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What was the best show on TV this year? When we asked readers to nominate their favourite program of 2023 they cast the net wide from global hits (The Bear and Succession) to home-grown free-to-air productions (The Newsreader) to subtitled wartime dramas (Das Boot). Here are the highlights of our readers’ opinions, and a big thank you to everyone who responded.
Jeremy Allen White in The Bear: “Dark, funny, sad, chaotic, all in one episode”.Credit: Chuck Hodes/FX
THE BEAR (Disney+)
A comedy-drama about a young award-winning New York chef (played by Jeremy Allen White) returning home to Chicago to run his late brother’s restaurant, The Bear has dazzled viewers and critics alike over its two seasons – and our readers are big fans. “Brilliant casting and cameos” are what make the series outstanding, writes Jane Bish. “The Bear can be dark, funny, sad, chaotic, all in one episode,” writes Greg Bartlett. “Jeremy Allen White is fantastic. I watched the whole second season in one sitting, the day it was released. I honestly can’t think of another television show that interested me more in probably the past several years (other than Game of Thrones).” Michelle Long shares her plaudits between The Bear and Beef. “Both had amazing scripts and excellent acting. Bingeworthy. ”
Jack Lowden and Gary Oldman in Slow Horses: “As close to perfect as you can get.”Credit: Apple TV+
SLOW HORSES (Apple TV+)
Based on the books by Mick Herron set in Slough House, an administrative purgatory for UK military intelligence rejects, the dark humour of Slow Horses appeals to our readers. “The acting was brilliant and there was tension, drama, comedy and intelligence,” writes Jillian MacDonald. “Gary Oldman was outstanding. It was as close to perfect as you can get.” Another reader, Katharine concurs. ”Slow Horses is a wonderful send up of MI5. Each character is quite distinct. I won’t name them all but the Australian, Christopher Chung, playing Roddy Ho is hilarious and Gary Oldman as head of this motley crew of rejects, is outstanding. Not quite true to the books, but it couldn’t be, it’d be banned for being so totally non-PC. I love it.“Theresia’s opinion is succinct: “Totally brilliant. Best of best.“
Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer in Colin From Accounts: “Innovative and very funny”.Credit: Lisa Tomasetti/Binge
COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS (Foxtel)
Written and executive produced by Australian husband-and-wife team Harriet Dyer (Love Child) and Patrick Brammall (Offspring), Colin From Accounts gradually conquered the world last year, proving a hit here first, then on the BBC in the UK, followed by Northern Europe before progressing to Paramount+ in the US. Dyer and Brammall star as unlikely candidates for romance brought together by an unfortunate road accident involving a dog. “Just so funny,” writes reader Seb when naming it best show of the year. “Innovative and very funny,” opines Peter Millard. Andrew Prentice shares the love around with his favourite pick: “It’s a three-way tie between Ted Lasso, Heels and Colin From Accounts.”
Succession: “Every character was completely loathsome”.Credit: HBO/Binge
SUCCESSION (Foxtel)
Across four seasons viewers were hooked to the grim story of Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook), jockeying for so long to be in pole position when the old man (Brian Cox) shuffled off this mortal coil. This year’s final season brought shocks and delights. “Every character was completely loathsome which made the acting skills shine,” writes our reader Catonine. “Who didn’t enjoy sitting and watching the worst family in TV history implode?” asks Maureen Therese Reibel.
“Perfect acting, casting, directing”: Stephen Peacocke, Anna Torv, Sam Reid and Rory Fleck-Byrne in The Newsreader.Credit: ABC
THE NEWSREADER (ABC)
In season 2 of The Newsreader, the action moved to 1987 with Helen Norville (Anna Torv) and Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) the power couple presenting News at Six under the watchful eye of boisterous newsroom boss Lindsay Cunningham (played with gusto by William McInnes). “Perfect acting, casting, directing, and some truly excellent scripts,” writes our reader Helen. Pamela McAuley also enthuses about the performances and scripts, adding: “Real to the time, superb acting by all, fabulous cinematography, sets and costume.“
Anne-Marie Duff, Sharon Horgan, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson in Bad Sisters: “It’s a wild ride.”Credit: Christopher Barr
BAD SISTERS (Apple TV+)
Based on the Belgian series Clan, Bad Sisters gave Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, Motherland) the chance to write and star in a drama about a group of sisters finding themselves being investigated for the murder of their brother-in-law, who they all detested. Our reader Jo loves the show’s humour, acting, endearing characters and great script. DMC writes that Bad Sisters is “a roller coaster of a dark comedy murder mystery show with a completely unexpected ending. It’s a wild ride.”
Steven Yeun and Ali Wong in Beef: says “so much about our sad selfish world”Credit: Netflix
BEEF (Netflix)
Two strangers (played by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong) meet in a Los Angeles carpark where an exchange of middle fingers and horn blasts leads to obsessive exchanges of threats and sabotage. Reader Michelle Long praises its script and acting performances. “Beef never outstayed it’s welcome,” writes reader Egroeg (possibly not his real name) . “(It) was funny and insightful with great performances (and) said so much about our sad selfish world.“
Toby Jones and Lee Ingleby in The Long Shadow: ineptness and fear.Credit: ITV
THE LONG SHADOW (Stan)
Toby Jones (Dad’s Army, The Detectorists) and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead) starred in The Long Shadow, the British true crime drama series about the hunt for the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, known as the Yorkshire Ripper. “Brilliantly highlights the ineptness of the British police trying to capture one of the country’s most notorious serial killers and the fear left hanging over a swath of northern England,” writes our reader Stuart.
DAS BOOT (SBS)
Season 4 of the German wartime drama Das Boot (starring Rick Okon and Konstantin Gries) kicked off this year with the U-boat crew having to contend with British destroyers patrolling above and Gestapo spies patrolling below. Reader Pernille Day loves the original 1981 movie, and the series’ cast and character development. The fact that the English, German and French characters are portrayed speaking their own languages adds colour. “It is an authentic production about submariners during WWII, with an excellent script, cinematography, suspense and humanity,” she writes. “It is the best viewing of the year.”
Gogglebox Australia: “an amazing microcosm.”Credit: Ten
GOGGLEBOX (Ten/Foxtel)
Cricket-mad fans, extended families and avid surfers, among others, continued to give us a window into their TV viewing love and hates on Gogglebox Australia this year. Reader Kerry Milligan nominated it her best show of the year, writing: “It’s an amazing microcosm of the diversity of the Australian community, and it’s funny.“
Karen Fukuhara, Karl Urban, Tomer Capon and Laz Alonso in The Boys: surprising and confounding.Credit: Prime Video
THE BOYS (Amazon Prime)
This clever satire of the super-hero genre it carefully replicates was a hit with reader Paul Fitzpatrick, who enthused about its “roller-coaster ride of outcomes”. “(It’s) shocking, energising, and manages to both surprise and confound at the same time,” he wrote.
Stellar cast: Morning Wars starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon..Credit: Apple TV+
MORNING WARS (Apple TV+)
This American drama situated in the cut-throat world of morning television embarked on its third season this year with a stellar cast including Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell. But it was the addition of Jon Hamm to the cast that impressed reader Scott Lawrie, narrowly elevating the series above another of his favourites, the ’50s drama, Lessons In Chemistry.
Catherine (Elle Fanning) and Peter (Nicholas Hoult) in The Great: the outrageous is everyday.Credit: Stan
THE GREAT (Stan)
Playing fast and loose with historical detail, the third series of The Great continued to track the rise of Catherine the Great, Empress of all Russia (played by Elle Fanning), and her complicated relationship with her husband Peter (Nicholas Hoult). Reader Brian Johnstone nominated it as best of the year “because it makes the outrageous seem every day and the cast are perfect for the show.“
Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.
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