2015 was an incredible year in television. As streaming services like Hulu and Amazon continued to expand with their original content, broadcast networks continued to struggle to find their footing. Keeping up with the television landscape was not an easy task since this year saw more scripted shows than ever before. Narrowing all these choices down to a mere list is a challenge, but here are A&E’s top 10 television shows of 2015.
10. “Looking” (HBO)
Even though HBO did not pick up “Looking” up for another season, this year’s second season was impressive. Specifically, “Looking for a Plot” was the strongest half-hour episode of television aired this year. The show follows a group of gay friends as they navigate San Francisco — it’s funny and awkward, and, luckily, HBO is giving the story a film to finish off the series.
9. “BoJack Horseman” (Netflix)
No show was able to deal with the tough issue of depression better than “BoJack Horseman.” This animated streaming comedy became much stronger in its sophomore season. Each episode had the ability to make you laugh while also making you feel oddly sad, and that was the brilliance of “BoJack Horseman.” Somehow a talking horse felt so real.
8. “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
This season of “Game of Thrones” may have been its weakest — Dorne anyone? However, a weak season of “Game of Thrones” is still better than almost everything else on television. Almost. Still, this fantasy epic is such a fun ride that some of the weaker storylines are forgiven. Next season viewers will venture into new territory now that the show has surpassed the novels.
7. “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Nobody expected this spin-off show to be as big of a critical darling as it became. Of course it helped that it is a spin-off of one of the greatest shows of all time — “Breaking Bad.” We know where the protagonist Saul ends up, but the ride of watching him evolve into the character in “Breaking Bad” is simply riveting.
6. “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix)
NBC made perhaps one of the biggest mistakes of the year — no surprise — by dropping “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Netflix was able to save the day and produce the series, and the show proved to be a huge hit for the streaming service. Produced and written by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the show feels like a continuation of “30 Rock,” which is perhaps the best compliment a comedy can receive.
5. “The Americans” (FX)
“The Americans” seems to be television's best kept secret. Despite high acclaim, “The Americans” has been slow to catch on with audiences. Set in the 1980s during the Cold War, the show follows Elizabeth and Philip, Soviet spies disguised as a normal mother and father of an American family. The show is tensely plotted, and the struggle of the family is the core of the story.
4. “Mr. Robot” (USA)
“Mr. Robot” came out of nowhere this summer and quickly became one of the most acclaimed series of the year. If “Clockwork Orange” and “Fight Club” had a television love child, it would be “Mr. Robot.” Rami Malek plays the neurotic Elliot Alderson with extreme precision. Beautifully shot and full of twists and turns, “Mr. Robot” was the surprise hit of the year.
3. “Transparent” (Amazon)
The first season of “Transparent” pushed the message to do what makes you happy. In the second season, the question was, “Was that decision the right decision?” The second season goes darker than ever before, and the Pfefferman family has to deal with the choices they made. “Transparent” is not only dark and beautiful — it’s important television.
2. “Fargo” (FX)
After watching the ball be dropped on the reboot of the second season of “True Detective,” “Fargo” had huge pressure to reinvent itself. Luckily, showrunner Noah Hawley was able to broaden the scope, yet keep the show just as suspenseful. Kirsten Dunst and Patrick Wilson put in the best performances of their career, and the attention to detail put “Fargo” ahead of almost everything else.
1. “The Leftovers” (HBO)
The second season of “The Leftovers” was unlike anything else on television this year. Across the board, the acting from this ensemble cast was something otherworldly. While the first season had a more mixed reaction, this second season has received overwhelming acclaim. Every episode of this second season broke the mold of traditional TV and gave us moments that made your jaw drop. “The Leftovers” is weird and sad, but it’s also profoundly moving and the best television show of the year.
Honorary Mentions: “The Affair” (Showtime), “Jessica Jones” (Netflix), “Daredevil” (Netflix), “unREAL” (Lifetime), “Jane the Virgin” (The CW), “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO), “Inside Amy Schumer” (Comedy Central), “Masters of None” (Netflix), “Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
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