The Hypable staff picks the best TV shows that premiered in 2015. Between Daredevil, Empire and Supergirl, this was a huge year for television.
When you think back on 2015, a lot of things might come to mind. Some were amazing (The Force Awakens, Mad Max: Fury Road), some much less amazing.
But before you judge 2015 too harshly, remember that this was also the year that brought us Agent Carter, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Jessica Jones, and so many more fantastic TV series.
Here, the Hypable staff members have each selected their top show of the year — in no particular order. Tell us if we left your favorite off the list!
‘UnREAL’ – Brittany Lovely
Television viewers in 2015 witnessed a surge of must-see original scripted dramas. From Mad Men‘s final season to Fargo‘s sophomore debut, there simply was not enough time to sit down and watch everything live. Unless, of course, that series found a place in the summer lineup and happened to be on, wait for it, Lifetime.
UnReal, a scripted drama about the gritty behind-the-scenes operations of a “non-scripted” reality Bachelor style dating show, follows producer Rachel (Shiri Appleby) as she sells her soul week in and week out for ratings. With every passing week, the episodes got better and better as their series, Everlasting, moved closer to its conclusion.
Related: Why we need UnREAL’s complicated feminism (opinion)
Behind the woman who spends her days exploiting an abusive relationship, pushing someone out of the closet, or highlighting an eating disorder is a fractured person whose morality is forced aside by outside forces rather than her own free will. Who is that outside force? Her executive producer and showrunner, Quinn, played by the brilliant Constance Zimmer.
UnReal strays from the hero versus network villain approach pitting every character against each other as if a Survivor tribal council could be called at any moment. The characters are messy, their motivations are flawed, and they come off the exact opposite of what the show’s title suggests. Still not convinced? There is a very attractive British bachelor in season one named Adam Cromwell (Freddie Stroma), whose involvement with the show proves to be more than just providing a pretty face.
‘Empire’ – Brandi Delhagen
I admit I didn’t initially watch Empire when it premiered in January of this year. I’ve been disappointed one too many times in the past with shows getting cancelled too soon (Secret Circle, The Tomorrow People, Almost Human), so I’ve started a trend of waiting until a show gets a renewal to start it. Empire’s third episode was seen by over 10.9 million people and once the word of mouth got to me I had to start watching.
Empire tells the story of the Lyon family. Lucious and Cookie have three sons, Andre, Jamal and Hakeem, and own a hip-hop music and entertainment company, named Empire. Cookie was in prison for 17 years for dealing drugs — Lucious never got caught — and during that time her and Lucious’ Empire became one of the biggest names in the industry. The Lyon siblings are always trying to get to the throne — but dethroning Lucious is a hard feat to overcome, especially when they also have to fight outsiders for it.
Related: Empire season 2: What to expect in 2016
Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson have amazing on screen chemistry, which is probably due to their Hustle & Flow days. Cookie’s outspoken and off the wall personality gets more enjoyable with every episode. Empire does not disappoint.
Illene Chaiken and Lee Daniels knew exactly what they were doing with this new hit show, especially in hiring Ne-Yo to help with its song writing. The music alone makes the show a must see, and you’ll probably end up making multiple trips to iTunes to hear “Snitch Bitch” over and over again.
‘iZombie’ – Danielle Zimmerman
If there was any doubt that Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas is a genius, it’s gone now. iZombie is one of the best shows that has premiered in a while. While it hasn’t blown up in ways other shows have, it has gotten quite a lot of critical acclaim and is a huge hit with fans. And for good reason.
Related: iZombie season 1 finale recap: The apocalypse begins
While the concept of a crime-fighting zombie sounds kind of odd (and the zombie thing is becoming a bit overdone), iZombie is a breath of fresh air. The writing is top notch and the acting is amazing. Rose McIver, who plays the main character Liv, is especially impressive because she not only has to know her character inside and out but basically has to take on a new personality every week.
Even if you’re not a fan of zombies, serial dramas, or comic book adaptations, you’re sure to love this show. iZombie is a well-crafted show that has a lot of heart (and brains). It’s not only one of the best shows to premiere in 2015, but it’s one of the best shows on television right now.
‘Daredevil’ – Karen Rought
Daredevil’s premiere may seem eons ago now, but we can never forget how this show kicked off Netflix’s brilliant Marvel Original Series run. Though the MCU has never lacked violence, Daredevil brought about a darker, grittier, more grounded story than we had seen before. Cast in reds and blacks, instead of the colorful array we are so used to, this show gave us a superhero we’ve only rarely seen in this universe — one who doesn’t rely on special abilities or enhanced technology.
Sure, Matt Murdock’s talents far exceed those of a regular person, but it doesn’t stop him from getting beat up time and time again. His enemies may be human, but make no mistake — he takes a hell of a lot of punches.
From the three-minute, single shot fight sequence to Daredevil’s seamless incorporation into the fallout from The Avengers, this show has not only broken ground in terms of what a superhero show can be made of, but it has paved the way for Netflix’s other Marvel series. It has set the bar high, and considering Jessica Jones’ hard-hitting premiere run, both companies seem up to taking on the challenge of topping themselves each and every time.
Daredevil season 2 has already added fan-favorite characters to its roster, so the only thing to do now is wait until Matt, Foggy, and Karen are back in our lives.
‘Jessica Jones’ – Donya Abramo
Following hot on the heels of Marvel and Netflix’s critically acclaimed Daredevil, our second outing in Hell’s Kitchen during 2015 had a lot to live up to.
Jessica Jones took a more psychological approach to being a “hero,” as opposed to the brutal physicality of Matt Murdock’s vigilantism. The show tackled some difficult content — from rape and manipulation, to abuse (both of the physical, emotional and substance kind). Much like the titular character herself, Jessica Jones certainly didn’t pull any punches. It was wholly unconcerned with how it made the viewing experience uncomfortable at times, and the show was certainly better for it. That sinking feeling in the pit of our stomachs became familiar by the time the end-credits rolled on the finale.
Related: Supergirl or Jessica Jones? How about Supergirl AND Jessica Jones? (opinion)
While Jessica Jones may not be for everyone, and it’s not a particularly easy watch, it is undeniably important in a world where what happened to Jessica is commonplace — minus the mind control powers, of course. It was far and above the best show I watched during 2015, if only for the way it provided an outlet for the conversation around trauma and rape recovery.
Most women know — or know of — a Kilgrave. Jessica Jones served as a devastating commentary on our own society, set against the backdrop of an unbelievably powerful and varied cast of women, a compelling introduction to one of the most beloved and healthy relationships from Marvel comics, and continued to challenge the status quo of just what a superhero show can be.
‘Sense8’ – Tariq Kyle
When Sense8 premiered it kind of flew under the radar, and actually still is for most people. While it took longer than a lot of other Netflix series to get renewed, it finally did once the world started realizing just how important and amazing it was for the television industry in terms of diversity.
We believe it to be one of the most diverse shows on TV and not only that, but it’s actually really good!
With characters that hail from all over the world (and the show actually filming in those real global locations), that range from transgender, to bisexual, to sexually ambiguous, we believe Sense8 season 2 is going to be an even bigger hit with the internet, and we can’t wait to see what happens next!
‘Quantico’ – Kristina Lintz
It was, once again, a rather drab Fall TV premiere season. Of course we continue to love our dramatic returning shows, but of the new shows, one in particular stood out (to this writer) among the mundane: Quantico.
A rather simple-concept plot with a high-concept execution, we quickly meet Alex Parish, an FBI agent who is framed with blowing up Grand Central. Similar to shows like Lost, the show deals mainly in two timelines: the future (the post-bomb New York City-based timeline) and the present (where Alex and her friends are still FBI recruits at Quantico/in Quantico, VA.)
Related: Why Quantico should be on your must-watch TV list
It’s not Mad Men, or Breaking Bad, or even Scandal, but it is rather unique in the deep, and accurate, look into how the FBI recruits and trains people who want to protect the country. Creator Josh Safran (yes, he’s also responsible for Gossip Girl and Smash) has taken great lengths to ensure the exercises conducted at Quantico are accurate, and when they’re not, that they are altered for a reason. Josh and his team have also developed a penchant for both answering questions quickly and throwing numerous curveballs at viewers.
Plus, since it’s an ABC drama, there are plenty of love triangles, misunderstandings, and amazing costumes to around. Come for the crash course in the FBI, stay for Ryan Booth running around shirtless.
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.