I watch a lot of TV; so much so that I started counting the number of shows I watched in 2023 and got bored after about 55 I suspect that technology is advanced enough that it will tell me the number, "Black Mirror"-style (one of the shows I watched this year)

Please understand that we are choosing from a vast array of options to create our list of the best shows of 2023

The selections in the top ten probably won't surprise you They are the biggest and most talked about programs broadcast or streamed on television They are on most critics' year-end lists They are probably on your own list as well

They made me laugh, cry, scream, and throw things They made me rush home to watch them live or stay up late at night binge-watching them They made me think, learn, grow, and appreciate Now, here are my top 10 for 2023

It was torture to choose the programs that would make it into this bracket As you can see from my honorable mention list below, many worthy titles were left off In the end, I decided to surrender to the nostalgia that this revival offered on the tray

Thirteen years after "Party Down" was sorely missed by Starz, original stars Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Megan Mullally, Martin Starr, and Ryan Hansen are back with bow ties ( Lizzy Caplan was unfortunately too busy) It was hilarious, absurd, poignant, and snarky Let's hope the party continues

Streaming on Starz

For All Mankind has been on my year-end best-of list for every season, and season 4 is no different The characters, the setting, the technology, the politics, the presidents - things have changed, but one thing has remained the same: the show is still the same

No other show can move at such breakneck speed and yet slowly build up its plot and character blocks and then break them down so spectacularly by the finale It's ridiculous that Ed Baldwin is still on a mission in space Yes, but I don't care His relationship with Daniel Poole is so weighted by their shared history that I will gladly suspend disbelief After all, this is a show about imagination and stories

Streaming on Apple TV Plus

Rian Johnson had already proven himself a master of mystery with Knives Out and Glass Onion before making Poker Face She has candidly stated that she saw "Detective Columbo" during the pandemic and decided to make a "Haukatchem" series instead of a "whodunit" like the movie

Johnson also had the good sense to partner with lead actress Natasha Lyonne She makes it easy to root for Charlie as he flees his past in the Plymouth Barracuda, meeting colorful characters involved in bizarre crimes along the way As Lyonne says in "Russian Doll," "What a concept!"

Available on Peacock

There are dozens of spy dramas out there, but "Slow Horses" is pure gold That's largely due to lead actor Gary Oldman The excellent script allows Lamb to take on a lot of twists and turns and undertones, with a variety of interesting characters who take them on, and an intricately constructed plot full of twists and turns

While each season of Slow Horses introduces a different big mystery, the relationships and rivalries carry over, creating a wonderfully complex stew of spies The third season features familiar faces and more intrigue

Streaming on Apple TV Plus

In early 2023, I would have bet big money that the freebie show would never make the best-of list And I would have lost that big money

Jury Duty came out of nowhere, which perhaps adds to the joy of watching it It's a crazy concept, having real, defenseless people show up and make us believe they are participating in a jury trial The judge, other jurors (including James Marsden himself), attorneys, witnesses, and court personnel are all actors

Only Ronald Gladden thinks this is a real case I cannot blame him for being deceived I often forget, and I went into court knowing it was all made up, and what "Jury Duty" does so well is that it never makes fun of Ronald, but instead portrays him as a hero

Stream on Freevee

I have never played the game I went into "The Last of Us" with very little prior knowledge other than that it was based on a video game, and I set my expectations very low A competent zombie drama on par with the first season of "The Walking Dead" would have been acceptable

Instead, I was hooked on an apocalyptic love story Or should I say story There was the father-son love between Joel and Ellie, and there was the solo romance between Bill, the survivalist, and his partner Frank The fungus may be raging and unstoppable, but so is the human heart

Stream on Max

Some of television's greatest shows have been underrated, at least by audiences and awards organizations Reservation Dogs was widely praised by critics as a coming-of-age masterpiece that featured indigenous voices throughout its three seasons It remains criminally underrated and under-discussed, and has received only one Emmy nomination

Oh well Reservation Dogs will remain a secret among us cool kids Our own club can keep the sometimes goofy, sometimes witty comedy, the heartbreaking but never heartbreaking drama, the subtle but brilliant acting, and the unique vision of community all to ourselves

Streaming on Hulu

As my Beef Review says: One of the best shows of 2023, "BEEF" portrays dark emotions of anger, helplessness, and betrayal with sharp humor Ali Wong and Steven Yen give impassioned performances as the feud between their characters escalates into a wild ride full of hilarious twists and shocking developments"

"Beef" begins with a simple premise: a road rage incident in a suburban parking lot From there, however, it accelerates into an absurd yet utterly relatable revenge drama Peep peep

Streaming on Netflix

Yes, Chef The drama has crafted a somewhat quieter second season that expands and deepens its cast of characters, all the while facing the big stakes of opening a new restaurant

Overall, season two was not ulcer-inducing, but the holiday episode "Fishes" may have been the most stressful I've ever seen While this episode was good (with lots of cameos), the best thing "The Bear" did was give Sidney, Marcus, and Richie an important independent storyline that sent them out into the world to learn and grow The show is richer for it I can't wait to see what the third installment will bring

Streaming on Hulu

Logan Roy's death was built into the title and premise of Succession from the beginning Yet when it finally happened in the middle of the final season, it was still somewhat shocking His adult children schemed and scrabbled amongst themselves to one day succeed him But when that day finally came, they were left confused and adrift Their backwater attempts to carve a path to the top were tragically fascinating

HBO has dominated Sunday nights for decades, and the final episode of Succession proved why Each week was a feast of brutally funny dialogue and god-awful acting that begged to be discussed on social media This is why I chose it as my No 1 juvenile show of 2023

Stream on Max

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):