10. “The Plot Against America” (HBO)
A sobering alternate history that’s only become more frighteningly prescient as the year’s gone by, David Simon’s HBO adaptation of Philip Roth’s “The Plot Against America” was almost swallowed by the beginnings of the pandemic, but rapidly grew more essential as 2020’s Election Day drew nearer. Taking place in a reality where the United States never entered World War II due to the election of isolationist Charles Lindbergh (Ben Cole) – America slowly turning into a fascist regime at the behest of an aviator celebrity – the events of a once-great nation on the verge of collapse are seen through the eyes of a working-class Jewish family, sucked into a xenophobic relocation campaign spear-headed by Lindbergh supporting Rabbi, Lionel Bengelsdorf (John Turturro). Zoe Kazan gives one of the best performances of the year as the mother of the family, one scene taking place entirely from her side of a phone call, a frightened young child on the other end as a national crisis unfolds; it hits especially hard now. A period domestic drama acting as a treatise on the poisonous spread of authoritarian politics in today’s society, Simon’s latest project seethes with righteous pathos and contempt, urgently of the present moment. – AB
9. “The Great” (Hulu)
Hot off the award-season success for “The Favourite,” writer Tony McNamara brought a different kind of exploration of unchecked power to Hulu with this 10-episode beauty, which is most definitely not the kind of history lesson taught in school. Elle Fanning is wonderful as Catherine the Great in this very loose retelling of when she began her partnership with Peter III. Using much of the same lascivious charm he did in the Lanthimos film, Nicholas Hoult does the best work of his career, capturing the unchecked id of a man who has so much power that he doesn’t know where to begin. A subtle political commentary on what happens when idiots have no restrictions—parallels to recent administrations open to interpretation—“The Great” produced some of the biggest laughs and most unexpected storytelling of 2020. – BT
8. “The Good Lord Bird” (HBO)
Ethan Hawke is a force of nature in Showtime’s best program of 2020, a mini-series adaptation of the novel of the same name by James McBride. Hawke summons every fiber of fire and brimstone within him as the legendary John Brown, but this show’s creators are smart enough not to turn “The Good Lord Bird” into a one-person show. Joshua Caleb Johnson is excellent as a slave boy who escapes and joins Brown’s group of abolitionist soldiers. Simultaneously, the ensemble also includes great turns from Daveed Diggs, Wyatt Russell, Steve Zahn, Maya Hawke, and more. Far more than a mere history piece or even a modern examination of slavery, “The Good Lord Bird” balances so many tones with perfect execution. It’s part satire, part drama, part comedy, part Western, and part something entirely new. There was nothing like it on TV in 2020. There probably won’t be in 2021 either. – BT
7. “Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
Misha Green adapted the book of the same name by Matt Ruff, leading to one of the most genre-bending and ambitious shows of the year. Future superstar Jonathan Majors plays Atticus Freeman, who travels through the Jim Crow South to Chicago in search of his missing father Montrose, and discovers that the stories of H.P. Lovecraft may not have been entirely fictional. Blending American history with horror storytelling devices, this HBO show had some rocky chapters in its first season, but the peaks were much higher than the valleys were low. And even when it wasn’t always working, there was a sense that the ambition was laudable in a way that made this feel like nothing else on TV. It also revealed that stars Majors, Jurnee Smollett and Wunmi Mosaku should be in, well, everything. – BT
6. “Mrs. America” (FX)
In a strong year for the mini-series, this big-budget ensemble piece about the women’s rights movement’s history was one of the best. Ignore the claims that it paints too kind a picture of Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett), the most notable personality in the fight against the Equal Rights Amendment, and appreciate the razor-sharp writing and pitch-perfect ensemble. “Mrs. America” is way more than just a Schlafly biopic, expanding out to examine the entire political landscape and how it was transformed in the 1970s. Highlights of an incredible cast include Uzo Aduba as Shirley Chisholm, Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem, and Tracey Ullman as Betty Friedan. All of these excellent actresses chew up and spit out some of the most riveting dialogue of the year in this ambitious, sprawling production. – BT