MY NINE FAVORITE TV SHOWS OF 2018

UPDATE: I somehow completely spaced on “Succession.” Lord forgive me. Slide that one in here somewhere and call it 10.

9. TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN–Popcorn entertainment, no doubt, but after several failed attempts to get Jack Ryan working, Amazon finally cracked it. Part of it is having John Krasinski, and part of it is understanding that the Tom Clancy worldview has always been nuanced, and the villains need just as much depth as the protagonists.

8. CASTLE ROCK–They really botched the marketing on this one. “Stephen King universe” made people feel like they had to have read all the books to get the show, but “Castle Rock” is just a good King-style suspense yarn set inside a universe that vaguely nods at his other work, anchored by an incredible lead performance from Andre Holland, and ace supporting work from Sissy Spacek (still killing the game) and Bill Skarsgard. I don’t feel like the payoff added up completely, but I’m still on board for season two.

7. THE TERROR–The first half of “The Terror” had me frothing at the mouth. Here was historical fiction with a splash of sci fi horror, an impeccable cast of legendary character actors, and sharp writing. And then the show revealed its monster and… eh. Not what I was hoping for, in concept or execution. Still riveting television, but man if you’re doing a show about a monster, you better design the hell out of that thing.

6. BOJACK HORSEMAN–I have resisted BoJack for years, solely on the grounds that its fans sound pretentious when advocating for it (“it’s really a drama pretending to be an animated comedy!”) Unfortunately, they were right about everything. I have never seen any show command meta humor so well: they annihilate the fourth wall constantly, but they’re so precise about when and how that it only deepens my belief in its world.

5. BARRY–Another show I actively resisted (I don’t like shows about the entertainment industry as a rule). It gets off to a bumpy start, but as it builds steam, “Barry” balances Hader’s comedic chops with a surprisingly precise hitman thriller. It’s the rare dramedy that serves both masters.

4. THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE–I once heard this show described as “Spooky This Is Us,” and that’s about right. A nonlinear family drama hiding inside a horror show’s clothing, “Hill House” produces real scares, real emotional depth, and the best damned single (ish) shot sequence since “True Detective.” I love its ambition and its heart, even if it gets a little monologue heavy near the end. And that Bent-Neck Lady thing will haunt me forever.

3. THE AMERICANS–No show will ever have a better finale. Ever.

2. HOMECOMING–I didn’t know you were still allowed to make methodical, patient thrillers like this. I also didn’t know, or perhaps had forgotten, just how lights-out fantastic Julia Roberts is. The writing, directing, acting and production on display here are all as good as it gets. Also: “Homecoming” is a half hour drama (dramas are traditionally always hour long), and I have been beating the drum for that format for years.

1. KILLING EVE–“Killing Eve” is a strange, wonderful, horrifying journey into sociopathy and masochistic sexual attraction. It’s erotic without being exploitative, grotesque without being grisly. Sandra Oh is fantastic, but Jodie Comer’s unhinged Villanelle is a revelation, a vicious corrective to years of sanitized Hollywood assassin fantasies. I loved almost every second of this show (it got a little preachy at times, but who’s counting). My jaw was on the floor for the entirety of the final episode. I desperately want more.