Most of the shows I would have mentioned have already been mentioned. A few that haven’t (these would all definitely by in my top 5 of shows that began in the past years):
-Somebody Somewhere (HBO, a slice-of-life dramedy about a middle aged woman trying to return to life in her hometown after her sister dies… low stakes, personal storytelling, INCREDIBLY well done)
-Severance (Apple TV+). Fascinating and brilliant sci-fi story about a dystopian workplace in which people have been “Severed”, so their brains are split in half, half being for work and half being for everything else.
-The Peacemaker (HBO). Superhero comedy about a big lunkheaded tough guy with a very simple code of right and wrong who starts to try to be better than that. WAY WAY better than it has any right to be, also features the best theme song/intro of any show every period bar none.
Ted Lasso
Stranger Things
Marvelous Mrs Maisel
The Mandalorian
Taskmaster
Be grateful people are at least mostly complying with the date limitation. I was expecting people to come in with “Okay, so I know this says the last 5 years, but here are my favorite shows from the 70s”
Yes, I should have mentioned this as well. Taskmaster is pure joy and happiness.
My revised list after reviewing comments.
- Succession
- Slow Horses
- The Boys
- The Expanse
- Lodge 49
Honorable Mentions
Mrs. Davis
Bojack Horseman
Veep
Fargo - started more than five years ago, but finished within that time. Actually, there is a S5 in the works.
Better Call Saul - if only for the work of Rhea Seehorn and Michael McKean
Mr. Inbetween - Very odd little Australian black comedy about a guy who’s a dad and a criminal (HULU)
The Bear - Life in the restaurant business
Chernobyl - Docu-drama
Succession
Barry
Better Call Saul
What We Do in the Shadows
Hacks
I’ve been surprised reading through the thread that that hasn’t happened. Everyone is coloring inside the lines! (As long as you count shows that still have new episodes being produced within the last five years, regardless of when they started)(which I suppose would mean the Simpsons would be included, but whatever)
Joe Pera Talks With You
What We Do In The Shadows
Veep
Only Murders In The Bulding
Taskmaster
I guess The Americans ended just slightly over five rears ago (although I watched it more recently than that) so I can’t include it on my list. But it was one of my all time favorite recent shows.
So I guess that leaves, in no particular order
- Better Call Saul
- Ozark
- Fargo
- Chernobyl
- Bojack Horseman
Honorable mentions to Reservation Dogs (although I’m not quite done with season 2 yet), Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Stranger Things, but we can only pick five.
Many of the shows people are mentioning (like The Bear, Barry, Succession) are in my watchlist but I haven’t gotten around to watching them yet. Although I did just finish the first season of Succession. Took me a few episodes to get into it but I got hooked eventually.
- Succession- Team Gerri plus I just have not looked forward to new episodes like I did for this. I’m glad they didn’t drag it on and it ended perfectly for me.
- Happy Valley - Team Catherine Cawood
- Better Call Saul- Team Kim
- Fleabag - esp S2
- Bad Sisters - Team anyone who was not The Prick
Honorary Mention: Yellowstone- surprisingly because it’s absolute trash and Kevin Costner is cardboard but I watch for Rip & Beth.
Also deserves a place but as a limited series, I’d say Station Eleven is the best limited series I’ve seen in a very long time.