Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh in "Killing Eve."
The end of 2018 is upon us, and I have watched kind of a lot of TV. Allow me to save you countless hours and recap some of my favorites that captivated, challenged and entertained me in 2018.
10. Sharp Objects (HBO)
Amy Adams (American Hustle) stars as a journalist returning to her southern gothic hometown to cover the grisly murder of a teen girl in this show based on the thriller by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl). Sharp Objects is beautifully shot and acted, featuring mesmerizing performances by Patricia Clarkson (The Green Mile) and newbie Australian actress Eliza Scanlen (Home and Away.)
9. Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
Red Table Talk is a weekly show on Facebook Watch hosted by three generations of related women: actor Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip), her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones, and Smith’s daughter, Willow (I Am Legend.) They discuss their thoughts on topics including divorce, racism, abuse and addiction. And they welcome experts and celebrities to the show as guests. It’s cathartic, and really makes you feel like you’re a part of the conversation.
8. Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
It’s no secret, I love Bob’s Burgers. The animated FOX comedy about a family owning and operating a burger restaurant and negotiating life brings me a lot of joy. It’s touching, hilarious and just well done.
7. American Vandal (Netflix)
This season of the mockumentary series American Vandal focuses on uncovering the identity of someone who is committing large scale poop-related pranks at a private, Catholic high school. It’s ridiculous, pretty gross, and absolutely nails the parody style.
6. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix)
A dark reimagination of the Archie Comics teen witch character Sabrina Spellman, CAOS is perfectly cast and has a good balance of scary, poignant and funny.
5. Queer Eye (Netflix)
The reboot of Queer Eye gave me life! The show features five gay men, each with a specialty (cooking, fashion, grooming, etc.), who work together to help improve people’s lives. I love this iteration of the series; it really spreads the message of being helpful and kind to others AND yourself.
4. Bojack Horseman (Netflix)
Bojack Horseman is Netflix’s animated adult series about a self-destructive actor who — plot twist — is a horse. Most of the characters are anthropomorphized animals, and the setting is Hollywood (or rather, “Hollywoo”), which the show satirizes brilliantly. This season’s focus on the treatment of women in the entertainment business and the #MeToo movement was especially spot on.
3. Ozark (Netflix)
Ozark focuses on a family of money launderers and delves into the world of drug cartels, family history, addiction and darkness through a blue/gray lens. Plus, it’s led by Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) and a superb Laura Linney (The Truman Show), and features a great performance by Julia Garner (Grandma).
2. Silicon Valley (HBO)
Silicon Valley is a razor-sharp comedy that keeps getting better and better every season. The show is about a group of young men trying to find success in the tech industry, and somehow screwing up at every turn. The characters are probably my favorite part of the show, specifically Jared, the meek and kind-hearted advisor to CEO Richard.
1. Killing Eve (BBC America)
My favorite show of 2018 is Killing Eve starring Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy) as Eve, and Jodie Comer (Dr. Foster) as Villanelle, a psychopath assassin intent on killing Oh’s character. The show has a great balance of humor, drama and mystery. Plus, the chemistry between Oh and Comer is absolutely fantastic and perfect for the characters’ strange relationship.
