CarterMatt Awards 2019: Lucifer, Poldark, Outlander, Killing Eve among Show of the Year nominees
Today, the focus is on the final category of the year and one that we absolutely do love — Show of the Year. It doesn’t feel like there’s a need for some drawn-out explanation here — it’s all a celebration of some of the best that TV had to offer in 2019. It doesn’t matter if a show is a drama or a comedy, network or cable; it just matters that it was great and left a lasting impression.
Now, let’s get to sharing the Top Show nominees…
The Blacklist – How could it not be on this list for one of its most ambitious, mysterious seasons so far? The arrival of Katarina Rostova has been in a lot of ways a game-changer for the franchise, at least in terms of raising the stakes and adding more drama. You’ve got great individual characters, but then also performances from James Spader and others that are through the roof. One of network TV’s most delightfully complex shows is still going strong.
The Boys – This is not your typical superhero show — heck, it’s not your typical show at all! The Boys takes the cake as one of the most bizarre series this calendar year for a number of different reasons. It’s completely twisted, uproariously funny, and it’s never been afraid to take some serious chances. There were a number of moments where we couldn’t even believe what we were watching and, for a show like this, it’s very much a good thing.
Killing Eve -This is one of television’s most sinister shows, and despite its inner darkness it never loses sense of either who it is or who its characters are. Credit continuously goes to both Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer for finding a way to anchor this narrative. It’s about emotion, obsession, and also in a lot of ways a delicate relationship. It’s a show that manages, somehow, to be both about something bigger and smaller at the same time.
Lucifer – The fourth season was the first one to be available exclusively on Netflix, and the writers responded to their no-holds-barred environment with a crazy-fun season not afraid to embrace its dark side. There were so many classic episodes this season, interesting new characters, and also an expansion of the central Lucifer/Chloe story that has been many years in the making. Also, how about that cliffhanger to tie things up?
NCIS – It’s often hard to judge 17 seasons of a show year by year, but we’ll go ahead and say this — 2019 may be the best year for NCIS in at least the past five. Just think about all of the wonderful stuff we had a chance to embrace! There was the return of Ziva to the series, Gibbs having some self reflection and change in himself, great stuff for Bishop and Torres, and even some interesting, standalone cases. This is a year that brought a lot to the table.
Outlander – While there were only a small handful of Outlander episodes in 2019, what we’ve come to learn is that sometimes, it’s possible to do a lot with a little. The conclusion to season 4 was heartfelt and emotional, one where Roger and Bree were reunited, where Jamie and Claire said goodbye to Ian, and we got a larger sense of the future of the Fraser family as a whole. The performances, led by Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe, are as strong as they’ve always been.
Poldark – It was the final season for the Eleanor Tomlinson – Aidan Turner series on BBC/PBS, but we are pleased to see that it ended with a flourish! This was as powerful and emotional as we know this picturesque series to be — it was a celebration of these characters, the rolling Cornish hills, and also a time of tremendous change. While it may be the end, we also do love that the stage was set for more if the cast and crew deem it so.
Vikings – Finally, let’s take a moment to celebrate one of History’s greatest gems. The final season is now underway and what we’ve seen from it is rather simple — a new era. Bjorn’s become more of a leader as king of Kattegat, Ivar is still scheming, and Lagertha is in the midst of a new journey with a different perspective. There is so much happening across the board here but, in the end, the show still has the strong writing and epic feel it always has.
Photo: Starz