2011: TV YEAR IN REVIEW
Our Picks For The Top 10 Shows of The Year *
Let’s start off by talking about that pesky asterisk, shall we? The downside of being a full-time freelance writer, entrepreneur (I own GreenGlobalTravel.com), world traveler, improv comedy performer and father is that I do not have nearly as much time to watch TV as I did in my 20s. Until this year, I actually watched so little TV that I cancelled my cable subscription, preferring to watch my favorite shows on DVD in one marathon stretch.
But in the last few years, a funny thing happened: TV got good. Like, REALLY good. And so I’ve debated whether to bite the bullet and cough up the $50 a month to get HBO, Showtime, etc. As a result, I have not yet seen critically acclaimed favorites such as Game Of Thrones, Homeland or Boardwalk Empire. Therefore, the 10th slot on this left will be left open to accommodate those shows, which I am quite certain I will love… someday.
BREAKING BAD
Season 4 of AMC’s hit show about a high school science teacher who turns to making methamphetamines after being diagnosed with terminal cancer was arguably its most dramatic and visceral to date. The writers amped up the chess match of escalating tension between Walt (the always excellent Bryan Cranston) and Gus (Giancarlo Esposito) over the course of 13 gripping episodes, gradually building to a dynamic crescendo. And the supporting players– Aaron Paul as Jesse, Anna Gunn as Skyler, Dean Norris as Hank and Bob Oedenkirk as Saul– have never been better, each playing their part in ratcheting up the edge-of-your-seat tension. The only question about creator Vince Gilligan’s masterpiece now is, how the hell is gonna top himself in Season 5?
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
I rarely mourn the passing of a TV show, especially a drama. It’s become a cliché to say that Friday Night Lights is a football show that’s not really about football, but the truth is executive producer Peter Berg’s creative vision rarely made a misstep, creating one of the most realistic portrayals of teenage life in the history of television. At the center of it all was Kyle Chandler’s Coach Eric Taylor and Connie Britton as his feisty-but-supportive wife Tami: Their words and relationships– with each other, with daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden), with their friends and with the kids on the team– never felt anything less than completely genuine. Coach’s motto, “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” will resonate with me for the rest of my life, but there were no clear eyes in our house on the night of the emotional finale.
COMMUNITY
If you’re one of those people who wonders “What’s wrong with America?” you can look to the fact that the brilliant Community teeters on the brink of cancellation (NBC is officially listing it as “on hiatus”) while shows like Real Housewives continue to draw huge numbers for supporting evidence that our nation is dumber than a box of rocks. This is NOT lowest-common-denominator comedy: From episodes built around 7 alternative timelines to pointed Glee-style musical parodies, from spaghetti western paeans to flashbacks to episodes that never happened, creator Dan Harmon takes more chances than any other show on network TV. Sure, the jokes don’t always work, but he sticks the landing more often than not and, when he does, it’s the most LOL-able pop culture-skewering comedy on television.
LOUIE
Where the aforementioned comedy specializes in surrealist absurdity, Louie C.K.’s increasingly compelling semi-autobiographical show gets laughs simply by keeping it real, allowing the veteran standup comedian to follow his moody muse wherever she may lead him. The show is often intensely personal to the point of discomfort, but it never comes across as shtick. Instead, it feels as if the show’s namesake is slicing open his mind, body and soul, pouring the contents out onto the screen as he ruminates on subjects that run the gamut from love, sex and divorce to parenting, war and death. Part comedy, part drama, but all Louie (he writes, directs and stars, the show is like nothing else on television, using stand-up routines, vignettes and anecdotal aside to create an intense viewing experience that all but dares views to feel something.
SONS OF ANARCHY
If I have one guilty TV pleasure, it’s Kurt Sutter’s rough ‘n’ tumble drama about outlaw bikers and the tramp stamped women who love them. Sutter & Co. ramped up the dramatic tension on SAMCRO big-time in Season 4, when it seemed like Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) and his ol’ lady Tara (Maggie Siff) couldn’t catch a break, whether from the Mayans, the Niners, the IRA, the Feds, new sheriff in town Eli Roosevelt (Rockman Dunbar), rival drug cartels, his ex-wife, stepdad Clay (Ron Perlman), or his mom (the excellent Katey Sagal). It’s been obvious that SAMCRO’s free ride was going to come to an end– the only question was when and how. It was a blast watching the tension mount before everything fell apart. Now that Jax has taken the club gavel by force, it should prove equally fascinating to watch them rebuild in Season 5.
PARKS & RECREATION
There are other TV sitcoms that are more incisive, more original, and perhaps even funnier. But I don’t recall many that were more optimistic and endlessly upbeat than this quirky comedy about the employees of a Parks & Recreation Department in the tiny town of Pawnee, IN. Amy Poehler, who we’ve loved since her days on Upright Citizens Brigade, continuously proves herself one of the most gifted comedic actresses in the business, using her improv background to mine every drop of humor from scenes without ever going over the top. But this show is the definition of ensemble, and every single character– from macho man Ron to “awesome” Chris, from slick huckster Tom to dumb-as-bricks Andy, from sardonic April to low-key Ben– plays an integral role in this show’s hilariously expansive universe.
THE AMAZING RACE
I largely kicked my reality TV addiction years ago. But The Amazing Race continues to elevate the genre by focusing less on gimmicks (see: emotionally manipulative editing) and more on creative challenges that cause genuine distress for the contestants. We never, ever forget that “We’re racing for a MILLION dollars!” even as the teams’ troubles are overshadowed by gorgeous scenery from some of the world’s most intriguing travel destinations. The casting remains genius, from cute elderly couples who go surprisingly deep into the game to bromantic Christian snowboarders who just want to enjoy the ride. A decade ago, I dreamed of going on Survivor. Now, I imagine the day when host Phil Keoghan says, “You’re Team #1!”
ARCHER
I would love this show even if I weren’t friends with two of its stars (Amber Nash and Lucky Yates, my former castmates at Dad’s Garage Theatre). In its second season, creator Adam Reed’s sexy, silly animated spy comedy cemented its status as a bona-fide cult hit, thanks in no small part to the rapid-fire delivery of its voice talent. From H. Jon Benjamin’s super-spy Sterling Archer to Aisha Tyler’s sizzling sexpot Lana Kane, from Jessica Walter’s delightfully self-possessed Mallory Archer to Nash’s fan favorite, HR Director Pam Poovey, the show is stocked to the gills with crazy characters that constantly find themselves in even crazier situations. The timeless look, bawdy tone and inventively edgy dialogue make Archer one of the most brilliantly one-of-a-kind animated shows ever made.
THE WALKING DEAD
This post-apocalyptic horror show lumbered onto this list by the skin of its zombified knuckles. But, after a killer first season, a promising start to the second season and an awesome mid-season cliffhanger (it returns in February), we’re willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. The show follows a group of survivors who band together after a zombie outbreak renders the world a complete disaster. But this year there was just as much drama off-screen, as show-runner Frank Darabont left (reportedly fired due to unwillingness to slash his budget) and executive producer Glen Mazzara stepped in. A few transitional episodes were a little slow for some fans’ tastes, with more focus on interpersonal relationships than zombie-killing. But, with Mazzara’s background on The Shield, we’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
«HOME |
