My Favorite Shows of 2020

Stoney Keeley lists his favorite shows from 2020.

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I’m not usually a big time television guy. In years past, my viewing schedule has pretty much been Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, True Detective, and that’s about it. I always have my nose buried in my work, and when I’m not working, the LAST thing I want to do is stare at a screen. But, I have to admit – as we spent a lot more time at home this year, I found myself watching a lot more programs than I ever thought I would. So, I figured, “hell, why not take a stab at a yearly recap?“

These might not have come out this year, but I watched ’em in 2020. Give me a break – I’m a degenerate sports/humor writer. I’m not a television writer. I’m doing my best here, okay? I can’t keep up with release dates. That’s too much journalism for me.

This may be the only year I’ll ever be able to realistically put together a list of the best shows of the year, so hell…I gotta do it, right?!

My Favorite Shows of 2020

The Witcher – Sue me. I loved The Witcher. Fun high fantasy at its finest, and Henry Cavill was the perfect lead. I could see the way it jumps around between time periods could be confusing and difficult to keep up with, but this was everything I was hoping for out of this show.

Watchmen – I was admittedly late to the Watchmen game, but holy shit am I glad I finally caught up. It was absolutely fantastic, and the swerve with that one big time Watchmen character (you know the one) was so unexpected. Regina King nailed it, too.

Locke & Key – Some people loved it. Some people hated it. I thought by the time we got to the end of it, it was a fun little show with potential for a good Season Two. I loved the house itself and the dreary vibe of the show myself. Made it the perfect atmosphere for a sci-fi mystery such as this.

The Boys – I watched both seasons this year, and hot damn, that court room scene from Season Two STILL gets to me. What a gut punch! The Boys was fantastic, raunchy, and violent action at its finest. Karl Urban can do no wrong, but for me, it was Antony Starr‘s Homelander that really drove The Boys home as one of the greatest gritty and graphic super hero tales out there.

Ozark – You want to talk about a stressful, high-pressure show….they don’t get anymore stressful and high-pressure than Ozark. Jason Bateman and Laura Linney are absolutely stellar, but let’s give Tom Pelphrey some love for his role in the latest series. It’s a suspenseful crime thriller that never relents. Might need a stiff drink to get through this one.

Carnival Row – I may be the only person I know that liked this show and stuck with it, but I really dug the fantasy motif this show put out and thought Orlando Bloom put on one hell of a performance.

Hollywood – I love love LOVE all the imagery of vintage classic Hollywood – the ol’ Tinseltown vibe. Hollywood has plenty of it, and a story that I’m sure is all too familiar. For me, it was Dylan McDermott that stole the show.

Space Force – I don’t think Space Force got a fair shake when it debuted back in the summer. Too many people were expecting too much of The Office, and while that same quirky Steve Carrell sense of humor was there, it wasn’t The Office. This was something that stood on its own, and I found it quite enjoyable.

Dark – I gotta give Dark some shine. By the time you get to the end of the third season, it gets a little too out there. Usually, I like that, but in Dark‘s case, it felt like we were treading water a bit. Still, I can’t deny how enthralling those first two seasons were. I was completely entranced by this show early on.

Yellowstone – *chef’s kiss* Kevin Costner as a cowboy is money money money. But, the way the plot of Yellowstone wraps and winds around is captivating. It really does feel like some high-tension mafia flick set in the mountains of Montana. The entire cast nails it. It is damn near a perfect show in my book.

The Umbrella Academy – It felt like a good classic comic book tale, and that’s right up my alley. I watched both seasons this year, and never lost interest. Solid action. Solid story. All around, a great show.

The Mandalorian – I love the characters and the imagery of The Mandalorian, but more than anything, I love how each episode is its own adventure. This show really watches like a good comic book run. I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, but I am absolutely hooked on The Mandalorian.

The Queen’s Gambit – We just wrapped this one up last week. It is a drama of the highest order and Anya Taylor-Joy was simply superb as Beth Harmon. I can see how this one wouldn’t be for everyone, but for me, I’ll tell ya what, it made me fire up that chess app on my phone again!

Now, if you’re FORCING me….gun to my head….to rank ’em, I guess I’d go with this as my top five:

5. The Witcher
4. Dark
3. Hollywood
2. The Boys
1. Yellowstone

What were your favorite programs of the year? Hit them comments.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley