The Most Talked About TV Shows From 2020

These Are The Most Talked About TV Shows From 2020

Dec 18 2020 by Navi Ahluwalia

Whilst we've not had much to cling onto this year, we have had the magic of television. 2020 saw the release of complete and utter escapism in the form of Emily In Paris, total f*cking carnage thanks to Tiger King and Joe Exotic, and a serious obsession with the Royals as a result of of The Crown's fourth season.

Whether you've been drawn to a light-hearted binge of episodes that are only 20 minutes long, and still make you feel warm and fuzzy inside (a.k.a. Schitt's Creek), or a darker drama about actual murder that makes you wonder how you would look with Nicole Kidman's hair (hello The Undoing), this year has been a total mixed bag of TV, and we have loved every second of it.

Here's a look at the most talked about TV shows from this year, according to research conducted by Freeview. Did your favourite make the cut?

Image Source: Everett Collection

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here

It's no secret that as a nation we love laughing at the misfortune of others, but only when that misfortune is consensual and controlled, of course. Enter I'm A Celebrity, one of the many shows to provide some much needed laughter amidst this somewhat miserable year. As we await next year's instalment, check out some of the best bushtucker trials of all time.

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The Great British Bake Off

A Prue Classic. (See what we did there?) The Great British Bake Off has kept lovers of cakes, bakes, and food in general, entertained since 2010. We got our fill of Bake Off this year with an excellent regular season (where Peter became the youngest contestant ever to win the contest) ad not one, but two festive editions of The Great British Bake Off this year. Previous celebrity guests on the show have included the cast of Derry Girls, Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing and music artist Ella Eyre.

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The Crown

The Crown's fourth iteration landed on our screens this year, with a scandalous series on Prince Charles and Diana, a.k.a. the series we've all been waiting for. Series 4 touched on infidelity, eating disorders, and the truth behind Charles and Camilla's secret (or not so secret, for those who have seen the show) relationship. It's been real, and it's back for more next year.

Image Source: Netflix

Britain's Got Talent

Since Alesha Dixon joined the judging panel on Britain's Got Talent back in 2012, the show has gone from strength to strength. This year, it got even better. Diversity's Ashley Banjo joined the panel, replacing Simon Cowell, who suffered a back injury. As sad as it is, viewers have loved watching Banjo shine this year, and clearly, he feels the same way. He told the BBC: "I remember being on that stage last year and talking about how it's been ten years since we won, and how people should never tell you, you can't do something. Walking on that stage as a 20-year-old street dancer from the streets of East London and now I am walking out there and stepping in for the big man!"

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Killing Eve

The third season of Killing Eve premiered this year, satisfying our need for the return of Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. The cast also saw a slew of new actors join the adventure for its new season. Game of Thrones alum Gemma Whelan (who played Yara Greyjoy) and Predrag Bjelac, (aka Igor Karkaroff in the fourth Harry Potter film) were just two of this year's exciting additions.

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Tiger King

In years to come, no-one will be able to think of the year 2020 without reminiscing about the madness that was Tiger King. A documentary series about Joe Exotic, operator of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, and self proclaimed YouTube personality, the show covers animal cruelty, illegal dealings, and a larger than life rivalry with Carole Baskin, owner of Big Cat Rescue. From ridiculously sequinned shirts and mullets to hauntingly bizarre music videos and memes, Tiger King will be one to remember.

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Peaky Blinders

Like most things this year, the filming of Peaky Blinders was undoubtedly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, but that didn't stop us talking about it. Speaking to Digital Spy, Director Anthony Byrne revealed "We were due to start filming at the end of March [2020] until the end of July. If we did start shooting in January, we wouldn't finish until May / June and then it's another 6 months of editing." The series is set to return in 2021.

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Friday Night Dinner

It's safe to say that amidst this Black Mirror-esque year we've all had, we've needed a semblance of hilarity to tide us over. Cue Friday Night Dinner, the ache-inducing comedy from Channel 4 about a Jewish family that somehow end up in the strangest of situations. Season 6 arrived this year, with more of Martin's topless antics, Jim's social awkwardness, and many a prank from Jonny and The Inbetweeners' star Adam (played by Simon Bird.)

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The Umbrella Academy

Recently renewed for a third season, The Umbrella Academy is a sci-fi series adapted from the Dark Horse Comics title of the same name, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. As a result of the cliffhanger ending from its second season this year, the show's massive fan base are in desperate need for more.

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His Dark Materials

BBC and HBO joined forces in 2019 to create His Dark Materials, an eight-part series which is an adaptation of Philip Pullman's fantasy book trilogy of the same name (you would have likely heard of the 2007 film, The Golden Compass, which is based on The Northern Lights.) The second season landed on our screens this year, and saw a few unexpected faces in its new cast, including Andrew Scott and Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey.

Derry Girls

At the end of the second season of Derry Girls, we were left in Nov. 1995, right after US President Bill Clinton gave a speech in Londonderry. It was announced back in April that Channel 4 has renewed Derry Girls for a third season, which came out this year, picking up exactly where the second left off.

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Gangs of London

Created by Gareth Evans, this nine-episode series takes a look at modern day London, if it were taken over by rival gangs. The show premiered this year, and though it's only had one season so far, it's been one to watch.

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The Queen's Gambit

The Queen's Gambit released in the latter half of this year, and quickly became Netflix's most-watched limited series ever. Having watched it in its entirety, it's not hard to understand why. Love, lust, and plenty of killer outfits made it a seriously binge-able watch.

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Normal People

When BBC announced in July that Sally Rooney's novel, Normal People, was being adapted into a series for 2020, we had a lot of feelings (all good). Since the show aired this summer, we've become obsessed with Connell's chain, Marianne's summer wardrobe, and whether or not there'll be a second season.

Emily In Paris

Emily In Paris has got to be one of the most divisive shows to hit Netflix this year. From the kitschy outfits and questionable social media usage, to the incredibly attractive cast member Gabriel (played by Lucas Bravo) and controversy surrounding the pronunciation of its name, it's all we could talk about. Whether you loved it or hated it, or hated that you loved it, a second series is on the cards. Yay!

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Ghosts

Series one of this BBC sitcom premiered back in 2019, and this year it returned for a second. The show follows a collection of ghosts from different historical periods haunting a country house that just so happens to be newly inhabited. Spooky. It's already been too long since Ghosts was on our TV screen and luckily, the show's making a return just in time for Christmas. The Christmas special will be airing on 23rd Dec. on BBC One.

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The Undoing

The Undoing landed on our screens in December this year, and it's been a whirlwind. About a husband and wife, played by Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman, it follows the trial regarding the brutal murder of a young boy's mother. It's creepy, it's exciting, and it's sadly not likely to return for a second season.

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Schitt's Creek

Since 2015, Emmy award winning Schitt's Creek has been the gift that's kept on giving. All six seasons follow the story of the Roses, an incredibly wealthy family left bankrupt and forced to move to a tiny town. Created by Eugene and Dan Levy, and starring Sarah Levy, it's a total family affair, and a hilariously sarcastic one at that. Season six premiered this year, and had us bawling like babies at the wedding of David and Patrick.

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