TUBE!
Some people hate end-of-the-year lists, but I love them. So, you are about to get mine about TV. But I have a couple of disclaimers. First, this is a list of the best things I watched this year, although they may haven't technically occurred this year. Secondly, don't worry, the fact that I am currently reviewing the entire STAR TREK franchise and am going through "CHEERS" all over again will not count. The things here will be a little bit more relevant to the current times. In other words, should something have been aired at the end of 2012, it might be on my list here. I guess I will start with number 12 and work may way to number 1. Because if I start with Number 1, it kind of becomes anti-climatic...one pick after another.
So here we go:
HONORABLE MENTION: LIVE FROM DARYL'S HOUSE - Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates fame invites different performers to his home to just jam with him. He normally does one of their songs and they do one of his. My favorite episode? The one featuring Allen Stone. (Can be seen on Youtube, as many episodes can be)
12. THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR HUMOR: 2013, Carol Burnett
This broadcast from the Kennedy Center is always a delight, but the 16th winner being Carol Burnett was something special. She is a mega-talented American Institution - to comedy what John Wayne was to westerns. (might be seen, in part anyway, on YouTube)
11: LILLYHAMMER - season 1 & 2.
Steven Van Zant plays a New York "goodfella" who needs to be in the witness relocation program. Instead of the usual tropical choice, he opts for Lillehammer, Norway. He sets up his own "Flamingo" nightclub, and there the fun ensues. Season 2 introduces a wider cast of misfits and overall is better than the 1st, but I miss the use of his love interest in Season 1. (Stream on Netflix)
10. LONGMIRE - season 1 & 2
A wonderful show about Walt Longmire, [Robert Taylor] a Sheriff in Wyoming, who has taken his job back after his wife's death, and has a task each episode. In other words, you can tune into any episode and be satisfied - although there are ongoing plot-lines. (Stream on Netflix)
9. ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
An original NETFLIX production, (btw, I love how Netflix is redefining how we watch TV), and this is one of those shows you can binge-watch in a weekend. A woman makes some bad choices in her girlfriend relationship, and ends up in prison, entirely out of her element. Has a boyfriend, but has tendencies......(of course stream on Netflix...it's their show after all)
8. HOMELAND - Season 1
An HBO series focused around a returned POW held in the middle east, Nicholas Brody [Damien Lewis] for years and the CIA agent Carrie Matheson [Claire Danes] who's obsessed that he has been "turned" and that he is a danger. Nevertheless, she sleeps with him. So there's that. Also features the most over-rated guy in the world, Mandy Patikin, as Saul Berenson.
7. SONS OF ANARCHY - seasons 4 & 5
Once again America's favorite despicable band of outlaw bikers and their "old ladies" continue to stay fascinating in a sick, looking-at-the-train-wreck kind of way. The plots remain interesting and besides Jimmy Smits being introduced into the mix, more of "The Shield" cast filter through. (Now must be steamed through Netflix or maybe Hulu)
6. BOARDWALK EMPIRE - Season 2
Steve Buschemi as a mobster in prohibition 1920's in Atlantic City is as interesting as the decision to cast Steve Buschemi. But he is magnificent as is everyone in the cast. And that includes the band in the speakeasy nightclub, Dafney Coleman, and Stephan Graham- playing a young green Al Capone. There is way too much to say about this, [ala Michael Kenneth White] so I'd better let you find out for yourself. (I got it through CDs on Netflix)
5. THE WALKING DEAD - Season 3
Many fans weren't fond of Season 2. I was. No problem. Season 3 took turns I wouldn't have taken as a writer, but sometimes different isn't worse, it's just different. The gang that continues to try to survive hold up in a prison, after fighting their way in and leaving the obligatory leaks for dramatic effect in the fence. They hold up in cell-blocks and have to deal with the "Governor" a egocentric maniac who oversees another survival group nearby. A couple characters we've grown to love end up dying but that is the nature of this show. Worthwhile nevertheless. (Stream on Demand, Netflix, Hulu maybe)
4. THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS
Kevin Costner as Hatfield and Bill Paxton as McCoy, as well as an astounding cast of principles, are mind blowing. Kostner was born to play westerns. This a wonderful, and as it turns out, a historically accurate account of America's longest and most painful family feud. Intriguing does not do it justice. (can be streamed on Netflix)
3. THE BLACK LIST
Who would ever imagine Network TV could remotely churn out anything to make this list? But NBC did. And at Number 3. That's how good this is. James Spader is a jewel and here he plays a great character who turns himself into the FBI, and in turn works with only one agent and helps them eliminate people that are on his "Black List." Turns out they are on their lists too, so it's win/win. And it is implied that the agent is his daughter. There were only about 10 initial episodes, but it was enough of a hit that they -NBC- have renewed (translation: ordered another 10 episodes - anybody remember when a season meant 23 episodes?) (This can be streamed ON DEMAND or HULU, but episodes 2 through 5 are not available)
2. HOUSE OF CARDS
This just might be Kevin Spacey's best work ever. He plays the minority whip in the House of Representatives and as I said in my review, takes us through the dark underbelly of what really happens inside the beltway. If it weren't for the next entry, I might say this was the best TV I ever saw, but can't say that. But please don't miss this experience. Robin Wright, you are wonderful. It's a Netflix original, so subscribe, watch this, and cancel. But really I think even better things are coming. So you might want to just bite the bullet and enjoy quality TV.
1. BREAKING BAD - season 5
This final season came in two 8 episode installments. That was almost a blessing. I needed a breather in between. This was the finale season in the greatest TV experience I've ever had the pleasure to watch. Bryan Cranston as Walter White, and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman were one on the greatest TV one-two punches since Andy and Barney. And a supporting cast that would make any producer envious. There was Anna Gunn as Walt's wife, Dean Norris as his DEA agent brother-in-law, and many more that all deserve mention. This was fantastic, and solidly deserves my number 1 slot. Please, if you haven't seen it, start from the beginning and witness this work of TV art. And for my money, TV is where the real art is being made these days.
So here you go. This was the best TV I witnessed this year. I hope you too have had the pleasure of witnessing some or all of the things I talked about here. I do believe that in this world of Super-hero, blow-up stuff, movies, that TV has stepped up and become where it's at for true artists. And in the last couple years it appears that way....
And although I'm not paid to say it, you might want to think about streaming Netflix....there is a lot of cool stuff happening there, and they don't play the feed-you-one-episode at a time thing. I love how they have redefined TV and you can binge watch a series in a weekend, or however it fits you. To me, Netflix is making that defiant, snot-nosed, shout in the face of Network TV. Please reference the beginning of "Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" by The Young Rascals. Seriously, do it. It's the same wonderful thing.
2013 was all in all, a good TV year.
No comments:
Post a Comment