Yellowstone
When pondering what a Taylor Sheridan modern day TV western could look like, expectations naturally shot through the roof. Thankfully, this most talented of writer/directors didn’t disappoint, delivering to us a debut season worthy of his sublime skills. Yellowstone is dark, gritty, and sinister – everything one would expect from the man who brought you Sicario, Hell or High Water, and Wind River. But it’s also his most expansive work yet, a true sweeping epic in the style of westerns of old. Everything about Yellowstone is massive, from its thunderous Montana landscape, gigantic cinematic shots, and larger than life characters. There’s never a dull moment for the Dutton family, you literally can’t look away for fear of missing the next substantial moment. Big things are expected for this ratings hit in season two and there’s no reason to suggest Sheridan will let us down.
Daredevil
Daredevil season three started off in magnificent fashion, much like past entries in the series, but one was always waiting for the surely inevitable moment when Daredevil does what Daredevil does and shoots itself in the foot with a lacklustre B-plot or frustrating side-quest. However, it never happened! Daredevil went from strength to strength in season three, delivering one brilliant episode after the other to not only become the best season of superhero TV ever but one of the most consistently great seasons of television in living memory. It was truly stupendous, replete with expert choreography, massive performances, spectacular visuals, and a thematic weight that very few shows can contend with. It’s a shame to see Daredevil come to an end but there was no better note for the show to sign off on than this.
Better Call Saul
While there were many great shows in 2018, ultimately, there can be only one winner. Better Call Saul, like its predecessor, Breaking Bad, continued its trend in improving on excellence with each season and in season four gave us an astonishing allotment of episodes that can never be done justice in a single paragraph. Jimmy’s journey has always been a fascinating one but who dared dream it would be as engrossing as this? Better Call Saul has been marvellous from the start but season four took it to the next level, fine-tuning every aspect of the show and finally striking the perfect balance between the series’ two main components – Jimmy’s capitulation into Saul and Mike’s parallel criminal descent. Surprising at every turn with fantastic new characters, and a stunning final scene that steals all the air from the room, can BCS possibly top what it has managed here? You know what… it’s probably best not to bet against it. This is TV’s best show and it’s not done yet.
Honourable mentions: The Haunting of Hill House, Medal of Honor, Westworld, Ozark, Jack Ryan.
What are your favourite TV shows of 2018? Let us know in the comments below…
Samuel Brace