Best of 2019 (Television): The Mandalorian

Who knew that a Mando doing Mando things for an hour would make for good television?

Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian has been firing on all cylinders since Day 1. It expects nothing from you, no encyclopedic knowledge of Star Wars canon, nor even pre-existing love for the franchise. It simply offers the story of a bounty hunter making his humble way across the galaxy, and Favreau and co. did their absolute darnedest to make it the most compelling TV you'll see this year.

There's just so much to love. Pedro Pascal is so expressive for someone wearing a helmet the entire time. Ludwig Göransson's musical score absolutely slaps. Baby Yoda is just so goddamn adorable. And every frame highlights the movie-level budget they spent to make The Mandalorian incredible eye candy for Star Wars fans.

And most importantly, The Mandalorian is a great palate cleanser after all the brouhaha of the current state of Star Wars movies, a neutral ground where your opinions on Rey's lineage or Disney's alleged mishandling of the franchise don't matter. Want to see a bounty hunter shoot Tatooine scum in the face while taking care of the cutest cargo in the universe? Let's all come together as Star Wars fans and just watch The Mandalorian from beginning to end over and over again.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Chernobyl earned every award it got from every second of its 5-episode run. Stellar performances and even more stellar storytelling make this a show for the ages, even if its subject matter may not be everyone's cup of tea. 10/10 would rewatch again, this time preferably before eating.

Special mention goes to LoadingReadyRun's Road Quest, their roadtrip Youtube miniseries years in the making. It's like Top Gear, except everyone is likeable and fun, and there are luscious panoramic shots of the beautiful Canadian countryside that would make you check Canadian immigration requirements.