The Best T.V. Shows of 2020

Cindy Dai

December 17, 2020

Before quarantine and lockdowns, binge-watching a TV show always felt like a guilty pleasure. Although satisfying, following through with a series is very time consuming. As I moved back home and transitioned into distance learning, I gained new free time and could explore many new TV shows. Below are my top four favorites of 2020, in order.

1. The Queen’s Gambit – Drama

This show’s pilot had me immediately hooked. Adapted from Walter Tevis’s novel, the story follows Elizabeth Harmon’s journey to becoming a world-class chess player. After losing her mother at a young age, she was sent to the Methuen Orphanage, where, through games with the janitor, she discovered her chess talents. The show is refreshing and engaging because the main character does not win every match she plays. Besides the intriguing storyline, the aesthetics of the show are also captivating, so from costume design to the soundtrack, everything worked together to complement the plot.

2. The Great British Baking Show – Baking / Culinary 

This is my go-to show when I am exhausted from a long day of thinking. It’s an easy pastime that does not demand undivided attention. Every season starts with twelve bakers, and in each episode, the bakers face three challenges: a signature bake, a technical challenge, and a show-stopper. Based on performance, one baker will be chosen as the star baker and one will be asked to leave. After ten episodes, the last remaining baker will be crowned as the winner. It’s the perfect show to binge because there are eight seasons, and each with ten episodes! While each season repeats the same “plot,” the unexpected events and cooking accidents during the challenges keep the show interesting and exciting. 

3. Season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy – Drama

During the 2020 spring semester, I binge-watched all sixteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy in a month. I absolutely loved the show, which revolves around surgeon Meredith Grey and her associates. With so many episodes, the show perfectly documents the development of each character. Throughout the show, there are many plot twists and unexpected events so it’s definitely worth anticipating where the end of this season takes the characters. In light of 2020, Season 17 depicts hospitals struggling with the global coronavirus pandemic. The dramatic alteration of setting changes things for the characters, and the show also makes a commendable effort to portray the fear and exhaustion many healthcare professionals are feeling in the midst of these unprecedented times.

4. In/Spectre – Anime

Although it begins at a slow pace, this show’s secrets and suspense pushed me to keep watching. I find the overall concept captivating and unique: In/Spectre is all about the main characters’ adventures while solving mysteries. The characters themselves have special abilities. Kuro, the male protagonist, is immortal, and he also gains a chance to alter the future in his favor every time he revives from “death.” Kotoko, the female protagonist and goddess of wisdom, possesses incredible deductive abilities and can easily manipulate others. With their special powers, the two don’t just chase regular mysteries: the cases they handle revolve around urban legends and ghosts. In many ways, this show is reminiscent of the 2005 TV series, Supernatural, and I recommend it to anyone who loves mystery or suspense.