12. High Potential (season 2) – Apparently, this is the most successful network TV series in decades, and I can see why. It’s a procedural built around a standard cop show trope – i.e., person with a special ability, in this case a high IQ, helps the police solve crimes – that stars the exceptionally non-standard, always compelling Kaitlin Olson as the high potential/super smart individual. The rest of the cast is also very good, and the writing, thankfully, has advanced well beyond the growing pains-stage, where everyone’s exasperated by/doubtful of Olson’s character’s prowess.

11. The Diplomat (season 3) – This Aaron Sorkinesque (with a lot more swearing) political soap opera is, at its core, a remarkably honest exploration of complex interpersonal relationships.

10. The Survivors – I usually stay away from so-called (by me) misery porn. As such, had I known beforehand just what I was getting into with The Survivors – an Australian series about a long-grieving family and community that’ve both been torn apart by a fifteen-year-old tragedy – I probably would have passed on it. Thankfully, this didn’t happen, as I would have missed out on this well-acted, intriguingly scripted, albeit very, very sad, show.

9. Boots – My above-mentioned general eschewing of overly grim fare usually includes an avoidance of bully-based stories, too. Again, though, I made an exception with Boots, which follows a closeted marine recruit through boot camp in 1990 (just prior to the don’t-ask-don’t-tell era). I rationalized my decision by the fact that the intense, difficult-to-watch torment is spread around, rather than being focused on only one hapless individual (the main character does, however, receive more than his fair share), thereby making it somewhat easier to stomach. Not that I really needed a reason to justify watching this, anyway, as the show is terrific.

8. All Her Fault – Succession’s Sara Snook stars in this twisty, incredibly enjoyable thriller that had me hooked from its first scene, which sees Snook’s character knock on a door with the intention of retrieving her son, who’s supposedly on a play date, only to be told by the strange woman who answers that Snook’s son is not, and never has been, there.

7.Platonic (season 2) – As fans of Spy and Bridesmaids are well-aware, Rose Byrne is one of the all-time great comedic actresses, and she’s easily Platonic’s MVP.

6. English Teacher (season 2) – This (sadly) now-cancelled sit-com is easily one of the funniest shows I’ve ever watched. Every character, main and/or supporting and/or bit/guest part, is mined for maximum hilarity.

5. Slow Horses (season 5) – It’s always a pleasure watching Garry Oldman’s Jackson Lamb and the losers and cast-offs of Slough House muddle their way to victory. This season of Slow Horses was one of my favourites, thanks in large part to its Roddy-centric storyline.

4. Reacher (season 3) – This latest season of Reacher was, to my immense delight, the Reacheriest one yet.

3. Pluribus – The secret to making a good mystery box show is to not make the reveal of whatever’s in the box the most important thing. Wisely, Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan exposes a big chunk of what’s in his intriguing, super high-concept box of mystery early on, or, at least, he shows us enough so that the show isn’t solely about Rhea Seehorn’s main character trying to figure out what’s actually going on, but is, instead, more about her attempts to deal with her newfound situation/predicament.

2. Adolescence – Unlike with The Survivors, I went into Adolescence with my eyes fully open. I knew this show about a 13-year-old boy who’s been accused of murdering a classmate was going to be a grim watch. And it definitely was. It was also, because of its exceptional acting, writing, and directing (every one of the four episodes is presented in a single real-time, unbroken take), essential viewing.

1. Andor (season 2) – To look upon Star Wars and all that it’s begat is to behold the full spectrum of humanity’s creative capabilities, for it encompasses everything from The Star Wars Holiday Special, arguably the worst show to ever air on TV, to Andor, one of the greatest works of moving image-based narrative fiction ever made.