One of the best parts of the year’s end is the time spent reflecting on everything that’s happened in the past 12 months: the memories made, goals accomplished, challenges overcome, and simple moments of joy cherished.
When taking stock of everything that filled our year, it can also be fun to recount the songs we loved, the movies we saw, and the TV shows we watched — the cultural highlights that not only helped color our days, but that also defined a specific moment in time.
As streaming services and platforms proliferate, so too do the content offerings. In 2023, there were standout shows all over the place: Succession and The Last of Us were massively successful for HBO; Apple TV+ had an unexpected hit with Hijack, and Jury Duty nearly faded into obscurity on Amazon Freevee before TikTok found it and made it a surprise smash hit.
There was plenty of great TV in 2023, and this selection of quotes highlights the best of the best.
People take that word for granted; they don’t realize just how heavy a word it is.“Resolution.” “Resolve.” Means being unwavering, determined, a firm commitment to do something or not to do something. And most people go their whole … lives without one minute of true resolution.Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) in "The Fall of the House of Usher"
The latest Netflix miniseries from Mike Flanagan, creator of the smash hit The Haunting of Hill House, keeps the director’s gory sensibilities but gives the Edgar Allan Poe-inspired material a campier edge.
The family drama is anchored by Roderick Usher, the CEO of a corrupt pharmaceutical company. After all six of his children die mysteriously in close succession, the Usher family dynasty is thrown into chaos — and then things take an even darker turn.
I don’t need to provide amusement or enjoyment. I don’t need to receive any amusement or enjoyment. I’m completely fine with that. Because no amount of good is worth how terrible this feels.Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) in “The Bear”
The Bear’s fast-paced tension is front and center in season 2 of the critically acclaimed Hulu show, only this time the stakes feel much higher as main character Carmy races to open his new restaurant.
The mounting pressure eventually catches up to him, and his imposter syndrome is on full display in a heart-wrenching scene in which he claims he doesn’t need or deserve love or happiness. The Bear contains authentic interpersonal dynamics and top-notch writing in spades, always making for an emotionally gripping and gratifying show.
It's OK, baby girl. I got you.Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) in “The Last of Us”
The TV adaptation of the popular Last of Us video game series follows Joel, a hardened survivor, and Ellie, a young girl who’s immune to the deadly infection that has plagued the planet for decades.
Throughout the series, their bond evolves from a reluctant partnership into a loving and playful father-daughter dynamic. Their vulnerability makes for some of the most emotionally resonant TV of the year — and the fungus-infected zombies are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Just because you speak the loudest doesn't mean you've got anything better to say.Sam Nelson (Idris Elba) in “Hijack”
The Apple TV+ series Hijack is an unexpectedly fun watch despite the intense plot it’s built around. Idris Elba plays Sam Nelson, a corporate negotiator and plane passenger. The show unfolds in real time over a seven-hour flight that’s been taken hostage, and all throughout, Sam displays his elite mediation skills — and Elba his action-hero credentials — that play a key part in the situation’s resolution.
I will stand with you between the heavens and the Earth. I will tell you where you are.Young Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) in “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”
This Bridgerton prequel delves into the backstory of Queen Charlotte and the complexities of her relationship with King George III. The series explores the human aspects often obscured by the facade of royalty, tenderly depicting a bittersweet love story that struggles to bridge the chasm between passion and the constraints of duty.
I'm not the muse, OK? I'm the somebody.Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) in “Daisy Jones & the Six”
Daisy Jones & the Six originated as a novelization about a fictional band of the same name, but the story’s events are inspired by the fabled history of Fleetwood Mac.
In the Amazon Prime adaptation, Daisy, played by Riley Keough (herself a granddaughter to rock royalty Elvis Presley), unapologetically seeks her own artistic recognition and independence — even as it clashes with the male-dominated music industry of the 1970s.
I just know if something's a lie, and outside of poker that's less useful than you think. ’Cause everyone lies, all the time.Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) in “Poker Face”
After showing off his murder mystery skills with Knives Out and Glass Onion, Rian Johnson adapted those screenwriting skills into a fun “case of the week”-style detective show with Peacock’s Poker Face.
The series follows Charlie Cale, essentially a human lie detector, as she uses her innate skills to unearth the motives of crimes across the country. Heavily inspired by the 1970s crime drama Columbo, the show is made irresistible by its protagonist and the pattern of its plot.
Use your gift for good, no matter how hard it gets.Indira Shetty (Shelly Conn) in “Gen V”
Gen V is a spinoff of the hit series The Boys, based on the comic of the same name. The superheroes-go-to-school trope is alive and well, and in Gen V, the “supes” attend Godolkin University, a corporate-owned venture with capitalistic intentions. The satire is strong and so are the superpowers in this black comedy from Amazon Prime.
I love you, but you are not serious people.Logan Roy (Brian Cox) in “Succession”
In the fourth and final season of HBO’s Succession, the Roy family’s power struggles create new alliances that redefine loyalty and ambition — and change the course of the fate of the family business.
For a series that can be so cutting, the final episodes contain some of its most sympathetic and tender moments. Those moments didn’t outnumber the show’s trademark bleak humor, of course, and the plentiful rapid-fire one-liners will live on as some of the best in TV history.
It's like we're always eating, and then occasionally interrupted by court.Pat McCurdy (Kirk Fox) in “Jury Duty”
Jury Duty is a refreshing take on the reality TV genre. This fake jury trial is made up entirely of actors, from the jurors to the judge to the bailiff — except for one juror. In a hilarious twist, that one juror, a real-life average guy named Ronald Gladden, believes the entire ruse is real. Throughout the show, his innate goodness shines, making the experiment a lighthearted and even moving watch.
Featured image credit: Credit: Album / Alamy Stock Photo
