Top 10 Best American TV Shows of 2019 by Emmy Awards

In 2019, the renowned HBO TV series Game of Thrones concluded its epic journey with the final season. Game of Thrones stands as the most popular TV series of today, alongside Breaking Bad, considered one of the greatest of all time.

Game of Thrones blends historical style with a fantasy setting, where noble houses and factions battle for the Iron Throne. The final season, highly anticipated by the audience, received mixed reviews from the fan community. Many felt that the ending did not live up to expectations.

Nevertheless, Game of Thrones Season 8 led the Primetime Emmy Awards with 14 main nominations and 17 additional nominations. Game of Thrones secured the Outstanding Drama Series award – the most prestigious title at the Emmys, along with 1 main award and 10 other accolades. Despite falling short of expectations, Game of Thrones remains the top choice in the Top 10 Best American TV Shows of 2019 by Emmy Awards.

Details:

• Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure
• Main Directors: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
• Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington
• Season: 8
• TV Network: HBO

Fleabag, translated as 'Unworthy Affairs,' may be relatively unfamiliar to Vietnamese audiences. However, at the Primetime Emmy Awards, it emerged as a dominant force in the comedy category. The show humorously depicts the life of a young woman living in London, facing various crises: a breakup, a newly opened cafe on the brink of bankruptcy, deteriorating family relationships, and more. With Fleabag, viewers experience both moments of humor and contemplative silence.

At the Primetime Emmy Awards 2019, Fleabag was widely recognized, winning one of the two most prestigious awards: Outstanding Comedy Series. Fleabag led in major wins with three awards. However, when considering the total number of nominations and wins, including the minor categories, Fleabag falls behind Chernobyl, with a total of 6 wins out of 11 nominations. Hence, Fleabag secures the third position after Game of Thrones and Chernobyl in the ranking of the Top 10 Best American TV Shows of 2019 by Emmy Awards.

Details:

• Genre: Comedy, Human Drama
• Main Director: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
  
• Starring: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman
  
• Season: 2
  
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
  

Alongside the final season of Game of Thrones, in the past year, Chernobyl (translated as Nuclear Disaster) has also been extensively mentioned. Despite being a limited series, Chernobyl received high praise from both critics and audiences.

The series Chernobyl revolves around the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986, from the moment the disaster occurred to the efforts to mitigate its consequences. The most notable aspect of the show is its portrayal of the brutality of the nuclear disaster and its lingering effects on the survivors through generations.

Even though it is only the first season and consists of just 5 episodes, Chernobyl remarkably won the Outstanding Limited Series Emmy, the second-highest prestigious title after Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series. Additionally, Chernobyl secured victories in three other major Emmy categories, along with seven Creative Arts Emmy Awards out of a total of 19 nominations.

Details:

• Genre: Drama, Mystery, Disaster
  
• Main Director: Craig Mazin
  
• Starring: Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard
  
• Season: 1
  
• Network: HBO
  

When They See Us (translated as When They See Us) is a biographical drama produced by Netflix. The series is based on a sensationalized case in New York in 1989. It involves the brutal rape and murder of a white woman in a park, coinciding with a group of black teenagers playing nearby. Under public pressure, the New York police immediately arrested, interrogated, and sought ways to accuse the group of black teens. However, the true perpetrator behind the crime was not as it seemed. This case shocked the public not only due to the brutality of the crime but also the issue of racial discrimination - a problem often addressed in recent American films.

With such socially charged content, When They See Us received 16 nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, including 11 major awards. In terms of primary nominations, When They See Us was the second most-nominated series, following Game of Thrones, at the 2019 Primetime Emmy. The series was also nominated for Outstanding Limited Series. Among its nominations, When They See Us won 2 awards for acting and casting.

Details:

• Genre: Biography, Drama
  
• Main Director: Ava DuVernay
  
• Starring: Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse
  
• Season: 1
  
• Streaming Platform: Netflix
  

Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, Ozark (translated as Dark Money Corner) has been a notable name recently. The show lives up to its Vietnamese name, focusing on a financial advisor laundering money for Mexican drug cartels.

At the Primetime Emmy Awards 2019, Ozark received 9 nominations, including 5 major categories. It was also nominated for the prestigious Outstanding Drama Series. Among the nominations, Ozark secured 2 wins, including the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series - an accolade coveted by any television director.

Details:

• Genre: Crime, Drama
  
• Main Directors: Bill Dubuque, Mark Williams
  
• Starring: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner
  
• Season: 2
  
• Streaming Platform: Netflix
  

As a spin-off from the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul (translated as Call Saul) may not have surpassed its predecessor's success but remains a must-watch for Breaking Bad fans. The show revolves around the lawyer Jimmy - who later changes his name to Saul and becomes the money-laundering attorney for the infamous duo Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Additionally, Better Call Saul serves as a prequel to Breaking Bad, unveiling the relationship between Mike, Gus Fring, and the dangerous cartel led by the Salamanca family.

This marks the fourth appearance of Better Call Saul at the Primetime Emmy, and the second nomination in the prestigious Outstanding Drama Series category. The series also received nominations in 8 other categories. Unfortunately, Better Call Saul did not secure any wins.

Details:

• Genre: Crime, Legal, Comedy
• Main Directors: Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould
• Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks
• Season: 4
• TV Channel: AMC

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (translated as Wonderful Mrs. Maisel) is also a noteworthy name in the comedy category. The series follows a simple plot: a housewife with dreams of becoming a stand-up comedy star, striving to achieve her aspirations. Despite its straightforward narrative, the show conveys the message of pursuing dreams in a humorous and inspiring way.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel received numerous nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards 2019: with 20 nominations, including 7 major ones; counting the total nominations, it was second only to Game of Thrones. The series was also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series and won 8 awards for acting and casting.

Details:

• Genre: Comedy, Human
• Main Director: Amy Sherman-Palladino
• Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub
• Season: 3
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
  

The Handmaid's Tale (translated as The Story of Handmaid) is a dystopian drama set in the future, where an extremist group takes control of the United States, enacting oppressive laws against women, turning them into mobile birthing machines.

At the Primetime Emmy Awards 2019, The Handmaid's Tale received 14 nominations, including a somewhat surprising nomination in the Outstanding Directing for Drama Series category. The series won 3 Emmy Awards, all in the supporting categories.

Details:

• Genre: Science Fiction, Drama
  
• Main Director: Bruce Miller
  
• Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes
  
• Season: 3
  
• Streaming Platform: Hulu
  

Russian Doll (translated as Matryoshka Doll) is a notable Netflix series, belonging to the action-comedy genre. The name Russian Doll draws inspiration from nesting dolls, where one doll is inside another. The plot follows Nadia Vulvokov as she experiences time loops and encounters different deaths, gradually uncovering new truths.

At the Primetime Emmy Awards 2019, Russian Doll was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, showcasing Netflix's success by competing in all three prestigious awards. Russian Doll received 12 other nominations and won 3 awards, albeit all in the supporting categories.

Details:

• Genre: Adventure, Action, Mystery
  
• Main Directors: Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler
  
• Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee
  
• Season: 1
  
• Streaming Platform: Netflix
  

Once a sensational series, nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and winning Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in season 1, however, season 2 of True Detective took a noticeable downturn. By season 3, True Detective began to regain its form, featuring the Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali.

Nevertheless, at the Primetime Emmy Awards 2019, True Detective received only 9 nominations, with only 2 main nominations for acting and cinematography. Unfortunately, the series failed to secure any awards. Despite this, season 3 of True Detective received positive feedback, numerous Emmy nominations, and thus, secured a spot in the Top 10 Best American TV Shows of 2019 according to the Emmy Awards.

Details:

• Genre: Detective, Crime, Drama
  
• Main Director: Nic Pizzolatto
  
• Starring: Mahershala Ali, Carmen Ejogo, Stephen Dorff
  
• Season: 3
  
• TV Channel: HBO