Best of 2020: TV

What else does one do on Friday nights when all the public places are off-limits? Here is the list of 2020 TV shows which kept us company through the lockdowns.

“Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix

I May Destroy You

Above all other somewhat unsatisfactory descriptions such as “drama” or “comedy-drama”, this is a personal work. Michaela Coel creates a world that her lead character, Arabella, loses control over after she is raped, but one which she slowly regains her power of, step-by-step, as she processes her trauma. This is reflected in the structure of the show itself: Coel spins a story about perspective, often relying on plot twists or ambiguous sequences that make you rethink and interrogate the problematic nature of certain relationships or behaviours. Someone once told me that some time is needed to digest the brilliance of a work. “I May Destroy You” deserves as much deep introspection in years to come as Coel put into her own experience, which allowed her to shape this masterpiece.

Kirese Narinesingh

Little America

Created by the comedy genius behind “The Big Sick” Kumail Nanjiani, “Little America” is a hidden gem in Apple TV’s humble catalogue. The series is an anthology of stories from immigrants in the United States, inspired by true stories originally featured in Epic Magazine. Each episode has its own tale of struggle, triumph, family, separation, sacrifice, and love, thus becoming, in the words of the creators, 'a small, collective portrait of America’s immigrants — and thereby a portrait of America itself.' It is funny, inspiring, at times devastating, but always beautifully told. From a Nigerian man finding his identity in cowboy culture to a gay man from Syria seeking freedom to be himself, “Little America” tells real stories of real people in a humanising and insightful way, highlighting that while millions of immigrants like these have ended up in the same place, no two have the same journey.

Miyin Delgado Karl

High Fidelity

Starring the effortlessly cool Zoë Kravitz as the main character, “High Fidelity” is the rare reboot that feels refreshing and exciting. Rob (Kravitz) is a twentysomething record store owner who lives in Brooklyn and has a knack for list-making. The show captures her reflecting on her five ‘desert island, most memorable break-ups’ and getting in touch with her respective exes as a means of self-discovery. Kravitz’s performance is mesmerising – whether she’s sulkily ambling through the streets of New York whilst listening to “I Don’t Know” by the Beastie Boys or lecturing her date on why “Tusk” is the best Fleetwood Mac album, there is a distinct ease in the way she seamlessly navigates a wide array of emotions.

Over the course of the ten episodes, Rob lets you in her corner of the world. As she speaks directly into the camera, explaining to the viewer the inner machinations of her mind, you thus get to find out more about her friends, Cherise (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and Simon (David H. Holmes), her past lovers, and her favourite bands. It’s a very alluring world, one you’ll definitely get attached to, which will make the news that Hulu gave this series the axe truly upsetting.

Oana Gavriloiu

Tiger King

Released in March this year, Netflix special “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” was a natural first choice for many looking for a box set when the first lockdown set in. “Tiger King”, as it became known, is a true crime docuseries that plunges us into the small but interconnected world of America's big cat owners. At the focal point is one “Joe Exotic”, a homosexual, gun-toting meth addict who, at the start of the series, we learn is alleged to have arranged a murder-for-hire plot against rival zookeeper and arch-nemesis Carole Baskin - a suspicious figure herself. 

The show follows Exotic over the highly dramatic years leading up to his conviction. The start feels a bit directionless but you're soon hooked by the sheer absurdity of it all. There are shocks and surprises around every corner - arson attacks, suicide, three-way marriages and missing persons. When the zoo’s finances enter dire straits, does Joe Exotic sell assets and make cutbacks? No - he runs for President of the United States in the 2016 election. All the while, his feud with Baskin intensifies through endless legal battles, defamatory videos and even a crooning country music diss track, until he ultimately goes a step too far. The series ends on a sad note as Exotic is betrayed by those in his inner circle and loses his war against the ever-questionable Carole Baskin. Yet, the eccentricity of this crime mystery narrative - set in the outer fringes of America’s society - is a story you have to see to believe.

Matt Cross

Normal People

Robert Bresson once professed that he would rather people feel a film before understanding it. Now, although “Normal People” – based on Sally Rooney’s novel of the same name – is a miniseries stretching 12 episodes, and evidently not a film, it fulfils Bresson’s desire profoundly: it makes one feel. Deservingly Emmy-nominated and starring breakout star Paul Mescal as Connell and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Marianne, “Normal People” is a heartbreakingly beautiful and visually visceral miniseries that shows the power, passion and fragility of young and indeed true love in a quintessentially modern Irish setting. Depicting the lives of the main characters as they navigate their lives from late-teens to early twenties, the show is a sexy yet poignant coming-of-age story with chemistry so piercing between the two leads that it leaves almost everyone torn apart by the very real tumults in the characters’ relationship and craving for a fairytale-like drama. Alas, what makes the show frankly quite unforgettable, much like Connell’s chain – which caused its fair share of pandemonium – is its raw and genuine representation of the vulnerabilities and nuances of human connection. The truth is, “Normal People” is a rare gem. It manages to put on screen the notion we often fail to fully realise: emotions are meant to be felt, neither understood nor always articulated. Additionally, having been laced with a highly complementary background score and intimate cinematography, the show is tastefully made yet emotionally shattering in the best way. So ultimately, it is a must-watch whether or not one has read Rooney’s novel; a show that will remain with us dearly and one we can find ourselves returning to probably more than once.

Shayeza Walid

The Queen’s Gambit

Based on the 1983 book written by Walter Tevis, “The Queen’s Gambit” was Netflix’s most-watched, scripted, limited series of all time. The seven-episode drama miniseries gives life to the story of a woman who discovers the game of chess in her orphanage after experiencing her mother’s tragic death. The viewers become hooked on her story, fall in love with the art of chess and follow Beth Harmon, the protagonist, through her rise in the chess world. The directors, Allan Scott and Scott Frank, manage to drive the audience into becoming enchanted by Anya Taylor-Joy, the 64-square prodigy, by depicting her addictions, traumas, and talents. We watch Beth’s efforts to make it in the male-dominated world of ‘60s chess, highlighting the difficulty for a woman to balance being competitive in a world that expects subordination from her. The series is a must-watch, as Beth oscillates between genius and madness.

Irene Mavrantonaki

The Crown (Season 4)

The November release of Season 4 of “The Crown” made lockdown enjoyable as we watched the unique style of Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) combined with the adventures of the “Iron Lady”, Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson). This season spans from 1979, starting with the election of Britain’s first female Prime Minister, until 1990, covering the tension that began to rise in the marriage of the heir to the throne. As we watch the cast develop, the series once again takes us all around Britain to beautiful locations, showcasing unique costumes which manage to perfectly depict the style of each member of the Royal Family. However, under all the glitter and luxury, we see the darker side of the Royal Family, the sacrifices in the name of duty, the lack of parental affection, and the resistance to outsiders. Society views Diana as an ornament, applauding her for every “proper” behavior and following the rules, which drives her mad. The series successfully sheds light on her eating disorder and her struggles during her marriage, but also on the inability of the royals to identify them and offer help. Anderson imitates Thatcher’s style and mannerisms, sketching the difficulty she faces being a female Prime Minister in a man’s world and receiving harsh criticism. Season 4 ends with a scared Diana, a broken family and leaves us hungry for more.

Irene Mavrantonaki

Hollywood

2020 was quite the year for Ryan Murphy. From the political drama “The Politician” and the horror-infused “Ratched,” to the Netflix adaptation of an LGBTQ+ equality musical, he’s done it all. However, the seven-episode miniseries, “Hollywood”, stole the show. The glamour, extravagance, and OTT-ness of the setting of the show, juxtaposed perfectly with the hunger for success, hopelessness and injustice faced by some characters is an intriguing, if not entirely accurate representation of Hollywood back in the 50s.  “Hollywood” is not just your archetypical rags-to-riches story. Its representation of Hollywood’s opposition to inclusivity raises issues of racial discrimination and sexual harassment. The show commits to showing Hollywood in all its true camp spirit, and, refreshingly, steers clear of changing the narrative. The true appeal of “Hollywood” lies in its historical details and lusty period cosplay. The cast of the show makes the alt-history even more enjoyable. Patti LuPone’s ‘Studio Exec’s Wife’, David Corenswet’s ‘Gigolo-turned-Actor’, and Jim Parsons’ ‘Cynical Closeted Producer’ add fancifulness, as if the show needed any more. Definitely unique, and a must-watch.

Nandini Agarwal