7) Gotham
The concept of a Batman show without Batman would have seemed ludicrous if the world hadn’t already seen a similar approach applied to Superman with the decade-long Smallville. So instead of focusing on the Dark Knight (who’s only a boy, as played by David Mazouz), creator Bruno Heller’s show has steadily turned its focus to the villains that run the city of Gotham.
The tail end of season 2 put the spotlight on Hugo Strange (B.D. Wong) and his experiments within Arkham Asylum, and season 3 introduced the Mad Hatter (Benedict Samuel) and a successful mayoral run for the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor). Not to mention Taylor and Cory Michael Smith’s Edward Nygma – who have been given one of season 3’s most-talked-about storylines – continue to outshine an already-stellar ensemble cast.
As over-the-top as ever, Gotham may feature something of a muddled overall narrative, but what it lacks in storytelling prowess it makes up for in sheer entertainment value.