Something You Said’s top TV shows of 2017
There has been some great TV this year. Here are our top ten shows, as voted for by our team of contributors:
1. STRANGER THINGS
In what was was probably the most anticipated TV event of the year, we rejoined the citizens of Hawkins, who were dealing with the fallout of the demagorgon and trying to work out what the heck was going on in that very shady lab. While some say it’s not a patch on the first series, Stranger Things 2 is still 80s throwback horror sci-fi of the highest order. In many ways more of the same, but when the same is this good, why change it? Neil Martin/Bobby Townsend
2. OZARK
Jason Bateman is wonderful in this incredibly tense and unpredictable crime thriller. He is supported ably by an excellent ensemble cast including some particularly fine young actors. Neil Martin
3. BETTER CALL SAUL
Saul and Chuck’s personal battle was immense, while Kim remains the show’s beating heart. And as for Mike, well, Mike is as awesome as ever. Bobby Townsend
4. THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF
In equal parts the most pleasant, gentle show on TV and the most stressful 75 minutes of the week. And we’re still gutted about Liam, to be honest. Jayne Cheeseman
5. BOJACK HORSEMAN
The last two episodes of this excellent season were like nothing I have ever seen. An astonishing study of depression. Absolutely incredible. Bobby Townsend
6. THE HANDMAID’S TALE
The Handmaid’s Tale was easily the highlight of my year across the screens because of the eerily relevant timing in regards to issues surrounding women. 2017 has been a year of eye-opening realities and reflection on the truth behind some of the world’s most affluent women’s lives (#metoo campaign), and with that a rise of support to women’s causes. This series is timeless in theory – women are either used like breeding stock or are paraded around like trophies. The series is often at times dark and depressing, but it’s the small pockets of uprise and hope that make it loveable, relatable and exciting. Melissa Barrass
6. PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING
The Kurupt FM posse, led by the garage version of David Brent, MC Grindah, had some rivals to fend off in this series, while Beats was grappling with fatherhood. Bobby Townsend
7. DETECTORISTS
The fact that this is the loveliest show on telly shouldn’t detract from the fact that it’s also incredibly sharply written. Half an hour in the company of these characters once a week made the world seem like a nice place and, in 2017, that was really important. Jayne Cheeseman
8. AMERICAN VANDAL
It’s a brilliant modern social satire centred around the mystery of ‘who did the dicks?’. Peter Watts
9. MAN DOWN
The fourth outing of this bonkers sitcom saw Dan dealing with fatherhood in his own special way. Shout-out to friends of Something You Said: Isy Suttie, for her excellent performance as Dan’s Twix-delivering chum and Jo Neary for her barking mad turn towards the end of the series. Bobby Townsend
10. PREACHER
It’s not big and it’s not clever. It is outrageous, blasphemous, funny and incredibly violent. It is the most irreverent fun you can have watching TV. AMC’s adaptation of Garth Ennis cult classic 90s comic Preacher is incredible. I say that as a huge fan of the comic when it was originally released and someone who has been waiting 20 years for various failed adaptations. Having said that I watch it with someone who has no idea about the original comics and who loves it as much, if not more, than me. So if you want to see an drug addicted alcoholic Irish vampire, a one eyed cult leader with a penchant for brutal violence and even more brutal sex, a man with voice of God, suicidal angels and the descendant of Jesus as an inbred imbecile, then Preacher might just be for you. Neil Martin
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