The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2020

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 30, 2020

Above are the highest-scoring first-year TV series (including limited series) debuting in the United States between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. Shows are ranked by Metascore (an average of grades from top professional critics on a 0-100 scale) prior to rounding based on scores as of December 29, 2020, and any programs with fewer than 7 reviews are excluded.

20 of 21 photo by Chicago Story Film / Nat Geo

93 City So Real (Nat Geo)

Metacritic's Best New TV Show of 2020.

(#1) Acclaimed documentarian Steve James (Hoop Dreams, America to Me) outdid himself yet again with this five-part Nat Geo miniseries examining politics and race in Chicago, beginning with the city's wide-open 2019 mayoral election and continuing through this summer's unrest following the killing of George Floyd (in an episode added after the series first screened at Sundance in January).

“It’s a tapestry of life in Chicago that is entertaining in its individual moments but gains much more power when considered as a whole. ... The ambition of 'City So Real' is remarkable, but it’s fulfilled through James’ deep fascination with humanity. No one is better at revealing the truth that there is a fascinating story around every corner of every city, and he equalizes everyone in Chicago.” —Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

Watch it on Hulu (5 episodes)

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