AIPT’s picks for best TV of 2023

Before we ring in 2024 in a few weeks, now is the time to reflect on the year that was. Here at AIPT, we’ve been revealing our Best of lists including comics, movies, and video games. We want to now bring to you our Best TV of 2023.

We have a well rounded and diverse mix of series both live-action and animated, and new and returning. They represent a variety of genres, though the selections lean more towards streaming platforms rather than network and cable. Another sign of the shift in viewing habits.

Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix)

This is a very recent release, but Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai came out of nowhere. Created and written by husband-and-wife team Michael Green and Amber Noizumi, it follows half-white, half-Japanese sword master Mizu (voiced by Maya Erskine), who is on a quest for vengeance against four white men who illegally remain in 17th century Japan during the closing of its borders.

Along with 2D/3D-hybrid animation by the French studio Blue Spirit, it is obvious what influenced the creators, from Akira Kurosawa’s cinema, to even films like Kill Bill, it has familiar needle drops played during the slice-and-dice action sequences. The first episode compellingly sets up a simple revenge narrative that is anchored by its mixed-race protagonist. As the show progresses, we see a lot more unraveling. From self-acceptance to gender relationships, we follow a small group of people who slowly rid themselves away from the positions that society expects from them.

Whilst we have to wait a full year for the return of Arcane, Netflix presents another masterpiece of adult animation with its own identity from a thematic and visual standpoint with Blue Eye Samurai. Can we have season two now please?

— Rory Wilding

The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)

I love Edgar Allen Poe. I vividly remember reading “Annabell Lee” and “The Tell Tale Heart” for the first time in my 8th grade literature class and have been interested in his works ever since. Heck, I even enjoyed The Raven starring John Cusack from 2012.

Moving forward in life, I have even had the honor of teaching some of Poe’s works, most notably, when my sophomores tackled “The Fall of the House of Usher.” This work was complex, the language was difficult, and my students struggled. I only wish that there was something like this mini-series around back when I was teaching about it. I wouldn’t recommend showing this in a classroom setting, but the ability to have it as a reference would have been nice to have. 

Now, the Netflix series is not a beat-by-beat retelling of Poe’s classic. Instead, it takes the overall premise of the short story and gives it a much needed modern overhaul. It takes the most essential bits and pieces of what makes “Usher” such a compelling and memorable read, and combines it with hints of Poe’s other famous works, like “The Raven,” “The Tell Tale Heart,” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.”

Expertly acted. Expertly put together. Extremely captivating. This series is totally bingeable and very much worth checking out. 

— Shane Martin

The Last of Us (HBO)

I’m not a video game player. Every once in a while, I will pick up a casual game like WWE 2k23 or the most recent Madden, but as far as narrative driven games, I can’t tell you the last time I’ve played a game in that style. But even I have heard of The Last of Us. Granted, I knew the basic storyline walking into the first episode, but I had no idea exactly what I was in for. 

This series is much more than your typical “zombie apocalypse” series. It has a real heart. The first episode blew my expectations wide open. The third episode with Nick Offerman told a better love story in 50 minutes than the entire Twilight Saga did in four books and five movies. The special effects were great and scattered expertly across the season. When the Cordyceps/Clickers showed up, it was for a meaningful purpose. The human antagonists that were often only around for an episode were so compelling that The Walking Dead should take notes. 

Without giving too many spoilers away for those who haven’t yet seen the series, there are numerous performances worth speaking about. Obviously, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey shine as the series leads and deserve every bit of acclaim that has come with this show. I already mentioned Nick Offerman from episode three, but Nico Parker in episode one, Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard in episode five, and Storm Reid in episode seven each provided memorable performances. 

All nine episodes of the first season are currently streaming on Max and are well worth checking out. If you were ever on the fence on whether or not you should watch this show, this is your sign to do it.

— Shane Martin 

The Lincoln Lawyer season two (Netflix)

I originally wrote about season one of The Lincoln Lawyer on our 2022 list and I’m super happy to have enjoyed season two enough to write about it again in 2023. The sophomore slump is real folks, but not this time. 

Much like in the first season, Manuel Garcia-Ruflo plays the titular Mickey Haller expertly. While the supporting characters may not be as memorable as in season one, the undeniable cast chemistry was still apparent and made each episode a joy to watch. There are twists, there are turns and there is a sense of unpredictability that makes every episode compelling.

What I especially enjoy about this series as a whole is how something so minute, a blink and you’ll miss it moment in an early episode, comes back and has a meaningful contribution to the finale, just adding to the series rewatch value. 

The first two seasons are streaming on Netflix. If you’re looking for a short binge to get you away from all the Hallmark Christmas movies, check this one out. 

— Shane Martin

Mrs. Davis (Peacock)

Mrs. Davis is not for everyone. Much like Damon Lindelof’s other post-Lost television series, The Leftovers and HBO’s Watchmen, Mrs. Davis often melds an exploration of the grandest existential questions with the absurd. But whereas The Leftovers was perhaps 80% existential dread with only 20% absurdity, Mrs. Davis takes a decidedly lighter, comedic tone.

If Lindelof’s focus in The Leftovers, was man’s dilemma of living in society and forming attachments in an uncertain world where those you love can at any moment inexplicably vanish forever, then Mrs. Davis is more interested in questions of faith, in deities, in people, in systems, and in the institutions in which we choose to place our trust.

But somehow, it’s also a show about bad-ass nuns, an underground rebellion trying to bring down the world’s most powerful AI, the quest the for the maybe literal Holy Grail, and stage magicians. It’s weird. It’s totally bonkers. And I can’t think of another show this season I had more fun with and felt was this fresh and original. Also Betty Gilpin is just a superstar in this thing. Cast her in everything now!

— Michael Rosch

One Piece (Netflix)

As someone who hasn’t read the manga or watched the anime, the live-action One Piece show from Netflix was like a breath of fresh air for me. I genuinely enjoyed the goofiness and vibrance presented in the show. I am usually not big on live-action adaptations but I think this one really surprised me mainly because of the talented cast. The show caught my attention in a way that I binged season one in a day and was left wanting for more. 

Iñaki Godoy is, no doubt, the star of the show and plays the character Monkey D. Luffy with such charm and grace. I remember telling my friend that the character almost reminded me of Superman especially with his kindness and do-good attitude.

Of course, my favorite character ended up being Roronoa Zoro with his complex and dark backstory who is also a certified badass but secretly, a softie when it comes to his friends. Each episode highlighted Luffy and his gang’s pirate adventures so well that it got me invested in these characters and their stories. So, I was overjoyed to know that the show got renewed for season two and I cannot wait for it!

— Vish

Poker Face (Peacock)

Rian Johnson is proving to be the man to go to for great mysteries. He has already made a splash in film with Knives Out and Glass Onion. This year he set his sights on television with Poker Face, starring Natasha Lyonne.

Johnson shifts his focus from the whodunnit in his movies to the howcatchem with Poker Face. The show features a creatively crafted case-of-the-week exploring the means of how the crime was committed. The charismatic Lyonne plays Charlie Cale, a down on her luck everywoman with a heart of gold. She uses her ability to detect lies to bring the culprit to justice. Factor in a new batch of colorful characters each episode played by a revolving door of talented special guests, and you have a compelling and entertaining series.

— Gary Catig

Succession season four (HBO)

Is it just me, or does every year feel like a banner year in TV these days. From the excellent Barry to surprisingly good adaptations like One Piece, there’s so much to love. For me, though, it had to be the final season of Succession. As a person who caught up on the show within three months, the final season was a wild right of disappointment, betrayal, and deeply moving acting.

The show had me on the edge of my seat, laughing so hard I cried, and not wanting it to ever end. Appointment television is more common than ever, but with Succession, it felt like a show you didn’t have to watch, but needed to survive!

— David Brooke

Best Anime of 2023

Vinland Saga season two

In between the two seasons of Vinland Saga, I read through Makoto Yukimura’s manga of which the anime is based. One of the best manga currently being published, I was excited to see season two of the anime, which is a complete change of pace compared to the previous season.

Whereas the first season (animated by Wit Studio) was a revenge story that was action-heavy, the second season (animated by MAPPA) relies more on character drama with farming being a key element. As the main protagonist Thorfinn learns to move beyond his torment of not being able to have his revenge by becoming a pacifist, the world of Vikings continues to be one of war and slavery. No doubt, throughout the course of 24 episodes, there are some upsetting sequences where no one is unscathed, but like the main characters, if you pull through, you will find salvation.

Although anime-only fans were surprised by the new direction, director Shūhei Yabuta and the staff from MAPPA made the most dramatically powerful anime out of an arc that is really the quietest from the rest of Yukimura’s source material.

— Rory Wilding