2012 has come and gone, and there was a lot of good TV this past year. In my particular list, it was a resurgence of dramas pushing out a few of the comedies I had here last year (my second 10 is overflowing with comedies now). While a few established dramas notably improved, the only new show of 2012 to make the list was a comedy. Just a quick reminder, if I don't watch it, it can't make the list. I watch a lot of shows, but I can't watch everything. So no Downton Abbey. I actually just started watching that, so maybe it will show up on the 2013 list.
10.) Parenthood
Oh, Jason Katims, you know how to tug at my heart strings. Friday Night Lights was a show that no man would be ashamed to say they cried when watching it. Now, Katims' other show has completely taken on that honor as well. The first three seasons were a very good low key show about family being family, but the fourth season has taken it to a new level. Kristina's cancer story has upped the ante in every way possible for all the characters. The writers have done a great job with making the tears feel earned, too. Cancer stories can easily become too schmaltzy, but Parenthood has balanced the specter of death portion of cancer with the more mundane changes and hardships that everyone in the family has to go through in this trying time.
9.) The Walking Dead
Another drama that vastly improved in 2012. The first half of season two (which aired in 2011) started to drag things out at the farm, but ended with the spectacular barn sequence and finally finding Sophie. The back half of season two slowly improved until the finale with shocking deaths and zombies galore. There were a few too many meandering discussions along the way (which aren't bad, they just needed a little more spacing out), but the conclusion was strong enough that I was eager for more. The first half of season three has delivered with flying colors. This is the show that the spectacular pilot suggested it could be. The introduction of the Governor and the prison has breathed new life into the plots. I really like the idea (hinted at in the bar sequence in the very first episode of 2012) that the zombies aren't the real enemy anymore, it's other people.
8.) Game of Thrones
From two improved shows, to show on a downturn, albeit a small one. Season two of Game of Thrones had the task of adapting the longer A Clash of Kings into the same amount of time given to A Game of Thrones the previous year. To top it off, the second novel is not nearly as strong as the first. A drop-off of quality, while not exactly expected, was not surprising. The expanding cast of characters makes it harder to give the episodes focus and makes it harder for the viewer to follow the plots when we only get 3-5 minutes of certain characters each week. The years strongest outing (and possibly the best episode of the series so far) was the episode that focused solely on the Battle of the Blackwater. Hopefully, they can learn from that and find a better way of adapting the third (and best) novel. Even with a drop in quality, this is still a very fun show to watch. I will take many bad scenes of Daenarys screaming about her dragons if I still get the tremendous scenes of Arya and Tywin, and also pretty much everything Tyrion does.
7.) Community
I must admit that Community has been off the air for so long, that it took a few seconds for me to remember to add it to my list. Only a few seconds, but it should have been nothing for one of my favorite comedies on TV. Only the latter half of season three aired in 2012, and while the weaker of the two halves (what can be better than "Remedial Chaos Theory?"), there were still some stand out episodes. The Law & Order parody, the Ken Burns episode, the group plays and 8-bit game to win Pierce's inheritance (against Gus Fring!), and an episode almost entirely in the dreamatorium. On top of the loving homages and parodies, there was some really stand out character work for Abed and how someone with his personality can function in the real world. Dan Harmon will be missed when it finally returns in February, but I'll be happy to have it back none the less.
6.) Justified
How do you top Mags Bennett? The answer is you can't, so Justified doubled down on the villains this year with Robert Quarles and Ellstin Limehouse. It didn't live up to the majesty that was season 2, but it came close enough. They even made Winona interesting, and not an evidence stealing idiot. I really like how this show is expanding its world every season. Last year we had the Bennett clan and their hold on Harlan, and this year they introduced us to the black area of Harlan, Noble's Holler. I hope to see Limehouse more this season. From Timothy Olyphant down, great work was done by all, but especially Walton Goggins and Nick Searcy. The only gripe, and it's an annual one, is that they still have no idea what to do with the other two marshals, Tim and Rachel.
5.) Girls
This show is either love it or hate. Some people hated it before it even premiered. Outside of Louie, I can't think of any other show that has such a singular voice as this. In this day and age, that will make you stand out to me. The icing on the cake is that I really like Lena Dunham's voice. These four young women trying to make their way in Brooklyn are not good people, and that's part of the fun of watching them. More so than anything else, I'm amazed by the character of Adam. I hated him so much in those first few episodes, but by the end of the season, you're rooting for him to break up with Hannah because of the way she's treated him. That transformation can be hard to pull of over long periods of time, let alone 10 episodes.
4.) Louie
Louis C.K. can't seem to stay still. The past seasons of this show have almost no continuity. Louie is comic, has two daughters, a crush on his friend, sometimes a brother, and that's it. Not this year, and it really made a difference. I don't think season three was a strong overall as season two was, but when Louie was yelling at the Letterman sign after three episodes of trying to get that job, it meant something more because it took more time to get there. Louis is taking a year off before bringing us season four in 2014, and he can take all the time he needs to make sure we still get a product this consistently good. It will certainly be missed, though.
3.) Parks and Recreation
I just adore everything about this show. Maybe I'm blinded by my love, but I don't care. There's no show on TV with as much heart and love for their characters as this show. When Leslie stood in that voting booth and became emotional because she was about to fulfill a lifelong dream and vote for herself, it was possibly the most heartwarming moment on television for all of 2012. I'm not sure there's any other comedy out there that lets its characters grow as much as these. Leslie is now a councilwoman, April is actually caring about things, Andy is following a dream of his to become a police officer, Ben is leaving big politics to be with the woman he loves, Chris is slowly conquering his fears of growing older, and Tom is learning from his past mistakes and starting a good business venture. Ron hasn't changed much, but he's Ron Effing Swanson. I just wish the writers could figure out what to do with Ann besides being Leslie's best friend. When everything else is firing on all cylinders, Ann not being fully fleshed out these days is a minor sin.
2.) Breaking Bad
I was late to this show, but what a treat it has been to catch up. The first half of season five sees Walt delving even deeper in megalomania, and things actually falling into place for once. More so than any other time, this has been Anna Gunn's time to shine as Skyler. She's found herself trapped by her drug kingpin husband and is doing her best work of the series. Her telling Walt that her only ray of hope is waiting for the cancer to come back is a truly chilling moment. Amid all the dreariness, though, was an adrenaline fueled train caper, albeit with a dreary Breaking Bad type ending to it, and career best work from Jonathan Banks. Finally, this show still has some of the best cinematography on television. The only other show that looks this good is my number one pick.
1.) Mad Men
What can I write about Mad Men that hasn't been written by many other people many, many times before? Probably nothing, but I'm going to say a few things anyway. Season five of this show managed to be very different, while still feeling like the same show. A minor character from last season, Megan, is thrust into the limelight, almost overtaking Don in importance. The writers and directors played with the format, giving us a fever dream episode with a murder, an episode split into three stories with a wild LSD trip, and an editing fake out where Joan goes through with something we had all hoped she wouldn't. As we get further into the sixties and society is becoming less rigid, so is the show.
Second 10 (in alphabetical order): 30 Rock, Archer, Bob's Burgers, Cougar Town, Futurama, Homeland, The Legend of Korra, New Girl, Sherlock, Treme
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