Culture

16 great TV shows you might have missed in 2016

We all geeked out on "Stranger Things" and "Westworld" this year, but here's some of the best TV you might not have caught.

Richard Trenholm

Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.

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Richard Trenholm

Dec. 20, 2016 5:00 a.m. PT

1 of 16 AMC

'Preacher'

An adaptation of the gleefully blasphemous comic book by Garth Ennis and the late Steve Dillon was a long time coming. Although fans were a little unsure about the way it rewound the story, AMC's "Preacher" was worth the wait.

2 of 16 CBS

'BrainDead'

Alien bugs take over the brains of America's politicians (that explains a lot) in the satirical comedy-drama "BrainDead" starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Tony Shalhoub. Sadly, it was short lived.

3 of 16 Syfy

'Killjoys'

A trio of bounty hunters kick ass across the galaxy in the slick and sexy Syfy sci-fi series "Killjoys".

4 of 16 Channel 4

'Crazyhead'

"Misfits" creator Howard Overman is the force behind British broadcaster Channel 4's story of two young women facing their demons (and actual demons). Look for it on Netflix.

5 of 16 Sundance Channel

'Cleverman'

Aboriginal myths get remixed in "Cleverman", a clever series that's part sci-fi, part horror and part superhero story -- and a lot more.

6 of 16 Fox

'The Exorcist'

Geena Davis starred in this shocking take on the classic movie of the same name. The series "The Exorcist" is about supernatural possession.

7 of 16 Fox

'Son of Zorn'

Jason Sudeikis voiced the He-Man-style animated hero stuck in the real world in the comedy "Son of Zorn".

8 of 16 Amazon

'Good Girls Revolt'

Netflix may get all the headlines with shows like "Stranger Things", but Amazon has been quietly producing a bunch of high-quality original shows too. One of those unsung gems is 1960s-set "Good Girls Revolt", which entertainingly depicts the flip side of "Mad Men".

9 of 16 Syfy

'Incorporated'

It's a bad day at the office for the stars of Syfy's tense drama "Incorporated", set in a future where corporations have unlimited power. The executive producers include Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

10 of 16 Pedro Saad/Netflix

'3%'

Netflix goes to Brazil for the dystopian "3%", in which the have-nots fight to escape a post-apocalyptic future and join the privileged haves. Netflix has approved a second season.

11 of 16 Netflix

'White Rabbit Project'

Former Mythbusters Grant Imahara, Tory Belleci and Kari Byron returned in their own show on Netflix, armed with a bunch of crazy gadgets and superpower technology.

12 of 16 Channel 4

'The Aliens'

Fans of Channel 4's "Misfits" enjoyed "The Aliens", in which extraterrestrial visitors settle on Earth with mixed results.

13 of 16 Amazon

'The Tick'

There's a full series of "The Tick" coming next year, but you can check out the pilot episode of the superhero satire on Amazon now.

14 of 16 Crackle

'StartUp'

Another online production -- this time on Sony's Crackle streaming service -- "StartUp" is the gritty and steamy story of disparate Miami criminals backing a Bitcoin-like cryptocurrency for their own nefarious ends. Martin Freeman stars.

15 of 16 Bettina Strauss/BBC America

'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'

An absurd and enormously entertaining take on the Douglas Adams novels about defective detective Dirk Gently, starring Elijah Wood. Expect lots of kittens, coincidences and the far rarer, sexier coinkydinks. A second series is in the works from BBC America.