Top Ten TV Shows 2016

It's that time of year again when everybody likes to put everything into lists! And while I'm desperately catching up on as many 2016 films that working in a toy store in December will let me, for now here is my top ten favourite TV shows of 2016. Read on and enjoy.

10. Black Mirror (Season 3)

After a long wait Black Mirror is back and now on one of the best content creators out there; Netflix. The show got a bit more American-ised this year but that didn't stop it from doing what it does best; telling great creepy stories about the dangers and ethics of technology. Every episode is worth the watch.

9. Transparent (Season 3)

This show has been at the top of my list for the last couple years but having it at number nine does not mean this show took a bad turn, but instead highlights the quality of shows we got this year. Now yes, this wasn't my favourite season but it was still able to keep me hooked on the emotional journeys of its well developed characters, and of course brought a few tears to my eyes along the way.

8. Preacher (Season 1) 

I fell in love with the weird and wonderful nature of this show. I'd never read the comic so I didn't really know what to expect from this show. It was really creative with it's approach, darkly funny and featured some of my favourite moments and lines of the year. I can't wait to see what they do next in this world they've created.

7. Togetherness (Season 2)

It was a sad year for Togetherness as the show was cancelled on HBO. Why didn't you watch this one people!? It was brilliant, a great drama with great relationships and some exceptional performances from its leads. Its send off was bitter sweet but didn't leave any threads hanging, it was almost as if the Duplass brothers knew this was the end. Catch up with it if you can.

6. Orange is the New Black (Season 4)

After last season left a lot to be desired, this year it really felt like Orange is the New Black was back. This was possibly even it's best season yet, with many interesting story lines and lots of emotional heartbreak along the way. More of this please. 

5. Game of Thrones (Season 6)

Every year I fear that Game of Thrones might have run its course and have bad season. This year they proved me wrong yet again with one of their best yet. They really know how to make quality shows over at HBO and considering this is very much taking a detour from the books now, its good to see it standing on its own two feet and presenting some of the best TV of the year.

4. Westworld (Season 1)

What's HBO without Game of Thrones I hear you ask? Well HBO is now also this. One of the only shows to increase its audiences every week. That takes some doing. Westworld is one of the best new TV shows of the year and man oh man is it good. So good that it feels like a part of TV pop culture history all ready. By the end of episode one it was the watercooler show of the year with anybody and everybody giving their two cents about what on earth was going on. This is seriously good TV people, if you haven't seen it you're a fool.

3. House of Cards (Season 4)

This was Beau Willimon's final season as showrunner and what a send off it was. For me this show has gotten better and better every season and this did not halt that feeling. There are so many great moments and scenes woven into an exciting and intriguing story that it really felt like a bit of a conclusion this time round. If this was the end I wouldn't be sad but I still can't wait to see what happens to the Underwood's next, even if they now kind of pale in crazy to the current president elect.

2. Stranger Things (Season 1)

I did not see this one coming. Everybody started raving about this one and I knew I had to watch it. Believe the hype, this one is good, really good. I may not have grown up in the 80's but I have a lot of love for films from that era, I grew up on a lot of them, so my nostalgia was pretty high still when watching this. It's not all nostalgia though, a creative and intriguing story is the heart of this show, it's so good that I don't want them to make a second season in fear that they tarnish the first. Fingers crossed they carry on the top notch quality storytelling.

1. Halt and Catch Fire (Season 3)

I think I may have mentioned this in a previous blog but, who thought the history of computing would make a good TV show drama? Halt and Catch Fire has only gotten better each season and boy oh boy was it good this year, so good in fact that I think it was the best show on TV. They've really developed these characters into interesting and layered people, I tuned in every week just to watch them interact with each other. I can really not fault this show, every episode was outstanding and it ended so strong that it could have been the final episode ever and I would have been more than satisfied. Thankfully though, we've still got more of this great TV show to come. Every actor on this show should be working more. I didn't expect this one at the start of the year to top my list but it really was that good! Start watching it now!

What were your favourite shows of the year? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!