Since the start of the streaming era, the hunt for good TV has been on. As Netflix gained traction and began pumping out show after show in every possible genre, it’s been harder and harder to find good TV. Sure, you could concede that Netflix started their streaming career with a resounding bang with the forever tainted House of Cards (just don’t ask anyone about the last series) and Disney+ nailed it the first time with season 1 of The Mandalorian. But, with so many TV shows now being produced, has good TV disappeared, or are there diamonds to be found in the streaming rough? Pre streaming, shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Game of Thrones were heralded as some of the best of all time. Though many claim that nowadays no show could ever compare to these, it simply isn’t true. Severance, first released in 2022, has just had its second season released this year. Heralded as some of the best science fiction to ever grace our TV screens, I’d have to agree. From its dystopian themes to its terrifying mystery (what the hell is Cold Harbour?), it truly grips you from the first episode. The performances, aesthetics, cinematography, and score all combine to create an intricate spiral of confusion and wonder. I would honestly have to say that Severance may be the best show I’ve watched this decade.
We were also graced last year by the release of The Penguin. A mob flick spin-off of The Batman (2022) which sees Colin Farrell’s titular character aiming to climb Gotham’s crime ladder in the aftermath of the film’s events. The Penguin’s performances are absolutely immense, with Farrell donning an insane amount of prosthetics every episode and Cristine Milioti stealing every scene that she’s in—The Penguin is an example of modern mob flicks done right. Just don’t ask me about the scene where Farrell pulls up TikTok, I don’t want to talk about it. Arcane is Netflix’s lightning in a bottle. Never would I have guessed that an animated show based on League of Legends would leave me wanting so much more of it. When season 1 released in 2021, I refused to watch it for a year, purely out of spite for how much I detested the source material. But, once I was forced to watch it by the many claiming it was literally perfect, I understood immediately. I’ve honestly never seen such a vast combination of colours, styles, or aesthetics mixing to create perfection in every scene. With incredible voice performances by Ella Purnell, Hailee Steinfeld, and so many more, it’s hard to even try to compare it to any other show—you just can’t.
Honestly, good TV never left us. Sure, streaming services give us some absolute garbage, time after time, but the shows that stick really stick. There are creators out there giving their blood, sweat, and tears to us in the form of the best shows you could ever hope to watch. You just really need to know where to look.