And you thought you were done with all of that Best of 2010 nonsense!Stop acting like you don’t want to read another Top 10 list two weeks after the end of 2010. If you like that, then wait until next month when I unveil my Top 10 movies of 2010! (What?! I’m still catching up on stuff: for example, “The King’s Speech” comes out in my neighborhood this weekend.)
Before we get to the main event, let’s hand out a quick award and see whose stock rose and fell this past year. (NOTE: This is not meant to represent everything on TV…just the stuff I get around to watching.)
WORST PERSON ON TV OF 2010
Ivy from “Project Runway”: I REALLY wanted to give this prize to the ironically named Sammi Sweetheart from “Jersey Shore” (and I’m sure I’ll want to give it to her once I see the latest episode), but this HAS to go to Ivy.
Not only was she a relentlessly nasty person, but she was also a sycophant (sucking up to eventual winner Gretchen). In fact, she couldn’t even do THAT right seeing as how she turned on Gretchen in the season finale. Ivy was boring as a designer and terrible as a human being, and a deserving winner(?) of this award.
STOCK UP
“Community”: The show’s stock started rising after the first handful of episodes in the first season. The key was moving away from the Jeff and Britta Show (Jeff DID form the study group to try to impress Britta, if you recall) and more towards the main group as the dysfunctional family they are. Also, the weirder the show gets (the Conspiracy episode, the Zombie episode, the Paintball episode) the better.
“Weeds”: Ok, I get it. The show is completely unrecognizable from its original premise that had Nancy selling drugs in her suburban neighborhood to maintain her family’s lifestyle. Then again, did you REALLY think it was possible for (or want her) to keep doing that for SIX SEASONS? This show HAD to be blown up! While Nancy is still a godawful mother, I enjoyed watching the Botwins/Newman’s hitting the road and trying to establish a new identity every week. That conceit gave the show a creative juice it’d been missing.
“Entourage”: It took seven seasons, but Adrian Grenier’s Vince FINALLY did something interesting. Sure, it was a self-destructive bender that saw him date a porn star and become addicted to drugs, but at least it was something!
STOCK DOWN
“True Blood”: I watched all three seasons of “True Blood” last year, but its place on this list is due SOLELY to its overstuffed third season that saw ineffective werewolves (who were only there to get their asses handed to them by the vamps), were-panthers, meth addicts, fairies and witches join the fray. Here’s hoping they dial things back a bit and refocus on the main characters, while only making a few strong additions each year. (Like Denis O’Hare’s Vampire King Russell.)
“Glee”: It’s not so much a sophomore slump. It’s more that the show started believing its own hype. What started out as the tale of a bunch of underdogs became a show about which famous actor creator Ryan Murphy could get as a guest star, or which pop star’s catalog they could shoehorn into the plot.
THE TOP 10
10. “Lost”: Personally, I really loved the series finale, but I also understand why some people who were looking for answers might be frustrated. I’m not really sure the entire Sideways storytelling device ended up being a success, but for me it was wonderful seeing almost all the characters in the show’s history come back for one final, action-packed, emotional romp.
9. “Modern Family”/ “Cougar Town”: I hate to cheat by putting two great shows in one slot, but this Wednesday at 9 p.m. comedy block is SO good, that I’d also hate to separate them. “Modern Family” was actually my number 1 show last year (stock down?), but it’s place here says more about how good other shows were than it does about “Modern Family” getting worse. “Cougar Town” smartly moved away from its Jules-dates-younger-guys premise and focused more on the terrific cul-de-sac crew and all their inside jokes. The “Scrubs” fan in me LOVES this, even if do miss Super Cougar Barb.
8. “Dexter”: Like pretty much every other season of “Dexter”, things got off to a semi-sluggish start as the show established its standalone/season-long arc, but once things got going the show was as thrilling as its ever been, even without the presence of a major villain like John Lithgow’s Trinity Killer. The scene with Debra (unknowingly) pointing a gun at Lumen and Dexter in the finale and letting them get away took my breath away.
7. “The Walking Dead”: I thought the pilot was good, but not great. However, the zombie thriller quickly established itself as an engrossing and entertaining drama that provocatively explored what it means to be human. Also, there were some awesomely gruesome makeup effects along the way.
6. “30 Rock”: The show may have lost some of its buzz on the comedy block with the arrival of new kids on the block “Modern Family” and “Glee.” However, the show is as genius and bizarre as ever in its fifth season, which has featured a live episode, Tracy Jordan trying to win an Oscar (or at least a Golden Globe), two Black Swans and Kelsey Grammer as a con-artist.
5. “Justified”: As was the case with “The Walking Dead”, I liked the pilot, but didn’t love it. Still, I quickly warmed to the show’s simultaneously leisurely and thrilling rhythm, which allowed space for each week’s guest star to shine while Timothy Olyphant did cool, confident, commanding work as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. On top of that, “Bulletville” was the best season finale I’ve seen in a LONG time.
4. “Friday Night Lights”: I haven’t seen the current final season that’s airing on Direct TV. I’m talking about season 4, which rebooted the show and sent Coach Eric Taylor to East Dillon High School to coach the lowly Lions. Even though a lot of favorites are gone, the show did a splendid job of introducing a bunch of new characters you care for deeply, all held together by the inimitable Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as the best fictional married couple EVER.
3. “Parks and Recreation”: A lot has been written about how much the show improved after its first season by allowing Amy Poehler to create her own character and by exploring the rest of the talented ensemble. The best compliment I can give it is that “Parks and Recreation” is as funny (though not quite as poignant) as “The Office” was when “The Office” was at its best. (And I still enjoy “The Office.”)
2. “Parenthood”: Watch this show! Where else are you going to find a show that’s suitable for the whole family that also happens to be wonderfully acted (Peter Krause and Craig T. Nelson, in particular, are killing it this season) written and produced. I love shows about zombies and mysterious islands as much as anyone else, but I also enjoy a show where one of the plots is one guy being annoyed that his brother-in-law stepped in and took control of the school play. Is there a reason this show is on at 10 p.m.?
Not only was she a relentlessly nasty person, but she was also a sycophant (sucking up to eventual winner Gretchen). In fact, she couldn’t even do THAT right seeing as how she turned on Gretchen in the season finale. Ivy was boring as a designer and terrible as a human being, and a deserving winner(?) of this award.
STOCK UP
“Community”: The show’s stock started rising after the first handful of episodes in the first season. The key was moving away from the Jeff and Britta Show (Jeff DID form the study group to try to impress Britta, if you recall) and more towards the main group as the dysfunctional family they are. Also, the weirder the show gets (the Conspiracy episode, the Zombie episode, the Paintball episode) the better.
“Weeds”: Ok, I get it. The show is completely unrecognizable from its original premise that had Nancy selling drugs in her suburban neighborhood to maintain her family’s lifestyle. Then again, did you REALLY think it was possible for (or want her) to keep doing that for SIX SEASONS? This show HAD to be blown up! While Nancy is still a godawful mother, I enjoyed watching the Botwins/Newman’s hitting the road and trying to establish a new identity every week. That conceit gave the show a creative juice it’d been missing.
“Entourage”: It took seven seasons, but Adrian Grenier’s Vince FINALLY did something interesting. Sure, it was a self-destructive bender that saw him date a porn star and become addicted to drugs, but at least it was something!
STOCK DOWN
“True Blood”: I watched all three seasons of “True Blood” last year, but its place on this list is due SOLELY to its overstuffed third season that saw ineffective werewolves (who were only there to get their asses handed to them by the vamps), were-panthers, meth addicts, fairies and witches join the fray. Here’s hoping they dial things back a bit and refocus on the main characters, while only making a few strong additions each year. (Like Denis O’Hare’s Vampire King Russell.)
“Glee”: It’s not so much a sophomore slump. It’s more that the show started believing its own hype. What started out as the tale of a bunch of underdogs became a show about which famous actor creator Ryan Murphy could get as a guest star, or which pop star’s catalog they could shoehorn into the plot.
THE TOP 10
10. “Lost”: Personally, I really loved the series finale, but I also understand why some people who were looking for answers might be frustrated. I’m not really sure the entire Sideways storytelling device ended up being a success, but for me it was wonderful seeing almost all the characters in the show’s history come back for one final, action-packed, emotional romp.
9. “Modern Family”/ “Cougar Town”: I hate to cheat by putting two great shows in one slot, but this Wednesday at 9 p.m. comedy block is SO good, that I’d also hate to separate them. “Modern Family” was actually my number 1 show last year (stock down?), but it’s place here says more about how good other shows were than it does about “Modern Family” getting worse. “Cougar Town” smartly moved away from its Jules-dates-younger-guys premise and focused more on the terrific cul-de-sac crew and all their inside jokes. The “Scrubs” fan in me LOVES this, even if do miss Super Cougar Barb.
8. “Dexter”: Like pretty much every other season of “Dexter”, things got off to a semi-sluggish start as the show established its standalone/season-long arc, but once things got going the show was as thrilling as its ever been, even without the presence of a major villain like John Lithgow’s Trinity Killer. The scene with Debra (unknowingly) pointing a gun at Lumen and Dexter in the finale and letting them get away took my breath away.
7. “The Walking Dead”: I thought the pilot was good, but not great. However, the zombie thriller quickly established itself as an engrossing and entertaining drama that provocatively explored what it means to be human. Also, there were some awesomely gruesome makeup effects along the way.
6. “30 Rock”: The show may have lost some of its buzz on the comedy block with the arrival of new kids on the block “Modern Family” and “Glee.” However, the show is as genius and bizarre as ever in its fifth season, which has featured a live episode, Tracy Jordan trying to win an Oscar (or at least a Golden Globe), two Black Swans and Kelsey Grammer as a con-artist.
5. “Justified”: As was the case with “The Walking Dead”, I liked the pilot, but didn’t love it. Still, I quickly warmed to the show’s simultaneously leisurely and thrilling rhythm, which allowed space for each week’s guest star to shine while Timothy Olyphant did cool, confident, commanding work as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. On top of that, “Bulletville” was the best season finale I’ve seen in a LONG time.
4. “Friday Night Lights”: I haven’t seen the current final season that’s airing on Direct TV. I’m talking about season 4, which rebooted the show and sent Coach Eric Taylor to East Dillon High School to coach the lowly Lions. Even though a lot of favorites are gone, the show did a splendid job of introducing a bunch of new characters you care for deeply, all held together by the inimitable Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as the best fictional married couple EVER.
3. “Parks and Recreation”: A lot has been written about how much the show improved after its first season by allowing Amy Poehler to create her own character and by exploring the rest of the talented ensemble. The best compliment I can give it is that “Parks and Recreation” is as funny (though not quite as poignant) as “The Office” was when “The Office” was at its best. (And I still enjoy “The Office.”)
2. “Parenthood”: Watch this show! Where else are you going to find a show that’s suitable for the whole family that also happens to be wonderfully acted (Peter Krause and Craig T. Nelson, in particular, are killing it this season) written and produced. I love shows about zombies and mysterious islands as much as anyone else, but I also enjoy a show where one of the plots is one guy being annoyed that his brother-in-law stepped in and took control of the school play. Is there a reason this show is on at 10 p.m.?
1. “Mad Men”: You probably don’t need me to tell you this is a good show. It’s always been an expertly-acted, intelligent, engrossing drama. The difference this year (which saw Don Draper and Co. start and attempt to keep their own ad agency afloat) is that the thrilling energy coming off my TV screen each week matched that of the characters onscreen. “The Suitcase” is the best episode of television last year. (And of a lot of years.) Also, Jon Hamm absolutely acted his ass off and deserves to win every award he’s nominated for thanks to his work in season 4.
2 comments:
I LOVE Parenthood! You have good taste in TV shows :o)
What's not to love? It's got a bunch of people who have been great in other things, and they're all guided by the guy who did "Friday Night Lights" (Jason Katims.)
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