My Top 10 in Television for 2020 - Part Two

This is part two of a two-part blog. Part one, which highlight the bottom half of my ten picks, can be found here. 

5: Lovecraft Country

If someone watched three episodes of this series and then told me "it wasn't for them", I would understand. When it comes to things that will turn off viewers, this series ticks all the boxes. Reasons you might not like it include...

• It is science fiction
• It is horror
• It is fantasy
• It is violent
• It is rich with social commentary
• It is sexually graphic

However, I liked it for many of those reasons although I am not sure I fully understand it. Listening to podcast commentaries (featuring the writers, actors and production team) helped but the multi-layered program requires close attention. 

I guess I'm a sucker for grand spectacle, special effects, epic soundtracks and creepy horror. Wait until you meet Topsy and Bopsy, the stuff of nightmares! Lovecraft Country gives a nod to so many of my favourites from the world of horror, sci-fi and fantasy, and I love homage. HBO/Crave

4: I May Destroy You: If you haven't heard of Michaela Coel, expect to become familiar with her soon. Aged 33, she is already proving to be a massive talent. Her latest project, I May Destroy You, in which she plays the main character Arabella, was written, produced and co-directed by her. 

At its core, the series could be pompously described as a modern bildungsroman (a story that follows a young person's spiritual education). 

Arabella is a Twitter star dealing with the newfound celebrity that has come with the release of her debut book, Chronicles of a Fed Up Millennial. The pressure to meet deadlines for her next book are compounded by the debt she has amassed after blithely spending her advance. 

Shirking responsibility, once again, she goes out for a few drinks with friends in London. When she wakes the next morning, she struggles to remember events from the night before. But, she feels certain she was slipped a "roofie" (Rohypnol, the date rape drug). What follows is a non-linear detective story that keeps viewers guessing...while forcing them to dismantle what "consent" means in the 21st Century. HBO/Crave

3: After Life: Season Two: A black comedy with heart. That description will always win me over. Tony (Ricky Gervais) has lost his wife to cancer and is bent on ending his own life. However, he has promised her to take care of their dog and realizes that, because of his truncated life, he can behave any way he wants. His choice to live unapologetically leads to hysterical and unexpected consequences.

Season One was a perfect story arc and I didn't think a second season was necessary. I was wrong. Season Two is equally entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. In typical British fashion, each season is a tight, six-episode set, with a total running time of less than three hours. One could watch the series in a single sitting. Netflix

2: The Plot Against America: This one will take you by surprise, so it is tough to explain the premise without giving away the plot. It is a David Simon (The Wire, Generation Kill, The Deuce) project, which is that is all it took to convince me to give it a try. 

The sets are tremendous and so many of the performances are award-worthy, particularly the work of Zoe Kazan. Much like the aforementioned Michaela Coel, hers is a name you will be hearing more about. This series is well worth the six-episode investment of time, and the accompanying official Podcast is engaging and informative. HBO/Crave

1: Better Call Saul: Season Five: It likely comes as no surprise to those who know me that this show would top my rankings, being such fan of the show's creators, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. I love the complexity they build into their multi-dimensional characters and I'm always riveted by the smart dialogue and avant garde cinematography. Editor Chris McCaleb has stepped admirably in to fill the void left by Breaking Bad alumni Kelley Dixon. The montages are still spell-binding.

The show is an anomaly because it is a prequel to Breaking Bad. Consequently, fans of that series know exactly where it is heading. Regardless, it is a clever, tense drama and the inclusion of new characters Kim Wexler and Iganacio "Nacho" Varga contribute to the suspense. Rhea Seehorn, who plays Wexler, has been regrettably overlooked for a much-deserved Emmy Award. Fingers crossed, she receives it in the upcoming (but Covid-delayed) final season, maybe next year. AMC 

Honourable Mentions

• My wife and I just started The Good Lord Bird. So far, it looks like a great candidate for our 2021 top TV list.
• Documentaries were not included in my reviews, but The Last Dance was splendid. Tread. The Ripper and McMillions were also wildly entertaining for different reasons.
• Not making the Top Ten cut but worth mentioning were, Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 10, Dead to Me, The Outsider, The Great, The Undoing and Upload. Like I've said, we watched a lot of TV during the pandemic 

How about you? What did we miss?

My Top 10 in Television for 2020 - Part One

NOTE: Just a quick diversion from my usual The 500 Blog Post series. It's my break and I have a little extra time.

Household secret from the pandemic: Lots of time to watch TV. And, being small-screen aficionados, my wife and I did just that. Throughout our lengthy quarantine, we researched programs and, after viewing, enjoyable conversations ensued including one the other day in which we debated our Top Ten television programs of 2020. 

Our tastes are eclectic and we are not easily offended, so pretty much anything goes. For my list of Top Ten series in 2020, I am focusing on new programs. Consequently, some may be 2019 releases that we watched during this calendar year.

10. The Crown: Season 4: Sure, they took some liberties with the dialogue and the facts and Netflix refused appeals to put on disclaimers to that effect. Granted, few know what was actually said behind closed and heavily guarded doors. However, despite the falsehoods portrayed and presumptions made, such as the doubtful arguments between Prince Charles and Lord Mountbatten, the acting was exception and I enjoyed the quick, clever banter. The sets and costumes are still spectacular. Additionally, the series made it to the eighties when I was more aware of royal events. Everyone of my vintage remembers Diana Mania. Netflix

9. The Queen's Gambit: I watched this one solo, while recovering from a foot surgery. I binged it in two days. Tremendous cinematography, stunning set and costume design, with an outstanding multi-generational soundtrack to boot. And who would have thought chess could be sexy. Then there is the character Jolene, who delivers a line that nearly made me spit my tea with laughter. Netflix

8. Watchmen: I was skeptical when I learned that one of my favourite graphic novels was going to be a television series. I wasn't wowed by the 2009 film adaptation and this new series was pitched as an "original remix of the source material". It's a bit uneven at times and "suspension of disbelief" is mandatory. It also tends to divide viewers based on their political leanings. I pushed all that stuff to the side in favour of a fun, viewing adventure. Watchmen is worth the ride for many reasons -- the soundtrack, the fascinating storytelling choices and, perhaps above all else, the special effects that are blended with eye-popping cinematography. 

If you've seen it, perhaps, like me, you want to try Nostalgia Pills and wonder why you didn't know about the Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street before 2020? HBO/Crave

7. The Boys: (Season 1 & 2): This is not for the faint of heart. The violence, although comically exaggerated, is disquieting to say the least and the language is ghost-pepper spicy. Karl Urban's character, Billy Butcher, drops enough F & C bombs to rival a Tarantino or Scorsese script. If you can get past all of that, it has plenty to offer: action, comedy, intrigue, mystery and even a playful dollop of social commentary mixed with a Billy-Joel-friendly soundtrack. Plus, I am envious of the T-shirt collections of several characters -- perhaps that is why is is on Amazon Prime.

6. Schitt's Creek: My wife and I started this series in 2015. We liked it, but didn't love it. Consequently, it fell by the wayside. This year, on the strength of its showing at the 2020 Emmys where it won a record nine awards, we took another look. Boy, are we glad we did. It takes a full season for the show to get its legs. When it does, comedy gold follows. 

This half-hour sitcom was a wonderful distraction from everything negative that 2020 offered. If you want to escape politics and the pandemic...I recommend a heavy dose of the Rose Family, taken nightly. The whole cast is great, but Catherine O'Hara is a national treasure. 

PS: My sympathy to anyone named David who just spent the year hearing their name pronounced exaggeratedly with Moira-esque aplomb. CBC Gem or Netflix

Coming Up Next - Part Two