The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2020 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – July 3, 2020

Which newcomers on the small screen have impressed reviewers the most during the first half of the year? Above, find the highest-scoring first-year TV shows (and miniseries) debuting between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Only shows with at least 7 reviews from professional critics are included.

9 of 21 photo by Netflix

81 #12 (tie): Cheer (2020): Season 1

The producers of Last Chance U returned to Netflix early this year with a similar docuseries, this time focusing on the world of competitive cheerleading—and, specifically, on a dominant Texas junior college team aiming for their school's 15th national championship this century.

“Cheer is an utterly convincing portrait of what is unquestionably a real, and absurdly dangerous, sport complete with compelling stories that actually make it much more emotional and more exciting than the past couple Last Chance U seasons.” —Dan Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

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