Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Ah, June. What can we say about June? June, June, June (continues 288 more times until this intro gets to a serviceable length).
Just kidding, of course, there’s lots to say about the month of June, particularly when it comes to television. While episodes of old (if you consider less than five years “old”) sitcoms featuring blackface were pulled left and right from streaming services and voice actors jumped ship when they suddenly realized playing black characters as a white person was also not great, some really good, new TV was still trucking along.
That includes the return of the cult hit, genre-bending Search Party, now on the fledging HBO Max streaming service; the return of Kevin Costner’s surprise, massive hit Yellowstone on Paramount Network; and even one of those shows that had to change actors, Central Park (don’t worry, they were pretty cool about it).
With all that in mind, the experts at Decider sifted through all the TV that came out this month to figure out what was the best of the best. Each member of the staff submitted their top five shows that had at least one episode hit during the month of June. Those were ranked, smashed together, and then rearranged into a list of 11 shows that are well worth your time.
Check out the list below, and if you’re still getting caught up on 2020, here’s our best of January, February, March, April and May.
'Harley Quinn'
DC Universe
DC Universe’s animated Harley Quinn has always been stealthily one of the best shows on streaming. But it took the series finally hooking up Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) to really kick it up to the next level of acclaim. The final four episodes of Season 2 that aired in June were phenomenal, as Harley hung out with a briefly sane Joker, battled her former teammate Dr Psycho, and tried to save Ivy’s wedding to the nerdy Kite Man (Matt Oberg), only to realize Ivy was who she truly wanted to be with. Raunchy, violent, hilarious and stunningly poignant, as the show has demanded: #EgotForHarley… When? Or, at the very least, bring on Season 3. — Alex Zalben
'Yellowstone'
Paramount Network
After last year’s harrowing Season 2 finale, Yellowstone is finally back! Picking up mere days after we last saw the Dutton clan, the Season 3 premiere reintroduces us to the multi-dimensional characters we’ve grown to love and allows us to revel in Taylor Sheridan’s folksy and thoughtful dialogue. Fans should relish this rare languidly-paced episode. The ominous introduction of the villainous, handsome, and smooth talking Roarke Morris (welcome addition Josh Holloway) promises that, as the season progresses, the Dutton legacy will be in peril once again. Stay tuned! — Karen Kemmerle
'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'
Truth be told, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars had a lot to live up to considering just how miraculous Season 12 was this spring. But just like Shea Couleé receiving a runway prompt, you know All Stars 5 came to slay. With a cast evenly split between the old guard and the new, the first half of this season has delivered moments that we never could’ve predicted. Ongina succumbing to the pressure? Alexis Mateo coming for Miz Cracker? India Ferrah becoming more than Mimi Imfurst’s barbell?! That’s not even taking into account the lip sync assassin twist! 2020 may be turd city, but at least we got to see Shea share the stage with Alyssa Edwards for a number. — Brett White
'Central Park'
Apple TV+
Wowee. We always knew that Bob’s Burgers secretly wanted to be a musical, but who knew the realization of that dream would be so addicting? Central Park follows one family as they battle an old rich lady voiced by Stanley Tucci for control over one of the most important parks in the world. Oh and they also want her a precious baby dog. But really it’s a showcase that lets some of the greatest musical talents of our generation display their silly sides. Leslie Odom Jr.? Josh Gad? Daveed Diggs? Tituss Burgess? Andrew Rannells? They’re all there and they’re singing about dog poops and screwing over old ladies. — Kayla Cobb
'Queer Eye'
Netflix
The Fab Five hit the ground running in Season 5 as the well-oiled makeover machine hit the streets of Philadelphia. No longer the new kid on the block, Netflix’s Queer Eye is now a reality TV veteran. You know what you’re getting with a season of this show—and Season 5 delivered. We met a new lineup of heartwarming heroes (a timid gay pastor, an anxious activist, and even Macy Gray’s brother?!) and got to watch a lot of them reunite with erstwhile loved ones (Karamo had his work cut out for him). At this point in its run, a new season of Queer Eye just feels like getting a hug from your bestie. — Brett White
'Dating Around'
Netflix
Dating Around proves that less really is more. Netflix’s excellent reality dating show simplifies the genre, cutting out the confessionals, fabricated drama and insincere contestants. What’s left is a fool-proof formula that feels authentic and is an absolute joy to watch. When two strangers meet for a night of drinks, dinner and conversation, there’s no telling what will happen — Dating Around shows the charming, sweet moments, but also keeps the cringe-worthy parts, too. It’s a refreshing, binge-worthy watch that will fill, and maybe even replace, your Bachelor void. — Greta Bjornson
'Insecure'
HBO
Dear Insecure: you owe me a new heart, yet again. This season, you made it beat real fast, and then you broke it just as quickly. Shame on me, I know; have I learned nothing about what this show is capable of doing to me? It’s just another example of how the storytelling here is gripping and authentic and unrivaled. Issa Rae & Co. turned out another season that featured stellar performances, a top-notch soundtrack, and enough to debate until the next season premieres on HBO next NotSoonEnough-uary. — Lea Palmieri
'Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi'
Hulu’s Taste the Nation takes a long, hard look at American food by going back to its roots: the nation’s immigrants. Host Padma Lakshmi, an immigrant herself, travels around the country, embedding herself in the cultural traditions that have influenced the way Americans eat food in 2020. Through it all, she approaches each immigrant culture with empathy and the hard question: how to you “integrate” into American culture while also keeping your heritage alive. The one exception to this formula might be one of the most fascinating entries. Lakshmi travels to the southwest to learn about Native American cuisine, an oft-ignored part of our nation’s vibrant culture. Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi is the perfect food show for 2020. — Meghan O’Keefe
'I May Destroy You'
HBO
Michaela Coel nimbly somersaults into the abyss with her latest masterpiece, I May Destroy You. The half-hour series starts off following Coel’s Arabella as she shirks the high-pressure responsibility of finishing her second book to have one last hurrah in London. That carefree night on the town soon turns into a nightmare as Arabella realizes that she was drugged and raped, and she cannot remember what has happened to her. The series follows Arabella and her friends as they navigate the tumultuous rapids of love and sex in a post-#MeToo climate. However, the series shines because it goes beyond Arabella’s trauma and digs into the untold stories of abuse, romance, and heartache spiraling around her. A gripping tour de force, I May Destroy You is urgent, necessary storytelling. — Meghan O’Keefe
'Below Deck Mediterranean'
Bravo
Below Deck Mediterranean is back and better than ever. While the Bravo series has debuted with plenty of drama in years past, it typically takes a few weeks to get to the first firing of the season — until now. Season 5 treated fans to a crew member departure in just the third episode (peace out, Lara/Lana), and there are already signs that there’s more tension ahead aboard motor yacht Wellington. Between Malia’s struggle to whip the deck crew into shape, Hannah and Bugsy’s longstanding feud, and Jessica and Robert’s burgeoning boatmance, Below Deck Med is sailing full-steam ahead into choppy waters. — Claire Spellberg
'Search Party'
HBO Max
I’m so glad to have another season of Search Party in my life. The trenchant noir comedy is not only one of the best written shows on television but it also boasts one of the most talented ensembles in recent memory. Despite a two and a half year absence, Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, and Michael Showalter’s series about a self-absorbed group of friends who go from solving a mystery about a missing acquaintance to attempting to cover up a murder hasn’t missed a beat. Search Party is simply superb television. — Josh Sorokach
