2020 was a strange year for the entertainment industry, as it was for so many others. The difficulties of this period of time led to production problems, cancellations, and delays. But, a great deal of brilliant TV shows were also released to keep audiences occupied.
With so much new content, though, it's certainly easy to overlook some fantastic series. Whether they had all of the critical acclaim but none of the mainstream attention, or perhaps should have been destined for far bigger successes, these shows are not only underrated but were actually overlooked by a huge portion of audiences.
Alex Rider
Amazon Prime bet big on their adaptation of the classic Anthony Horowitz novels. The young adult series had already made it to the big screen once with Stormbreaker, but the production was proven to be a big flop.
Making a few changes to bring the novels to fresh audiences, Prime Video developed a first season which took inspiration from both Stormbreaker and Point Blanc (the first two books of the franchise). Despite the huge fan following the novels have, the series just didn't capture the imagination of mainstream audiences, even though it was a much better adaptation.
High Fidelity
Hulu is well known for taking creative risks when it comes to series developments, but this really shouldn't have been considered to be one. Taking inspiration from both the Nick Hornby novel and the 2000 feature film of the same name, Zoë Kravitz shone in this fresh take.
It should have been a resounding success and indeed critically it got the praise it deserved. However, affected by both the global situation and lower than expected viewing figures, Hulu canceled High Fidelity after one season which is a huge shame.
Ghosts
BBC comedies don't always make a big splash across the pond, but Ghosts has already grabbed enough attention that a US spin-off will be making its way to CBS in the near future. In terms of both its UK and global audience though, Ghosts really flew under the radar.
2020 saw the second season of this cult series released and it delighted its hardcore fans. From the incredible one liners, to the strange premise where a woman can see all the ghosts present in her house, this show is a lot of fun and contained a number of surprising emotional arcs.
Dave
Sometimes a little too self-serving, Lil Dicky did at least deliver in creating a comedy show that not only told parts of his own life story, but also managed to bring audiences a set of genuinely complex characters in what should have been a forgettable show.
Dave has already been given the green light for a season 2 and this sitcom certainly went into new territory when it comes to looking at the modern rap industry. Lil Dicky definitely isn't conventional and neither is this series; it goes from making a number of bawdy jokes to sincerely exploring a character's struggles with bipolar disorder.
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel is always in the mainstream media thanks to its millions of fans and record-breaking movie releases. Back when Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. first released, though, it was anything but a sure-fire success.
As the show has grown it has both gained and lost audience members. It finally reached its exciting conclusion in 2020, but it's easy to wonder how much bigger a deal this would have been to audiences if that first season had knocked it out of the park.
Next In Fashion
There were some fantastic looks created in Next In Fashion and the show genuinely tried to take a unique direction that would hopefully delight audiences and take them away from the traditional format of shows like Project Runway.
The partnerships, the personal stories, and of course the designs all lived up to expectations, but it really wasn't the hit that Netflix had hoped for. Canceled after one season, it's a shame that this wasn't given the chance to really build a legacy for itself.
His Dark Materials
Perhaps HBO and BBC thought they were on to a Game Of Thrones level adventure when it came to developing His Dark Materials for the screen. They did everything right: the cast, the cinematography, taking such tremendous books to adapt.
So many people have overlooked this series though. It was even at a point where fans were unsure of a third season, but luckily after the triumphant and heart-breaking moments of season 2, at least the production team can finish the story the way they want to.
Disney+ isn't well known for its original documentary content. While big franchises like Marvel have been taking a lot of the focus, as well as its classic film library, the streaming platform is actually home to some great series for film fans.
Asides from the beloved Imagineering Story which has been given its rightful respect, Prop Culture has been largely ignored. Taking viewers through a journey of films past, Dan Lanigan meets old cast and crew members, rediscovers old props, and recreates beloved objects from classic movies!
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow
The DC Universe is another that continues to expand. The noise created by the Crisis On Infinite Earths meant that everything else took a bit of a backseat for the last 2 years. But Legends Of Tomorrow managed to shine through.
It really wasn't too heavily linked to the Crisis event, but instead carved its own path; one that is just as goofy as ever. It has its hardcore fans, although mainstream audiences haven't gravitated towards this wacky and fantastical show in the same way as other larger DC productions.
I May Destroy You
This British show, which was another feature of the partnership between the BBC and HBO, was a huge hit in the UK. But, outside of its home country, it didn't seem to quite land in the same way.
A deeply moving comedy and drama, season 1 explores the life of a successful author and social media influencer, who mentally battles with the aftermath of an assault, and fights with both the emotional weight of this event as well as continuing to uphold her iconic status.