This year proved to be a rewarding one for television enthusiasts, as both enduring favorites and captivating new series made it to our list. The streaming platforms took center stage, with Netflix and Apple TV capturing the audience's attention through a combined total of twelve selections. Diverse genres made a prominent mark, featuring period dramas like The Gilded Age and Outrageous, the superhero saga Daredevil: Born Again, mysteries in the form of Ludwig, Poker Face, and Dept. Q, political thrillers including The Diplomats and Slow Horses, science fiction entries such as Andor, Severance, and Alien: Earth, and brooding fantasy in The Sandman. Adding a unique touch to the lineup, Underdogsâa novel nature documentaryâears its spot with an unconventional narrative style.
Underdogs (National Geographic/Disney+)
Image Credit: National Geographic/Doug Parker
While most of us are accustomed to the stately tone and grand visuals typical of nature documentaries, Underdogs flips the script. Narrated by Ryan Reynolds with refreshing humor, this five-part series shines a light on the quirks and peculiarities of nature's less glamorous inhabitants. Rated PG-13 for occasional scatological humor and its lighthearted take on animal behavior, each episode tackles a different theme in an inventive way.
The series covers a range of fascinating subjects: âSuperheroesâ showcases unexpected natural abilities like those of the honey badger and pistol shrimp, enhanced with comic book flair. âSexy Beastsâ delves into strange courtship customs using the format of a romantic advice column. âTerrible Parentsâ provides a tongue-in-cheek parenting guide based on some of natureâs most notorious practices. âTotal Grossoutâ delivers exactly what one might suspect. Finally, âThe Unusual Suspectsâ offers a humorous heist narrative with a macaque assembling a team of illusionary talents, complete with roles like an inside man and a fall guy. Even Green Day contributes to the fun with a specially composed theme song for the opening credits.