Looking back on the landscape of television this past season, I continue to be impressed by the medium's ability to surprise me. As you'll see in my Top 10 list below, my faves ranged from music concerts, to lavish costume dramas, to provocative sci-fi and everything in between. Among this eclectic bunch, it's worth repeating that women-centric programming had a standout year, with the majority of these shows featuring a female lead - and in some cases, multiple female leads.
Much credit for this welcome sea change from the brooding male antihero of years past goes to Netflix and HBO. Indeed, these premium content providers landed 4 and 3 shows each on my list, including such actressy delights as "The Crown", "Orange is the New Black" and "Big Little Lies". Meanwhile, "Transparent" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Feud: Bette and Joan" ensured representation for Amazon, FX and FXX. And though there were no network shows that made the cut, they also played a major role in offering quality programming for all audiences. In short, it's a great time to be a TV fan.
Here are my Top 10 Programs of the 2016-2017 TV Season:
- Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids (Netflix)
- Black Mirror: San Junipero (Netflix)
- Transparent (Amazon)
- The Crown (Netflix)
- The Leftovers (HBO)
- The Night Of (HBO)
- Big Little Lies (HBO)
- Orange Is The New Black (Netflix)
- It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FXX)
- FEUD: Bette and Joan (FX)
