(upbeat music)
As 2016 comes to a close,
we here at Nerdist can't help but think about one thing.
How we're one revolution of the sun closer to dying
from an inevitable asteroid strike.
But we also can't help but look back
at the year in pop culture
and sort them into carefully curated lists,
and select the best of the best.
And first up, we're gonna be talking about
the best TV of 2016.
Westworld.
Are we guests, or hosts.
Are we man, or machine.
Are we human, or are we dancer?
At least two of those questions were posed
by HBO's Westworld.
The heady sci-fi series delivered the best theory crafting
since season one of Lost,
and jaw-dropping performances
from the likes of Thandie Newton, Anthony Hopkins,
Evan Rachel Woods, Jimmy Simpson, and so many more.
While some of the rules of the show got wonky along the way,
it's thoughtful exploration of questions
of consciousness and identity,
coupled with wild west action,
made it one of the year's best.
And in case you're wondering,
this episode was in fact recorded 30 years in the past.
I'm the Dan in Black.
Stranger Things.
Our collective cultural fetish for all things 1980s
culminated in one of the most addictive
Netflix original series to date.
With it's killer Stein score, multi-dimensional mysteries
and the best use of D & D since Community
and the best use of waffles since Parks and Rec,
Stranger Things crafted a compelling mythology,
and delivered a thrilling adventure
that we couldn't help but dissect.
And remember, friends don't lie.
So I'm telling you the truth when I say
this is one of the year's best,
and also, that sweater just looks okay on you.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
While the most talked about musical of the year
was definitely Hamilton,
the best on TV was undoubtedly Rachel Bloom
and Aline Brosh-McKenna's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Anyone who's ever compulsively refreshed an ex's
Facebook page or made themselves sick
with hypothetical over analysis,
is gonna find something to love about this show.
Come for the surprisingly thoughtful relationship drama,
but stay for the raunchy delightfully self-aware songs
about heartbreak and obsession.
Or you could go see the Cats revival on Broadway.
One requires you to put on pants.
You decide which one you wanna do.
The People vs. OJ Simpson.
If you time traveled back to 1994 to tell me
that the ongoing OJ Simpson trial
would eventually be turned into one of the best
television shows of the year 22 years later,
I probably wouldn't have given a (bleeps)
because I was six years old
and much more concerned with making my GI Joe's
fight my Spiderman.
But 22 years later Ryan Murphy did just that
by assembling an all-star cast to turn one of the most
complicated court cases of all time
into one of the most compelling dramas
I've ever seen on TV.
Seriously, I did not expect to like this show
half as much as I did.
So consider me guilty of loving this show.
Steven Universe.
While everyone sings the praises of shows like
Rick and Morty and Adventure Time on Cartoon Network,
and rightly so,
many overlook the quiet brilliance of Steven Universe.
Anyone who's ever wished they could be part
of like the Sailor Scouts will vibe with this story
of a goofy kid who finds out he has incredible powers,
and the fate of the universe is at stake.
With the genuinely compelling ongoing story,
unreasonably catchy songs,
and humor that's smart enough for adults
but accessible enough for kids,
this cartoon is a real gem.
And quite possibly the best thing on Cartoon Network.
There, I said it.
Sorry, Cow and Chicken fans.
Game of Thrones.
While Game of Thrones didn't take my suggestion
to Weekend at Bernie's John Snow's dead body
all season long,
it did deliver some of the biggest and bloodiest battles,
shocking twists, and bat(bleeps) crazy theories
that we've seen to date.
The best part, or worst part, depending on who you ask,
is that this is the first time we've well and truly
gone off book.
Which made each episode a visceral thrill
because no one knew what was gonna happen.
From the Battle of the Bastards
to Varys secretly being a merman,
maybe, possibly, I don't know,
watch my episode on it to find out more.
This episode of Game of Thrones
is one of the best things on TV period.
And even John Snow knows that.
The Americans.
Guys.
Please stop sleeping on this incredible
Cold War spy drama.
Even though it gets passed over
like so many firstborns every award season,
this story of two KGB spies posing as Americans
in suburban DC,
consistently delivers the best twists and turns on TV.
Now current geo-politics aside,
this 1980s drama will have you on the edge of your seat
and frantically running over to your window
to spy on your neighbors during commercial breaks.
I mean, guys,
who knows what Mrs. Bornesfeld is really up to in Apt. 3B,
watering those damned Begonias all the damn time.
Is she working for Putin?
Who knows.
Preacher.
It may have taken nearly 20 years to figure out
how to crack the supernatural, ultra-violent nut
that is Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's Preacher,
but Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg finally did it,
and the results are bloody and brilliant.
With a vampire smack down on a jetliner,
exploding Tom Cruise,
and a homemade arts and crafts rocket launcher
in the first episode alone,
this comic book TV show hit the ground running
and sprinted to the head of the pack.
It is absolutely something you need to see.
Hand to God, I would do that but I don't want to explode.
Atlanta.
Donald Glover plays a Princeton dropout named Ern,
who moved back home to Atlanta,
and winds up being his rapper cousin's manager.
Is he deeply out of his element?
Yeah.
Is he trying his damnedest to be a good man,
son, and father, in a weirdly relatable way?
Yeah.
Is there anything else like it on TV?
Hell no.
And that's why it's amazing.
This show swings from surreal to serious
to supremely silly in a heartbeat,
much like Glover himself,
and that's exactly why we love it.
Honestly, he should probably call himself
a don't gambino, because he grew up a lot on this show.
BoJack Horseman.
Based on the amount of groan worthy puns
and dumb psych gags alone,
BoJack Horseman deserves a spot on this list.
But this animated series about an alcoholic, depressed,
anthropomorphic horse pursuing fame,
fortune, and academy award,
manages to be one of the funniest, darkest,
and most poignant comedies on TV.
I mean case in point,
the best episode of this season was practically silent,
for crying out loud.
You know, that old chestnut.
That old shut up, I'm not crying, you're crying.
Celebrities, what do they know, do they know things?
Let's find out, chestnut.
Black Mirror.
In a world without the Twilight Zone,
to couch necessary morality plays
in slick sci-fi trappings.
Charlie Brooker stepped up to the plate
to create a deeply unsettling series
of 21st century techno-parables
that basically made me want to go throw my phone
in a frickin' river.
Considering the shows track record
with deeply messed up episodes coming true,
I'm genuinely terrified for our future.
But I can't wait to watch even more.
And that, my friends, are our favorite TV shows of 2016.
It was incredibly hard to whittle down this list.
There were so many we had to leave off.
But tell us, what are your favorites?
What would you add to this list?
Let me know in the comments below,
and while you're there,
give me the best thumbs up of 2016.
Now be sure to like and subscribe
or else you might miss next week's show
when we talk about the story of a spirited teenager
in the South Pacific,
who sets out on a journey to fulfill her destiny
becoming a giant snake who eats Jon Voight in Moanaconda.
Until next time, keep on digging.
And a very special thanks to Amazon
for sponsoring today's episode.
Did you know that Amazon sells collectibles?
They have millions of listings.
Whether you're a serious collector
or just looking for that one unique piece
from your favorite fandom.
Rare Dr. Strange comics, autographed Marvel movie props,
unique Star Wars items, and so much more.
Go to amazon.com/Nerdist to check it all out.
Let's open up the old mailbag shall we?
@ashleyasceda asks,
do you consider a hamburger a member of the sandwich family?
Damn, Ashley.
Asking the hard hitting questions out here.
Alright, I think the hamburger is sandwich adjacent.
I think it fits into the sandwich genus,
but is a species unto itself.
Hot dogs though, are not sandwiches.
They are loved crafty and meat sceptres
not meant to be eaten by the likes of man.
@vernonshaw asks, follow-up question:
does cereal count as soup?
Wow Vernon, wow.
I'm worried about you, man.
What the hell is this question.
I mean the answer is yes, it's breakfast soup,
but wow, dude.
Talk to someone.
@crawlbd asks, if you could be haunted by only one
rock and roll hall of famer, who would it be?
Great question.
Aw man, I'd probably have to go with like, Freddy Mercury,
because I feel like he'd be a ghost with great advice,
a killer mustache, and incredible stage presence.
And honestly, that's what I look for in a haunting.
But what rock and roll hall of famer
would you want to haunt you?
Let me know in the comments below
and I'll see you guys next time.
(upbeat music)