From the gripping conclusions of Happy Valley and Sex Education to the sci-fi action in Netflix's Black Mirror there have been a lot of great series released in 2023.
With so many streaming platforms available these days, viewers in the UK and around the world are spoilt for choice when it comes to series to watch and this year has been no exception.
The TV and movie experts at IMDb recently released their top 10 best series of 2023 in the UK which featured the likes of Happy Valley and The Last of Us.
IMDb said: "The year in TV made fans feel things – fear of the infected, the thrill of swashbuckling adventure, and the sense of impending doom that only Poe and Mike Flanagan could manufacture."
We’re celebrating the end of 2023 with a look at the most popular series among IMDb fans worldwide 📺Catch the top 10 below and check out the full list 👉 https://t.co/KT7FQCLOg4
— IMDb (@IMDb) December 5, 2023
1. The Last of Us: #TheLastOfUs quickly became one of the buzziest series of 2023, making Pedro… pic.twitter.com/UiECVA65VA
So if you are looking for something to watch over the Christmas holidays or just the next series to binge, here are the top 10 series of 2023, according to IMDb, that if you haven't seen should be on your list.
Top 10 best series of 2023 in the UK
1. Black Mirror
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 8.7/10
Features: Aaron Paul, Annie Murphy, Josh Hartnett
IMDb said: "After a four-year hiatus, Netflix’s eerily prescient sci-fi satire returned for a sixth season in 2023.
"Series creator Charlie Brooker took viewers everywhere from deep space to the fictional Loch Henry, but it was season opener “Joan is Awful” — about a woman whose life is turned into an antagonistic streaming series — that received the highest marks on IMDb with a 7.4 rating."
2. The Last of Us
Where to watch: HBO Max series - watch on Now (in the UK)
IMDb rating: 8.8/10
Features: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
I got you, baby girl.
— Max (@StreamOnMax) September 26, 2023
Celebrate #TLOUDay and binge the first season of HBO Original #TheLastofUs on Max. pic.twitter.com/K988eSMYR4
IMDb said: "As the biggest TV story of the year, it was inevitable “The Last of Us” was going to be the top series of 2023 worldwide.
"The show helped propel Pedro Pascal (four weeks at #1 on STARmeter) into viral superstardom and Bella Ramsey (one week at #1) delivered more of the feisty charm that made her a fan favourite on “Game of Thrones.”
"Showrunner Craig Mazin (“Chernobyl“), along with writing partner and original video game creator Neil Druckmann, elevated side characters to the point that IMDb fans kept returning to learn, “Who was that actor?”
"The halo effect brought supporting castmembers into the spotlight, including Anna Torv, Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Nico Parker, and of course Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, who in Episode 3 gave us one of the most unexpectedly great episodes of television in years.
"The series was renewed for a second season at Max, which will be based on the sequel game, “The Last of Us: Part II.”
3. The Mandalorian
Where to watch: Disney+
IMDb rating: 8.7/10
Features: Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Giancarlo Esposito
Catch up on all episodes of #TheMandalorian, now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/HcFPyFU7gc
— The Mandalorian (@themandalorian) May 5, 2023
IMDb said: "Although Season 3 received mixed reviews among both critics and fans, the show's sustaining popularity and a bevy of cameos — including Jack Black, Lizzo, Christopher Lloyd, and Ahmed Best (aka Jar Jar Binks), and more — helped “The Mandalorian” stay in the top four MOVIEmeter slots for its eight-week run.
"The season ended on a high note, with the final two episodes earning the highest IMDb ratings of the season and wrapping up series-long storylines with emotionally satisfying endings (Din Grogu is officially a Mandalorian!)."
4. Happy Valley
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
IMDb rating: 8.5/10
Features: Sarah Lancashire, James Norton, Siobhan Finneran
IMDb said: "After a seven-year hiatus, “Happy Valley” returned in 2023 for its final season, picking up years after the tragic events of Season 2 and bringing embattled sergeant Catherine Cawood's never-ending family and career struggles to a satisfying close.
"Fan interest in the return bumped the series into the MOVIEmeter Top 100 for the first time with a week-long run in the eleventh spot."
5. You
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 8.7/10
Features: Penn Badgley, Tati Gabrielle, Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper
IMDb said: "The considerably less steamy Season 4 of Netflix's “You” was still wildly popular on our site, as Penn Badgley's kinda-incidental serial killer Joe Goldberg resurfaced in London.
"The series stayed in our Top 20 for two months as Joe avoided certain peril to outlast and outwit the high-society killer who was at least one step ahead of him nearly all season.
"Speculation about how Season 5 will bring the series to an end kept the show riding high on our charts long after Season 4 wrapped."
6. Unforgotten
Where to watch: ITVX
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Features: Sanjeev Bhaskar, Sinead Keenan, Ian McElhinney, Hayley Mills
IMDb said: "The cold case crime drama returned for a fifth season in February, shaking up the status quo with new DCI Jessica James (Sinéad Keenan) stepping in after the death of fan-favorite character DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker).
"Although IMDb fans gave the season its lowest ratings to date, the season premiere pulled in 8.4 million viewers, and a sixth season will air in 2024."
7. Sex Education
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 8.3/10
Features: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey
IMDb said: "The future of Moordale was unknown at the close of Season 3, but the promise of a fourth and final instalment brought fans back for more hilariously awkward antics and heartfelt moments in 2023.
"The series hit #1 on IMDb’s MOVIEmeter when new episodes launched on Netflix, bursting with its usual onscreen eye candy — idyllic countryside vistas and eclectically styled characters galore — plus, a fresh setting and crop of characters.
"At Cavendish, an ultra-progressive post-secondary utopia, cast favourites converged with a different kind of “it” crowd, navigated new challenges (sex therapist turf war included) and got schooled on inclusivity.
"If the slew of cast cameos in Greta Gerwig's Barbie this summer is any indication, the stars of “Sex Education” have bright futures ahead. Thanks for the memories, Moordale."
8. The Witcher
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 8/10
Features: Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, Anya Chalotra
IMDb said: "The third instalment of Netflix’s fantasy series made waves with fans before it even premiered, thanks to the announcement that star Henry Cavill would be leaving the show at the end of Season 3.
"Viewers tuned in to see the continued adventures of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennifer with more than 15 million households watching in the first week of its release.
"The popular adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series spent seven weeks at the top of the IMDb charts and once again launched actress Anya Chalotra to number one on STARmeter (she first topped the rankings after Season 1 was released)."
9. Ahsoka
Where to watch: Disney+
IMDb rating: 7.6/10
Features: Rosario Dawson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Ray Stevenson, Lars Mikkelsen
Trust in the Force.
— Ahsoka (@ahsokaofficial) October 4, 2023
All episodes of #Ahsoka are now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/ua5YOKqBW3
IMDb said: "Weekly episode drops kept “Ahsoka” in IMDb's Top 10 throughout Season 1, and though Rosario Dawson ascended our chart for the first time since appearing in “The Mandalorian“ as the former Jedi apprentice, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was the series' breakout star, as fans got to see Rebel leader Hera Syndulla make her live-action Star Wars debut."
10. Star Trek: Picard
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 8.7/10
Features: Patrick Stewart, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Ed SPeleers, Jonathan Frakes
IMDb said: "The final season of “Star Trek: Picard” gave die-hard “Next-Gen” fans exactly what they'd been waiting for Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D back together again for one last mission.
"The lead-up to that fist-pumping moment was filled with a who's-who of fan-favourite characters and cameos from across the franchise, from Tuvok and Seven of Nine, to Ro Laren and Q.
"The final adventure resonated with IMDb fans, transporting the series into the MOVIEmeter's Top 20 for its 10-week run and bringing in the highest ratings of the series for final episodes “Võx” (9.4) and “The Last Generation.”
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