Best TV Series of 2019

They say it’s a new Golden Age for TV, and you know what? It’s true. In fact, the biggest problem we have these days is finding the time to actually watch everything that’s worth checking out. And 2019 continued the trend of TV’s ascension in the pop-culture pantheon, with streaming services and cable networks jockeying for position and the viewer reaping the benefits with so many terrific shows on offer. HBO’s Watchmen has proven to be a masterwork right out of the gate, while Netflix is constantly dropping new programming, and often really hitting the mark with the likes of the head-trippy Russian Doll or the consistently great The Crown. Star Wars has a TV show now too! And Amazon is no slouch either with the likes of The Boys and Fleabag.
All that said, this is our winner for the Best TV Series of 2019.

Best TV Series of 2019: Watchmen

Damon Lindelof’s sequel to the revered graphic novel didn’t just meet our expectations; it surpassed them in a way that maybe not even Dr. Manhattan himself could’ve foreseen (O.K., perhaps that’s going too far). Building a completely natural extension of the world created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons over 30 years ago, Lindelof and his team managed to revisit classic characters while never letting them feel stale, simultaneously giving us a whole new roster of players who were equally compelling. And this was all done with some of the most intriguing storytelling approaches of the year, as the characters — and us with them — stepped forward and backward through time to flesh out the overall story. Watchmen is quite simply amazing TV.
Check out our Watchmen season one review.
See Watchmen on Amazon Prime
Best sure to watch Damon Lindelof’s acceptance speech to IGN below!

IGN People’s Choice Winner: Chernobyl

IGN’s readers chose HBO’s Chernobyl as the Best TV Series of 2019, giving it 26.1% of the vote. The Disney+ series The Mandalorian followed with 19.1%, and Amazon’s The Boys took the third spot with 18.7%.
See Chernobyl on Amazon
Check out the rest of the IGN TV awards below!
More TV of the Year Awards
Best New TV Series of 2019
Best TV Episode of 2019
Best Streaming Service of 2019
Best Dramatic TV Performance of 2019
Best Comedic TV Performance of 2019
Best TV Ensemble of 2019
Best Action TV Series of 2019
Best Animated TV Series of 2019
Best Comedy TV Series of 2019
Best Drama TV Series of 2019
Best Comic Book TV Series of 2019
See all Movie/TV/Comic/Anime award nominees
See all Game of the Year award nominees

Nominees: Best TV Series of 2019

These are IGN’s nominees for the best TV series of 2019.

Fleabag

After a critically-acclaimed first season, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag somehow managed to become even more hilarious (and sometimes heartbreaking) in Season 2, which introduces Sherlock star Andrew Scott as “The Priest,” who Fleabag unwittingly leads into temptation, even as he does his best to guide her towards the light. There’s no comedy quite as honest – or frequently surprising – as this.
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Succession

HBO’s Succession is funny, heartbreaking, unbearably tense and some of the most fun you’ll have watching anything on TV. The somehow manages to be Shakespearean while also capturing the details of our current American moment with what can sometimes be startling clarity. And after Season 2 it pretty much cemented its place among the pantheon of all time great HBO dramas.

The Boys

Amazon’s The Boys is irreverent, amusingly gratuitous, and one hell of a ride, with overly-violent setpieces and compelling storylines, especially when it comes to Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher and Antony Starr’s Homelander.

Watchmen

Making a sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ classic graphic novel has certainly proven to be a dicey proposition at best in the world of comics, let alone in live-action. And yet here we are, with showrunner/creator Damon Lindelof bringing the best aspects of his Lost/The Leftovers sensibilities to bear on the HBO show, along with a clear love for and appreciation of the original book. Watchmen is willing to take risks, and it does so with a beloved property, somehow managing to elevate the comic while also telling an amazing, relevant tale.

Russian Doll

Russian Doll is Netflix at its best, a heady, addictive binge that avoids the bloat of other streaming shows and delights with its many subversions of tropes and expectations. Between its perfectly-calibrated mystery and flawed but fascinating characters, this is a world we want to revisit over and over again — regardless of whether or not we make the right decisions.
Fleabag

After a critically-acclaimed first season, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag somehow managed to become even more hilarious (and sometimes heartbreaking) in Season 2, which introduces Sherlock star Andrew Scott as “The Priest,” who Fleabag unwittingly leads into temptation, even as he does his best to guide her towards the light. There’s no comedy quite as honest – or frequently surprising – as this.
Succession

HBO’s Succession is funny, heartbreaking, unbearably tense, and some of the most fun you’ll have watching anything on TV. It somehow manages to be Shakespearean while also capturing the details of our current American moment with what can sometimes be startling clarity. And after Season 2, it pretty much cemented its place among the pantheon of all-time great HBO dramas.
See Succession on Amazon
The Boys

Amazon’s The Boys is irreverent, amusingly gratuitous, and one hell of a ride, with overly-violent setpieces and compelling storylines, especially when it comes to Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher and Antony Starr’s Homelander.
See The Boys on Amazon Prime
Watchmen

Making a sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ classic graphic novel has certainly proven to be a dicey proposition at best in the world of comics, let alone in live-action. And yet here we are, with showrunner/creator Damon Lindelof bringing the best aspects of his Lost/The Leftovers sensibilities to bear on the HBO show, along with a clear love for and appreciation of the original book. Watchmen is willing to take risks, and it does so with a beloved property, somehow managing to elevate the comic while also telling an amazing, relevant tale.

For more, check out our Watchmen season one review.
See Watchmen on Amazon Prime
Russian Doll

Russian Doll is Netflix at its best, a heady, addictive binge that avoids the bloat of other streaming shows and delights with its many subversions of tropes and expectations. Between its perfectly-calibrated mystery and flawed but fascinating characters, this is a world we want to revisit over and over again.

For more, check out our Russian Doll season one review.
Doom Patrol

Doom Patrol’s first season was filled with emotional drama, weird and lovable characters, and some of the strangest, most surreal plots imaginable for a mainstream superhero show. What other superhero series would wrap up a season with a giant kaiju battle between a cockroach with a god complex and a rat who craves vengeance for his murdered mother?
See Doom Patrol at Walmart
The Mandalorian

The first Star Wars live-action TV series has proven to be not only a pop-culture phenomenon (thanks Baby Yoda!), but also a truly worthwhile endeavor that reignites the spark of that galaxy a long time ago and far, far away. Smartly jettisoning the established characters and worn-out plotlines from the movies, The Mandalorian is a space Western with style, heart, and plenty of drama.

For more, check out our The Mandalorian season one review.
Stranger Things

Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 3 was the series’ best outing so far, with bigger stakes and stronger character development than its previous two iterations. As the kids mature, so do their respective stories and the young actors continue to deliver the goods. Newcomer Maya Hawke is an outstanding addition to the already stacked ensemble, with David Harbour’s Hopper and Winona Ryder’s Joyce adding a nice bit of emotional depth with their compelling storyline. The production value has also been given a boost, making this season feel more like something you might see in a movie theater.

For more, check out our Stranger Things season three review.
The Crown

The Crown Season 3 faced the challenge of recasting its principle cast, but showrunner Peter Morgan’s compelling narrative about the ups and downs of House Windsor remained very strong. Newcomers Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter successfully carry the torch of their predecessors with captivating performances. And Josh O’Connor’s introduction as Prince Charles almost steals the show.

For more, check out our The Crown season three review.
See The Crown Season 2 at Walmart
Chernobyl

Chernobyl is a harrowing and stomach-churning tale of bureaucratic negligence, ego, paranoia, and bravery set against the backdrop of the Cold War. It’s one of the most horrific scripted series out there… And it’s bloody brilliant.
See Chernobyl on Amazon

Which TV shows made your list of nominees that didn’t make ours? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out all of our Game of the Year award nominees as well as all our picks for the best movies, TV shows, comics, and anime of 2019!