We’re coming up on the end of 2023, which means plenty of opportunities to celebrate the standouts of another year of pop culture. While television has become a key source of entertainment for many over the years, it found a surprising and fun new footing over the past twelve months. The television of 2023 included many long-awaited returns, as well as some new favorites that took viewers — and the Internet — by surprise.
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ComicBook.com’s Golden Issue Awards, which are chosen by ComicBook.com’s staff, are here to honor all that television brought this past year. Keep reading to see which series and characters stood out to us in 2023, and check back next week as we announce the winners!
Best TV Show
Best TV Show is always a fascinating category in Golden Issues, providing a snapshot of which shows captivated us that didn’t involve superhero tights and fights. This year’s nominees might be the widest crop yet, encompassing two returning favorites, two highly-anticipated (but very different) adaptations of other work, and one modern-day send-up to Columbo.
- The Last of Us (HBO)
- One Piece (Netflix)
- Poker Face (Peacock)
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
- Yellowjackets (Paramount+ / Showtime)
Best Comic Book TV Show
Of course, television inspired by comic books is something of a staple at our website — and this year delivered a lot of surprises on that front. From the final season of a network TV mainstay, to sophomore seasons of streaming hits, to newer takes on the superhero story, this year’s Best Comic Book TV Show nominees had us hooked week after week.
- American Born Chinese (Disney+)
- Gen V (Prime Video)
- Loki (Disney+)
- Riverdale (The CW)
- Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
Best Animated TV Show
Animation has always been a vital form of entertainment for both the young and the young at heart, and this year’s Best Animated TV Show nominees are no exception. From long-running (and ever-evolving) staples, to fresh new takes on the characters of Marvel and DC, these were the shows that stuck with us all year long.
- Invincible (Prime Video)
- Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney XD)
- My Adventures With Superman (Adult Swim)
- Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
- Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Best Male TV Character
Coincidentally, all five of this year’s Best Male TV Character nominees have already existed in another medium, whether that be decades of comics, a long-running manga and anime, or an iconic video game franchise. Three of the five nominees have even portrayed their characters for close to a decade or more. That makes the fact that they stood out this year, delivering powerful and surprising moments in their respective shows, all the more impressive.
- Archie Andrews (KJ Apa, Riverdale)
- Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us)
- Loki (Tom Hiddleston, Loki)
- Monkey D. Luffy (Inaki Godoy, One Piece)
- Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, Secret Invasion)
Best Female TV Character
A truth-detecting sleuth outrunning her past. A young girl who just might be civilization’s last hope. An aspiring superhero pulled into a conspiracy. A Jedi searching for her found family. A teen mother in a dark fight for survival. This year’s Best Female TV Character nominees provided some unexpected, and intriguing, heroines to follow.
- Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face)
- Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us)
- Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair, Gen V)
- Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Star Wars: Ahsoka)
- Shauna Shipman (Sophie Nelisse, Yellowjackets)
Best TV Scene Stealer
The Best TV Scene Stealer category is only in its second year, but it has already become a contentious — and impressive — part of the proceedings. This year’s nominees stuck with viewers long after they finished watching a specific episode, for reasons either hilarious, melancholic, or something in between. From the immediate fan-favorites of shows like Loki and One Piece, to the most heartwrenching relationship on The Last of Us (and, depending on who you ask, on all of television), these nominees were absolutely memorable.
- Bill and Frank (Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, The Last of Us)
- Buggy the Clown (Jeff Ward, One Piece)
- Huyang (David Tennant, Star Wars: Ahsoka)
- Ouroboros / O.B. (Ke Huy Quan, Loki)
- Sonya Fallsworth (Olivia Colman, Secret Invasion)
