Whether you think there’s too much TV or just a whole heckuva lot, everyone can agree there’s no shortage of options. TV fans are bombarded with new shows, returning shows, broadcast shows, cable shows, streaming shows, independent shows, one-off shows, long-running shows and so much more. How do you prioritize what to watch next after you (miraculously) get through the latest “great” new series?
Simple answer: Let us tell you.
Below is a list of the best television shows out there, how to watch them and why you should. Whether it’s on Netflix or SeeSo, Yahoo Screen or Hulu, YouTube or VOD, we’ll tell you how to binge it, sample it or catch it live. Compiled by the Indiewire TV Team — and updated regularly — the below choices should cover all your bases, no matter how much you’ve currently seen. Casual viewers can skip down to the list of well-known but undeniably excellent series, while TV junkies should scan the list of shows you may have missed. Click the show title for a full review or click the viewing option to go directly to the series.
Happy bingeing.
The Best Shows You May Have Missed
“BoJack Horseman”
“Thank God it’s funny because there are some moments of this show that hit really, really hard.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 2
Available Via: Netflix
“Catastrophe”
“The British import has plenty of rom-com charm thanks to the chemistry between its leads.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Amazon Prime
“The Comedians”
“What makes ‘The Comedians’ a comedy worthy of cherishing is that no matter how many different ways it can be viewed, every version is funny.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu
“Master of None”
“By not just remaining open to evolution but actively seeking it out, “Master of None” serves as proof that the idea of inclusion, of diversity both on-screen and off, can lead to everyone being happy.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Netflix
“Mr. Robot”
“[‘Mr. Robot’ utilizes] the sort of bold move that makes for unpredictable television — which can often be the best kind.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 1
Available Via: USA.com, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play
“Public Morals”
“Edward Burns’ first foray into TV — as director, writer and star of all 10 episodes — illustrates the allure of auteur television.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 1
Available Via: TNT.com, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Ed Burns’ Twitter (he sends out a lot of links)
“Rectify”
“Ray McKinnon’s haunting drama on SundanceTV restructures its atmospheric elements in an effort to dig deeper into the characters’ identity quests.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 3
Available Via: Netflix (Seasons 1 & 2 only), Vudu (Seasons 1 & 2 only), Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play
“Red Oaks”
“Creators Gregory Jacobs and Joe Gangemi — working with director David Gordon Green and executive producer Steven Soderbergh — hit all the right notes of a spotty decade in Amazon’s best comedy yet.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Amazon Prime
“The Returned”
“Why do the dead come back to life and what evidently nefarious scheme have they planned? It’s a testament to the show’s brilliant atmospheric storytelling that this central enigma has been unsolved without being overextended.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 2
Available Via: Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play
(Season 2 premieres October 31 on SundanceTV)
“Show Me a Hero”
“What leaves us in awe is that the miniseries is as arresting as its content is relevant.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 1 (miniseries)
Available Via: HBO NOW
“South Park”
“By putting itself on trial, “South Park” has found yet another new form of cultural criticism — whether it’s politically correct or not.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 19
Available Via: Hulu, Comedy Central, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play
“Togetherness”
“The Duplass Brothers find their movie magic on TV in this honest look at what it’s really like to be with someone.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 1
Available Via: HBO NOW
“You’re the Worst”
“‘You’re the Worst’ defines itself by what’s made it must-watch TV since it premiered last year: being the best for the worst within us.
Grade: A
Seasons: 2
Available Via: FX Now, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Hulu (Season 1 only)
And The Shows You Better Know About
“The Americans”
“‘The Americans’ is only getting better with age, answering its questions as it builds upon them — even if the solutions don’t come easy.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 3
Available Via: Amazon Prime (Seasons 1 & 2 only), Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play
“Archer”
“The sixth season of Adam Reed’s sharp-witted comedy took one very bold narrative choice: It forced Archer to grow up.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 6
Available Via: Netflix (Seasons 1-5 only), Amazon Prime (Seasons 1-5 only), Hulu (Seasons 1-5 only)m Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play
“Better Call Saul”
“What’s most exciting about ‘Better Call Saul’ is actually how well-mired it is in the world that is the reality of the legal system — how tedious and unglamorous and un-‘Law and Order’-ish it can be, to be processed by the courts.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play
“Fargo”
“The act of liking a show’s protagonist, with no qualifiers, feels like a blessing.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 2
Available Via: FX Now, Amazon Video, Hulu, iTunes, Google Play
“Fresh Off the Boat”
“Nahnatchka Kahn’s delightful ABC series has drawn most of its attention for bringing some much-needed diversity to the small screen, but its period setting and unique female lead add extra cultural relevance.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 2
Available Via: ABC, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Hulu (Season 2 only)
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“To watch ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ is to see the world from a very, very specific perspective, and, thanks to that specificity, to find it very relatable.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 3
Available Via: Comedy Central, Hulu, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play,
“Hannibal”
“”Hannibal” has always been known as much for its shocking gore as its steady-handed delivery, but make no mistake: a plan is in motion.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 3
Available Via: Amazon Prime (Seasons 1 & 2 only), Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu
“Homeland”
“After a superb fourth season, “Homeland” is searching for what made it great to begin with — and may have struck gold.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 5
Available Via: Showtime, Hulu, Amazon Video (Seasons 1-4 only), Vudu (Seasons 1-4 only)
“The Leftovers”
“Even when smiling faces pop up or pleasure isn’t immediately followed up by pain, we’re still watching a world of broken families and fractured psyches trying to be okay again.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 2
Available Via: HBO NOW, Amazon Video (Season 1 only), iTunes (Season 1 only), Vudu (Season 1 only), Google Play (Season 1 only)
“Mad Men”
“Thoughtful, deliberate and still surprising in its focus, the final season of “Mad Men” is simply tremendous — as though anything less was an option.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 7
Available Via: Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Netflix (Seasons 1- 7a)
“Marvel’s Jessica Jones”
“It’s not just one of the best superhero shows ever. It’s a show that shouts about the importance of power and consent.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Netflix
“Parks and Recreation”
“Leslie Knope — the character as written by many and performed by Amy Poehler — elevates ‘Parks and Recreation’ beyond a ‘very good’ sitcom to the top tier of essential television.”
Grade: B+
Seasons: 7
Available Via: Hulu, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Netflix (Seasons 1-6 only), FX Now (Seasons 1 & 2 only), Seeso (Coming Soon)
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“What makes the series remarkable is the fact it’s not just a show about oddballs and misfits, but is a misfit itself: A very funny sitcom about loss and trauma.”
Grade: A-
Seasons: 1
Available Via: Netflix
“Veep”
“Seemingly structured around the opportunity to tear down its characters through vicious, addictive and hilarious insults while still progressing steadily as a narrative, Armando Iannucci’s scathing satire of American politics deserves to be held to no other standard than its own.”
Grade: A
Seasons: 4
Available Via: HBO NOW, Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Amazon Prime (Season 1 only)
Grades and reviews are for the most current season only.
READ MORE: Where You Can Watch the Best Films of 2015
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