Written by: Kevin Berge
While I watched far too many movies in 2018, my experience with television was more limited. TV is more difficult to keep focused on. It is longer form storytelling that can be far more easily inconsistent. Therefore, committing to it is tough.
Still, every year has great TV, and it's impossible to miss on it if you're looking. I saw some of my favorites episodes and seasons of television even knowing there was so much more to enjoy.
This was a year of innovation as well as just about the best year Netflix has ever had perhaps due to just how many shows they produced. Some had to be winners, and there were many winners.
Best of 2018: Movies | WWE Matches
Still, every year has great TV, and it's impossible to miss on it if you're looking. I saw some of my favorites episodes and seasons of television even knowing there was so much more to enjoy.
This was a year of innovation as well as just about the best year Netflix has ever had perhaps due to just how many shows they produced. Some had to be winners, and there were many winners.
Best of 2018: Movies | WWE Matches
Would it really be all that bad if robots took over the world? They'd probably be better at running the world. (Image Courtesy of: maxim.com)
Honorable Mentions
***No TV Shows will be spoiled in this article. Everyone can read ahead without risk. All links to a review do have the potential for spoilers, but there will be a warning before any spoilers are revealed.***
As said above, I missed out on a lot of TV including seasons of shows I absolutely planned to keep up to date with this year. Therefore, this is my least comprehensive list and does not include (just to name a few on my immediate radar): Better Call Saul Season 4, Legion Season 2, The Haunting of Hill House, Sharp Objects, The Handmaid's Tale, The End of the F***ing World, Barry, The Americans, Killing Eve, Black Mirror.
Westworld Season 2 (Review): The first season of Westworld was a maze of interconnected human stories that felt satisfying to unravel. The second season is as obtuse and intense as its predecessor, making it rewarding to piece out even if it lacks the humanity.
Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 (Review): After an inspired second season, it was a little disappointing to only put this on the honorable mentions, but Legends of Tomorrow takes a few too many leaps along the way to fully embrace the heights it once reached. It is still fun to watch though even in its weaker episodes.
Black Lightning Season 1 (Review): The CW has been successful lately by creating a superhero universe that is fairly similar in construction from one show to the next. That's why Black Lightning works. It is blunt at times in its depictions, but it is an inspired diversion that uses a retired superhero as the basis for its drama.
As said above, I missed out on a lot of TV including seasons of shows I absolutely planned to keep up to date with this year. Therefore, this is my least comprehensive list and does not include (just to name a few on my immediate radar): Better Call Saul Season 4, Legion Season 2, The Haunting of Hill House, Sharp Objects, The Handmaid's Tale, The End of the F***ing World, Barry, The Americans, Killing Eve, Black Mirror.
Westworld Season 2 (Review): The first season of Westworld was a maze of interconnected human stories that felt satisfying to unravel. The second season is as obtuse and intense as its predecessor, making it rewarding to piece out even if it lacks the humanity.
Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 (Review): After an inspired second season, it was a little disappointing to only put this on the honorable mentions, but Legends of Tomorrow takes a few too many leaps along the way to fully embrace the heights it once reached. It is still fun to watch though even in its weaker episodes.
Black Lightning Season 1 (Review): The CW has been successful lately by creating a superhero universe that is fairly similar in construction from one show to the next. That's why Black Lightning works. It is blunt at times in its depictions, but it is an inspired diversion that uses a retired superhero as the basis for its drama.
It's the end of a short era, and I'm going to celebrate this Netflix-Marvel ending by talking about a bunch of flawed shows. (Image Courtesy of: in.ign.com)
10. Jessica Jones Season 2
Original Review
Jessica Jones as a character is well known for her relationship with The Purple Man, and that made the first season an easy sell with great performances from the leads making it an obvious success. The second season is far more messy, taking a variety of sharp turns to reach its conflict.
Despite this, its ambitions outweigh its faults. The second season of Jessica Jones may not reach as high as its predecessor but adds needed depth to the characters through dramatic story of familial conflict and long-standing trauma that is unforgettable at its best.
It is far too long for its own good and doesn't have a clear story arc throughout, but it is a great exploration of Jessica as a character and opens up a wealth of complications to explore further.
Jessica Jones as a character is well known for her relationship with The Purple Man, and that made the first season an easy sell with great performances from the leads making it an obvious success. The second season is far more messy, taking a variety of sharp turns to reach its conflict.
Despite this, its ambitions outweigh its faults. The second season of Jessica Jones may not reach as high as its predecessor but adds needed depth to the characters through dramatic story of familial conflict and long-standing trauma that is unforgettable at its best.
It is far too long for its own good and doesn't have a clear story arc throughout, but it is a great exploration of Jessica as a character and opens up a wealth of complications to explore further.
9. Luke Cage Season 2
Original Review
Luke Cage is a hard series to pin down. It is brilliant and deep in its creation of its aesthetic and depiction of Harlem. Even though Mike Colter is also great, it has often been down to the villains to shape the story around those foundations.
Season 2 has a pretty good villain that helps shape Cage's dynamic with Harlem. The war for the city is constant and all-consuming, and it shapes its characters until they reach a breaking point. It is a simple but effective way to reboot the series after a messy second act in season 1.
I wish at some point this show could have reached its full potential, but this was a solid followup that set up a spectacular idea for its third season that may never be explored.
Luke Cage is a hard series to pin down. It is brilliant and deep in its creation of its aesthetic and depiction of Harlem. Even though Mike Colter is also great, it has often been down to the villains to shape the story around those foundations.
Season 2 has a pretty good villain that helps shape Cage's dynamic with Harlem. The war for the city is constant and all-consuming, and it shapes its characters until they reach a breaking point. It is a simple but effective way to reboot the series after a messy second act in season 1.
I wish at some point this show could have reached its full potential, but this was a solid followup that set up a spectacular idea for its third season that may never be explored.
Vampires had to grow popular then die off for the ultimate vampire game series to get a worthy TV series. I'll take it. (Image Courtesy of: deadentertainment.com)
8. Castlevania Season 2
Original Review
The ultimate folly is to assume any medium cannot make for a good story. Video game adaptations have failed repeatedly not because video game adaptation cannot work but because the stories being told were bad. Castlevania so far hasn't had that problem.
Sure, the animation is wonky, and the storytelling is not a clear straight path. However, it is dripping with passion and fascinating ideas. The second season feels like a celebration of the world of Castlevania, exploring a variety of characters all leading to an insane action set piece climax.
This show is so wildly admirable and fascinatingly engrossing in wild ambitions.
The ultimate folly is to assume any medium cannot make for a good story. Video game adaptations have failed repeatedly not because video game adaptation cannot work but because the stories being told were bad. Castlevania so far hasn't had that problem.
Sure, the animation is wonky, and the storytelling is not a clear straight path. However, it is dripping with passion and fascinating ideas. The second season feels like a celebration of the world of Castlevania, exploring a variety of characters all leading to an insane action set piece climax.
This show is so wildly admirable and fascinatingly engrossing in wild ambitions.
7. My Hero Academia Season 3
Original Review
My Hero Academia is a series that continues to get stronger with time. It works both as a superhero show and shonen anime. It's the origin story of a powerful hero, but it's also a series about young kids learning to trust in each other and getting stronger through their shared experience with dangerous foes.
In its third season, the show fully embraces its potential by making its threats truly real. The gloves are taken off, and it makes this season the most intense yet. Moreover, it sets up even better to come.
It is rare I get to watch an anime progress live, but I find myself eagerly awaiting new episode of a show that could very easily span 200+ episodes by the time it is over.
My Hero Academia is a series that continues to get stronger with time. It works both as a superhero show and shonen anime. It's the origin story of a powerful hero, but it's also a series about young kids learning to trust in each other and getting stronger through their shared experience with dangerous foes.
In its third season, the show fully embraces its potential by making its threats truly real. The gloves are taken off, and it makes this season the most intense yet. Moreover, it sets up even better to come.
It is rare I get to watch an anime progress live, but I find myself eagerly awaiting new episode of a show that could very easily span 200+ episodes by the time it is over.
True joy is celebrating the fun of a series about hell. (Image Courtesy of: uscdguardian.org)
6. The Good Place Season 2
Original Review
The Good Place was a welcome surprise in its first season. Just when it felt like everything was clear, it complicated everything that came before. It suddenly became imperative multiple watching material, which is certainly rare for a light-hearted comedy.
There was a simplicity to the first season that is somewhat lost in the second, but it is replaced by so many interesting diversions with its portrayal of the afterlife. Watching these characters evolve is what allows to rise above comedic foundations that largely wouldn't interest me.
The growth of Eleanor makes this must-watch television and has made it a quiet smash hit.
The Good Place was a welcome surprise in its first season. Just when it felt like everything was clear, it complicated everything that came before. It suddenly became imperative multiple watching material, which is certainly rare for a light-hearted comedy.
There was a simplicity to the first season that is somewhat lost in the second, but it is replaced by so many interesting diversions with its portrayal of the afterlife. Watching these characters evolve is what allows to rise above comedic foundations that largely wouldn't interest me.
The growth of Eleanor makes this must-watch television and has made it a quiet smash hit.
5. Star Wars Rebels Season 4
Review to Come
Star Wars Rebels was an interesting series to watch develop. While it started slow, much like its predecessor Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it came off more assured from its opening act. Watching its story grow to a frantic fever pitch in the strongest season of the series, Season 3, was like watching some of my favorite TV show growing up.
Season 4 is not quite the absolute spectacle of the third, but that does not take from this finale giving the series an impactful finale with the show's best moments sprinkled in. Rebels in its best moments feels like Star Wars at best, exploring for all ages what it means to grow up and the importance of never losing a sense of wonder.
As Star Wars continues to expand, it may not always be great, but there will always be more chances for inspired shows like this to come from fresh minds.
Star Wars Rebels was an interesting series to watch develop. While it started slow, much like its predecessor Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it came off more assured from its opening act. Watching its story grow to a frantic fever pitch in the strongest season of the series, Season 3, was like watching some of my favorite TV show growing up.
Season 4 is not quite the absolute spectacle of the third, but that does not take from this finale giving the series an impactful finale with the show's best moments sprinkled in. Rebels in its best moments feels like Star Wars at best, exploring for all ages what it means to grow up and the importance of never losing a sense of wonder.
As Star Wars continues to expand, it may not always be great, but there will always be more chances for inspired shows like this to come from fresh minds.
It took Marvel attempting to kill its own series to finally make Daredevil truly great, and now Marvel has ended the perfect tragedy by killing it completely. (Image Courtesy of: rottentomatoes.com)
4. Violet Evergarden
Original Review
Love and compassion are complex emotions that are simplistically portrayed on screen. They can come off as sappy, empty, until you watch a show like Violet Evergarden that makes understanding those emotions its priority. Suddenly, it's far clearer how deep they can be.
Gorgeously animated, Violet Evergarden takes an impressively focus light novel about a young woman emotionally crippled by a war she was forced to fight, trying to acclimate to life after the fighting has ended. Watching her find her passion, an underlying joy, is the most emotional I've been watching TV all year.
It stumbles at times in its attempts to weave its narrative together cohesively, but it is as emotional and intense as anything all year.
Love and compassion are complex emotions that are simplistically portrayed on screen. They can come off as sappy, empty, until you watch a show like Violet Evergarden that makes understanding those emotions its priority. Suddenly, it's far clearer how deep they can be.
Gorgeously animated, Violet Evergarden takes an impressively focus light novel about a young woman emotionally crippled by a war she was forced to fight, trying to acclimate to life after the fighting has ended. Watching her find her passion, an underlying joy, is the most emotional I've been watching TV all year.
It stumbles at times in its attempts to weave its narrative together cohesively, but it is as emotional and intense as anything all year.
3. Daredevil Season 3
Review to Come
It is rare the last season of a series about to be cancelled is its best, but Daredevil has always been an unlikely series. Its first season started a phenomenon for Netflix that has often times felt bigger and more complex than Marvel's more successful cinematic universe.
The third season is a sober, mature exploration about trust and protection with Matt Murdock at his lowest, forced to challenge his own ideals every step of the way. While it is a bit overlong like every Marvel-Netflix series, it is not felt as much especially with so many engaging returning and new characters.
As a swan song to what may ultimately be a wildly underappreciated franchise, Daredevil Season 3 is an inspired and powerful grounded superhero experience.
It is rare the last season of a series about to be cancelled is its best, but Daredevil has always been an unlikely series. Its first season started a phenomenon for Netflix that has often times felt bigger and more complex than Marvel's more successful cinematic universe.
The third season is a sober, mature exploration about trust and protection with Matt Murdock at his lowest, forced to challenge his own ideals every step of the way. While it is a bit overlong like every Marvel-Netflix series, it is not felt as much especially with so many engaging returning and new characters.
As a swan song to what may ultimately be a wildly underappreciated franchise, Daredevil Season 3 is an inspired and powerful grounded superhero experience.
The truest excitement is imagining what will happen next in Atlanta. I can't wait for the violent and mature animated episode sure to come. (Image Courtesy of: clios.com)
2. GLOW Season 2
Original Review
As a heavily invested wrestling fan, I love that GLOW exists. It is the first mainstream series that truly explores what makes wrestling special. It's not about reality or the depth of the storytelling. It's about the community. It's about athleticism meshed with unbridled passion.
The second season of GLOW embraces wrestling's more absurd aspects. While the central story of Ruth and Debbie is still the show's driving force, everyone gets a moment to shine. There's drama and comedy in equal part, and ultimately there's a sense of what these women mean to each other.
I am still waiting for this show to embrace everyone in the cast, but what is here is still engrossing and consistently palatable.
As a heavily invested wrestling fan, I love that GLOW exists. It is the first mainstream series that truly explores what makes wrestling special. It's not about reality or the depth of the storytelling. It's about the community. It's about athleticism meshed with unbridled passion.
The second season of GLOW embraces wrestling's more absurd aspects. While the central story of Ruth and Debbie is still the show's driving force, everyone gets a moment to shine. There's drama and comedy in equal part, and ultimately there's a sense of what these women mean to each other.
I am still waiting for this show to embrace everyone in the cast, but what is here is still engrossing and consistently palatable.
1. Atlanta Robbin' Season
Original Review
The first season of Atlanta is an enjoyable, sometimes off-kilter ride, but the second season is full blown madness in the best way possible. "Teddy Perkins" is the most obvious example, an absurd disturbing contained thriller about the traumas of childhood stardom.
However, the series has so many other incredible and memorable episodes that it stands out among a sea of serialized dramas and comedies. It is the rare show that is completely unlike anything else on television and is incredibly timely in its depictions of identity and violence.
Donald Glover took over media in a variety of ways this year, but none were more clear and distinct than his work with Atlanta.
The first season of Atlanta is an enjoyable, sometimes off-kilter ride, but the second season is full blown madness in the best way possible. "Teddy Perkins" is the most obvious example, an absurd disturbing contained thriller about the traumas of childhood stardom.
However, the series has so many other incredible and memorable episodes that it stands out among a sea of serialized dramas and comedies. It is the rare show that is completely unlike anything else on television and is incredibly timely in its depictions of identity and violence.
Donald Glover took over media in a variety of ways this year, but none were more clear and distinct than his work with Atlanta.