Ed Martin's Top 25 Programs of 2023 (Part Three)

Fargo (FX) -- The fourth season of this often dark and twisty comic thriller may have been a misfire for some, but everything we all loved about this distinctive franchise clicked back into place in its fifth go-round. In short, Fargo -- with its renewed mix of madness and mirth -- was fun again … helped in no small measure by the delightful Juno Temple (pictured at top) and Jon Hamm, along with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dave Foley and many others. What a year Temple and Hamm have had: Temple with the final season of Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso, Hamm with his central role in the third season of The Morning Show.

Bargain Block (HGTV) -- Given the seemingly boundless interest in home renovation series, it wouldn't be right to ignore them altogether when looking back over the last 12 months. My current favorite is Bargain Block, which follows a gay couple's efforts to not only restore long-abandoned homes but to quite literally salvage entire decimated Detroit neighborhoods in the process. Evan Thomas and Keith Bynum aren't the only HGTV home renovation personalities with greater goals in mind, but they may be the most easygoing and engaging.

Jury Duty (Freevee) -- Imagine agreeing to participate in a documentary about the experience of serving on a jury completely unaware that it was all bogus -- and everyone around you, including the judge and your fellow jurors, was an actor playing a role. That's the position that likable Ronald Gladden found himself in -- and his unwavering good nature made this low-budget, ad-libbed treat on Freevee shine. He was pranked, big time, but he landed a cool $100,000 for his trouble, along with the kind of instant celebrity status thousands of young actors and would-be influencers covet, so why complain?

Barry (HBO) -- The long list of hot shows that in 2023 ended perhaps a bit too soon includes Barry, which got progressively stranger as it moved through its four seasons to its finale. Certainly, the escalation of violence, murder and madness called into question the idea that this show was in any way a comedy. But call it what you will; Barry was a stunner from start to finish, and I won't soon forget the increasingly complex performances of Bill Hader, Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg, Stephen Root and Anthony Carrigan, all playing characters as flawed and fascinating as any we have seen on television in a very long time. Also, Hader established himself as a director to reckon with, having helmed the entire final season, so there's that.

Abbott Elementary (ABC) and Ghosts (CBS) -- I considered not including these delightful comedies here, since only a few episodes from their second seasons premiered during (early) 2023 … and I had already honored episodes from the sophomore runs of both shows on last year's list. But the twin strikes changed things, at least for the time being, so even without fall seasons here they are again. Abbott (pictured above) and Ghosts deserve to be included based solely on their own creative merits, but I look at them as crucial reminders of what "traditional" television is still capable of … if the industry would simply chill out a bit and stop sacrificing broadcast at the altar of streaming. There is room for both to survive and thrive. And, as I asked about Abbott last year, who thinks these shows would have made the same wide-ranging splash on streamers that they have enjoyed on ABC and CBS, respectively?

America's Got Talent (NBC) -- What would summer be without it? As exciting and joyful as America's Got Talent is, it's the heartfelt stories told by some of the contestants, and their desire to dedicate their performances to loved ones they have lost, that year after year keep me fully engaged. The emotional connection is palpable, the talent on display often humbling, and the spirited interaction between judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara and host Terry Crews reliably priceless. Also, the opportunities for expanded product placement and promotion for advertisers are unrivaled ... and I'm not just talking about cups on the judges' table.

Real Time with Bill Maher and Last Week with John Oliver (HBO) -- I can't give HBO enough credit for continuing to support long-time Friday night staple Real Time with Bill Maher and Sunday night special Last Week with John Oliver -- and for keeping them in their respective time periods. No other television platform -- including the 24-hour news channels -- gives me challenging conversation and entertaining political analysis at the start of my weekend and fires me up at the end with more of the same, but in two completely different formats. Even in this age of excess information I would feel ill-informed without them.

Saturday Night Live (NBC) -- This show doesn't need my support or anyone else's. It's bigger than all of us, and I can't imagine the last 48 years without it. I'm including it here because it's about time that somebody celebrated the joy to be had simply watching the current opening credits, shot almost entirely at the legendary Chelsea Hotel. SNL has a history of fabulous opening credit sequences that make you want to drop everything and hit NYC ASAP, but this one gets me going every time, even during summer rerun season.

Tiana the Bug Lady and Lizard the Buddy (Instagram and other social media) -- There's always room on this list for a social media account or two that engage me in a manner not dissimilar to some of my favorite television shows. Certainly, there is a dizzying amount -- I could start and stop with cat videos alone -- but Tiana and Lizard really surprised me, because I have never felt emotionally invested in creepy crawlies of any kind. Tiana Gayton shares her love for jumping spiders -- each treated as a pampered pet with its own private habitat -- with her 311K followers, and it is simply remarkable how we come to care for them. In fact, not long ago when her beloved "tiny best friend" Rose (pictured above) passed there wasn't a dry eye in her community. Similarly, Buddy the lizard (pictured below) and his dragon dad have an amazing bond that rivals that of any pet owner. A few minutes spent on these accounts can brighten even the darkest day.

Runners up: FX on Hulu's chilling high-tech thriller A Murder at the End of the World; Netflix's Poe-infused creep show The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix); the syndicated The Kelly Clarkson Show, aka the Happiest Show on Earth (especially since Clarkson brought the show to New York City); Netflix's Beef, a drama about the ravages of rage that hit close to home for all of us, and Apple TV+'s comedy Shrinking, which didn't do much for me, but seems to have rocked the world, so I'm adding it here at the end.

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