During the first year of quarantine, March 13th, 2020 - March 13th, 2021, I streamed 335 seasons of television.
For my top 20 choices I broke television into 2 main categories, productions still rolling and wrapped productions. Then into 4 subcategories: Rolling: First seasons (that have an upcoming season booked.) Rolling: Series. Wrapped: Miniseries, or only one season. Wrapped: Series, multi seasons.
ROLLING: FIRST SEASONS
Ratched
The Wilds
Grand Army
Blood and Water
Fate, the Winx Saga
Incidentally these are all female led series, which was not an intention when picking the top five. Since they are all 1st season shows, with upcoming season booked, I would say Hollywood is inching towards parity.
ROLLING: SERIES
The Expanse - season 6 upcoming
Absentia - season 4 upcoming
All American - season 4 upcoming
The Fall - season 4 upcoming
Hanna - season 3 upcoming
Upon reflection the theme with this group appears to be ‘incredibly determined protagonists, living with very high stake problems.’
Protagonists: “The Expanse” is the only ensemble cast, “All American” and “The Fall” are helmed by a strong duo, while “Absentia” and “Hanna” are the sole central heros.
Stakes: SPOILERS: In “The Expanse” the ensemble can’t* leave anyone behind. In “Absentia” she has* to learn the truth about her past. In “All American” one man has* to keep his scholarship for his family and the other man cannot* let him fail for his family. In “The Fall” he has* to kill, and she has* to catch him. In “Hannah” she has* to stay focused in order to stay alive.
WRAPPED: MINISERIES OR ONE SEASON
The Queen’s Gambit
Feed the Beast
Utopia
Good Omens
Good Girls Revolt
These are all stories about characters who have obtained a high level of skill in a specific area. “The Queen’s Gambit” is a chess prodigy. “Feed the Beast” is an award winning chef. The “Utopia” kids have detailed knowledge of a specific comic. The “Good Omens” are the top two angels ever created. The “Good Girls Revolt”-ing are the female journalists who brought progress to the 1960s newsroom. Fierce talent.
WRAPPED: SERIES
The Magicians - 5 seasons
Grimm - 6 seasons
Stargate Atlantis - 5 seasons
Kingdom - 3 seasons
Kidding - 2 seasons
“Kingdom” is the outliner in this group. The other four all involve fantasy characters. The storyline of “Kingdom” is just so gutting that I had to include it in my top five. But yes, I mostly like fantasy dramas with an ensemble “family like” dynamic.
SARAH’S AWARDS
BEST DIRECTION: “Ratched”
BEST PLOT DEVELOPMENT: “The Expanse”
BEST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: “The Magicians”
BEST SINGLE EPISODE OF A SERIES: Series Finale - “Grimm” - Season 6, Ep. 13
BEST SINGLE SEASON OF A SERIES: “The Sinner,” Season 3 - starring Matt Bomer
BEST DESIGN: “Kidding”
BEST SET DESIGN/ BUILD: “Ratched” - Hospital
BEST SET DEC: “Utopia”
BEST COSTUMES & MAKE UP: “Grimm”
BEST VFX: “Good Omens”
BEST ACTION SEQUENCES: “Hanna”
BEST ACTOR - FEMALE: Sarah Paulson, as Nurse Mildred Ratched in “Ratched”
BEST ACTOR - MALE: Hale Appleman, as Eliot Waugh in “The Magicians”
BEST ENSEMBLE: “The Magicians” - Hale Appleman as Eliot Waugh, Arjun Gupta as ‘Penny’ Adiyodi, Summer Bishil as Margo Hanson, Olivia Dudley as Alice Quinn, Jason Ralph as Quentin Coldwater, Jade Tailor as Kady Diaz, Brittany Curran as Fen, Rick Worthy as Henry Fogg, Trevor Einhorn as Josh Hoberman, Brian O’Byrne as Professor Mischa Mayakovsky, and Mageina Tovah as The Librarian.
With four points each “Ratched” and “The Magicians” tie as my “Pandemic Year 1” favorites!
Stargate Atlantis
Ratched, Grand Army, Blood and Water, Fate the Winx Saga, All American, The Queen’s Gambit, The Magicians, Kingdom
Kidding
The Wilds, The Expanse, Absentia, The Fall, Hanna, Utopia, Good Omens, Good Girls Revolt, Grimm
Feed the Beast
