Hundreds of new series premiere every year and return for new seasons, but what are the best of 2023? We’ve got a list of the top 10 must-see shows you don’t want to miss.
10. John Carpenter’s Suburban Scream
The new six-episode series will explore terrifying true tales of terror that took place in seemingly perfect American hometowns. Each episode will delve into the monstrous evil that lurks beneath the surface of friendly suburbia through the lens of one frightful tale. In addition to firsthand accounts, the episodes will include cinematic reenactments, personal archives, and historic town press coverage. Check out our interview with the series’ director Jordan Roberts.
9. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Godzilla returns this week in the new Apple TV+ series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” and he’s bringing some friends, well, enemies too.
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later when Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and how epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
8. The Changeling
Apple TV+’s series mixes horror and myth. The series is based on Victor LaValle’s acclaimed bestselling book of the same name and is described as “a fairytale for grown-ups. A horror story, a parenthood fable, and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.” It is written and adapted by showrunner and executive producer Kelly Marcel.
In the series, “Apollo and his new wife, Emma, settle into their new lives as parents, exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Apollo’s old dreams return. At first, Emma seemed to be exhibiting signs of postpartum depression. But before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act and vanishes. Apollo begins a quest to find a wife and child. His odyssey takes him to a forgotten island, a graveyard filled with secrets, and a land where immigrant legends still live.”
7. Twisted Metal
Based on the hit game series, “Twisted Metal” first season premiered on Peacock this year to mixed reviews. But who cares? I love it! The good news is that it has already been renewed for a second season.
The series delves into the journey of John Doe (Anthony Mackie), a milkman with amnesia who embarks on the Twisted Metal competition for a chance at a better life. He’ll be joined by allies and adversaries, including his love interest “Quiet” (Stephanie Beatriz), the formidable “Sweet Tooth” (Samoa Joe, voiced by Will Arnett), and Scream star Neve Campbell, as they navigate the brutal arena of vehicular combat
6. Servant
The multi-season story follows a husband and wife going through a terrible situation. When wife and mother Dorthy (Lauren Ambrose) hires a mysterious nanny, Leanne (Nell Tiger Free), to care for her and her husband Sean’s (Toby Kebbell) baby, things spiral into chaos. Once Leanne, who is abnormally strange and quiet, arrives, the family tries to go about their daily lives, though a terrible secret hides behind normality. Dorthy’s brother, played by Rupert Grint, is a drug addict and an asshole, but he tries to help protect his sister at all costs.
The series gives off an eerie feeling that you can’t shake, a dread that sticks with you hours after you watch it. That’s the mark of a great series.
5. Yellowjackets
When it comes to dark and thrilling series, you don’t get much better than “Yellowjackets.” The Emmy-nominated series returned in 2023 for its second season.
“The Yellowjackets barely made it through summer in the woods, but now, as winter begins to bite, we’ll see if hunger and desperation turn into full-on psychosis. While there may or may not be a dark and powerful force inhabiting the wilderness, their survival could depend upon what they choose to believe. Meanwhile, twenty-five years later, each survivor must ask themselves – Is the darkness coming for them, or is it coming from them?” Binge the first two seasons now on Showtime, or get your copy on Blu-ray.
4. The Boys
Returning for its fourth season, “The Boys” sees “The world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team is fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.”
Jenson Ackles joined the cast of season three and will reunite with his fellow “Supernatural” star Jeffrey Dean Morgan in season four.
3. The Fall of the House of Usher
Mike Flanagan doesn’t disappoint with this series inspired by multiple Edgar Allen Poe tales. The series is dark and brutal and filled with suffering. It unfolds as the head of the Usher family, Rodrick Usher (Brian Greenwood), recounts his rise to power, his loss, and his evil deeds to Auguste Dupin (Auguste Dupin), the attorney who has been on a mission to bring the family down for decades. Much of the story is told in extended flashbacks, which works beautifully. It was a risky choice that paid off.
2. Gen V
Gen V, the spin-off series to “The Boys,” is set at a college run by Vought International for young adult Supes. The series is “an irreverent, R-rated series that explores the lives of hormonal, competitive Supes as they put their physical, sexual, and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the best contracts in the best cities.
The series is action-packed, brutal, and compelling. It’s the one series released this year that you really must see. You can watch season one now on Prime Video. The series has already been renewed for a second season.
1. Last of Us
Based on the hit game, the series adaptation of “Last of Us” made waves when it was released earlier this year with a great story, characters you can connect with, and great special effects. The first season racked up multiple Golden Globe nominations, so it’s no surprise we will see another season. One problem: the strike caused the new season a major delay, but the series will hopefully return at some point.
The series, which stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, is based on the hit game. It is set twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
For more on the series and to watch the trailers, click the title.
