This year, the second, third or fourth season is the end point for many nominees. Sometimes it's just better to stop at your peak after just two seasons. And sometimes the series was canceled unnecessarily. Yet each of these series has made an impression on the writers, and on you, the readers.
Below, in alphabetical order, the top ten nominees of the best ended series from 2023;
Barry
What happens when a hitman joins a theater company? That's the whole premise of the Barry series. Barry combines dark humor with tension and questions about loneliness and the meaning of life. Although the series never reached a very large audience, critics were very enthusiastic, and reviews improved with each season. After four seasons, the makers decided to conclude the story and answer the question of whether the professions of stage actor and assassin can be combined.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Barry.
Billions
It's not easy being filthy rich. You're constantly at odds with other billionaires, and if that's not bad enough, the government is after you because you didn't earn your money honestly. In Billions, we enter a world where money and power are inextricably linked. With Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis in the lead, Billions shows an extremely fascinating portrait of the financial top. With seven impressive seasons, Billions is the longest-running series in this category.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Billions.
Carnival Row
Carnival Row didn't actually have a fair chance. Amazon's fantasy series started off promisingly in 2019, with a fascinating world, good protagonists like Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevigne, and an interesting political message. But it was a long wait for season two, and the question was whether it would happen at all. Amazon apparently had little confidence in it anymore, and announced that this season would also be the last. Despite the sad news, we can still enjoy two beautiful seasons.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Carnival Row.
Happy Valley
Sometimes you have to wait a little longer for a new season. But in few series the period between two seasons lasts as long as seven years. This was the case with the crime series Happy Valley. Despite this long absence, season three was definitely worth the long wait. The third and final season delivered the quality we could expect from the first two seasons. The cat-and-mouse game between police officer Catherine Cawood and criminal Tommy Lee Royce was more exciting than ever, and ended on a high note.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Happy Valley.
His Dark Materials
In my opinion, the film adaptation of the book series of the same name by Philip Pullman does justice to the source material. We saw beautiful worlds, beautiful emotional moments and fantastic acting from Dafne Keen and Ruth Wilson, among others. With the third and final season, the last book in the series also received a worthy film adaptation and a beautiful final chord. Will Pullman's other trilogy The Book of Dust also get its own series? For now it remains a matter of hoping.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about His Dark Materials.
Hunters (2020)
In recent years we have seen many what-if stories about World War II. Hunters (2020) also goes along with this, but with a completely different starting point. This series follows Nazi hunters who try to sabotage the evil plans of a group of neo-Nazis in the 1970s. In its two seasons, Hunters (2020) combined nail-biting tension, hard-hitting action and biting satire with acting talents such as Al Pacino and Logan Lerman.
Unfortunately, no reviews were written about Hunters (2020) as of yet
Sex Education
When Sex Education appeared on Netflix four years ago, it was groundbreaking. Topics such as sexuality and gender identity were discussed for a young audience in a light-hearted and positive way. The experiences of Otis, Eric, Maeve and their classmates at Moordale High School brought laughter and tears. After four seasons, the makers decided that it has been enough, and we said goodbye to Moordale in a typical Sex Education way.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Sex Education.
Star Trek: Picard
One more time then? A few years ago, Patrick Stewart was once again brought in to play one of his most iconic television roles ever. In this Star Trek series, we follow Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who may have gotten a lot older, but still goes on adventures. Other old acquaintances also return in this space adventure. Although the second season was poorly received by many viewers, the third and final season did justice to Picard's legacy.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Star Trek: Picard.
Ted Lasso
There are also big differences between Americans and the British. Just think about the interpretation of the word “football”. And that also happens in Ted Lasso. In it, an American football coach (that sport with an egg-shaped ball that you throw) is hired to save a failing English football team (that sport with a round ball that you kick). This language confusion provides a lot of humor, but also plenty of heart-warming moments. And Ted Lasso fans got exactly the sweet ending they were hoping for with the third and final season.
Unfortunately, no reviews were written about Ted Lasso as of yet
Titans (2018)
For a while, more traditional superhero series were the norm. There was a clear difference between good and evil. But now most series in this genre seem to be more morally gray. The lines between good and bad became blurred, and Titans also went in that direction. Sidekicks of well-known heroes such as Batman came together to fight evil and the combination of young superheroes and extreme violence works very well. Titans ended its fourth season this spring, and we can look back on a great piece of superhero television.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Titans (2018).
These were all the ten nominees that have been chosen by you, the writers and myself. Want to choose a different series instead? You can always decide to use your wildcard. Good luck voting!
