The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2018

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 28, 2018

Above are the highest-scoring first-year TV series debuting in the United States between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Shows are ranked by Metascore (an average of grades from top professional critics on a 0-100 scale) prior to rounding, and any programs with fewer than 7 reviews are excluded. (Note that limited series, as well as TV movies and specials, will be ranked in a separate list arriving this weekend.)

2 of 22 photo by John P. Johnson/HBO

83 #2: Barry

This surprisingly dark and occasionally violent HBO comedy from Bill Hader and Silicon Valley's Alec Berg stars the former as a depressed hitman who attempts a career change after discovering the joys of performing after an assignment brings him to an acting class where an Emmy-winning Henry Winkler plays the instructor. Hader also won an Emmy for his performance and was nominated for directing the pilot. Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, and Glenn Fleshler also star. Though the finale would make a perfect series-ender, Barry will return for a second season in 2019.

“One of the best new comedies of the last few years. This clever surprise is an eight-episode series that starts strongly and only gets better as its plot becomes more brilliantly complex and its characters are more fully developed. And it’s a wonderful showcase for Bill Hader’s dry sense of humor.” —Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

Where To Buy