Here are the 25 series from 2023 that received the highest scores on Metacritic (the largest aggregator site that collects reviews for movies, games, and series). This is not the usual trend; rather, it is a cross-section that demonstrates the preferences of critics as a whole, rather than individuals.
How we've grouped data:
- releases are placed from top to bottom, from highest to lowest, and in alphabetical order;
- the data is current as of early January 2024. With more reviews, the layout may change;
- only series with at least 5 reviews are taken into account. The only exception was the anime “Pluto”, which currently has 4 reviews;
- we also recommend that you read the best series of 2022.
Reservation Dogs — 94 points (Hulu / 3 season)
Genre: comedy
What is remarkable: teenagers, surrounded by motley people, are trying to find entertainment on an Indian reservation and commit minor offenses to do so.
Somebody Somewhere — 93 points (HBO / 2 season)
Genre: drama, comedy
What is remarkable: deep down, a lively Kansas woman finds herself a fragile and vulnerable person who is acutely experiencing an identity crisis and the loss of her sister.
Happy Valley — 93 points (Acorn TV / 3 season)
Genre: thriller, drama, crime
What is remarkable: a police officer from a British province faces a crime that may be related to her daughter's long-standing suicide.
The Bear — 92 points (Hulu / 2 season)
Genre: drama, comedy
What is remarkable: a young and talented chef returns to his native Chicago to take control of a family eatery (read our text).
Succession — 92 points (HBO / 4 season)
Genre: drama
What is remarkable: after the head of a media corporation “retires”, a fierce struggle for the vacant throne begins among his heirs.
How to With John Wilson — 92 points (Max / 3 season)
Genre: documentary, comedy
What is remarkable: a series of training videos about the most trivial things opens up the vibrant and unique world of New York to their author.
Barry — 90 points (HBO / 4 season)
Genre: action, drama, comedy
What is remarkable: a misfit hit man who has found a new calling in acting is desperate to put his annoying past behind him (read our text).
The Great — 88 points (Hulu / 3 season)
Genre: comedy, history
What is remarkable: Russia's ignorant emperor is in danger when his wife decides to take the reins and build a great country.
Rain Dogs — 88 points (HBO / 1 season)
Genre: drama
What is remarkable: the intricate relationship between a hardworking single mother and a rich man with non-traditional sexual orientations.
Star Wars: Visions — 88 points (Disney+ / 2 season)
Genre: anime, sci-fi, action
What is remarkable: a collection of animated short films set in the Star Wars universe.
Planet Earth 3 — 88 points (BBC America / mini-series)
Genre: documentary
What is remarkable: a journey through remote but extremely beautiful corners of the Earth.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — 88 points (Paramount+ / 2 season)
Genre: science fiction, adventure
What is remarkable: the adventures of Captain Pike and Officer Spock, which are not yet legendary, take place ten years before the events of the original series.
Blue Eye Samurai — 88 points (Netflix / 1 season)
Genre: anime, action, thriller
What is remarkable: the blade master hides under someone else's guise to one day take the long-awaited revenge.
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland — 87 points (PBS / mini-series)
Genre: documentary
What is remarkable: a story about the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland, during which the IRA, one of the largest terrorist organizations in modern Europe, was active.
Archer — 87 points (FX / 14 season)
Genre: animation, action, comedy
What is remarkable: another adventure of a famous spy and his crazy agency.
Schmigadoon! — 87 points (Apple TV+ / 2 season)
Genre: musical, comedy, romance
What is remarkable: a couple experiencing family problems finds themselves in a magical world, the only way out of which is to sort out the relationship. The second season is based on the musical Chicago.
The Other Two — 86 points (Max / 3 season)
Genre: comedy
What is remarkable: a 14-year-old boy becomes a pop star. Now his clueless brother and sister must stand on their feet before they are depressed from living in the shadows.
Top Boy — 86 points (Netflix / 5 season)
Genre: thriller, drama
What is remarkable: the misadventures of petty London bandits who suffer not so much from the inhospitable underworld as from the injuries caused to them by their loved ones.
Beef — 86 points (Netflix / 1 season)
Genre: comedy
What is remarkable: due to a traffic accident, two heroes plunge into a violent conflict that reveals their dark sides.
Pluto — 86 points (Netflix / mini-series)
Genre: anime, sci-fi, action
What is remarkable: In the near future, a detective is trying to find a robot that kills people. The events take place in the universe of the iconic Astroboy manga.
Dreaming Whilst Black — 85 points (Showtime / 1 season)
Genre: comedy
What is remarkable: a young guy who dreams of becoming a film director, but stuck at a lousy job, suddenly gets a chance to make his dream come true.
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York — 85 points (Max / mini-series)
Genre: documentary, crime
What is remarkable: the story of serial killer Richard Rogers, which focuses not on the crimes themselves, but on who the victims were.
I'm a Virgo — 85 points (Prime Video / 1 season)
Genre: comedy, drama
What is remarkable: a 4-meter-tall teenager gets out of home confinement to make up for the missed joys of growing up.
Slow Horses — 85 points (Apple TV+ / 3 season)
Genre: thriller, drama
What is remarkable: after a series of monstrous mistakes, a group of MI-5 agents are demoted to office work, which its quick-tempered leader really doesn't like.
What We Do in the Shadows — 85 points (FX / 5 season)
Genre: comedy
What is remarkable: good-luck vampires are unsuccessfully terrorizing the streets of New York and competing with various monsters for a place under the moon.
See you next year!
