The landscape of television has grown more varied with the expansion of cable and streaming services, allowing content from various countries to find a place on American television. The reception from audiences has been notably positive for new international shows in 2023.
To determine the best new shows of 2023, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on audience reception from IMDb. Television shows that premiered in 2023 were ranked based on average IMDb user rating as of December 2023. In the case of a tie, the show with the greater number of IMDb user votes was ranked higher. Only shows with at least 1,000 user votes were considered.
The top 50 best new shows of the year feature a significant presence of foreign films. In fact, six out of the top 10 most well-received shows originate from Asian countries such as Indonesia with “Cigarette Girl,” South Korea with “The Good Bad Mother,” Japan with “Blue Eye Samurai,” and India with “Farzi.” Further down the list, there are 10 programs from the United Kingdom and Australia, offering a diverse mix of genres including thrillers like “The Gold,” comedy as seen in “Funny Woman,” and black comedy with “Deadloch.”
Post-apocalyptic narratives consistently attract a substantial viewership, and the trend continued in 2023. Programs like “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” “Silo,” “Twisted Metal,” and “The Last of Us” garnered significant attention. Notably, “The Last of Us” stood out with an impressive 474,232 IMDb viewers, surpassing all other programs on our list by a considerable margin. (Here is a list of the 20 best sci-fi films ever made.)
50. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb user votes: 11,093
- Cast: Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Kurt Russell
“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” occurs after the battle between Godzilla and the Titans and follows a family’s quest to uncover the secret about the monsters.
49. The Lovers
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,301
- Cast: Johnny Flynn, Roisin Gallagher, Alice Eve, Martin Quinn
The series involves the unlikely romance between Janet, a cynical, aimless supermarket worker in Belfast, and Seamus, a self-centered broadcaster based in London.
48. Funny Woman
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,850
- Cast: Gemma Arterton, Tom Bateman, Arsher Ali, Rupert Everett
“Funny Woman” is a British version of the acclaimed U.S. series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” in which a young woman from Blackpool tries to break through in the male-dominated world of comedy in the 1960s.
47. The Gold
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 5,969
- Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Jack Lowden, Emun Elliott, Charlotte Spencer
This series is based on the true story of the biggest gold heist in British history, the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery, and stars Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey”) as an investigating officer.
46. Deadloch
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 9,825
- Cast: Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Alicia Gardiner, Nina Oyama
Created by Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, “Deadloch” is an Australian black comedy take on the usually grim criminal-procedure shows.
45. Justified: City Primeval
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 15,249
- Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Boyd Holbrook, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Vondie Curtis-Hall
The crime series starring Timothy Olyphant (“Deadwood”) is based on Elmore Leonard’s novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit.”
44. Rabbit Hole
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 18,853
- Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Meta Golding, Enid Graham, Rob Yang
This series is a white-knuckle affair starring nail-biting series veteran Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) as a private espionage operative trying to preserve democracy.
43. Twisted Metal
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 21,490
- Cast: Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Seanoa, Will Arnett
Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz star in this black-comedy dystopian series about a man offered a better life if he can bring a package across the post-apocalyptic landscape.
42. Lockwood & Co.
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 24,421
- Cast: Ruby Stokes, Cameron Chapman, Ali Hadji-Heshmati, Jack Bandeira
Ruby Stokes plays a young psychic who is teamed with boys Anthony (Cameron Chapman) and George ( Ali Hadji-Heshmati) to battle malevolent spirits in London.
41. The Reluctant Traveler
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,868
- Cast: Eugene Levy
Funnyman Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) brings his slightly bent view of the world to this documentary in which he visits some of the world’s most interesting hotels and interacts with other cultures.
40. Survival of the Thickest
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 4,029
- Cast: Michelle Buteau, Tone Bell, Marouane Zotti, Anisssa Felix
Michelle Buteau plays a plus-sized black woman rebuilding her personal and professional life after a romantic breakup.
39. Castlevania: Nocturne
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 11,373
- Cast: Edward Bluemel, Thuso Mbedu, Pixie Davies, Richard Dormer
Animation series is about young vampire hunter Richter Belmont tasked with stopping a power-hungry vampire during the French Revolution.
38. The Night Agent
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 98,783
- Cast: Gabriel Basso, Luciane Buchanan, Fola-Evans-Akingbola, Sarah Desjardins
Edge-of-seat series is about an FBI agent Peter Sutherland working in the basement of the White House sitting by a phone that never rings. The night that it does ring thrusts him into a conspiracy leading to the Oval Office.
37. The Traitors
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,037
- Cast: Alan Cumming, Kate Chastain, Cirie Fields, Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Reality stars participate as teams of traitors and loyalists in a game taking place in a castle with a pot of gold at stake. TV veteran Alan Cumming oversees the proceedings.
36. The Reckoning
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,256
- Cast: Steve Coogan, Mark Stanley, Mark Lewis Jones, Darien
The story of Jimmy Savile, who emerged from working-class England to become a prominent BBC presenter, and managed to avoid punishment for sexually abusing women.
35. School Spirits
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 6,552
- Cast: Peyton List, Kristian Ventura, Milo Manheim, Spencer Macpherson
From the makers of “Pretty Little Liars” comes the series “School Spirits.” Teenage girl Maddie is murdered at school and in the afterlife tries to solve the crime.
34. Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,281
- Cast: Diamond White, Fred Tatasciore, Libe Barer, Alfre Woodward
The Marvel animation series is about Lunella, a very bright 13-year-old, who accidentally brings a T-rex into present-day New York City through a time vortex. They team up to fight crime.
33. The Good Mothers
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,460
- Cast: Micaela Ramazzotti, Valentina Bellè, Gaia Girace, Andrea Dodero
Three women born into the most powerful mob families in Italy work with a prosecutor to bring them down.
32. My Adventures with Superman
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 5,075
- Cast: Jack Quaid, Alice Lee, Ishmel Sahid, Darrell Brown
“My Adventures with Superman” is an anime version of the story of the Man of Steel that’s been acclaimed by critics for refreshing the story.
31. Extraordinary
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 12,942
- Cast: Máiréad Tyers, Sofia Oxenham, Bilal Hasna, Luke Rollason
This British comedy import is about an extremely self-aware young woman played by Irish actress Máiréad Tyers who lacks the superpowers of her peers who got theirs at age 18.
30. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 13,944
- Cast: Norman Reedus, Clémence Poésy, Laïka Blanc-Francard, Anne Charrier
In “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” the title character (played by Norman Reedus) is in zombie-overrun France trying to get home.
29. Special Ops: Lioness
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 33,703
- Cast: Zoe Saldana, Laysla De Oliviera, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner
Zoe Saldana plays a top CIA agent on the frontlines of the war on terror. To augment her so-called Lioness program, she enlists Cruz (Laysla De Oliviera), a special operations Marine, as an undercover operative.
28. The Artful Dodger
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,854
- Cast: Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman
“The Artful Dodger” is the reimagined Charles Dickens character who is a surgeon in 1850s Australia, yet cannot escape his penchant for crime. Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays the title character and David Thewlis stars as Fagin in this favorite of Rotten Tomatoes critics and fans.
27. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 10,988
- Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Satya Bhabha, Kieran Culkin
In this animation series, Michael Cera voices Scott Pilgrim — youthful slacker and musician — who finds Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), the girl of his dreams only to discover he has to deal with seven of her former boyfriends.
26. Gen V
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 65,622
- Cast: Jazz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips
The series “Gen V” focuses on the lives of young superheroes who push their talents to their physical and moral limits.
25. The Way Home
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,818
- Cast: Chyler Leigh, Evan Williams, Sadie Laflamme-Snow, Andie MacDowell
Andie MacDowell provides the star power in this series about three generations of independent women living together in a small town.
24. Boiling Point
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,818
- Cast: Stephen Graham, Taz Skylar, Vinette Robinson, Hannah Walters
Tension is simmering in “Boiling Point,” a UK import starring Vinette Robinson as Carly, head chef of a restaurant, juggling the challenges of opening a restaurant.
23. Poker Face
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 42,898
- Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Simon Helberg, Benjamin Bratt, Pedro Hollywood
There’s plenty of star power in “Power Face” with Natasha Lyonne, Simon Helberg, Benjamin Bratt, Adrien Brody Jr., Nick Nolte, and Ellen Barkin. Lyonne plays a woman with an unusual ability to know when someone is lying and uses that ability to investigate crimes.
22. Eva Lasting
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,226
- Cast: Francisca Estevez, Emmanuel Restrepo, Cecilia Navia, Jacques Toukhamanian
Francisca Estevez plays a girl who goes to an all-boys school in Colombia in the 1970s and turns the school upside down.
21. The Muppets Mayhem
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,755
- Cast: Lilly Singh, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph
Chaos and zaniness ensue when the Muppets try to record their first studio album. The film is a fan favorite on Rotten Tomatoes.
20. Primo
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,018
- Cast: Christina Vidal, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Carlos Santos, Henri Esteve
“Primo” is a comedy about a San Antonio teen trying to balance his college dreams with a hectic life at home that includes his single mom and five uncles.
19. Full Swing
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,666
- Cast: Amanda Renner, Dylan Dethier, Sean Foley, Dan Rapaport
Often-riveting behind-the-scenes look at golfers on the PGA tour. The series enjoys a perfect 100% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes.
18. Quarterback
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,798
- Cast: Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota
This series follows NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota on and off the field during the 2022 season. Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning was one of the executive producers.
17. The Diplomat
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 53,327
- Cast: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn
Keri Russell (“The Americans”) plays a career diplomat who becomes ambassador to the United Kingdom amid a crisis while managing a sometimes complicated relationship with her husband (Rufus Sewell), a rising political star.
16. Shrinking
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 61,530
- Cast: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford, Luke Tennie
“Shrinking” is a comedy starring Jason Segel as a grieving psychiatrist who tells his clients what’s on his mind. Segel helped create and produce the series that also features Harrison Ford.
15. Life on Our Planet
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,718
- Cast: Morgan Freeman
Steven Spielberg and the “Our Planet” team created this series about the 4-billion-year-old story of Planet Earth. Morgan Freeman narrates the series.
14. Blue Lights
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 8,111
- Cast: Nathan Braniff, Sian Brooke, Martin McCann, Katherine Devlin
“Blue Lights” follows the exploits of three rookie cops patrolling the challenging neighborhoods of Belfast.
13. Daisy Jones & The Six
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 33,791
- Cast: Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse
Reese Witherspoon is one of the executive producers of “Daisy Jones & The Six,” a series about the rise of a Los Angeles band from obscurity to fame in the 1970s.
12. Silo
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 99,623
- Cast: David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Rebecca Ferguson
Starring David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Rebecca Ferguson, Common, and Tim Robbins, the series is about a post-apocalyptic community struggling to survive in a giant underground silo in an overregulated society.
11. Emergency NYC
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,289
- Cast: David Langer, John Boockvar, Kristina McKoy, Vicky Ulloa
This docuseries follows the lives of first responders working in New York City who try to balance the intensity of their work with their private lives.
10. Wrestlers
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,577
- Cast: Al Snow, Cash Flo, Matt Jones, Bryan Kennison
“Wrestlers” is a documentary about the Ohio Valley Wrestling company in Louisville, Kentucky, a sort of finishing school for professional wrestlers that has seen better days. The series holds a Rotten Tomatoes Freshness score of 100%.
9. Cigarette Girl
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb user votes: 1,432
- Cast: Dian Sastrowardoyo, Ario Bayu, Arya Saloka, Putri Marino
This film looks at the cigarette-rolling culture of Indonesia and the romance that blossoms between a man and a cigarette girl. Rotten Tomatoes viewers gave the drama a 100% score.
8. Jury Duty
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb user votes: 40,503
- Cast: James Marsden, Alan Barinholtz, Susan Berger, Cassandra Blair
Producers of “The Office” created “Jury Duty,” a mockumentary about a fake trial in which 11 of the 12 jurors are actors. The series is a Rotten Tomatoes fan favorite.
7. The Good Bad Mother
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,847
- Cast: Ra Mi-ran, Lee Do-hyun, Ahn Eun-jin, Moo-Sung Choi
The fertile film firmament of South Korea produced “The Good Bad Mother,” a series about a prosecutor who suffers a serious accident and is left with the mind of a child. It’s up to his mother to try and heal him and their relationship.
6. Oshi No Ko
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 7,198
- Cast: Takeo Otsuka, Yurie Igoma, Megumi Han, Jack Stansbury
Japanese animated film about a doctor and his recently deceased patient who are reborn as twins of a music icon.
5. Farzi
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 40,587
- Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhuvan Arora, Jaswant Dalal
The Indian series follows the exploits of a self-styled “artist” counterfeiter and the relentless law-enforcement officer tasked with shutting down his business.
4. One Piece
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 127,979
- Cast: Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Vincent Regan
This Japanese anime series has become one of the hit programs on the streaming services.
3. Great Kills
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,185
- Cast: Steve Stanulis, Eric Roberts, Bai Ling, Cathy Moriarty
The series is about a documentary film crew who record the life and crimes of a lonely hit man from Great Kills, Staten Island, played by Steve Stanulis. Eric Roberts, Bai Ling, and Cathy Moriarty also appear in the series.
2. The Last of Us
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 474,232
- Cast: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Gabriel Luna
Pedro Pascal (“Narcos”) plays the grizzled survivor of a worldwide epidemic who protects a 14-year-old girl who may be the last hope for humankind. The series has a 96% score among Rotten Tomatoes critics.
1. Blue Eye Samurai
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 30,557
- Cast: Maya Erskine, George Takei, Masi Oka, Brenda Song
With a perfect Rotten Tomatoes Freshness score and 96% among RT fans, “Blue Eye Samurai” is an animated film about a female sword master seeking revenge during Edo-era Japan.