EWB's Top 50 TV Shows of 2020: The Results

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

I enjoyed Upload a lot, I'm keen for season 2. Not seen the rest.

[GoGo Yubari]

Stargirl was a bit of a hidden gem last year. The first episode or two actually made me think it was going to be horrible but once it really got into the meat of what that first season was going to be and introduced the rest of this show's version of the Justice Society, it ended up pretty fun and a show I was shocked to find myself eagerly awaiting the next episode of each week. Fargo, meanwhile, was nowhere near my favorite season they've ever done but there's stuff that that show does that no other show on TV will ever do, and I like watching Noah Hawley fill out the world he created. Here's hoping he comes up with an idea he likes enough to do a fifth season.

now let's get to the top 20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20. Star Trek Discovery (117 points) (Last Year: NR)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19. Last Week Tonight (120 points) (Last Year: #19)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18. Tiger King (124 points) (Last Year: NR)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17. Lovecraft Country (135 points) (Last Year: NR)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16. THEY STOPPED SUPERNATURAL (180 points) (Last Year: #47)

 

Mother of god, they did it. They actually did it. One of them's moving on to The Boys and the other's Walker Texas Ranger for some reason. In all seriousness this is the end of an era, I've been doing this for over a decade and every year, without fail, I have to pick a new image from Supernatural because not only did it run forever, it made EWB's Top 50 every damn time. That's a feat that I don't think will ever be duplicated, I couldn't even tell you what show is poised to take over as having the most consecutive appearances (Last Week Tonight, maybe? Brooklyn Nine Nine, though that one's going to be ending soon too?). I'm glad in a weird way that it went out nearly in the top 15, even though I've never watched a full episode of that show and almost certainly never will. Godspeed, Winchester brothers and other characters I only know through cultural osmosis.

anyway.

Next Time, on EWB's Top 50 TV Shows of 2020: So, there's been a change of plans. You guys have been replaced by Riverdale.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Wait. Tiger King was last year? Fuck off. No it wasn't.

[Jimmy]

I still feel a bit gutted that Lovecraft Country didn't truly grip me. I thought the actors were great, I absolutely love the source material, but the changes they made definitely seemed to stunt the beginning of the show for me. It feels like something I'll probably try again when it's available - it was visually great and had a lot going for it. Also very much here for TV trying to do something different.

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by Jimmy

[Adam]

9 hours ago, How The Cloud Stole Christ said:

Wait. Tiger King was last year? Fuck off. No it wasn't.

Tiger King was THE show everyone watched during the very first lockdown. I literally can't think about Tiger King without thinking about the pandemic.

As I say most years in this, I am still several seasons behind on Supernatural but I love those Winchester boys and am so pleased they ranked so highly in their final year. It will honestly be weird if/when I see either Jared or Jensen popping up in other shows I watch.

[gunnar hendershow]

I still haven't seen Tiger King and I don't think I ever will. That kind of show just isn't for me. Good memes though.

Speaking of good memes. Supernatural. A show I've never seen more than 20 minutes of but probably know more about it than some shows I've watched because of memes and it being a bastion of pop culture since I was *gulp* a high schooler.

Last Week Tonight is always a good show to just pick up though I kind of trailed off during most of the Trump-era because politics and news was exhausting. Came back during 2020 though when I obviously had a lot more free time. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

On 12/02/2021 at 09:54, Josh Mulaney said:

Fargo was a big improvement from the last season. Some really incredible performances and a great story.

I would desperately love to see Ted Lasso, but I see no other reason to get Apple TV. 😕

Mythis Quest is good too but two shows probably isn't enough either.

[C-MIL]

Last Week Tonight is the third show on this list that I have seen.

One more to my goal!

It is a good show.

I seem to go for much trashier fare than the EWB electorate, but I've been advised to steer clear of Tiger King.

[Your Mom]

For all you people who want to see Ted Lasso there is a 7 day free trial isn't there? Just use it to watch Ted Lasso

[GoGo Yubari]

Yeah, I'm thinking about using the trial and then maybe a month for Ted Lasso and possibly giving Mythic Quest a shot. Once I finish The Flight Attendant, which should be this week, there's going to be an opening in my viewing schedule for sure.

Tiger King is definitely a show I'm always going to associate specifically with the first month of quarantine and that's it. It was in and of itself fun trash that served a purpose at that moment in time but on any deeper level it's kind of gross, especially with the way some people who watched it engaged with kind of a shady edit. I'm glad it made the list because I don't think you can really have a full picture of the year in TV without it, but it was a pretty quick cut from my shortlist once I got to 15 shows watched.

Lovecraft Country is... firstly, I'm glad that I learned just enough about the book to know that Lovecraft's stories only really factor in to the first two episodes and the main plot. That way I didn't have to worry about adaptation changes or get the wrong impression from the show title. In general I loved its wild ambition and its specific voice/approach to horror, and the core cast is all great (including one of Michael K. Williams' all-time great performances. My dad watched it a couple months ago and said that he reminded him of guys in my grandfather's orbit back in the day), and it's one of the best-looking shows of 2020 for sure. The core plot... was not why I was watching the show and I don't think they did a good job keeping it tied together or satisfying. Don't think I have a huge pressing desire to watch a second season, but if there is one I'll probably watch it.

Liked the start of Star Trek! At the Disco's third season but never actually stuck with it, and now I'm on a break from CBS All-Access so it might be a while.

[GoGo Yubari]

no better time than when I'm sitting here in front of my computer waiting for the cat to want to be let back inside to post another update, yeah?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15. The Crown (195 points) (Last Year: #22)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (196 points) (Last Year: NR)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. Agents of SHIELD (245 points) (Last Year: NR)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. The Umbrella Academy (246 points) (Last Year: #24)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Legends of Tomorrow (315 points) (Last Year: #29)

Next Time, on EWB's Top 50 TV Shows of 2020: The phrase "whodunit" is a grammatical abomination. So please use the proper term, a "who has done this?"

[MalaCloudy Black]

I still need to watch Kipo.

[Lint]

Agents of SHIELD wasn't rated last year?  That can't be right.  The MCU TV thread was literally just that show for a long time.   

[DFF]

Yeah, GoGo remarked that it plummeted in last year's list and missed the cut. 

[RPS]

4 hours ago, How The Cloud Stole Christ said:

I still need to watch Kipo.

The whole series debuted and finished in 2020. That is insane! It is also why it was my #1 for the year. Plus, it is great. 

[Your Mom]

Kipo sounds good. I should watch it

[RPS]

26 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

Kipo sounds good. I should watch it

You would love it. Give it until the sixth episode, Ratland, and see if you like it. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I'm gonna make a show that gets good around the 95th episode.

"Just give it 95 episodes, then it gets reeeeal good."

[RPS]

33 minutes ago, Mx. Canadian Destroyer said:

I'm gonna make a show that gets good around the 95th episode.

"Just give it 95 episodes, then it gets reeeeal good."

I swear this was a joke on Hold Up. 

 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

2 minutes ago, RPS said:

I swear this was a joke on Hold Up. 

 

that podcast is okay but it's get really good after episode 10.