Just No:
The Following (Fox)
One of the few I won't even put on this list is this
ridiculously predictable Kevin Bacon show. The best thing this show had to
offer was the dynamic between Valorie Curry, Nico Tortorella and Adan Canto and
whenever Kevin Bacon was being Kevin Bacon.
True Blood (HBO)
Oh dear god whyThe Blacklist (Fox)
Honorable Mentions:
Dexter (Showtime)
Oh Dark Defender. How far you have fallen. The only reason I
can even begin to include the Final Season of Dexter on this list is because of
the stellar first four episodes before everything tanked. Before that car went
into the river...and the entire show with it.
I want to blame Scott Buck, but he was also showrunner on
the stellar comeback Season 7, so I'm at a loss. I can only hope that Jeff
Lindsay will end the books better.
Standout Aspects: Jennifer Carpenter's performance, the
scenes between Michael C. Hall and Charlotte Rampling.
American Horror Story (FX)
Now I would normally be ranking American Horror Story, but
I'm about 4 episodes behind, so my viewing is only up through Burn,
Witch. Burn!
The ending episodes of Asylum included some of it's best, as
Dylan McDermott's subplot bubbled to the surface, Zachary Quinto and Sarah
Paulson had what I consider one of the best scenes of 2013 and Jessica Lange
continued to be stellar as always (even running a dance number that came out of
nowhere!) I really enjoyed the way the final few episodes of Asylum almost
became an ongoing epilogue as the focus turned away from Briarcliff and more
towards the resolution of each character's individual stories. And I have to
say that Asylum has a far more satisfying conclusion than Murder House's
teasing ending had.
Meanwhile, the opening episodes of Coven have been
interesting, but it hasn't gripped me quite yet. I'm happy to see Taissa
Farmiga is back, and Kathy Bates is a welcome addition to the cast (although
she hasn't been given much to do yet), but currently Evan Peters is wasted and
the overall story is a bit scattershot currently. Hopefully Jessica Lange can
pull it all together as she always seems to with this show, but for now I'm
skeptical.
Standout Aspects: The chemistry between Sarah Paulson and
Zachary Quinto, Everything Jessica Lange does.
Revolution (NBC)
(Note: Also partially finished; I've only seen up through
Love Story)
I don't even know how I'm supposed to look at this. It
started out as a show about a world without power, which was quickly undermined
by the idea that they could bring back limited power anytime they wanted, and
as its first season continued into 2013, it killed off the entire reason for
the first half of the show and devolved into needlessly complicated plotting
AND DEAR GOD WHY IS TRACY SPIRIDAKOS SO AWFUL, and I clung to hope whenever Giancarlo
Esposito graced the show with his stellar appearances, BUT THEN Billy Burke and
David Lyons have to duke it out (AND WHY IS EVERYONE SO CLEAN) while Elizabeth
Mitchell has t-...IT'S TOO MUCH.
But then...the bombs went off. And suddenly Tracy Spiridakos
was no longer annoying, Giancarlo Esposito actually looked like he was in a
world without power, David Lyons was no longer a caricature and became an
actual human being...and it seems like the show has begun to turn itself around.
Never have I seen a show go from laughably unwatchable to
decently compelling so quickly.
Standout Aspects: Giancarlo Esposito, how everything else
has turned around.
Fringe (Fox)
Oh Fringe. And then you finally came to an end...and not
through cancellation!
The network show that couldn't keep its ratings up, yet for
the passion of the fans Fox kept renewing it, Fringe finally came to its
intended ending this year. And don't mistake this placing as me saying the show
is not worthy, it's just that so few episodes of the final season aired this
year that I can't reasonably place it on the list (given that the final
season's best episodes aired in 2012).
I think I shall miss it. "...more than I
imagined."
Standout Aspects: The performances of Joshua Jackson and John Noble.
Last Resort (ABC)
From now on whenever I watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine and see
Andre Braugher, I will always think of Last Resort.
May it rest in peace.
Standout Aspects: The production quality, the compelling storytelling and much more.
And now...the LIST BEGINS!
20. The Office (NBC)
For a show that was long past it's prime, this was not a terrible final season. Greg Daniels came back onboard after the very mixed reaction to what I like to call The James Spader Season where powers that be had clearly lost all direction as they attempted to reinvent the show without Steve Carell (Michael), with mediocre results. With it's former showrunner back at the reigns, long stagnant storylines (particularly John Krasinski [Jim] and Jenna Fischer's [Pam]) had new life breathed into them and the show clearly had a feeling of revitalization that hadn't been present since Seasons three or four.
Not everything was great though. Most of the attempt to turn Ed Helms (Andy) into the new Michael Scott was reserved for 2012, but when he finished filming The Hangover Part III, he came back with a storyline that completely ruined his character and made his seeming transition into who he was before even worse. And the mirroring between Ellie Kemper (Erin) and Jake Lacy's (Pete) characters to the original Jim and Pam storyline was hit and miss. And the infamous "farm" episode just feels out of place now for Rainn Wilson (Dwight) since it was really just a backdoor pilot for a series that never took off.
Overall though, it was far better than it could've been and that makes The Office just good enough to hit this spot on my list.
Standout Episode: Season 9-Episode 18: Promos
19. Pramface (BBC Three)
I know, the title is awful. Let's get past that.
This show came out of nowhere for me, randomly clicked on back in 2012 from an ad on Hulu, I was decently surprised at how addicting it was. The premise is fairly simple, as two teenagers meet at a party and have a bit of a drunken fling that leads to her getting pregnant.
What makes it interesting though is seeing the everyday trials these characters go through, and after having the baby at the end of the first season, I wasn't sure how the show was going to keep going now that the novelty of the central premise had established itself.
What surprised me was how much this show made me care about what was going on (especially since this isn't exactly an original idea) and while you're essentially with Sean Michael Verey (Jamie) for the ride, it's Scarlett Alice Johnson (Laura) who is the standout actress between the two of them. There's also a pretty good supporting cast, with Angus Deayton (Alan) who is definitely the most amusing among them.
I actually have no idea how this show is doing critically, given that it's fairly unknown; so I'm only going off of my own opinion here (who knows, maybe I'm a terrible critic and this show is GOD AWFUL), but I enjoy it and I'm looking forward to Series 3 as well.
Standout Episode: Series 2-Episode 4: Just Two People with a Kid
18. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
Definitely the best new comedy I've seen this year (but then again, its the only new comedy I'm watching this year...), Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a slick new cop workplace sitcom with zany antics performed by Andy Samberg (Jake) and his polar deadpanning opposite Andre Braugher (Holt).
I'd heard plenty of buzz about this show before I checked it out, and it's definitely worth seeing: the show is quick enough that even if half the jokes don't land, there's definitely going to be a few that are particularly amusing. The rest of the cast definitely gets their moments throughout (particularly Melissa Fumero and Terry Crews) and this is a sterling start for this freshman series.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 7: 48 Hours
17. Sword Art Online (Adult Swim)
I KNOW. This isn't what you expected. He's including anime on his tv show list?! Blasphemy!
The fact of the matter is I watch too much anime to not think about it and this is one of the two standouts this year that I had to include. And I know it originally aired in 2012 on TV Tokyo, but it aired in America this year, so it counts!
Sword Art Online (SAO), as you may be able to guess from the title, is a new online MMORPG that uses virtual reality technology to create the world of the game people play in, only the creator decides to trap everyone inside and kill anyone who loses. Harsh.
Unlike most virtual worlds explored in media, SAO actually shows that it's world is intended to be that of a video game on a regular basis with inventory menus, health bars and rules. Beyond that, the character relationships are well written and the female protagonist Asuna isn't a helpless damsel in distress. It's all very well animated and the show doesn't take the usual Shōnen plot route that you'd expect it to.
I'll warn you that the second half of the show is very different and a bit of a mixed bag, but since only the first half aired in 2013 (in America) that doesn't matter for this list!
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 10: Crimson Killing Intent
16. Almost Human (Fox)
Another fresh new series, this show has barely gotten off the ground (Seriously, who starts a new show in November?), but it's already made a fairly decent impression on me.
I already pretty much knew I was going to like it (and not just because Karl Urban's in it) since J.H. Wyman (Fringe) was behind it, but the thing I didn't expect was how ridiculously well done Michael Ealy's character is. Despite the fact that androids in media are nothing new, Ealy is definitely the standout feature of this slick futuristic series. Karl Urban (John) and Michael Ealy (Dorian) have a very entertaining buddy cop dynamic that makes this a very fun show to watch and while it's pretty procedural right now, honestly I don't mind it all that much. The show seemed to be on a bit of a downward slope as it was just starting out, but it's picked itself up now (and probably will be a little more stable going forward, now that episodes aren't airing out of order anymore), and I've learned to expect a bit of a rough start with Wyman, given how hit and miss Fringe's first season was.
A bit rough around the edges, but an intriguing new start for this entertaining new series.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 2: Skin
15. The Newsroom (HBO)
As The Newsroom ventured into it's second season, I wasn't really sure where things were going to go. The thing is that Aaron Sorkin's return to television wasn't exactly welcomed with opened arms; most critics had a huge problem with the way the show decided to approach "fixing" the way the news is presented.
Season One was a series of prominent news stories with a loosely connected narrative focusing on the individual character relationships (the primary ones being between Jeff Daniels [Will] and Emily Mortimer [MacKenzie]; as well as Alison Pill [Maggie] and John Gallagher Jr. [Jim]).
So when Season Two decided to focus on one news story, I was both surprised and skeptical. On the one hand, it definitely gave the second season more of a narrative, with everything being centered around Genoa, but at the same time I found myself longing to see more about the Occupy Wall Street movement (which was touched upon, but then shoved to the sidelines when the Genoa storyline kicked into high gear).
Emily Mortimer's character got a much better story this year though, when her character went to Africa (even if the catalyst was driven by a lesser storyline), and Olivia Munn continued to show that she's a pretty good actress and I'd love to see more of her as the show continues.
I'm not exactly sure whether this season was better than the first, but it was most definitely different, which is more than some shows can say.
Standout Episode: Season 2-Episode 4: Unintended Consequences
14. Homeland (Showtime)
What a strange year for this show. For something that began with critics yelling that it was heralding in The Silver Age of Drama, it then balked at killing it's second main character over the years not once, but TWICE, due to network pressure.
Needless to say, most people approached Homeland this year with a bit of skepticism, so when Alex Gansa began this year with an incredibly slow-paced storyline that led to a twist that I'm still not sure makes any sense, he didn't do any favors for the image of a show that was already treading the deep end of the pool.
However, even if the quality of the storytelling isn't up to par, the acting never fails to impress: Claire Danes (Carrie) may have done some of this dance before, but she still knows how to play the craziest woman on television; meanwhile Mandy Patinkin (Saul) can make you feel like he's the warmest person you'll ever meet, but can still become THE BEAR when you hurt someone close to him.
And even though it seems like the entire internet wants her out of the show, Morgan Saylor (Dana) is the most gifted young actress I've ever seen on television this side of Maisie Williams, and I think it's a crime that she's no longer going to be a regular next year. She had some very good scenes towards the beginning of this season, and while her final scene wasn't at the end of the season, it was still memorable enough to stick in my mind long after the credits rolled. (For more on why Dana Brody is a great character, check out this article written by my fellow critic: http://yeahthatantonio.blogspot.com/2013/10/making-case-for-dana-brody.html)
The guest stars definitely made an impression as well, with Tracy Letts (Senator Lockhart) starting out the season as the most cartoonish character Homeland has ever had to Shaun Toub (Javadi) delivering one of the darkest murder scene this show has ever delivered.
Ultimately though, it all comes down to Damian Lewis (Brody), and to say anything of his role this year would give too much away, but when he's around he's definitely the focus, and for better or worse he's always a part of the best scenes this show can deliver.
I could say so much more, but I've already written far too much for this entry, so I'll leave you on a curious note, in that I'm cautiously optimistic for what comes next.
Standout Episode: Season 3-Episode 11: Big Man in Tehran
13. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
This is the second sitcom on my list that ventured into it's ninth season this year, but not only was this not Sunny's final season, it was also a good example of why this cast is still going strong while The Office lost a lot of it's steam over the years.
For a show that seems to be based around not much more than a group of friends that own a bar and get into trouble, this team really knows how to keep things interesting. When Rob McElhenney turned out to be the moderator of a Game of Thrones panel that occurred earlier this year and David Benioff said that Sunny was "the Wire of comedy," I didn't think anything would come of it; yet months later when I found out that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were going to be penning an episode of SUNNY? I was dumbfounded, but ultimately intrigued to see what the outcome would be. As expected, Flowers for Charlie definitely had a strong narrative focus, but even that was not the best episode of the season.
There were a few duds too (Particularly Gun Fever Too and the finale), but there were plenty of other strong episodes this year, and I'm happy to see that this is not the end for the only comedy on television that isn't afraid to cross every boundary they can think of.
Standout Episode: Season 9-Episode 6: The Gang Saves the Day
12. Bates Motel (A&E)
There were three major horror shows that premiered in 2013. The first was The Following, which as I've already stated was, while narratively intriguing, ultimately a disappointment that failed to grab me on any meaningful level.
The second, however, was Bates Motel and this could have gone so horribly wrong: a prequel television series to a classic horror film that's set in present day? Clearly there was a lot riding on this project, especially for a network that's not usually known for possessing quality drama.
Though lo and behold, not only was this show not a failure, it contains one of the most fascinating character relationships I've seen on any show since John Locke and Benjamin Linus (though for very different reasons). The gap between Vera Farmiga's (Norma) switch between loving, abusing and being intimate with her son is so thin that she can switch in the blink of an eye (between this and The Conjuring, Vera Farmiga has become my standout new actress of the year).
However, this wouldn't be Bates Motel without the driving force that is Norman Bates (played by Freddie Highmore) and while his acting is not as astounding as Farmiga's is, he is still very well done (especially considering Freddie Highmore's previous notable role was in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
The supporting cast fares well enough: Max Thieriot (Dylan) plays Norman's brother with a surprising amount of pragmatism that mad him the easiest character to relate to for me, while Nestor Carbonell (Sheriff Romero) serves his purpose well enough.
This show isn't perfect though, and the problems that come into play are in it's plot. Beginning with the intriguing discovery of a notebook with sexual imagery, the storytelling veers a bit out of control as that story develops, and Norma seems to have a habit of building relationships with characters that veer towards cartoonish villainy. However, the story becomes more relateable with Norman's love interests, and in any given scene between Norman and Norma the chemistry is fantastic.
So while it's not the best new show of the year, it definitely made an impact and I look forward to it's return.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 6: The Truth
11. Attack on Titan (MBS)
And now...the LIST BEGINS!
20. The Office (NBC)
Not everything was great though. Most of the attempt to turn Ed Helms (Andy) into the new Michael Scott was reserved for 2012, but when he finished filming The Hangover Part III, he came back with a storyline that completely ruined his character and made his seeming transition into who he was before even worse. And the mirroring between Ellie Kemper (Erin) and Jake Lacy's (Pete) characters to the original Jim and Pam storyline was hit and miss. And the infamous "farm" episode just feels out of place now for Rainn Wilson (Dwight) since it was really just a backdoor pilot for a series that never took off.
Overall though, it was far better than it could've been and that makes The Office just good enough to hit this spot on my list.
Standout Episode: Season 9-Episode 18: Promos
19. Pramface (BBC Three)
I know, the title is awful. Let's get past that.This show came out of nowhere for me, randomly clicked on back in 2012 from an ad on Hulu, I was decently surprised at how addicting it was. The premise is fairly simple, as two teenagers meet at a party and have a bit of a drunken fling that leads to her getting pregnant.
What makes it interesting though is seeing the everyday trials these characters go through, and after having the baby at the end of the first season, I wasn't sure how the show was going to keep going now that the novelty of the central premise had established itself.
What surprised me was how much this show made me care about what was going on (especially since this isn't exactly an original idea) and while you're essentially with Sean Michael Verey (Jamie) for the ride, it's Scarlett Alice Johnson (Laura) who is the standout actress between the two of them. There's also a pretty good supporting cast, with Angus Deayton (Alan) who is definitely the most amusing among them.
I actually have no idea how this show is doing critically, given that it's fairly unknown; so I'm only going off of my own opinion here (who knows, maybe I'm a terrible critic and this show is GOD AWFUL), but I enjoy it and I'm looking forward to Series 3 as well.
Standout Episode: Series 2-Episode 4: Just Two People with a Kid
18. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
I'd heard plenty of buzz about this show before I checked it out, and it's definitely worth seeing: the show is quick enough that even if half the jokes don't land, there's definitely going to be a few that are particularly amusing. The rest of the cast definitely gets their moments throughout (particularly Melissa Fumero and Terry Crews) and this is a sterling start for this freshman series.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 7: 48 Hours
17. Sword Art Online (Adult Swim)
The fact of the matter is I watch too much anime to not think about it and this is one of the two standouts this year that I had to include. And I know it originally aired in 2012 on TV Tokyo, but it aired in America this year, so it counts!
Sword Art Online (SAO), as you may be able to guess from the title, is a new online MMORPG that uses virtual reality technology to create the world of the game people play in, only the creator decides to trap everyone inside and kill anyone who loses. Harsh.
Unlike most virtual worlds explored in media, SAO actually shows that it's world is intended to be that of a video game on a regular basis with inventory menus, health bars and rules. Beyond that, the character relationships are well written and the female protagonist Asuna isn't a helpless damsel in distress. It's all very well animated and the show doesn't take the usual Shōnen plot route that you'd expect it to.
I'll warn you that the second half of the show is very different and a bit of a mixed bag, but since only the first half aired in 2013 (in America) that doesn't matter for this list!
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 10: Crimson Killing Intent
16. Almost Human (Fox)
I already pretty much knew I was going to like it (and not just because Karl Urban's in it) since J.H. Wyman (Fringe) was behind it, but the thing I didn't expect was how ridiculously well done Michael Ealy's character is. Despite the fact that androids in media are nothing new, Ealy is definitely the standout feature of this slick futuristic series. Karl Urban (John) and Michael Ealy (Dorian) have a very entertaining buddy cop dynamic that makes this a very fun show to watch and while it's pretty procedural right now, honestly I don't mind it all that much. The show seemed to be on a bit of a downward slope as it was just starting out, but it's picked itself up now (and probably will be a little more stable going forward, now that episodes aren't airing out of order anymore), and I've learned to expect a bit of a rough start with Wyman, given how hit and miss Fringe's first season was.
A bit rough around the edges, but an intriguing new start for this entertaining new series.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 2: Skin
15. The Newsroom (HBO)
Season One was a series of prominent news stories with a loosely connected narrative focusing on the individual character relationships (the primary ones being between Jeff Daniels [Will] and Emily Mortimer [MacKenzie]; as well as Alison Pill [Maggie] and John Gallagher Jr. [Jim]).
So when Season Two decided to focus on one news story, I was both surprised and skeptical. On the one hand, it definitely gave the second season more of a narrative, with everything being centered around Genoa, but at the same time I found myself longing to see more about the Occupy Wall Street movement (which was touched upon, but then shoved to the sidelines when the Genoa storyline kicked into high gear).
Emily Mortimer's character got a much better story this year though, when her character went to Africa (even if the catalyst was driven by a lesser storyline), and Olivia Munn continued to show that she's a pretty good actress and I'd love to see more of her as the show continues.
I'm not exactly sure whether this season was better than the first, but it was most definitely different, which is more than some shows can say.
Standout Episode: Season 2-Episode 4: Unintended Consequences
14. Homeland (Showtime)
Needless to say, most people approached Homeland this year with a bit of skepticism, so when Alex Gansa began this year with an incredibly slow-paced storyline that led to a twist that I'm still not sure makes any sense, he didn't do any favors for the image of a show that was already treading the deep end of the pool.
However, even if the quality of the storytelling isn't up to par, the acting never fails to impress: Claire Danes (Carrie) may have done some of this dance before, but she still knows how to play the craziest woman on television; meanwhile Mandy Patinkin (Saul) can make you feel like he's the warmest person you'll ever meet, but can still become THE BEAR when you hurt someone close to him.
And even though it seems like the entire internet wants her out of the show, Morgan Saylor (Dana) is the most gifted young actress I've ever seen on television this side of Maisie Williams, and I think it's a crime that she's no longer going to be a regular next year. She had some very good scenes towards the beginning of this season, and while her final scene wasn't at the end of the season, it was still memorable enough to stick in my mind long after the credits rolled. (For more on why Dana Brody is a great character, check out this article written by my fellow critic: http://yeahthatantonio.blogspot.com/2013/10/making-case-for-dana-brody.html)
The guest stars definitely made an impression as well, with Tracy Letts (Senator Lockhart) starting out the season as the most cartoonish character Homeland has ever had to Shaun Toub (Javadi) delivering one of the darkest murder scene this show has ever delivered.
Ultimately though, it all comes down to Damian Lewis (Brody), and to say anything of his role this year would give too much away, but when he's around he's definitely the focus, and for better or worse he's always a part of the best scenes this show can deliver.
I could say so much more, but I've already written far too much for this entry, so I'll leave you on a curious note, in that I'm cautiously optimistic for what comes next.
Standout Episode: Season 3-Episode 11: Big Man in Tehran
13. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
For a show that seems to be based around not much more than a group of friends that own a bar and get into trouble, this team really knows how to keep things interesting. When Rob McElhenney turned out to be the moderator of a Game of Thrones panel that occurred earlier this year and David Benioff said that Sunny was "the Wire of comedy," I didn't think anything would come of it; yet months later when I found out that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were going to be penning an episode of SUNNY? I was dumbfounded, but ultimately intrigued to see what the outcome would be. As expected, Flowers for Charlie definitely had a strong narrative focus, but even that was not the best episode of the season.
There were a few duds too (Particularly Gun Fever Too and the finale), but there were plenty of other strong episodes this year, and I'm happy to see that this is not the end for the only comedy on television that isn't afraid to cross every boundary they can think of.
Standout Episode: Season 9-Episode 6: The Gang Saves the Day
12. Bates Motel (A&E)
The second, however, was Bates Motel and this could have gone so horribly wrong: a prequel television series to a classic horror film that's set in present day? Clearly there was a lot riding on this project, especially for a network that's not usually known for possessing quality drama.
Though lo and behold, not only was this show not a failure, it contains one of the most fascinating character relationships I've seen on any show since John Locke and Benjamin Linus (though for very different reasons). The gap between Vera Farmiga's (Norma) switch between loving, abusing and being intimate with her son is so thin that she can switch in the blink of an eye (between this and The Conjuring, Vera Farmiga has become my standout new actress of the year).
However, this wouldn't be Bates Motel without the driving force that is Norman Bates (played by Freddie Highmore) and while his acting is not as astounding as Farmiga's is, he is still very well done (especially considering Freddie Highmore's previous notable role was in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
The supporting cast fares well enough: Max Thieriot (Dylan) plays Norman's brother with a surprising amount of pragmatism that mad him the easiest character to relate to for me, while Nestor Carbonell (Sheriff Romero) serves his purpose well enough.
This show isn't perfect though, and the problems that come into play are in it's plot. Beginning with the intriguing discovery of a notebook with sexual imagery, the storytelling veers a bit out of control as that story develops, and Norma seems to have a habit of building relationships with characters that veer towards cartoonish villainy. However, the story becomes more relateable with Norman's love interests, and in any given scene between Norman and Norma the chemistry is fantastic.
So while it's not the best new show of the year, it definitely made an impact and I look forward to it's return.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 6: The Truth
11. Attack on Titan (MBS)
Yes I know: THE HYPE. God if there was one anime no one would shut up about this year, it was this. And so of course I inevitably watched it and you know what: There's a good reason why.
I wouldn't call this my favorite anime of all time; I wouldn't even call it one of my top anime if I was to compose that for a separate article, but jesus this show has style. With some of the most fluid animation I've ever seen , along with a unique compelling world and what has got to be the coolest method of transportation ever invented Attack on Titan was a solid hit this year. By far the most popular anime to come out and click so ridiculously well with the American anime fanbase (maybe even since Fullmetal Alchemist or Death Note), this is how you catch people's attention.
That's not to say it's perfect by any means (it's pace in the middle section leaves something to be desired, and it has an obsession with killing characters that we don't know or care about), but even more than Sword Art Online this is the anime that people are going to remember five years down the line.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 1: To You, After 2,000 Years
10. The Walking Dead (AMC)
Most of that is because of one man who has now taken the reins on the most popular show on television: Scott Gimple.
Having been a writer on various episodes throughout the show's life, he made his first truly memorable mark when he did Clear, one of the best episodes the show has ever had (though much of that credit also goes to Lennie James, a welcome ghost from the past). And now that he's in charge, Season 4 has had a sense of character development and purpose unlike anything in the show's history (particularly in regards to how a recent story with Carol [played by Melissa McBride] was handled).
However, if there was one huge problem in the beginning of the year, it was the handling of Andrea (played by Laurie Holden). By no fault of the actress, it was the writing and the decisions this character made that took you out of the show and really made you question what Glen Mazzara (the showrunner at the time) was thinking trying to turn her into a lead character with a forced storyline that didn't make any sense.
However Scott Gimple managed to pick up the pieces (beginning with the poor handling of silent Michonne [played by Danai Gurira] in his episode Clear) as time went on and he even managed to give the fans the true prison confrontation they were looking for with the last episode that aired this year (instead of that poor excuse for a season finale that was Welcome to the Tombs, which while it had some interesting elements was an extreme disappointment that focused far too much on Andrea).
Though not everything he's done is perfect, the development of the Governor/Brian (played by David Morrissey) in the latter half of these episodes began promisingly (with some strong allusions to the novel only Rise of the Governor storyline), but then self-destructed as he quickly backpedaled into the man he was before so that the finale's confrontation could occur. Which kind of takes away from how extremely well done that final sequence this year was (though the writer's may be throwing red herrings in regards to the state of Judith).
The look of this show continues to impress and the walkers/biters have never looked better. It's definitely had some turmoil behind the scenes, yet somehow it's managed to attain the highest ratings on television for years now (I personally believe it's the reason for the resurgence in horror television this year) and I believe now that Scott Gimple has managed to conclude this mixed bag of stories that the worst of it truly is behind us.
Standout Episode: Season 4-Episode 4: Indifference
9. Parenthood (NBC)
Previously not even close to being on my radar and only heard in passing from an article about Hannibal where the president of NBC ecstatically exclaimed "A lot of people forget about Parenthood!" At the time I took this with a grain of salt, but wow was I way off.
First off, the only reason I'm even watching this show at all is because of this beautifully written article by my fellow critic.
After that, I watched the entire series (Four seasons, and a fifth that's currently airing) within the span of a semester. That's insane for a show that has no high stakes plot or "addicting hooks" such as an anime like Death Note or the obvious one Lost. It just goes to show how ridiculously well written and likable these characters are (Standouts include Erika Christensen [Julia], Mae Whitman [Amber], and Craig Nelson [Zeek]; but the whole cast really is excellent).
However, given this is a review of 2013, and not the entire run of the show, I do have to talk about what happened this year; and unfortunately this just misses the mark of the best year the show has ever had, with the latter half of Season four winding down from the most intense portions of Monica Potter's (Christina) storyline, however there was one episode near the end that hit me pretty hard (Small Victories) with one of the very rare Miles Heizer (Drew) storylines. The whole feud between Jason Ritter's (Mark) and Ray Romano's (Hank) characters over Lauren Graham's (Sarah) character had one very good moment in an episode last year (Trouble in Candyland), but the resolution this year was only a fizzle and the finale of season four was underwhelming as well.
However, by far the best and most well developed storyline has been between Julia and Sam Jaeger's (Joel) character regarding their marriage. While last year's plot for Julia was undoubtedly the strongest material that Erika Christensen has ever had Remember Me, I'm the One Who Loves You), this has definitely been the strongest story for the two of them with both having solid reasons for why they feel the way they do about their marriage. The adoption storyline from Season four had it's moments, but combining it with Julia's own problems resulting from not being in the workforce has made a far bigger impact and I really hope they stick the landing on this one.Clearly, Parenthood has made a huge impact on me, and while I've heard this show has been on the bubble with ratings for a while now, this and Hannibal (more on that later) are NBC's strongest shows right now, so I hope they renew it again next year.
Standout Episode: Season 5-Episode 11: Promises (I know I'm cheating with this one, but it really has had the strongest elements of both the Hank/Max story as well as the Julia/Joel story so I don't care)
8. Mad Men (AMC)
This was a strange year.
Mad Men had a lot of different gears turning this year; some of them worked brilliantly while others were head-scratchers at times.
Don's (Jon Hamm) affair with Sylvia (Linda Cardellini) this year proved that no matter how hard he tries, once he disconnects from the woman he's with he will always go back to cheating. Their dark domineering hotel escapades were surrounded by an ever changing landscape as Don attempted to resolve the ever-growing rivalry with Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm) by rushing a merger between SCDP and CGC.
For the first third of this season, Peggy's (Elizabeth Moss) primary purpose was to introduce us to Ted: the charming foil to Don Draper who we would later learn has his own closet of skeletons, specifically regarding his feelings on his marriage and the way he misleads Peggy into thinking she might actually have a chance with him. In fact, quite a bit of this season is a power struggle between Don and Ted with Peggy caught in the middle.
And then there was the ever-evolving nature of Bob Benson (James Wolk). What a odd little character, a man who would weave his way in and out of different characters lives, between his false relationship with Joan (Christina Hendricks), his manipulations with Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and the mirror imaging of who he really was in comparison to Don Draper. Between this and just about everything that occurred in "The Crash," if there was ever a year that Mad Men was experimenting, this would be it.
However, by far the most memorable moment of the year came from Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka). This was the culmination of everything that is wrong with the way Don conducts his life, and in the end his lust for control lifted the veil from poor Sally's eyes and the image of the man she thought she knew was disfigured forever. And by the end of it all, everyone else decides they've had just about enough of Don as well.
That's because at the end of this year Don Draper was fired. Heh, we'll see how long that lasts.
Standout Episode: Season 6-Episode 11: Favors
7. Wilfred (FX)
Its concept sounds like a comedy, it markets itself as a comedy, it looks like a comedy, but then you get episodes like Truth from Season 2 where the show launches headfirst into raw, soul-crushing drama and you begin to wonder: Wait, am I really watching what I thought I was watching?
Season 3 continues this trend, when James Remar (a man who's becoming increasingly known for playing conflicted fathers) joins the cast as Ryan's father Henry. The build-up to his arrival has been steadily increasing over the past two years and when he does finally arrive in Intuition (the ending of which, was one of the most harrowing things I saw all year), it's a life-changing moment for Ryan that brings the whole family together for the most dysfunctional Christmas dinner I've ever seen (sorry Wilfred, but the most dysfunctional holiday dinner of all time still belongs to Dexter's Mitchell Thanksgiving from Hell).
Yet surprisingly enough, by the end of the season we still don't really know where Henry's true feelings lied. Though it becomes clear that he truly felt remorse for putting Ryan's mother in a mental institution, every once in a while I began to wonder if this was a Long Con (see Lost) to get back into Ryan's good graces until the moment arrived where he would prove Ryan was right all along.
But I suppose we'll never really know.
Standout Episode: Season 3-Episode 9: Confrontation
6. House of Cards (Netflix)
The first of two notable dramas that have inspired the newest buzzword in the television industry known as "binge-watching," Netflix made huge waves with it's unique approach of delivering every single episode at the same time. With no commercials, and only an eight-dollar entry fee, this idea has had a huge impact, and although Netflix refuses to disclose simply how well these shows are actually doing, by all appearances, their gamble has paid off.
Despite the large focus on the White House, this is not a story about politics. No, this is a story about power, and a man who will use and sacrifice seemingly anyone to acquire it. This is about the rise of Frank Underwood, a man with an unshakable conviction and an ego so ridiculously large that he breaks the fourth wall regularly. Portrayed with absolute confidence by veteran Kevin Spacey, this show oozes class in every aspect of its production, having been acclaimed for truly capturing the face of the capital with it's authenticity and attention to detail.
At his side is Claire (Robin Wright, who just won a golden globe for this role), whose relationship with her husband truly is the strangest marriage on television. They both have affairs, and yet it doesn't appear to affect their relationship with one another, casually bringing it up in conversation as if it's part of the status quo. Yet even so, their affairs are for completely different reasons: while Frank begins his with reporter Zoe Barnes (played by Kate Mara) with no other motive than to use her as his mouthpiece, it slowly evolves into his own personal dominatrix. Meanwhile, Claire's affair with Adam Galloway (played by Ben Harris) appears to be a combination of spite and loneliness caused by the almost business-like nature of her marriage (seriously do these two ever have sex?).
The most memorable character, and the most human out of this talented cast is Peter Russo (played by Corey Stoll). This is a man whose life was completely destroyed for the sake of Frank's climb to the top, who was lured in with false aspirations and a heavy hand, then afterwards discarded like a piece of trash.By the end of it all, Frank has made a significant step forward, but his plan clearly still has a long way to go, and the walls are closing in.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 5: Chapter 5
5. Orphan Black (BBC America)
Would you believe me if I told you they were all portrayed by the same actress? This is a show that is almost entirely run by Tatiana Maslany, a woman getting far less recognition than she deserves for what she was able to accomplish (along with a lot of behind the scenes tech making it all look great). Not since Anna Torv in Fringe have I seen such a seamless differentiation between so many different characters (and that's not even all of them!). Couple that with a very interesting story that ties them all together and you get one of the most interesting shows this year.
Maslany doesn't do all the legwork though: Jordan Gavaris is definitely memorable as the flirtatious Felix, and Maria Doyle Kennedy is given far more to work with here as Mrs. S than she ever had on Dexter, even though that was a similar role. Kevin Hanchard and Michael Mando's characters are kind of one-note, but while Dylan Bruce as Paul has a role that starts predictably enough, things get more interesting with him as the storyline develops.
Speaking of that story, I really don't want to get into any details because the mystery behind who these people are is one of the most compelling aspects of this show, along with Maslany's great performances (my personal favorite is Alison). Hell, on multiple occasions, she even has to portray these characters acting like they're impersonating her other characters, and she never misses a beat.
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 6: Variations Under Domestication
4. Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Finally. A series that gets what made Lost work so ridiculously well. Sure the mysteries of the island were what made you come back for more every week, but what made you stay was the people surrounding them. You wanted to know why John Locke was such a badass, why Desmond Hume was so tormented and why Benjamin Linus was so insanely frakked up.
There's a reason why the imitators that came afterwards all failed so quickly, between FlashForward and The Event, network television was struggling to find a replacement that could fill in the void that Lost left. Meanwhile however, Jenji Kohan was reading a historical account of a woman whose time in prison changed her life forever. And from that she had the framework for the most compelling new ensemble cast introduced this year.
This is the second of the two notable Netflix dramas to premiere in 2013, but there is one key difference between the two that makes this one better: The Heart. While Willimon made you care about one member of the cast, and then ripped the carpet out from under you, Kohan makes you care about all of the cast. From the faux mother-daughter relationship held by Nicky & Red (played by Natasha Lyonne & Kate Mulgrew), to the budding love story between Diaz & Bennett (played by Dascha Polanco & Matt McGorry), to the extremely fresh characters of Crazy Eyes & Sophia (played by Uzo Aduba and Laverne Cox) and especially the heart-wrenching war between Red and Pornstache (played by Pablo Schreiber), I could go on and on because all of these characters are so well-rounded and fleshed out, that when you compare them to the cast of The Walking Dead it's laughable how few of that ensemble anyone cares about. Even the most detestable of this group will have a moment that shows why you should care.And the Shephard showing our gaggle of hens the way is Piper Chapman (portrayed by Taylor Schilling), who enters this hellhole thinking she's better than everyone around her and that if she can do her time and not become like them that she can get back to her life and move on.
Oh Chapman...
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 10: Bora Bora Bora
3. Tie: Game of Thrones (HBO)/Person of Interest (CBS)
Both of these shows have had such a stellar year, and on a surface level, they couldn't be more different from each other. A high fantasy medieval series based off a long-running series of novels and a contemporary action procedural? This isn't exactly two peas in a pod.
Yet this year, they have quite a few similarities: they entered their third seasons this year, they possess a staggeringly increasing cast of characters, and they had huge climaxes prepared for the end of their run (one hyped by the source material and the established fanbase, the other by the producers and the network).
Game of Thrones began adapting A Storm of Swords this year, and there are so many characters I could talk about here (including Daenerys, Tywin, and Margaery), but by far the one that received the best arc was Jaime (played by Nikolai Coster-Waldau) culminating in my favorite scene this show has ever done.
For Person of Interest this is really the year everything began spinning on all cylinders. Such a great set of villains has been established (HR, Elias, Control, Decima, and the inspired reaction to Prism, Vigilance), but by far the breakout character this year was Root (the lovely Amy Acker) especially in season 3.Both of these shows have such high ambitions regarding what they want to accomplish, and with Game of Thrones, it's all about scope. As the once united cast continues to drift further apart in lesser hands this year could've been a complete disaster. Yet as seen in The Climb's beautiful conclusion this is a story woven together with strings that reach from the lowest depths of the Red Keep to the highest summit of the Wall. In Person of Interest's case it's all about balance: any given episode of the series can contain a thread linking to its gallery of rogues, and when the show is at its best it's weaving multiple threads at once.
Until they both reach their shattering conclusions.
Person of Interest Standout Episode: Season 3-Episode 10: The Devil's Share
2. Hannibal (NBC)
Standout Episode: Season 1-Episode 8: Fromage
1. Breaking Bad (AMC)
This is it-the one that everyone was talking about. This is the show that had the majority of television fandom on the edge of their seats in what truly has to be one of the greatest final seasons ever crafted (It really is unfortunate that Dexter's final season aired at the same time, because the comparisons were there that made the ending for Dexter that much worse).The acting was stronger than ever. Dean Norris was given the best material he's ever hard to work with, and he was clearly reveling in the opportunity to show just how upset he was by all the lies and deception Walt concocted over the course of the series (particularly in Blood Money when the secret comes out). Meanwhile, the always tremendous Aaron Paul had another chance to showcase the tragedy of Jesse Pinkman in Confessions, when he connected the dots to one of Walt's greatest sins he ever committed.
However, there's no use beating around the bush. There was one episode that had the greatest impact, and that was Ozymandias. This episode is great as a whole, but within it is the most intense scene I've ever seen in ANYTHING. It contains three members of the cast that have been there since the beginning of the series and is the culmination of all the horror that comes with what Walt has done to protect his family.
Both of these are great in their own respect, but neither would have been possible without the two greatest contributors to this masterpiece: Bryan Cranston and Vince Gilligan. It truly is remarkable that after everything Walter White has done over the course of this series that the audience can still feel sympathy for this man. It's downright insanity that a show that began at such a high level of quality has managed to improve upon itself almost every single year (the only season which I would say was not an overall improvement was the first half of Season 5 that aired in 2012, though who knows how it all would have turned out if it hadn't been split in half).
Out of all the great shows on this list, Breaking Bad was the one that left the greatest impression on me in 2013, and I expect to rewatch these episodes many times in the years to come.
Standout Episode: Season 5-Episode 14: Ozymandias
Final Note: I want to thank my fellow writer Antonio for reminding me to keep at this. I know it's taken a long time to complete, but it's definitely been an interesting endeavor and assuming I do it again I plan to begin work on this in time to have it released before the year is done.
Antonio's List
