TV 2011: Odds and Ends

New
Alphas
American Horror Story
Awkward.
Beavis & Butthead
Enlightened
Episodes
Homeland
New Girl
Revenge
The Secret Circle (stopped after about 10 episodes)
Strike Back
Suburgatory
Whitechapel

Cancelled
Big Love
Bored to Death
Friday Night Lights
The Good Guys
Human Target
In Plain Sight
United States of Tara

Stopped Watching
Castle
Chuck
Glee
Modern Family
Pretty Little Liars
The Secret Circle -- I may start this one up again if people say it's gotten better.
True Blood (only watched first episode of season 4)
The Walking Dead

Started and Stopped Watching
The Chicago Code (first 3-4 episodes)
The Killing (half of first season)

Most Improved
Boardwalk Empire

Most Profane
Archer

Still love, not as much
30 Rock
Being Human (U.K.)
Curb Your Enthusiasm

Headed for the dust bin
New Girl
Up All Night
Warehouse 13

Most Conflicted
Fringe
Supernatural

Just Plain Fun
Children's Hospital
Cougar Town
Happy Endings
The League
The Life and Times of Tim
Luther
Misfits
NTSF:SD:SUV::
Raising Hope
Revenge
South Park
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena

Most Embarrassing
American Horror Story
I don't know that I'd say I'm actually embarrassed to admit to watching this.  It's more that...it's just kind of a nasty, silly show.  But holy jeebus, was it fun to watch.  It's a big mess of a show.  I mean, Revenge is also really fun to watch, but it's well-plotted and it makes sense most of the time.  AHS is just...OUT THERE.  

Somehow still on my list of things I watch even though I never finished out the first season...
Strike Back
Hubbie and I watched about four episodes of this and I quite liked it, but it kept piling up on the DVR and then I had to delete the rest of the episodes.  I keep planning on going back to it, but it hasn't happened yet.

TV 2011: Runners-Up and Disappointments

Runners Up
Archer
Awkward.
Bob's Burgers
Downton Abbey
Dr. Who
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
The Hour
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Men of a Certain Age
Parenthood
RuPaul's Drag Race
United States of Tara
Wilfred

Disappointments
The biggest disappointment last year was that Mad Men did not air any new episodes.  BOO!

Big Love
Glee
The Killing
The Secret Circle
Sons of Anarchy
Torchwood

TV 2011: Favorites

Well, I had 11 favorites for 201, so I might as well have 11 again.

Boardwalk Empire
I liked the first season well enough, but not enough for it to make my favorites list.  Heck, it didn't even make my runners-up list, which surprises me.  In any case, I thought the show this year made me care more about the characters and I dunno, it was just better.

Breaking Bad
What is there to say?  Go read a critic's view of WHY this is the best show EVER.  All I can see is Me Likey da show.

Community
Mostly I just like how willing this show is to just try different things rather than coast along doing what it knows will always work.  Cuz that only lasts so long until the audience starts to get bored (see: 30 Rock).

Enlightened
I'm not exactly certain why this is here.  It's such an odd show.  I don't really know how I feel about the characters and I don't know what's up with this Amy person.  All I know is that I was completely fascinated by her and want to know what happens next. 

Homeland
I'm so glad to have Damian Lewis back on my television.  Just a really, really good show.

Justified
Margo Martindale.  'Nuff Said.  Well, almost.  Have to give props to Boyd Crowder as one of the most enigmatic characters on television right now.  Never quite sure where his loyalties are and it's fascinating to watch.  Plus: Olyphantiness.  YUM.

Louie
This is a show that (probably along with Louis CK himself) I still can't quite believe is airing on television.  It's so weird and honest and messy and heartbreaking and laugh-till-you-puke funny.  So daring and original and I love every minute of it.

Parks and Recreation
I still love this show.  It has more heart than Community and it's more daring than 30 Rock.  (Not to bag on 30 Rock here.)  This show just makes me gleeful at times.

Revenge
REVENGE!!!  Damn, what a fun, evil little show this has turned into.  Soapy goodness.

Treme
Now that I'm looking at this, I'm not sure it really was a favorite, but I think that's just because it was on so long ago.  Mostly I just watching it and letting the atmosphere of New Orleans wash over me.  And the music.  And Antoine Baptiste, that suave mother fucker.  YUM.

The Vampire Diaries
I think this year TVD has taken a small dip in quality, or something.  However, Evil Stefan kinda makes up for it. 

TV 2011: shows I caught up on

TV 2011 -- Shows I Netflixed or Hulued in 2011.

Watching: The Life and Times of Tim (season 1)
Watching: It's Always Sunny in PA (re-watch)
Parenthood (season 1-2)
The Big Bang Theory (seasons 1-3)
Awkward. (season 1)
Veronica Mars (season 2, rewatch)
Alias (season 1-2)
The Mentalist (season 1, about 7 eps)
The League (season 1-2)
Men of a Certain Age (season 1-2.1)
Men of a Certain Age (season 1)
Tell Me You Love Me (season 1)
Skins (series 2)
Peep Show (series 1)
Look Around You (series 1)
Ben Stiller Show
Samantha Who? (half of season 1)
I'm Alan Partridge (series 1)
House of Cards
Spartacus Blood and Sand (season 1) re-watch 4 stars
Parks and Recreation (season 1-2)  (re-watch)
Law and Order UK
A Bit of Fry and Laurie (series 2-3)
Better Off Ted (season 2) 3 stars (re-watch)

TV Watch 2011

This is a list of all the shows I watched in 2011. Unless otherwise noted, I watched all episodes of the shows.  Items in bold italics are shows that debuted in 2011 or are older shows that I started watching in 2011.

30 Rock
Alphas
American Horror Story
Archer
Awkward.
Beavis & Butthead
Being Human (U.K.)
Big Love
Boardwalk Empire
Bob's Burgers
Bored to Death
Breaking Bad
Castle
The Chicago Code (first 3-4 episodes)
Children's Hospital
Chuck
Community
Cougar Town
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Downton Abbey
Dr. Who
Eastbound and Down (Did not air in 2011)
Enlightened
Episodes
Friday Night Lights
Fringe
Game of Thrones
Glee

The Good Guys
The Good Wife
The Guild
Happy Endings
Homeland
The Hour
Human Target
In Plain Sight
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret -- (Did not air in 2011)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Justified
The Killing (half of first season)
Law & Order: UK
The League
The Life and Times of Tim
Louie
Luther
Mad Men -- (Did not air in 2011)
Men of a Certain Age
Modern Family

Misfits
New Girl
NTSF:SD:SUV::
Parenthood
Parks and Recreation
Pretty Little Liars
Raising Hope
Revenge
RuPaul's Drag Race
The Secret Circle
Sherlock -- (Did not air in 2011)
Sons of Anarchy
South Park
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Strike Back
Suburgatory
Supernatural
Torchwood
Treme
True Blood (only watched first episode of season 4)
United States of Tara
Up All Night
The Vampire Diaries
The Walking Dead (only watched part of season 2 premiere and gave up)
Warehouse 13
Whitechapel
Wilfred

Cancelled: The Good Guys (I will miss that 'stache); Men of a Certain Age; United States of Tara; Bored to Death
Ended its run: Big Love; Friday Night Lights (*sniff*)
Giving up on: Castle, Glee, Chuck, The Chicago Code, Human Target, Pretty Little Liars (um, not that I watched Pretty Little Liars...), Modern Family, The Killing, True Blood, In Plain Sight, The Walking Dead

Favorite Books of 2011

I read a LOT of genre fiction this year.  I regret nothing!

Soulless; Changeless; Blameless; Heartless by Gail Carriger
When I started the first book in this series, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like it.  It was a bit twee.  But as it went along I completely fell in love with the main character and by the end of the first book, I was hooked.  I wish there were twelve more so I could keep reading them.

Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
I dunno, I just love these books.  This one was particularly difficult to put down.

Snuff by Terry Pratchett
V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
I put these together because I just wanted to say that it's amazing that the Discworld and Alphabet Mystery novels are still so good. 

The Wedding Plot / Jeffrey Eugenides
Other than Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, this is the only really literary book I read this year.  I also enjoyed it quite a bit and look forward to re-reading it someday.

Book Read 2011

I read 32 books in 2011.  I know I used to read more than this.  And six of them were re-reads!  Damn.  Darn Netflix and Hulu Plus!

Game of Cages / Harry Connolly
Child of Fire / Harry Connolly
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer / Lish McBride
Heartless / Gail Carriger
Snuff / Terry Pratchett
V is for Vengeance / Sue Grafton
Double Dexter / Jeff Lindsay
The Wedding Plot / Jeffrey Eugenides
Blameless / Gail Carriger
Changeless / Gail Carriger
Soulless / Gail Carriger
Summer Knight / Jim Butcher (re-read)
Grave Peril / Jim Butcher (re-read)
Fool Moon / Jim Butcher (re-read)
Storm Front / Jim Butcher (re-read)
Ghost Story / Jim Butcher
Changes / Jim Butcher (re-read)
Let Me In / John Ajvide Lindqvist
The complete drive-in: three novels of anarchy, aliens, & the popcorn king / Joe R. Lansdale
Stitches: a memoir / David Small
Dead Reckoning / Charlaine Harris
Contagious / Scott Sigler
A Discovery of Witches / Deborah Harkness
The High King's Tomb / Kristen Britain
First Rider's Call / Kristen Britain
Green Rider / Kristen Britain
Shambling Towards Hiroshima / James Morrow
The Nymphos of Rocky Flats / Mario Acevedo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows / J.K. Rowling (re-read)
Freedom / Jonathan Franzen

Least Favorite Movies of 2011

These are the movies I watched in 2011 that I rated less than 3 stars.

2 1/2 stars
Pandorum
The Ten
Night of the Comet
Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
Lust for a Vampire
Zombie Strippers
Blacula
Operation: Endgame
Go
Mister Lonely
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

2 stars
Urban Legend: Bloody Mary
The Tourist
Jason X
Tamara
Burlesque
Vampyres (a.k.a. Daughters of Dracula)
The Rules of Attraction
The Church

1 1/2 stars
Your Highness
Skyline

1 star or less
See Jane Date

Unwatchable or gave up
Silent Hill (gave up after 20 min.)
The Mechanic (2011) (gave up after 20 min.)
Birdemic: Shock and Terror (Um. 0 stars? This one kinda defies ratings)
Spy Kids 3D: Game Over (unwatchable)

Favorite Movies of 2011

This is a sampling of my favorite movies that I watched in 2011.

5 stars:
13 Assassins
Tangled

4 1/2 stars:
Stake Land
I Saw the Devil
Laura
Breaking Away
Synecdoche, New York

4 stars
Prince of Darkness
Phenomena
Primal
The Secret of Kells
A Room With a View
Red
The Horseman
Animal Kingdom
The Other Guys
Winter's Bone

3 1/2 stars:
The Adjustment Bureau
Kick-Ass
Croupier
Paul
Tenebre
Machete
Deep Red
Megamind
Harry Brown
Night of the Creeps
Despicable Me
Dogtooth
Can't Hardly Wait
Salt
Going the Distance
Piranha (2010)

3 stars:
Happy Birthday to Me
Triangle
Hanna
Rubber
Unstoppable
13 Going on 30
Dinner for Schmucks
Drive Angry
Carriers
Sunshine Cleaning

Movie Watch 2011

I watched 110 movies this year. About 40 fewer than last year. I assume I watched less since I switched to a streaming-only account at Netflix. It's so much easier to watch a ton of movies when you're trying to turn them around within a day. Now I just watch when I feel like it and mostly I feel like watching television.