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And the best television shows of 2016 (in one critic's opinion) are …

(1) "Game of Thrones" (HBO)

This show has been so good for so long — and has made producing episodes on a spectacular scale look so easy — that it's no longer getting the respect it deserves.

Critics like shows that are new and shiny; "Thrones" premiered way back in April 2011.

From Jon Snow's resurrection to the murder of a king in the Iron Islands; from Daenerys taking control of the Dothraki amidst an inferno to Cersei destroying her enemies; from the Battle of the Bastards to Daenerys, her armies and her dragons defeating the slavers, Season 6 was spectacular.

Hey, we even got answers about Jon's parentage and about the White Walkers.

There is, quite simply, nothing else on TV that comes close to being "Game of Thrones."

(2) "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (The CW)

This might be the bravest show on TV — a musical in which the heroine is not the most sympathetic of characters. The music is great; it's often very funny; but the drama has a hard edge.

(3) "American Crime" (ABC)

Not to be confused with FX's O.J. miniseries, Season 2 of this series featured great performances (Felicity Huffman, Lili Taylor, Regina King, Timothy Hutton, Connor Jessup) in a tough, uncompromising story of teen-boy-on-teen-boy sexual assault, racism, sexism and economic inequality. Brilliant and thought-provoking.

(4) "Better Call Saul" (AMC)

This is arguably the best prequel in TV history — it's certainly among the best spinoffs (coming from "Breaking Bad"). And there was no decline in quality in Season 2. This is simply great drama with flashes of hilarity.

(5) "The Night Of" (HBO)

No, this was not a whodunit crime drama. It was the engrossing story of what happens to a young man (Riz Ahmed) accused of a crime he didn't commit when he's caught up in criminal justice system — and of a flawed lawyer (John Turturro) who comes to his defense.

(6) "This Is Us" (NBC)

This show hasn't single-handedly brought back the family drama — yet — but it's the best entry in that genre in a long time. In a world filled with cynical TV shows, it's a breath of fresh air. And it handles stories in different time periods with amazing grace.

(7) "O.J.: Made In America" (ESPN) and "The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story" (FX)

I'm reluctant to tie these two together, because ESPN's documentary series was far superior to FX's scripted miniseries. But the former documented not just O.J.'s crimes but his life in stunning fashion, and the latter — despite some notable missteps — brought the drama of the trial to life.

(8) "The Flash" (The CW)

There are a lot of superhero shows these days, but this one is the best. It's growing increasingly complicated, but it's always fun to watch.

(9) "The Crown" (Netflix)

If this 10-part series about the early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign were fiction, you wouldn't believe it. The drama makes you hunger for the next season.

(10) "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee" (TBS)

This weekly show has replaced "The Daily Show" as the place to go for smart, funny, impassioned political commentary.

And five more …

(11) "WestWorld" (HBO) • After a very slow start, this partly made-in-Utah series became one of the most intriguing (and confusing) shows on TV. It reached out and grabbed viewers, and made them think.

(12) "The Americans" (FX) • This intriguing series' fourth season was arguably its best — and the first three were pretty great.

(13) "Veep" (HBO) • After five seasons, this show hasn't lost its hard edge or its ability to surprise viewers — and make them laugh.

(14) "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" (Netflix) • Was it perfect? No. But it proved that when it comes to a beloved TV series, you can go home again.

(15) "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS) • Another show that has long since stopped getting much respect from critics, it's still guaranteed to provide laughs every week. And not many shows can do that after more than 200 episodes.

(This could be a much longer list … but I've got to end someplace.)

Top 10 new shows

(1) "The Night Of," (2) "This Is Us," (3) "The Crown," (4) "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee," (5) "WestWorld," (6) "American Housewife," (7) "Speechless," (8) "Atlanta," (9) "Luke Cage," (10) "Stranger Things."

spierce@sltrib.com

Twitter: @ScottDPierce