admin We are a little past the half-way mark in 2023, and peak TV shows no sign of slowing down. If anything, the roster of high-profile, high-production-value, megawatt-star shows feels more packed than ever—and some of the most culture-defining moments of the year have taken place on the small screen. (Look no farther than Succession’s utter domination of the Emmys to see just what an overwhelming cultural impact that show has had.)
And yet, we’re definitely at an inflection point, with the Writers Guild of America on strike and the Screen Actors Guild—which represents more than 160,000 performers—joining them. What all this will mean for fall movies, fall festivals and … our televisions (or laptops or smartphones) is a bit unclear. Will things be pushed? Canceled outright? Fortunately 2023 has already offered plenty. Take the opportunity to catch up with our list of the best tv shows of 2023 so far.
When it came to adapting The Last of Us, HBO had something of a conundrum on its hands. Based on a beloved video game that has sold an eye-popping 37 million copies, it came with a built-in fan base who made it clear from the first announcement onward that they were expecting it to hew as closely to the source material as possible; for those unfamiliar with the game or with a certain level of snobbery around video games, it also had to make the case that the medium could serve as a launchpad for gripping television. They needn’t have worried: The show generated the kind of watercooler conversation that is HBO’s hallmark, with the powerfully understated performances of its two leads, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, earning particular praise. The network earned another hit—and deservedly so. —Liam Hess
