Ashley’s Top 10 TV Dramas of 2020

The power of television has never felt more potent than it has in 2020. In many cases, TV has offered great comfort or escape. In others, it’s offered connection in a brand new reality.

And even as many shows saw seasons cut short (or cut altogether) there was really no shortage of good TV this year. In fact, several shows adapted to the circumstances to bring about something even better.

These are the top 10 TV dramas that blew me away this year, or that simply gave me something to look forward to.

*Note that this list excludes limited series or sci-fi/fantasy. We have other top 10 lists dedicated to those all on their own!

1. Ozark

The Netflix drama series Ozark is probably what you’d consider the most “binge-worthy” on this list. The Byrde family keeps us captivated as they fall deeper and deeper into a life of crime that often forces them to make unspeakable sacrifices.

Ozark Season 3 offered its best season yet, focusing largely on character development and an exploration of human nature while moving the plot forward in surprising ways. The combination of impeccable performances, complex characters, a gorgeous setting, and the right amount of suspense make Ozark one of the best drama series of the year, and one of my personal favorites.

Seriously, if a show has me staying up late to keep watching because I just have to know what happens next, then it’s doing something right. Ozark is that show.

2. Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy had to pivot more than once in 2020. First, its story had to change drastically with the sudden exit of Justin Chambers as Alex Karev. Then, it was one of many series that had to cut a season short in the Spring.

When Grey’s returned for Season 17, it took on Coronavirus in a major way, keeping the pandemic central to its storytelling. The show’s ability to adapt in this way while staying true to itself is just one of the reasons it makes my list this year.

Seventeen seasons in, Grey’s Anatomy is still telling powerful stories, and it’s continuing to allow its characters to evolve without forgetting who they were years ago. I don’t think there’s a show I look forward to watching on a weekly basis more than Grey’s Anatomy. I’m always eager to see what’s next for these characters, and I always appreciate how well the series presents societal issues that we all need to be discussing.

Plus, Season 17 has given us the gift us seeing Derek Shepherd and George O’Malley once again. You really never know what to expect with this series.

3. All Rise

Now in its second season, the legal drama All Rise has offered excellent storytelling from the beginning, and with a stellar cast. Simone Missick is brilliant as Judge Lola Carmichael, and it’s not hard to fall in love with the other characters that spend their days in the courthouse.

On its surface, this might look like yet another legal procedural, but with its focus on well-written and well-developed characters, it is nothing of the kind.

All Rise also gave fans something special in the midst of quarantine with a virtual episode. That episode itself was a marvel — especially knowing that it was all filmed in the actors’ homes. Then All Rise Season 2 also took a deep dive into current events, not only revealing new protocols and their effects but also on the Black Lives Matter protests. That may not be escapism, exactly, but it’s excellent storytelling.

4. SEAL Team

Ask me for a recommendation on a new drama to watch, and you’re bound to hear me say this one. SEAL Team has been consistently engaging and entertaining from the start, with the right balance of action (it is a military show, after all) and focus on characters.

David Boreanaz has been doing some of the best work of his career on the series as Jason Hayes, the SEAL Team leader who carries his own internal struggles, now as a single dad who, on top of everything else, is coming to terms with growing older and coping with more change. Come for the action, stay for the drama and relationships within Bravo Team.

5. Hightown

One of my favorite new TV shows of the year is Hightown, starring Monica Raymund. Set in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the Starz series is a gritty and compelling crime drama that centers on Jackie Quiñones, a National Marine Fisheries Agent whose lifestyle of partying leads her right to a dead body, and she becomes laser-focused on helping solve the case.

As much as the first season focuses on that case, it also focuses on Jackie and her struggle with addiction; it’s a role that really allows Monica Raymund to shine. The overall cast is diverse and immensely talented, and the story isn’t afraid to push a few boundaries. Even better? Hightown has been renewed for a second season. 

6. Better Call Saul

The spinoff of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul shows the journey of Jimmy McGill as he becomes the lawyer we knew on the original series, Saul Goodman. The tragedy, of course, is that the audience knows full well how a lot of this is going to end, but that only makes the journey more fascinating.

Jimmy McGill slowly becomes the man that is Saul Goodman, in large part, out of necessity. Just watching Jimmy do whatever he has to do to survive and thrive is a joy to watch, all while leaving you with a gnawing feeling in your stomach knowing what comes later.

Jimmy’s relationship with Kim Wexler adds an especially endearing element to the series, as does Rhea Seehorn’s performance in the role. She’s her own intriguing character who proves to be just as much of a fighter, if not more so, than Jimmy. The entire series is witty and thoughtful, and these characters, along with others in the cast, are ones you can’t help but fall in love with.

7. This Is Us

This Is Us has become synonymous with crying and large boxes of tissues, and with good reason. Somehow the NBC series is able to tap into the emotions of its audience in a way that other kinds of shows could only dream of. It’s not all cloaked in tragedy and sadness, but often in the small, heartfelt moments.

The writing is thoughtful and the story is woven together in a way that allows for a little mystery on top of the family drama. In particular, this year, it’s a show that brings comfort, and yet another that I truly just look forward to watching on a weekly basis.

This Is Us also experienced interruption this year and found itself needing to pivot to address the pandemic as well as race issues — and it managed to do so in a way that was still comforting but also extremely important.

8. Chicago Fire

Speaking of comfort and of something to look forward to, Chicago Fire is always a staple for my weekly TV line-up. Largely, that’s because of the balance it provides between comedy and drama. The members of Firehouse 51 are loveable characters who we can laugh with.

There’s enough romance and relationship drama to keep us coming back, and I swear not many shows know how to do a cliffhanger quite like this one does. The found family aspect of Chicago Fire gives the NBC drama its heart, and the various life-threatening situations the firefighters and paramedics find themselves up against offer plenty of suspense. 

9. Away

Another new series on my list, and one that’s already been tragically canceled, is the Netflix original series Away. Perhaps the easiest way to describe this series is to say it’s like This Is Us but in outer space.

It’s a mission to Mars story that stars Hillary Swank and Josh Charles, but the mission itself is largely beside the point. It’s a heartfelt character drama, and a darn good one at that. 

The story follows Emma (Swank) as she leads a team on the mission to Mars, leaving her husband and daughter behind in order to do so. Her connections with them and the way her absence affects her family, and vice versa, make for powerful storytelling.

The mission also includes representatives from several countries who have all come together for this common goal in a way that feels extremely hopeful. It’s really too bad the story won’t continue.

10. The Rookie 

I honestly wish more people were talking about The Rookie. The ABC series has that balance of humor and drama that, now that you’re at the end of my list, you’ve realized is something I love to see. The newcomer perspective of this cop show is fun and different, as is getting the perspective of these offers rather than that of detectives or special units like we’ve become so accustomed to.

Nathan Fillion is great as John Nolan, an officer who joined the police force later in life and faces some unique struggles because of it.

He and his fellow officers all have plenty to learn along the way, whether it’s facing real danger, navigating uncomfortable situations, or sticking with the less exciting parts of the job. It’s a clever show that offers lighthearted, funny moments but also isn’t afraid to address topical issues and go for real, powerful drama.

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What were your favorite TV dramas from 2020? Let us know in the comments below!

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