The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2017

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 27, 2017

Above are the highest-scoring first-year TV series debuting in the United States between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. 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.)

2 of 22 photo by Paul Schiraldi

85 The Deuce (HBO)

(#2) Every series or miniseries created by David Simon for HBO has been, at worst, nothing short of great—and, at best, as in the case of The Wire, among TV's all-time classics. The Deuce continues Simon's impressive winning streak.

Co-created with his frequent collaborator, novelist George Pelecanos, Simon's new drama centers on the prostitution and pornography industries in midtown New York during the early 1970s. James Franco (playing two characters based on real-life twins who were major players in the Times Square scene) and Maggie Gyllenhaal head a talented cast for a series that critics have found to be among Simon's most entertaining work in spite of what could have been challenging subject matter. A second season (likely arriving in late 2018) will jump forward in time to the end of the '70s.

“A mastery behind the camera that subtly elevates the compelling story in front of it makes The Deuce an utterly captivating experience. You’ll have watched the whole series before you stop to look at the clock.” —Ben Travers, Indiewire

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