When it came to games and books this year, I willingly sank into deep, introspective, and outright sad material. But when the TV went on, it was time for some happy escape. The television shows I went for this year were funny or comforting or both. Well, except for BoJack Horseman. Nobody could accuse that of being cheery. The other good news is that I didn't watch anything that didn't turn out to be fairly satisfying; nothing would score below a B- on the 2020 TV list. Even in an overall good year of television, though, there's got to be a standout, and picking my favorite was simplicity itself.
I haven't yet watched the original What We Do in the Shadows movie, but started on the TV show, and immediately fell in love. Season 1 was terrific, and far from a sophomore slump, this year's Season 2 was outstanding. Individual episodes dealing with the vampire family's encounters with witches and ghosts and small town girls' volleyball budget crises were hilarious, and if that weren't enough, they managed to weave in a seasonal arc about Guillermo's slayer calling and the Council of Vampires that wants the crew dead. If I said more, it'd just be me sitting here recounting full scenes. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for more vampiric adventures.
There were a handful of other outstanding shows as well. Both Los Espookys (Season 1) and A Black Lady Sketch Show (Season 1) would have had real shots at being favorite of the year, had they not come out in 2019. Curse me for getting to them late. As to 2020 shows of the year, Never Have I Ever (Season 1) had a very strong inaugural season, and likely would have gotten more attention were it not for, well, *gestures at the entire world*. There were some emotional and powerful ending seasons, too, as BoJack Horseman (Season 6) and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Season 5) nailed their final bows.
The rest of 2020 shows was a mix of farcical comedy, a couple of spooky mysteries, and as ever, the warmth and familiarity of everyone's favorite baking show. The ranked list:
Brooklyn Nine Nine (Season 7)
The Good Place (Season 4)
The Great British Baking Show (Season 8 (US), Season 11 (UK)
Superstore (Season 5)
The Haunting of Bly Manor (Season 1)
The Goes Wrong Show (Season 1)
The Great American Baking Show (Season 5)
Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun (Season 1)
Locke & Key (Season 1)
Indian Matchmaking (Season 1)
100 Humans (Season 1)
And then there were the catch-up shows, from 2019 and before that I finally had the time to get to. Here's the ranking:
What We Do in the Shadows (Season 1) (2019)
Dollface (Season 1) (2019)
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Season 4) (2019)
iZombie (Season 1) (2015)
Always a Witch (Siempre Bruja) (Season 1) (2019)
Marvel Rising (standalones) (2018-2019)
Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (Season 2) (2019)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Season 1-3) (2005-2008)
Toast of London (Seasons 1-3) (2012-2015)
Nailed It! Holiday! (Season 2) (2019)
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