The data confirm reports of HBO’s creative demise.
Prestige television was once the sole domain of HBO, but according to ratings from the website Metacritic, it’s no longer even America’s best channel for scripted drama. Most ways you cut the data, that distinction goes to FX.
The following table shows the top 20 scripted TV shows that aired in 2016, according to their Metacritic rating. Metacritic derives these ratings by assigning scores on a 100-point scale to the reviews of eminent critics, and than averaging those scores. More weight is given to critics of higher stature. More than 150 programs received a rating. A score over 80 signals “universal acclaim.”
Ranking | Show | Channel | Metacritic Rating |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Rectify | SundanceTV | 99 |
2 | The Americans | FX | 95 |
3 (tie) | Atlanta | FX | 90 |
3 | The People v. O.J. Simpson | FX | 90 |
3 | The Night Of | HBO | 90 |
3 | Silicon Valley | HBO | 90 |
7 | BoJack Horseman | Netflix | 89 |
8 (tie) | Fleabag | Amazon Prime | 88 |
8 | Veep | HBO | 88 |
8 | Casual | Hulu | 88 |
11 (tie) | Catastrophe | Amazon Prime | 87 |
11 | Broad City | Comedy Central | 87 |
13 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | The CW | 86 |
14 (tie) | Outlander | Starz | 85 |
14 | You’re the Worst | FX | 85 |
14 | Better Call Saul | AMC | 85 |
17 (tie) | Mozart in the Jungle | Amazon Prime | 84 |
17 | Insecure | HBO | 84 |
17 | Take My Wife | Seeso | 84 |
17 | The Hollow Crown | pbs | 84 |
SundanceTV’s Gothic drama Rectify, one of only two original shows to air on the channel, received the top Metacritic rating of 2016.
After Rectify, three of the next five shows on the list air on FX. With a focus on diversity and originality, FX has quickly converted itself into a TV darling. Like HBO, FX has four of the top 20 shows, but the average rating of those shows is even higher than HBO’s.
Channel | Shows in top 20 | Average rating |
---|---|---|
FX | 4 | 90 |
HBO | 4 | 88 |
Amazon Prime | 3 | 86 |
Starz | 2 | 85 |
SundanceTV | 1 | 99 |
Netflix | 1 | 89 |
Hulu | 1 | 88 |
Comedy Central | 1 | 87 |
The CW | 1 | 86 |
AMC | 1 | 85 |
Seeso | 1 | 84 |
Every year from 2011 to 2015, HBO had the most shows ranked in the top 20. In 2016, FX reached the top of the prestige TV world. But arguably the biggest winner from the increased competition are TV viewers.