Best of 2019 - TV

So 2019 saw the end of many great TV shows (probably the biggest amount of shows in one year to end) while also paving the way for some new ones. As far as endings go, we learnt this year that some endings are not as we were expecting and that it could very well change our views on a series as a whole. Plus with the streaming scene on the rise with such services like Disney+ launching this year (though not in the UK just yet), TV just keeps getting better and better (occasionally worse). So we'll be looking at the best TV I have seen this year. Some will be the second half of the 2018/19 season and the other will be the first half of the 2019/20 season of TV. So let's tune in and get to it:

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Season 1)

Obviously spoilers for most of these shows and again I haven't watched everything that came out this year. So its been a long time since The Dark Crystal came out in the cinemas and since then, lots of us have been wanting to see what life could have been like before most of the Gelfling were wiped out by the Skeksis prior to the start of the film. And that's really what we got in this series and yeah just like the film, its one of the darkest Jim Henson projects you could ever see. The puppetry is amazing here as is the story which is full of betrayals, dark humour, death and so much more. Plus it has an all star cast that includes Taron Egerton, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jason Issacs, Simon Pegg, Benedict Wong, Keegan-Michael Kay and even Mark Hamill. Plus so many other well known names too. Its a great series that must have been difficult to be made though probably less so than the film due to the rise of CGI effects. Its a really good series and well worth a watch if you have Netflix and have watched the film. There is even a video game based around it too.

Game of Thrones (Season 8)

Game of Thrones has always been a great series ever since it started. It had such great acting and great stories and themes you wouldn't normally see in a TV show based on a series of books. The last season isn't great with criticism (which I agree with by the way) being on the condensed story and creative decisions made by the showrunners (seriously though, war scenes can be entertaining but they don't think so). But everyone still gave it their all especially given that it was largely original material because George R.R. Martin still hasn't released any more books. But I guess the ending was one ending he was thinking of for the books. But it looks like he isn't going for that particular ending in the books. So yeah not the best ending that we could have hoped for, but still an OK series.

Arrow (Seasons 7B and 8A)

So it was announced this year that Arrow would be coming to an end with the eighth season and to be honest, I'm OK with that. DC have done really well with their live action shows and the fact that the shows that spun off from Arrow have called this little universe the Arrowverse (with a certain girl of steel also considered part of the line up) just shows how impactful it has been. So the ending of Season 7 saw there be some flashforwards to what Oliver's daughter and son would be up to while in the present, he is battling a new threat to Star City while coming to terms with the deal he made with the Monitor from the Elseworlds crossover which becomes the main plot for the final season, leading up to and following the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover (which here in the UK we are getting next year but currently without the Batwoman part due to there being no UK broadcaster for the show at the time of writing this). I guess the show still tries to be as good as it has been, but it is slowly starting to slow things down leading up to the eventual finale of it. I still enjoy it and I hope the ending we get is satisfactory if nothing else. 8/10

Gotham (Season 5)

As predictable as the ending was going to be, I really enjoyed the final season of Gotham. It adapts the Zero Year story in which Gotham becomes almost a wasteland that becomes disconnected from the rest of the world. Now in the comics, Batman had already established himself at the time. But as the series ended with young Bruce Wayne becoming Batman, we instead get Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne working with their allies and some enemies to help save Gotham from a potential military strike when higher forces beyond their control deem the city as a lost cause. As explosive as the season is, it is really good and gave us what we wanted from the final season. Sure it was shorter than most seasons (which seems to be the ongoing theme for most final seasons of a show nowadays), but we got the ending we were hoping for and who knows. Maybe it will continue on in the comics like Smallville did.

American Horror Story: 1984

So something I don't normally review here are anthology shows like Black Mirror and this American Horror Story series. I hope to look at the rest of this series one day, but for now we going to look at the latest one. So every year since 2011, the Fox channel (which may also be known as FX in some countries) have been showing this show in which each series has a different story, setting and characters. But keeps it as a horror story set in America somewhere and/or sometime often with the same or a slightly different cast. This year we got a story about some teenagers who become councillors at a camp site but remain unaware that there is a serial killer within the camp and that there may be some paranormal activity taking place too. Yeah this is basically their take on a slasher horror and honestly it kind of works as it doesn't do all those usual things that slasher films tend to do. It does retain some elements for story purposes, but its overall a great story to have in this series. Plus there is lots of nostalgia everywhere so can't really complain there. 9/10

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Season 3)

So as you may have noticed, I tend to review shows that are actors dressed up playing out a story which is better to review and write about than any documentaries, reality shows and other kinds of shows. Not that I don't like those shows or anything, its just my preference when it comes to reviewing stuff having tried and failed to review those kinds of shows in the past. So this year saw the end of Netflix's take on Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events in which the final four books of the series are adapted with the last one serving as the finale with just one part. It kind of brings all the lingering storylines to a bizarre and twisted closure of sorts. Plus we find out how the titular author started out his investigation (the author of course isn't the name of the real person behind the books, but had key involvement with the creation of the series) and what ever became of the Baudelaires and Olaf following the events in the hotel. A great series overall, much better adapted than the film (no offence Jim Carrey) and worth your time if you are ever on Netflix.

The Walking Dead (Seasons 9B and 10A)

Both halves of the two seasons have been largely focused on the heroes' struggle against the new threat that is the Whisperers. More beloved characters change for the better or worse and/or die. New ones are introduced and well you know the drill by now. The series just continues to get better in the wake of the loss of one of its main actors from last year with his story continuing in some soon to be released films. The later seasons of the show may not have been as good as what's come before, but it does still adapt from the comics well and also giving us some original stuff like a satellite crashing into the scene and another large horde of Walkers to take on. Fun, emotional and a lot of blood thirsty violence makes The Walking Dead still the best zombie show on TV despite some believing it has lost its touch in recent years. 8/10

Supergirl (Seasons 4B and 5A)

So in this year's Supergirl, the biggest and baddest Luthor of them all makes an appearance. Yes I am talking about Lex who attempts to do an Iron Man thing at the end of Season 4. Meanwhile in season 5, Lena finds out Supergirl's identity and initially wants revenge on Kara for not telling her. But they make up (or so we think) as the Crisis looms ever so closer. While it is nice to see some of the more mainstream Superman villains in the show, it kind of takes away the uniqueness about it. But nevertheless its as good as always and I look forward to seeing what happens to Kara and the gang during the Crisis next year. 8/10


The Flash (Seasons 5B and 6A)

So in the world of the fastest thing alive, Barry and Iris continue to figure out their daughter in the second half of season 5 while for most of the first half of season 6, they try and prevent something that has been set into place for the Crisis. Also Killer Frost has an enemy to deal with too. Yeah pretty much most of the Arrowverse is focused on this Crisis. But you know what, that's OK because it is the next big crossover so I'm allowing it. Anyway this year's stuff on the Flash is pretty good. Could be better in terms of the balance between what is serious and what is funny, but overall a decent run for 2019. 7/10


Legends of Tomorrow (Season 4B)

Yeah I know the picture is for next year's season, but I figured I could get away with it. So for most of the remainder of Season 4, the Legends go about continuing to save the timeline from magical beings with help from their newest Legend, Constantine. Of course as a time travelling show goes on, it tends to get more silly than the more serious or balanced out series in the Arrowverse. Nevertheless, the remainder of this season was pretty fun and I look forward to what they will do in the Crisis (and I promise that is the last time I will mention the crossover).


Orange is the New Black (Season 7)

So among the shows to end this year was Orange is the New Black. Alongside House of Cards which ended some time ago, this show was among the most watched shows on Netflix. All about the character of Piper Chapman who spends a lot of time in a minimum security prison. In this series we see how she adjusts to life following an early release and we also see what everyone else is doing. Everyone seemingly gets their stories some closure with some working out well and others not so much. But on the whole, I'm very satisfied with the ending and who knows, maybe it will continue in some fashion. I doubt it, but I remain hopeful nonetheless. 9/10

Stranger Things 3

So we got the long awaiting third season of Stranger Things this year which has quickly become the newest most watched show on Netflix. This time around, the gang are enjoying summer with the launch of a new mall that is putting most stores out of business. All the guys have girlfriends now and Russians are trying to open up the Upside Down again. So yeah another packed and a bit complicated season with lots of emotional moments, lots of humorous moments and plenty of 80s nostalgia as always. Good fun all around, but be prepared for some pretty blood thirsty violence later on.

And there you have it. Now of course these are just some of the many shows I watched this year and there are loads that are really good. But as I said, there's many I have seen, but I haven't seen every single one this year. So if you have any of your favourites, then leave them in the comments below.