best of Wicked's Best of 2k18 | #1 TV Show Revealed! (pg. 9)

[Maddox]

You already know my thoughts on Eve, i hope S2 will prove me wrong but that seems unlikely

 

Cobra Kai is the type of shows where you know it'll go downhill at some point and yet it managed to stay consistent til the finale. It was very nice surprise!

 

I assume you added Forever mostly based on the Hong Chau/Jason Mitchell episode, which is perfectly valid but the rest was good too. I think Fred Armisen helped the show a lot. Had they brought some melodramatic actor i don't think it would have that same punch, or Maya's performance to resonate with me. Anyway loved the show, loved the concept. The finale was perfect  

 

Power is still the best entertainment for the summer. There was a lot at stake this season. Ghost and Angela remain being dumb, Tariq is the ****ing worst. Perched for next year!

 

Glad i kinda caught up with QS, still haven't finished S3 so i can't comment but i will say Charley grew on me a lot compared to the 1st season; she even became one of my fav characters by the end of S2. Her being judgemental with her family is a reasonable character flaw and her struggle with her business was treated very nicely; the RA/Darla situation is messy lol but yeah i will try and finish b4 the new season starts

 

DWP/Patrick Melrose are great! I really don't want a second season of YOU, that cliffhanger was just the pits  

Edited December 28, 2018 by Maddox

[Wicked]

 

20. MGMT - Me and Michael

19. Kamasi Washington - Fists of Fury

18. Iceage - Catch It

17. Joji - Slow Dancing In The Dark

15. Kurt Vile - Bassackwards

14. Rico Nasty - Smack a Bitch

13. Charli XCX - Focus

12. Moses Sumney - Rank & File

11. Lupe Fiasco - Manilla

 

Kinda wanna get these lists done before the section ends so I'm rushing this set out. 

[TRF.]

Venice Bitch

[madonnas]

You dragged Rico's screaming but put Smack a bitch so high? Or is that the one song you think worked with it but hate the rest?

 

Catch it & Me & Michael are anthems. 

[MP2K]

Gonna check out YOU, isn't that the interactive show?

 

 Fists of Fury, Slow Dancing In The Dark (forgot about him), Focus (the acclaim), Rank & File

Edited January 1, 2019 by MP2K

[Tom Vercetti]

there's technically still around 3 weeks to go but the activity on this section has passed its peak.

fire set, yet again. 

[JGibson]

Me and Michael ❤️ 

[Wicked]

I'll reply to the comments/post in you guys threads' later today

 

 

10. Mario - Drowning

Did you know this 00s R&B sensation returned this year with new music? Well he did. To a somewhat surprise, his return wasn't an attempt at Trap&B and such. 'Drowning' is a track about just getting out of a LTR and forming a deep connection with someone new, but he can't stop thinking about his ex yet. I'd say more but let's get to the next track!

 

09. Pusha T - If You Know You Know

Old Man Kanye can still pull out some winners during his obvious times of need. Pusha T still has one of the better voices in Rap today. When that combination is dope on both sides it tends to equal greatness.

 

08. Playboi Carti - Home (K.O.D.)

No it's not filler bye xo

 

07. Smino - Low Down Derty Blues

The best vibes on an album full of good ones.

 

06. Earl Sweatshirt - Azucar

Seems like everyone is torn between the 2 singles for SRS + Peanut but I'm more attached to this one.

 

05. Janelle Monae - Django Jane

The song everybody didn't get most in 2018. I'm kinda tired of defending the song at this point, it's great. In all ways, and much better than Make Me Feel like a Prince reject & the other song. That's that on that.

 

04. Robyn - Baby Forgive Me

We love maturity.

 

03. serpentwithfeet - bless ur heart

We also love great R&B vocals and strong lyricism.

 

02. SOPHIE - Is It Cold In The Water?

And eye love Kate Bush throwaway-esque music.

 

01. Mariah Carey - Giving Me Life (feat. Slick Rick)

 

 

Surprise? I'm guessing not. Whatever the case, this is awesome and not something I expected from her in 2018. I didn't expect one of my favorite musicians to not only work with Blood Orange, but get Slick Rick for a verse while sampling one of my all-time favorite films, starring one of my top 5 favorite actors (a little shameful people till today still don't know where it's from, but I digress). She did this, yes she did.

[Wicked]

srsly, Jane Bond, never Jane Doe. and I Django, never Sambo is better than y'all favs whole careers as lyricists.

[Navyofbadgals]

Janelle, Pusha & SOPHIE  

[Tom Vercetti]

Mario  what year is it

A lot of these are good non canon choices. 

Giving me life reminds of a blood orange song so not surprised in that collaboration. I recall seeing Trading Places at least once or twice in my life. 

Another refreshing list ?

[Vilppu]

really good top 10 ❤️ bless ur heart, IICITW and IYKYK are my faves and i'm glad to see django jane, make me feel was just more my style musically but this is absolutely another highlight from her so it was kinda sad to see it get lost among the other DC tracks for so many. the mariah song actually is surprising but it's a good #1 choice, it's been growing on me a lot

[Pink Matter]

Killer top 10 (and 20, love Bassackwards and Rank & File).

IYKYK is the perfect intro (one of the best of 2018).

Low Down Derty Blues is a perfect vibe and one that grew on me hard off of Noir.

Django Jane is her best single this year. If I was going to choose a single for my countdown it would've been that one.

Baby Forgive Me, bless ur heart, and Is It Cold...?  Great singles sis  

[Wicked]

 

21. Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)

 

 

A 7 part miniseries about the 2015 New York prison escape was nice. I liked the change of storytelling just to show us later on down the road these guys don't deserve anything good. Benicio Del Toro delivers one of his most cutthroat performances, Paul Dano is awesome & Patricia Arquette completely transforms into a MAGA-esque older woman with bigger hopes and dreams. It is a little creepy to watch as Benicio & Paul's character manipulate her throughout, but even then the show manages to not make you sympathetic towards her either. This is Ben Stiller's debut as a director, and if this is just his debut I can't wait to see what he does next.

 

20. Barry (HBO)

 

 

A lot of this placement is off the strength of the last two episodes of this mostly ok debut season. About a hitman looking for a career change, Barry starts off very student art project-like. It's very amateurish in execution given all the names attached. There's been a lot of comparisons between Barry & Showtime's Dexter but I'm not sure if they make sense. Barry truly desires a 'normal' life, wife, child, picket fence. Dexter only attained those things for blending in. I'm hopefully the second season won't be stagnant or stale but my expectations are low.

 

19. Claws (TNT)

 

 

TNT's Florida noir returned for a bigger & better second season. Filled with wonderfully executed concept episodes, great performances and some subversions of soap opera tropes, Claws corrected most of their season one mistakes. My only major gripe is the handling of assault against men like some type of funny gag. It's nice to see a crew of strong, tough women who have each others backs even when they go through periods of disagreements. They love and respect each other at the end of the day. It's nice to not just see women being catty all the damn time for no reason; even if it does "give" some people "life". They're treated as real multidimensional people.

 

18. Baskets (FX)

 

 

An awesome FX show with another great season, what else is new? Mama Baskets is still incredible (and Louie Anderson is still being robbed), Zach Galifianakis proves his acting chops & I feel so happy watching this show. It's hard for me to emotionally connect to a show, but watching a family like the Baskets' brings it out of me. Don't we all just want Christine to have a happy end? I know I do. **** Dale btw.

 

17. The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

 

 

Maya Rindell is so useless but other than that, The Good Fight delivered a great season. The prestige procedural is here! This is also the only show that needs to address Trump. Whether those references will age well is up in the air, but they were handled the best. I should get around to The good Wife huh? Shonda Rhimes is weeping somewhere that Scandal nor HTGAWM are as great.

 

16. Death Row Chronicles (BET)

 

 

This docu-series following the rise & fall of Death Row Records deserved more hype, I guess since all about some type of tragedy it couldn't be milked. Exclusive footage & information about all the infamous stories surrounding the myth-like creature that is Suge Knight. I'd call this a must watch for any Rap fan or 90s Rap fan at the very least. Very thrilling from beginning to end minus the episode that's basically a 40 minute Tupac biopic.

 

15. Insecure (HBO)

 

 

HBO's dramadey returned with what might be its best season yet. Issa finally makes some changed to push her life out of the stagnant rut its been in since season one, Molly drops the very toxic Dro, and one of the girls is about to become a mother. This season was a season of preparation into the next stage of their lives. The fans get frustrated --understandably-- considering the dumbass decisions the girls make but hey, they're human. They're bound to make mistakes even when we can see it coming. Hopefully next season Issa can sort out her co-dependency issues further, and Molly can work on Molly after that tragic situationship.

 

14. The Venture Bros. ([adult swim])

 

 

TVB returned with another awesome season that went underwatched. I'm not sure what else to say... If you like Sci-Fi, "nerd culture", Rick and Morty, etc,. there's no reason why you aren't watching this. Probably Adult Swim's best show that's still running.

 

13. Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

 

 

My weekly medicine is Jada Pinkett Smith's talk show. They talk about various things as black women, and through 3 different generational perspectives. From depression filtered through their identities to personal growth and more. I can always expect to be moved by a topic, whether it's a heavy one or a happy one. Even those I don't experience, like the 2-part special with Will Smith discussing the hardships & compromises of marriage. It's kinda grown people **** lol but I appreciate it. I'm not sure why the only talk shows critics acknowledge are politically fueled; but it's annoying. Jada, her mom & daughter deserve recognition for tackling things other shows can't or won't.

 

[Maddox]

Escape At Dannemora's strongest suit is the acting which was brilliant. Ben Stiller's work is impressive too but damn it's a struggle to finish... I still haven't touched the finale lol.

 

Barry being on HBO and riding on Killing Eve's coattails helped it a LOT. I doubt anyone would care if it came out on Showtime or Starz. Anyway it's a useless show now that we got Patriot (available on Amazon Prime)

 

Scandal wishes it could do an episode as thrilling as TGF's president's pee tape. And why is Maya is still at the forefront? Ever since her case was done she's been useless

 

I know i keep saying it but i will get to the Adult Swin non Rick and Morty content soon.

Claws, Baskets and Insecure  

[Staryu]

I agree about Maya, she is kind of a limp noodle. Claws and Barry are on my watchlist. Insecure had a great season  

[Lazuli]

Sophie, Robyn, Janelle  

[madonnas]

OMG, I was really feeling alone considering everyone was leaving Giving Me Life in the dust for The Distance (which is good).  GML is a little better because of that outro and those midi sounding synths.

Django is definitely better than Pynk.

 

 

[Wicked]

On 12/28/2018 at 6:32 PM, Maddox said:

You already know my thoughts on Eve, i hope S2 will prove me wrong but that seems unlikely

 

Cobra Kai is the type of shows where you know it'll go downhill at some point and yet it managed to stay consistent til the finale. It was very nice surprise!

 

I assume you added Forever mostly based on the Hong Chau/Jason Mitchell episode, which is perfectly valid but the rest was good too. I think Fred Armisen helped the show a lot. Had they brought some melodramatic actor i don't think it would have that same punch, or Maya's performance to resonate with me. Anyway loved the show, loved the concept. The finale was perfect  

 

Power is still the best entertainment for the summer. There was a lot at stake this season. Ghost and Angela remain being dumb, Tariq is the ****ing worst. Perched for next year!

 

Glad i kinda caught up with QS, still haven't finished S3 so i can't comment but i will say Charley grew on me a lot compared to the 1st season; she even became one of my fav characters by the end of S2. Her being judgemental with her family is a reasonable character flaw and her struggle with her business was treated very nicely; the RA/Darla situation is messy lol but yeah i will try and finish b4 the new season starts

 

DWP/Patrick Melrose are great! I really don't want a second season of YOU, that cliffhanger was just the pits  

 

On 12/31/2018 at 8:59 PM, TRF. said:

Venice Bitch

 

On 1/1/2019 at 1:00 AM, madonnas said:

You dragged Rico's screaming but put Smack a bitch so high? Or is that the one song you think worked with it but hate the rest?

 

Catch it & Me & Michael are anthems. 

 

On 1/1/2019 at 1:34 AM, MP2K said:

Gonna check out YOU, isn't that the interactive show?

 

 Fists of Fury, Slow Dancing In The Dark (forgot about him), Focus (the acclaim), Rank & File

 

On 1/1/2019 at 2:34 PM, Tom Vercetti said:

there's technically still around 3 weeks to go but the activity on this section has passed its peak.

fire set, yet again. 

 

On 1/1/2019 at 2:42 PM, JGibson said:

Me and Michael ❤️ 

 

On 1/2/2019 at 9:36 AM, Navyofbadgals said:

Janelle, Pusha & SOPHIE  

 

On 1/2/2019 at 9:54 AM, Tom Vercetti said:

Mario  what year is it

A lot of these are good non canon choices. 

Giving me life reminds of a blood orange song so not surprised in that collaboration. I recall seeing Trading Places at least once or twice in my life. 

Another refreshing list ?

 

On 1/2/2019 at 12:37 PM, Vilppu said:

really good top 10 ❤️ bless ur heart, IICITW and IYKYK are my faves and i'm glad to see django jane, make me feel was just more my style musically but this is absolutely another highlight from her so it was kinda sad to see it get lost among the other DC tracks for so many. the mariah song actually is surprising but it's a good #1 choice, it's been growing on me a lot

Some albums + shows coming in a bit!

 

 

On 1/2/2019 at 2:08 PM, Pink Matter said:

Killer top 10 (and 20, love Bassackwards and Rank & File).

IYKYK is the perfect intro (one of the best of 2018).

Low Down Derty Blues is a perfect vibe and one that grew on me hard off of Noir.

Django Jane is her best single this year. If I was going to choose a single for my countdown it would've been that one.

Baby Forgive Me, bless ur heart, and Is It Cold...?  Great singles sis  

 

Thank you so much

On 1/2/2019 at 5:47 PM, Maddox said:

Escape At Dannemora's strongest suit is the acting which was brilliant. Ben Stiller's work is impressive too but damn it's a struggle to finish... I still haven't touched the finale lol.

 

Barry being on HBO and riding on Killing Eve's coattails helped it a LOT. I doubt anyone would care if it came out on Showtime or Starz. Anyway it's a useless show now that we got Patriot (available on Amazon Prime)

 

Scandal wishes it could do an episode as thrilling as TGF's president's pee tape. And why is Maya is still at the forefront? Ever since her case was done she's been useless

 

I know i keep saying it but i will get to the Adult Swin non Rick and Morty content soon.


Claws, Baskets and Insecure  

The finale is really good though lol.

 

The Barry drag (it deserves tho), I'll get to Patriot.

 

I have no idea cause real talk, Rose Leslie isn't that great to be the main character either.

 

Rick and Morty hasn't assisted Adult Swim at all, it just became it's own thing which is great but bad at the same time. I wouldn't even call it their best show at this point.

On 1/2/2019 at 9:13 PM, Staryu said:

I agree about Maya, she is kind of a limp noodle. Claws and Barry are on my watchlist. Insecure had a great season  

Limp noodle is an understatement. Get to Claws though, you'll love it!

On 1/3/2019 at 5:29 AM, Lazuli said:

Sophie, Robyn, Janelle  

They came locked & loaded.

On 1/3/2019 at 1:18 PM, madonnas said:

OMG, I was really feeling alone considering everyone was leaving Giving Me Life in the dust for The Distance (which is good).  GML is a little better because of that outro and those midi sounding synths.

Django is definitely better than Pynk.

The Distance puts me to sleep. There's more going on in Giving Me Life to appreciate.

[Wicked]

 

12b. Better Call Saul (AMC)

 

 

While the fourth season of the Breaking Bad prequel didn't quite keep up with the quality of the third season, I still really enjoyed finally arriving to the Saul Goodman stage of Jimmy McGill's life. Poor Kim, what will they make of her? I'm also intrigued with the position Gus Fring is in for the moment and how he's gonna get out of it.

 

12a. Brockmire (IFC)

 

 

Most improved show of 2018, Brockmire returned with its sophomore season improving upon the potential that filled a mainly ok debut season. Baseball announcer Jim Brockmire is a functioning alcoholic/drug addict that gets on everyone's nerves. Season two takes a darker turn into why Jim is the way he is. With Charles as the perfect buddy (because sidekick is such an understatement) the show brought more laughs and got me more invested as a viewer. With some dynamite episodes, this is a comedy that should've been discussed more throughout the year. If the finale is any indication, Jim is on the right path to becoming happy and accepting who he is without being under the influence. If I could compare it to anything, it is quite a bit like BoJack Horseman -- except funnier.

 

 

11b. Mike Judge's Tales From The Tour Bus (Cinemax)

 

 

The way NOBODY spoke of this returning for its dynamite second season. A massive change of pace from the first season focused on Country stars, the sophomore season was about Funk stars. George Clinton, James Brown, Betty Davis & Morris Day are just a few names to get Mike Judge'd. I loved every second of it, probably because I'm a bigger fan of the genre than Country but this show is something special. We have no idea what season three will tackle but I'm hope for another left turn. Mike should do a pop girls season

 

11a. American Vandal (Netflix)

 

 

First things first: **** Netflix. Now that we got that out of the way, American Vandal's sophomore season surpassed its debut in some ways. I preferred the setup in season one, mainly due to the fact that it was more personal for Peter to investigate. But regardless, season two ticked some boxes the first didn't. It is more "serious" in a sense while still having an outlandish premise such as The Turd Burglar, but damn if it wasn't hitting me in its final few episode with the themes of how loneliness & alienation can cause people to act out, or out of character/be manipulated. Would you believe me if I told you a mockumentary series was the most accurate depiction of high school for young millennials/gen z? If any other streaming service is smart (hi, Hulu) they'll pick this up for a third season.

 

10. Joe Pera Talks With You ([adult swim])

 

 

We lost Nathan For You --a cult comedy CLASSIC-- this year, but in return we got the equally pure soul that is Joe Pera & his new series. Arguably the most sentimental show of the year, Joe Pera is an awesome guy that talks about various topics with the audience from the feeling when you have a new favorite song to breakfast with friends. It is cringe humor, but it's so wholesome and well intentioned. I wish the current television criticism climate wasn't busy hyping up any "dark" shows with an "anti-hero" lead because more shows like this need to shine. Adult Swim has long been home of the weird & meta humor shows that most networks wouldn't touch with a 10ft pole, and here they have another gem.

 

09. Pose (FX)

 

 

I still hate Ryan Murphy, he's still a terrible showrunner, etc,. And thankfully, due to him stepping back when he doesn't know what he's doing, Pose turned out great!

 

Following 1980s NYC ball culture, this turned into the family drama you didn't know you needed. Not sure what else to say, I immediately grew to care for the characters despite the Murphyisms in the writing, the performances are all dynamite, etc,. I wasn't too hot on the finale, so I'm not sure how season two will unfold but I am hoping for the best. As great as Evan Peters (kinda already happened to him but at least he was Quicksilver), MJ, India & Billy are on this show... Let's hope they don't get Sarah Paulson'd and branch out from the Murphy house.

 

08. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

 

 

I guess I'll be one of those people who says this was nearly as good as the first season --even though I even found that overrated in comparison to Made In America-- and think the mixed reaction to it from critics was uncalled for. They've been watching messed up people do messed up things but being reminded those people are in a cycle themselves is what turned them off. Anywhoo, Versace was dope, with dope performances & an interesting structure. This wasn't as much of a cultural conversation as The People vs OJ mainly because the Versace murder wasn't as much of a media magnent, but it was still damn good. Thank goodness Ryan Murphy has been banned from the writers room, it shows! (and is why its above Pose which unfortunately has moments where I could tell Mr. Trash was writing). Where is Darren Criss gonna go from here I ask?

 

07. BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

 

 

If you don't know the deal with BoJack already, idk what to tell you. This year the show makes fun of the run of the mill prestige drama (and they nailed it), make great commentary re: the MeToo movement, and challenge the viewers on how we perceive and root for the antihero in film/tv. I could type more but I'm kinda tired. Most of the characters have a significant moment in the season, and once again ripped out hearts out of our chests with some laughs. Another job web done for everyone behind this.

 

06. Kidding (Showtime)

 

 

Don't kill me for having this over Pose please... Jim Carrey is a legend and we don't give him his flowers as often as we should. Kidding is a phenomenal show about dealing with grief in a very unique way under specific circumstances/perspectives. Jim plays a Mister Rogers-esque pop culture character except he never takes the mask off; throughout the season the long repressed emotions start to pour out slowly and a tad destructively. At the same time, he's looking to rediscover his own voice which should make for an awesome second season. One of the few shows labeled as "Comedy" that makes me physically laugh, it's still more of a charming Dramadey... And you should watch it.

 

Edited January 9, 2019 by Wicked

[Wicked]

 

Whew this sxn is dead They'll be descriptions for the top 10 but, here lol.

 

20. Mario - Dancing Shadows (Contemporary R&B)

19. Jacquees - 4275 (Contemporary R&B)

18. MGMT - Little Dark Age (Synthpop)

17. VanJess - Silk Canvas (Neo Soul)

16. Mitski - Be The Cowboy (Alternative Rock)

15. Tierra Whack - Whack World (Hip-Hop)

14. JPEGMAFIA - Veteran (Experimental Hip-Hop)

13. Korridor - End of Cycle (Industrial Techno)

12. Jóhann Jóhannsson - Mandy (Film Score, Horror Synth)

11. Lupe Fiasco - Drogas Wave (Hip-Hop)

[Wicked]

 

This was supposed to be 10 but these are just the tier I think were the best of the year. No rank after my #1.

 

1. Blindspotting

They came to kill. Confident this is my FOTY.

 

The Tale

Support The Girls

Leave No Trace

We the Animals

If Beale Street Could Talk

Thunder Road

Mandy

Avengers: Infinity War

 

-Was planning on no commentary for the films but I will say it's undeniable this is a massive filmmaking achievement. Regardless of your stance on superhero flicks, this is one of the best blockbusters in quite some time. The Last Jedi weeps. DCEU found dead.

 

Upgrade

The House That Jack Built

-I had to watch this 3 times before I decided I liked it.

Won't You Be My Neighbor

A Prayer Before Dawn

The Rider

Eighth Grade

-Kudos to this film for finally showing a healthy father/daughter relationship. coming of age films centered around young women tends to make it seem like all their dads are deadbeats.

 

----

 

Film lists are difficult for me in general because with how they're released. My decade-end list will be far superior.

[Pink Matter]

Mitski and VanJess  (love seeing these girls on another YEL!) MGMT was also really nice.

I listened to Lupe's album and it was good on the one listen I gave it but it was way too long.

I also need to find time to listen to Tierra Whack and Jacquees. I have them and some other albums/EPs queued for later.

[potent]

Little Dark Age

 

I should check Better Call Saul, I loved Breaking Bad.

[Maddox]

The last episodes of Brockmire were really good, a worthy companion to BoJack. I'm perched to see how the dynamic will change for both shows now that their protagonists are on their path to healing. Should be good!

 

I absolutely agree on AV, the show understands this generation better than these supposed "high school dramedies/satire" **** they've been dumping on us lately ugh...

 

I forgot about Tales From The Tour Bus. I think it was only you and some other critic who praised the new season lol. Will watch!

 

Your top 10 as expected has some solid gems!! Pose, ACS (you sure ur not a secret Murphy stan  won't judge lol) Joe Pera, BoJack  And Kidding... I'm mad Jim did not win sunday night. The Globes are supposed to be Amazon/Showtime's wh0re... Who the **** knows about Kominsky Method let alone watch 10 episodes of that

 

Seen a lot of praise for Blindspotting, definitely going to watch (along with Beale Street when it leaks ) The Tale, Support The Girls, Leave No Trace, Mandy, Upgrade, Eighth Grade  

 

Do i have to peep the Cumberbatch/Paul Rudd movies to watch Infinity War bc i really don't want to

Edited January 9, 2019 by Maddox