‘Harlots,’ ‘Handmaid’s,’ ‘Insecure’ and late night TV made it an interesting 2017

Harlots (Hulu)

Set in 18th century London, this British-American series follows the women who run and work in the city’s countless brothels and delivers surprising tales of self-determination, camaraderie and cunning business tactics. Sex is just a means of survival, and it’s all the other stuff – strong storylines, a stellar cast (including Samantha Morton and Jessica Brown Findlay), enviable wardrobe — that make this smart series one of the year’s best dramas.

FULL COVERAGE: Year-end entertainment 2018 »

The Keepers (Netflix)

This beautifully produced documentary miniseries revolves around the unsolved 1969 murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik and the lives of her former students as they come to terms with the sexual abuse they suffered as teens. That healing process includes seeking justice for their beloved teacher who sought to protect them from predatory priests. Expertly researched, sourced and edited, this series does what most crime docs or series do not — honor the victims.

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Season two of the sci-fi/horror/love letter to the ‘80s bested season one with a sharper, nerds-hunt-monster narrative and introduced puberty as a new mysterious force to be reckoned with. It also offered tender insight into the world of the bullied, a place almost as brutal as The Upside Down.

The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

A puritanical, patriarchal government enslaves women as breeders and maids in this dystopian nightmare of an America gone wrong. Based on a Margaret Atwood novel and starring Elisabeth Moss, the timely tale of horror and survival hits close to the bone with its warnings about religious conservatism, the devaluing of women and power-hungry patriarchy.

Kate McKinnon as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, left, and Alec Baldwin as President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live.”

(Will Heath/NBC via AP )

Saturday Night Live (NBC):

Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer, Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton and Jeff Sessions, Alec Baldwin as President Trump. Thanks to a zany year in politics, and writers who are quick enough on their feet to lampoon the madness, the 42-year-old sketch show is as relevant as it was in the years after Watergate.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS); Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC); Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

Network TV enters a new golden era of late night thanks to three talented hosts and a dysfunctional presidency. Comedy meets political commentary and moral outrage on all three shows, which make light of the day’s news, even when there’s little to laugh about.

Insecure (HBO)

Now headed into its third season, this half hour comedy, co-created by and starring Issa Rae, continues to break ground in its depiction of South Los Angeles, the lives of black women and female friendships. The comedy is sharp but deep, the pop culture references rapid fire and the characters are people you know but rarely see on screen.

SMILF (Showtime)

Created by and starring Frankie Shaw, a single mom barely squeaks by raising her baby in a studio apartment in hardscrabble Boston. Hardly a noble figure, she subsists on snack foods and wears the same clothes day after day. The comedy drama is a crass but brutally honest portrayal of young motherhood at the lower end of America’s increasingly stratified class system.

Master of None (Netflix)

This Netflix comedy, co-created by and starring Aziz Ansari, wins for its “Religion” and “Thanksgiving” episodes alone. Season two continues to chronicle the remarkably unremarkable life of Dev (Ansari), his Muslim immigrant family and his acting career. Along the way it deftly explores complicated themes of race and identity inside of broader millennial themes of dating and career.

Versailles (Ovation)

A petulant ruler and his entitled family run the most powerful country in the world. In its second season, this period drama about France’s Louis XIV and the creation of Versailles palace continued to offer a window into the machinations of politics, power, privilege — and men with defiantly bad hairdos. What’s old is now timely.

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@lorraineali