Lauren Busser’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2023
Much like Taylor Swift, there was a “a lot going on at the moment” in 2023. Unlike some of my previous lists, I’ve found myself turning to a lot of comfort shows.
However, in between watching old favorites, I did binge a few new series. However, they’re split in terms of mood. Some are a bit lighter than my previous selections, while others are darker and more tense.
In no particular order, here are my top 10 TV shows of 2023:
1. Minx (Starz)
Minx is a series that I genuinely enjoy sitting down to watch each week.
Minx Season 1 laid out a strong foundation for the work, and Season 2 expanded it. The addition of Elizabeth Perkins as a new investor in the magazine who takes Joyce under her wing and the progression of Joyce and Doug’s relationships all come together this season.
Furthermore, I enjoyed the progression of Shelly’s story in finding her identity as Bella Larouche. Her story was one of the most interesting of the season, and I enjoyed seeing her come into her own and having those hard conversations with those around her.
Minx Season 2 leaves off at a cliffhanger and an unexpected twist for the future of the magazine, and the show’s future is still up in the air so I am crossing everything to see if we get a third season.
2. The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
When I get stressed, I like to bake, and The Great British Baking Show my go-to when it comes to a cooking competition.
Unlike other competitions, I don’t find the atmosphere stressful. Yes, there is a ticking clock, but instead of a fiercely competitive atmosphere, The Great British Baking Show is also about community and a love of baking.
The Great British Baking Show Season 14 carries that forward and delivers a spectacular amount of comedy and comfort.
Just, go into it with caution or you may end up ordering treacle trays to see if you’d fair any better than the contestants.
3. The Last Of Us (Max)
A few years ago, I took a short writing class on interactive fiction. This was shortly after The Last of Us series was announced, and after learning about how to write a video game, I was curious as to how The Last of Us would translate onto the screen.
The Last of Us didn’t disappoint, taking us on a ride that confronted viewers with the reality of a world overrun by cordyceps, and the writers were very skilled with creating costumes and environments that were faithful to the game while also adapting the story for the screen.
Furthermore, the little glimpses into the very start of the epidemic makes the entire plot that much scarier.
At the center of the story is Joel and Ellie, who carry the story through with their father-daughter relationship. A second season is already on the way. I cannot wait to see what happens to Joel and Ellie.
4. Based on a True Story (Peacock)
Peacock offered an intriguing surprise this summer with Based on a True Story. Going into this series, I expected it to lean more towards a thriller about a couple who’s down on their luck and finds a serial killer in their midst.
In the end, Based on a True Story Season 1 ended up intelligently critiquing the love of the true crime genre while still adding little bits of comedy sprinkled throughout.
Moments like the dinner where Ava and Nathan listen to their friends comment on how exploitive their podcast is to victims give the audience something to think about in the midst of the larger story.
And with a second season on the way, I cannot wait to see how they continue to satirize the idea of a serial killer universe where the killers have control.
5. One Piece (Netflix)
One Piece is a universe that I was only recently introduced to, and I have gone into it knowing how expansive the universe is. I’ve seen a small sliver of the anime, but was nervous about the live-action adaptation. Several close friends who are more well-versed in the world of anime and manga have told me that often these adaptations are not good, so I went in expecting to hate it.
Surprisingly, I found this adaptation just as enjoyable as the original. It’s clear that Iñaki Godoy is eating up his chance to play the loveable Luffy, and likewise, each cast member is bringing love and passion to their role.
Knowing what’s ahead with the anime, I will be very excited to see how they continue to adapt the story.
6. Is It Cake (Netflix)
Much like The Great British Baking Show, Is It Cake is another baking show that just brings me joy. Hyperrealistic cake decorating is not somnthing that I aspire to, but seeing other people make it fascinates me. This may be because I worked in a bakery for a few years.
While you never need to watch ten people make hyperrealistic cakes, host Mikey Day makes it even more entertaining as he trolls the contestants with all manners of cutting objects while muttering the phrase, “Is it cake?”
And maybe you question your entire sense of reality at the same time.
7. Surreal Estate (Syfy)
SurrealEstate was one of the shows I loved the most in 2022, and I was so excited when bit was brought back for a second season.
Season 2 didn’t disappoint, but like all places, the setting and scenery changed a bit with some new office politics.
Regardless of what was happening inside the agency, the series always delivers chilling tales of haunted homes. It gives the Gothic vibes I am searching for when I am searching for it.
8. Love Is Blind (Netflix)
Yes, Love is Blind is the odd one on this list.
I am not usually a fan of reality television, I don’t love the drama, and I hate how many dating shows gamify love.
However, Love Is Blind Season 5 sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go. The series is objectively entertaining from the moment the singles enter the pods. This season, in particular, felt like a feeding frenzy of singles all looking for their perfect match to get down to three couples.
On a positive note, the fact that there were so few couples to follow meant that we got to follow each of them more and that is part of what helped me get invested.
9. The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
It’s no secret that I love a good gothic tale, and Mike Flanagan is the master of gothic horror. After watching both The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usher was on my must-watch list the moment it was announced.
And it doesn’t disappoint.
Just like his previous offerings, Mike Flanagan has evolved the horror limited series to give us the tension the series deserves in a way that hooks the audience.
It’s also very rewarding to see all the familiar faces in his series in a very Hitchcockian way.
10. Heartstopper (Netflix)
The second season of Heartstopper was another must-see on my list. Heartstopper is a series that I have found to be very lighthearted and very hopeful. Season 2 continues that trend and just continues to give us the delicious fluff of Nick and Charlie’s story.
That’s not to say that the series doesn’t address some serious issues. Much like Alice Oseman’s source material, this season deals with growing up and being in the LGBTQIA community and does so in a way that respects the people at the heart of it.
Seeing Nick be so supportive of Charlie coming out was the highlight of the season for me, and it’s a depiction I think we need more of.
(On top of everything, I just realized that I bookended this list with two stories about coming out.)
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What were your favorite TV shows from 2023? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.