10 Best Shows of 2018

Honorable Mentions: Dragon Ball Super, Riverdale, The Grand Tour, UnReal, American Dad, iZombie, Mike Tyson Mysteries, Black Lightning, Red vs. Blue, Jessica Jones, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Trollhunters, Bob's Burgers, Ash vs Evil Dead, Mozart in the Jungle, The Bold Type, Castlevania, The Dragon Prince, The Seven Deadly Sins, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Luke Cage, My Hero Academia, American Vandal, Archer, F is for Family, American Horror Story, Arrested Development, South Park, Cobra Kai, The Good Fight, The Venture Bros., GLOW, Orange is the New Black, Happy.
Note: This list is based off my own personal opinion of what I thought were the best shows of 2018, and are listed in alphabetical order. To qualify for this list, a show must have aired some time in 2018; I would like to mention I was not been able to watch every show that aired in 2018, and a series might not qualify if it aired later in the year and did not air enough of its season before the start of 2019.
Notable Shows I Missed: Atlanta, Legion, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Barry, The Americans, The Haunting of Hill House, Pose, This is Us, Sharp Objects, The Terror, Wild Wild Country.

Runner-Up: Maniac
"Maniac" is a series that had all the promise in the world, with a talented cast, tons of funding from Netflix, and directed by the incredibly talented Cary Joji Fukunaga, it could have been the best show of the year. While it might not have been quite as good as I was hoping for or built it up in my head, it's still a damn fine program. Taking place in a retro influenced future, "Maniac" revolves around Owen and Annie, two people suffering from depression, PTSD, and more. The decide to enter into an experimental drug trial not to solve their issues, but for a little extra cash. But along the way they discover themselves, and may even find out how to live with their issues. It's hard to explain what I found disappointing about this series, but there is something holding it back. But there is more than enough here to love. An interesting world, a relatable story, and flawed characters you can't help but root for. While it's unlikely that we will see this show continue, it was great while it lasted.

Better Call Saul
Is this one even a surprise anymore? Since it's debut "Better Call Saul" has appeared on this list every year, because it is the most consistently great show on TV. For those who don't know, "Better Call Saul" is a prequel series to the critically acclaimed drama "Breaking Bad." With the former following the minor character Saul Goodman, also known as Jimmy in "Better Call Saul." Due to the result of last season's finale, Jimmy's older brother Chuck dies in a house fire. While Jimmy appears alright, this begins the first in his belly to become the Saul Goodman we would see in "Breaking Bad." "Better Call Saul" is a slow burn, but an intense one. Featuring several of the best characters on TV, this series has been nothing short of great since the very first season. Acting, directing, writing, everything is top notch. While maybe not the most compelling or intense show on this list, it very well might be the best.

Bodyguard
It's with shows like this I'm very glad Netflix exists, because without it I never would have watched this show. I didn't see any high profile reviews, never watched a trailer, I had never even heard the name. But one day I went to Netflix and it was there on the homepage. So I gave it a shot and it was one of the most impressive miniseries of the year. The story revolves around Sargent David Budd, a police officer and veteran suffering from PTSD who is promoted to being the bodyguard for a controversial politician after an act of bravery. As time goes on and growing closer to his protected, he gets involved in dangerous conspiracies that could put England in a tough spot. What I think liked best about "Bodyguard" would be that it doesn't overstay its welcome. At only six, hour long episodes, it's a quick but fulfilling watch. And with some of the most tense moments on TV in 2018, it's one that you shouldn't miss.

Bojack Horseman
If you were to go back in time and tell me the best show Netflix ever produced would be an animated series about an anamorphic Horse who was formerly a famous TV actor but now suffers from a myriad of personal demons, I would have been down right confused; but it turns out that's exactly what happened. Bojack Horseman made its debut back in 2013, while it showed promise in its second half it wasn't anything to write home about. But starting with season 2 things changed, it went from another run of the animated comedy to one of the smartest shows on TV, and that trend has continued ever since. This season primarily focuses on Bojack's experiences on his new show, his continued battle with his many personal issues, and a new addiction to painkillers that results in one of the worst moments of his life and one of the darkest moments we've ever seen on TV. Since season 2, this show has consistently been one of the best shows on TV, it is smart, complex, emotional, funny, and exceptionally made. And with this fifth season, it has cemented itself among the all-time best animated series for adults.

Daredevil
Talk about the comeback show of 2018, this season saved this show's reputation. "Daredevil" is a Netflix series based off the Marvel comics of the same name, and was Marvel's debut show on the online platform. A far darker and grittier outing than anything we had seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first season blew away many viewers with being so damn good; but after that things got tough. Season 2 of the show was far more lackluster, and was greatly outshined by its sibling shows "Jessica Jones" and "Luke Cage." Fortunately with this third season we see a return to form. Matthew Murdock, AKA Daredevil, is have a crisis of self as he feels he is losing his edge and begins training once again to be the hero/Devil of Hell's Kitchen. All while Kingpin is plotting his return to power and a new antagonist is rearing his dangerous head. Season 3 really was a step up, more action packed, better storytelling and plot lines, and the true return of one of the best small screen villains of all-time. The only downside is that the show has been canceled, so the set-up for season 4 ultimately amounts to nothing. While I'm sad to see "Daredevil" go, I'm glad it went out with a bang and not a whimper.

Dear White People
I still remember the announcement of this show and all the anger that it brought about. Basically, after its announcement trailer a lot of angry white people came out of the woodworks and complained. Down voting the video on YouTube, canceling their subscriptions to Netflix, I'm pretty sure a petition or two were made to protest it. And I'm willing to bet money most of those people didn't even bother to watch the show when it premiered, which probably would have calmed a lot of people down. What many thought would be a show bashing white people start to finish turned out to be a satirical comedy making fun of people of all races, genders, sexualities, and all the stereotypes for whatever you are or identify as. We the second season we see all these young college students dealing with the fallout of their actions from the previous season, as the grow, learn their place in society, and there may even be an old, underground society sending cryptic messages. Just like the first season, I loved this show; smart, funny, and politically/racially charged in all the best ways, this is one of Netflix's true sleeper hits.

The Good Place
This is one of those rare shows that seems to only be getting better as it goes along. The first season was good, the second was even better, and with the third it might have become the best sitcom on TV right now. The premise of the show is a bit complicated to wrap your head around, but it is one of the most original shows airing right now. It follows a group of humans in the afterlife where there is a heaven and hell referred to as the Good Place and the Bad place. The humans are lead to believe they are in the good place when they die but really it's an elaborate torture scenario where they're really in the bad place. With this season a demon trying to help the humans named Michael reverses time to give them all chances to be better people, but along the way the discover a conspiracy that may change everything. Funny, original, and all around great, I'm so happy that this show has become such a success. While it was relativity unknown after the first season, it's since become a hit among audiences. With the conclusion of season three and a fourth season on the way, I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.

The Handmaid's Tale
"The Handmaid's Tale" is one of those shows that kind of took the world by storm upon its release in 2017. It was an interesting idea based off a respected novel and launched on one of the leading video streaming platforms allowing millions to see it at their leisure. It was a perfect storm that highlighted one of the year's best shows. "The Handmaid's Tale" takes place in a near future where much of the world has fallen into disarray, but part of America has stayed functioning. That function unfortunately comes from an authoritarian government returning to an almost archaic society based on extremist christian ideals. The series fallows June, a young mother who has been taken as a Handmaid, a type of servant woman used as a forced surrogate for her masters; but is determined to escape, reunite with her family, and bring down a tyrannical government. "The Handmaid's Tale" is a hard watch, it is brutal, cruel, and uncomfortable, but people watch it for different reason. Whatever that reason is, they are watching a great, and impactful series.

Killing Eve
One of only two new shows to end up in the top 10, this one really stood out to many in 2018 for all it does right, and has already topped many a "best of the year" list from critics and publications.And It's hard to disagree, especially since I think it was easily the best new show of the year. "Killing Eve" is about Eve, an MI5 agent who begins to track down a sociopathic assassin nicknamed Villanelle. As she tries to hunt her down, Villanelle becomes interested in Eve herself, tangling the two in a complicated relationship.
"Killing Eve" is based off of a series of novellas called "Codename Villanelle," and while I have no idea how faithful the show is to the source material, all I know was that I was hooked. Exceptional acting, story telling, character development, and some of the most intense moments of the year result in a show that is worthy of your attention. With a second season on its way all i hope is that the show keeps this level of quality.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
This is another one of those shows I had never heard of until after it came out, and I probably wouldn't have heard of it at all if it wasn't suggested to me (thanks Michael, good call). An Amazon series, this has been a real stand out as far as Amazon originals are concerned. Despite a strong catalog, I feel this is the first to hit mainstream success as far as audiences go. The show follows the marvelous Mrs. Maisel, aka Midge. Midge was your average 1950s housewife, but her life falls apart when her husband leaves her for his secretary. Midge has a bit of a breakdown and while drunk gets on a stage at a club and gets a whole lot of laughs, prompting her to become a comedian (the failed dream of her husband). With this season we see as Midge tries to further her career as her personal life conflicts with her professional one. Simply put, this is my favorite comedy on the air right now. Very funny, filled with kooky but lovable characters, it's a comedic "Mad Men" directed by Woody Allen in his prime. If you have Amazon Prime, you have Amazon Instant Video, if you have Amazon Instant Video you have the "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and if you have the ability to watch the "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" you should watch it.

Westworld
I'll get this out of the way now, "Westworld" season 2 is not as good as the first. It's still great, but just not as good, let me quickly explain why. The first season was breathe of fresh air, an original concept based off a promising IP, but with this season it feels like the "novelty" has worn off. And with the second season, the plot gets very complicated, and is bogged down by one or two mediocre episodes. Even so, I still love this show. Season 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first, which ended with the robots in the Westworld theme park losing their minds and killing every human they see. This season the company that owns the parks sends in special forces teams to kill as many of the robots as they can find, all while trying to salvage and save as much data as they can. At the same time many of the robots have plans of their own, to survive, thrive, and escape. While that sounds simple on paper, it gets far more complicated when you watch it. Despite its issues, I still would rank "Westworld" among the best shows out there right now. Exceptional acting, nearly unprecedented production value for a TV series, and an interesting premise that hits a lot of the right notes, I'm excited to see what comes next.

10 Best Games of 2018

Honorable Mentions: Shadow of the Colossus, Far Cry 5, Laser League, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, Florence.
Note: This list consists of the best games released in 2018 that I played. There are several games that came out in 2018 that I did not have a chance to play, and therefore could not qualify for this list. I've also decided to exclude episodic games that are incomplete (Such as "Life is Strange 2").
Notable Games I was Not Able to Play/Play Enough of: Pit People, Monster Hunter: World, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, Objects in Space, Artifact, Return of the Obra Dinn, The Hex, Octopath Traveler, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales.

Runner-Up: Far Cry 5

This is probably one of the more controversial entries on this list, mainly because a lot of people are just done with the "Far Cry" franchise. For those who don't know this series has garnered much criticism over the past several years for not evolving enough. "Far Cry 3" was a critical and commercial success released back in 2012, and when the developers saw that they just kind of stuck with the same thing. Over the next several games not much changed from the combat, to the mission structure, to leveling up, etc. and it annoyed many fans. And while FC5 doesn't make any drastic changes it looks like it's a step in the right direction. FC5 takes place in the norther United States where you play a member of law enforcement who tries to arrest the leader of a dangerous cult in an area called Hope County. After the mission goes wrong, you're stuck in the fear-stricken Hope County and must partner with locals to combat the cult, save your captured teammates, and save the county. Like I said earlier, FC5 isn't a big jump forward, but it is just enough. It's obvious that the developers wanted to try to be a bit different with this one, particularly with progression and mission layouts. It's not perfect, but just like the previous games, I just find it very fun.

Celeste
Every year at some point we receive what I like to call the "indie darling." Now there are a bunch of great indie games that come out every year that offer something different from the Triple A affairs and the emerging Double A market; but the indie darling is the one that captures almost every one's attention. This year, that was "Celeste." The game tells the story of Madeline, a young woman suffering from severe anxiety and self-doubt, who decides to overcome a great obstacle in climbing a tall and treacherous mountain. "Celeste" is a platformer game in the vein of titles such as "Super Meat Boy.: It's very difficult, and you die a lot. Various mechanics are introduced throughout but overall it is simple; but from that simplicity is beauty. This game was simply a joy to play, despite its difficulty that's enough to make many quit, I powered through all the way to the end. And with the inclusion of B-Side levels that are even harder than the base game, and with more levels on their way next year, there's a lot to love about "Celeste."

Dead Cells
Technically, this game came out last year. Released on early access on Steam, you could play an almost complete version of this game last year; but with the full game being released a few months ago let me explain why I love this game. "Dead Cells" is a metroidvania style action-platforming rogue-light that appears to take heavy influences from "Dark Souls" (that's a lot of sub-genres for one game, but accurate). The gist is that you are an un-dead creature who must traverse several levels that change every time, but as you play you unlock new weapons and abilities that make following playthroughs slightly easier. Much like "Celeste" the concept of "Dead Cells" is easy, but the execution is brilliant. Playing is rewarding and fun, and even when you loos you feel like you accomplished something. Fast, frantic, and fun. "Dead Cells" is one of the most rewarding games you can play that was released in 2018.

Dragon Ball FighterZ
Fighting games are a genre that I've always liked, always appreciated, always enjoyed watching and playing, but have just never gotten into. Maybe because the gameplay loop doesn't interest me after a while, or maybe because I suck at them, but whatever reason they don't hold my interest long. And while this game didn't keep me playing forever, "Dragon Ball FighterZ" kept me playing longer than most of its genre. DBFZ is a team fighting game revolving around the legendary anime franchise "Dragon Ball Z" (also including several characters from its sequel series "Super"). Before a match you choose three characters from a moderate size cast and battle it out. On top of fun but easily accessible fighting mechanics, great music, a surprisingly fun single player campaign, what really made this game stand out would be its graphics. Running on Unreal Engine 4, this game is drop dead gorgeous, with an art style that perfectly translates from the anime. My only real complaint would probably be that while the cast of characters is diverse, there aren't that many of them. Even so, this is one of the most enjoyable fighting games I've ever played.

God of War

If I had to guess what title released in 2018 will end up winning the most "Game of the Year" awards, I would guess this one. 2018's "God of War" is a kind of relaunch of the long running series. Before this one, there had been six games in the franchise, all drastically different than this one. All the previous games followed Kratos, a demi-god in ancient Greece who goes on a quest to kill all the gods, with the games utilizing a combat system of Kratos taking on hordes of enemies in an almost beat em' up style of combat from a pulled back, over-looking camera. This one though is completely different. Taking place years later, Kratos is older, calmer, but still angry. The game starts off with Kratos preparing a fire to cremate his recently deceased wife, leaving Kratos as the sole caregiver for their son Atreus. His wife's last wish was for her ashes to be spread at the tallest mountain in all the lands. So Kratos and his son set off and encounter new enemies along the way. "God of War" is a staunch departure from all previous games. The combat system is a now over the shoulder point of view, the tone is completely different, and takes place in a whole new world, and everything about it is brilliant. Mature, complex, exceptionally well written with some of the best motion capture and voice work ever put into a game, a camera that never cuts, and maybe the best graphics we've ever seen on a console. "God of War" is a tour de force that should be mandatory for anyone with a PS4.

Into The Breach

Now to be honest, of every game on this list this is probably the one I played the least of. I've been meaning to give it more time, but sometimes life just gets in the way; even so, this game is brilliant. "Into the Breach" is a turn-based strategy game where you operate three mech suits that fight off giant insects trying to destroy cities. The title comes from a term in the game, where if you lose a battle, you can retreat into another timeline (saving one of your pilots to save that timeline from destruction). Playing the game is like playing a complicated game of chess; the map is on a grid an, you're given prompts of exactly how the enemies will move, and you need to figure out the puzzle on how to defeat them while defending the cities. The gameplay itself is simple, but at the same time is layered and complex. Coupled with great pixel-art, a wonderful soundtrack, and a steep challenge with every level makes this one of my favorite games from 2018.

The Messenger

This is a small game that I heard about a week after its release, that's how little attention it had. But the reason I heard of it was because of the critical acclaim, receiving perfect and near perfect reviews from several major game publications. So, I picked it up, and I'm very glad I did. "The Messenger" is a lot like "Celeste," it's a challenging 2D platformer, but this time with a more retro feel. You play a ninja going on a request to avenge his friends and must traverse many areas and face challenging bosses with platforming precision. While feeling distinctly old school, "The Messenger injects enough interesting mechanics to keep things fresh. And with a lovely pixel-art style that starts as 8-bit but transitions to 16 bit at a certain point introducing even more mechanics, and you have one of the best platformers I've played in a while.

Red Dead Redemption 2
This is it, the big one, the blockbuster of the year and a game fans have waited over 8 years for. "Red Dead Redemption 2" is a prequel to one of the greatest games of the modern era, it had a massive development team, an unparalleled budget, a big marketing push, and anticipation we rarely see in the games industry. And with all that, the final product is quite incredible. RDR2 follows Arthur Morgan in 1899, an outlaw part of a notorious gang who have become incredibly wanted after a robbery gone bad in a nearby county. You travel with your gang, pulling off big scores in the hopes of getting enough money to run far away from all their troubles. RDR2 is a game that is not for everyone, and after playing it it's not hard to see why. There is a certain realism to the game that some view as tedious, the control scheme feels a bit clunky, and the game has an overall slow pace. All valid criticisms, but for me the pros outweigh the cons. Incredible graphics, a masterfully told story, beautiful and vibrant world, tons of stuff and weird/fun missions, frantic combat (best played in the first-person perspective if you ask me), and some of the most memorable characters ever put into a game culminates in one of the year's best.

Spider-Man
This might actually be the fan favorite of the year, and if you played it for five minutes it's easy to see why. Simply put, it's fun as hell. As you could probably guess, this is a Spider-Man game. It's an original story around the titular character after he's been a hero for several years. It primarily follows a New York after the crime boss Kingpin is arrested and a new gang comes into power. And as Spider-Man it is your job to stop them. "Spider-Man" doesn't rewrite the book when it comes to open world games, if anything it stumbles over many of the problems this style of games suffers from. Even so, what it does right is that it refines almost everything about open world games. Collecting items, upgrading powers and suits, defeating gangs, completing challenges, and all the side missions feel fun and rewarding. Pile that on top a great, original Spider-Man story and you already have a success. But what this game does best is movement. Traversing New York City as Spider-Man never gets old. Web-slinging, wall-running, dive-bombing, and everything else you can do is fast, fun, and exhilarating. It's the best aspect of one of the year's best games.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Now if I'm being honest this is the least inventive game this year, cause at the end of the day it's just "Smash Bros." For those who don't know, the "Smash" series is one of the longest running franchise's Nintendo has, with the first game coming out in 1999 on the N64. Since then every Nintendo Console has had an entry, each an improvement in some way but not drastically different; and "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" is no exception. But what this game does right is refinement, it is the biggest and most refine game in the series. It has every level, character, and item from all the previous games plus several new ones. There are so many options to this game that it feels endlessly playable, plus more difficult AI and a surprisingly good single player mode makes this the best Smash to date in my opinion. If I had any problems with this game it would be that it's not a drastic improvement from the previous installments, and that test have shown that the latency for "Ultimate" is worse than previous games (not terribly bad, and I'm not sure it can be fixed with software patches, but a problem none the less). Despite its issues, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" is easily a must have game on the Nintendo Switch.

Tetris Effect
Since I started my list of the best games of the year way back when I've had only a few years; games can only qualify if they were released the year of the list, and no remakes/remasters of older games. Well last year I broke the rule of game release dates when I included "Persona 5" (since it was released in 2016 in Japan), and I'm kind of breaking that second rule with this entry. "Tetris Effect" is "Tetris," few ways around that. But the reason I include it is because I think it's the best version of "Tetris," which I think is the best game of all time. "Tetris Effect" is what I imagine "Tetris" would look like if I asked a developer to make it after dropping acid. It has classic "Tetris" with all the best mechanics introduced by every iteration of the old Russian game. But it also includes a bunch of new game modes, each bringing something different to the table. Coupled with gorgeous visuals and some of the best sound design put into a game in 2018. Even if it is just a better version of "Tetris," that's still pretty damn good.