COLOR THEORIES BY JULIO TORRES
Only the brilliant oddball behind Los Espookys and Problemista could have come up with something like this HBO special. Styled like a Dr. Seuss character and speaking in his signature deadpan, the comic delivers what begins as a whimsical exercise in synesthesia but becomes a cogent reflection on the systems guiding our nonsensical world. — ANGIE HAN
Credit Steven Conrad, committed to doing odd things in a too-safe medium, with the year’s best bait-and-switch. His HBO limited series lures us into a murder mystery/love triangle (Jason Bateman, David Harbour and Linda Cardellini, all in peak form), only to change into a dramedy about loneliness, male friendship and the perils of posing for Playgirl in your youth. — DANIEL FIENBERG
One could say Robert Carlock and Sam Means’ new NBC show is a rehash of the Carlock/Tina Fey 30 Rock formula, elevated by a perfect cast (Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, Erika Alexander) that adds heart to the story of a disgraced NFL star and documentarian both seeking redemption. Yup! It’s the best broadcast comedy since Abbott Elementary. — D.F.
Lisa McGee’s Netflix follow-up to Derry Girls is the funniest, most vicious and most mysterious crime comedy of the year so far. Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne anchor a top-notch ensemble as a trio of friends whose trip from Belfast to Ireland’s County Donegal for a funeral leads to unearthed secrets, hilarity and emotion. — D.F.
The HBO drama returned nastier and more ambitious than ever, ensnaring Myha’la’s ruthless antiheroine, Ken Leung’s toxic mentor and Marisa Abela’s cynical heiress in the web of funny money, shady politics and sexual exploitation. There are plenty of shows about the moral void of the rich, but none with so much fire in its belly, or ice in its veins. — A.H.
Writer Jack Thorne and director Marc Munden’s Netflix adaptation of William Golding’s novel is as harrowing and haunting as the source material demands, putting an astonishing cast of newcomers through a gorgeously photographed descent into marooned madness. Think The White Lotus without the comforting satiric streak. — D.F.
What do you get when you combine a struggling single mom, her unusual family and an alien-themed OnlyFans account? One of the year’s most pleasurable shows. Led by a radiant Elle Fanning and a richly nuanced Michelle Pfeiffer, David E. Kelley’s Apple dramedy delivers heart and humor while having its feet firmly planted in the real world of dirty diapers and unpaid bills. — A.H.
Sorry Bridgerton, BritBox has the year’s most irresistible Regency drama. The show sends Pride & Prejudice‘s resident frump (a charming Ella Bruccoleri) on a journey of self-discovery filled with kindly relatives, enormous books, lavish balls and, yes, eligible suitors. It’s smart, but not so smart that it can’t indulge in a bit of giggling and sighing. — A.H.
SHORESY SEASON 5
Jared Keeso’s Crave/Hulu hockey comedy started as a puerile Letterkenny spinoff but has evolved into a surprisingly mature, unexpectedly sweet meditation on decency, civic pride and holding on to the things that you love. It’s the Better Call Saul to Letterkenny‘s Breaking Bad. — D.F.
Come for the spooky lore, stay for the small-town humor. Or come for the goofy shenanigans, stay because the eerie fog won’t let you leave. Parks and Rec alum Katie Dippold’s delectable genre-bender features a sweaty Matthew Rhys, a salty Stephen Root and an exciting comedic breakout in Kate O’Flynn. Unlike so much TV, this Apple series feels like a true original. — A.H.
This story appeared in the June 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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