UPPER LEFT: Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu and Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto in Season 3 of “The Bear.” The hit series led the Golden Globe nominations on the TV side with five. Credit: FX via TNS UPPER CENTER: Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on “The Walking Dead.” Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC via TNS UPPER RIGHT: Quinta Brunson in a scene from “Abbott Elementary.” Credit: Gilles Mingasson/ABC via TNS LOWER LEFT: Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), left, Gen (Vanessa Prasad), Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Britt (Silvana Estifanos) and Van (Liv Hewson) in “Yellowjackets” Season 3. Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with Showtime via TNS LOWER CENTER: Pedro Pascal as Joel in the second season of “The Last of Us.” Credit: HBO via TNS LOWER RIGHT: From left, Vision (Paul Bettany), Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) and Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) in “WandaVision.” Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios via TNS
With streaming services like Peacock, Paramount+ and Max entering the TV scene in the early 2020s — combined with the COVID-19 pandemic keeping much of the world indoors for months — the decade has dramatically redefined entertainment as consumers know it.
As audiences began embracing new viewing habits, networks and streaming platforms responded with a surge of content — ranging from fresh takes on the Marvel and Star Wars universes with shows like “WandaVision” and “Andor” to acclaimed limited series such as “The Queen’s Gambit” or “Beef.”
This evolution not only reshaped how TV is enjoyed, but also broadened the range of stories being told.
With 2025 now underway, The Lantern Arts & Life desk has curated a list of 20 of the most impactful TV shows in recent years — ranging from the sharp humor of “Abbott Elementary” and social critiques of “Squid Game” to the growing fascination with video game adaptations like “The Last of Us,” “Arcane” and “Fallout.”
Before getting into the top 20, we would like to acknowledge five influential releases that almost made the list, but narrowly missed the mark.
Honorable Mentions:
- “The Boys” (July 26, 2019)
- “The Queen’s Gambit” (Oct. 23, 2020)
- “Severance” (Feb. 18, 2022)
- “House of the Dragon” (Aug. 21, 2022)
- “Andor” (Sept. 21, 2022)
Please note featured shows are listed in chronological order, beginning with the earliest release date from the show’s first season and ending with the most recent release.
Disclaimer: There may be spoilers ahead.
“Sex Education” (Jan. 11, 2019) | picked by Nora Igelnik, Campus Editor
Genre: coming-of-age, comedy, drama
Stars: Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Gillian Anderson
Take time to consider what’s worse: being a teenage virgin when one’s peers are all experimenting sexually or having a very open and curious mother who is a sex therapist?
Unfortunately for Otis Milburn (Butterfield), he gets to experience both circumstances simultaneously.
Netflix’s “Sex Education” follows Otis, his best friend Eric Effiong (Gatwa), love interest Maeve Wiley (Mackey) and an ensemble of quirky characters as they navigate Moordale Secondary in a small English town.
Otis’ mother, Jean Milburn (Anderson), is a celebrated sex therapist who often tries to get Otis to open up about his experiences, one of which is his inability to ejaculate — a main struggle Otis attempts to overcome during the show’s first season. Just to make things a bit more unbearable, Otis finds out his mother is writing a book about his personal sexual development.
Even so, Otis has his very own gift for sex therapy, which he bestows upon the uneducated student body of Moordale Secondary. Through Otis, Eric and Maeve’s experiences — along with the flurry of stories from their high school — “Sex Education” showcases a wide variety of sexualities, struggles and successes in intimacy and how sex, emotions and respect intersect.
With its impressive cast and daring storylines, “Sex Education” truly did educate Gen Z’s teenagers about sex and its many intricacies. The show also displays friendships, family dynamics and relationships in raw and realistic ways, making the series relatable for young adult viewers.
It’s safe to say “Sex Education” will remain as essential viewing for generations of awkward and nervous teenagers for decades to come.
“The Last Dance” (April 19, 2020) | picked by Nick DeSantis, Asst. Arts and Life Editor
Genre: documentary, sports
Stars: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson
When COVID-19 struck, people around the world flocked to television screens to binge shows new and old. One rapid fan-favorite aired around a month after the pandemic began, telling arguably the greatest story in all of sports history.
Using previously unaired footage, “The Last Dance” follows the story of Michael Jordan, his iconic NBA career and his team, the Chicago Bulls, on its quest to earn a sixth NBA title in the 1997-98 season. The show tells an amazing story of competition, greatness and the sacrifices it takes to be the best.
Though I was not alive to experience the 1990s, the show creates an immediate sense of nostalgia for the decade that makes me wish I was. It succeeds by displaying Jordan’s drive to reach the top in great detail, despite facing numerous obstacles throughout his journey.
The docuseries also displays excellence in its ability to take the focus off Jordan at times. Told in a non-chronological order, it takes its time to flesh out all of Jordan’s talented teammates throughout the years, including Pippen, Kerr and Rodman.
Overall, this inspiring story has become one of the most rewatchable shows and best documentaries of the decade.
“Great Pretender” (June 2, 2020) | picked by Nora Igelnik, Campus Editor
Genre: anime, crime, action, comedy
Stars: Chiaki Kobayashi, Junichi Suwabe, Natsumi Fujiwara
Suave, stylistic and jazzy is the perfect way to describe the contagious atmosphere of the Netflix anime series “Great Pretender.”
Mokoto Edamura (Kobayashi) is an amateur con man living in Japan, using his schemes to pay off his mother’s medical bills. He attempts to con a clever Frenchman, Laurent Thierry (Suwabe), who then recruits Edamura to join his ring of con men and women. One mission drives the actions of this group: only trick the rich and corrupt.
The series revolves around four separate cases: “Los Angeles Connection,” “Singapore Sky,” “Snow of London” and “Wizard of Far East.” Each case breaks down a character’s backstory and showcases their development while also being action-packed with crime, plot twists and cutting suspense.
Though short-lived, “Great Pretender” is a distinct, bright anime for the ages that shows crime in a new light — as a way to bring justice to those who’ve been wronged or deceived.
“Ted Lasso” (Aug. 14, 2020) | picked by Nick DeSantis, Asst. Arts and Life Editor
Genre: sports comedy, drama, sitcom
Stars: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt
Believe.
That’s the core message of “Ted Lasso,” which follows an American football coach turned English Premier League soccer coach for the fictional team A.F.C. Richmond.
In a period as dark as the early 2020s, some folks just needed a good laugh — something “Ted Lasso” delivers. The show’s mixture of witty, feel-good, pop-culture-fueled humor and intensely dramatic moments makes viewers laugh, cheer and cry.
The cast is led by comedian Sudeikis as the titular character, though all members get their moment to shine. Each character is given a personalized sense of humor, with different arcs that make the viewer care about every ensemble member, big and small.
Additionally, the show has one of the best soundtracks in recent memory, with iconic British anthems like “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen, “Song 2” by Blur and “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, all cropping up at the perfect times.
Ultimately, it’s Lasso’s unwavering optimism and ability to see the best in people that make the show one of the decade’s best.
From left, Vision (Paul Bettany), Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) and Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) in “WandaVision.” Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios via TNS
“WandaVision” (Jan. 15, 2021) | picked by Lena Henicle, Arts & Life Video Producer
Genre: action, mystery, sitcom
Stars: Elizabeth Olson, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hann, Randall Park, Kat Dennings, Teyonah Parris
“What is grief, if not love persevering?”
Marvel enriched its ever-expanding multiverse with the release of its first television endeavor in 2021. A notable homage to family sitcoms of years past, “WandaVision” transported audience members into the mind and world of a grieving, lonely woman — though they may not have realized it at first.
Kitschy facades, period-accurate sets and familiar cliches build the world of Wanda Maximoff (Olsen), after the tragic conclusion of 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” leaves her without the love of her life, Vision (Bettany).
As Wanda struggles with anguish and denial, her powers lash out to create a fictional world within the real town of Westview. Madness ensues as she grips the minds and bodies of the town’s residents, reconstructing a universe in which she gets to have the “picture-perfect” life and family with a fabricated variant of Vision.
“WandaVision” was the inaugural series released in the Disney-owned Marvel Cinematic Universe, helping to mark the start of a new age in television — the age of spin-offs.
Though it is not the first TV show spin-off of a film franchise, “WandaVision” shows the creative depth that comes with meticulous world-building. This small slice of the Marvel Universe became a spectacle of this decade by capturing hearts with a simple but poignant story. In the midst of immense loss during the pandemic, this program became a beacon of hope for countless viewers around the world.
“Invincible” (March 25, 2021) | picked by Nick DeSantis, Asst. Arts and Life Editor
Genre: animated, action, superhero drama
Stars: Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Gilian Jacobs, Walton Goggins, Jason Mantozukas
By the end of the pilot episode of “Invincible,” it’s clear this superhero show is not like many others. After watching Omni-Man (Simmons) brutally murder his entire team, known as “The Guardians of the Globe,” it’s up to his son Mark (Yeun) and his friends to stop him from destroying Earth too.
Simply put, this show takes classic superhero conventions and flips them on their heads. It also captures a real sense of depravity through extreme violence and gore, with nearly every brutal punch and kick being followed by a squelch of someone’s body bursting into a million pieces.
In a market where Marvel and DC films often portray superheroes as moral and indestructible, this show kills off ethically complex characters left and right, leaving watchers to always guess whether or not their favorites will live to see another day.
At the end of the day, “Invincible” is a heartfelt story about power and responsibility, also home to some of, if not the best, voice acting of the decade.
“The White Lotus” (July 11, 2021) | picked by Nora Igelnik, Campus Editor
Genre: comedy, drama, mystery, thriller
Stars: Jennifer Coolidge, Theo James, Aubrey Plaza, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Lacy, Walter Goggins, Lisa, Simona Tabasco, Michael Imperioli, Natasha Rothwell and many more
HBO’s breakout television series, “The White Lotus,” has dazzled audiences since its series premiere in 2021. Now, viewers tune in each week for a collective experience to watch the third season unfold.
Each season of “The White Lotus” follows a new group of vacationers — always played by phenomenal actors — at a different high-end White Lotus resort location, so far including Hawaii, Italy and Thailand.
The show, however, has a unique twist. The first episode of each season begins with a death, but the identity of the victim isn’t revealed until the last episode, leaving the audience to consistently theorize about who they might be.
With cinematic shots of ideal getaways paired with the tackling of social issues and class differences, “The White Lotus” has paved the way for what a mystery show can be, truly transforming the genre at large.
Additionally, the show’s release schedule — which is every Sunday at 9 p.m. — brings some viewers back to a time when they would tune into cable television at a certain hour to watch a new episode of their favorite show.
This setup works especially well with “The White Lotus,” as every episode leaves people asking, “Who is going to harm who next, and how fatal will the blow be, verbal or otherwise?” This often leads audiences to share theories and breakdowns of characters on social media platforms like X or TikTok.
Of course, a bigger question on fans’ minds may be, “What can top Jennifer Coolidge’s iconic season two line, ‘Please! These gays are trying to murder me!’”
“Squid Game” (Sept. 17, 2021) | picked by Nora Igelnik, Campus Editor
Genre: dystopian, survival, thriller, drama
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Jung Ho-yeon, O Yeong-su, Lee Seo-hwan, Wi Ha-joon
What show has been as explosive, as talked about in recent memory, as Netflix’s South Korean hit series, “Squid Game?”
Focusing on the issue of class disparity in South Korea, “Squid Game” follows 456 financially insecure players in a secret contest that involves games inspired by a typical South Korean childhood. The prize: ₩45.6 billion — or $39.86 million. The price: certain death for 455 players.
The show’s frontman — no pun intended — is Seong Gi-hun (Lee Hung-jae), a divorced father with a large gambling debt who is often chased by loan sharks eager to physically harm him. He quickly gets an opportunity to enter the undercover games, unknowingly placing himself in grave danger.
The drama’s ensemble cast really makes it stand out, having brought several South Korean actors to international fame and acclaim. Notably, the second season even made an attempt to revive the career of a formerly beloved K-pop star and rapper, Choi Seung-hyun — also known as T.O.P. — who plays a particularly reckless and disturbed player named Thanos. “Squid Game” brought him back into the spotlight after he was previously cast out from South Korean society for substance abuse and a marijuana conviction.
The series wasn’t expected to be immensely popular with network executives, yet it still managed to emerge as a cultural and social phenomenon. Its themes have sparked massive discourse online about class, money and how desperation to survive — whether financially or physically — can make people take actions that seem to be leaps and bounds outside of their normal character.
“Arcane” (Nov. 6, 2021) | picked by Lena Henicle, Arts & Life Video Producer
Genre: action, sci-fi, video game adaptation
Stars: Ella Purnell, Hailee Steinfeld, Katie Leung, Harry Lloyd, Kevin Alejandro, Reed Shannon, Toks Olagundoye, Amirah Vann
A tale of two sisters on opposite sides of a civil war, “Arcane” is the future of television animation.
The show explores sacrifice, loyalty and love through captivating and fresh animation, seamlessly blending styles and genre codes while boldly experimenting with its own structure to enhance the storytelling.
With just two seasons, the show depicts years of development in the evolving steampunk city of Piltover, following sisters Vi (Steinfeld) and Powder (Purnell) — better known as Jinx — as they navigate the politics and hardships of the city’s underworld.
Separated by the death of their adoptive father, the girls travel down two paths: one of destruction and one of unyielding love. Jinx, the protégé of a deadly crime lord in the undercity, spirals further into chaos, whereas Vi finds herself fighting against the very place she once called home in order to protect it.
Arguably one of the most powerful stories of love and dedication, Vi’s relentless efforts to save Jinx from herself and the desolation she leaves behind elevates the show beyond its stunning animation.
In addition to the theme of love, a secondary plot follows two best friends and lab partners — Viktor (Lloyd) and Jayce (Alejandro) — as they fight over whether the magical, arcane invention they created is helpful or just another weapon of destruction.
In an Icarian fashion, Viktor pushes the limits of his world in pursuit of a reality free from suffering. Together, he and Jayce embody two sides of the same coin — both representing the innate compassion within people and the potential to create meaningful change.
“Arcane” explores fields both human and ethereal through visually stunning and diverse animation. There are moments within the show that capture the emotion or impact of a scene in ways that live action could never do.
According to a November 2024 Game Rant article, the creators worked for nearly six years on the first season and another three years on season two. This all goes to show that good work takes time and should not always be catered to impatient audiences.
Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), left, Gen (Vanessa Prasad), Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Britt (Silvana Estifanos) and Van (Liv Hewson) in “Yellowjackets” Season 3. Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with Showtime via TNS
“Yellowjackets” (Nov. 14, 2021) | picked by Lena Henicle, Arts & Life Video Producer
Genre: horror, Drama, Thriller, Mystery, Supernatural
Stars: Ella Purnell, Sophie Thatcher, Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, Sophie Nélisse, Liv Hewson, Courtney Eaton, Samantha Hanratty, Elijah Wood, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Kevin Alves, Stephen Krugger
“Once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness. They hunted their friends, feasted on their flesh and they went completely nuts.”
“Yellowjackets” brings this chilling concept — stated in the show’s season three trailer — to life. Set in 1996, the story begins when a plane carrying a New Jersey high school girls’ soccer team crashes, leaving them stranded in the wilderness for 18 months.
The series explores whether a group of teenage girls, faced with extreme survival conditions, would descend into the same chaos as the young boys seen in William Golding’s 1954 classic “Lord of the Flies” — and ultimately, they do, going even farther than their literary predecessors. A gripping psychological thriller and mystery, “Yellowjackets” delves into the horrors of trauma and the unsettling depths of human survival, offering an eerie look at the terrifying realities of teenage girlhood.
The show jumps back and forth between timelines in the 1990s — when the plane crashes — and characters’ adult selves in the future. Currently, only seven survivors have been revealed to viewers, but the true mystery of the show remains constant: What exactly happened in the wilderness?
The survivors — including Shauna (Lynskey and Nélisse), Tai (Cypress and Savoy Brown), Natalie (Lewis and Thatcher) and Misty (Ricci and Hanratty) — must confront the reality they have come to know, as ghosts from the past come back to haunt them.
Despite experiencing the worst moments of their lives during their teenage years, the adult women are tempted with the savagery of the wilderness as their mature lives unravel. A single threat of exposing what they really did while lost in the woods brings the women closer once more, as they must survive “civilized” society and its various tragedies.
Complete with scenes that are bound to keep one awake at night, the show exemplifies the reality of surviving a traumatic event. The women — both as adults and children — battle the carnal desire to harm the world that hurt them first. Touching on hard topics like survivor’s guilt, lack of purpose and the dark side of the mind, the show is an excellent representation of the horrors of being a wrathful woman.
Additionally, the cast itself is packed full of talent and Emmy-nominated actors. It’s no surprise that actresses from this show like Purnell, Lynsky and Thatcher have gone on to achieve critical acclaim in other projects — some even on this list — after being in the show.
Not to mention, there’s also cannibalism, cults and psychedelic mushrooms.
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” (Nov. 18, 2021) | picked by Lena Henicle, Arts & Life Video Producer
Genre: comedy, Sitcom
Stars: Renee Rapp, Alyah Channell Scott, Amrit Kaur, Pauline Chalamet, Lolo Spencer, Gavin Leatherwood, Midori Francis
Actress and comedian Mindy Kaling is no stranger to crafting complex, unconventional and delightfully dysfunctional female characters.
In 2022, “The Office” alum debuted “The Sex Lives of College Girls” on Max, which instantly won over audiences with its hilarious and honest take on the classic college experience.
The show follows four fresh-faced college girls as they navigate the awkward stage of adulthood, still unsure of how to truly “adult” in a healthy and comfortable manner.
Building on the success of 2020’s “Never Have I Ever” and 2012’s “The Mindy Project,” Kaling’s storytelling is both raunchy and painfully true. Watching this as a college student, there are moments in the show that nearly every college girl will instantly relate to. Despite a multitude of comedic situations, the show also touches on very real issues that most young women face as they enter the world. It also does not shy away from showing sexist, racist, homophobic and predatory behavior and how the girls overcome it.
On the whole, this series is a quick watch for anyone who enjoys knowing they are not alone in the struggles that accompany maturity.
Quinta Brunson in a scene from “Abbott Elementary.” Credit: Gilles Mingasson/ABC via TNS
“Abbott Elementary” (Dec. 7, 2021) | picked by Samantha Harden, Arts & Life Editor
Genre: mockumentary sitcom
Stars: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph
When “The Office” premiered in 2005, its mockumentary-style format quickly became one of the most popular sitcom genres, paving the way for shows like “Modern Family” and “Parks and Recreation” to hit screens in 2009. After a lull in standout mockumentary sitcoms, Brunson’s “Abbott Elementary” emerged as the next heavy hitter.
The show’s overall concept — which portrays a quirky team of elementary school teachers — is pure brilliance, offering an exaggerated yet surprisingly realistic depiction of an underfunded public school district.
What truly drives the show is its cast. Just imagine having James’ Ava Coleman — who, by the way, blackmailed the district’s superintendent in order to get the job — as your principal. Her sassy remarks contrast perfectly with Brunson’s Janine Teagues, whose plucky optimism creates a dynamic and chaotic yin-and-yang dynamic.
Perfetti’s portrayal of Jacob Hill — Abbott’s eager, well-intentioned and occasionally awkward history teacher — is similarly impossible to overlook. Equally noteworthy is the unexpected friendship between Walter’s Melissa Schemmenti, a tough Philadelphia native, and Ralph’s Barbara Howard, a stoic, organized and sometimes stern kindergarten teacher.
With its sharp writing and lovable characters, “Abbott Elementary” is proof that the mockumentary sitcom is not just alive, but thriving.
Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu and Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto in Season 3 of “The Bear.” The hit series led the Golden Globe nominations on the TV side with five. Credit: FX via TNS
“The Bear” (June 23, 2022) | picked by Samantha Harden, Arts & Life Editor
Genre: comedy, drama
Stars: Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Liza Colón-Zayas, Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Describing “The Bear” as a car wreck watchers cannot look away from perfectly captures its essence as one of the 2020s’ biggest TV sensations — especially since there is, quite literally, a collision viewers can’t help but watch.
“The Bear” offers a raw glimpse into the chaos of working in the restaurant industry, all while showcasing some of the most innovative cinematography in recent television. Though the show’s second season — released in June 2023 — is less gritty than the first, its sixth episode, titled “Fishes,” offers a new take on the show’s iconic kitchen chaos, delivering one of the series’ greatest episodes to date.
Set roughly five years before the events of the rest of season two, the hour-long episode centers on the Berzatto family, with a particular focus on the protagonist Carmen’s (Allen White’s) mother, Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), as she prepares seven traditional fish dishes for the family’s Christmas dinner. What starts as a festive task quickly descends into chaos, culminating in Donna driving her car into the side of the house.
In addition to Curtis’ exceptionally unrestrained guest performance, the episode gives each guest character their turn with the reigns, including Sarah Paulson as cousin Michelle, John Mulaney as her awkward and eccentric husband and Bob Odenkirk as the outspoken Uncle Lee.
But “Fishes” isn’t the only standout of the series, as almost every episode offers a new perspective of the kitchen.
As “The Bear” has continued to make waves in the 2020s — with both its emotionally rich characters and creative film techniques — it keeps finding new ways to surprise and captivate, making every episode a feast for the senses.
“The Rehearsal” (July 15, 2022) | picked by Nora Igelnik, Campus Editor
Genre: docu-series, docu-comedy
Stars: Nathan Fielder
From the abstract and innovative mind of Nathan Fielder — creator and star of docu-comedy “Nathan For You” — comes the underrated HBO spectacular, “The Rehearsal.”
Fielder helps real-life strangers rehearse difficult conversations or scenarios they are planning to encounter in their lives, constructing incredibly detailed sets with actors to help them run through multiple outcomes. Notably, he gathers information on his subjects in secret, surprising them with the elaborate results.
For those who are afraid of their futures — which is pretty much everyone — Fielder concocted the perfect show to reveal what it would be like if one could predict and play out any scheme they wish.
The series evolves over six episodes to feature the most obscure scenarios, eventually highlighting Fielder’s own fears about life, love and relationships. Often hilarious, heartwarming and heartbreaking, “The Rehearsal” is an underrated show of the 2020s that more people should be open to experiencing.
Fortunately, its second season is set to be released this April.
“Interview with the Vampire” (Oct. 2, 2022) | picked by Lena Henicle, Arts & Life Video Producer
Genre: historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Drama
Stars: Sam Ried, Jacob Anderson, Bailey Bass, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian
Nearly 50 years ago, author Anne Rice blessed the world with the immortal tales of the vampire Lestat with the release of her book “Interview with the Vampire.” Since then, her work has gone on to inspire entire genres and subgenres in horror fiction and media.
AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” series pays homage to the late gothic writer by exploring numerous themes from her book that were excluded from the 1994 cult classic film “Interview with the Vampire.”
For starters, the TV series recognizes the two main characters’ — Louis (Anderson) and Lestat (Reid) — romantic relationship, as well as themes of domestic abuse, racism and queerness.
“Interview with the Vampire” mainly focuses on Louis de Pointe du Lac, a successful Creole brothel owner in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Louis’ family is a prominent Black family in the Jim Crow South and makes most of their money from Louis’ business dealings. Marred by his brother’s tragic suicide, Louis is lost in a world that refuses to bend to his will.
During this dark time, Louis meets the mysterious Lestat de Lioncourt. Lestat shows him there is more to life than mere mortality, and through a tumultuous and steamy love affair, Louis discovers Lestat is actually a captivating yet cold-blooded vampire. Desperate to be seen as powerful, Louis lets Lestat turn him into a vampire as well.
The life of a vampire, however, is not as glorious as it seems. As Louis recounts his life to reporter Daniel Malloy (Bogosian) in a later timeline, audiences get to see how having more access to time, youthfulness and immortality does not equate to having a better life. Fundamentally, the show dives into the complexities of centuries-old issues and the human condition.
Sometimes, people’s deepest desires come with dire consequences. “Interview with the Vampire” reframes humanity through the lens of beings who can never die. It’s a story that will surely perplex audiences for eternity, making it a special addition to this list.
Pedro Pascal as Joel in the second season of “The Last of Us.” Credit: HBO via TNS
“The Last of Us” (Jan. 15, 2023) | picked by Samantha Harden, Arts & Life Editor
Genre: post-apocalyptic, action, adventure
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett, Melanie Lynskey
I have never found myself to be a fan of post-apocalyptic shows, but the 2020s changed my mind.
Though fans of the 2013 action-adventure video game “The Last of Us” may spot familiar Easter eggs in the TV adaptation — such as voice actors from the game returning to voice new characters — the series stands strong on its own.
The show follows Joel (Pascal), a survivor of a fungal pandemic, who is tasked with escorting Ellie (Ramsey), a young girl immune to the fungal infection, across a post-apocalyptic America where humanity has been decimated by infected, zombie-like creatures in an attempt to find a cure.
Like other post-apocalyptic shows, “The Last of Us” features its share of gore and action, but what truly sets it apart — aside from the chilling clicking sound from its zombie-like creatures — is the deep emotional bond that develops between Joel and Ellie.
Pascal is excellent, but Ramsey is outstanding. They’re funny, melancholic and sharp, while still embodying the subtle awkwardness of a teenager. Their performances are so genuine and convincing that it almost doesn’t feel like acting. Seeing the two together on red carpets, one could almost believe that Pascal has adopted Ramsey in real life.
However, there’s more to “The Last of Us” than just Joel and Ellie, and the show has the confidence to step away from them for extended time periods in some episodes.
In the third episode, which is nearly film-length, the focus shifts almost entirely away from the two leads. Instead, it explores the story of a survivalist named Bill (Nick Offerman) and his unexpected relationship with an artist, Frank (Murray Bartlett). It’s a beautifully crafted detour into the show’s broader world, highlighting something many post-apocalyptic shows overlook: The pandemic affects the entire world, not just the story’s main characters.
Audiences are also introduced to other stories, including one surrounding a young man on the run with his kid brother. Fans also get glimpses into the backstories of the main characters, including a standout episode that reveals how Ellie ended up where she is at the show’s outset. Moreover, the program explores many characters’ efforts to build utopias in a dystopian world.
To wrap up, what “The Last of Us” truly offers is a remarkable balance of horror and heart.
“Daisy Jones & the Six” (March 3, 2023) | picked by Nick DeSantis, Asst. Arts and Life Editor
Genre: drama, historical fiction, music
Stars: Riley Keough, Sam Clafin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Timothy Olyphant
Miniseries have been a TV staple since the mid-1970s, but no miniseries has told an original story quite like “Daisy Jones & the Six.”
The show — based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid — follows a fictional band during its rise to fame in 1970s Los Angeles and its eventual demise after releasing its famous album “Aurora.”
The actors, spearheaded by Keough (Daisy Jones) and Clafin (Billy Dunne), all learned their respective instruments and played as a real band for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The result was authentic and passionate music that could’ve easily been released by any classic-rock band from the era.
The band members’ complex relationships with one another make every moment of the show immensely gripping and captivating, with each episode building on the last to masterfully illustrate the group’s ultimate disintegration.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on “The Walking Dead.” Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC via TNS
“The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” (Feb. 25, 2024) | picked by Samantha Harden, Arts & Life Editor
Genre: post-apocalyptic, action
Stars: Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Pollyanna McIntosh
After Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) brutally killed Glenn (Steven Yeun) in season seven of “The Walking Dead,” many fans checked out — but the franchise was far from over. The show continued for another four seasons, spawning three new spin-offs in the 2020s, including “Daryl Dixon” and “Dead City,” both of which struggled to bring anything new to the universe.
However, a much-needed moment of redemption came with the return of Rick Grimes (Lincoln), who had exited the original show in season nine.
“The Ones Who Live,” the third of the new spin-offs, centers on Michonne (Gurira) as she leaves her children in Daryl Dixon’s (Norman Reedus’) care to set off in search of Rick.
The season’s bottle episode — episode four, titled “What We” — sees Michonne and Rick finally reunite, delivering all the emotions fans of the series have been waiting years for.
This dialogue-driven installment highlights the full performance ranges of both Lincoln and Gurira, featuring one of the couple’s few intense arguments. The episode unveils the deep changes each character has undergone during their years apart, capturing the raw anger and love they’ve always shared — an emotional dynamic familiar to long-time fans of the show that was largely lost in its later seasons.
And though other spin-offs have fallen short, “The Ones Who Live” feels like a fitting send-off for “The Walking Dead” franchise.
“Shōgun” (Feb. 27, 2024) | picked by Nick DeSantis, Asst. Arts and Life Editor
Genre: historical drama, action, adventure
Stars: Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai, Cosmo Jarvis, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira
It simply feels wrong not to have “Shōgun” appear on this list.
The show’s first installment racked up 18 Emmy wins, becoming the most-winning season of television in Emmy history.
“Shōgun” is the story of an Englishman named John Blackthorne (Jarvis), who washes up on the shores of feudal Japan during the Age of Exploration and becomes involved in a war for the heart of the country.
Standout performances from Jarvis, Sanada (Lord Toranaga) and Sawai (Toda Mariko) anchor the show in realism and brim with raw emotion throughout the course of the season.
Beautiful worldbuilding and political intrigue, reminiscent of early “Game of Thrones” seasons, make the show immediately enticing for viewers. It’s also brutal but thoughtful, displaying relevant themes of leadership and honor in war.
“Fallout” (April 10, 2024) | picked by Samantha Harden, Arts & Life Editor
Genre: post-apocalyptic, adventure
Stars: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins
The pilot episode of Amazon’s “Fallout” begins in 1950s America, before immersing viewers into a post-apocalyptic world where a nuclear catastrophe and societal collapse have left Earth in ruins, with only the wealthy being able to secure spots in pre-built vaults, where they’ve resided for over 80 years.
Though much of society has faced devastation, several naive qualities associated with the ‘50s — mainly politeness, cooperation and modesty — have a large impact on the show’s environment. It’s also laced with dark humor, which reveals itself through occasional mandatory weapons training and a lighthearted aversion to marrying one’s numerous cousins.
The influence of the ‘50s extends beyond the characters’ mannerisms, as the show’s retro soundtrack provides a bubbly, lighthearted contrast to the dark and often gruesome world of “Fallout.”
Purnell shines as Lucy McLean, a lifelong vault resident, and Walton Goggins delivers a standout performance in his dual role as Hollywood golden boy Cooper Howard and a nuclear-scarred ghoul.
The pair’s dynamic is especially fun to witness on screen, with McLean’s almost exaggerated optimism clashing against the Ghoul’s ruthless instincts — which seems to perfectly encapsulate the show as a whole.
