Nick’s Top 10 New TV Shows of 2020
The year of our Lord 2020 has been a weird year for television, and yet tons of new shows have premiered.
The launch of new streaming services flooded what was already a crowded arena. The launch of HBO Max and Peacock, coupled with the late 2019 launches of AppleTV+ and Disney+ make for the most interesting television landscape.
Among all of these new shows, I’ve managed to select 10 favorites from the strange year that 2020 has been. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Ted Lasso
Many critics have said that Ted Lasso has “no right to be this good.” I say – who cares? Ted Lasso is an optimistic gem of a show that will leave even the most stone-cold hearts warmed.
Jason Sudeikis’ turn as the American football turned European football coach is not only hilarious but will do everyone some level of good. The show’s optimism is infectious, both amongst its characters and its viewers! Ted Lasso may be the only show currently running that is truly TV “comfort food” and still, you know, good.
From Sudeikis and Scrubs’ EP Bill Lawrence, Ted Lasso not only puts AppleTV+ on the map but manages to be one of the surprise hits of a very strange year. From me, (with Ted’s words) it’s “Five stars. Certified fresh.”
2. Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet
Speaking of AppleTV+, they seem to have hit multiple home runs in the 2020 TV landscape, and Mythic Quest is further proof. Mythic Quest presents a fresh take on the workplace comedy genre, setting it inside an office of an online RPG.
Mythic Quest is hilarious but also explores important and relevant themes like being underappreciated at work, dynamics between estranged father and son, modern internet culture, and the conflicts between business and creativity.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Rob McElhenney and company bring to life a complex and funny show and help further put AppleTV+ on the map. The cast, writing, and production value are top-notch, and there’s even an (excellent) quarantine episode! Mythic Quest is can’t miss!
3. Julie and the Phantoms
Am I the target audience for this? Absolutely not. But as a sucker for anything musical, Julie and the Phantoms is a bright spot in an otherwise dark year (both for television and otherwise).
Netflix’s musical series from High School Musical’s Kenny Ortega hits all the right notes (pun intended). The show’s charming high concept pairs well with its multi-talented stars to keep you singing their songs all day long.
Among the multi-talented stars is Julie herself, Madison Reyes, who is destined for great things. If you want to get in on the ground floor and be able to say: “I saw her when,” go ahead and watch Julie and the Phantoms. You might (you definitely will) get some songs stuck in your head, too!
4. Outer Banks
As a fan of The Goonies and anything adventure related, Netflix’s Outer Banks really struck a chord with me. On the surface, it seems like a run of the mill, fish-out-of-water teen drama. Instead, it’s an adrenaline-fueled romp about friendship, relationships, and treasure hunting!
Outer Banks plays like a mix of a Clive Cussler novel and a teen drama, with a Goonie-esque adventure in the middle. The young actors give strong performances, and their relationships often take center stage. But even the adults (including Nashville’s Charles Esten) bring their A game on every episode.
In addition, Outer Banks is a commentary on class systems, differences, and inherent biases in the United States. For that reason alone, Outer Banks is a can’t miss hit for Netflix in 2020.
5. Stargirl
In 2020, there is plenty of superhero fatigue to go around. But the CW/DC Universe hybrid series, Stargirl, brings light into the dark ocean of television superheroes and saves us all from drowning.
A modern take on the legendary Justice Society of America, Stargirl is part teen drama and part superhero show. The struggles with parents and villains are equal, and often times one and the same, which makes the show very relatable.
Brec Bassinger is destined for stardom (pun intended), and the strong supporting cast around her, including parents Luke Wilson and Amy Smart, make for a refreshing update to the superhero genre.
6. Upload
Did you think there would be room for more than one afterlife comedy in the modern TV landscape? No? Well, you’d be wrong.
Robbie Amell takes a star-making turn in Upload, which is part comedy, part mystery, and part romance – all balanced in a high concept series. It’s sweet, funny, and mysterious all at the same time, and unlike many who attempt the balancing act – each element is great.
You may not be excited to think about what comes after death, but Upload is absolutely worth venturing into that territory.
7. Saved by the Bell
The only series on the list where “new” is debatable, Saved by the Bell counts because the “revival” is new in nearly every way, and includes mostly new characters. There are life lessons to learn for a whole new generation!
But of course, there is something for fans of the original series as well. Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley reprise their roles as Slater and Jessie, and Zack and Kelly (Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen) make their presence felt in a handful of appearances. There’s even a Lisa (Lark Voorhies) sighting!
The best part, though, is Saved by the Bell’s unwavering commitment to say something important. Merging the privileged kids at Bayside with kids from lower-income districts makes for strong social commentary which is well-executed. This revival/reboot gets an A from me.
8. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
A second musical series makes the list! Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist takes a girl with a weird superpower and walks her through relationships, friendships, and life tragedies with a musical bent.
One minute, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist will make you laugh or marvel at an incredible musical number. The next? It’ll send you melting into a puddle of your own tears.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist deftly navigates the emotional ups and downs that every human being has and deepens viewers’ connections to those moments through music. “American Pie” may be the most powerful scene on television in 2020, and I’d expect more where that came from in 2021.
9. The Flight Attendant
The only series on this list not to have debuted all of its episodes at the time of writing – HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant is a wild ride.
Kaley Cuoco turns down a darker path in her first major role since The Big Bang Theory. Cuoco absolutely crushes the role of Cassie, an alcoholic flight attendant in some serious trouble when she wakes up next to a dead man and can’t remember what happened.
The Flight Attendant leaves viewers wanting more after each episode and has lots of murderous twists to make the time fly by. It’s also funny, which lets Cuoco’s comedic chops out in a clever way. HBO Max may have a hit on its hands!
10. The Hardy Boys
A lesser-known mystery series – The Hardy Boys debuted in December on Hulu. The series based on the classic novels about brother detectives has a darker bent, but still manages to capture a timeless, classic feel.
The Hardy Boys combines that classic feel with a fresh and supernatural mystery that clearly connects to how their mother died. Each new twist is enough to keep viewers coming back.
But more than that – The Hardy Boys is really about relationships. The boys’ relationships with their family, with each other, and with their friends really rounds out the show into one of 2020’s best. A strong cast, a supernatural mystery, and a classic re-imagined? What more could you want?
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What are your favorite new TV shows of 2020? Let us know in the comments!
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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.