The 10 Best TV Shows of 2020

TIME said #10: In a year that presented endless challenges—political, social, logistical and, shall we say, psychological—as even the most seasoned late-night hosts struggled to adapt to DIY production values, Desus & Mero thrived.

TIME said #9: Far from running out of ideas, the show used its generous run to experiment with form and access ever-deeper insights into cartoon-animal characters.

TIME said #8: Along with bodies that are the tools of their trade, these women have personalities and backstories and character arcs that feel true.

TIME said #7: You’ll find no typical girls here—not because typical girls are boring, but because there’s no such thing as a typical girl.

TIME said #6: A final episode that revisits the characters in the midst of COVID lockdown illustrates what may well be this year’s most salient lesson: a society immersed in crises of its own making will always be at a perilous disadvantage when a truly unforeseen tragedy strikes.

TIME said #5: What begins as a story of pain sublimated into obsession evolves, beautifully, into a vindication of community.

TIME said #4: This intelligent, elegantly scripted show interrogated why the tide so often turns on voices that are clearly on the right side of history.

TIME said #3: As the turmoil at our borders persists, and a President-elect known for his empathy weighs his priorities, Immigration Nation remains essential viewing for all Americans.

TIME said #2: Every gorgeously shot, perfectly paced episode delivered startling performances and wrenching character development on top of the suspense.

TIME said #1: Equal parts physical and cerebral, Coel’s singular sense of humor rendered her painful themes digestible for an audience exhausted by everyday life in a pandemic.