Looking back over the past year, over one-third of my favorite television programs were on Netflix. Over one-sixth came from other digital or streaming platforms like Hulu, Amazon or YouTube. Over one-fourth came from cable TV, and when it came to those, most of that cable TV was watched through digital means. For example, I subscribed to HBO Now in order to watch the shows on that cable network. This is all to say that online and digital platforms are cementing themselves as the way to watch TV. Indicative of this is the launch this past year of Disney+, pronounced Disney Plus, as well as the launch of Apple TV+ and BET+. These streaming platforms are known as subscription video on demand services and more are on the way to the United States, including HBO Max.
As those new subscription video services launch, they also launch with several new TV shows that are expensive and splashy, hoping to lure people into paying that monthly or yearly fee. For Disney+, the big TV show was
The Mandalorian (2019), a space western set in the
Star Wars universe. A lot of people who weren't subscribers were spoiled on the revelation of Baby Yoda, a little green doll with big ears and big, black eyes, an adorable character turned Christmas toy that immediately became a hit.
On Apple TV+,
The Morning Show (2019) was there new series that was getting the most buzz. It got nominated for three, Golden Globe Awards, including Best Television Series - Drama. It also got nominated for three, Screen Actors Guild Awards, including Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama, Jennifer Aniston, as well as Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama, Steve Carell and Billy Crudup. It's one of several programs this past year to deal directly with the Me Too Movement. It is inspired in part by the sexual assault allegations against Matt Lauer, formerly of NBC's
Today show.
The violence against women, be it physical or emotional, has been a strong theme in TV culture this past year. As equally as strong has been the theme of female empowerment. Of the ten, new TV shows that have made my list, seven of which have women in the lead or as one of the leading roles. Several of those shows are about women overcoming some kind of adversity or trauma. A couple are about the specific position of being a mother and the adverse or traumatic choices that can come therein. One of which was specifically about women overcoming sexual assault or rape.
Yet, the absolute best show of the past year was no doubt Ava DuVernay's
When They See Us. It was nominated for 16 Emmy Awards at the 71st Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Cinematography. Eight of its actors all individually got acting nominations as well. The only winner was Jharrel Jerome (
Moonlight and
Mr. Mercedes). In his
Emmy acceptance speech, he gave thanks to the men, now known as the Exonerated Five, aka the Central Park Five. Jerome portrayed Korey Wise, one of five young men of color who was falsely convicted of a brutal attack and rape. His portrayal, especially in the final episode, really conveys the nightmare than this young black man experienced when he was completely innocent. Seeing the effect on his family was also powerful. While a lot of television this past year will be forgotten,
When They See Us will be remembered for the rest of my life.
Best New Series
This year, I separated the brand new shows from the shows that have been on the air or on the Internet before 2019. It's odd that my top three shows are all about criminals and particularly women criminals. I also have two other shows that are about women who do bad things, if for good reasons. Only one is about genuinely good people doing good things. One is about good people who still do awful, if not evil things. One is about the struggle between the perception of what's doing good and what isn't. All of these shows though kept me on the edge of my seat episode-to-episode. Only two of them permanently ended. For the rest, I'm looking forward to what they come up with next.
Best Returning Series
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK: SEASON 7 (Netflix)
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER: SEASON 6 (ABC)
CLAWS: SEASON 3 (TNT)
THIS IS US: SEASON 4 (NBC)
SILICON VALLEY: SEASON 6 (HBO)
BIG LITTLE LIES: SEASON 2 (HBO)
HOMELAND: SEASON 7 (Showtime)
This category is about films that are broadcast either over the air or online. It's also about documentary or nonfiction stories, as well as miscellaneous things that come through whatever channels that I can't classify elsewhere. One such example of a miscellaneous thing was a short film called
The Dare Project that was made available on Vimeo. I described it my review as a version of
Moonlight, but done by way of Richard Linklater's
Boyhood (2014).
Best Reality / TV Movie
I LOVE YOU, NOW DIE (HBO)
FREE MEEK (Amazon)
Finally, I listed a few episodes from shows I watched that I thought were notable even though the entire series didn't do enough to make my final list.
Best Individual Episode
"Revelations" - POSE: SEASON 2 (FX)
"Finale" -
MY HUSBAND WON'T FIT (Netflix)
"Sliding Van Doors" -
UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT: SEASON 4 (Netflix)
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