With so many shows available every year, it is getting increasingly difficult to select the best ones. Here are my favorites:

9. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

It is still hard to see John Krasinski and not think about Jim, his character in the TV show The Office. This year, however, he proved that he’s able to do much more, with the horror movie A Quiet Place and with Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. He is the fifth actor to play this role, though it is the first time it is made for television. As usual, Jack Ryan is a CIA analyst who ends up doing field work because of the circumstances. His boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce) doesn’t like him at first, but they eventually make a good team. Filled with tension from beginning to end, with a big part of the dialogue subtitled, this version of the famous character is a very interesting one, proving that character development allowed in a series is much better than in a 2-hour movie. The show is currently filming its second season.

8. Ordeal by Innocence 

Based on the book by Agatha Christie, this 3-episode show is one of the productions that have suffered the consequences of the #metoo movement. With Ed Westwick originally cast as one of the main characters and production almost over, it had to go through re-shoots of most scenes after multiple accusations of sexual assault were made public and he was replaced by Christian Cooke. Still, that didn’t compromise the quality of the series, which uses flashbacks to trick the audience and to keep the suspense until the end to find out who the killer was.

7. Sharp Objects

Written by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), Sharp Objects could be described as a thriller and a detective story, since a murder is being investigated. It is, more importantly, an interesting story about how women in general and the consequences of what happens when they are brought up in an incredibly sexist town. Camille (Amy Adams) is a journalist who managed to move out of her small town of Wind Gap and stay away from her family. The mysterious murder of a girl in her town, however, gives her editor the idea of assigning the story to her, so she could reconnect with her past. She is also an alcoholic and cuts herself. Throughout the episodes, the audience start to understand, with a series of flashbacks, what happened to her. Amy Adams’ performance, along with the great Patricia Clark, who plays her awful mother, are the best things about Sharp Objects and make it worth watching.

6. My Brilliant Friend

Based on the first book of the “Neapolitan Novels” by Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend follows the story of Lila and Lenú, two girls who grow up in a poor neighborhood in Naples during the 1950s. The complicated friendship between them is the main focus of the season, but it is impossible not to notice the ubiquitous violence against basically anyone that defies the rules of the neighborhood: girls are beaten, thrown out of windows, dragged into strangers’ cars, while men also get bet up for rivalry and territoriality war. What strikes the most about this violence is the passivity of bystanders, who, more often than not, just watch as everything unfold, resolute that this is the way things are supposed to be. Played in the first two episodes by Ludovica Nasti, and later on by Gaia Girace, Lila is naturally smart and incredibly bossy and stubborn. She is forced to leave school when her family has no means (or desire) to support her studies. For that reason, she admires Lenú, played by Elisa Del Genio and later by Margherita Mazzucco. Her mother doesn’t want her to go to school, but both her father and her teacher believe she can have a future outside of the neighborhood, so she keeps on studying. This beautiful shot and executed show will probably left you thinking about these girls and their sad upbringing, and hoping their lives will get better.

5. A Very English Scandal

Based on real events, A Very English Scandal is a 3-episode series that recounts the aftermath of the brief love affair between Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) and Norman Scott (Ben Whishaw) during the 1970s. Jeremy Thorpe was a very important member of the Parliament, whose reputation would end if news of the affair became public, so he decided to order Norman’s murder. Hugh Grant is spectacular as the cynical and selfish politician and Ben Whishaw gives a great performance as the naive Norman. It would be even funnier if it wasn’t tragic: it is a very sad story about abuse of power and influence, and how that can destroy someone with less means.

4. Bodyguard

Don’t be fooled by the name and think that this is related to the movie! This British TV show may look similar to the movie starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston at a first glance, since both deal with a man serving as a bodyguard to a famous woman, with a romantic relationship evolving from that. In the first season of Bodyguard, however, things are way more complicated than a simple romance. David Budd (Richard Madden) is a war veteran who was able to prevent a terrorist attack on a train to London. Due to his heroic act, he is assigned to be the bodyguard of Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), the Home Secretary, whose political views differ from him. This unpredictable and thrilling six-episode show takes the audience to a wild ride of politics, ethics, mental health, loyalty, and everything else.

3. The Handmaid’s Tale

The second season of this dystopian tale is even more intense and disturbing than the first season. Offred (Elizabeth Moss) and the other women in Gilead suffer all kinds of violence in a show so intriguing that is impossible to stop watching. This week Margaret Atwood, author of the book on which the first season is based, just announced she’ll release a second book in 2019. It will not, however, be similar to what happened on the second season of the show. See the full review of season 2 here.

2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel had a big challenge: be better than season 1, which won this year’s Emmy Awards for best comedy series, among other awards. Thankfully, the show’s second season managed to be even more entertaining than the first one. Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), the fast-talking housewife-turned-into-comedian, has to decide to tell her parents about her new career. Her manager Susie (the incredibly funny Alex Borstein) is very dedicated and wants Midge to be a star, which means she will get into an argument with whoever gets in her way. There are more secondary plots in this season, mainly involving Midge’s dad (Tony Shalhoub) and Joel’s (Michael Zegen) attempt to redeem himself. There’s also more color: all the gorgeous clothes are very colorful, and the shots are beautifully choreographed. Despite not enjoying the way the season ended, it was very entertaining throughout and I cannot wait for the next season already.

1. The Americans

The last season of the spy drama was the perfect way to end this practically perfect show. Set in 1987, this season shows Elizabeth (Keri Russell) working by herself after Phillip (Matthew Rhys) decides to take a break from the KGB. Filled with great performances, storylines, score, and sets, The Americans will be greatly missed and it should have been watched by more people. Full review here.

Let’s hope 2019 has even more great TV shows!