From The Big Door Prize to Colin from Accounts, Guardian readers think it’s been a year of spectacular TV. Here are their selection of the finest

Guilt, series three (BBC Two)

My favourite of 2023 so far is Guilt. Neil Forsyth brought the trilogy to an end in a superb way. There are great performances by Mark Bonnar, Jamie Sives and Emun Elliot as the main characters Max, Jake and Kenny. Their gallows humour ensures there are a lot of laughs in this “thriller” and when you take into account the superb soundtrack, it is top quality viewing. It’s been a good year for Forsyth, as The Gold was also an excellent watch. Colin Armstrong, 50, Falkirk

Colin from Accounts (BBC Two)

In dire need of cheering-up but with a rather niche sense of humour, I badgered friends for laugh-along telly. I should have listened when Colin from Accounts kept coming up, but assumed it was like The Office, which doesn’t float my boat, and ignored them. What a fool I felt when I gave it a whirl: it’s funny, smart, feelgood TV featuring so many well-drawn, relatable characters with great chemistry and wit. Demelza, Wiltshire

I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson (Netflix)

My favourite TV of 2023 so far is the long-awaited season three of I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson. The six episodes are short, but so packed full of belly laughs. It’s easily the funniest show out there. Robinson is such a keen observer of human nature, that though many of the sketches are patently absurd, we can all recognise ourselves in these situations. This is probably why it has a fantastic online community of fans. It’s a show I keep coming back to time and time again. Mark Hawksley, 44, Wisconsin, US

Happy Valley, series three (BBC One)

It has to be Happy Valley. I had not watched previous series – just didn’t fancy it – but I was hooked by the trailers for the new one. I watched series one and two before three started, and wow! I became completely absorbed by this fantastic programme all about family, loyalty, human kindness, frailty, vileness, deprivation, the effects of drugs and the benefits of community policing – all portrayed honestly and with humour. Congratulations to Sarah Lancashire and the whole cast, as well as to Sally Wainwright. Barbara, 69, Stockport

Shape Island (Apple TV+)

Shape Island, AppleTV+’s adaptation of the Shape series of books by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, has been a family favourite this year with many repeat viewings. It’s full of beautifully crafted stop-motion, pitch-perfect voice acting and stories as weird and profound as you could ever hope. It’s always a marker of quality when lines of dialogue are lifted out and slotted into your everyday discourse. It’s Triangle Day! Chris Smith, 43, Finland

Succession, season four (Sky Atlantic and Now)

Succession is the best TV of the year, without a doubt. It’s the only show since the Sopranos where you sometimes sympathise with loathsome characters. You also have to work hard to keep up with the machiavellian strategising. The main appeal is the writing: the dialogue is mordant, funny and incredibly imaginative. There wasn’t a single episode where anything felt wasted or baggy. Every scene was rich in meaning. The show is already legendary. Anne Guest, Cumbria

The Big Door Prize (Apple TV+)

I read the Guardian article about The Big Door Prize and then didn’t miss a single show. It is better than the novel, which I’ve read too. I like how all the characters are so complex and credible, and I find the story timely and fascinating. Susanne, 57, Nuremberg, Germany

Blue Lights (BBC One)

Blue Lights is a great ensemble drama where each character is finely developed. It has just the right number of twists and turns to keep you watching without stretching credulity – and it has genuinely moving moments. Martin, 55, Bristol

The Last of Us (Sky Atlantic and Now)

The Last of Us was a refreshing spin on the post-apocalyptic genre. It was also a faithful adaptation; I’ve played both of the original games on PS4. There has been a glut of post-apocalyptic shows since the pandemic, but this series stood out because of its unusual focus on love and survival – rather than a shoot ‘em up. The now-iconic third episode had some fantastic performances, as indeed did the show as a whole. Michael Hogg, 60, Edinburgh

Ted Lasso, season three (Apple TV+)

It’s better to go out on top than flog a dead horse for diminishing ratings returns. I can’t think of a TV show that’s been so affecting for me, and I was delighted that they stuck the landing and walked away. I loved how they chose not to portray key moments on-screen, and brought us in afterward. The combination of using heightened characters to portray real emotional situations is something I can’t remember ever seeing on telly before. Paddy, 55, Piha, New Zealand

Race Across the World, season three (BBC One)

Race Across the World is an amazing blend of travel show, reality show, drama and competition. Its third season was the best yet, and the best show I’ve watched so far this year. John, 45, Ireland

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