CREDIT (Clockwise from Top Left): Amazon; Disney; Pamela Littky/FOX; Rhys Thomas/IFC

Under the known laws of physics, it is currently impossible to watch every TV show (or even just every good show) airing new episodes in a given year. But for those of us who treat televisual consumption as a transcendent pursuit, we do our best to fit in as many programs as possible, which means that there are more than ten or even twenty shows worth recognizing in an annual best-of list. So this year, I decided to rank as many shows as I thought were worthy of recognition and provide blurbs for the ones where I really needed to say something.

53. Legion (FX): An occasionally maddening show that was a little too allergic to convention for its own good, but when it was on, it produced marvelous moments that couldn’t have come from anywhere else.
52. The Conners (ABC)
51. Silicon Valley (HBO)
50. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)
49. The Goldbergs (ABC)
48. Fosse/Verdon (FX)
47. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
46. Broad City (Comedy Central)
45. American Housewife (ABC)
44. The Unicorn (CBS)
43. Living with Yourself (Netflix)
42. Better Things (FX)
41. Young Sheldon (CBS): If The Big Bang Theory had too much of a mean streak for you, but you like low-key, downhome family sitcoms, then you might just cotton to Young Sheldon.
40. GLOW (Netflix)
39. black-ish (ABC)
38. Momma Named Me Sheriff (Adult Swim): A surprise spinoff of Mr. Pickles that keeps the original’s zany, up-for-anything (though certainly too gross for some audiences) spirit alive.
37. The Kids Are Alright (ABC)
36. You’re the Worst (FXX)
35. Superstore (NBC): Featuring the long-running unionization storyline that we needed in 2019.
34. The Orville (FOX)
33. mixed-ish (ABC): A wonderful exploration of how big-deal social movements interact with the familial and the personal.
32. Speechless (ABC)
31. Jane the Virgin (The CW)
30. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (Netflix)
29. What Just Happened??! (FOX): This aftershow of a show that doesn’t exist hosted by Fred Savage is surely the most unique thing on network TV in quite some time.
28. Sex Education (Netflix)
27. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
26. The Last O.G. (TBS)
25. Jeopardy! (Syndicated): A bevy of memorable champions, matchups, and tournaments arrived at a faster rate than normal.
24. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
23. The Mandalorian (Disney+): What a joy that a new streaming series in 2019 could have the wise restraint to keep its running times around forty minutes and release episodes on a weekly schedule, not to mention our new little green bae and a bevy of surprisingly natural guest stars.
22. Fleabag (Amazon)
21. The Masked Singer (FOX): A fever dream of genuine displays of freakish talent.
20. Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
19. Sherman’s Showcase (IFC): I want to live in the alternate world in which Sherman’s Showcase is the long-running variety series it purports to be.
18. What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
17. Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
16. BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
15. The Other Two (Comedy Central)
14. Joe Pera Talks with You (Adult Swim): I think a lot of us could improve our psychological health by gently explaining our area of expertise to an audience real or imagined.
13. The Good Place (NBC)
12. Undone (Amazon): The line between supernatural powers and mental health may be a little too close for comfort on Undone, but this rotoscoped animated sci-fi wonder is still the most thrillingly innovative TV show I saw all year.
11. Mr. Robot (USA)
10. A.P. Bio (NBC): We should all be so lucky as to get to teach a group of kids as delightful as Mr. Griffin’s class.
9. Watchmen (HBO)
8. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FXX): Fourteen seasons in, still as vital and hilarious as ever.
7. Big Mouth (Netflix)
6. Barry (HBO)
5. Russian Doll (Netflix)
4. Baskets (FX)
3. American Dad! (TBS): There’s a great bit from the most recent season of American Dad! involving orangutans that really sums up this show’s endlessly wonderful impish spirit.
2. Pose (FX): Easily the most genuinely openhearted show of the year.
1. Documentary Now! (IFC): The attention to detail on display here is incredible. This is like the Pixar version of a TV show in how it ensures that every little piece is just so.