25 Incredible TV Dramas from 2018
25 Incredible TV Dramas from 2018 (continued):
21. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Another drama based on a true story, this one follows the very public case of Gianni Versace’s murder. Much like the first installment, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story shows audiences every layer, nuance, and viewpoint of what really happened.
With a stunning, award-winning performance by Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan American Crime Story grabbed our attention from the get-go and never let us turn away. It serves as both a history lesson as well as an intimate look into the mind of a deranged man.
22. Elite
Netflix’s latest murder mystery drama, called Elite, takes place at a Spanish prep school. It has everything from socio-economic clashes to forbidden love that culminates in a dramatic retelling of events leading to a murder.
When three lower-income students receive a scholarship to attend Las Encinas after an earthquake destroys their school, the more elite members of the school take offense to their presence. Over time their interactions with each other get complicated and messy, which leads to one of the elite ending up dead.
With a deep look into just how high school messes with a person’s psyche Elite ensures us that we will always be entertained by each subsequent episode. Viewers find themselves latching onto certain characters really quickly, but then have that loyalty called into question when new information makes that character seem suspect.
The show proves its totally worthy of being binge-watched by giving only just enough information each episode to quench our thirst but not fully satisfy it.
23. Pose
In a time of much needed accurate representation, Pose blows every other show out of the water with over 50 transgender characters. The show also boasts a largely diverse cast of African American and Latino individuals.
Set in 1987, Pose looks at the three intersecting yet uniquely individual stories of Blanca Rodriguez, Damon Richards, and Angel. They take on the backdrop of the 1980s-90s social scene and ball culture in NY while also investigating the intricacies of life in the African American and Latino communities.
The show never shies away from subjects such as escort services, romantic affairs with married men, club culture, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic which makes it a show of our time as well as ahead of it.
24. Homecoming
This year was definitely the year of psychological thrillers, as a few of our other entries show. Homecoming is another such show and blew audiences out of their minds when it was released in November.
Julia Roberts leads a stunning cast through the story of Heidi Bergman, a former caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center. The point of her job was to help soldiers transition to civilian life after their service is done. Now, years later, Bergman is questioned by the Department of Defense about the nature of her departure from the job.
This interrogation leads her to realize that the nature of her work was not as simple as she once thought. This leads her on a journey of self-discovery and danger.
25. Impulse
Impulse is the show you need to watch, but you’ve never heard of. It deftly combines the allure and heroism of a superhero origin story, with the grounded sensibility of a sexual assault survivor’s overcoming story. The acting talents enhance the sharp and authentic script to make for a truly unbelievable show.
Henry’s adventures learning about her powers are satisfying and heart-pounding fun. But, the core of the show is the intricate and often downright sad relationships between the different characters in the small frozen town.
It is intriguing to watch the poetic interplay between Henry and Townes. It makes us viewers ask ourselves, what is friendship?
Impulse should not be ignored. There are ten thousand reasons to be watching and praising this show, but perhaps the most overlooked is the fact that Impulse gives us an example of a young man who has sexually assaulted a young woman but literally does not remember it that way. This is an important part of the ongoing conversation about consent and sexual assault and what it means to have hurt someone.
If you haven’t watched Impulse yet, there is still time in 2018 to hop onto Youtube and binge this original masterpiece.
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What shows had you feeling all the feelings this year? Did your favorite drama TV series make the list? Let us know in the comments below.
Additional contributions by Nick Hogan, Ashley Bissette Sumerel, Janelle McCammack, and Maria Trueba.
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Mads Misasi
Mads is a part-time entertainment journalist and full-time marketing content creator. They love any and all TV Dramas with a few sitcoms mixed in. Join in the fun talking about TV by following them on Twitter: @dorothynyc89.