TV PICKS OF 2016

We're living in the era of Peak TV, and with over 400 scripted shows in existence (across broadcast, cable, and digital), there is simply too much good TV to keep track of.

1. AMERICAN CRIME (ABC) - In an age when cable and streaming platforms continue to raise the bar with bold and innovative narratives, American Crime came along and surprised in ways that kept broadcast networks in the game. The compelling second season of this anthology series starts with a sexual assault case involving a pair of high school students, the kind that is rarely discussed or observed on television, and ends in a tragedy, the kind that is all too familiar in our nation's headlines. The brilliant ensemble cast (including Emmy winner Regina King and a revelatory Connor Jessup) brings their A-game, elevating this 10-episode saga to dramatic heights.

2. BLACK MIRROR, "San Junipero" (Netflix) - The most beautiful, wonderful, transcendent piece of television I've seen all year hails from the third season of the outstanding series that has found new, vibrant life in the streaming universe. This particular episode, starring the fantastic Mackenzie Davis and Gugu Mbatha-Raw and brilliantly written by creator Charlie Brooker, introduces viewers to "immersive nostalgia therapy," taking us on a trip to 1987 and inviting us to witness a romance that boldly stands the test of time. Also: you'll never listen to Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven is a Place on Earth" the same way again.

3. ATLANTA (FX) - Donald Glover's nuanced comedy filled the void left by last year's Master of None, delivering a razor-sharp look at the hip-hop scene in the titular city, meticulously observing the minutiae of ambition, and introducing us to TV's next great underdog, the driven Earn (Glover), who will do anything to keep his head above water.

4. THE NIGHT OF (HBO) - Reminiscent of Serial's first true-crime case, HBO's mini mystery, led by the wonderful Riz Ahmed and John Turturro, is a crime drama that is so very now: cynical in tone and seeped in xenophobia-driven hypocrisy.

5. WESTWORLD (HBO) - Genre nerds, we have a new Lost! HBO, you've found your next Game of Thrones!

6. TRANSPARENT (Amazon) - The third season of Jill Soloway's drama (I refuse to call it a comedy simply because of its 30-minute running time) beautifully dug deeper into the lives of the turbulent Pfefferman family.

7. STRANGER THINGS (Netflix) - This genre mash-up of all things 80s was a pitch-perfect thrill ride, simultaneously operating on three levels: John Carpenter suspense, wondrous Spielbergian sci-fi, and Stephen King-sized horror.

8. THE PEOPLE VS. OJ SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY (FX) - Ryan Murphy's behind-the-scenes chronicle of the sensational "trial of the (20th) century" turned a true-crime gimmick into a powerful and crackling look at the players involved, adding some much-needed to dimension to figures who were once unfairly reduced to daytime court TV characters.

9. GIRLS (HBO) - Lena Dunham's millennials-in-crisis comedy demonstrated surprising growth and maturity in its fifth and penultimate season with standalone, character-focused episodes.

10. THIS IS US (NBC) - Come for the warm fuzziness of agenda-free family drama. Stay for the fantastic performances and writing that deftly walks a fine line between cheesy and thoughtful.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Insecure (HBO), The Good Place (NBC), and The Crown (Netflix)