Top 10 Streamed TV Programs of 2020

2020 was indeed a dumpster fire of a year, wasn’t it? The pandemic that took complete control of the world since March has, of course, given us the wide berth from our usual activities. With offices enforcing WFH routines and outdoor activities coming to a halt, we’ve been restricted to the walls of our houses since what-feels-like-eons-now.

But, in all honesty, it wasn’t a dark year as many claim it to be. Streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and more have offered us much distraction during this rather unpleasant year. Streaming platforms have been churning out huge loads of content on a weekly to monthly basis. And it has been rather hard for viewers to round-up on what to watch and what to skip. Yes, it can be quite an overwhelming task – we get it. That’s why we have picked the top 10 of 2020s TV programs that you would want to invest a few hours or days watching. It’s a mishmash of dramas, comedies and some serious stuff too. Rest assured, there’s something for everyone, irrespective of their preferred content.

BoJack Horseman

This is one of Netflix’s first animated shows that made its debut back in 2004. The second half of BoJack Horseman’s final season hit the streaming platform earlier this year too. So, it’s the right time to binge-watch the series, especially since it’s has received some rave reviews from critics and bingers alike.

Spanning a total of six seasons, this American sitcom revolves around a cranky and cynical horse, BoJack. An ex-popular star in Hollywood, BoJack now deals with his alcohol addiction, loneliness and his desperate need for attention. The series is set in an alternate world, one where anthropomorphic animals and humans co-exist.

Supernatural

The longest-running scripted fantasy series from the CW network, Supernatural finally came to an end in November 2020 after 15 seasons. The American television series revolved around the Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean. The two brother, along with their human and supernatural allies, hunt supernatural beings including demons, Lucifer and God himself.

The series was created by Eric Kripke. The actors’ line-up included big names such as Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki (playing the Winchester brothers), Misha Collins, Mark Sheppard, Alexander Calvert, Ruth Connell and Rob Benedict among others.

If you consider yourself a fan of horror and supernatural fantasy, this show will keep you engrossed with its share of incredible paranormal challenges through 15 seasons.

The Last Dance

Fan of sports? Basketball? Michael Jordan?

The Last Dance is a sports-based American documentary that focuses on the great Michael Jordan’s basketball career. The mini-series especially focuses on Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls. Co-produced by Netflix and ESPN Films, the 10-episode documentary includes never-before-seen footage retrieved from a film crew that had a full-access pass to the Chicago Bulls. This footage was from the 1997-98 season of the Chicago Bulls, which was Jordan’s final season with the team. It also features interviews with popular NBA stars – Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr and Jordan (himself) to name a few.

The series was aired on ESPN for US viewers between April 19 and May 17, 2020. It became available on Netflix on the 19th of July. With a rating of 8.72 on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 91 on Metacritic, this docu-series was one of the most appreciated TV shows of the year. At the 72nd Primetime Emmy awards, The Last Dance won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction series.

Better Call Saul

This is an extremely popular American crime drama, which is a spin-off and a prequel to the highly-appreciated cult series, Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul is an Emmy-nominated high-voltage quirky and dark drama set in Albuquerque (New Mexico) in the 2000s. It follows the life of Jimmy McGill, an earnest lawyer now and an ex-con artist, as he transforms to the avaricious criminal attorney, known as Saul Goodman.

Consequently, the series also focuses on the moral downfall of a retired policeman Mike Ehrmantraut, who affiliates himself with a drug cartel so that he can support his family. As of 2020, the series has aired a total of 50 episodes, spanning five seasons. On the critics’ front, Better Call Saul has received much praise and is touted as the perfect example of an outstanding prequel and spin-off series.

Better Call Saul is universally acclaimed as a worthy successor to Breaking Bad. So, get watching if you don’t want to miss out on a great American series.

Little America

Inspired by true stories, this is an American anthology series that was produced exclusively for Apple TV. Even before the series premiered in 2020, it was renewed for a second season. Little America has received an 8.92 score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85 on Metacritic. Although certain reviews have called the show ‘somewhat misguided’, the show has nevertheless been considered as one of the best shows on Apple TV this year.

Little America is a fun-filled, romantic and inspiring collection of stories about the unexpected lives of immigrants in the United States of America. The series basically aims to make its viewers value immigrant lives, thereby helping them lead happy lives as equal citizens of the US.

Till date, the series has aired a season with a total of 8 episodes, each basically showing an immigrant story.

The Crown

This historical British drama series revolving around the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II is one of the best fictional series’ on Netflix today. Claire Foy plays the young Queen for two seasons, and Olivia Colman takes up the role as the older Queen in seasons 3 and 4. So, you can expect some terrific acting on screen, along with the impressive plot. Season 4 of the show also features the elegant Princess Diana and her life.

The first, second and third season majorly deals with events that happened until 1977. It focuses mostly on the early life of the Queen, her marriage to Philip, Princess Margaret’s life, Winston Churchill’s involvement, the Suez Crisis, the Profumo affair, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee.

Praised in abundance for its writing, cinematography, production, acting and directing, the series had received 39 Primetime Emmy nominations for its initial three seasons. The Telegraph had described the series as “TV’s best soap opera” and given it a 5-star rating.

If you haven’t yet given this series a try, we urge you to give it a shot. Netflix recently dropped the show’s fourth season too.

The Mandalorian

Wouldn’t you want to watch the adorable baby Yoda on screen?

The Mandalorian is an American live-action Star Wars series on the Disney+ network. The series follows a lone bounty hunter as he travels across the far ends of the galaxy, far from the New Republic’s authority. The show is in-between the fall of the Empire and before the First Order emerged. Although The Mandalorian exists within the Star Wars universe, the small-screen show is a unique story in its own. Despite being a fierce warrior of sorts, the series slowly reveals the Mandalorian as a tragic character through the backstory of his terrible past.

Not a fan of sci-fi and space shows? Why not just try the pilot episode? You may actually like this Western-influenced live-action space series. Besides, there are just two seasons that have been released as of now.

The Good Place

A feel-good American sitcom, The Good Place is a fantasy show about heaven and hell. The show initially follows the protagonist Eleanor Shellstrop, played by Kristen Bell, as she is welcomed after her death to ‘The Good Place’ for having lived a righteous life. The place is a heaven-like utopia. Anyway, Eleanor later realizes that she was sent the place by mistake. So, she tries to keep her morally imperfect past a secret, while she strives to become an ethically better person.

The show has released a total of 53 episodes, spanning across four seasons. It was last aired in January 2020. The Good Place has received great acclaim from critics for its originality, writing, setting, acting, and tone. During its four season run, the show has been nominated for 14 Primetime Emmy awards. It has a 7.74 rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 78 on Metacritic. On The Guardian’s list of 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, this show was ranked 69th.

Never Have I Ever

An American feel-good coming-of-age series, Never Have I Ever was created by Lang Fisher and Mindy Kaling. The comedy-drama Netflix show is said to be partially inspired by Mindy Kaling’s childhood, which was spent in Boston. On its release in April 2020, the show garnered positive reviews especially for breaking the Asian stereotypes in Hollywood.

The show focuses on Devi Vishwakumar, a 15-year-old high school student, who is trying to cope with her father’s recent death. At the same time, she is also trying hard to change her social status – basically she is trying hard to be considered an American, leaving her Indian identity behind. However, her family and friends do not make things easy for her.

With just a season and ten episodes, you can binge-watch this entire series in a few hours. However, you’ll have to wait for the second season till the next year. The series was a hit with critics, receiving a 7.8-rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80-score on Metacritic.

The Boys

Love superhero shows? The Boys, developed by Eric Kripke, is a superhero American series based on the comic book by Darick Robertson and Garth Ennis.

The show is set in a world where individuals with super-powers are considered superheroes by the public. These superheroes are owned by a powerful corporation, Vought International, who heavily market and monetize them. The superheroes in the series are portrayed as corrupt and arrogant individuals. The Boys follows a team of vigilantes who have taken upon themselves the responsibility to fight the superheroes who abuse their powers. They are also trying to bring down Vought International.

The first season primarily focuses on the conflicts between the Boys and the Seven, Vought’s superheroes. The second season revolves around the Boys trying to destroy Vought, despite being wanted by the government. The series has been renewed for a third season, and a spin-off series is to be expected too.

These are only a handful of the TV shows that are available on streaming platforms today. There are a lot of options to quench your thirst for sitcoms, superhero and fantasy shows, high-voltage dramas and more. Pick a favorite from our list, or just explore and find a show that suits your current mood. Chop, chop, now!

Let me know what you have watched this year 👇