In 2023, TV shows pushed boundaries. They blended genres and offered fresh stories. Some series basked in the limelight. Others quietly delivered excellent shows that you may have missed. These hidden gems, from quirky comedies to hard-hitting dramas, captured hearts. But few saw their brilliance. Try these shows if you’re unwinding after a session at Ivibet online or seeking a new binge. Patricia Arquette is a crime-fighting ex-drug dealer in the High Desert. Wes Anderson’s charming anthology is The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Both have plenty of surprises. Let’s explore some underrated shows from the past year. They flew under the radar but deserve attention.
High Desert
With all the praise for Poker Face, it’s easy to miss that it wasn’t 2023’s only great show about an unlikely female private eye. Patricia Arquette is a joyously disheveled ex-dealer. She’s a drug addict who decides to become a crime fighter. Her performance is a surreal, raucous treat. If anything, this wryly comic series’s crazy twists were even more out there than Natasha Lyonne’s.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Wes Anderson’s quirky, mannered style suits Roald Dahl’s stories. So, his short story collection perfectly fits this four-part anthology series. A star-studded cast brought these quirky stories to life. It included Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Benedict Cumberbatch. The tales feature wealthy philanthropists, ghostly swans, poisoned soldiers, and eerie rat catchers.
Swarm
Watching Dominique Fishback as a murderous über-fan in Donald Glover’s swipe at Beyoncé obsessives was almost unbearable. Yet, I couldn’t look away. In her character Dre’s quest to find her favorite pop star, Ni’Jah, she killed anyone who got in her way. This included Billie Eilish, who was great as a cult leader. Malia Ann Obama (Obama’s daughter) was also on writing duties for an episode. Violent, deeply disturbing, and darkly funny, it was a cutting take on the state of toxic fandom today.
Reservation Dogs
Sterlin Harjo’s tale of want-away youths on a Native American reservation is surreal, funny, and poignant. It’s TV’s most underrated comedy. But, at times, this year’s final season was horror. It was a vital historical eye-opener. It explored the appalling true history of residential boarding schools. It chronicled generations of frustration among the community’s youths. It was weirder, more profound, more intelligent – and every bit as funny.
Smothered
With Starstruck ending earlier this year, we romantics needed a new rom-com to swoon over. Smothered, by Schitt’s Creek writer Monica Heisey, followed a party girl, Sammy, and a single dad, Tom. They met at a karaoke night and had a whirlwind romance. Then, they decided to try a real relationship. Heisey nailed the dire London dating scene. Jon Pointing and Danielle Vitalis were a charming couple to root for. Aisling Bea, Harry Trevaldwyn, and Rebecca Lucy Taylor of Self Esteem were a riot. They provided hilarious moments. It was impossible not to fall head over heels.
Fellow Travelers
In 1953, two men met in Washington, DC. They felt an immediate frisson after one ordered milk instead of whisky at a bar. From there starts an illicit love affair that lasts a lifetime. It covers topics from the McCarthy witch hunts for “sexual perverts” to the HIV crisis. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking story by Ron Nyswaner, who also wrote Philadelphia. The story is now up for many awards. It is a powerful look at guilt and fidelity. It also has shocking, graphic gay sex scenes.
The British Miracle Meat
A program called Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat was on Channel 4. Viewers could have assumed it was another of Wallace’s over-excited food docs. They might have quickly turned to something else for the evening. How wrong they’d have been. Instead, it was a wickedly provocative satire about the cost-of-living crisis. It was in the Swiftian style. It informed us that science had been developed, enabling the growth of meat from a few human cells. It claimed that poor people were selling their flesh. They were undergoing a “pain subjective” procedure to pay fuel bills. We never guessed Wallace had it in him.
Culprits
This fun thriller is for fans of Ocean’s Eleven-style capers. It starred Gemma Arterton as Dianne Harewood, a criminal mastermind. She got a team together to heist one of the world’s most uncrackable safes. Years later, the gang is now scattered around the globe. A masked killer is picking them off, one by one. This is a classic crime romp, full of action sequences that left you almost fainting. It had Niamh Algar as Specialist, the most convincing killer on screen.
Final Words
In a year filled with content, it’s easy for great television to get lost in the shuffle. These series show the power of unique tales and great acting. Swarm‘s dark humor and Reservation Dogs’ depth are underrated. They show that some of the best TV isn’t the most talked about. As we look ahead to new shows, these 2023 series remind us the best gems are often hidden in TV’s lesser-known corners.