Best TV shows of the year 2023, 40-31: Blue Lights, The Long Shadow and more

Over the next five days, we'll be revealing our top 50 shows, as selected by our team of editorial experts. Today (27th December), we continue our countdown with 40-31 – expect time travel thrillers, obsessive fans and maverick spies...

Be sure to join us again tomorrow and throughout the week as we disclose our full list, including the show that's landed this year's much-coveted No. 1 spot.

• Best TV shows of the year 2023, 50-41: Hijack, Heartstopper and more

40. Beckham

Available on Netflix

Netflix has become known for its flashy documentaries, and they don’t get more flashy than Beckham. Charting the former England captain’s rise from Leytonstone to global icon, there are photoshoots with popstars, questionable fashion choices and chats around the fire in the 48-year-old’s ridiculously classy mansion, all wrapped into three fast-paced hours of entertainment.

It’s slick, stylish and sentimental, and David’s executive producer influence is clear throughout - with beats of humour and suggestions of a down-to-earth family dynamic, the Beckhams come out of this very well.

Yet director Fisher Stevens consistently aims to dig deeper, exploring the mental impact that becoming a superstar, and having the weight of an entire country on your shoulders, can have on an ordinary man who one suspects still can’t quite believe his life has panned out the way it has. It’s fun but thought-provoking, and with Spice Girls, Eric Cantona and a Britpop-infused soundtrack all present throughout, it provides a solid dose of ‘90s nostalgia. A must watch. – George White, Sub-Editor

39. The Lazarus Project

Available on Sky

It’s been a brutal wait for The Lazarus Project season 2 after that season 1 finale, but finally we got to find out how the story continued. While season 1 saw Paapa Essiedu’s George attempt to end the world in a bid to bring his girlfriend, Charly Clive’s Sarah, back to life, season 2 saw his quest for redemption.

The stakes are higher than ever before, with a mind-bending second run proving the show has longevity. There’s just as much action, potentially even more twists and turns, and another major cliffhanger to see us out.

It might not have been renewed for season 3 just yet, but we’re going to need to see how this one plays out. – Louise Griffin, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor

38. Blue Lights

Available on BBC iPlayer

From Happy Valley and Unforgotten to Endeavour, there has been no shortage of police procedurals this year.

But it was Blue Lights that really stood out from the crowd. Set in Belfast, the BBC drama followed three probationary officers in the police service of Northern Ireland – Grace Ellis (Siân Brooke), Annie Conlon (Katherine Devlin) and Tommy Forster (Nathan Braniff) – as they were thrown in at the deep end, and offered a refreshing take on the genre.

Sure, there were all the police procedural staples – car chases, MI5 operations and gang violence – but it was the show’s rounded and instantly likeable characters that really made the series shine, and that made it so gripping when the characters put their lives at risk.

This was a tense and nuanced examination of courage, loyalty and morality, with standout performances from Braniff as the nervous Tommy and Richard Dormer as his obstinate, hardened partner, Gerry. – Molly Moss, Trends Writer

37. Slow Horses

Available on Apple TV+

If you’re ever trying to convince a friend to try Apple TV+, or are ever considering getting a subscription yourself, there have never been two more compelling words than these – Slow Horses. The spy thriller series, based on the books by Mick Herron, shows no signs of running out of steam, with this third season proving to be just as propulsive, addictive and delightful as the previous two.

Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden continue to be the perfect odd couple to lead this show, which has a wicked sense of humour but never veers into parody – the stakes truly are high, and that has never been more clear than in this season, which turns the action up to 11 with the help of exceptional guest star Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù.

The fact that we already know season 4 is on the way is not only a reassurance, but a blessing. Spy TV doesn’t come much better or more consistent than this, and with plenty more of Herron’s novels to be adapted, here’s hoping Oldman will be putting that brown overcoat and stained shirt on for years to come. – James Hibbs, Drama Writer

36. Daisy Jones & the Six

Available on Prime Video

Taking on a musical drama series is always an ambitious feat for a television network, not to mention one also based on a beloved and best-selling novel, but Prime Video’s adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & the Six transcended its source material.

Much of the credit lies in the casting of stars Riley Keough and Sam Claflin, their chemistry crackling, and their on-screen presence perfectly fitting the simultaneously unvarnished and outlandish elements of the US music scene of the 1970s and the glam rock era.

With mock elements of a docudrama, but utilising the very best styles of indie filmmaking, Daisy Jones & the Six also gave one of the best original soundtracks of the year - so give the album Aurora a listen! – Lewis Knight, Trends Editor

35. Loki

Available on Disney Plus

It’s been a rough year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania setting a new franchise record with its critic score on Rotten Tomatoes (spoilers: not a positive record), The Marvels setting a new franchise record at the box office (again, not a positive record) and Secret Invasion setting a new franchise record for… well, utter nonsensicality (yep, you guessed it, not a positive record).

But amid the darkness was one shining, fun-filled ray of light: Loki season 2. Sure, it may have frustratingly sidelined key characters like Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie and Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Renslayer, and it may have lacked the mysterious magic of the first instalment, but Loki’s return provided a timely reminder of what the MCU at its best can do.

Pushing the boundaries of sci-fi, creating fleshed-out characters you want to spend time with and perfectly blending moments of genuine comedy with beats of real emotion - including that last scene - Tom Hiddleston’s (potentially) final outing as the God of Mischief ranks not just as Marvel’s best release this year, but as one of the finest chapters of its 15 year story so far. – George White, Sub-Editor

34. Swarm

Available on Prime Video

"This is not a work of fiction," Swarm warned viewers at the beginning of each episode. "Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional."

This seven-part psychological thriller followed Dre (Dominique Fishback) and her sister Marissa, played by Chloe Bailey, who have a mutual love for a fictional pop star called Ni’Jah. Fishback delivered an impeccable performance as the disturbing Dre, whose fandom drove her to some very dark and unexpected places.

We also saw stellar performances from an eclectic cast, including Damson Idris, Billie Eilish, Paris Jackson and internet personality Rickey Thompson. A brilliantly-written series exploring the potential toxicity of stan culture, Swarm is a must-see. – Grace Henry, Entertainment and Factual Editor

33. Barry

Available on Sky Store

In a world where true originality is in short supply, and even actively discouraged by commissioners who are often only interested in existing IPs, Barry is one of a kind. Bill Hader’s morality tale about a hitman who unexpectedly finds himself at an LA acting class and decides to turn his back on the gun-for-hire life was consistently smart, fascinating and subversive across its four-season run.

It’s a Trojan horse of sorts, luring audiences in with a concept that’s simple and exceedingly silly, but there were depths to be mined - and boy, did Hader mine them.

At its core, Barry is a show about redemption and the capacity for change, but it also has a lot to say about gun violence, revenge, forgiveness, the military… I could go on, and on, and on. And while it’s one of the most brutal shows I’ve ever watched, not at any point does it glamorise what’s happening on-screen, instead seeking to show the corrosive nature of violence and its long-standing ripple effects at every opportunity, which is vital and sets it apart from countless other titles.

And yet, even with all of that to contend with, Hader’s nose for a gag is exceptional, giving us one of the best comedy characters of recent memory in Noho Hank, with all of the scenes involving incompetent gang members a delight.

There was nowhere left for the show to go after season 4, but that doesn’t mean I won’t mourn its absence. There’s simply nothing quite like Barry. – Abby Robinson, Drama Editor

32. Ted Lasso

Available on Apple TV+

While it’s still not entirely clear whether this third season of Ted Lasso was the show’s last, what is certain is that it was the end of an era. This new run of the acclaimed sports comedy/drama saw Ted return home to his family, a story beat which wasn’t exactly unpredictable, but which still hit hard.

In fact, that could be said for the entire season, which some fans begrudged for its predictability, but in truth, this show was never about its plot twists or shock reveals. Instead, Ted Lasso was always a good-natured, witty slice of silliness, while also being one of the warmest shows on TV.

This season saw that replicated to a tee, with the jokes continuing to land at an impressive rate and the inclusive, optimistic message still making this the ultimate comfort show. It also smartly utilised its supporting cast more than ever, meaning that were the series to continue in some form, stars such as Hannah Waddingham, Nick Mohammed and Brett Goldstein would be perfectly placed to take the lead. And, quite frankly, who wouldn’t want to see that? – James Hibbs, Drama Writer

31. The Long Shadow

Available on ITVX

True crime dramas are becoming an increasingly prevalent part of our TV schedules, whether we agree with them on a moral basis or not. But The Long Shadow is an example of one that, when done right, can seek to reframe the narrative around a well-known case to honourably place the victims front and centre.

Throughout its seven episodes, the series retains an unshakeable eerie feel to it due to the crimes committed, but also from the way that the drama outlines the failings of the investigation. The undermining of testimonies from sex workers and women like Marcella Claxton (Jasmine Lee-Jones) makes for especially infuriating viewing.

But the result is an extraordinary drama that, rather than angling on the attention-grabbing alter-ego that serial killer Peter Sutcliffe came to be known by, educates viewers on names they may be unfamiliar with. – Morgan Cormack, Drama Writer

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