ILX’s Top 77 Television and Streaming Video Series of 2020

Philip Pullman’s 1990’s young adult fantasy novel trilogy His Dark Materials appears to have struck HBO execs as ripe for harvest as a potential Potter-esque gold mine. Now in the second of its third seasons, it appears to have shown up a bit late to the cultural zeitgeist.

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RUNNER UP: His Dark Materials (HBO) - 4 votes, 14 points

Trailer
Preview Clip
Website
https://thatshelf.com/his-dark-materials-season-2-review/
https://filmschoolrejects.com/his-dark-materials-season-2/

I dunno, I feel many real life relationships are more complicated, messy, absurd, funny and interesting than the one portrayed in the story, which I largely found boring and one note. Though I did watch it all.

― chap, 15. februar 2021 18:39

That's fine, but regardless of how you rate the show, I think most would agree it stands out a bit among the big streaming hypes - it's a simpler premise, a simpler story. And I think that appealed to a lot of people.

Michelle McNamara’s well-publicized research for her nonfiction true-crime book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark drew a great deal of attention to the Original Night Stalker (aka the Golden State Killer) cold case and may have contributed to having the investigation reopened. McNamara died before she could finish the book but her husband, the comedian Patton Oswalt, worked with a pair of writers to bring it to completion. Since McNamara’s death, a former cop was identified and arrested as the Golden State Killer and I'll Be Gone was developed into an HBO miniseries.

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RUNNER UP: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO) - 4 votes, 14 points

Trailer
Patton on Colbert
Website
https://www.npr.org/2020/08/03/897686876/i-ll-be-gone-in-the-dark-sheds-light-on-both-justice-and-its-pursuers
https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/patton-oswalt-ill-be-gone-in-the-dark/

Good series; surprised it wasn't more popular, since (I think?) some other true crime made the countdown.

I like that take abcsfk

I’m deeply tempted to write up a 1000-word explainer on the rules and ethos of Only Connect and just why watching at least two episodes of this show has become a nightly ritual for me over the past month. I would include at least a full paragraph of praise for the dryly erudite and warmly generous wit of Victoria Coren Mitchell, who keeps the whole enterprise moving, and a separate chapter of frustration for the painfully British and completely unguessable soccer / snooker / cricket / darts / local street names questions. Maybe later. For the moment, I’ll just say that an ilxor promised me that if I kept watching Only Connect, I would eventually start getting better at it. I couldn’t believe that could be true but, surprise, it is!

https://i.imgur.com/4MdzmsC.jpeg
RUNNER UP: Only Connect (BBC2) - 4 votes, 14 points

Season 16, Episode 1
Bootleg YouTube Channel with whole viewable seasons
Website
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2016/jan/19/only-connect-the-uneasy-appeal-of-britains-hardest-quiz-show

I've watched every episode of Only Connect that there has ever been, and that's the way it's going to stay.

thus far my all time favorite question was the round 2 q where the clues were the answers to the first three questions in round one and they had to figure that out, then remember what the fourth answer was. fuckin' brilliant.

Genius show

Surely when historians look back on this year, it will be remembered as the one in which Rick and Morty fever hit the dubious peak of "Rick and Morty but it's Star Trek."

https://i.imgur.com/1ELLt1v.jpeg
RUNNER UP: Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access) - 4 votes, 14 points

Trailer
Sample Clip
Website
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/arts/television/star-trek-lower-decks-review.html
https://www.tor.com/2020/10/13/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-star-trek-lower-decks-first-season-overview/
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2548496/rick-and-morty-writer-explains-how-star-trek-lower-decks-is-different-from-his-adult-swim-show

I love Only Connect, but I get very tired of Victoria Coren's "I'm basically an alky" shtick, and in our house we have started shouting "NO!" and switching away as soon as she mentions Mr Waley-Cohen or Michael Portillo. I also hate the singing. Because we could be having more missing vowels, people!

Okay, we’ll finish up with our top ten tomorrow! Guesses on the lineup and order?

#11 - Schitt’s Creek (Netflix) - 100 points, 12 votes, 6 top 5 votes
#12 - Small Axe (Amazon, BBC) - 92 points, 11 votes, 3 #1 votes, 4 top 5 votes
#13 - Bojack Horseman (Netflix) - 83 points, 11 votes, 1 #1 votes, 4 top 5 votes
#14 - All Gas No Brakes (YouTube) - 76 points, 8 votes, 5 top 5 votes
#15 - Normal People (Hulu) - 75 points, 8 votes, 6 top 5 votes
#16 - The Dress Up Gang (TBS) - 71 points, 8 votes, 1 #1 vote, 4 top 5 votes
#17 - Lovecraft Country (HBO) - 67 points, 11 votes, 2 #1 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#18 - Mrs. America (Hulu) - 66 points, 9 votes, 3 top 5 votes
#19 - Big Mouth (Netflix) - 64 points, 7 votes, 1 #1 vote, 4 top 5 votes
#20 - Action Button (YouTube) - 61 points, 6 votes, 3 #1 votes, 3 top 5 votes
#21 - The Expanse (Amazon) - 60 points, 5 votes, 4 top 5 votes
#22 - PEN15 (Hulu) - 59 points, 8 votes, 3 top 5 votes
#23 - Devs (Hulu) - 56 points, 9 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#24 - The Crown (Netflix) - 54 points, 8 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#25 - Dead to Me (Netflix) - 53 points, 6 votes, 3 top 5 votes
#26 - Jeopardy (Syndication) - 51 points, 8 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#27 - The Great British Bake Off / The Great British Baking Show (Netflix, Channel 4) - 47 points, 9 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#28 - Brockmire (IFC) - 47 points, 6 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#29 - Search Party (HBO) - 43 points, 6 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#30 (Tie) - Dark (Netflix) - 41 points, 7 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#30 (Tie) - Killing Eve (BBC America / BBC) - 41 points, 7 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#32 - Work in Progress (Showtime) - 41 points, 5 votes, 1 #1 vote, 2 top 5 votes
#33 - The Great (Hulu) - 38 points, 5 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#34 - Giri/Haji (BBC, Netflix) - 37 points, 7 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#35 - I Am Not Okay with This (Netflix) - 37 points, 6 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#36 - Insecure (HBO) - 36 points, 5 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#37 - Worzel Gummidge (BBC) - 35 points, 4 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#38 (Tie) - The History of the Seattle Mariners (YouTube) - 33 points, 4 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#38 (Tie) - The Kingdom (Netflix) - 33 points, 4 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#38 (Tie) - The New Pope (HBO) - 33 points, 4 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#41 - Quiz (ITV, AMC) - 32 points, 5 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#42 - Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (BBC) - 30 points, 3 votes, 2 top 5 vote
#43 - Rick and Morty (Adult Swim) - 29 points, 8 votes
#44 - Last Week Tonight (HBO) - 29 points, 6 votes
#45 (Tie) - Aggretsuko (Netflix) - 28 points, 4 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#45 (Tie) - Unorthodox (Netflix) - 28 points, 4 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#47 - High Maintenance (HBO) - 28 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#48 - RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) - 27 points, 5 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#49 - Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun (Netflix) - 26 points, 5 votes
#50 - Never Have I Ever (Netflix) - 26 points, 4 votes, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#51 - Tiger King (Netflix) - 25 points, 6 votes
#52 (Tie) - Fargo (FX) - 25 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vot
#52 (Tie) - Ghosts (BBC1, HBO) - 25 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#54 - Strictly Come Dancing (BBC) - 25 points, 3 votes, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#55 (Tie) - Beef House (Adult Swim) - 23 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#55 (Tie) - Desus and Mero (Showtime) - 23 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#57 - A House Through Time (BBC2) - 23 points, 3 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#58 - The Repair Shop (BBC, Netflix) - 20 points, 2 votes, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#59 - GeoWizard Missions (YouTube) - 20 points, 2 votes, 2 top 5 votes
#60 (Tie) - Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Netflix) - 20 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#60 (Tie) - Murder on Middle Beach (HBO) - 20 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#62 (Tie) - High Fidelity (Hulu) - 19 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#62 (Tie) - Ozark (Netflix) - 19 points, 4 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#64 - Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (Apple +) - 18 points, 5 votes
#65 (Tie) - AEW Dynamite (TBS) - 18 points, 3 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#65 (Tie) - The Plot Against America (HBO) - 18 points, 3 votes
#67 - The Good Lord Bird (HBO) - 18 points, 2 votes, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#68 - Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access) - 18 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#69 - Dave (FX) - 16 points, 3 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#70 - 20020 (SB Nation) - 16 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#71 - Bob’s Burgers (FX) - 15 points, 3 votes
#72 (Tie) - Oxventure Dungeons and Dragons! (YouTube) - 15 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#72 (Tie) - Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult (Starz) - 15 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#72 (Tie) - Taskmaster (Channel 4) - 15 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#72 (Tie) - Teenage Bounty Hunters (Netflix) - 15 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#72 (Tie) - Videogame Dunkey (YouTube) - 15 points, 2 votes, 1 top 5 vote
#77 (Tie) - Bluey (Disney +) - 15 points, 1 vote, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#77 (Tie) - Followers (Netflix) - 15 points, 1 vote, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#77 (Tie) - She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix) - 15 points, 1 vote, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#77 (Tie) - The Umbrella Academy (Netflix) - 15 points, 1 vote, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
#77 (Tie) - We Are Who We Are (HBO) - 15 points, 1 vote, 1 #1 vote, 1 top 5 vote
RUNNER UP (Tie): Corporate (Comedy Central) - 4 votes, 14 points
RUNNER UP (Tie): The Eric Andre Show (Adult Swim) - 4 votes, 14 points
RUNNER UP (Tie): His Dark Materials (HBO) - 4 votes, 14 points
RUNNER UP (Tie): I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO) - 4 votes, 14 points
RUNNER UP (Tie): Only Connect (BBC2) - 4 votes, 14 points
RUNNER UP (Tie): Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access) - 4 votes, 14 points

I May Destroy You will obv get #1 but I am praying to all gods that How To with John Wilson will at least outrank Ted Lasso, which I've noted before that I absolutely hated - the nadir of these "hold hands and hug each other and everything will be better" nicecore shows, felt like I got a lobotomy after watching it

I've only watched How To in the last couple of weeks and so didn't vote for it but would have been very high on my ballot if I'd seen it earlier

"Rick and Morty but it's Star Trek, no not that one, you're thinking of the Orville, those were actual actors"

My prediction for top 10:

Sex Education (Netflix)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
How To with John Wilson (HBO)
Perry Mason (HBO)
Ted Lasso (Apple +)
Mandalorian (Disney +)
What We Do in Shadows (FX)
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
I May Destroy You (HBO)

Very into the idea of a well liked quiz show I haven’t heard about being available on youtube. I’ll check that out now

Be warned it has a learning curve of about oh two seasons

I watched a couple of episodes of Corporate on an airplane, and I enjoyed it, thought the jokes were funny, but in the end wasn't moved to watch any more of it -- too one-note. Bizarrely I found myself comparing it negatively to Workaholics, which -- I thought I just said I objected to one-note shows? -- but Workaholics has a basic warmth that's lacking in Corporate.

only connect justifies the licence fee alone, and the cringey singing is a highlight.

Speaking of sitcoms with basic warmth -- with Schitt's Creek I had the very classic progression of starting to watch it in 2016 when it was kind of only modestly known and being like "there's an incredibly winning sitcom with Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara nobody's ever heard of" and then finally people DID hear of it and I instantly became one of those "come on, it's not THAT good" people, but I watched it through to the end, I cared about everyone, I accepted its basic warmth and corniness -- a total success, but I doubt I'll ever watch an episode of it again.

Corporate peaked with the "male makeup" episode, one inspired joke after another and a perfect ending

I know that one cant judge schitts creek on either the name nor the first episode nor the first season but listen they called it that and you can hardly skip episode one nor season one so ill live without it

It took me four and a half seasons before clicking that Schitt's Creek's Johnny and Moira had been in Best In Show and A Mighty Wind. Duh.

if i ever try schitt's creek again, i'm jumping straight to the third season

I love Only Connect and also it's kind of my main skill, unless it involves knowing cricketers or flags

xpost YOU WILL CRY. How many other sitcoms can make that boast (aside from those that are cryingly bad)

Meh i get my crying sorted with youtubes of ppl buying their dads their old cars back or watching spurs thks

All in the Family made me cry a few times

Presumably, Only Connect is the only show on this list to have featured two ILXers...

Uh, awkward, but im eugene levy

Jeopardy!

All in the Family made me cry a few times

Strictly Come Dancing made me cry this year. It might even have been the final? But it was a night when lockdown was at its darkest and deepest. The UK government had a press conference earlier in the evening with some terrible and depressing news on it, probably about people not being able to see each other over Christmas at all, and then the dancers had to come on and pretend everything was glamorous and showbizzy, even though there was no live audience and none of the couples were allowed to interact with each other. It was all so weird, and bless them, they were all trying so hard.

Someone from work won an episode of Only Connect (with his team)

I cannot remember the last time I cried from watching something on tv

All in the Family had some very emotional episodes.

I cry at everything on television. Every week when Keith starts crying on the Pottery Throwdown, I fill up as well.

lol, pottery throwdown has become the most emotional show on tv right now for sure. they're so close!

i cried at the end of I May Destroy You.

just dialed up a few episodes including the "Edith and the Rapist" one and here come the waterworks
Jean Stapleton gets me everytime.

a tender moment

and you can hardly skip episode one nor season one

counterpoint: you totally can

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy has featured three ilx0rs

I cannot remember the last time I cried from watching something on tv

cried through 30% of the running time of It's A Sin the other week

Sex Education (Netflix)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
How To with John Wilson (HBO)
Perry Mason (HBO)
Ted Lasso (Apple +)
Mandalorian (Disney +)
What We Do in Shadows (FX)
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
I May Destroy You (HBO)

I didn't think The Boys would be top ten, but I'd also be surprised for it to totally miss the 77 given there was some enthusiasm for it. Was the latest season of Curb good? I didn't even bother

Curb was good not great, final episode went out a week or two before pandemic lockdown w/ Larry opening a restaurant with hand sanitiser dispensers on every table

didn't realize people loved perry mason like that

put a skinny kinkster into a good suit and youre not losing votes

agree that the male lead in Normal People was really good and that it didn’t seem to be striving for something, voted for it