I suppose in the future I'll do something more fancy with this (or not). For now, this will do. It's all of the end-of-year lists that I did. One thing I noticed in putting this together is that I really, really like my TV. I mean, duh. But I should work on doing more movie reviews this year. Plus, I don't give ratings to books like I do with movies and TV. I think that's because I'm so used to starring everything on Netflix. I don't know that I'll change that.
Also, I dunno. I sometimes feel like I have too much leeway on my ratings. I mean, there's really three basic modes: yes, maybe, no. But I do like my gradations so I'll probably keep them.
Favorite TV shows of 2010
TV 2010 runners up and disappointments
TV 2010 odds and ends
All current TV shows I watched in 2010
TV shows I caught up on in 2010
Favorite movies of 2010
Least favorite movies of 2010
All movies watched in 2010
Favorite books of 2010
All books I read in 2010
Showing posts with label tv 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tv 2010. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
TV 2010: Odds and Ends
I wanted to write a bit about all of these categories that I've come up with here, but I've been sitting on it way too long and I need to just post it already. I may revisit a few of these categories later for posterity.
Most improved:
Bored to Death
United States of Tara
Parks and Recreation
Most profane:
Eastbound and Down
Archer
New:
Raising Hope
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
Boardwalk Empire
Still love, but not as much as I used to:
30 Rock
Modern Family
Chuck
Cancelled:
Party Down
Better Off Ted
Huge
Rubicon
Caprica
Terriers
Headed for the dust bin:
Castle & Psych: I've watched both of these shows from the beginning. Castle has Nathan Fillion, without whom I likely would never have watched. But even he can only enchant me for so long. Psych I love because of the sheer goofiness of it all, and the pop culture references. Plus, Timothy Omundson is Smokin' Hot. But the appeal is starting to wear thin. There's really only so long you can watch these kinds of shows and I'm about to reach my limit.
Most conflicted:
Glee: Oh, Glee. When you were good, you were oh so good. When you were bad, you were eye-gouging-ly bad. And that's just Glee for ya. It's mostly an inconsistent mess that you're ready to give up on, then they suck you in for a few more eps, then you're ready to to give up again. I will likely keep watching until the suck streak is more than three episodes. But damn.
Just plain fun to watch:
The Good Guys
In Plain Sight
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
RuPaul's Drag Race
Warehouse 13
Being Human
Daily Show / Colbert Report
Most embarrassing:
Pretty Little Liars (oh, it's bad. But I can't stop watching!!!)
Shows I stopped watching:
Bones
Burn Notice
Weeds
The Office
Dexter
Lie to Me
Shows I started watching and then stopped:
The Big C
Covert Affairs
Human Target
Most improved:
Bored to Death
United States of Tara
Parks and Recreation
Most profane:
Eastbound and Down
Archer
New:
Raising Hope
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
Boardwalk Empire
Still love, but not as much as I used to:
30 Rock
Modern Family
Chuck
Cancelled:
Party Down
Better Off Ted
Huge
Rubicon
Caprica
Terriers
Headed for the dust bin:
Castle & Psych: I've watched both of these shows from the beginning. Castle has Nathan Fillion, without whom I likely would never have watched. But even he can only enchant me for so long. Psych I love because of the sheer goofiness of it all, and the pop culture references. Plus, Timothy Omundson is Smokin' Hot. But the appeal is starting to wear thin. There's really only so long you can watch these kinds of shows and I'm about to reach my limit.
Most conflicted:
Glee: Oh, Glee. When you were good, you were oh so good. When you were bad, you were eye-gouging-ly bad. And that's just Glee for ya. It's mostly an inconsistent mess that you're ready to give up on, then they suck you in for a few more eps, then you're ready to to give up again. I will likely keep watching until the suck streak is more than three episodes. But damn.
Just plain fun to watch:
The Good Guys
In Plain Sight
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
RuPaul's Drag Race
Warehouse 13
Being Human
Daily Show / Colbert Report
Most embarrassing:
Pretty Little Liars (oh, it's bad. But I can't stop watching!!!)
Shows I stopped watching:
Bones
Burn Notice
Weeds
The Office
Dexter
Lie to Me
Shows I started watching and then stopped:
The Big C
Covert Affairs
Human Target
TV 2010: Runners up & Disappointments
Runners up for favorite shows:
The Good Wife: This show was a bit of a surprise for me because I don't always like procedurals and I didn't really care for the premise. But it's really well-done and more subtle than I thought it would be. Plus, Nurse Hathaway? Still hot. And Alan Cumming!! Even as a buttoned-down lawyer dude, he's still so fun and yummy.
Friday Night Lights: This last season was particularly well-done, especially in their handling of a teenage girl's pregnancy. But the biggest draw for me is still the relationship between Coach Taylor and Mrs. Coach. And yes, I know her name is Tami, but I like calling her Mrs. Coach. They show that married couples can fight, they can agree, they can be just sick of each other once in a while, but they still love each other and are committed.
Treme: I had some trouble with this show in that I always seemed to wait and let about 3 or 4 episodes pile up before I'd watch them all up. I think Breaking Bad may have been on at the same time, so I'd catch Treme On Demand. I kept thinking maybe I just didn't like the show, but every time I sat down to watch, I'd watch everything that was available. I think it's just a show that works better in large doses. Anyway, the show was truly spectacular in many ways, the cast, the setting, the music...I loved it. And Khandi Alexander? Truly amazing. She probably won't be nominated for an Emmy, but she should be.
Luther: This show was a bit of a mess in some ways, but I still really enjoyed it. Luther is a quite interesting character, kind of a blue-collar Sherlock Holmes. He's rough around the edges but he's highly intelligent. And Ruth Wilson's character! I'm not sure I've ever seen a dynamic like the one these two shared. I am a bit worried about the second series because they ended the first in a crazy nutso place, and I'm not sure they can extricate themselves, but it was a ballsy move, and I do want to see what happens next.
Sherlock: I realized before writing this that I have quite a fascination and love for the character of Sherlock Holmes, even though I've only read a few stories and seen a few incarnations. I actually think that the only Sherlocks I've seen (apart from this one) are Basil Rathbone and Robert Downey Jr. Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Martin Freeman and I really liked this updated version of the characters. Overall, I don't think the show was as strong as I would have liked, but I liked quite a bit in each episode and the first ep was particularly good.
Dr Who: I think that if I were able to actually watch this show weekly on my TV, it would be on my favorites list. As it was, I almost forgot about it simply because I have to wait for the DVDs to come out. And they did, so I am all caught up and I absolutely adore Matt Smith as the new Doctor. And Amy Pond is Smokin' Hot. And funny and wonderful.
Lost: I can't say the last season was the best. It had a lot of good and bad, but mostly I liked it. I just couldn't not mention it somewhere here, since I watched it from the very beginning, almost stopped watching a few times, but I stuck it out and I'm glad I did. Can't say the ending was all I'd hoped for, but what ending can be? (Except the ending to The Shield, nothing tops that in my book.) I enjoyed hanging out with the characters and enduring all manner of what-the-fuckery, so good on ya, Lost.
Disappointments:
Big Love: Hubbie and I feverishly tore through the first 3 seasons of this show and absolutely loved it. Well-rounded characters, good stories, good acting...awesomeness. We got all caught up in time to watch the fourth season on HBO. Great. And then...I dunno, the show just fell apart somewhere. There was just too much going on, half of which was utterly redonkulous. And then there was the problem of Bill. He was never someone I completely rooted for, but at least I could see his humanity and his earnestness to do the right thing by everyone. But then towards the end of the fourth season, I started to actively HATE him. A few days ago I saw a teaser preview for the fifth and final season, and the minute he appeared on screen, I wanted to throw something at him. I will probably watch at least the beginning of the new season, especially since it's the last one, but it will definitely be on a short leash.
Sons of Anarchy: A lot of people were unhappy with this season, and I'm reluctantly with them. This show was just so damn good in its second season, and the third season was kind of a bust for the most part. It had a lot of good moments, but overall it took them way too long to get to Ireland to find Jax's son. By the time he finally got back to Charming with Abel, it was all very anticlimactic. I understand that Kurt Sutter wanted to tell that Ireland story, but I wish he'd come up with a better way to do it.
True Blood: True Blood and Glee have a lot in common. Big, over-the-top, rather inconsistent. And despite, highly watchable. But the third season...I dunno. It felt like they wanted to get EVERY character possible in the thing, rather than just adding a few and then spending some time with them. I mean, they introduced Alcide but really didn't do much good with him. And he's quite a good character in the books. NERD ALERT! Plus, they always pronounced his name with a hard 'd' even though it's supposed to be pronounced "Alcee". However, one good thing? Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington. He was just the right kind of big, over-the-top scenery chewing that the show needs. I'll probably watch the new season cuz I'm a glutton for punishment, but things don't look good since every story I've read about the new season is "2 new characters cast!" and "three MORE new characters cast!!" It's going to be a big mess, but will it be a good mess? Time will tell.
The Walking Dead: Zombies. AMC. YES!!! Pilot, good! Second episode...not so good. Third, okay. The rest? Mix of good and bad. Basically, this show just never really made me LOVE it. I liked it. But I SOOOOO wanted to love it. I'll likely watch the second season, but it may drop quickly from the list if it isn't a whole lot better.
The Good Wife: This show was a bit of a surprise for me because I don't always like procedurals and I didn't really care for the premise. But it's really well-done and more subtle than I thought it would be. Plus, Nurse Hathaway? Still hot. And Alan Cumming!! Even as a buttoned-down lawyer dude, he's still so fun and yummy.
Friday Night Lights: This last season was particularly well-done, especially in their handling of a teenage girl's pregnancy. But the biggest draw for me is still the relationship between Coach Taylor and Mrs. Coach. And yes, I know her name is Tami, but I like calling her Mrs. Coach. They show that married couples can fight, they can agree, they can be just sick of each other once in a while, but they still love each other and are committed.
Treme: I had some trouble with this show in that I always seemed to wait and let about 3 or 4 episodes pile up before I'd watch them all up. I think Breaking Bad may have been on at the same time, so I'd catch Treme On Demand. I kept thinking maybe I just didn't like the show, but every time I sat down to watch, I'd watch everything that was available. I think it's just a show that works better in large doses. Anyway, the show was truly spectacular in many ways, the cast, the setting, the music...I loved it. And Khandi Alexander? Truly amazing. She probably won't be nominated for an Emmy, but she should be.
Luther: This show was a bit of a mess in some ways, but I still really enjoyed it. Luther is a quite interesting character, kind of a blue-collar Sherlock Holmes. He's rough around the edges but he's highly intelligent. And Ruth Wilson's character! I'm not sure I've ever seen a dynamic like the one these two shared. I am a bit worried about the second series because they ended the first in a crazy nutso place, and I'm not sure they can extricate themselves, but it was a ballsy move, and I do want to see what happens next.
Sherlock: I realized before writing this that I have quite a fascination and love for the character of Sherlock Holmes, even though I've only read a few stories and seen a few incarnations. I actually think that the only Sherlocks I've seen (apart from this one) are Basil Rathbone and Robert Downey Jr. Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Martin Freeman and I really liked this updated version of the characters. Overall, I don't think the show was as strong as I would have liked, but I liked quite a bit in each episode and the first ep was particularly good.
Dr Who: I think that if I were able to actually watch this show weekly on my TV, it would be on my favorites list. As it was, I almost forgot about it simply because I have to wait for the DVDs to come out. And they did, so I am all caught up and I absolutely adore Matt Smith as the new Doctor. And Amy Pond is Smokin' Hot. And funny and wonderful.
Lost: I can't say the last season was the best. It had a lot of good and bad, but mostly I liked it. I just couldn't not mention it somewhere here, since I watched it from the very beginning, almost stopped watching a few times, but I stuck it out and I'm glad I did. Can't say the ending was all I'd hoped for, but what ending can be? (Except the ending to The Shield, nothing tops that in my book.) I enjoyed hanging out with the characters and enduring all manner of what-the-fuckery, so good on ya, Lost.
Disappointments:
Big Love: Hubbie and I feverishly tore through the first 3 seasons of this show and absolutely loved it. Well-rounded characters, good stories, good acting...awesomeness. We got all caught up in time to watch the fourth season on HBO. Great. And then...I dunno, the show just fell apart somewhere. There was just too much going on, half of which was utterly redonkulous. And then there was the problem of Bill. He was never someone I completely rooted for, but at least I could see his humanity and his earnestness to do the right thing by everyone. But then towards the end of the fourth season, I started to actively HATE him. A few days ago I saw a teaser preview for the fifth and final season, and the minute he appeared on screen, I wanted to throw something at him. I will probably watch at least the beginning of the new season, especially since it's the last one, but it will definitely be on a short leash.
Sons of Anarchy: A lot of people were unhappy with this season, and I'm reluctantly with them. This show was just so damn good in its second season, and the third season was kind of a bust for the most part. It had a lot of good moments, but overall it took them way too long to get to Ireland to find Jax's son. By the time he finally got back to Charming with Abel, it was all very anticlimactic. I understand that Kurt Sutter wanted to tell that Ireland story, but I wish he'd come up with a better way to do it.
True Blood: True Blood and Glee have a lot in common. Big, over-the-top, rather inconsistent. And despite, highly watchable. But the third season...I dunno. It felt like they wanted to get EVERY character possible in the thing, rather than just adding a few and then spending some time with them. I mean, they introduced Alcide but really didn't do much good with him. And he's quite a good character in the books. NERD ALERT! Plus, they always pronounced his name with a hard 'd' even though it's supposed to be pronounced "Alcee". However, one good thing? Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington. He was just the right kind of big, over-the-top scenery chewing that the show needs. I'll probably watch the new season cuz I'm a glutton for punishment, but things don't look good since every story I've read about the new season is "2 new characters cast!" and "three MORE new characters cast!!" It's going to be a big mess, but will it be a good mess? Time will tell.
The Walking Dead: Zombies. AMC. YES!!! Pilot, good! Second episode...not so good. Third, okay. The rest? Mix of good and bad. Basically, this show just never really made me LOVE it. I liked it. But I SOOOOO wanted to love it. I'll likely watch the second season, but it may drop quickly from the list if it isn't a whole lot better.
Monday, December 13, 2010
TV 2010: shows I caught up on
These are all the shows I netflixed or hulued this year.
5 stars:
Murder One (season 1)
4 1/2 stars:
Breaking Bad (seasons 1-2)
Rome (the complete series)
Skins (series 1)
Strangers with Candy (the complete series)
4 stars:
Big Love (seasons 1-3)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 1)
Dr Who: The End of Time
Homicide: Life on the Street (seasons 1-2)
Human Giant (season 1)
Larry Sanders Show (all of season one, most of seasons 2-3)
Life (the complete series)
My So-Called Life
Soap (season 1)
Sons of Anarchy (seasons 1-2)
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (season 1)
The Guild (seasons 1-3)
The Tick (2001)
The Vampire Diaries (season 1)
Undeclared
3 1/2 stars:
Curb Your Enthusiasm (seasons 2-3)
The Good Wife (season 1)
Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (seasons 1-3)
3 stars:
Being Human (series 1)
Bored to Death (season 1)
Chef! (series 1)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 4)
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars
In Plain Sight (seasons 1-2)
Journeyman
Kyle XY (season 1)
Lie to Me (season 1)
The Dana Carvey Show
The IT Crowd (series 1-3)
Weeds (season 5)
2 1/2 stars:
Kyle XY (part of season 2; burned out about halfway through)
5 stars:
Murder One (season 1)
4 1/2 stars:
Breaking Bad (seasons 1-2)
Rome (the complete series)
Skins (series 1)
Strangers with Candy (the complete series)
4 stars:
Big Love (seasons 1-3)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 1)
Dr Who: The End of Time
Homicide: Life on the Street (seasons 1-2)
Human Giant (season 1)
Larry Sanders Show (all of season one, most of seasons 2-3)
Life (the complete series)
My So-Called Life
Soap (season 1)
Sons of Anarchy (seasons 1-2)
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (season 1)
The Guild (seasons 1-3)
The Tick (2001)
The Vampire Diaries (season 1)
Undeclared
3 1/2 stars:
Curb Your Enthusiasm (seasons 2-3)
The Good Wife (season 1)
Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (seasons 1-3)
3 stars:
Being Human (series 1)
Bored to Death (season 1)
Chef! (series 1)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 4)
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars
In Plain Sight (seasons 1-2)
Journeyman
Kyle XY (season 1)
Lie to Me (season 1)
The Dana Carvey Show
The IT Crowd (series 1-3)
Weeds (season 5)
2 1/2 stars:
Kyle XY (part of season 2; burned out about halfway through)
Sunday, December 12, 2010
TV 2010: Favorite shows
I'm not calling this my "best of 2010" list. It's just my favorites. I'm not a TV critic and no one's paying me, so I do my own thing. And there's 11, not 10. It's just how I do!!
Mad Men
In terms of pure quality, I think this really was the best show this year. The thing I admire most about Mad Men is how every scene seems necessary and integral. I rarely find myself thinking, "well, they handled that badly." It's just pure quality and I think this last season was some of the finest television EVER. So much of the interactions were pure payoff from what they've been setting up from the beginning. I mean, think of that little scene with Peggy and Joan, smoking and chatting. Such a small thing, yet such a big moment for those two characters, and for us watching who love them both and know they could be besties if they just got over how different they sometimes are.
Favorite episode: "The Suitcase"
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is one of the best character studies I've ever seen. And it's a show that isn't afraid to take its characters into extremely dark places and it rarely, if ever, takes the easy way out. Just a fantastic show. And Bryan Cranston is fucking amazing. And so is Aaron Paul.
Favorite episode: "One Minute"
Louie
I knew I would like this show because I absolutely adore Louis C.K. He is probably the best stand-up comedian currently working. He is pretty fearless and he's not afraid to say things that might make him look bad. But what I couldn't have known is just how GOOD this show would be. It's funny, it's dark, it's honest, it's painful...it's just everything. I never knew exactly what I'd be watching when I sat down to watch an episode and I liked that. Even the bits I didn't like as much I at least admired for the sheer audacity and willingness to just go for it. I'm very happy this show will get a second season and I can't wait to see what he'll come up with next.
Favorite episode: "Dr. Ben" for the laughs; "God" for the gamut of emotions I felt watching it
Terriers
I knew that if nothing else, I would love Donal Logue in this. He's one of my favorite actors. So I knew he would be good, and the show would be funny. What I didn't know was how dark the show could get and how good Logue could be at the whole dramatic thing. So, yeah, I loved this show right from the first episode, which didn't feel like a first episode. And the guys took an amazing emotional journey from beginning to end, and came out different people. On another show, such an emotional journey could take 3, 4 seasons to manifest. This show? One season.
And while it's sad that there won't be another season with Hank and Britt, these 13 episodes are a complete package. All the episodes were aired, all the major season-long questions were answered, and the characters emerged better and stronger than they were in the beginning.
Favorite episode: "Change Partners" This was the third episode. The first two episodes were a bit lighter, and this one got pretty dark. It was the first real glimpse of just how fucking awesome this show was going to be.
Community
Right now, this is the show I most look forward to watching. I've re-watched quite a few episodes, something I don't usually do. I love the characters, I love the setting...I love almost everything about this show. I only say almost because occasionally I don't LOVE an episode. But I've LIKED all of them. It's a show that can be incredibly silly, and also incredibly emotional. I care about these people and I want to see what happens next. And I want to see what other colors of underwear that Joel McHale will wear. Please??
Favorite episode: "Physical Education" OR "Modern Warfare" OR "Epidemiology" OR "Cooperative Calligraphy" OR "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" (DON'T MAKE ME PICK JUST ONE!!)
Parks and Recreation
Everyone talks about the huge turnaround this show made between its first and second seasons. I watched the pilot and wasn't really enamored of it, so I bailed. Then when everyone said it got better towards the end and then the second season was even better, I caught up on it and it quickly became a show I really looked forward to every week. Ron Fucking Swanson is a big part of that love. He's one of the best characters on television.
BONUS: Louis C.K. played a love interest of Leslie Knope in early episodes, and damn, was he good. Sweet and funny.
Favorite episode: Well, my favorite is "Ron and Tammy" but it aired in 2009. So for 2010, it'd be "94 Meetings" or "Telethon."
Cougar Town
I refused to watch this show at first. I mean, Cougar Town??? Really??? And I wasn't that big a fan of Courtney Cox. But then hubbie watched some episodes and laughed his ass off and told me I should watch, so I broke down. And it was a bit painful at first. But aside from the awful cougar-y jokes, there was a core of something I quite liked. And as the show went on, it just got better. And it got rid of the awful cougar stuff. Now it's just a show that I almost always enjoy, and I look forward to it more than I do Modern Family. The characters are awesome and funny, and I like spending time with them. Penny Can!!
Favorite episode: "Everything Man"
Justified
I love Timothy Olyphant. And I love this show. It didn't always work, but when it did, it was on fire. Olyphant plays an almost familiar figure, looking much like he did as when he played Sheriff Bullock in Deadwood. But Raylan Givens is definitely NOT Seth Bullock. Raylan has much less of a stick up his ass, for one thing. And somehow this show just works. It brings in excellent guest stars and it boasts Shane Vendrell in a meaty role. Sorry, Walton Goggins. I'm quite looking forward to this show's return in 2011.
Favorite line (not sure what episode it's from):
Bad guy #1: "Where is he?"
Bad guy #2: "He's the guy in the hat over there."
#1: "The tall one?"
#2: . . . "The one with the HAT."
Favorite episode: "Hatless"
Supernatural
The sixth season of this show started out a bit rocky. Eric Kripke, the showrunner since the beginning of the show, left and it was uncertain if he would take all of the magic with him. Well, he didn't. After a few rocky episodes, the show was back to form. I just love watching these guys fight demons and I even love when they get all sappy.
Favorite episode: "Swan Song" OR "Clap Your Hands If You Believe"
The Vampire Diaries
I caught up with the first season of this show via Netflix. I watched one disc (5 eps) and I liked it enough to watch the second disc. By the end of the second disc, I was HOOKED. This show does an amazing job of keeping a lot of things going on and yet not feeling too busy. It's one of the shows I most look forward to watching every week. And I'm not even embarrassed to say that anymore. Hey, at least it isn't Twilight. These vamps are SEXY! No purity rings to be found!!
Favorite episode: "Masquerade"
Fringe
I've watched Fringe from the very beginning. I mostly liked it, but I wasn't quite feeling it for a while. But I kept watching because, hello! Walter!! One of the best characters on television. And after a while, I did start feeling it. And I liked it quite a bit. But this season, something happened. The show got so much better, it's hard to fathom. Stakes were higher. And I dunno, it just got awesome. The final episode of the year, "Marionette", was so good on so many levels.
Favorite episode: "Marionette"
Mad Men
In terms of pure quality, I think this really was the best show this year. The thing I admire most about Mad Men is how every scene seems necessary and integral. I rarely find myself thinking, "well, they handled that badly." It's just pure quality and I think this last season was some of the finest television EVER. So much of the interactions were pure payoff from what they've been setting up from the beginning. I mean, think of that little scene with Peggy and Joan, smoking and chatting. Such a small thing, yet such a big moment for those two characters, and for us watching who love them both and know they could be besties if they just got over how different they sometimes are.
Favorite episode: "The Suitcase"
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is one of the best character studies I've ever seen. And it's a show that isn't afraid to take its characters into extremely dark places and it rarely, if ever, takes the easy way out. Just a fantastic show. And Bryan Cranston is fucking amazing. And so is Aaron Paul.
Favorite episode: "One Minute"
Louie
I knew I would like this show because I absolutely adore Louis C.K. He is probably the best stand-up comedian currently working. He is pretty fearless and he's not afraid to say things that might make him look bad. But what I couldn't have known is just how GOOD this show would be. It's funny, it's dark, it's honest, it's painful...it's just everything. I never knew exactly what I'd be watching when I sat down to watch an episode and I liked that. Even the bits I didn't like as much I at least admired for the sheer audacity and willingness to just go for it. I'm very happy this show will get a second season and I can't wait to see what he'll come up with next.
Favorite episode: "Dr. Ben" for the laughs; "God" for the gamut of emotions I felt watching it
Terriers
I knew that if nothing else, I would love Donal Logue in this. He's one of my favorite actors. So I knew he would be good, and the show would be funny. What I didn't know was how dark the show could get and how good Logue could be at the whole dramatic thing. So, yeah, I loved this show right from the first episode, which didn't feel like a first episode. And the guys took an amazing emotional journey from beginning to end, and came out different people. On another show, such an emotional journey could take 3, 4 seasons to manifest. This show? One season.
And while it's sad that there won't be another season with Hank and Britt, these 13 episodes are a complete package. All the episodes were aired, all the major season-long questions were answered, and the characters emerged better and stronger than they were in the beginning.
Favorite episode: "Change Partners" This was the third episode. The first two episodes were a bit lighter, and this one got pretty dark. It was the first real glimpse of just how fucking awesome this show was going to be.
Community
Right now, this is the show I most look forward to watching. I've re-watched quite a few episodes, something I don't usually do. I love the characters, I love the setting...I love almost everything about this show. I only say almost because occasionally I don't LOVE an episode. But I've LIKED all of them. It's a show that can be incredibly silly, and also incredibly emotional. I care about these people and I want to see what happens next. And I want to see what other colors of underwear that Joel McHale will wear. Please??
Favorite episode: "Physical Education" OR "Modern Warfare" OR "Epidemiology" OR "Cooperative Calligraphy" OR "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" (DON'T MAKE ME PICK JUST ONE!!)
Parks and Recreation
Everyone talks about the huge turnaround this show made between its first and second seasons. I watched the pilot and wasn't really enamored of it, so I bailed. Then when everyone said it got better towards the end and then the second season was even better, I caught up on it and it quickly became a show I really looked forward to every week. Ron Fucking Swanson is a big part of that love. He's one of the best characters on television.
BONUS: Louis C.K. played a love interest of Leslie Knope in early episodes, and damn, was he good. Sweet and funny.
Favorite episode: Well, my favorite is "Ron and Tammy" but it aired in 2009. So for 2010, it'd be "94 Meetings" or "Telethon."
Cougar Town
I refused to watch this show at first. I mean, Cougar Town??? Really??? And I wasn't that big a fan of Courtney Cox. But then hubbie watched some episodes and laughed his ass off and told me I should watch, so I broke down. And it was a bit painful at first. But aside from the awful cougar-y jokes, there was a core of something I quite liked. And as the show went on, it just got better. And it got rid of the awful cougar stuff. Now it's just a show that I almost always enjoy, and I look forward to it more than I do Modern Family. The characters are awesome and funny, and I like spending time with them. Penny Can!!
Favorite episode: "Everything Man"
Justified
I love Timothy Olyphant. And I love this show. It didn't always work, but when it did, it was on fire. Olyphant plays an almost familiar figure, looking much like he did as when he played Sheriff Bullock in Deadwood. But Raylan Givens is definitely NOT Seth Bullock. Raylan has much less of a stick up his ass, for one thing. And somehow this show just works. It brings in excellent guest stars and it boasts Shane Vendrell in a meaty role. Sorry, Walton Goggins. I'm quite looking forward to this show's return in 2011.
Favorite line (not sure what episode it's from):
Bad guy #1: "Where is he?"
Bad guy #2: "He's the guy in the hat over there."
#1: "The tall one?"
#2: . . . "The one with the HAT."
Favorite episode: "Hatless"
Supernatural
The sixth season of this show started out a bit rocky. Eric Kripke, the showrunner since the beginning of the show, left and it was uncertain if he would take all of the magic with him. Well, he didn't. After a few rocky episodes, the show was back to form. I just love watching these guys fight demons and I even love when they get all sappy.
Favorite episode: "Swan Song" OR "Clap Your Hands If You Believe"
The Vampire Diaries
I caught up with the first season of this show via Netflix. I watched one disc (5 eps) and I liked it enough to watch the second disc. By the end of the second disc, I was HOOKED. This show does an amazing job of keeping a lot of things going on and yet not feeling too busy. It's one of the shows I most look forward to watching every week. And I'm not even embarrassed to say that anymore. Hey, at least it isn't Twilight. These vamps are SEXY! No purity rings to be found!!
Favorite episode: "Masquerade"
Fringe
I've watched Fringe from the very beginning. I mostly liked it, but I wasn't quite feeling it for a while. But I kept watching because, hello! Walter!! One of the best characters on television. And after a while, I did start feeling it. And I liked it quite a bit. But this season, something happened. The show got so much better, it's hard to fathom. Stakes were higher. And I dunno, it just got awesome. The final episode of the year, "Marionette", was so good on so many levels.
Favorite episode: "Marionette"
TV Watch 2010
This is a list of all the shows I watched in 2010. Unless otherwise noted, I watched all episodes of the shows.
30 Rock
Archer
Being Human
Better Off Ted
The Big C (watched 4 episodes)
Big Love
Boardwalk Empire
Bored to Death
Breaking Bad
Burn Notice (watched about 20 minutes of season 4 premiere)
Caprica
Castle
Chuck
Community
Cougar Town
Curb Your Enthusiasm (no episodes actually aired in 2010)
Daily Show / Colbert Report
Dexter (stopped about 4 eps into season 5)
Dr Who
Eastbound and Down
Friday Night Lights
Fringe
Glee
The Good Guys
The Good Wife
Gravity (1 episode -- WORST SHOW EVER)
Human Target
Huge
In Plain Sight
Justified
Law & Order: UK
Lie to Me (stopped about 5 eps into season 3)
Louie
Luther
Mad Men
Modern Family
Nikita (pilot)
No Ordinary Family (30 minutes of pilot)
The Office (watched a few episodes at beginning of season 7)
Parks and Recreation
Party Down
Pretty Little Liars
Psych
Raising Hope
Rubicon
RuPaul's Drag Race
Sherlock
Sons of Anarchy
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Supernatural
Terriers
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
Torchwood
Treme
True Blood
Undercovers (watched pilot)
United States of Tara
The Vampire Diaries
The Walking Dead
Warehouse 13
Weeds (stopped about 2 eps into season 6)
30 Rock
Archer
Being Human
Better Off Ted
The Big C (watched 4 episodes)
Big Love
Boardwalk Empire
Bored to Death
Breaking Bad
Burn Notice (watched about 20 minutes of season 4 premiere)
Caprica
Castle
Chuck
Community
Cougar Town
Curb Your Enthusiasm (no episodes actually aired in 2010)
Daily Show / Colbert Report
Dexter (stopped about 4 eps into season 5)
Dr Who
Eastbound and Down
Friday Night Lights
Fringe
Glee
The Good Guys
The Good Wife
Gravity (1 episode -- WORST SHOW EVER)
Human Target
Huge
In Plain Sight
Justified
Law & Order: UK
Lie to Me (stopped about 5 eps into season 3)
Louie
Luther
Mad Men
Modern Family
Nikita (pilot)
No Ordinary Family (30 minutes of pilot)
The Office (watched a few episodes at beginning of season 7)
Parks and Recreation
Party Down
Pretty Little Liars
Psych
Raising Hope
Rubicon
RuPaul's Drag Race
Sherlock
Sons of Anarchy
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Supernatural
Terriers
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
Torchwood
Treme
True Blood
Undercovers (watched pilot)
United States of Tara
The Vampire Diaries
The Walking Dead
Warehouse 13
Weeds (stopped about 2 eps into season 6)
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