The year 2023 was a strange and challenging one for the television industry. The looming finales of critical darlings like Succession, Barry, and Ted Lasso, coupled with reports of a new era of cost-cutting and show-purging from streamers once flush with seemingly limitless budgets, prompted much hand-wringing over the end of Peak TV in exchange for a flood of algorithm-informed chum, shameless IP plays, and hastily thrown-together true-crime dreck ripped straight from the latest gory headlines. The effects of the dual strikes have been felt these past few months—and will continue to be felt heading into 2024—as release dates get pushed back and our sudden streaming-queue gaps get filled with more reality television, documentaries, and overseas productions.
We have yet to feel the full effects of the double strikes that shut down Hollywood for a good portion of this year, and whether it was because we were paying more attention to things or because it was an unusually good year, television felt especially robust in 2023. Across genres and formats, TV shows repeatedly exceeded our expectations, and when our old favorites made their inevitable final bow, new gems stepped into their place. Many wondered, after the end of Succession, if there would ever be a show that held our collective attention so intently. What we saw instead was an eclectic mix that matches a variety of tastes, from stress-laden half-hour cooking dramas to animated series that pushed the boundaries of the medium. Plus one outstanding video game adaptation and a show where a guy had no idea the trial he was involved in was completely fake. He was a good sport about it, though.
It’s funny—ever since I started here at Paste in 2019, beginning an article with a line about the dire state of the world has felt like an apt introduction. Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed at all in 2023—genocide, climate change, the pandemic, the unrelenting grind of capitalism, and so much more have left those of us who’re still here feeling pretty worn down. At the very least, we deserve a few laughs to get us through the darkness, so we’ve combed through the incomprehensible number of programs to watch on way too many streaming platforms to select the 20 funniest TV shows of 2023.
In conclusion, 2023 was a tumultuous, surprising, and robust year for the television industry. Despite the strikes and challenges, new TV gems stepped into the limelight, offering a diverse mix of shows that captivated audiences across the globe. As the industry heads into 2024, it is clear that the landscape of television is ever-changing, and viewers can expect more exciting developments in the year ahead.
