BINGEING
Danger 5 – Season 1 (A- average)
An absolutely ridiculous, wildly entertaining diversion. I described it to a friend as “Inglourious Basterds meets Team America at the Matt Helm Lounge.”
What I Watched This Week: 10 Jan 2021
2020 in Review: The Best Comedy Shows and Specials

Marc Maron: End Times Fun (Netflix)
Though shot in 2019, this special felt perfect for the “Why is everything on fire all the time?” insanity of 2020. Maron lays out how we got here, without being condescending or wallowing.

Middleditch & Schwartz (Netflix)
Three hours of improv sounds like it could be torture. But like the highest highs of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz came up with brilliant stories and characters off the top of their domes. Then they kept those plates spinning at three separate shows, maintaining a rarely seen level of energy and creativity.

Nate: A One Man Show (Netflix)
Natalie Palamides’ audacious hour of comedy is one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever seen, which is partially the point. Her deconstruction of macho antics and consent is definitely not for everyone’s taste, but it’s certainly an hour you’ll never forget.

Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great! (Netflix)
Papa’s always been a nice guy and a solid comedian. But those traits meant even more in 2020, when the merest reassurance that we’re still doing fine as our good habits died felt like a balm.

Beth Stelling: Girl Daddy (HBO MAX)
Stelling layers gross jokes and funny anecdotes with righteous call-outs of exes and colleagues who abused women and enabled monsters. It never feels preachy or reductive, especially since it’s disarming from the jump.
2020 in Review: The Best Shows – Honorable Mentions

Animaniacs
No show had a bigger chance of whiffing than this revival for Hulu. But the new writers and returning voice talent made it just as funny and subversive as the original run. They jettisoned all the other segments that didn’t work, keeping just the Warner Brothers and Sister, and Pinky and the Brain. The result was 13 hilarious, if occasionally uneven episodes. The most outstanding segments of each: the NRA-skewering “Bun Control” and “No Brainer,” in which Pinky and Brain meet Edward Snowden. My only note for Season 2? Bring back Good Idea, Bad Idea.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine – “Valloweaster”
There’s no telling when this will return, given COVID-related production delays and grappling with what role a cop show has in a world that’s woken up to the senseless violence the police inflict on their communities every day. But 2020 at least gave us this joyous episode, which ups the craziness of their annual Halloween heist outings.

Curb Your Enthusiasm – “Insufficient Praise”
This season walked a tightrope as Larry fends of accusations of sexual harassment in a post-#MeToo world and opens a coffee shop solely to spite an enemy. The season was mostly solid, but a little too self-indulgent, especially in episodes that pushed the 45-minute mark. But this episode, in which Larry offends Clive Owen by giving him a merely positive review of his new play, hit all the Curb sweet spots.

The Good Place – “Whenever You’re Ready”
It felt a little unfair to put this in my top 10 when only four episodes aired in 2020. But I had to take time to mention its stellar finale, which fills every inch of its extended runtime with proper send-offs for all its characters and one of the most genuinely moving explorations of death ever to grace the small screen.

How To with John Wilson – “How to Make the Perfect Risotto”
I arrived late to this HBO experiment but fell in love quickly with its oddball charms. John Wilson has a disarmingly sweet and curious nature, but he’s also an obsessive documentarian, which gave him an impressive library of B-roll to use to punctuate his jokes and observations. His finale was the best, as he arrived from his latest expedition just as the pandemic began, and his quest to make a risotto for his sweet old landlord became a beacon of kindness in a country that revealed it only had selfishness on its mind.
2020 in Review: The Best Shows
Even with the hypothetical “more time” we had to watch TV this year – given that we were confined to our homes and many new shows halted production – it still never felt like “catching up” was possible. So here are my 10 favorite shows from this wretched year.

10. Briarpatch (USA)
I’ve listened to Andy Greenwald share his (sometimes questionable) opinions on podcasts for years now, but his first foray as a showrunner (and EP, writer and director) proves the man knows how to make quality television. His adaptation of Ross Thomas’ scorching Texas-set crime novel expands the scope, with surreal touches (like a menagerie of zoo animals on the loose) and alterations to the plot handled perfectly. Hats off to his casting director, too, who found a murderer’s row of character actors to inhabit the opaque townspeople.
Standout episodes: “Breadknife Weather,” “The Most Sinful MF’er Alive,” “Most Likely to Succeed”

9. Search Party (HBO MAX)
Its first two seasons debuted on TBS what seems like a lifetime ago, and its fourth season will arrive later in January. But WarnerMedia held onto this completed season for the (bungled) launch of HBO MAX. This ended up being the perfect decision for viewers, as those who had never seen the show (like me) or those who hadn’t seen it since 2017 the chance to catch up and go straight into this wild third season, which becomes a courtroom drama that takes the off-beat show into full-blown farce.
Standout episodes: “In God We Trust,” “A Dangerous Union,” “Irrefutable Evidence”

8. The Crown (Netflix)
One of Netflix’s highest-rated shows finally broke into my top 10. It’s not that past seasons were bad, but this season jumped up a level. How did it pull that off? By focusing on the most human (Diana Spencer) and inhuman (Margaret Thatcher) figures in Queen Elizabeth’s orbit. Emma Corrin, who had very little acting experience, absolutely nailed the magic and horror of getting sucked into the Windsors’ lives. Gillian Anderson, an absolute pro, got the inflexibility and callousness of one of the worst women of the 20th Century.
Standout episodes: “Fairytale,” “Fagan,” “48:1”

7. The Great (Hulu)
Unlike a certain other show about palace intrigue, backroom deals and copious amounts of sex, The Great did more than stand there and look pretty. Elle Fanning cements her status as one of the absolute best young actors, playing the naively optimistic Catherine, whisked away to a world of cruelty and endless parties. Nicholas Hoult perfectly walks the tightrope between evil and doofus as her husband Peter, who rules Russia with an iron fist and an erect dick. But its magnificent supporting cast steals every scene, secretly revealing their true motives, emotions and kinks when the royals aren’t present.
Standout episodes: Pilot episode, “Moscow Mule,” “A Pox on Hope”

6. Mrs. America (Hulu)
Taking a fragmented approach to documenting the fight to certify the Equal Rights Amendment, Mrs. America gives us portraits of the women who risked their reputations, jobs and political capital for the causes they believed in. On opposite sides stood Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne) and Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett), who had to battle not only each other but also divisive factions in their own groups. It’s almost like we’ve learned nothing in 50 years.
Standout episodes: “Shirley,” “Bella,” “Houston”
What I Watched This Week: 20 Dec 2020
BINGEING
Black Mirror – Season 2 (A- average)
I’m including the stellar “White Christmas” here, which ups the season average. “Be Right Back” and “White Bear” represent the show at its pitch-black best, but “The Waldo Moment” was full of facile political satire that didn’t work.
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law – Season 2 (B+ average)
The animation is a lot smoother, but the jokes are more scattershot. Still, it’s incredibly amusing, especially when its got more bite. Stephen Colbert’s vocal performance as Phil Ben Sebben is among the very best.
What I Watched This Week: 13 Dec 2020
NEW SHOWS
The Mandalorian – “The Rescue” (A-) / season finale
A thrilling finale marred by self-indulgent fan service. Based on what happens, there should never be another episode. But God knows there will be, and I will probably watch.
BINGEING
Killing Eve – Season 3 (B+ average)
Is it a step down from the previous two seasons? Sure, but few shows are as stylish, funny and sexy. Another show that should end here, but I will probably get sucked right back into the next season.
What I Watched This Week: 6 Dec 2020
NEW SHOWS
The Mandalorian – “The Believer” (A)
I hope Bill Burr comes back for a death-defying mission every season.
BINGEING
Animaniacs – Season 1 (B+ average)
All my fears about this reboot disappeared as soon as they made a joke about urban decay in cities that host the Olympics. The show is just as funny, with just as much specific, weird and adult-aimed humor as the original run, but they’ve jettisoned all the side characters that never worked. I hope this runs for many more years.
How To with John Wilson – Season 1 (B+ average)
As delightful and weird as everyone said, with its finale one of the most touching and authentic pieces of art made during the pandemic.