All the shows you need to be watching in 2020
Early 2020 delivered a strong slate of new scripted series across broadcast and streaming, and the six titles highlighted here still stand out for their premises, casts, and cultural timing. Each one ran its course, some for a single season and others a bit longer, yet the stories and performances continue to surface in conversations about prestige television and limited-run formats. The shows captured a moment when networks and streamers were leaning into shorter arcs and fresh adaptations, and revisiting them now gives a clearer picture of what worked and what viewers can still find.
For Life
ABC introduced this legal drama in February 2020 with Nicholas Pinnock as Aaron Wallace, a man serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit who studies law behind bars and begins representing fellow inmates. Executive produced by 50 Cent and drawn from the real experiences of Isaac Wright Jr., the series ran for two seasons before its 2021 conclusion. The show examined systemic issues in the justice system while balancing courtroom tension with family drama, and the full run remains available on the original network platform and through major streaming bundles.
High Fidelity
Hulu delivered its gender-swapped take on Nick Hornby’s novel on Valentine’s Day 2020, with Zoë Kravitz as record-store owner Rob who revisits past relationships through carefully curated playlists. The single season earned strong reviews for its soundtrack, sharp dialogue, and Kravitz’s grounded lead performance alongside Jake Lacy and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Despite the critical reception, Hulu ended the series after season one in August 2020, leaving the complete story available for streaming in its original form.
Duncanville
Fox launched this adult animated comedy in mid-February 2020 from Amy Poehler, Mike Scully, and Julie Scully, following the misadventures of teenager Duncan Harris voiced by Poehler. Supporting voices included Ty Burrell, Rashida Jones, Riki Lindhome, and Wiz Khalifa, and the series tracked Duncan’s chaotic home life and school disasters across three seasons before concluding in 2022. Later unaired episodes eventually surfaced on Hulu, giving the full run a second life for animation fans.
Where to Stream the Original 2020 Shows Today
Most seasons of these series remain accessible on their original platforms or through common bundles. For Life and Little Fires Everywhere sit on Hulu and Disney+ packages, while High Fidelity stays on Hulu. Duncanville episodes live on both Fox platforms and Hulu. Dispatches From Elsewhere and The Plot Against America continue on AMC+ and Max respectively. Viewers can usually locate the complete runs without additional purchases, though availability can shift with licensing cycles.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
High Fidelity and Little Fires Everywhere drew particular attention for diverse casting and timely themes around identity and class. Several of the shows also helped normalize shorter, self-contained seasons rather than open-ended runs, a model that became more common in the years that followed. The gender-swapped High Fidelity adaptation and the limited-series approach taken by Dispatches From Elsewhere and The Plot Against America offered templates that later productions referenced when balancing prestige storytelling with finite budgets and tighter narrative arcs.
Similar Shows to Watch in 2026
Viewers looking for comparable prestige and genre programming can turn to Industry’s fourth season, The Vampire Lestat on AMC+, Widow’s Bay on Apple TV+, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO. These series continue the mix of sharp writing, strong ensembles, and contained seasons that marked the 2020 slate, giving audiences fresh entry points without requiring long commitments.
What the Casts Are Doing Now
Zoë Kravitz balances film roles with music projects while Nicholas Pinnock continues in both television and theater. Amy Poehler maintains voice work and producing credits, and several ensemble members from the 2020 shows appear across newer limited series and network dramas. The performers’ ongoing visibility keeps the original titles in circulation through clips, interviews, and streaming algorithms that surface earlier work.
Together these six series marked a transitional period in television when shorter seasons and bold adaptations gained ground. Their availability today lets new audiences trace those shifts directly, while longtime viewers can revisit the performances and soundtracks that defined early 2020 viewing.
