910 Best Movies & Shows Released in 2023 (Page 30)

Based on Nathan Pyle’s famed webcomics of the same name, Strange Planets is a blunt and offbeat series that encapsulates the magic of Pyle's internet-famous relatable aliens. It uses a sitcom format (complete with recurring characters) to play on the absurdity of these human-like aliens and their human-like problems. With well-delivered jokes, crisp animation, and simple storylines, Strange Planets doesn't overcomplicate its premise, making it an easy, enjoyable watch. Although the writing and scenarios aren't entirely original—outside of Pyle's signature descriptive alien diction, that is—the wholesome, no-brainer vibe is a welcome change in pace for adult animation. Pyle's original work brought humor to the mundanity of everyday living, and the show (co-created with TV veteran Dan Harmon) doesn't disappoint.

Genre: Animation, Comedy

Actor: Danny Pudi, Demi Adejuyigbe, Hannah Einbinder, Lori Tan Chinn, Tunde Adebimpe

Rating: TV-PG

More lush period piece than scary science fiction, Gyeongseong Creature promised a terrifying creature, but it starts slow, dedicating more of its time to its humans than immediately battling monsters. This helps establish the romance, especially as hardened private eye Yoon Chae-ok appeals to privileged pawn broker Jang Tae-sang’s sense of duty, as well as the historical context behind the story. In doing so, the show confronts the violence of the Japanese occupation of Korea through implication rather than directly recreating these horrors. It’s all the more satisfying when the action begins, as Chae-ok and Tae-sang shift their priorities from doing a job to actively undermining the evil hospital’s efforts. Gyeongseong Creature might not let its creature loose early, but its true horror lies not with the monster created, but with the abuses permitted by war.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Claudia Kim, Han So-hee, Jo Han-chul, Kim Hae-sook, Park Seo-jun

Director: Jung Dong-yoon

Rating: TV-MA

While this spin-off of Netflix's previous Castlevania series doesn't have the most interesting take on vampires, Nocturne's stellar action scenes and its use of the French revolution as a historical backdrop are enough to give it a personality worth keeping an eye on beyond the first two episodes watched for this review. There isn't all that much plot in these early installments, and neither are there memorable vocal performances that really capture these characters. But when the show has to be grisly and exciting (which is often), it hits the stake on the head. And even in its more static moments, the vampire characters cast a large shadow over everything, appearing exactly as seductive and monstrous as they're meant to be—just like the aristocracy they're meant to represent.

Genre: Action, Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Edward Bluemel, Nastassja Kinski, Pixie Davies, Sydney James Harcourt, Thuso Mbedu, Zahn McClarnon

Rating: TV-MA

Not fully a mystery and not entirely a thriller, yet on the cusp of both, the initial setup of Burn the House Down promises a definite answer and dismantles it in every episode. Sure that her mother was framed, Anzu infiltrates Makiko's new lavish life to prove that the fire set to her home thirteen years ago was no accident. She knows the culprit but lacks evidence, but when she's reacquainted with Makiko's eldest son, his reclusive demeanour takes a sinister turn. The premise is straightforward, yet it's hard to look away from Anzu skulking around as she finds remnants of her mother's old life and sweet-talking the family that destroyed hers. Trying to piece together that fateful night isn't simple but feels worth the unexpected detours three episodes in. 

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Asuka Kudo, Kie Kitano, Kyoka Suzuki, Mei Nagano, Michiko Kichise, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Taishi Nakagawa, Tamaki Shiratori, Yuri Tsunematsu

Rating: TV-14

A parody of the true crime industry, Based on a True Story is as dark as a comedy can go. It follows Ava and Nate (Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina), a couple who, in an attempt to save their marriage and bank accounts, partner up with serial killer Matt (Tom Bateman) to create a podcast about Matt’s killing sprees. It proves to be a hit in murder-obsessed America, but Ava and Nate soon realize that their success comes with a bloody price. Based on a True Story is the type of show that has a lot of fun trying on different hats—all at once, it's a satire, thriller, horror, and romance—and though it’s not always successful at balancing them out, there’s something addictive about watching it try. Even when the constant tonal shifts and murky morals threaten to tear the show down, you can't bring yourself to look away. This is mostly thanks to Cuoco and Messina, whose dynamic chemistry and live-wire performances all but prove their status as sitcom veterans. Bateman is also effectively terrifying, able to maintain his killer guise amidst ever-shifting genre backgrounds. Often, the show treads the fine line between making light of and shedding light on violence in modern-day America. But the risk pays off, making it a killer watch for anyone willing to give it a try.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Alex Alomar Akpobome, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Chris Messina, Kaley Cuoco, Li Jun Li, Liana Liberato, Natalia Dyer, Priscilla Quintana, Tom Bateman

Rating: TV-MA