AP names "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" its top TV show of 2018

The top 10 TV shows of the year by Associated Press writer Alicia Rancilio.

1. "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," on Amazon Prime. From its costumes to the dialogue to the music to the quirky characters, this show is a delight. Watch it to feel good.

2. "This is Us," on NBC. Some suggest the third season has lagged but this show is still solid, and we can't discount how invested the public was in just how Milo Ventimiglia's character, Jack, died. The lead-up and reveal earlier this year launched so many theories, memes, hashtags and jokes about crock-pots. Also, those occasional flash-forwards to show characters in the future keeps us guessing and trying to fill in the blanks between now and then.

This image released by BBC America shows Sandra Oh in a scene from "Killing Eve." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (BBC America via AP)

3. "Killing Eve," on BBC America. This cat-and-mouse chase between Sandra Oh as an MI5 investigator and Jodie Comer's assassin is great fun to watch. Oh has received many accolades for her work on the show, which are deserved, but Comer is also a standout and should be recognized. She mastered various accents and has a smile that can light up a room, before she pounces to kill you, of course.

4. "Succession," on HBO. This show about a powerful family that owns a major media conglomerate is disturbing, funny, and sad all at once. The characters aren't likable and don't even seem to like each other, but to be a voyeur and watch them interact is worth tuning in for.

5. "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan," on Amazon Prime. John Krasinski joins Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Chris Pine as actors who've portrayed the CIA analyst created by Clancy. In Krasinski's version, he's got brawn and brains and he quickly proves he's a leading man worthy of the role. It's fast-paced, suspenseful, entertaining and season two can't come soon enough.

This image provided by NBC shows Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson in a scene from "This Is Us." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Ron BatzdorffNBC via AP)

6. "You," on Lifetime. This show hasn't gotten enough attention. Penn Badgley is masterful as a psychopathic stalker named Joe who charms his way into the heart of a young woman living in Manhattan. There's a scene in the first episode where his character stares at his obsession as she drunkenly teeters on the edge of a subway platform like he's studying an animal in the wild. It's chilling. Catch up because the series is moving to Netflix for its second season.

7. "Escape at Dannemora," on Showtime. The real prison escape that this series portrays was in 2015 and caught the world's attention because of the revelation that the two escapees were helped by a female prison employee. The series, directed by Ben Stiller, is just as interesting. Patricia Arquette, Benicio Del Toro, Paul Dano and Eric Lange dissolve into their characters.

8. "The Clinton Affair," on A&E. This six-part documentary series is an extremely compelling, deep-dive into the events that led up to President Clinton's impeachment. You may remember the news coverage, but there's likely information in this series that will be new. Many of the major players including Monica Lewinsky are interviewed extensively and to see her now, as a 40-something year-old woman, reflect on that period of her life with candor and grace is heartbreaking, inspiring and fitting for this #MeToo era.

This image released by Lifetime shows Penn Badgley in a scene from "You." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Lifetime via AP)

9. "grown-ish," on Freeform. Zoey, the eldest child on "black-ish" (played by Yara Shahidi) went off to college and it's worth keeping up with this new phase of her life. "grown-ish" doesn't hold back. The show deals with issues that some college kids are faced with, including abusing pills like Adderall and the hook-up culture. Also, Shahidi has major star quality.

10. "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," Netflix. No offense to the original "Queer Eye," which was fun, but the reboot kicks things up in a major way. For one, tissues are required for viewing because it gets very emotional. The show doesn't just find men who need a new look, but the five experts go deep into why these guys are stuck in a rut. It's positive and heart-warming and feels like a hug.

Honorable mentions: "The Good Place" on NBC, "Wild Wild Country" on Netflix, "The Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu, "Counterpart" on STARZ, "Jane the Virgin" on The CW, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" on The CW and "13 Reasons Why," Netflix.

This image released by Amazon shows John Krasinski in a scene from "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Jan ThijsAmazon via AP)

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Follow Alicia Rancilio online at http://www.twitter.com/aliciar

This image released by HBO shows Alan Ruck, left, and Brian Cox in a scene from "Succession." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Ursula CoyoteHBO via AP)

This image released by Showtime shows Patricia Arquette in a scene from "Escape at Dannemora." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Christopher SaundersShowtime via AP)

This image released by Freeform shows Halle Bailey, from left, Yara Shahidi and Chloe Bailey in a scene from "Grown-ish." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Tony RivettiFreeform via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows the cast of "Queer Eye." The program was named one of the top ten TV shows of 2018 by the Associated Press. (Netflix via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will pull the majority of its troops from Chad and Niger as it works to restore key agreements governing what role there might be there for the American military and its counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Both African countries have been integral to the U.S. military’s efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the Sahel region, but Niger’s ruling junta ended an agreement last month that allows U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. In recent days, neighboring Chad also has questioned whether an existing agreement covered the U.S. troops operating there.

The U.S. will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces it has deployed in Chad for now, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday at a press briefing.

“As talks continue with Chadian officials, U.S. AFRICOM is currently planning to reposition some U.S. military forces from Chad, some portions of which were already scheduled to depart. This is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad’s May 6th presidential election," Ryder said.

In Niger, the majority of the 1,000 U.S. personnel assigned there also are expected to depart, Ryder said.

U.S. and Nigerien officials were expected to meet Thursday in Niger's capital, Niamey, “to initiate discussions on an orderly and responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces," the State Department said in a statement late Wednesday. Follow-up meetings between senior Pentagon and Niger officials are expected next week “to coordinate the withdrawal process in a transparent manner and with mutual respect,” Ryder said.

Called status-of-forces agreements, these deals allow the U.S. to conduct critical counterterrorism operations within both countries' borders and have supported military partner training. The reversals have prompted concern that U.S. influence in Africa is losing ground to overtures from Russia and China.

Relations have frayed between Niger and Western countries since mutinous soldiers ousted the country’s democratically elected president in July. Niger’s junta has since told French forces to leave and turned instead to Russia for security.

Earlier this month, Russian military trainers arrived to reinforce the country’s air defenses and they brought Russian equipment, which they would train Nigeriens to use.

Niger plays a central role in the U.S. military’s operations in Africa’s Sahel region, a vast region south of the Sahara Desert. Washington is concerned about the spread of jihadi violence where local groups have pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups.

Niger is home to a major U.S. air base in the city of Agadez, about 920 kilometers (550 miles) from the capital, which is used for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations. The U.S. also has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military since beginning operations there in 2013.

Officials from the State Department, U.S. Africa Command and the Pentagon will work with Chad’s government to make the case for U.S. forces to continue operations, Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady said Wednesday.

Grady told The Associated Press in an interview that if both countries ultimately decide the U.S. cannot remain, the military will have to look for alternatives to run counterterrorism missions across the Sahel.

“If we are asked to leave, and after negotiations that’s the way it plays out, then we are going to have to recalculate and figure out a new way to do it,” Grady said.

The news of the departure of U.S. forces in Chad was first reported by The New York Times.

FILE - Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Adm. Christopher Grady, right, arrives for a closed door briefing about the leaked highly classified military documents, on Capitol Hill, April 19, 2023, in Washington. Grady says there's been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

US to pull troops from Chad and Niger as the African nations question its counterterrorism role

US to pull troops from Chad and Niger as the African nations question its counterterrorism role

FILE - A U.S. and Niger flag are raised side by side at the base camp for air forces and other personnel supporting the construction of Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, April 16, 2018. The United States is attempting to create a new military agreement with Niger that would allow it to remain in the country, weeks after the junta said its presence was no longer justified, two Western officials told The Associated Press Friday April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Carley Petesch, File)