The Absolute Best TV Shows of 2018

2018 delivered a wave of series that expanded what television could do, from ambitious dramas to inventive comedies and standout limited runs. New premieres landed alongside pivotal seasons of established favorites, with creators and casts pushing stories forward in ways that drew wide attention and awards recognition.

Across networks and streamers, viewers found shows that defined careers, set new formats, and closed out celebrated runs with carefully crafted final chapters. What follows is a snapshot of the year’s most notable series, with key details on creators, casts, seasons, and release timelines, plus where they aired so you can place them in context.

‘Succession’ (2018–2023)

Created by Jesse Armstrong, this drama follows the Roy family as they navigate control of a global media company. The first season premiered in June 2018 and introduced Logan, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman in a corporate power struggle anchored by a large ensemble and New York and international settings. Season one ran for ten episodes and earned multiple nominations that set up its later awards run.

The show launched on HBO in the United States, with international distribution following through HBO platforms and partners. Key early episodes established the company’s shareholder landscape, the senior leadership team, and the mechanisms that drive boardroom decisions.

‘Killing Eve’ (2018–2022)

Based on the Villanelle novels by Luke Jennings, this spy thriller premiered in April 2018 with Sandra Oh as an intelligence officer and Jodie Comer as the assassin she pursues. The first season ran for eight episodes and was developed for television by Phoebe Waller Bridge, introducing settings across Europe and a focus on MI5 and a shadowy organization.

The series debuted on BBC America, with subsequent availability through partner services. Its 2018 run recorded strong viewership growth week over week and began a production cycle that brought in new lead writers each season.

‘The Americans’ (2013–2018)

The sixth and final season aired in 2018 and concluded the story of two deep cover KGB officers in 1980s Washington. Created by Joe Weisberg and starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the finale season contained ten episodes and wrapped ongoing arcs involving the FBI’s counterintelligence unit and the Jennings family.

The series aired on FX, with episodes released weekly during its spring 2018 run. The show’s conclusion in May 2018 was supported by retrospective features and cast interviews that documented its production design, period detail, and historical consultants.

‘Barry’ (2018–2023)

Bill Hader and Alec Berg created this dark comedy that premiered in March 2018 and followed a hitman who joins an acting class in Los Angeles. Season one included eight episodes and introduced the acting ensemble, the Chechen and Bolivian crime factions, and the show’s theater school setting.

The series aired on HBO and rolled out with companion behind the scenes pieces and podcast features. Its first year earned multiple nominations for directing, writing, and lead performance, establishing a production schedule that continued in later seasons.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

Mike Flanagan adapted Shirley Jackson’s novel into a ten episode limited series that arrived in October 2018. The show alternates between childhood and adult timelines as the Crain family revisits events tied to a haunted estate and explores how those events shaped them.

It premiered on Netflix and was produced with a continuous cast ensemble appearing across both timelines. Filming used extended takes in several episodes, including a midseason entry designed around long scenes staged across multiple sets.

‘Atlanta’ (2016–2024)

The second season, titled Robbin Season, aired in 2018 and continued the story of Earn, Paper Boi, Darius, and Van. Donald Glover created the series, which mixes music industry plot lines with standalone episodes and local Atlanta settings that shift from recording studios to suburban neighborhoods.

The show airs on FX, with 2018 episodes released from March through May. Production included location shoots around Georgia and a rotating team of directors that shaped the season’s distinct structure.

‘Sharp Objects’ (2018)

Adapted from Gillian Flynn’s novel, this eight episode limited series stars Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson. Directed by Jean Marc Vallée, it follows a crime reporter returning to her hometown while covering a double murder case and confronting family history.

The series premiered on HBO in July 2018 and concluded in August. Production featured on location work in the South and a score built around curated tracks that were documented in official episode guides.

‘Pose’ (2018–2021)

Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Steven Canals, the show premiered in 2018 with a focus on New York’s ballroom culture in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Season one introduced the House of Evangelista and the House of Abundance, along with characters working in fashion, healthcare, and nightlife.

It airs on FX and began with an initial eight episode order. The series recorded a large number of transgender cast members in regular roles and collaborated with ballroom experts as consultants and choreographers.

‘Homecoming’ (2018–2020)

Based on the Gimlet Media podcast, this psychological thriller premiered in November 2018. Season one stars Julia Roberts as a caseworker at a transitional facility for soldiers and features a parallel timeline that reveals the program’s true purpose.

The series launched on Amazon Prime Video, which released all ten episodes at once. Production highlighted a stylized visual approach and used aspect ratio shifts to signal time frames, documented in director interviews and craft breakdowns.

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

Season three aired in 2018 and continued the story of four humans navigating a cosmic bureaucracy. Created by Michael Schur and starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson, the season explored experiments designed to test moral growth and introduced new settings on Earth and in the afterlife.

The series airs on NBC, with episodes premiering weekly across the fall 2018 schedule. The production adopted a writers room process that consulted academic philosophers, and those contributions were acknowledged in official materials.

‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)

The fourth season aired in 2018 and traced the evolution of Jimmy McGill’s career after a family loss while expanding plots involving Gus Fring and the cartel. Created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the season contained ten episodes and continued to film in New Mexico with returning directors.

It airs on AMC, which scheduled the season from August through October 2018. The show’s companion features included storyboards, location guides, and commentary tracks that detailed production choices.

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (2017–2023)

Season two arrived in December 2018 and followed Midge’s stand up bookings alongside travel to the Catskills and Paris. Created by Amy Sherman Palladino, the season expanded supporting characters and documented the logistics of mid century comedy circuits.

The series streams on Amazon Prime Video, which released the 2018 season all at once. Production maintained on location shoots and period costuming that were profiled in featurettes and guild panels.

‘GLOW’ (2017–2019)

The second season debuted in 2018 and continued the story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling as the troupe navigated television production and storylines. Created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, the season included ten episodes and focused on the logistics of staging matches and running a small show.

It premiered on Netflix with a simultaneous release. Production featured stunt coordination specific to wrestling and training regimens for the cast that were detailed in promotional materials.

‘BoJack Horseman’ (2014–2020)

Season five released in 2018 and followed BoJack’s role on a new drama series within the show while other characters pursued writing, political, and personal arcs. Created by Raphael Bob Waksberg with animation by Tornante, the season continued the series’ use of standalone episodes that advanced character timelines.

The show streams on Netflix, which dropped all twelve episodes at once in September 2018. Voice cast additions and episode specific directors for 2018 were listed in season credits and production notes.

‘Maniac’ (2018)

This limited series created by Patrick Somerville and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. The ten episode story follows two participants in a pharmaceutical trial that unfolds across simulated experiences and monitored lab settings.

It premiered on Netflix in September 2018. Production filmed in New York and used practical sets and visual effects that were cataloged in behind the scenes features and cinematography discussions.

‘The Terror’ (2018–2019)

Season one adapted Dan Simmons’s novel about the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror Arctic expedition. The ten episode run aired in spring 2018 and depicted the crews’ navigation, survival efforts, and the impact of environmental and supernatural threats.

The series airs on AMC and was filmed in Budapest and on soundstages configured to recreate ship interiors and ice fields. Historical consultants advised on naval procedures and period clothing, which were noted in production releases.

‘Castle Rock’ (2018–2019)

This anthology set in the Stephen King multiverse premiered in July 2018. Season one centered on the appearance of a mysterious prisoner and drew from characters and locations associated with the author’s works.

It streams on Hulu, which released the first three episodes at launch and followed with weekly installments. Production took place in Massachusetts and included practical locations that doubled for the show’s fictional town.

‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ (2018)

The second installment of the anthology aired in early 2018 and chronicled the events surrounding the murder of Gianni Versace. The nine episode season used multiple timelines to profile Andrew Cunanan and the investigative response.

It aired on FX with episodes released weekly. The production worked with consultants to recreate period settings in Miami and used archival research to guide costume and design choices.

‘Escape at Dannemora’ (2018)

This seven episode limited series directed by Ben Stiller dramatizes the 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility escape. The show details the inmates’ preparation, the role of a civilian prison employee, and the subsequent manhunt.

It premiered on Showtime in November 2018. Filming occurred in upstate New York with cooperation from local authorities, and the series documented procedures used by law enforcement during the search.

‘Bodyguard’ (2018)

Created by Jed Mercurio and starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes, this six episode thriller follows a veteran assigned to protect a high profile cabinet minister. The series aired weekly in the United Kingdom in 2018 and sets its plot within government security and counterterror operations.

It premiered on BBC One before reaching international audiences through Netflix later that year. Filming used London locations and coordinated sequences with transport and police services that were referenced in production interviews.

‘Cobra Kai’ (2018–present)

This series continues the story of the ‘Karate Kid’ films and premiered in 2018 with Ralph Macchio and William Zabka returning to their roles. Season one explores the reopening of a dojo and introduces a new generation of students while revisiting events from the original films.

It launched as a YouTube Premium original in May 2018 with ten episodes. The production later transitioned to a new platform, but its debut year remained associated with YouTube’s subscription service and included a blend of on location shooting in Georgia and California.

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (2017–2024)

The second season aired in 2018 and extended the narrative beyond Margaret Atwood’s novel. Episodes focused on the personal and political structures inside Gilead, with storylines touching on labor colonies, cross border refuge, and resistance networks.

It airs on Hulu with a weekly release pattern during its 2018 run. Production maintained Toronto and surrounding areas as primary locations while building new sets that represented institutional facilities and community spaces.

‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)

Season two aired in 2018 and expanded the story beyond the original park with arcs involving corporate governance, data control, and new themed zones. The season included ten episodes and continued to alternate timelines as part of its narrative structure.

It airs on HBO and filmed across California and Utah, with additional units working in international locations for select sequences. Companion materials included episode guides and interactive sites that mapped corporate departments and park assets.

‘A Very English Scandal’ (2018)

This three part miniseries dramatizes the 1970s scandal involving British politician Jeremy Thorpe. Written by Russell T Davies and directed by Stephen Frears, it stars Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw and recreates parliamentary and courtroom settings from the period.

It aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom in 2018 and streamed in the United States on Amazon Prime Video. Filming took place across England, with production notes detailing the sourcing of archival vehicles and wardrobe.

‘The Looming Tower’ (2018)

Adapted from Lawrence Wright’s nonfiction book, this ten episode series traces the events that led to the September 11 attacks, focusing on the FBI and CIA. The show covers interagency dynamics, overseas operations, and domestic investigative work in the late 1990s.

It premiered on Hulu in early 2018 with a weekly release. Production filmed in multiple locations to represent Middle East and American settings, and cast and crew participated in panels discussing research and accuracy.

If you watched these in 2018 or caught up later, tell us which ones you would add or revisit in the comments.