Twelve reasons 2016 was the best year for TV

You may be desperate to bring in 2017, but we can at least look back at 2016 as the year where TV was absolutely outstanding.

These 12 programmes made the year almost bearable…

The Night Manager (BBC One)

Back in February, when the cold weather had us sofa-bound, we became obsessed with this BBC espionage thriller.

Based on a book by John Le Carre, it saw Tom Hiddleston play former soldier Jonathan Pine, recruited by intelligence operative Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) to help bring down uber-evil arms dealer Richard Roper, played to slithering perfection by Hugh Laurie.

Basically, all six episodes saw Tom and Hugh doing these expressions…

That’s not what made it stand out though - it was the way the series developed the original (20-year-old) storyline and brought it up to date, which got the seal of approval from Le Carre himself…

He said: “In the novel, my chief British spook had been a man named Burr – a rough-cut, ponderous, no nonsense fellow, but a man for all that, and a throwback to my own distant days in the secret world when female officers were, to say the very least, a rarity. But did we really want this in 2015: one white, middle-aged man pitched against another white middle-aged man, and using a third, younger, white middle-aged man as his weapon of choice? We didn’t. So enter instead – to loud applause from myself – the delightful Mrs Burr, first name Angela, shrewd, gutsy, in turn dour and sparkling and in life, as in the screenplay, majestically pregnant.”

The characters were all believable, the actors' performances award-worthy, and it was compelling enough that you could easily binge-watch the six episodes in one go.

It was so good that we were even given praise for it...

I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (ITV)

This was the 16th series of I’m A Celeb. It could've felt tired and repetitive. But it was, in fact, a masterpiece - an exhibition of how a celeb competition should be done. So what was the key to its success?

One loveable Geordie, Scarlett Moffatt.

From the second she stepped into the Aussie jungle, everyone knew she’d win. We’re used to her one-liners and amusing observations from Gogglebox, but with I’m A Celeb we saw a far more rounded character. On entering the jungle, and knowing all the (literal) trials and tribulations it would involve, she simply gave herself a vote of confidence by reminding herself, "I said I’d never try quinoa - and I did."

Quinoa wasn't the only thing she was willing to nibble on though. Before heading into the jungle, she said: “I had to record audio saying ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ for the show and it felt so surreal. I am scared of so many things, but the one Trial I am looking forward to is the eating one. I know I might be the only person who says this but I am really curious to see what the things taste like.

If you get an Ostrich ear, I want to know what it’s like to eat it whole. What is the texture like?” Over the next three weeks, she cheered people up, kept the team well fed by an admirable display in the bush tucker trials and managed to defuse tension when it threatened to split the group. For example, when it looked like she might become involved in an argument simply by proxy, she told Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts simply and without raising her voice, "You don’t need to speak on my behalf."

Well that put a stop to that argument. She epitomised the person we'd all like to be if we were stuck in the I'm a Celeb jungle for 23 days.

Oh, and once she'd been crowned Queen of the Jungle, this is how she celebrated.

What a winner.

Preacher (Amazon Prime)

From the ongoing popularity of The Walking Dead to Jessica Jones and Daredevil, when comic books – sorry graphic novels – are given the small-screen treatment, it can be an instant hit. Preacher should be in that category, but for some reason it didn’t quite get the attention it deserved.

It had all the ingredients of a great show: intrigue, some violence, and most importantly an interesting but ridiculous storyline. Dominic Cooper plays a murderer turned preacher who teams up with Cassidy (Joe Gilgun), a very charming but murderous vampire, and weapons expert Tulip (Ruth Negga) to find God - who’s somewhere in the USA.

The series is brilliant - make no bones about it. Yet it has been pretty much slept on – we can only hope it becomes a cult classic. It’s too good not to.

Orange Is The New Black (Netflix)

Netflix

There have been the occasional dark moments in previous series of the popular prison-based drama, but for the fourth season, boy did they crank the tension up a notch. There was a truly psychopathic guard (Humphrey), the death of a much-loved prisoner, and the sociological implications of over-crowding prisons were examined. There were of course the odd moments of light relief, but essentially it became a disturbing, albeit brilliant, watch.

We binge watched it and then had to watch it all over again to digest exactly what had happened.

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Come summer time, we’re constantly being told by the world to ‘go out and enjoy the sunshine’. Luckily for us, when Stranger Things burst onto our screens in July it became a completely acceptable excuse for staying in with the curtains closed.

An unashamed nostalgia-fest, the 80s drama focuses on the small American town of Hawkins. There, life is straightforward and simple - that is until local boy Will goes missing and another child, Eleven, turns up.

It ticked all the boxes:

• Sci-fi that both scares you but also becomes so absorbing you feel completely relaxed when watching it.
• Return to form of a famous name (Wynona Ryder stars)
• Brilliant new talent – the children in the series are the focal point. Everyone’s been raving about Millie Bobby Brown’s performance as Eleven and for good reason.
• Amazing synth-heavy score – the storyline’s dark and mysterious, and the soundtrack matched that with aplomb.

It was a big summer hit - almost the only programme people were talking about...

Naked Attraction

We didn’t want to like this, we really didn’t.

But we did.

The format was just your average dating show: you take one single person, give them six potential peeps they could date, and then let them choose who they're most attracted to. Oh, one thing though – the chooser couldn’t see their dating options' face (at first), but could see their bum and every other intimate body part.

Channel 4 tried to present it as a scientific experiment.

The press release said: "For thousands of years finding a mate was a decision based solely on raw primitive attraction and animal magnetism, but over time social and cultural shifts have eroded our ability to depend on this. Now our choices are influenced by peripheral factors such as dress sense and occupation. However, in an increasingly complicated dating world, some evolutionary psychologists and sexual scientists believe that our bodies alone may still project the best information for us to select a successful partner."

Translation? Why don't you choose a date based on how you feel about someone's genitals. Classic. It did of course lead to lots of angry debates.

A review in the Telegraph came with the headline ‘ How low can this Channel 4 dating show go?’ GQ’s led with Channel 4's Naked Attraction is Absurd.

Yet while it may have been graphic, it also did something wonderful for society. Yes, really.

It showed that people have different body shapes. The men may have been in the buff, but you wouldn’t necessarily have said - by Hollywood standards at least - that they were buff.

Women’s breasts may have been on show, some hung lower than others, and some were even (shock horror) different sized. In a world with photo filters and celeb-filled magazines, we could all sit back, gasp in shock, but also feel pleased we’re not alone in having the odd lump or bump along the way.

Long Lost Family (ITV)

It’s ridiculous. We’re now six series in, know what to expect, and yet every episode of Long Lost Family still left us shocked and surprised.

The format sees Davina hear from family members who have lost touch (normally because of some sad reason) or people who have never known their family. Then the programme makers work tirelessly to track down the missing mums/dads/siblings etc in the hope they can be reunited.

You watch this Davina-fronted show when you want to cry. Actually scrap that, you watch this show when you want to weep. We essentially used Long Lost Family as a method to release our angst-filled 2016 emotions.

Bring on a seventh series in 2017!

The Crown (Netflix)

A strange one this. We didn't think a historical drama focusing on the royal family would appeal to us, yet here at BBC Three headquarters we just couldn’t stop talking about it.

Starting out with Princess Elizabeth set to marry Philip, it then sees her having to take on the responsibility of becoming Queen unexpectedly.

So why did it strike a chord with us? For three reasons:

1. Regardless of how you feel about the monarchy, when you watch The Crown you can enjoy being overwhelmed by the storyline of a 25-year-old coping with the massive burden of responsibility.

2. We are all a bit nosy. We see the Queen waving at crowds and attending regal events but what we want to really know is, what does she get up to in her spare time? Does she secretly watch Netflix? Does she, like every other married couple, have silly arguments with her husband? The Crown may be a drama series, but we felt we had an insight into what life is like for her. Though we still don't know about whether she subscribes to Netflix.

3. We could kind-of relate. When you’re in your mid 20s trying to deal with the weight of expectation as to what you’re going to do with your life, it’s tough. Ok, our ‘expectations’ are a whole load more straightforward than juggling motherhood with being head of the British monarchy but still, right?

Planet Earth II (BBC One)

From the moment that iguana in episode one managed to escape the snakes on a beach, we were hooked. Then there were the big bears ‘dancing’ against the tree, the snow leopards being all lonely, and the tiny turtles who were dazzled by the city lights and so couldn’t make their way to the sea. It was magical from start to finish.

So magical we wrote about it three other times, in fact. Here, here and here.

The Exodus Our Journey To Europe (July, BBC Two)

You won’t be surprised to read that at BBC Three we love documentaries.

This one, though, just seemed to offer up something completely unseen before. The makers of this three-episode programme gave camera phones to groups of people who were attempting to escape war zones and make the perilous journey to Europe. What they captured was a heartbreaking watch.

From overcrowded dinghies, where people knew that in a heartbeat their life could be over, to the children who just had no idea what was ahead of them - it was immersive in a way you'd never quite felt before. We often see documentaries on how hard life is for the people making these trips, but to see it entirely from their perspective was a real eye-opener.

In The Guardian's review they stated, "this is ambitious, necessary, and devastating documentary-making. All you want is for these people to survive."

That says it all really. Want to read about the year’s other great docs? Here’s our guide to them.

Atlanta (Fox)

Thank the TV exec lords, this has already been renewed for a second season!

Produced and starring Donald Glover, this focuses on two cousins who are seeking fame and money via hip-hop. Donald’s character, Earn, is a Princeton Uni dropout who convinces his cousin, rapper Paper Boi (played by Brian Tyree Henry), that he should be his manager.

Paper Boi is on the edge of stardom, Earn on the edge of having absolutely nothing. It’s a match made in heaven.

It’s funny, fresh and a jewel in Fox’s crown.

Lip Sync Battle (Channel 5)

Originally an idea from John Krasinski and our very own Stephen Merchant, this started off as a segment on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, and turned into an almighty series where A-listers went to battle with each other miming over their favourite tunes. Contestants including Channing Tatum and Anne Hathaway took part. Then Channel 5 brought us the UK version with Pro Green and Mel B presenting.

Alright, we’ll admit it - the celebs on the Brit version aren't quite as famous as their US counterparts, but seriously, can you really turn over from Johnny Vegas lip syncing to the Eurythmics tune There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart), complete with angel wings?

Oh P.S.

We didn't think it would be fair to include our content in our 2016 round-up... seems a bit show-offy, don't you think? But well, we did have some amazing programmes.

We don't want to keep you long, so we'll stick to two highlights. Apologies for blowing our own trumpet...

Thirteen- this tale of abduction, and how one girl deals with life once she's no longer held captive, helped kick us off when we we made the move online. Fast forward 10 months, and it's one of the most watched iPlayer programmes of the year.

Fleabag- The brainchild of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this comical tale of one woman's attempt at adulting gained popular and critical acclaim.

So there you have it: 2016. Twelve months of sheer confusion and sadness, but also one magnificent year for TV.

Now for 2017...