Only four months into 2020, the quickly evolving television landscape is already packed with a slate of fantastic new programming, from quirky comedies to stylized sci-fi and prestige dramas helmed by A-list talent. The streaming wars are well underway after the late fall launches of Apple TV+ and Disney +, and studios across the board are spending big on original programming to kick off the new decade.
With more places - and more methods - to watch television than ever before, it can be challenging for the average viewer to dig through all the content and find the gems. And with many of us hunkered down inside, for the time being, finding quality television shows to sink our teeth into has become increasingly important. Here's a list of the best new shows that have premiered so far in 2020, ranked according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Devs (FX/Hulu) - 82%
Known for his breakout success on Ex Machina, screenwriter-director Alex Garland brought his unique style to television with Devs, a cerebral science fiction series about a software engineer at a Silicon Valley tech company who begins to question what strange happenings are going on around her when her boyfriend dies of an apparent suicide. The series is undoubtedly the most visually stunning and ambitious thing we've seen on television in 2020, exploring the darker sides of technology.
Slow-burn and wholly engrossing, fans of Garland's brilliant mind will find plenty to enjoy in his newest venture into obscure sci-fi, led by terrific performances from Nick Offerman, Alison Pill, and Sonoya Mizuno.
9 Dare Me (USA Network) - 83%
Though teen thriller Dare Me struggled to find a core audience on USA Network, its recent international release on Netflix has created much of the same viral stirrings as last year's Netflix smash-hit You (which had previously gone stale on Lifetime). Dare Me tosses in many of the same ingredients that made You soar, combining the moody atmosphere and angst of Euphoria with the competitive cheerleading backdrop of Cheer.
Based on the gripping novel by Megan Abbott, the series follows two co-dependant cheerleader best friends in middle-of-nowhere America who find their lives - and relationship - turned upside-down by the arrival of an icy and secretive new cheer coach. Murder, mayhem, and teenage destruction ensues. Marlo Kelly is a revelation as bad-girl Beth, and Scream's Willa Fitzgerald skillfully executes psychological mind games as the devastatingly alluring Coach, Colette French.
8 High Fidelity (Hulu) - 84%
Fresh off her well-loved role in Big Little Lies, Zoë Kravitz delivers a pitch-perfect performance in Hulu's new series based on Nick Hornby's book (and John Cusack's 2000 film) of the same name. Kravitz plays Rob, a record store owner in Brooklyn who takes a trip down memory lane through her past relationships in hopes that doing so will help her get over her breakup with her one true love.
The series is a wonderful reflection on the pitfalls of modern dating and the eclectic soundtrack is undeniably fantastic. Fans wished Rob's exes offered a little more diversity given the backdrop, but the series still succeeded due to Kravitz's charisma.
7 I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix) - 85%
The atmospheric setting of Stranger things meets the stylization of End Of The F***ing World in Netflix's latest venture into coming-of-age comedy, except with a darker supernatural twist. Based on the graphic novel by Charles Forsman, I Am Not Okay With This sometimes struggles to separate itself from its Netflix predecessors (pulling producers and directors from both aforementioned series), but is nonetheless a sharp examination of a teenage girl struggling with both her burgeoning sexuality and telekinetic superpowers while juggling the trials of high school.
Sophia Lillis is electrifying and endearing as the heartbeat of the series, and the 20-minute episode format makes for a speedy binge-watch, even if at times the first season feels more like an appetizer than the main event.
6 The Plot Against America (HBO) - 86%
HBO adds to its illustrious roster of prestige drama miniseries with The Plot Against America, helmed by The Wire producers Ed Burns and David Simon. The series pulls from the 2004 Philip Roth book of the same name about an alternative reality in which Charles Lindbergh defeats Franklin D Roosevelt in the 1940's presidential election and goes on to attempt to enact a fascist regime, told through the eyes of a working-class New Jersey Jewish family.
The gorgeous production value and culturally engaging reimagining of history hit close to home, and audiences who stuck by the somewhat slow-burn narrative were rewarded with a piece of television that had disturbingly relevant things to say about politics and the parallel state of America today. Winona Ryder hands in an incredibly compelling performance.
5 Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (Apple TV+) - 88%
Produced by the same minds of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet is a smartly written workplace comedy about a team of video game developers navigating the trials and tribulations of executing a successful game. The latest Apple TV+ series added a necessary spark to the streaming service's line up of original content and immediately captured audiences' attention with its fun ensemble of vibrant characters and whip-smart geek comedy that is refreshingly self-aware.
The series is bolstered by fantastic casting that includes Rob McElhenney, David Hornsby, Ashly Burch, and Danny Pudi.
4 Katy Keene (The CW) - 90%
The CW has expanded its ever-successful tentpole Riverdale universe with the spunky spinoff Katy Keene, starring Lucy Hale (of Pretty Little Liars fame) as the titular character. The series' whimsical visual aesthetic and familiar characters - including a ramped-up Josie McCoy - immediately caught audiences' attention, as did relatable themes about a group of teenage artists trying to make a splash in the glitz and glam of New York City.
In a landscape of recent grungy YA shows with darker themes, Katy Keene is refreshingly bright and poppy, even if at times it borders on feeling a little frothy storyline-wise.
3 Little America (Apple TV+) - 94%
Though many know Apple TV+ for its most high-profile original series The Morning Show, the streaming service's latest heartfelt drama Little America ripples with humanity and deftly explores a collection of inspirational immigrant tales. The nuanced anthology series is all about people, and the portraits of immigrants often relegated to the corners of American entertainment are in full color here, shining bright and poignantly.
Inspired by true stories, the series is quiet but evocative, and audiences were rightfully moved by the stories told.
2 Everything's Gonna Be Okay (Freeform) - 94%
Freeform surprised audiences with the Josh Thomas-helmed Everything's Gonna Be Okay, a unique dark comedy about a family of half-siblings in crisis after the death of their father. As twenty-something brother Nicholas steps into the big shoes of family 'caretaker', the offbeat family struggles with themes ranging from autism to grief and parenthood.
The series was emotionally resonant and unexpected, full of family love and weirdness that was nothing if not unpredictable. It quickly became an underrepresented critical darling, led by heartwarming performances from Josh Thomas, Kayla Cromer, and Maeve Press.
1 Feel Good (Netflix) - 100%
Mae Martin's quirky semi-autobiographical Netflix slice-of-life comedy about a comedian who is also an addict who falls into a challenging relationship with a 'closeted' woman whilst struggling to control her addictive behaviors is a breath of fresh air. The series runs the gamut of emotions from bravely introspective to starkly confessional and laugh-out-loud funny. Mae and George are an easy-to-root-for pair whose relationship is wonderfully nuanced, brought to life by poignant chemistry between Martin and Charlotte Ritchie. The cherry on top is an authentic, sharp dialogue that always delivers.
Lisa Kudrow is a surprising delight as Mae's deadpan mother, and the series won audiences' hearts for being nothing if not painfully relatable and sweet.
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