2023 was an outstanding year for television across the best streaming services. With so many televisual delights to choose from, it's easy to let some hidden gems slip through the cracks. Luckily, we've been keeping track.
There is of course plenty of mediocre or downright terrible content out there but these shows are all top picks that you need to tick off your list before 2024 rolls around. I'm not the only one who thinks so either, they all have over 85% on almighty aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
1. Extraordinary
Probably the most well-known of the shows on this list, I just feel like it isn't talked about enough. The super power-infused sitcom has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating with critics and I absolutely agree. Not only is this one of the funniest shows I've ever seen, it manages to have a whole lot of heart too.
Set in London, everything is pretty much like real life except for one thing. When they turn 18, everyone gets a superpower. Except it seems for Jen, she's 25 now and still no sign of any gifts. Her roommates can speak to the dead and turn back time, but she's stuck working in a fancy dress shop. It's genuinely unmissable TV and I can't wait for season 2 in early 2024.
Extraordinary is streaming on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US.
2. The Devil's Plan
If you've been watching Squid Game: The Challenge and bemoaning the lack of time we get to invest in the show's competitors, then this Korean series could be right up your street.
The Devil's Plan pits just 12 contestants (a mix of ordinary people and notable Koreans) against each other in a far more intellectual competition. What sets it apart from pretty much every other game show I've seen is the players. In competitions, they quickly form themselves into two teams styled almost as heroes and villains, but that never crosses into animosity between games. Nevertheless, expect twists, turns and betrayals as the players flex their intellects in a set of devious games.
The Devil's Plan is on Netflix.
3. Culprits
A super slick heist drama, Culprits is a superbly original Disney+/Hulu adventure that came out of nowhere to blow me away.
The show follows three main timelines. Before, during and after a grand 'one and done' heist. Throughout the series, we see more and more of the setup and heist itself, while our anti-heroes try to make new lives under aliases around the world.
But when members of the old crew start turning up dead, it becomes clear to the remaining members that lying low just isn't an option anymore. Featuring a superb lead turn from Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as "Joe" and excellent support from the likes
4. Jury Duty
Not only might you have missed this show, but you may not even have heard of the platform it's on. Freevee is a completely free subdivision of Amazon's Prime Video (it has ads, but you don't even need Amazon Prime) and it is home to the most original comedy show of 2023.
Jury Duty has a unique premise, everyone in the show is an actor in a fake trial, except for one single member of the jury. Ronald Gladden, an ordinary guy who works at Home Depot. A meticulously crafted social experiment/prank, there's a lot of heart here and a superb self-parodying performance from James Marsden (of The Notebook and Sonic).
Catch Jury Duty on Freevee (a free offshoot of Prime Video)
5. A Murder at the End of the World
Agatha Christie with a techno twist, A Murder at the End of the World is a beautifully crafted murder mystery set in the beautiful Icelandic nothingness.
Our detective is Gen Z true crime author Darby Hart (Emma Corrin), investigating a personal loss in the techno paradise of Elon Musk-type Andy Ronson (Clive Owen). At the same time, we're presented with the case that inspired Darby to write her bestselling book, could the two be connected?
The frosty setting and general paranoia give me a serious The Thing vibe and although you won't find any shapeshifting monsters, no one is to be trusted.
Watch A Murder at the End of the World on DIsney+ (UK) or Hulu (US).
