionally. And she does. She also avoids pain and dealing with the grief of her father’s death, but we all avoid grief and pain to an extent which makes her actions relatable but also hard to watch. I love Never Have I Ever and while I’m #TeamBen, I am really interested to see what happens next season with Devi and her friends!

Maid 

I was incredibly impressed with and compelled by Maid. Again: if you’re looking for something that is light and fluffy, this isn't the show for you and trigger warning — this is a show that depicts and discusses abuse. If you choose to watch it, Maid is a powerful tale based on a true story. Alex (Margaret Qualley) decides to leave an abusive relationship with her young daughter and start cleaning houses to provide for their new life. But Alex goes through a lot of financial and emotional struggles on this journey, including dealing with her absent father and her undiagnosed bipolar mother (Margaret’s IRL mom, Andie MacDowell). I think one of the things I can say about Maid as a whole is that it’s hard to watch someone try and fail because of the way the odds are stacked against her — especially when it comes to emotional and verbal abuse.

But you root for Alex. You hope she can get on her feet. You want her to accept the help that others are offering but you also don’t want to pity her. You know that she’s making sacrifices for her daughter. You know they both deserve the best life. It’s a complex journey as a viewer but that makes the series rewarding. (Additionally, Anika Noni Rose plays Regina, a wealthy client whom Alex cleans for, and delivers a monologue so compelling and utterly heartbreaking in episode four that it should earn her all the awards.)

DISNEY+

WandaVision

Few shows were talked about as much this past year as WandaVision, with good reason. Not only was this series the character study on Wanda Maximoff and Vision that I needed to care about them as individuals and a unit, but it was also an incredibly well-done homage to television sitcoms in every decade. While a lot of Marvel TV might feel like one big set-up for future films, WandaVision swung big and accomplished something much more: letting us all feel the weight of grief and pain and not shying away from it or covering it up. WandaVision reminded us that to be human is to feel and not to be ashamed of those feelings, whatever they are.

(It also gave us standout performances from Kathryn Hahn and scene-stealing ones from Kat Dennings and Randall Park.)

While WandaVision did set up the next phase of the MCU, it did more than that: it touched us all in unexpected ways and reminded us that regardless of the flashy CGI budget Marvel has, it can weave compelling stories with earnest characters — and it did.

Big Shot 

I love John Stamos and I love Yvette Nicole Brown so when my friend Nick mentioned Big Shot, I was on board — even if I’m ambivalent about basketball, which is what the show centers around. But that’s the best part of Big Shot: it seems like it’s going to be a show about basketball but it’s really a show about female friendship, teamwork, and family. A big shot basketball coach (Stamos) is fired and given a job coaching an all-girls high school basketball team. In the process, he bonds with the girls, learns how to be a better coach and person, and gains new insight as a dad. It’s charming, sweet, funny, and features a stellar cast of young actors. Check this one out of you’re looking for a fun binge this holiday season!

(Honorable mention to Loki which was a wild and fun ride, but mostly honorable mention to Tom Hiddleston let’s be real.)

HULU

Only Murders in the Building

What happens when you put Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez in a Hulu show together? Magic, that’s what! I absolutely fell in love with Only Murders in the Building and they’re the reason why. The Hulu series focuses on these three characters: Charles (Martin), a former actor and star of a popular detective drama, Oliver (Short) who’s a Broadway director struggling financially, and the young Mabel (Gomez), a mysterious woman renting an apartment from her aunt. The three bond after a murder occurs in their building and they use their obsession with a true crime podcast to try and solve the case — while also starting their own podcast in the process. 

Often silly and fun, occasionally incredibly tense and dramatic, Only Murders in the Building was the show to watch in 2021. Steve Martin and Martin Short have incredible chemistry, obviously, but it’s the inclusion of Selena Gomez’s dry wit and hilarity that really sells this show. You’ll likely call some of the twists and turns, but probably not all of them. And there’s one particular episode of the show — “The Boy From 6B” — is one of the most inventive episodes of TV this season.

Home Economics

A worthy tonal successor to the charming ABC series Single Parents, Home Economics airs on the same network but is available to stream the next day on Hulu — just like the other two shows below. Starring Topher Grace as a novelist writing a book about his dysfunctional sibling group, Home Economics is a fun, endearing ensemble sitcom that everyone should be watching. If you’re a fan of Mythic Quest, you’ll get a double dose of Caitlin McGee, plus the bonus of Sasheer Zamata who is hilarious. Karla Souza plays the pitch-perfect, blunt, sardonic Marina. And James Richard Tatro is so fun as the wealthy youngest sibling. The kids are just as entertaining as the adults which is what makes this show such a great choice to watch. 

The Wonder Years

If you’re looking for a new show with the same name as an 80s classic, look no further than the 2021 version of The Wonder Years which focuses on a Black family in Alabama. Dean (older narrator Don Cheadle) navigates life as a pre-teen including friends, family dynamics, and his love life. Dulé Hill stars as Dean’s dad and of course we love him because Dulé is amazing. But one of the best episodes of the show thus far has been one that focuses on Dean’s mom, Lillian (Saycon Sengbloh) and what Dean learns about her not just as an adult but as a Black working woman when he shadows her at her job for the day. 

The Wonder Years is fun, fresh, and a lovely little ABC addition that you all should check out.

Ordinary Joe

Starring James Wolk, James Wolk, and... James Wolk (and other talented actors of course), this show is essentially a “Choose Your Own Adventure” game that begs the question of what would happen if you could see the effects of one choice in your life. The show follows Joe (Wolk) after a decision he makes on graduation day. He had three options: to go to a party his college girlfriend Jenny was attending, to celebrate with his family, or to go meet with a young woman he just literally ran into at graduation. Based on the choice Joe makes, his life turns out differently. In one timeline, he’s a musician, in another he’s a nurse, and in another he’s a cop. The coolest thing about the show is seeing the color cues for each timeline (red, blue, and green), which means you’re never confused by which timeline you’re in!

It’s truly an intriguing concept for a show that’s anchored by Wolk, who should be a lead in way more things than he has been. Charming, engaging, and often breaking your heart, James Wolk is the star of every timeline and I’m here for it.

PEACOCK

Girls5Eva

Music, comedy, and girl power: what more could you want? What if we threw in the iconic Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Busy Philipps, and Paula Pell? That’s exactly what Girls5Eva does. From the minds of  Meredith Scardino and Tina Fey, the series focuses on a 90s girl group of the same name who decides to reunite and produce music together again. The show is a quirky and fun comedy about getting older, female friendships, love, and music. It features one of the funniest songs I’ve ever heard (“I’m Afraid”) as well as plenty more original, catchy music. I love all these characters, I love recurring hilarity in the form of Andrew Rannells, and I love that we’ll be getting more of these characters in another season!

We Are Lady Parts

Featuring punk rock music and an all-female Muslim group, We Are Lady Parts was a gem of a freshman find. The best part about the show is that in only a few episodes, each character manages to be completely developed and nuanced. They all have different priorities — Amina wants to find a husband, Saira wants to preserve the punk music of their band, etc. — but each woman grapples with her priorities and the responsibility of the band. Even though it’s a short season, there’s so much character development and heart that I can’t wait for season two. Watch this charming series on Peacock if you’re able to! You won’t regret it.

Rutherford Falls

When I discovered that there was a show starring Ed Helms on Peacock, I wondered why I hadn’t heard of it before (... the answer is because it was on Peacock). But I checked out Rutherford Falls on a whim and fell in love! Created by Helms, Mike Schur, and Sierra Teller Ornelas, the series follows Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding) who are childhood best friends and live in Rutherford Falls, a small town founded by Nathan’s ancestors. Reagan is from the Minishonka Nation and is desperately trying to create a museum that celebrates the history of her Nation. 

Featuring Indigenous actors (Michael Greyeyes is perfect in this show) and writers, Rutherford Falls is a funny, engaging sitcom about a friendship tested and the boundaries you have to put in place with people you love. I like that Nathan is someone you actively root against at points in the show and that Reagan’s career ambitions and love for her Nation are something the series celebrates. Jana is absolutely captivating and her rapport with both Michael and Ed is hilarious. I’m excited to see where season two will take us, especially in regards to the town’s future, but I’m ready for the journey!

Baking It

The literal cutest show ever, Baking It is the spin-off of Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman’s crafting series Making It. This cooking competition series features pairs (either siblings, parent and children, partners, etc.) baking up creative holiday treats which are judged by literal grandmas. Oh, and it’s hosted by Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg because they need to host literally everything. I’m not joking. EVERYTHING. If you’re in need of some pure serotonin this holiday season, get Peacock and check this gem out!

What television shows got you through this year? Sound off in the comments below!

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The 2010s: Some of Our Favorite TV Shows of the Last Decade [Contributors: Jenn, Deb, Jaime, and Araceli]

It’s hard to believe that in just a few weeks, we’ll not only conclude another year but an entire decade. While it’s hard to believe that 2000 wasn’t just yesterday, the truth is that we’re about to enter 2020. A new year (and decade) holds a lot of promise, but it’s always fun to look back on the years that have passed to see how much has changed.

Over the years, there has been a lot of television. With the boom of streaming services, more and more people have shifted their viewing habits from traditional cable models to solely consuming content on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, etc. But at the beginning of the decade, everyone was still in a frenzy for live television: we rushed to finish our dinners so we wouldn’t miss the beginning of our favorite shows.

And speaking of favorites... some of our writers thought it’d be fun to discuss our favorite television shows of the last decade. This is by no means an extensive list, as I’m sure most of us could talk for hours about the best television moments and series that have emerged in the last year alone, but it’s a snapshot of some memorable television shows. Settle in as we discuss our favorite comedies and dramas from the last decade! Then take to the comments section and talk about your favorites too.

Community (Jenn)

On any given week, Community could be a paintball action/adventure, an 80s homage, or a stop-motion animated Christmas special. That’s pretty incredible, honestly, and no matter how good or bad Community was at its execution, one thing is sure: it always took risks.

I fell in love with Community during one of its “normal” episodes early on (“Football, Feminism & You”), and it was the show that spurred me to start writing television reviews and thinking critically about things I loved. So when I think about shows that made their mark on the last decade, of course this one stands out. “Remedial Chaos Theory” is perhaps one of the most brilliant episodes of television to exist in the last 10 years. It managed to be a “choose-your-own-adventure”-style episode, with the writers crafting six different timelines depending on which character left the apartment to get pizza. It gave us one of the most iconic GIFs of the last decade too.

Community wasn’t perfect; it stumbled a lot in later seasons to establish what it wanted to be and how to get there. But there is, perhaps, no other show that tried as hard as this one did to think outside of the box and boundaries of what a network sitcom could be. In the end, Community will always be a special, brilliant show.

New Girl (Jenn)

Honestly, New Girl is one of the most iconic comedies of the last decade. Its ensemble-centric focus, recurring jokes and references (True American, anyone?), and focus on love and friendship makes it so significant. Additionally, behind the scenes, the fact that the show retained so many talented female writers and directors will always be admirable to me. New Girl, at its best, was a hilarious show about people living together who often had little to nothing in common. Jess was idealistic. Schmidt was materialistic. Nick was a slacker. Winston didn’t know who he was. Cece was tough.

But then the show decided to flip those stereotypes on their heads too. Schmidt could be sensitive and compassionate. Jess could be tough and fearless. Nick could be driven. Cece could be quirky. Winston could be... well, whatever Winston wanted to be! New Girl always did an incredible job of calling back jokes, displaying character growth, and proving that romance and comedy can always go hand-in-hand. Not much makes me cry as hard as that final game of True American. I’ll always be grateful for this beautiful gem of a comedy and count it as one of my “forever faves.”

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Jenn)

Few shows broke barriers in primetime comedy like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend did. I’ve written about this show extensively and one of the things I keep coming back to is how brilliantly it discussed mental health and stigmatized issues with humor and grace and genuine respect. The amazing part of the series was that it was able to have those deep discussions within seemingly silly premises. There were musical homages aplenty, callbacks for days, and character growth that was immensely impressive. To see what Rachel Bloom could do with Rebecca Bunch makes me grateful that she won a Golden Globe for her performance; that woman deserved all the awards possible. Rebecca was such a complex, deep character and Rachel Bloom kept drawing from her time and time again.

I’ve rewatched various episodes and seasons of the show and I’m continually amazed by just how snappy, funny, and smart the comedy is. The music is extraordinary, and the story of a girl in love who comes to realize who she is and accept herself is one that deserved to be told. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend managed to mash up light and darkness, silly and serious, and humor and heart in a way that not many shows could. It was a brilliant musical adventure that will live on long beyond this decade.

The Good Place (Deb)

I started watching The Good Place for two primary reasons, the first of which being that I had just lost Community the year before and there was a witty comedy-shaped hole in my soul that needed filling. The second reason was simply because I like Kristen Bell. The point is, watching The Good Place was an idle thing for me that I just kind of fell into with a shrug and a “I guess this’ll do.” I wasn’t eagerly awaiting the show’s premiere and, in fact, it was about halfway into its first season before my friend reminded me that I should probably check that show out since there was really nothing else on.

Even after I caught up with the episodes I missed, The Good Place hadn’t fully latched onto my heart. The next episode didn’t do it either, or the next, or the next. Not even the amazing twist in the finale of the first season totally cemented my love for the show, at least as far as I was aware — but then the second season rolled around, and suddenly I realized that I loved this show. When the second season was over, I realized I really, really loved this show. I even wrote about my love for this show here on Just About Write, in an article that mostly concerned itself with the astounding character-first writing the The Good Place focused on:

“Where other shows are straight lines, The Good Place is like a Spirograph drawing: constantly overlapping in different patterns to create a beautiful, unique whole. The more loops it makes, the stronger the design becomes, and the variations derive from the show’s focus not on the linear A-to-B success story, but on the intricacies of human behavior and the chaos that erupts from that.”

Since I wrote that post (just after the second season wrapped up) I’ve noticed a greater focus on the show’s larger philosophical ideas. Sticking to the Spirograph pattern metaphor, it’s as if the frame around a beautifully intricate drawing were removed to reveal an even larger pattern to which the first, smaller pattern belonged. The Good Place turned its story from a rather close-knit narrative about the only four real humans (plus a demon, plus a not-a-robot) in their world to a narrative about all humans. About what it means to be human. About how the fundamental point of humanity is to help each other, to improve each other, and to improve ourselves.

With incredible writing, acting, directing, and a large helping of honest-to-goodness heart, The Good Place hammers home the idea that we are all a part of the same incredible, complicated Spirograph pattern of life — that “We are not in this alone,” as Chidi put it — and it does so within a whimsical framework that makes its beats of philosophical thought and realness somehow more poignant. Despite the show’s propensity for irreverent silliness, it still manages to be reverent at all the right moments, pulled along by a thread of compassion and the idea that trying is always better than not trying. It is the anti-cynicism, the call to action for benevolence and empathy and constant improvement. It is nothing like I expected when I decided to watch halfway into its first season and it is everything I didn’t know I wanted from a TV show at this point in my life.

Hannibal (Jaime)

On the surface, Hannibal should not be as good as it is. It’s the TV version of a popular film franchise, set before the first film and creating a storyline for two characters that is otherwise hinted at in both the film and Thomas Harris’ novel Red Dragon, but not seen. It would have been very easy for it to become another in a long string of NBC Thursday night dramas, with a case of the week format and shallow characters who feel like cardboard cutouts. But under the deep affection of showrunner Bryan Fuller, Hannibal immediately proved itself to be so much more.

The show follows Will Graham, an FBI profiler with the unique ability to put himself in the mindset of a killer and empathize with them in order to understand why they did what they did, and follow the steps backwards to catch them. His work takes a massive toll on his mental state, and he begins relying more and more on his psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a name that might be familiar even to non-fans. The series is dark and more often than not, brutal, with an unflinching look at madness and how easy it can be to succumb to the voices in your head. The true art of this show, and I would dare to call the entire show a work of art, is in its construction. Every week has a murder more grisly than the one previous, and yet, each crime scene (called a “tableau” by Bryan Fuller) is gorgeous to look at. Each aspect of every repulsive crime (and there are some repulsive things on this show that would feel much more at home on a paid cable network than on regular old NBC) is arranged artfully and cinematically, enticing the viewer to keep looking even though they want to look away.

That balance is the key to the whole show and permeates every aspect of it, including in the relationship between its two main characters, Will and Hannibal. It becomes harder and harder to watch as Hannibal’s psychological hold over Will grows, but it is impossible to look away.

American Vandal (Jaime)

The mockumentary format was everywhere in the 2000s, and inspired some of the most iconic shows of recent years. The 2010s saw the rise of true crime documentaries, where filmmakers follow a crime and try to piece together evidence, often either to identify a suspect or clear an accused suspect’s name. But those shows don’t matter, because both formats were combined and perfected with American Vandal, which follows two high school students, Peter and Ben, aspiring filmmakers who begin making a documentary about a recent incident at their school, in which somebody spray painted a penis onto every teacher’s car. Dylan Maxwell, a burnout who would rather smoke pot with his friends and goof off in class than actually learn anything, is accused of the crime, and due to most teachers’ prejudice against him, he is expelled and facing criminal charges. The documentary hopes to explore the events of the spray painting incident, while seeking to humanize Dylan and prove whether or not he is actually guilty.

It’s one of the biggest tragedies of my life that Netflix only gave this show two seasons (the second sees Peter and Ben going undercover at another high school to investigate an incident in which cafeteria food was tainted and caused mass diarrhea). The concepts of both seasons are, at face value, solely comedic, paralleling every major breakthrough scene in true crime investigation shows. And this show is, without a doubt, one of the best comedies of the decade, if not ever. But as each season goes on, so much more is revealed. It aims to represent its teenage characters fairly and thoroughly, with ample time spent on characters’ insecurities and how they inform their actions. This show could not exist before this decade because the use of technology and how teenagers interact with technology is vital. One massively impressive sequence in season one uses snippets of character-recorded Snapchat videos to piece together the events of a party; small events in the background of one video prove to be hugely important in following the night’s progression, and the direction and production of this sequence is breathtaking. If you want to laugh, watch American Vandal. If you want to cry, watch American Vandal. If you want to watch the most accurate representation of youth today, watch American Vandal.

One Day at a Time (Araceli)

Norman Lear has been at the helm of some of the most iconic and groundbreaking comedies in American history and, at 97 years old, he’s still making history. In 2016 he gave the go ahead to Gloria Calderon-Kellett and Mike Royce for a reimagining of the classic One Day at a Time, this time focused on a Cuban-American family. What makes this show comedy gold is not just that it took an old story and made it new or that it is one of a handful of shows in ALL of television focused on Latinos. I would even argue that the topical issues such as diversity, mental health, and LGBTQ+ rights aren’t totally what make this comedy so special. It is the fact that at its core, this is a show focused on a typical American family. That the Alvarez family happens to represent a high population of the country that has been severely underrepresented in mainstream television is whipped cream on this sundae. Said whipped cream comes in the form of the Spanish language and traditions that so naturally flow into the dialogue.

And Rita Moreno and Justina Machado are the cherries on top of this all! EGOT legend Moreno is comedy gold as the proud matriarch who never lets anyone forget that a) she is Cuban, b) she is still in her prime, and c) she is always right. As a single mom struggling with post-war anxiety and depression while trying to raise two teenagers with the constant influence of her own traditionalist, and fabulous, mother you can see the comedic frustration dripping off Machado in every scene.

The audience clearly agrees, since their vocal outrage at the show’s Netflix cancellation is the reason the show will be returning to Pop TV with new episodes in 2020!

Arrow (Araceli)

The proof is in its fandom. Truly, and no offense to Game of Thrones fans, but you will find no more impassioned fandom out there than the superhero fandom. And DCTV has been very good to its fans over the years! When Smallville went off the air in 2011, DC fans might have been skeptical of bringing in a new hero so soon. But Marc Guggenheim and Greg Berlanti took the vigilante that is the Green Arrow and turned him into a beacon of hope so bright, Arrow turned out to be just the beginning. The little superhero show that could has burgeoned into an “Arrowverse” with a multitude of superheroes who represent the spectrum of color, creed, as well as sexual and gender identity.

While there will be many articles in the coming weeks praising the brilliant work of the show that started it all, I’d be remiss if I didn’t single out the Green Arrow himself, Stephen Amell. From the beginning, Amell has worked tirelessly on and off-screen to elevate the show. From his memorable fan convention appearances to his championing of guest and recurring stars alike, Amell has shown that a true hero’s work is not done when the cameras are on. It is the tireless work ethic, commitment, and appreciation for every single cast and crew member, creator, and fan that Amell has shown, which has made the difference between Arrow being a simple DC show, and the lasting legacy that it is.

What were some of YOUR favorite shows of the last decade? Sound off in the comments below!

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Jenn’s Pick: 15 of My Favorite TV Characters in 2019 [Contributor: Jenn]

2019 felt like a really long year and I’m not even entirely sure why, but I feel like I’m not alone in that feeling. Options for television shows have become eve more overwhelming in the wake of new streaming platforms like Disney+ and Apple TV+. In the new year, NBC will launch their own streaming service which will just add to the ever-growing list of services that people will have to pay for.

Nevertheless, since there are so many shows out there (and not enough time to watch them all in), I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite television characters this year. You’ll notice a pretty wide range of streaming services and platforms, and if you haven’t watched some of these, I recommend you do so in 2020!

15. Emily Dickinson (Dickinson | Apple TV+)

Dickinson is a wild ride. It’s equal parts confounding and compelling, and a large part of that compelling part is Hailee Steinfeld’s portrayal of Emily Dickinson. She does such a wonderful job of balancing the modern-day slang and humor with genuinely heartbreaking moments. Even if I’m confused by what Dickinson was trying to accomplish, I know one thing for sure: the portrayal of Emily Dickinson as an eccentric, deeply loving, funny young author who wanted to make an impact on a world that didn’t welcome her was refreshing.

14. Dex Parios (Stumptown | ABC)

I decided that when I heard Jake Johnson and Cobie Smulders would be cast in a television show together that I needed to watch it ASAP. Stumptown is a good fit for both actors but Cobie Smulders truly leans into the complexities of Dex Parios. Cobie’s got a knack for playing very subtle vulnerability, and while Dex has a tough exterior, we get to see cracks in her armor. She’s incredibly sweet and protective of her brother, whom she’d do anything for. She’s smart, but she’s been through a whole lot in her life and while she tries to keep the darkness at bay through distractions, she can’t always successfully do that. But Cobie Smulders conveys this complex, incredibly strong and stubborn woman.

13. Casey Gardner (Atypical | Netflix)

Netflix recommended that I watch Atypical, and I managed to binge its three seasons quicker than I thought I would. The story follows Sam Gardner, a high-school student who’s on the spectrum, and his family. And while I’ve loved watching Sam’s growth over the years as he’s learned how to cope with change, fall in love, and grow, the character I’ve really been drawn to is Casey, Sam’s older sister. Casey initially comes across as brash and rude, sarcastic to her mom but way closer to her dad. She makes fun of Sam, takes food from him, and shoves him. But she also fights people who dare to make fun of his autism.

Over the seasons, what’s been most impressive is seeing Casey grow into who SHE is as a person. She’s spent so much of her life looking after Sam that she gets the opportunity to take care of herself. She’s fallen in love, and gets caught between feelings for her then-boyfriend and best girl friend. She goes to a new school and we see that Casey’s tough, but she’s a human just like the rest of us — afraid of people rejecting her, scared to be alone. I love Casey so much, especially in the moments where we see her love for her family and others on display (the soft side of Casey is one she hates showing but it’s there!), and can’t wait to see her grow more.

12. Lexi (Modern Love | Amazon Prime)

Lexi was played brilliantly in Modern Love by Anne Hathaway, which is partly why I love this character so much. But I also really enjoyed how complex and real Lexi is. She wants love. She loves life. And then some days, she cannot move from her bed because of her bipolar disorder. She’s a deep, feeling, beautiful human being who — on those high-energy days — imagines musical numbers in grocery stores. Anne Hathaway’s depiction of Lexi breaking down in a diner though is by far the most compelling scene in her episode. Your heart aches for her to find someone to trust with her story and when she does, you feel relief. By the episode’s end, we get to see the hope that there is for Lexi: hope to journey toward healing, day by day.

11. Susie Myerson (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Amazon Prime)

Admittedly, season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel bored me. But the one bright spot in the season was the character development of Susie Myerson. I love that the show relies on Alex Borstein’s impeccable comedic delivery to continue to evolve Susie’s personality. The reason why she’s one of my favorite characters this year isn’t because of her biting wit (though she does keep everyone in line), but because of the emotional development we saw in Susie’s character this year. She loves Midge, obviously, but Susie has her own battles to fight. She loses Midge’s money gambling. She has high hopes for Sophie Lennon (Jane Lynch), who utterly disappoints her. She tries to protect Midge, tries to be a good manager, and tries to be someone people can rely on. But Susie’s breakdowns in the last few episodes really and truly made her so endearing and compelling. Your heart ached for her because beneath all the snark and sarcasm is a woman who truly cares about others and is trying her best.

10. Steve Harrington (Stranger Things | Netflix)

Let’s talk about how Stranger Things managed to take the teenage antagonist from season one and turn him into the endearing, wonderful character he is in season three. After Steve spent so much of his time mothering Will and his friends, we got the chance to see the softer side of Steve — the one who mentors Dustin before he goes into the dance, and the one who spends most of his storyline in season three also with Dustin (and Erica). One of the great things though this season was Steve and Robin’s friendship. We had the opportunity to see Steve be his sarcastic self while also softening in honest conversations with her. Steve Harrington is just such a wonderful, fun, quotable TV character and I’m so glad he graced my TV again this summer.

9. Ruth Wilder (GLOW | Netflix)

I’ll always love Alison Brie, and in GLOW she plays Ruth Wilder. Ruth is an ambitious actress and someone who genuinely loves her family of female performers. One of the most wonderful things about Ruth though is that she’s genuine. She makes mistakes and doesn’t always say or do the right thing, but she cares. She genuinely cares about the people around her. She cares about silly things too, like hotel hot chocolate with whipped cream. She cares about Sam. But she also has learned, over the course of the seasons, to care about herself. GLOW season three ends with Ruth doing the bold thing we haven’t seen her do yet — bet on herself. She doesn’t want to give up her dream of being an actress; she doesn’t want to settle for just “okay” or “good enough.” Debbie’s dreams aren’t her dreams and Ruth is courageous enough this year to walk away. That’s why I love her.

8. Aziraphale and Crowley (Good Omens | Amazon Prime)

Was there a better duo on television this year than Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant) in Good Omens? I don’t think so. I couldn’t separate these characters from each other because while Sheen and Tennant are incredibly talented, the best parts of Good Omens featured them working together. Crowley is a snarky, cynical demon and Aziraphale is an optimistic angel. But, of course, these two characters become way more than their archetypes. Crowley has goodness and softness in him, and Aziraphale defies orders when he believes justice isn’t being served. Their friendship is so comedic but also endearing, as they clearly care about each other (and saving the world).

7. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson (blackish and mixedish | ABC)

I’ve watched blackish for a while now, and was excited when ABC announced a prequel of sorts to that comedy, focusing on Rainbow Johnson’s childhood. The show, mixedish, shows what life is like for Bow and her siblings as they grew up mixed-race kids in the 80s. The show has the same kind of comedy, voiceover narration, and feel as blackish does which is why it works so well for me. And seeing how Rainbow grew up in the 80s makes me appreciate the character that we see in blackish in the present-day. I love Bow: she’s incredibly smart, a little weird, energetic, and a great mother. But watching Bow as a teenager (played wonderfully by Arica Himmel) gives me even more of an appreciation for her. We sympathize with her struggles at home and in school. Bow is so driven, optimistic, and hopeful and even when the world disappoints her, she chooses to get back up and try again. That’s what makes her so strong and important, as a teenager and as an adult.

6. Rory, Emma, Amy, Sophie, and Graham (Single Parents | ABC)

As much as I love all of the adults on Single Parents, a “best of” character list this year wouldn’t be complete without the kids from the show. Each one brings something unique and hilarious to this ABC sitcom. Graham is just so quirky and fun, and his panic (specifically over Titanic being based on real-life events) moments are hilarious. Rory is just so great. His comedic beats, eccentric personality, and showstopping ensembles are great. Sophie is a bit of a wildcard, which is what I love about her. She’s often quiet and unassuming, the typical “good girl.” But she has moments where she’s more mature than some of the adults and some where she’s hyped up on sugar like the child she is. And then there are Amy and Emma, hilariously dry twins who love construction and snark at the adults in the most commendable way.

Single Parents is an absolute gem of a show, but it wouldn’t work as well as it did if the kids weren’t as great. Each of these child actors portraying the characters above does an incredible job of nailing comedic timing and emotional moments. Seriously, watch this show.

5. Chidi Anagonye (The Good Place | NBC)

Chidi is so wonderful. This past year he chose to sacrifice himself for the sake of the neighborhood experiment, knowing there was no other way that the Soul Squad could have a chance at succeeding. That led to some incredibly emotional and heartfelt goodbyes (why doesn’t William Jackson Harper have awards?!), including an incredibly sad and romantic montage of moments between Eleanor and Chidi. Even though his weakness is his indecision, Chidi has grown so much over the course of the last few seasons. He’s become more confident, fell in love, and made decisions — including arguably one of the hardest anyone, even a good decision-maker would have to make. Chidi is just such an endearing character to watch grow and develop, and I can’t wait to see what the final episodes of The Good Place bring us.

4. Alexis Rose (Schitt’s Creek | Pop TV)

One of the best parts of 2019 was everyone, including myself, getting into the delightful comedy Schitt’s Creek. Everywhere I turn, friends seem to be talking about how delightful the series is — and I agree! Though I love every character on this show (Patrick might be one of my favorites ever), Alexis holds a special place in my heart because of her growth. People underestimate her constantly. She’s always trying to prove that she belongs, even when she feels like she doesn’t. And she’s grown so much — in expressing vulnerability, in finding her place, in getting closer to her family and friends. Alexis is so underrated but she’s had an amazing character arc (and she’s just so fun too) that she deserved a place on my list this year.

3. Fleabag (Fleabag | Amazon Prime)

When I heard the buzz around Fleabag, I had to check it out. The titular character is the very definition of complex — snarky, dark, and desperate for something. We don’t really get a sense of who Fleabag is or what she wants until the mystery surrounding her grief gets explored. But what brings this character and show to the top of everyone’s must-watch lists is how amazingly well Phoebe Waller-Bridge portrays a very deep, dark, dimensional character. I liked Fleabag in season one but the growth that her character displays in season two is just incredible. We watch Fleabag come to grips with guilt, process her emotions and responses, exhibit self-control, and fall in love. It’s a really satisfying journey to see unfold and she’s a dynamic character who deserves to be recognized for all of the intricacies and growth that make her Fleabag.

2. The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian | Disney+)

I could talk for a few hundred words about how adorable Baby Yoda is (yes, I know, its name is “The Child” but we’re going with “Baby Yoda” throughout this piece), with his little coos and playing with buttons on a ship and sipping broth with the same level of intensity that Kermit sips tea. But I won’t do that. Instead, I’ll talk about how The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda are two of my favorite new characters this year because they work as a pair. Mando decided to rebel against orders and save Baby Yoda, which says a lot about him as a character. And even though we’ve never seen his face, Mando emotes in such a very tangible way that you feel what he’s feeling — fear, confliction, affection. It shouldn’t work but it does, mostly because of Pedro Pascal’s voice acting. Baby Yoda is already great because he’s adorable and powerful, and because he tries to protect Mando too! The Mandalorian is a series that’s a bit slower-paced than your traditional Star Wars fare, but it’s proving to be an emotional, dramatic ride with these characters.

1. Rebecca Bunch (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | The CW)

One of my absolute favorite character arcs this year was that of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rebecca Bunch. In the show’s first season, Rebecca is obsessive and manipulative, lying to everyone around her in order to get what she wants: Josh Chan. But as the series unfolds, we learn that there’s a lot more that’s going on in Rebecca’s mind and life than we initially assume. In addition, as she begins to form close relationships with people around her, she starts to recognize patterns in her own life and behavior. It isn’t until Rebecca hits rock bottom though (a place of darkness and desperation that Rachel Bloom deserved all the awards for conveying) that we truly see her character arc start to swing upward permanently.

Rebecca begins taking medication for her borderline personality disorder (BPD). She goes to group therapy. She does workbooks. And while she occasionally slips into old patterns and routines, Rebecca’s commitment to her own personal growth and self-discovery is so beautiful. The series’ finale focuses on Rebecca answering the question of who she is. She’s spent so much of her life devoted to finding love and filling whatever is missing within her that she really hasn’t stopped to figure out exactly who she is. And when she finds her voice, literally and figuratively, there is nothing more satisfying or lovely.

Who were some of your favorite TV characters this year? Let us know in the comments below!

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Year in Review: Jenn’s Top 10 Comedies of 2018 [Contributor: Jenn]

In an era of peak television, I’ve often found it easier to flip open my Netflix account and re-watch The Office or Friends or Parks and Recreation for the millionth time. Why is that, I wonder? Perhaps because getting invested in television has burned us all in the past. We’ve fallen in love with shows, only to watch them brutally cancelled after a season. So we flock to what is familiar, what we know, because it’s safe and comfortable. In spite of the fact that I did spend a lot of 2018 falling asleep to my favorite comedies of TV years past, there were also a lot of amazing shows that debuted or continued this year.

It’s time to honor what made me laugh (and occasionally cry) this year, so in no particular order, here are my favorite ten TV comedies of 2018!

New Girl

God bless this little gem of a sitcom. 2018 has been and felt so long that it took me a while to remember that this series actually concluded this year. And it went out exactly how it needed to — with a few last recurring gags, sentimental storylines, a few well-placed time jumps, and one final game of True American (that made all of us ugly cry. Just me?).

The thing about New Girl? It was always going to end with these weird, wonderful friends figuring out life together — it was a series about them making mistakes, making fun of one another, falling in love, falling into crazy antics, and ultimately becoming better people because they’d done all of those things. Over the series, we got the chance to watch each character evolve and grow into who they were always supposed to become. Jess learned how to be honest with herself and others, to fall in love, and to find her purpose. Schmidt became a better, more well-rounded person. Cece found her life’s purpose, and Nick finally finished that book. Winston got the love story he always wanted and deserved.

The final few episodes of the series this year made me laugh and cry, and I was reminded exactly how much I was going to miss Apartment 4D.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is still firing on all cylinders in its final season. While there have been a few slower episodes here and there, the show continues to prove exactly why it’s always been critically acclaimed. It’s smart, sharp, witty, and the musical numbers continue to be something incredible to witness. I love that in its final curtain call, this CW series is exploring what it looks like to own our stories — mistakes and all — and become better people.

Rebecca Bunch is truly learning where she’s gone wrong in her life and is willing to accept the consequences for her actions. But the final season has been more than just that: it’s focused on what it looks like for all of us to grow up and move on. Each character’s arc has followed the same path, where they’ve learned from their mistakes and have grown up.

The fall finale was genius with the show’s introduction of “new” Greg, and I’m sorry but if a series can manage to entirely recast a main character, make it incredibly meta, write a song about it but also tie it so well into the overall story arc/theme of growth and change... I’m sold. That is why this show continues to deserve accolades.

One Day At A Time

YES THIS SHOW ALSO AIRED IN 2018. Granted, it was in January, so it’s understandable if you — like me — forgot that its second season debuted this year, let’s take time to honor this comedy. I keep trying to convince people to watch it, and my pitch is: “This show will make you belly laugh and ugly cry.” The second season is no different. It follows a Cuban family who’s just trying to navigate life — the struggles and successes of it. It’s a show filled with incredibly nuanced, well-written women and representation across all forms.

One Day At A Time is sweet, without being cheesy, and poignant without being over-the-top or heavy-handed (which a lot of shows tend to skew toward when attempting to tackle controversial and/or serious subjects). One of the best, most emotional episodes of 2018 is arguably “Hello, Penelope” which features frank discussions about medicine and features a character’s realistic withdrawal when she stops her antidepressants. If you haven’t yet watched this incredibly moving and hilarious show... what are you waiting for?!

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

I was never a fan of Gilmore Girls (you can yell at me in the comments) because I found it difficult to connect with Lorelai and Rory since they talked so quickly and were constantly witty and honestly who can do that in real life? And while The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is essentially the same in terms of rapid-fire dialogue, it seems to work better in an over-exaggerated, bright, bold world and paired alongside Midge’s personality.

Maisel is a show that mostly draws you in with its dialogue, colorful wardrobes, and witty banter. The relationship between Midge and her family (as well as her internal and external struggles with her not-quite-ex-husband) is the focal point of much of the first season, but the true heart of this show is the arc of Midge learning to become who she was meant to be. She breaks free of certain traditional molds by embarking in a career in stand-up comedy. But a lot of the show’s emphasis is on the fact that Midge is very privileged. So while she’s got her struggles and personal issues, she also has a lot of support in her life. How does she reconcile those two things? And how does she put herself first and take risks when her whole life has been safe?

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an incredibly binge-worthy show on Amazon Prime, and if you’re looking for a period piece with good writing and great acting (Rachel Brosnahan shines), then look no further than this one!

Splitting Up Together

I’m honestly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed Splitting Up Together. I thought it was going to be a show about a couple going through a... well, uncoupling, and while it is a show about a marriage that splits up, what it’s really about is how complex families really are. But how all of us are complex, and that’s what makes us humans.

This show makes the point that broken families aren’t bad families; in the midseason finale, Martin (Oliver Hudson) calls Lena (Jenna Fischer) to thank her for the way that she’s been such a great mom. He knows their arrangement is weird to a lot of people, but he actually wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a sweet, subtle gesture rooted in Martin’s own realization of how messed up other parents actually are. As much as Oliver and Lena’s relationship is tumultuous, the show really focuses on the fact that their love and devotion to their family is unwavering.

Splitting Up Together is perfect if you’ve loved any other Emily Kapnek shows (Selfie, Suburgatory, etc.) because the humor is relatable, and ultimately sweet. Jenna Fischer absolutely shines in this role and if you haven’t watched it yet, check out Splitting Up Together!

Single Parents

I’m not even remotely surprised that I’m in love with a show that is created by Elizabeth Meriwether and J.J. Philbin and also features a slew of New Girl writers. If you loved New Girl and haven’t yet started Single Parents, please do. It’s a delightful little series about a group of single parents, each of whom has at least one child and their own set of quirks. Leighton Meester and Taran Killam are exceptional (and I get major Nick/Jess vibes from them in terms of their chemistry and characters’ friendship), but so are the other cast members. Brad Garrett, Kimrie Lewis-Davis, and Jake Choi are exceptional. But truly the kids are the stars of this show and have impeccable comedic timing.

What really makes Single Parents special is a lot of what made New Girl special — the way the series manages to balance slapstick humor, recurring references, flashbacks, and witty dialogue with immense heart (I genuinely teared up during the midseason finale).

The show might begin with the group of single parents trying to pick on Will (Taran Killam), but after the pilot, these people become a family. And the humor is fixated not on them being mean-spirited toward one another, but attempting to just navigate the quirky, weird qualities they each have. If you need something sweet that is genuinely funny, Single Parents is your perfect next show to binge!

The Good Place

THIS SHOW, YOU GUYS. Mike Schur and company consistently manage to surprise us with the twists and turns they throw. What I’ve always admired about The Good Place though is that it never gives us a plot twist just for sheer shock value. Each step of the journey in this show is perfectly planned out, and I love that we got to watch the characters really grow and settle into their moral journeys this season. You can tell the cast really enjoys working together, and it shines through in their performances. The Good Place deftly has managed to combine humor, heart, and also impeccable attention to detail. The writing of the series is so tight that while plot twists throw us, we immediately want to re-watch the episodes and pick up all the tiny clues we missed along the way.

Character growth in this series has always been believable. One of my favorite episodes this season featured Michael and Eleanor on a journey by themselves in which they had the opportunity to explore the concept of free will. Ted Danson and Kristen Bell were tour de forces, and everything in the episode felt true to their characters. The performers are top-notch, truly (D’Arcy Carden deserves an Emmy for that finale), and each brings incredibly nuanced and yet hilarious skills to the table. Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto often have to deliver lines that would sound absurd coming from everyone else, and William Jackson Harper got the chance to do some really fun physical comedy in 2018.

I’m already itching to see what happens to Michael, Janet, and the humans in 2019. How about you?

GLOW

Ironically one of the reasons I really loved GLOW this year was because it got more serious. Sure, the series was still funny and I appreciate all of the dry wit that episodes bring. But the fact that it pushed itself outside of the confines of the first season truly made it special. “The Good Twin” was an ambitious episode that really paid off, and Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin deserve all of the awards possible for their confrontation in “Nothing Shattered.” The whole cast truly is special and I loved that we got the opportunity to see more of them shine this year. There were deeper storylines for them (please tell me everyone else appreciated the emotional story Tammé  had with her son), and we actually got the chance to not just watch them and their wrestling alter egos in the ring, but explore more about why they’re choosing wrestling and how it impacts the rest of their lives, for better or worse.

GLOW is one of those fun, easy-to-binge shows because the content and format lend itself to watching one more episode, and then one more episode. I love that 2018 brought us more of a series with nearly all women stars and allowed us all the chance to get to know more complex, diverse women on television.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

What a gem of a comed this one is, you guys. Brooklyn Nine-Nine thankfully got picked up by NBC after its cancellation at FOX, and I for one am grateful. I’m not sure exactly when this series became a favorite of mine (because it took me three attempts to even start watching it in the first place), but it did. I’m a sucker for ensemble comedies, if you haven’t noticed that pattern yet, and this show is the best current example of a workplace ensemble comedy.

But what I’ve always appreciated — apart from the commitment to recurring jokes, callbacks (shout-out to all the writers who remember all the things), and flashbacks — about Brooklyn Nine-Nine is that when it chooses to be series, it does so purposefully. “Moo Moo” (though it aired in 2017) and “Show Me Going” are two recent examples of the fact that when the show focuses on the fact that it’s not just a workplace comedy but a workplace comedy about a police station, it shines. “Show Me Going” was the perfect balance of intensity and humor, and that’s the balance Brooklyn Nine-Nine has locked down.

I already saw the first two episodes of the upcoming season and let me tell you... they’re excellent. Catch up on the series if you haven’t yet, and dive into all the romance, humor, silliness, and joy that Brooklyn Nine-Nine holds.

grown-ish

Ironically I began watching grown-ish before I watched black-ish. The Freeform series is fun and features the same kind of narration that black-ish does. But grown-ish takes the narration a step further, frequently breaking the fourth wall and having Zoey directly address cameras. (In the season two premiere, she literally tells the audience to stay put while she goes and does something.) What I really enjoyed about grown-ish this year was the fact that it featured a stellar and diverse cast and though it’s more suited for college students and young adults — like a lot of Freeform’s content — it’s appealing to a wider audience. This isn’t just a series about college students partying, or Zoey trying to find her place in the world. It’s about friendships, arguments, love, identity and purpose — all things that everyone can relate to.

While watching black-ish definitely will help you understand Zoey’s personality better (I started watching black-ish frequently this year and love it too), it’s not necessarily a requirement to watch grown-ish. You’ll be able to jump right into this fun comedy series and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did. Catch up before season two returns in a few weeks!

What were some of your favorite comedies this year? Did 2018 feel simultaneously as long and short to you guys as it did me? Sound off in the comments below!

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