25 Incredible TV Dramas from 2018

25 Incredible TV Dramas from 2018 (continued):

11. The Handmaid’s Tale

The second season of The Handmaid’s Tale ratchets up the tension, the visual symbolism, and the rebellion in Gilead. The plot moves forward, but more importantly, we learn more about how the oppressive theocracy came to be, and at what cost.  

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 consistently left viewers with their jaws on the floor and their hearts in the grinder. The acting on the series is impeccable.

We learn more about June, including her indefatigable spirit, but that’s not necessarily the most relevant character development. We peer into the lives of more minor characters as well. Rita’s personality becomes more salient and the show grows stronger because of the more nuanced portrayals of the handmaids’ helpers. 

In a time when women’s rights are under attack and fiction feels like reality, watching The Handmaid’s Tale is almost a civic responsibility.

12. The Sinner

After a wildly successful first season, The Sinner came back for an equally intriguing second season this year.

This season our trusty detective, Harry Ambrose, goes back to his hometown after 15 years away to investigate the poisoning death of a couple. He learns secrets abound about the 13-year-old boy who confessed to the crimes as well as the town’s inhabitants.

The season ends with the shocking discovery of just who the young boy’s parents are — an exciting end to an equally exciting season.

13. SEAL Team

Starring David Boreanaz, the military drama SEAL Team continues to shine as it portrays the lives of the Navy’s most talented soldiers.

They put their lives at stake on a regular basis and are gone from home for long periods of time, which eventually takes a toll. The show stays fresh by repeatedly changing its formula as it dives into the lives and duties of its complex characters. 

14. This Is Us

The Pearson clan continues to deal with the after-effects of their father’s death in This is Us Season 3. Only now it’s through the lens of their own adult struggles. The show continues to amaze us with its attention to intricate storytelling.

For Kate, her pregnancy brings on fears about how to parent a child while still coming to terms with Jack’s death. It’s an everyday struggle for her and one that Toby tries to understand the best he can. 

With Kevin, it’s a more physical journey. He actually goes to Vietnam in the hopes of figuring out a more unknown side of his father and discover more about his elusive uncle. 

Finally, Randall calls on the lessons his father taught him in order to make decisions for and support his family. A journey that is a struggle every step of the way, but with each passing moment it’s clear that Randall is living the life his father would’ve wanted for him.

15. Killing Eve

This year, brought Sandra Oh back to our screens in a really big way. On Killing Eve, Oh stuns and delights fans with an award-worthy performance.

Killing Eve is all about an equally receptive obsession between an operative and an assassin, both of whom are after each other to kill the other. It takes the typical spy-action genre to a whole new level by creating an artful chemistry between the two women.

Both women take viewers on an intense game of cat and mouse that has very little give on either side. In fact, at times it reaches the level of two lovers engaged in a beautiful dance, both sides working together to paint a beautiful image in our minds.

The beauty and intrigue of it all led to multiple award nominations for Killing Eve and an intense following from fans.

16. The Americans

The Americans ended this year, much to the dismay of the show’s many loyal fans. Many would even argue that Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell gave their best performances to date in Season 6.

The final season occurs 3 years after the events of the previous season and finds Philip and Elizabeth in the fight for their lives. It’s a final ode to their long romantic, albeit tragic tale as KGB operatives living and spying in America.

The most heartbreaking part about the finale wasn’t their final escape to the Soviet Union to begin again and ultimately use their knowledge to save the world, but the simple fact that their children Paige and Henry are left behind in America. 

17. Sharp Objects

From the author of Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects is the latest psychological thriller miniseries. It follows Camille Preaker as she goes to her hometown to investigate the deaths of two young girls.

Fans were drawn to this dark drama because of its stunning visuals and the outstanding performances from Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson. It told a story of complicated pasts and less than stellar relationships between mothers and daughters.

While Sharp Objects is far from sunshine and positivity in any way, it draws us in with the accurate attention to mental illness and how it affects relationships around us.

18. Mayans M.C.

After years of anticipation, this year finally saw the release of Kurt Sutter’s companion series to Sons of Anarchy about the rival, sometimes ally motorcycle club, Mayans M.C. Set a few years after the end of the previous series, Mayans is an intimate look into another club, though one of a similar structure with a vastly different culture.

Mayans M.C. follows Ez as he joins his brother in the southern California chapter of Mayans MC.  He joins as a deal to the feds in order to help bring down the Galindo cartel but ends up finding himself knee-deep in a life he can’t escape.

The show is filled with excitement, danger, and intrigue and much like its predecessor all about fathers and sons. One of the other beautiful elements that keeps us tuned in is the honest look at Hispanic culture in California versus just over the border in Mexico.

19. All American

The only sports drama to grace our list, and our TV screens, this year, All American truly stands out. It is also inspired by a true story, which gives the emotional level a bit more depth.

It follows the story of Spencer James as he moves away from his family in order to follow his dreams of playing football at a professional level. The two worlds he inhabits are vastly different, but he manages to bring them both together.

It’s an inspiring tale of togetherness in a time of classifying people not like us as ‘others’. 

20. UnReal

Rachel and Quinn pursue far more than “money, dick, power,” on the final two seasons of UnReal. They are looking for absolution, healing, and ultimately, closure. The reality-series within a series is as horrific and dramatic as ever in 2018. The only difference from past seasons is that the #Quinning nature of the show Everlasting is more fully explored.

The show is absolutely about Rachel. It is centered in her trauma and her journey. But Season 3 and Season 4 allow Quinn to become just as primary to the action and emotional storytelling on the show.

It is no longer just about Rachel and her men. It is now about Rachel and her Quinn, and her men.

The writing is always stunning and the shock value is tempered by some deep and meaningful messages, which sets the series apart from actual reality television. Even when UnReal is at its darkest, it shines with the promise of a social commentary that we only wish we had the courage to make.  

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