2016 was a good year for TV shows. Nay, 2016 was a great year for TV shows. With less than a week left before we bid adieu to the year, there is no better time to take a look back at some of the amazing shows that made 2016 great.
January – March
2016 kicked off with the much awaited return of Sherlock in The Abominable Bride on January 1st which put the show’s cast in the classic setting of Victorian London which set up the show’s fourth season in an interesting way.
One of pop-culture’s most significant shows, The X-Files, got a revived tenth season that got mixed reception from the viewers. Marvel’s Agent Carter too returned for a subpar second season and was cancelled soon afterwards.
Three of 2016’s most anticipated made their premiere in February. 11.22.63, based on a Stephen King book, told the story of a man who travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. The Night Manager, directed by Susan Bier, was a British espionage drama starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie. While both these shows were received positively, Martin Scorsese’s period drama about the music-industry, titled Vinyl, failed to be successful enough to score a second season. Better Call Saul ‘s sophomore year turned out to be better than season one as the show became more engaging and started connecting itself more to its parent, Breaking Bad.
Marvel’s Daredevil returned for a second season in March which turned out best thing to have happened to the superhero genre on TV. Hulu’s new drama about a religious cult, The Path was fuelled by great performances from Aaron Paul, Hugh Dance, and Michelle Monaghan, and offered something fresh to the viewers while FX’s The Americans returned with yet another critically acclaimed season on TV.
April – June
Game of Thrones’s sixth season was well worth the wait for fans, especially considering the slight quality-dip in season five, as the season featured some of the most goosebump inducing moments in the show while “Battle of the Bastards” became one of TV’s grandest episodes ever. HBO’s comedies Veep and Silicon Valley returned with seasons which were once again received with critical acclaim despite the latter’s inability to keep up its plot’s 
strength and the jokes getting repetitive.
Person of Interest’s fifth and final season which aired in May was an emotional and action packed experience that neatly tied up all of the show’s loose ends and concluded with a finale on which fans had divisive opinions. AMC’s Preacher made its debut in May. Featuring a bizarre plot about the off-spring of an angel and demon, with some equally bizarre moments, dark humor, and interesting characters, the show was a fresh addition to the genre and has been renewed for a second season.
However, AMC’s other new show, Feed the Beast, a crime drama starring David Schwimmer and Jim Sturgess failed to impress and got cancelled later. Netflix’s Orange is the New Black returned with its fourth season and got excellent reception from critics and viewers alike. The fourth season of Showtime’s Ray Donovan also received positive reactions from the audience.
July – September
TV series lovers will always remember July 2016 fondly for Netflix’s Stranger Things and HBO’s The Night Of. Set in the 80s, Stranger Things was a nostalgic and suspenseful story about the disappearance of a young boy and his friends’ for him that paid homage to everything that made the 80s and 90s special. The Night Of was a character driven drama about the investigation into a girl’s murder that simultaneously explored many social issues in America. Both shows were received immensely positive by viewers. One of 2015’s biggest hits, Mr.Robot, returned with a second season that was bigger and better than its precursor.
Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman took on the role of Queen Victoria in the British series titled Victoria created by Sara Goodwin. Though it did not create the impact The Crown did, the show received favorable reviews and has been renewed for a second season. Halt and Catch Fire, AMC’s period drama about the IT industry’s rise, delivered its best run this year in its third season that explored the growth of the Web and contained one of Lee Pace’s best performances. Although BazLuhrmann’s The Get Down lacked an enticing plot, it managed to thoroughly entertain the viewer with its characters and abundance of 70s hip-hop music.
FX’s Atlanta starring Donald Glover and NBC’s This is Us have been hailed as the year’s best new comedy-dramas. The former was about two cousins trying to make a rap career and the latter told the story of a bunch of people having the same birthday. Marvel’s Luke Cagewhich released on Netflix in September, while good, was unsuccessful in living up to the bar set by Netflix and Marvel’s previous collaborations. The Fall season also premiered in September and many fan favorite showsreturned with new seasons with a bunch of new shows.
October – December
The biggest and most anticipated show of 2016 was, of course, HBO’s Westworld. Featuring a stellar cast, a mind-
bending plot, and lavish visuals, Westworld was easily one of the year’s top three shows and has been renewed for a second season set to air in 2018. The Walking Dead’s seventh season premiered in October with a gory and shocking resolution to the “Negan cliffhanger” but was followed by episodes that were slow and uneventful.
The Crown, a biographical drama based on the early life of Queen Elizabeth II was yet another win for Netflix. The show was packed with a compelling narrative, brilliant performance from the cast, and a cinematography worthy of the show’s grandeur. The year had much to offer in December as well. Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle’s second season is now available to watch. Netflix’s The OA which premiered a week ago says the emotional and
mysterious story of a blind girl who goes missing and returns with her sight restored. 2016 will serve its final treat to viewers on Christmas day when Doctor Who’s Christmas special airs on TV, setting up the much anticipated season ten.
Thus, 2016 was undoubtedly a very satisfying year for people who love TV series. Looking back at all the amazing shows the year had to offer, one can only hope 2017 will be just as rewarding. And looking at some of the shows that are set to come out in the first quarter of the new year, there is every chance it will be!
Tags: shows of 2016 top 10 television shows
