TV Reviews 2023
Also, which friends want to hear your good news?
Hello TV lovers!
It’s that time of year for the annual TV review list of The Best, The Very Good, The Good, and The Just Okay.
I’m a collaborative TV watcher, which you know if you’re in my Dear Nina Facebook group. We have TV and book chats in there every few weeks. We’ve recently added favorite recipes, too. And of course we discuss friendship goals and dilemmas.
In the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these shows. Or, if you loved something else or were disappointed by other shows, let’s hear about those, too.
My 2023 book reviews are up to date on my website, so if you’re a big reader, you can find that here. I have lots to say about the novel Yellowface by R.F. Kuang so I made it the next pick for The Dear Nina Book Club on January 28th, at 7PM CST. Sign up here!
Before the TV Reviews: The Friends Who Want Your Good News
I recorded a mini-episode-length introduction to the final Dear Nina episode of the year. I didn’t mean to, but I had more to say than I thought as I watched my daughter tell her friends some good news about a callback she got for Les Mis at our community theater.
It made me realize that I don’t share good news nearly as freely as what I witnessed with her. Maybe it’s hard to admit wanting something in the first place, which is what exciting news implies: I wanted something good to happen to me. And it did!
You can hear what I had to say on that topic, as well as a candid conversation about jealousy and outgrowing friendships with Minneapolis sensation, Chaz Sandifer of thenewmpls.
The Best Shows I Watched in 2023
Shrinking: I didn’t quite get the appeal in the first episode. If you’ve seen a lot of Jason Segel on screen, it’s easy to get tired of his antics as he plays the same character often. I was wrong! By episode two I was hooked. Harrison Ford is a national treasure. I adored the workplace interactions between Jessica Williams (Gaby) and Harrison Ford (Paul), and the friendship between the characters of Jimmy, Brian, and Gaby and how they slowly let Liz into the fold.
Queen Charlotte: My oldest teenage daughter begged me to watch this Bridgerton pre-quel. I loved every second of the emotional and unexpected love story. I sobbed messy, gulping tears at the end.
Never Have I Ever, season 4: Devi’s awkwardness is all of our awkwardness. I loved every season of this show. Devi’s friend group is the dream friend group of support, fun, and intelligence. For the record, I am #TeamBen. Yes, really.
The Gilded Age, season 2: In last year’s review I found season one to be rather meh. But season two delivered. A show that can have me on the edge of my seat worrying about “the Opera war” is doing some good storytelling. I enjoyed all the other storylines, too. Bertha and George have an unusually hot marriage. We don’t see that so often on screen. Good for them!
The Very Good Shows
The Last of Us: This show is so gruesome that I don’t know what is wrong with me. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good post-apocalyptic storyline. Episode three was brilliant and beautiful storytelling. And the “father/daughter” relationship that builds throughout the entire season is so moving to watch that it almost makes up for the zombie fungus stuff.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, season 5: Don’t yell at me. Yes, I liked the final season a lot. I know the previous few were truly not good. I liked how the friendship between Midge and Susie got resolved.
Succession, season 4: I can’t remember if the final season was “very good” or actually “kind of boring,” but I do remember being glued to the TV every week and that counts for a lot. For a fun 57-second laugh, listen to comedian, Modi, do a bit on “if the Roy family was Jewish.” So funny.
The Morning Show, season 3: I’m a sucker for Jon Hamm. He improves most shows. Jennifer Aniston’s character grew on me over the three seasons. Reese Witherspoon’s character got less endearing.
Suits, season 1 and part of season 2: I got my husband to watch a show! We both loved it and will keep going.
The Good Shows
Ginny & Georgia, season 2: I prefer the adult storyline to the teen one in this show. Brianne Howey as Georgia is so watchable.
Daisy Jones and The Six: I liked the show and the book, but I didn’t love either. Preferred the show to the book.
Ted Lasso, season 3: Nothing beats the original season of Ted, but I like these characters so much.
Outlander, season 7: I think this season stopped halfway and the rest will return in 2024, which I’m annoyed about. Still, season 7 was infinitely better than season 6, which was terrible. Nice to see some time travel again!
The Diplomat: Keri Russell can do no wrong. This show took a while to get going, but I am looking forward to another season. It makes me want to watch The Americans all over again, but there are too many other shows to watch.
Firefly Lane (season 2): I felt like I was watching this show forever. I appreciated the close examination of an important friendship and the ability of these two to take long breaks and come back together. However, the way episodes were released made it hard to remember what I had seen before.
Beauty Queen of Jerusalem: This one grew on me, but it took way too many episodes to get into the characters. Still, I recommend it for some great historically set fiction.
Lessons in Chemistry: It took me a while to come around to this one, but I did like it. And no, I did not read the book.
Upload, all three seasons: This was a strange, but good show about a future time when instead of dying, people can choose to upload to a virtual reality and still be in touch with their loved ones, both dead and alive. I liked it while I was watching it, but thinking about all the shows of the year as a whole, it’s not at the top of the list.
The Crown, season 6: I’ve enjoyed each season of The Crown, some more than others. Season six was far better than five. The father-son-themed episode (#5) of this season especially touching.
Just OK But Watched Anyway
Dear Edward: I definitely preferred the book. The show was slow, and this is such a dark story. Even the lighting was dark.
Bad Sisters: I know this show has a cult-like following. I adore Sharon Horgan, the actress from Catastrophe (great show!), but even she could not overcome how slowly this plot plodded along.
Escaping Twin Flames: What did I just watch? I don’t regret it, but it could have been two episodes. I do always appreciate a good behind-the-scenes cult explanation though.
Please tell me the show you loved, or did not love, in 2023!
Other News!
See my updated 2023 reading list HERE.
The next Dear Nina Book Club is on January 28th, at 7PM CST. Sign up here!
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Queen Charlotte took me by suprise and blew me away. It was fantastic! I absolutely cried at the end. Highly recommend The Great on Hulu. It is witty, raunchy, clever and endearing.
I need some new shows so appreciated this. Felt like I was losing steam on Mrs. Maisel the past couple of seasons so hadn’t tried the latest yet but you’ve inspired me to go back and give it a try!