The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2019

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 29, 2019

Above are the highest-scoring first-year TV series debuting in the United States between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019. 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, are ranked in a separate list.)

14 of 21 photo by Parisatag Hizadeh/Confession Films

81 State of the Union (Sundance)

(#14) A minimalist comedy series from noted British filmmaker Stephen Frears (The Queen) and novelist Nick Hornby (High Fidelity), State of the Union runs for just 10 minutes an episode, each following a married couple (Chris O'Dowd, Rosamund Pike) as they grab drinks at a pub prior to heading to a couples' counseling session.

“The narrowness of the show helps it wear its drawing-room lightness well, and it is littered with tiny delights.” —Troy Patterson, The New Yorker

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