Best-Reviewed Returning TV Shows 2018

The widely varied top 10 — comedies, dramas, spy thrillers, even an animated show — that landed on our shortlist of top returning TV all have a history of excellence: every single season of each series has been Certified Fresh. And this year, Donald Glover and his Atlanta crew have taken the No. 1 spot. (The series was awarded Golden Tomatoes for both best new TV show and best TV comedy for season 1 in 2016.)

The order of the rank below reflects the Adjusted Score as of December 31, 2018. Scores might change over time.

Atlanta: Robbin' Season (2018)
98%

#1

Adjusted Score: 102.129%

Critics Consensus: Donald Glover continues to subvert expectations with a sophomore season of Atlanta that proves as excellent as it is eccentric.

Synopsis: In Atlanta Robbin' Season, two cousins work through the Atlanta music scene in order to better their lives and the... [More]

Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz

Directed By: Amy Seimetz, Hiro Murai, Danny Glover

GLOW: Season 2 (2018)
98%

#2

Adjusted Score: 103.651%

Critics Consensus: Fearlessly led by its excellent ensemble, GLOW's second season adds a new layer of drama without sacrificing its self-effacing, delightfully silly humor.

Synopsis: New faces, big life changes and the pressures of showbiz stoke tensions on set as Ruth and the gang try... [More]

Starring: Alison Brie, Marc Maron

The Good Place: Season 3 (2018)
98%

#3

Adjusted Score: 100.766%

Critics Consensus: Charming and curious as ever, The Good Place remains a delightfully insightful bright spot on the television landscape.

Synopsis: The first two seasons featured surprise after surprise and twist after twist, including a world-upending season one finale that threw... [More]

Starring: Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil

Better Call Saul: Season 4 (2018)
99%

#4

Adjusted Score: 100.885%

Critics Consensus: Well-crafted and compelling as ever, Better Call Saul's fourth season deftly balances the show it was and the one it will inevitably become.

Synopsis: In "Better Call Saul's" fourth season, Chuck's death catalyzes Jimmy McGill's (Odenkirk) transformation into Saul Goodman. In the wake of... [More]

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Michael McKean, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn

The Americans: Season 6 (2018)
99%

#5

Adjusted Score: 100.725%

Critics Consensus: The Americans' powerful final season pumps up the volume on an already intense show, concluding the complex series arc with epic familial conflict... and a high body count.

Synopsis: It's 1987, and the Center in USSR is split into two factions: one for supporting Gorbachev and the other for... [More]

Starring: Matthew Rhys, Keri Russell, Holly Taylor, Keidrich Sellati

Directed By: Chris Long, Roxann Dawson, Sylvain White, Daniel Sackheim

The Deuce: Season 2 (2018)
99%

#6

Adjusted Score: 100.965%

Critics Consensus: The Deuce's excellent character-driven drama returns with even more immersive world-building and a welcome focus on its leading ladies, carried by a tour de force performance from Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Synopsis: Disco and punk are in full swing, and police corruption and political tolerance for New York's midtown demimonde is at... [More]

Starring: James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Carr, Margarita Levieva

Directed By: Zetna Fuentes, Susanna White, Uta Briesewitz, Steph Green

Dear White People: Season 2 (2018)
100%

#7

Adjusted Score: 101.564%

Critics Consensus: Dear White People's endearing excellence returns, but with an added layer of emotional maturity that enhances the show's powerful, relevant meditations on race relations in America.

Synopsis: In the second season of this comedy series, Sam (Logan Browning) finds herself at the epicenter of social media backlash,... [More]

Starring: Logan Browning, Brandon P Bell, DeRon Horton, Antoinette Robertson

Big Mouth: Season 2 (2018)
100%

#8

Adjusted Score: 101.644%

Critics Consensus: Poignantly repulsive, Big Mouth continues to confront the awkwardness of adolescence with foul-mouthed glee and an added layer of maturity.

Synopsis: Growth spurts, or the lack of it, add to the usual tensions faced daily by the middle schoolers of "Big... [More]

Starring: John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, David Thewlis

One Day at a Time: Season 2 (2018)
100%

#9

Adjusted Score: 101.324%

Critics Consensus: One Day at a Time continues its ascent into classic sitcom territory without losing sight of its modern identity.

Synopsis: Season 2 of the comedy series tackles issues that are at the forefront of present-day America. Alex (Marcel Ruiz) is... [More]

Starring: Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Todd Grinnell, Isabella Gomez

The Bold Type: Season 2 (2018)
100%

#10

Adjusted Score: 101.404%

Critics Consensus: The Bold Type presents an aspirational yet refreshingly realistic portrait of young women's careers, friendships and love lives in a big city.

Synopsis: Ladies working at a global women's magazine navigate life, love and friendship together. Inspired by the life of Cosmopolitan editor... [More]

Starring: Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, Meghann Fahy, Melora Hardin

Directed By: Anna Mastro