As broadcast channels move into reruns for the holidays, it’s an ideal time to catch up on the best scripted series of the year:
1. “Pluribus” (Apple TV): Writer Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”) re-teams with “Better Call Saul” star Rhea Seehorn for this unique, often darkly comic story of an alien virus that sweeps the planet, “joining” all but a few humans into the happiest, least human version of themselves as they share one collective consciousness.
2. “The Pitt” (HBO Max): Melding “24,” “ER” and medical realism to a degree never attempted on American TV turned this streaming series into the critical and crowd-pleasing hit of the year. “The Pitt” also proved it’s still possible to create a watercooler series that doesn’t have to cost $20 million per episode. Expect to see more shows made at this lower, more reasonable, $5 million per episode price point.
3. “Andor” (Disney+): A successfully audacious effort to make a political thriller set in the “Star Wars” universe, “Andor” showed this franchise is more malleable than the retreads that play like fanfiction that Lucasfilm too often churns out (looking at you, “Obi Wan Kenobi”).
4. “Adolescence” (Netflix): It’s one thing for a show to be harrowing and heartbreaking, but to film each episode in one take, too? That takes a special kind of filmmaking bravery. “Adolescence” is feel-bad TV at its finest.
5. “Boots” (Netflix): The story of a gay Marine recruit at the height of don’t-ask-don’t-tell and the closeted drill sergeant who ruins his own life in adherence to that unfair policy, “Boots” evinced a surprising degree of depth and heart. It’s a shame Netflix canceled the show this week.
6. “The Diplomat” (Netflix): There’s no better contemporary soap opera than this political drama about a competent American ambassador (Keri Russell) and her always-failing-upwards husband (Rufus Sewell), who manages to become U.S. vice…