TV Shows and other addictive things

My Top 20 (ongoing) TV Shows of 2020

Kat Impossible39 Comments

Yesterday I gave you my thoughts on the 10 best books I read in 2020, but we all know that the topic I really can’t stop talking about are TV shows. So, not only am I giving you a list of my top 20 shows, I actually split it up in two categories – new and ongoing shows. (The post for the new shows will be up in a couple days, but tomorrow is movie ranking day!) I simply could not contain myself.

I am aware that the phrasing “ongoing shows” might be a bit misleading, which is why I want to clarify what I mean. I included all shows that released before 2020 in this list! That means, they may only have one season that aired previous to that year, but they also might have had their series finale in 2020. Ongoing here doesn’t necessarily mean it is still airing now or that they released follow-up seasons during the last year. Hope that made sense!

20. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know that I am not a huge fan of CAOS. I mostly watched for Prudence, Ambrose and Nick. Then a couple characters were ruined. Then I liked all the people I wasn’t supposed to like (hello there, Caliban) but I actually really enjoyed the majority of the final season (barring Sabrina being all mopey that she’s the only one being single and the ACTUAL end to the show, because WTF!?). I think there’s people who deserved better and that it’s very obvious that they thought they’d get renewed, cause … what happend to most of the people? We don’t even know how they’re doing.

19. The Order

Season 2 created so many ships that I did not like, but Hamish, Lillith and Randall and Jack’s bleached hair have a special place in my heart. This show might sometimes be a mess, but an entertaining one and it did not deserve to be cancelled.

gonna pretend this was real, no one can stop me

18. Virgin River

They amped up the drama by A LOT. There were really more crime elements than romance and that threw me a little off balance, but I still like the show a lot. It’s definitely better than the books.

17. Home for Christmas

It’s the perfect show for the holidays! It’s about a messy adult, who makes messy decisions and who does not have it all figured out. I know that not everyone HAS to be in a relationship but Johanne wanted that and so I wanted that for her. Love watching this show always and was so very happy with who she chose in the end.

16. The Rain

I am still in pain over some of the character deaths on this show, one in particular. But looking at the series as a whole, it was amazing. The end wasn’t really so much an end as a new era, but that’s perfectly alright too.

15. Alexa & Katie

This will come as a surprise to people, especially because it looks all childish and Disney-channel-esque, but Alexa and Katie deals with heavy subject matter in a digestible way. Their portrayal of anxiety/panic attacks is amazing and relatable. Katie is just one of the best people ever. Needed to say that too.

14. A Million Little Things

Please, do not watch this show if you are in a vulnerable place. The subject matter of suicide and depression is not easy and I would never push a show on someone if they are not in the right mindset to watch it. However, I think it is one of the most heartfelt and lovely shows about adult friendships out there. Many people have compared it to This Is Us in terms of emotional impact and I think that’s fair.

(Also, Gary, Catherina, Rome and Gina are the superior characters. It’s facts!)

13. Bojack Horseman

I watch so few animated shows, but Bojack Horseman will forever be a favourite. I still think that some of the earlier seasons were better than the finale, but it ended well.

12. Sex Education

Although I care very little for Otis’ love life, I do like and care about so many of the other characters. Cannot wait for the show to continue in 2021 and am glad that they also include topics such as asexuality, even if it was only briefly.

11. Dickinson

I am very much aware that this aired in 2019 and there’s a few more shows like it in the list, but Dickinson won my heart. I adored the mix of modern and past elements, especially the music with the costumes. I still would have liked for it to be about a death romance some more than it was, but still, so brilliant.

10. Elite

I know that not everyone appreciated the last season, but I enjoyed in just how many ways it came full circle. The callbacks to season one were aplenty and well done in many ways. Now, going forward with a mostly new cast, I am more hesitant. A lot of my favourite characters won’t be in it anymore and that’s going to be a bummer.

my darlings

9. The Politician

While the first season was definitely sharper and more focused, this is still one of the most underrated satirical politics shows out there. I wish it had a bigger following, because of just how whip-smart it is.

8. Our Girl

I remember how sad I was when Lacey Turner left the show and got replaced by Michelle Keegan, just to now be sad that this was her final season. I was an emotional wreck for a lot of it, but simultaneously fell in love with the ending she got eventually. I just wanted Georgie to be happy and in the end, she was.

7. All American

No clue why I waited so long to start this show, but it is amazing and fits into my weird obsession with certain sports in TV shows. The cast, the characters, the setting – all top notch!

will my ship sail in S3?

6. Prodigal Son

Crime shows bore me, but Prodigal Son sucked me in so hard. I bingewatched it and … my brain was warped afterwards, but that’s what a good show will do. I am so pumped for the new season to start in two weeks and cannot wait for more twisted decisions.

Image

5. The Haunting of Hill House

Believe me, no one is more surprised than me to find this show not only so high up in the ranking, but on the list at all. I just … adored it. It was really more about mental health, trauma, addiction and family than the actual scares and trust me, I did just look away a couple times, but it was so good. And the rest? Well, the rest is just confetti.

4. The Umbrella Academy

These time-meddling powered people never will cease to amaze me. Season 2 had some great additions to the cast, a compelling plot and most importantly – some really good sibling moments. It also set up the next season in such an intriguing way, I cannot see myself getting enough of it ever.

3. The Good Place

As far as finales for shows go, I think the Good Place was one of the best there is. This kind of TV magic can only be created when you don’t unnecessarily drag out a show just because it has good ratings and you stick to your plan, which they had from the beginning. I was so not ready to let go, but it was done beautifully.

2. The Mandalorian

Look, there’s just something about Pedro Pascal as a dad and the inert nostalgia this show holds. They make it SO easy to geek out over certain scenes and appearances, it’s legit better than the sequel trilogy.

1. Dark

I am beyond proud of this show, it’s almost as if I had worked on it myself. For a German Netflix production to manage to keep a compelling plot going and make all the things work in the end – it’s almost a miracle, but they did it. There’s nothing more satisfying than a mystery being solved.

Honorable Mentions

There’s never enough room to mention everything and as per usual, I had to cut down the list by a lot. That does not mean these shows were bad, but ranking all of them is a nightmare anyway. So, here’s a couple more shows that continued in 2020 or that I simply watched last year that I enjoyed:

  • Charmed
  • Roswell, New Mexico
  • Hilda
  • Dead to Me
  • You Me Her
  • In the Dark
  • On My Block
  • 9-1-1
  • Station 19
  • Friday Night Lights (cause yes, I watched the entire show for the first time in 2020)

What did you think of the shows I mentioned? Any surprises? Did you think I was missing something essential completely? Let’s talk!

39 thoughts on “My Top 20 (ongoing) TV Shows of 2020”

  1. This post just reminds me of all the shows I still need to watch haha. Looove seeing Haunting of Hill House on the list. As far as horror goes, this one takes the crown for having a compelling story with horror elements. The Umbrella Academy will always be a fave, yet I completely forgot the second season came out this year haha. I will get round to watching The Rain at some point this year. I owe you all the thanks in the world for introducing me to Dark. You are the TV Queen!!

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    • Hahaha PREPARE YOURSELF FOR ALL THE NEW SHOWS THAT I RANKED FOR THE POST ON MONDAY!
      There was so much I watched this year, I am 100% I forgot essential things, because my blog was my only guideline for what released when, but also … I don’t blog about everything?
      YES! THANKS FOR WATCHING DARK!

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  3. Aahhh Bojack and Sex Education were my favourites of 2019-2020.
    Dickinson looks really cool?? Sad, its not on Netflix where I live 😦 Also if you really liked this show, have you seen Bridgerton? It is also a period drama and I kinda really liked it.

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  4. I’m so happy to see Prodigal Son on your list! 😀 I watched it in 2020 and became obsessed with it. All of the characters in that show are so interesting and I can’t wait for season two, especially with the way the first one ended.
    The Umbrella Academy is such a good show, with so many amazing characters. I love the siblings so much and seeing them do things together is amazing. I seriously hope that there is going to be a third season, I would love to see what they would do after the cliff-hanger of the last episode of season 2!
    Also, YESS TO DARK!! That show is so fantastic, it’s one of my favourites as well. 😀 That show is so amazingly written and it managed to blow my mind with each episode. I seriously can’t believe that they managed to tie everything together.
    Amazing list Kat! ❤

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    • YAY! Let’s be Prodigal fans together. I was so surprised by just HOW MUCH I adored Malcolm and the gang. I am not sure I ship him with anyone, but … do you? Dani or Edrisa? I might have a preference here, because of my Sherlock days …
      UMBRELLA ACADEMY GOT RENEWED! I don’t know when it was announced, maybe around the time sort of when Elliot came out? Not sure that’s right, but it’s definitely been confirmed 😀
      Dark will forever be a favourite of mine. They just really managed tie it all together and I had my doubts haha but now I am so proud of them.

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      • I actually don’t really ship Malcolm with anyone, but I also don’t mind the idea of him being with either of them. 😂 Also, I watched the promo for the second season and it seems like it’s going to be a wild ride.
        YESSS!! I didn’t actually know that. I saw Elliot coming out, but I saw no news for Umbrella Academy. I’m sooo exited!! Hopefully the third season will be coming out soon-ish. 😀

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      • I don’t ship him with anyone either! I just always get asked that question, so I pass it on haha if I HAVE to choose I prefer a friendship with Dani and a date with Edrisa, but he is not in the right space to be in a relationship either way.
        I don’t think they started filming for S3 yet, so it will be quite a while.

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      • I completely agree, he is not well enough to be in a relationship. Or rather to be in a healthy relationship.
        Hahaha, I know 😂 by soon-ish I meant in the next year or two. Not that we have to wait for it for years 😂

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  7. I love the umbrella academy. It’s actually the only show on this list besides the good place that i’ve seen haha. I can’t wait to see what they do with next season! I binged the second season in like two days

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  12. I loved Sex Education and I cannot wait for the next season! This year I really fell in love with the Umbrella Academy, I was surprised by how much I loved the second season and how hooked it got me despite not liking the first season as much 😄 Also happy to see Dark at the top spot, it was such a fantastic show with an amazing ending!! ❤

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    • Covid post-poned Sex Education as well. It was supposed to air this month, but now it will likely be sometime this summer. I am just happy we get more!
      Umbrella Academy and Dark are awesome. There’s no way around it haha

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