The Top Ten
10. Sherlock (BBC/PBS) – Updates/reboots/rehashes of familiar characters is a tricky process, one that requires the finesse to respect the source material while injecting enough originality to make the project worthwhile. Thus I was pleased with Sherlock, co-written by Doctor Who alum Stephen Moffat, with great acting turns by Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role and Martin Freeman as Watson. Updated for our times, but never in-your-face about it, Sherlock was a slick new take on the famous detective that somehow managed to recall some of the source materials creepy Gothic undertones. Aired as three, 90-minute movies (the middle one was bit of a dud, but the others were fantastic), Sherlock also points to a new direction in televised storytelling.
9. Fringe (Fox) – Fringe, for it's first season and a half, was a wholly unessential show, providing some hours that were more or less entertaining, and other that, well, weren't. Yet around mid-season 2, the producers began to embrace the serialized nature they had long eschewed, and magic began to happen. By weaving emotional undertones into its stories-of-the-week, Fringe proved that it could be a genre show that dabbled in universal themes (see “White Tulip”). The second season finale introduced a great (albeit brief) game-changer, one that not only heightened the tension in every episode to follow, but which gave way to philosophical discussions of identity and morality.
8. Breaking Bad (AMC) – Breaking Bad's approach to its third season was risky, as it sought not only to expand its characters (the show finally found a realistic middle ground between bitch and saint for Skyler), but also its world (a move that didn't fare so well for Sons Of Anarchy). While this change in storytelling may have caused the show to lose some of tense and gripping nature, it was still able to provide television's greatest action sequence (“One Minute”) and it's greatest bottle episode (“The Fly”). And while I didn't like this season as much as the previous, I believe the changes made here will help it to create even greater seasons in the future.
7. Lost (ABC) – Lost's last season was never going to satisfy everybody, and it was obviously never going to give us ALL the answers. (Though I think it did quite well on that last point, and if you were just watching Lost for the answers, you were watching it for the wrong reasons.) Yet Lost remained firm on it stance with it characters, providing us with moving movements throughout, and giving us a finale so emotionally deft that only a robot wouldn't tear up watching it. Extra points go out to those risky episodes that eschewed the regular cast to give us moving back-stories on the more mysterious players.
6. Louie (FX) – An adept chameleon of a series, Louie brought to us some of the most dark and poignant scenes ever to grace television – all within the format of a supposed comedy show. When he wasn't making us fall to the floor with laughter, he concerned himself with asking the big questions, like “Why bother with family?”; “Why do people believe in God?”; and “Why did I take all those hits off of that guy's diesel-powered bong?” It might not have always been funny, but it was always honest, heart-felt, and fascinating. (Season 1 is now on Hulu.)
5. Park and Recreation (NBC) – P&R's first season was terrible; when it came back in fall of 2009, retooled (by the showrunners, not the network), is was good. And as it worked out the final bumps over those remaining months in the year, it became great. Though clearly indebted to The Office, it can not be called a failed clone. Indeed, P&R brings warmth and optimism that seem to counter the cold cynicism of The Office. But P&R's greatest strength lies in it's characters, fully fleshed out-human being who react to – and care for – each other in a truly human fashion. Also, Ron Fucking Swanson.
4. Rubicon (AMC) – Proof that original ideas don't always translate into exciting TV, the first three episodes of Rubicon were the most glacially paced television ever produced. Yet episode four was a turnabout, as the vision of Henry Bromell (who replaced creator Jason Horwitch as showrunner) began to take form, a vision that included a tautly told season arc, coupled with colorful, unforgettable characters. (The character's name – Truxton Spangler, for one – were equally unique.) The next eight episodes were storytelling perfection (episode 13 was a bit of a dud), drawing the viewer in an never letting go. The series may have been canceled, but with a world this well-constructed, I can image new Rubicon adventures any time I want.
3. Mad Men (AMC) – Much like Breaking Bad, Mad Men took some risks this year, letting protagonist Don Draper follow a dark and almost unrelenting path, providing us with more laughs than the first three seasons combined, and relegating Betty to a handful of episodes. (Okay, that last was less a risk, more a win for the audience, but sidelining a regular cast member like that is kind of ballsy.) This season was also the most divisive Mad Men has produced, not doubt a product of the varied story structures they used. Yet highlights like “The Briefcase” prove why this is one of the best shows on television.
2. Community (NBC) – After some problems finding itself during the fall of '09, Community kicked off 2010 with a bang, with special guest star Jack Black in a role meant to satirize the idea of special guest stars. From there, the show only rose, creating unique comedy creations with every half-hour, all while remembering to ground the story lines in its characters. No other show has been both this funny and this respectful of the characters that inhabit it. (Also, no other show has had its characters fight off zombies to the sounds of ABBA.) Appropriately, Community ended this year on another incredibly high note, with a stop-motion animated episode (think the Rankin-Bass specials) that is a classic not only for Christmas season, but for all of television, period.
1. Terriers (FX) – When Terriers premiered is was really good, coasting on the charm and camaraderie of Donal Logue and Micheal Raymond-James, telling its mysteries as its own shaggy-dog pace. But as the show went on, it got deeper, it got darker, and it go so much better. Using rich cases (a man who is in to cuckolding, a boy whose money was stolen by a transgender hooker), and a season arc concerning back room land deals, the show began to peel back the layers of its two main characters, sharing with us their neuroses and emotional triggers, and never backing down from showing us the shit they brought down on the people around them. Yet despite all this, the show never felt overbearing; Terriers, as a title, serves as metaphor for these two men, who fight tooth-and-nail to stay in the game. It is this optimism that is transplanted to the audience, as we too believe in (and pray for) Hank and Britt, two men just trying to get their shit together.
Honorable Mentions
Because there exists more than just ten worthwhile shows on television, I present to you, in no particular order, other good shows; some shows were those that just didn't make the cut, others are ones I merely find enjoyable.
Lonestar (Fox) – Sure, it only aired two episodes before it got the ax, but man what great television those two episodes made! Though it's long term viability was always in question, these two episodes told the story of a conman living two lives with such feeling poignancy, I often forgot I was watching something produced by Fox. While I never saw enough episodes to really felt like I lost a show near and dear to me, I sure as hell can't wait until Fox somehow manages to roll out the other 6 episodes they have in the can.
Better Off Ted (ABC) – Oh, how I loves me some Better Off Ted (terrible title, great show). Combing corporate satire with absurd plot lines and one liners, BoT is like if 30 Rock and Arrested Development got together and made a baby. Despite middling success when paired with Scrubs in the spring of '09, the ABC execs did it again with the second season, which premiered in mid-December, along with Scrubs' horrible 9th season. The episodes spilled over into January, throwing great comedy at an audience of practically nobody. The show was my AD replacement for a good while, and I will forever miss a show that made me laugh this much.
Cougar Town/Modern Family (ABC) – Oh what a joy it is to see a show throw of the ball-and-chain of a terrible premise off its neck, as Cougar Town did this year, evolving into show about neighbors who hang out and drink a lot of wine. (Bill Lawrence was unsuccessful in his attempts to change the show's name before its second season, the upshot of which is the hilarious title cards that now accompany each episode.) Despite its new almost-non-premise, the show has become ten times more enjoyable, creating a goofy little world that invites you to hang out and pour yourself a glass. By pairing it with Modern Family, ABC has created a solid comedy hour, with two shows that centered around old TV tropes: friendship and family.
Justified (FX) – This show was briefly on my Top Ten, until I remembered that most of the awesomeness I credit it belongs to the show's second half. This is not to say the first half was bad, just that it failed to live up to the awesomeness of the pilot. Nevertheless, every episode served as a vehicle for Timothy Olyphant's unique brand of slow-burn anger, bringing to the airwaves a protagonist whose motives are questionable, yet who never falls into the status of anti-hero, a role that seems to oversaturate television right now.
The Good Guys (Fox) – Matt Nix was able to find success with mixing 70s/80s action cliches and snark in Burn Notice, and doing the same with cop show elements seemed like a surefire win. Alas, The Good Guys would never achieve the highs of BN. Yet the show was enjoyable for many things, and it was always a good way to spend a Friday night. Though notable for an ability to play with time structure that would make How I Met Your Mother jealous, I will miss most all Bradley Whitford's role as Dan Stark, bitchin' 'stache and all. (As a side note, if the producers of The Office decide on Whitford as a replacement for Carrell next season, I'm all for it, assuming Whitford channels Dan Stark.)
Ugly Americans (Comedy Central) – The time slot following South Park has been a death zone over the past several years, strange considering its followed by The Daily Show. Some of this blame can of course be leveled against the shows, which either fail to capture SP's panache at shock value humor (Chocolate News) or are just plain awful (Secret Girlfriend). Luckily the channel has finally found something that sticks, as Ugly Americans neither tries to ape SP, nor is it so different as to be off-putting. Always solid, and sometime fantastic, I hope UA sticks around for many seasons, even after SP finally wraps up.
Men of a Certain Age (TNT) – Who would have thought that TNT's best drama would come from Ray Ramono? By grounding small-scale stories in the lives of realistic characters, Men is able to tell stories that are funny, moving, and just the right amount of sad, stories that can appeal to more than just men in their 50s.
Parenthood (NBC) – Another show that belongs to the school of small-scale drama, Parenthood (yes, it's based on the movie) revels in deconstructing cliched plots and building them into something like new, using our expectations against us to deliver some genuinely sweet surprises. It's not likely to become a great television show, but it has saved the family drama from the overly soapy elements that have been bouncing around shows these past few years.
Dollhouse (Fox) – If you forgot this aired in 2010, I don't blame you – only three episodes made an appearance this year. While not quite as good as most of the prior season 2 episodes, Dollhouse still managed to wrap up it's story lines in positively Whedonesque manner, delivering a happy ending for which many had to die to create.
Archer (FX) – Adult Swim has over the last few years become a lab for alt-comedy, a place where shows can try new avenues of humor. Sometimes it works (Metalocalypse) and sometimes it doesn't (Squidbillies), though this is more a matter of taste. With Archer (which also almost made my Top Ten), Adam Reed, of Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo fame, has launched this more avant-garde comedy into a more sizable audience. Mixing espionage satire, an office-place-sitcom setting, and surreal humor, Reed has created a show not quite like anything else on primetime TV. (Season 1 is available on Hulu and Netflix, and Season 2 premieres Jan. 27th).
Doctor Who (BBC) – A reliable TV institution, Doctor Who has seen it share of both good and bad season. The newest season gave us a smartly constructed story arc, planting clues along the way and building to an awesome finale. Perhaps even more notable is the turn by Matt Smith, as the 11th incarnation of The Doctor, giving us a Doctor who manages to seem alien without being an aloof douche.
The Daily Show/Colbert Report (Comedy Central) – Another TV institution, this one almost didn't make this list, as reliable at it is. Yet four things happened this year to make it a noteworthy one for these two faux-pundits:
- The Rally To Restore Sanity and/or Fear
- Stewart's insightful and delightfully non-belligerent interview with President Obama
- Colbert's salute to the troop at the “end” of the Iraq War, including hot dogs, beer, and the best damn toilet money could buy
- Stewart's final show of the year, where he spent the entire 22 minutes decrying the Republican's sacrificing of the First Responders' Bill for the sake of the continuation of the Bush Tax Cuts.
The following are shows that failed this year to live up to their expectations, whether it be based on past seasons or merely the show's pedigree. The degree to which each of these can be considered “bad television” varies – in fact some of these shows are still quite good and I will continue to watch them, even if they have hurt me so.
Sons of Anarchy (FX) – Kurt Sutter was faced with a challenge after SoA's excellent second season; should he try to replicate the formula, and thus it's success, or should he try for some new type of storytelling? He made the tele-moral choice and went with the latter, a move that brought respect, but not results. By delving into a storyline that existed outside of SAMCRO, and turning a baby into a MacGuffin, SoA brought us stories that worked in our brain but never really delivered those emotional punched we've come to expect from the show. The acting, however, remained excellent throughout (Dammit, when it somebody gonna give Katey Sagal that Emmy she deserves?) and the final pointed us in a more hopeful direction.
Running Wilde (Fox) – A show from the creator, a writer, and a star of Arrested Development couldn't possibly fail, right? RIGHT???? Wrong. Somehow, some way, this show managed to be not funny, despite all of it's attempts to copy Arrested Development's style. (On the plus side, Peter Serafinowicz managed to kill with every line he's was given, so we should probably keep that guy around for something.)
Human Target (Fox) – When Human Target appeared in the spring, it delivered on a simple formula: Mark Valley being a charming badass while taking down bad guys. It serviceable television, a good way to pass an hour of my time. And then the network execs got involved. They decided that the show should now add two female characters. Gender diversification is something I agree with in concept, in this instance the female characters are awful, and just hurt the show. Also, someone threw up guitar licks over what used to be an awesome opening credits theme.
No Ordinary Family (ABC) – My expectations for this one weren't all that high. I like Micheal Chicklis. I like Julie Benz. I like Romany Malco. Most of all, I like superheroes. Mixing these things together sounded like a sure bet. Yet somehow No Ordinary Family managed to screw it all up, throwing out all of the trite, boring, and inconsequential plotlines it could think of, and letting all of the good ones fall by the wayside. Say...does anybody know if The Cape is gonna be any good?
The League/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) – The League was situated to by this years Parks and Recreation; after an middling first season, the first few episodes of season 2 seemed to have fixed everything. Yet the show eventually fell back onto it's more baser gags, shattering the good will those first few episodes has earned.
Sunny has always been an uneven show; it's part of its format, and different people will like different episodes. This season failed to connect with me as much as I would have liked, however, I do not begrudge those who enjoyed it. (I will however concede that this season gave us the greatest sight gag every captured on film.)
Caprica (Sci-Fi) – After starting out strong in the spring, Caprica took a little break, which turned into a long break, and then turned into a medium sized break. During this time, retooling has happened, and somehow the show I had fallen in love with faded away. In this new iteration, characterization was sacrificed for poor plotting, and originality was substituted with tropes. The show has since been canceled, and the remaining episodes will be burned off this January.
Boardwalk Empire/The Walking Dead (HBO/AMC) – The problem here was the pilots. Both were great – perhaps a little too great. By having the first episodes directed by Hollywood veterans (Scorsese and Darabont, respectively), they were taught and exhilarating. Somehow, the episodes that followed never lived up to this standard. For Boardwalk Empire, the rest of the season felt a bit emotionless – despite its moving emotional scenes. The Walking Dead had clunky dialogue and plot, and the finale was overly underwhelming.
Dexter (Showtime) – As Dexter started out strong this season, I felt for sure it was up for a comeback (and possibly making up for Season 3 in the process). But lo and behold, those nasty little elements that bring the show down (Batista and Laguerta! Useless side plots! Over-obvious narration!) crept back in. Worse still, the show had a chance at a game changer in Julia Stiles' Lumen, but of course they made sure all was reset to the status quo by the season finale. And don't even get me started on the convenient sheet of plastic...
Glee (FOX) – Oh, Glee, just what the fuck are we going to do with you? Erratic characterization, shoddily-written plots, and the music numbers that either don't seem to fit or are just too on the nose all make it clear why some people hate you. Me? I still kinda like you, and I enjoy when you can bust an episode out of the park. Just don't give me another “Britney/Brittany” or “Rocky Horror Glee Show” EVER AGAIN.
*A Few Other Notes*
Due to time restraints, I have not been able to see all of Party Down's (Starz) second season. But I've liked what I've seen, so it would probably have been on the good list some where.
I was unable to catch Treme (HBO), Huge (ABC Family), Luther (BBC America), or The Good Wife (CBS), but I hear good things about them, so there's that.
I'm working on getting around to Friday Night Lights. And Damages. Get off my back, jeez.
Oh, and apparently ESPN's 30 For 30. I'm only one man, dammit!
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