Drama sequence is that this 12 months’s glamour class, with maybe the 5 most talked-about exhibits of the season. Preliminary polling finds a near-dead warmth on the prime between “Severance” and “The Pitt,” with “The Last of Us,” “The White Lotus” and “Andor” all very a lot within the combine.

Solely two factors separate “Severance” and “The Pitt,” exhibits that couldn’t be extra completely different. One elevates type to the nth diploma, with a few of TV’s most fantastically designed (and icily metaphorical) pictures; the opposite is a gritty, dirty drama stripped of bells and whistles, together with the soapy subplots widespread to the medical style.

“This category feels like a toss-up between ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Severance,’ with the former leading the ‘heart’ brigade and the latter the ‘mind’ trust,” says Matt Roush, who additionally advocates for CBS’ “Matlock” reboot to get a uncommon nod for a broadcast drama. Rely Lorraine Ali within the “mind” camp: “There’s nothing smarter than ‘Severance,’” she writes. “Season 2 offers a chilling, darkly hilarious and oddly liberating spin on a bad day at the office. Praise Kier.”

Glenn Whipp, in the meantime, suffers from “Pitt” withdrawal: “What are they doing now? Is Nurse Dana coming back? Are roomies Santos and Whitaker about to kill each other? I need answers. I can’t wait until January.”

“The Last of Us” burned up the web with its surprising character dying — a feat of secret-keeping amongst followers of its supply materials on the extent of “Game of Thrones’” Purple Wedding ceremony. “The White Lotus,” with its, er, household plot, broadly praised performances and “SNL” mini-controversy, additionally obtained loads of consideration, and the just lately concluded “Andor” is getting talked up as one of the best “Star Wars” incarnation since, effectively, its supply film, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

Citing its street-level, human examination of how authoritarianism can radicalize common individuals, Tracy Brown says, “‘Andor’ is not only one of the best ‘Star Wars’ stories but one of the best TV shows around.”

“The Pitt” isn’t the one freshman sequence Trey Mangum shouts out: “Two other new standouts for me are Netflix’s YA romance ‘Forever’ and its light procedural drama, ‘High Potential.’”

Among the many notables left off the Spherical 1 listing: the ballyhooed return of the Man With out Worry in “Daredevil: Born Again”; the sophomore season of “House of the Dragon” (its first landed eight noms); the extremely pedigreed “The Agency” and “MobLand”; and the ultimate season of onetime Emmy darling “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the wildly in style “Yellowstone.”

And Kristen Baldwin laments, it’s a disgrace “that Emmy voters almost certainly will continue to snub one of the best shows on TV, ‘Pachinko’!”

Extra predictions: Drama actor | Drama actress

1. “Severance”2. “The Pitt”3. “The Last of Us”4. “Andor”5. “Slow Horses”6. “The White Lotus”7. “Paradise”8. “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”9. “Forever”10. (tie) “Bad Sisters”10. (tie) “Dark Winds”

Los Angeles Occasions

Lorraine Ali

1. “Severance”2. (tie) “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”2. (tie) “Bad Sisters”4. “The Pitt”5. “Andor”6. (tie) “Dark Winds”6. (tie) “Yellowjackets”8. “The Last of Us”

“There’s nothing smarter than ‘Severance,’ a dystopian thriller where employees of the secretive Lumon Industries undergo a surgical procedure that mentally severs their work memories from their personal life. Season 2 offers a chilling, darkly hilarious and oddly liberating spin on a bad day at the office. Praise Kier.”

Leisure Weekly

Kristen Baldwin

1.“Severance”2. “The White Lotus”3. “The Pitt”4. “The Last of Us”5. “Slow Horses”6. “Andor”7. “The Diplomat”8. “Squid Game”

“It’s possible that ‘Squid Game’— which had a solid but not spectacular second season — could get bumped out for Hulu’s ‘Paradise,’ Peacock’s ‘The Day of the Jackal’ or HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon.’ That would be a shame. Also a shame: that Emmy voters almost certainly will continue to snub one of the best shows on TV, ‘Pachinko’! (It doesn’t help that Apple TV+ still hasn’t renewed it for a third season.)”

Los Angeles Occasions

Tracy Brown

1. “Andor”2. “The Last of Us”3. “Severance”4. “The Pitt”5. “Dark Winds”6. “Yellowjackets”7. “Squid Game”8. “Matlock”

“‘Andor’ is not only one of the best ‘Star Wars’ stories but one of the best TV shows around. This grounded look at a galaxy far, far away shows how the actions (and inactions) of ordinary people ultimately determine whether an authoritarian regime will thrive or be thwarted.”

Shadow and Act

Trey Mangum

1. “The Pitt”2. “Forever”3. “Severance”4. “Paradise”5. “The Last of Us”6. “High Potential”7. “The Day of the Jackal”8. “The White Lotus”

“It’s all about the newbies this year. Freshman drama ‘The Pitt’ seems like the one to beat, perhaps being able to upset the sophomore season of ‘Severance.’ Two other new standouts for me are Netflix’s YA romance ‘Forever’ and its light procedural drama ‘High Potential.’”

TV Information

Matt Roush

1. “The Pitt”2. “Severance”3. “The Last of Us”4. “Slow Horses”5. “The Diplomat”6. “Andor”7. “Matlock”8. “The White Lotus”

“This category feels like a toss-up between ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Severance,’ with the former leading the ‘heart’ brigade and the latter the ‘mind’ trust. I’m also holding out hope that Emmy voters shed their broadcast-TV blinders and give ‘Matlock’ a nod, which would be the first since ‘This Is Us’ in 2021.”

Los Angeles Occasions

Glenn Whipp

1. “The Pitt”2. “Severance”3. “Slow Horses”4. “The Last of Us”5. “Paradise”6. “The White Lotus”7. “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”8. “Andor”

“Spending 15 hours with the emergency room crew in ‘The Pitt’ forged an emotional connection that remains potent weeks later. What are they doing now? Is Nurse Dana coming back? Are roomies Santos and Whitaker about to kill each other? I need answers. I can’t wait until January.”