My favorite TV shows of 2020

I’m not sure how it happened, but we managed to watch a fair amount of TV this year. I’d like to share with you my top five shows from this year, which we used as ways to escape for a little while, laugh deeply, and to just numb ourselves a bit.

A side note here: Some shows are not age appropriate for younger viewers. I do not endorse or condone any material or content found in these shows. As always, please check the ratings for these shows before watching.

1. Living with Yourself

Created by Timothy Greenburg and starring Paul Rudd as main character Miles Elliot. Miles (Paul Rudd) pays an exorbitant amount of money to be improved at a spa after finding himself burned out from life. He doesn’t expect to wake up and find his life turned upside-down, digging his way out of a shallow grave in a remote field. Even more disturbing, he comes home to see none other than himself already there.

Caught between comedy and tragedy, Paul Rudd does a masterful job portraying the complexities of finding yourself cloned. His clone is the best version of himself, but seems still to fall short of the real Miles. The question we’re left asking is do our experiences really shape us into who we are, or are they merely stops along the path of life? If someone were to replace me with the best version of me right now, would they really be a better me?

2. The Chef Show

Chef Roy Choi and aspiring chef Jon Favreau (also known for playing the role of Happy in the Iron Man and Marvel movies) travel in their food truck to the kitchens of other chefs, cooking delicious looking food along the way. In each episode, either in their own food truck or in their chef friend’s kitchen, the duo walk the audience through the process of making a signature dish.

You can be sure of at least two things watching this show; the first, you’ll be hungry when you finish an episode, so make sure you have some snacks, and second, listening to chefs talk other chefs through their process for creating such amazing food has never been more entertaining. I always leave this show wishing I’d pursued a career as a chef and at least one recipe scribbled on the back of napkin. For a light-hearted, food-centered show, this is my number one pick.

3. The Witcher

I’m no stranger to a fantasy novel. Those were actually my favorite genre back in grade school. I loved traveling to other planets, worlds or times where magic was the currency of the realm. If you grew up loving fantasy novels, this might be a good choice for you.

Starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who works alone. Often treated as a monster himself, Geralt is a Witcher, imbued with powers ordinary people are afraid to associate with, unless there is great need. This show tells how his story as a social outcast, a princess with mysterious powers of her own, and an ambitious mage’s stories each intertwine. A complex plot provides a story you must pay attention to in order to fully understand what’s happening. This was such an intriguing show to watch. It was actually very difficult not to stay up all night long to watch straight through to the end.

4. The Mandalorian

Any Star Wars fans reading here? If so, you will not want to miss this series, which premiered in 2019. For those who have seen and are familiar with previous Star Wars movies, this series is set after the fall of Empire, but before the rise of First Order which first appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In the aftermath of the Empires fall, this series follows the story of a lone bounty hunter who stumbles across a target marked for death that causes him to pause. Not only does he pause, he changes course completely, sending ripples through his life. I cannot recommend this series enough if you loved the Star Wars films and need a little more of it in your life.

5. Ghost Hunters

I know what you’re going to say. I know. Really, Jennifer? A ghost show? I’m as surprised as you are, friend. Honestly, I did not want to watch this show, but the more Ryan played it in the background the more I was drawn into it. The first episode I actually focused in on and watched for real, I thought for sure I’d be able to spot where they faked a “ghost” appearance. Never believing in ghosts myself, I went in skeptical for sure.

But just as the thought crossed my mind that they should try disproving claims made by clients first, they did. The very first thing the team does in each episode is attempt to disprove any and all claims of ghostly or supernatural activity. Even after some claims could not be disproven, they never tried to sell any of the usual party lines about loved ones speaking beyond the grave on ears that wouldn’t hear it. They never approached a skeptical client with hogwash. They simply presented their findings and allowed the viewers and clients to interpret them as best they could, only providing their own opinions when asked. I do not believe in ghosts, but this show definitely made me question a little bit.