This has been a great year for TV like many recent years. With shows like Game of Thrones, Mad Men and American Horror Story having great seasons, 2015 looks very promising. However, there are a lot of shows that have been overlooked because the standard of TV has been set so high in recent years. At the end of the year, everyone makes their own “best of” lists as if they have seen every show on TV and online. The cultural zeitgeist is just too massive to know the best of anything. It is impossible to be objective about these things. So I won’t. I have seen a lot of really great TV and in this article I will talk about a few of the shows that have grabbed my interest. Some them are American shows and others are from the U.K but take a gander anyway.

The Red Road

For me this sleeper Sundance hit was just as good as True Detective but did not hinge on the performance of one actor. Jason Momoa as Phillip Kopus was the centerpiece of this character drama but every actor had a chance to shine. This is the only show where Native American people really got to shine on TV. Give it a watch.

Youngers

This show aired in the U.K. and no one from the U.S has really spoken about how great it is. The show follows three young hip hop artists in South London trying to make it big in the English rap scene. These kids are around high school age, so they have to deal with family issues, school, relationships and managers all while trying to get a record deal. Take a look at the series 2 trailer.

The Knick

This Cinemax show made my year. Steven Soderbergh may have out done himself with this show. The Knick will be included in some “best of “ lists but it might not be at top of those lists. Clive Owen is Dr. Thackery, a coke addict-genius running the Knickerbocker medical staff. He gives a psychedelic performance that will sadly get lost in a year of many other great performances. I also enjoyed Andre Holland’s Dr. Edwards character the most because I could relate to the uphill climb of an all-white industry. At times it was difficult to watch but worth it.

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The Amazing World of Gumball

This is the best Cartoon Network show on air today. The show is really about two average Joes in middle school who seems to always find trouble. The reality is that Gumball and Darwin are horrible people. They see themselves as something they are not. They try to help others but they tend to mess things up even more. I really love the style and the comedy of this show. It is worth a watch.

Ascension

This was a sleeper hit brought to you by the SyFy channel. I have watched a ton of sci-fi shows this year but Ascension is one of the most original. It is a conspiracy about space travel but for 50 plus years passengers of a ship have been led to believe they are going to a new Earth. However, they are on Earth still. Their wholes controlled by the government. It has the style of Mad Men and the complex conspiracy of Orphan Black.

The Legend of Korra Season 3

To me season 4 was the most entertaining piece of TV I have seen all year but Kuvira had very little motivation for doing what she did. Korra’s entire arc was a little forced but I am still glad Korra and Asami are a potential couple. However, season 3 or book 3 was the best season of the series. The conflict of political ideologies was center stage. Anarchy versus monarchy and Korra is in the middle. The scenes were dynamic and the air-benders had a chance to shine. You get everything in this season 3 and a very dynamic villian.

Utopia

Honestly, this was the best show of the year. No I am not talking about the Fox reality show. This is a U.K import about population control. A scientist puts the secrets of a government serum that could wipe out 95 percent of the world’s population in a comic. The fans of the comic meet and they get hunted by strange hit men working for Mr. Rabbit for secrets within the comic. That’s the basic plot but Series 2 of the show was its last and it was the best show anywhere.