Showing posts with label Breaking Bad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breaking Bad. Show all posts

Monday, December 19, 2011

My Top 10 TV Shows of 2011

I'm really hoping that with the new year, my zest for, well, anything really, will return, but until then, this blog is going to be pretty sparse. It's not that there isn't plenty to talk about TV wise (the fact that Once Upon a Time just killed off one of the few characters I liked is currently irking me and the fate of Boardwalk Empire sans Jimmy looms large), but I just can't seem to care enough to type. Venting to the kiddies at work is my current outlet. I highly recommend everyone get their coworkers hooked on all the same shows.

Anyhow, in spite of my apathy, I couldn't not put together a top 10 list of the best television programs of the year, and then some significantly pettier, dorkier lists as well. Without further ado, and in no particular order...

MY TOP 10 SHOWS OF 2011

JUSTIFIED
My love for this show knows no bounds, and the fact that it's been rather conspicuously absent from my schedule since March is kind of maddening. That said, the show is finally starting up in about a month and I can't wait. FX has been re-airing the first season and even though I've already seen it at least twice, I couldn't help but watch again. What's more, it didn't even occur to me to fast-forward through the boring or annoying parts because, well, there aren't any. It's not a crazy, fast-paced, explosion a minute kind of show or anything, but I find that I'm simply riveted from beginning to end. While season 1 was fantastic, season 2 brought something even more amazing to the table: Mags Bennet. When you have a cast of characters that includes the likes of the Crowder clan, it's hard to imagine someone stealing the spotlight, but Margo Martindale was electrifying. My one quibble with the show in general is that female characters tend to play the damsel, but the addition of Mags (and Loretta for that matter), balanced the scales in all the best ways. Oh sure, we started the "Oh, for hell's sakes, Winona!" drinking game during her tenure as the dithering damsel with sticky fingers, Mags was there to temper the gender gap. She was layered and warm and terrifying and ruthless and caring, oftentimes all at once. I'm incredibly sad that Mags won't be back for season 3, and her loss, coupled with the loss of Helen and Loretta, the other tremendous female characters on the show, means that we're left with Winona and Ava. If any show has the power to turn them into more than moronic damsels and fluttering love interests, it's Justified, but their treatment of these two thus far gives me pause... That said, the promos have Raylan and Boyd seemingly teaming up, so there's only so much I can worry about.

BREAKING BAD
Once upon a time, when television aficionados would herald the greatness of the medium or defend it against the slings and arrows of critics defaming it as pulp, they would call on The Wire to justify their cause. Now they call on Breaking Bad. This show is just so, so good. This is one of the few shows that I've actually addressed in fair measure lately, so I'll keep this short. Maybe. While it's been a powerhouse of awesome and artistry since day one, I think this most recent season might have been their best yet. The brilliance with which the writers balanced so many different factions, agendas, mental and emotional priorities, political concerns, and kingpins is nothing short of amazing. At any given time, I found myself pulling for someone different, condemning characters I once loved, and exalting the baddest of the bad. Then it would all change in the coming week. The best part of all is that these shifts in my loyalties were not based on the most ostentatious or sensational of events. By contrast, with Breaking Bad, it's the quiet moments that shed the most light and send me reeling. Which isn't to say that the show is lacking in big, insane, WTF moments or anything. There are certainly plenty of those. It's just that with Breaking Bad, a scene with a few guys sitting around a table talking (or a scene with no talking at all) is just as gripping and terrifying as the deadliest shootout, the biggest explosion, or a mass poisoning. This season saw the end of Tio Salamanca (ding! ding! ding!) and Gus Fring, two irreplaceable powerhouses, but I have every confidence that next season will see the introduction of even fiercer, quirkier baddies. In a lot of ways, I think the season 4 finale could have served well as the series finale, but I'm sure glad it wasn't.

REVENGE
Going into every fall pilot season, I have shows that I'm excited about, shows that I know I'll hate, and shows that I'm willing to give a shot, but fully suspect I'll drop them in a couple of weeks. Revenge definitely fell into the third category. Little did I know it would quickly turn into the sudsiest, juiciest, most delectably addictive soap opera to hit TV in years. The first few episodes had me a little worried that I was headed for a revenge procedural, with Emily dispatching of one of her father's foes each week, all wrapped up in a nice little bow. Much to my delight, those early episodes were only setting up the tangle web to come. This show is a soap opera, which is generally used in the pejorative, but there's not guilt in this pleasure. With any genre, there are going to be good ones and bad ones. For genres like "chick flick", "rom com", "soap opera", and "crime procedural", the bad so often outnumber the good that the genre as a whole gets a bad wrap. Well, Revenge may be a soap, but it's a bloody good one. The story-telling is lightning fast, but there's also a long con that sweeps maliciously from episode to episode, tying things tighter and raising the stakes. The characters are surprisingly layered and complex, giving the writers plenty of room to explore not just the outlandish soapy plot elements, but the more intriguing character elements as well. The cast in general is very strong, but my heart belongs to Nolan (which, given my propensity for siding with the smart, snarky game-changer should come as no surprise). Revenge is truly a watercooler show, even in an age when everyone seems to watch shows at different times. With Revenge, you simply can't afford to risk missing it or you'll be subject to 45 minutes of heated discussion without you. I'm not sure where the show is headed in the long run (although I hear a move to New York is in store for season 2), but I'm definitely along for the ride.

BEING HUMAN (UK)
Although the US version tries desperately to keep pace with it's British predecessor, it's an incredibly high bar that it will never surpass. The most recent season of the British version ended many months ago, but it was still one of the first shows to come to mind when compiling this list. Being Human, on paper, has one of the most absurd, campy, tween concepts in town. And yet, the writers brilliantly explore the human condition through werewolves, ghosts, and vampires. Indeed, by looking at what humans are when they aren't human at all, it sheds light on humanity as a whole. This most recent season was brutal and beautiful and heartbreaking. The writers had a plan from day one, plotted and executed it perfectly, and ended right where they should have, even if that was the most devastating place possible. It's months later and I still can't believe Mitchell is truly gone. As the season began, and it was foretold that he would be killed by a werewolf, fans couldn't help but wonder if that werewolf would be George. Against all inclinations to the contrary, as the season concluded, it only made sense that George would end Mitchell's life. It had to be done, I knew it had to be done, but it was devastating for all involved. No matter what Mitchell had done, no matter in how many ways his inhumanity wreaked havoc, he wanted so desperately to be a good person, but it just never happened. Until the bitter end. The wolf-shaped bullet ending his life was, in its own way, the most human thing to have happened. I honestly don't know where the show will go without his handsome mug, but even if it falls apart, I can always remember last season as being something truly special. The US version can try and try all it likes to match the darkness, the brutality, the hilarity, and the humanity of its predecessor, but I can't really fault it for falling short.

SUITS
Last year, almost all of USA Network's line-up got a nod in my "Best Of" list, but this year, only their newest show garners a spot. While one-time favorites slumped, fell by the wayside, or decreased in quality, Suits arose as the banner show for the network. I assumed this would be yet another "blue skies" procedural for the network, taking the exact same principles and elements of their other shows and wrapping them in the guise of "lawyer show," I was very pleasantly surprised to find the network's most adult offering to date. It has "lawyer show" elements, of course, but it's more of a serial than I've ever seen on USA, it takes more chances narratively, and it even adopts the standards and practices for foul language that networks FX and AMC have employed for years. The occasional "shit" may not seem like much, but it marks a shift in terms of tone and audience. I recently noticed that Covert Affairs has taken a similar tack, so I'm hopeful that as the network takes more chances, the quality and originality would follow suit. Don't get me wrong, I've always enjoyed the "blue skies" approach taken by the network, but after a few years, it starts to wear on you with its sameness. For various reasons, USA's other options haven't retained their luster, but the sameness is one of the main factors. Burn Notice has played the same hand for the past three seasons, needing a reinvention sooner than later, In Plain Sight got pregnant and ruined the show, Covert Affairs is somehow surprisingly boring, seeming to have lost its narrative thrust, its sense of direction, and its understanding of its own characters, and Psych is... well, it's Psych. If you've seen one episode, you've seen them all. (White Collar is really the only other show on the network that has upped the ante and kept me totally enthralled.) Suits (oh yeah! we're talking about Suits!) bucks the trend of sameness in the best ways possible. It takes the best elements of the network's shows and adds so much more. Suits isn't afraid to have heroes that do bad things, characters that are unlikable, and real tension. All of this is undercut with an incredibly charming bromance, a lot of laughs, and several ongoing storylines to keep the show from stagnating or stalling. In the best surprise of all, they have crafted characters that are layered and intriguing in surprising ways for this network. Indeed, the show's lead, Harvey Spector, isn't particularly likeable on a number of levels, but that's what makes him so special. He's not the kind of character I usually latch onto, but I'm completely enamored. This kind of connection with characters, and the knowledge that they won't always do what you expect them to, makes for a surprising ride where I genuinely don't know what's going to happen every single minute of every episode. It's a lovely change of pace for USA and one that I hope continues. I can't wait for Suits to come back and have spent the downtime re-watching this year's episodes.

GAME OF THRONES
It honestly took me about half of the first season to really get invested in this show, but once I did, I found myself really looking forward to it week-to-week. Even if it weren't my kind of show, the size and scope and scale of the production should garner it a spot on most lists. My initial qualms with the show stemmed from the seeming marginalization of the female characters. Based on the time and setting, it made sense, but that didn't mean they deserved to be afterthoughts. As the season progressed, however, I was very pleased to see the female characters taking center stage and becoming substantive movers and shakers in the narrative. As the season drew to a close, my qualms were fully assuaged. Rumors of storylines to come have also bolstered my confidence. It's not the easiest show to jump into if you haven't read the books, but I think the writers and producers did a nice job of paring down the cast and explaining who was who in a mostly non-oppressive manner. I have always appreciated a show that's willing to kill people off (as long as it makes sense for the story and isn't to the clear detriment of the show... *cough* Once Upon a Time *cough*), and Game of Thrones does not hold back. I had heard that the characters who start off the series are not the ones you end up with in the end, but this didn't truly hit home until Ned was beheaded. That takes balls. As much as I enjoyed Ned, killing him off was true to form and turned the narrative on its head. That's the kind of storytelling that keeps me on my toes and genuinely surprises me. When all bets are off, there's a terrifying sense of the unknown that I absolutely love and dread with equal measure. For someone who watches as much television as I do, it's not easy to quash my expectations, so when a show manages to achieve such a feat, it gets rewarded with a place on this list. Game of Thrones wasn't perfect, but it came close enough. I'd tune in just for Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish alone, but Robb Stark and Jon Snow don't hurt either. Now that the show has it's legs and a better grasp of how to turn this story into a series, I'm very hopeful that season 2 was be even more sensational that season 1. It'll certainly be just as expensive to produce. Wow, HBO knows how to loosen the purse-strings and I can't thank them enough.

COMMUNITY
No top 10 list would be complete without the best comedy on TV. No, not Modern Family. Indeed, while Community continues to push the boundaries and have me rolling in the aisles for new and surprising reasons each week, Modern Family seems to get more and more boring. I used to really enjoy the show, but more and more, I find myself smiling on occasion, and almost never laughing out loud. This is most delightedly not the case with Community. Most shows on TV can be likened to other contemporaries or predecessors, but Community is genuinely unlike any other show. In any given week, the show somehow manages to combine hilarious gags, clever jokes, erudite allusions, and a hell of a lot of heart with a willingness to play with form and narrative unlike any other show. You truly never know what exactly to expect from Community, whether it be a Spaghetti Western, a musical, an homage to an obscure movie, a parody of an entire genre, a more conventional comedy episode with a splash of anime, or anything and everything in between. They play with storytelling in a way that makes me smile every time. All the while, the show maintains its warmth and heart. The show isn't too cool for school, and it embraces it. Indeed, this collection of characters is probably the most endearing family on TV. Other comedies find themselves hitting the same beats again and again, what with comedy being a genre where true character growth and development is difficult to manage, but Community throws out the rulebook, giving it's characters real journeys to follow all the while making me crack up. I'm heartbroken that NBC has shelved the show until who-knows-when. I realize that the ratings are bad, but so are the ratings of every other show on the network. I don't want to live in a world where dreck like Whitney and dumbass shlock like Two and Half Men survive, but Community gets put on hiatus. Oh, America. You make me sad sometimes. I do hope that NBC keeps sucking just long enough for Community to get another season. They're only about a season away from being able to be sold into syndication, so hopefully NBC will take that into consideration. Come back, Community! Come back!!!

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
The CW doesn't often get a lot of love when it comes to critical acclaim, but more and more, even the hold-outs have had to admit that The Vampire Diaries is one hell of a show. No longer mistakenly thought of as a Twilight rip-off or True Blood lite, The Vampire Diaries has set itself apart as a kickass supernatural thriller. It's storytelling is tight and compelling, giving viewers a thrill-a-minute, tantalizing cliffhangers, and a surprising amount of depth and character advancement. Sure it has its flaws, but ounce for ounce, it's one of the best shows out there. While the last part of season two got a bit muddled with the moonstone and the curse, season 3 has been its best yet. Two of the best aspects of the show are that it's willing to kill off important and beloved characters and if a character doesn't need to be in an episode he/she isn't in it. True Blood could learn a lot from TVD in this regard. TVD blazes through story at a breakneck pace, introducing new characters and killing off others in near equal measure. This keeps the cast from spiraling out of control the way that True Blood has. What's more, the storytelling is tight and interlaced among the characters. While True Blood has about 87 different storylines going at once, half of which have nothing to do with the others, TVD brings everything together in the most tantalizing of possible ways, ending each episode (if not each segment) with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. There's an insane amount of character history and supernatural mythology that has been doled out over the past two and a half seasons, but somehow the show makes it all work (well, mostly). When Rebekah revealed the history of her family, the origins of werewolves, the original vampires, her brother as a hybrid, the sun and the moon curse, and everything in between, it... actually made a lot of sense! Sure there are certain things that we just kind of ignore, but for the most part, the writers put it altogether in a way that worked. No small feat, that. The show also manages to impart all of that history and mythology in a captivating way. Seriously, where most shows put me to sleep with plot exposition and info dumps, TVD makes those some of their best episodes. Seriously, in a recent episode, the entirety of the actual action that took place was Elena talking to Rebekah while Damon and Stefan hung out. Sounds like a snooze-fest, but it was exciting, revelatory, and fabulous. Best of all? Elena and Stefan, who used to be on the bland and boring side, have become interesting and badass in their own ways. Evil Stefan is even better than I would have guessed and Elena has finally taken some control over her life. Now if we can just kill off Bonnie and Matt, we'll be good to go!

THE GOOD WIFE
This is one show that has received a fair bit of press on this blog (more so than the other deserving entries on this list), but I promise, it's still not enough. That this is one of the best dramas on TV goes against so many factors. The show airs on network TV, said network is CBS of all things, the show features actual adults, it tackles sensitive issues like religion, politics, and money in just about every episode, it's been moved around on the schedule, and it skews older in terms of demographic (for some unknown reason). And yet, it survives. This show is smart and sexy and has more than a few serial elements to it. In a network viewing landscape that has seen the success of one crappy crime procedural after another, The Good Wife bucks the trend. Thank god! Season 2 was absolutely amazing. Seriously, the last 5 or 6 episodes could each have served as the jaw-dropping, gut-wrenching season finale, but they just kept piling on the awesome, episode after episode, culminating in one of the best season finales I've ever seen. So good, in fact, that had the show been unjustly axed after season 2, it could have served as one hell of a send off. Season 3 hasn't quite kept pace with the insanity of the last half of season 2, but it's building slowly and surely. One of the most heartbreaking factors of season 2, Kalinda and Alicia's falling out, reverberates through season 3 in a very real, restrained way. One of the things I've always loved best about the show is that the female characters are allowed to have layers, agendas, and a well-rounded presence on the screen. They're also allowed to be friends. On most shows, women are invariably pitted as sexual rivals. On The Good Wife, as with the real world, women are friends, they support one another, and form complex bonds and relationships with one another. Seeing Kalinda and Alicia, the best of friends, fall apart was devastating, but seeing the slow easing of tensions over season 3 has been incredibly rewarding. This show knows how to hit all the right buttons and it doesn't casually forget about things that have happened before. I'm constantly amazed at how a person, an event, or a piece of information comes back many episodes later like a lightning bolt. This show has an amazing cast, an enviable list of guest stars, and Eli Gold to boot. Alan Cumming is completely magnetic as Eli, but this is so good that even when he's not in an episode, I don't notice until long after the show is done. As with The Vampire Diaries, The Good Wife knows how to economize storytelling. If they don't need a character, they don't have that character. Case closed. (Heh, get it? Case closed? They're lawyers? I'll shut up now.)

SHAMELESS

Any and all US imports of British shows are met with extreme scrutiny and prejudice from this humble TV watcher. The same goes for animated shows being adapted to live action. In general, I simply don't see the point. In most cases, the original is by far the superior and a remake or adaptation seems unnecessary and counter-intuitive. It's with this bias in mind that I'm surprised at how much I grew to love Showtime's US adaptation of Shameless, a raunchy British program that I was honestly not too familiar with. To this day, I've only seen a couple of the episodes of the British series, but to my delight, the US adaptation took the principles of its predecessor, made the show its own, and made it really damn good. It took me a couple of episodes to really invest in the show, finding William H. Macy's character to be more of a hindrance than a celebrity draw, but as the show settled in and found its feet, it managed to craft interesting, complex characters whose interdynamics sucked me right in. At its heart, Shameless is about a family. For all of its dysfunction, and there plenty to go around, at the end of the day, the burdens and traumas they suffer makes them one of the closest knit families on TV. When you're that poor, that desperate, and that downtrodden, all you have is each other. The family simply has to work together just to survive. On a less dire level, I can relate. My family was by no means as bad off as the Gallagher clan, but it was very clear to all of us from a very young age that we don't have the luxury of bickering or fighting or holding petty grudges. We're all in this together, and a lot of the time, that's all we have. In speaking with other people, I'm constantly amazed at how well my family got along, how close we all were (and are), and how willing we are to give relatives money without any expectation of repayment. I always assumed all families were like that when I was a kid, but as it turns out, we were in the minority. Anyhow, with the Gallaghers, this hits home in a number of social, psychological, and financial ways. It was so heartbreaking to watch Fiona, the eldest daughter turned mother, trying to break free of all the responsibility, only to find that she simply couldn't. The last few episodes of the season were tremendous and showed how this kind of close-knit dependence on one another has its wonderful aspects and also its insidious underpinnings. Her siblings want her to go, they know she's paid her dues, but she just can't leave them. What started out as a raunchy dramedy that was trying too hard to be shocking quickly morphed into a searing character piece with the family unit as a whole being the most important single character of all. It's been gone for entirely too long and I can't wait for season 2 to premiere early next year.

**HONORABLE MENTIONS**


Alphas
It's a genre show, but it genuinely managed to put a new spin on an old routine. Most importantly for any genre show, it focused on the characters as much as the storyline, so that helped turn it into quite a quality program by the end of its first season.

The Chicago Code

Gone, but not forgotten. I'm not a huge fan of cop shows, but this one was excellent. It's ratings weren't spectacular, but they were steady and decent. This show really had Fox's once chance at any kind of dramatic critical acclaim, but they opted for poorly crafted CG dinosaurs and a bickering family that just refused to get eaten by them instead. Boo.

Nikita
Season 2 hasn't quite had the same focus or narrative drive as season 1, but this show is still a solid genre show that knows how to craft a spy thriller. Covert Affairs should take notice. This show is 15 times more entertaining and exciting on 1/10th the budget. Where Covert Affairs is so bland this year the background is more interesting than the story, Nikita takes what it has and makes the most of it.

Hell on Wheels
I'm... not entirely sure why I'm enjoying this show so much. Nothing... really... happens. But, I find I get swept up in whatever is happening on screen and I don't seem to mind that over the course of several episodes, we've basically built 10 feet of railroad and... ridden some horses? Whatever the reason, I'm digging it.

Boardwalk Empire
If my list above were a top 11, this would have made the cut. It made last year's list, but their second season took a lot time to really get me enthralled. I got several episodes behind because I just didn't feel very invested anymore, but once I got caught up, I could appreciate that in a number of ways, it was better than ever.

White Collar
Aside from Suits, this is really the only other USA network offering that I'm excited about. This last year the show hit quite a stride, and while there were some casting decisions I still can't believe, on the whole, this is a light, fun caper with enough depth to keep me eagerly anticipating its return next month. And then, of course, there's Matt Bomer, so it may as well be a freeze-frame for 42 minutes and I'd be just as pleased.

Aside from my overall top shows of the year (and well-deserving honorable mentions), there were some other odds and ends and categories that I just had to include in my year-end review as well. Here are some random judgments and dubious distinctions...

Shows that Showed Signs of Recovery Only to Flatline Once Again:
  • Glee
    After the craptastic second season, I had pretty low expectations for season 3. When the season started off and seemed to have gained a slight grasp of continuity and storytelling, I was ready to put this in the Most Improved Show category... Until a few episodes ago when it all got shitty again. Seriously, that Christmas episode was even more painful than usual.

  • How I Met Your Mother
    Started off a bit better than expected, but then Lily and Marshall got pregnant, then Robin got pregnant, or didn't... oh, who the hell cares. It was awful either way.

Worst Hair and/or Clothes:

  • Robin (How I Met Your Mother)
    Apparently barrenness leads to hideous hair and horrible wardrobe choices? That's all I can guess, because why else would they make her look that way?

  • The Entire Cast (Parenthood)
    Okay, maybe not the entire cast, but I think it's safe to say they hit critical mass about 3 characters back. When you hit 80%, is there any real reason to split hairs? (Heh, get it? Oh lord, that pun was almost as bad as Haddie's permed bangs... sorry about that.)

  • Dr. Reid (Criminal Minds)
    Not going to lie, he's the reason I started watching the show. His look and persona were a huge part of the draw. Now he has this unfortunate fuzzy, choppy something or other on his head and it just takes the charm away...

  • Rachel (Glee)
    The storytelling wasn't the only casualty during season 2...

Best Chemistry:
  • Damon and Elena (The Vampire Diaries)
    A lot of real-life couples fall flat on screen, but these two totally sizzle. Seriously, that (fully-clothed) scene where he ran his hand along her ribs was sexier than some of the most explicit sex scenes I've seen.

  • Eli and Kalinda (The Good Wife)
    They may not be sleeping together (that I know of... that would be kind of awesome, actually), but the rapport between Alan Cumming and Archie Panjabi is completely irresistible. Eli's chemistry with just about anyone is giggle-worthy and fabulous, but with Kalinda, he sees a true peer. He doesn't bullshit her the way he does other people and she doesn't try to manipulate him the way should would someone else. The professional courtesy is hilarious and undeniable.

  • Nolan and Tyler (Revenge)
    These two are both so conniving, so manipulative, and so driven that it's hard to know just what to make of them as a pair, but one thing is for sure, their chemistry is sexy as hell. Although Tyler might claim otherwise, I'm guessing they're both about a 3 on the Kinsey scale, so anything goes. Their couple portmanteau is "TyleNol" by the way, which is just about the best I've ever seen.

Speaking of Magnetism on Screen, Here are My Irrational TV Crushes of 2011:
  • Robb Stark (Game of Thrones)
    It took me a while to really connect with the show, but his presence among the cast was never an equivocal one.

  • Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)
    Aaron Paul is such a tremendous actor that yes, I kinda sorta really adore a murderer/drug dealer. I mainly just want to give the guy a hug. He certainly needs one.

  • Harvey Specter (Suits)
    As I mentioned above, I'm a little surprised by this one, but Gabriel Macht is just beautiful and he manages to make a slick, corporate, 1 percenter unbelievably sexy.

  • Johnny Iuzzini (Top Chef: Just Desserts)
    Love him. Aside from being talented, charming, and easy on the eyes, he's a bit of a gay icon and he's totally fine with that (even though he's straight). That wins him a hell of a lot of points in my book. Rather than being threatened by attention from the gay community, he embraces it. WIN.

  • Seymour Birkoff (Nikita)
    I know, I know, of all the beautiful people on that show, I'm in love with the snarky computer nerd. That's just how I roll. Not that Michael or Owen or Ryan or anyone else isn't a winner, but my heart belongs to Birkoff.

  • Nikita (Nikita)
    Okay, it belongs to Birkoff or Nikita. It's a toss-up. Maggie Q is amazing. She simply could not be any more fabulous. Or badass. Or gorgeous. Could I be her when I grow up? Pretty please? Ooh, or Kalinda!

  • Hardison (Leverage)
    It's a mid-level show, to be sure, but Hardison makes it all worth it. He's far and away the best part of the show and certainly the easiest to look at.

  • Mitchell (Being Human UK)
    Goddamn, he's beautiful. Yeah, yeah, he slaughtered a train full of people... Still beautiful. Sometimes, it's what's on the outside that counts.

  • Paulo (The Borgias)
    Okay, I admit his hair is not doing him any favors, but that's what you get when you're cast in a period piece. That said, Luke Pasqualino will always be Freddie to me and that's really all it takes. My darling Freddie (sob). Love him. Unfortunate historically-accurate haircut and all.

  • Nolan (Revenge)
    He may not be the most conventionally attractive guy on the show, but for me, personality, character, and intelligence count for about 80%. Being a 3 on the Kinsey scale certainly doesn't hurt either.

  • Tim Gutterson (Justified)
    His character is pretty much the exact opposite of what I would ever really want, but I just adore him. Seriously, a law enforcement officer with a history in the military? Yikes. And yet, his manner is so appealing and his demeanor so chill, I just can't help myself.

  • Jai Wilcox (Covert Affairs)
    Sure it took me an entire season to stop calling him Mohinder, but that in no way diminishes the pretty. It's a very attractive cast in general (you know, as opposed to all those shows with ugly people), but he takes the cake. Not that he'd be able to eat it, but still. It may be a boring show, but the scenery is nice.

  • Damon (The Vampire Diaries)
    No list of TV crushes would be complete without Damon Salvatore making an entry. It's a plain and simple fact that's beyond reproach or argument.

Well, kiddies, I think that's it for me this year. I'm hoping to be less of a slacker as the new year begins, but I excel at not giving a shit. We'll see. Happy viewing!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

"It's over. We're safe. I won."

If you haven't watched Breaking Bad yet, you need to start. For all the people out there who think television is a pulp medium and a vacuous waste of time, take notice. I'm not saying there isn't a truly depressing amount of total shit on the airwaves right now (the E! network relies on such shows to feed their families), but if you sift through all the awful, there are some absolute gems. Right now? None rises higher on my list than Breaking Bad, which, after completing four seasons, is better than ever.

This show keeps you on your toes, even when you don't realize your on them. It's like when you've been tensing a muscle for so long that you forget about it until the tension releases. With Breaking Bad, the knots grow tighter and the water gets hotter so gradually that by the time you reach the end of the season, every single moment, no matter how seemingly calm or staid, is a blood pressure spiking nail-biter. I think the best part of the show is the many and varied and surprising ways in which it builds the tension.

**SPOILER ALERT**
If you haven't seen the entire series to date, do not read the rest of this post. Trust me, you don't want to ruin it.

Each season examines Walt's and Jesse's descent step by step, but with each new season comes a new focus, a new perspective that narrows the magnifying glass on a new facet of the hell they've created for themselves. When trying to sum of the "theme" of sorts of this season, it was hard for me to boil down. My first thought was, "Well, it's all about seeming compromise and concurrently, a total lack of any compromise at all--the goal is to use the notion of compromise to one-up everyone around you." I think AV Club summed up that murky notion of conflicting agendas well with a single word: negotiation. Throughout the season, each and every character has to negotiate with the people around them, the forces acting upon them, their own moral compasses, the factors that are out of their control, and even more perilously I think, the factors that are within their control. When it boils down, this show has always been about control and it uses each of its characters to maximum effect in driving home what control actually means and how it creates and destroys.

One of the most powerful aspects of the show is that the characters are allowed to change over time, with the balance of power shifting almost seamlessly beneath their feet. This season saw so many terrifying voltas that my loyalties would almost sneak up on me. Seriously, from one episode to another, the game can change so entirely that I the viewer could barely keep up with who I wanted to succeed, let alone the players on the board. As the characters were negotiating their own existences, I was negotiating my allegiances. "Wait a minute, am I really pulling for Gus Fring all of a sudden? When did that happen?" It's the hallmark of an amazing show when each character is so layered that he or she is both beloved and loathed at any given time. Breaking Bad has such characters in spades. By the end of this season, I found myself hoping Walt, the shows seeming protagonist, would get the worst of it, and somehow ended up hoping Gus Fring, so feared and hated just a few episodes back, would rise the victor. My emotions were entirely fluid though, and these fleeting acknowledgments would flit in and out of my conscience almost the moment they were acknowledged. When I tried to reconcile how my desperate hope that Walt would go undetected had morphed into a begrudging tolerance of his existence, and how, conversely, my fear and loathing of Gus Fring had somehow transformed into a sort of respect, I found myself ending up at the same place. Jesse.

When I watch Breaking Bad, I see the world through Jesse's eyes and view the succeeding events in terms of how they affect Jesse specifically. For me, he's the heart and soul of the show. Over the past four years, the writers have done an amazing job of formulating two characters who aren't what they seem. When the show began, we had a desperate, dying, reluctant chemistry teacher who got caught up cooking meth with a low-life addict. As the show as gone on, however, it has become more and more painfully and terrifyingly apparent that while both of these characters have gotten in over their heads, Walt is at home here, Jesse isn't. In the panoply of dark, crazy shit that goes down on this show, Walt emerges as the character who drives the risk higher and higher, even when it's unnecessary. He feels alive doing bad, bad things, probably for the first time in his life, and he'll tighten the noose around his own neck if it means he gets to be the big, bad, powerful Heisenberg rather than the weak, ineffectual, insignificant Mr. White. While that progression is thrilling and terrible to watch, it puts a certain bent on his character that makes him the bully, the bad guy, the architect of destruction that's hard to pull for. Jesse, by sharp contrast, never really wanted any of this at all. Where Walt exerts control (even when he only thinks it's his to exert), Jesse seems eternally subject to the forces around him. Sure, his behaviors are self-destructive most of the time and his decisions affect his well-being in a direct way, but when it comes to Jesse, there just doesn't seem to be much of any control at all. Even at his most powerful, it seems he's being manipulated by the alpha males around him. I think that's where the turn came for me between the two father figures in his life. I pull for whoever treats Jesse the best because Jesse has no power to control his own destiny. In my negotiation with my own loyalties, Jesse's best interests always prevail.

Playing Jesse as the heart of the show, the lost boy, the son, comes to into deadly focus in the finale when it's impossible to fully comprehend in just how many ways he's being manipulated by his fathers. The more caring and fatherly Gus became, the more suspicious I became, but by that same token, the more confident and assured Jesse became. I found myself slipping into Gus' web in much the same way Jesse did. When Jesse found a shelf full of blood bags intended for him in Mexico (preparations to save his life), it was like he felt truly valued and cared for for the first time in his life. After several episodes of watching Jesse spiral completely into the abyss, seeing anyone, even Gus Fring, pull him back from the edge was endearing. In the back of my mind, I always felt that Fring was manipulating Jesse is some grand way, but it was hard to argue with the day-to-day improvement in Jesse's well-being (even if, when being totally honest, I think Mike had a lot more to do with Jesse's rehabilitation than Gus ever did). At the end of the day, while Walt and Gus were hurtling toward each other on the evil expressway, Jesse pretty much just needed a hug most of the time. Indeed, even when Jesse is at his most badass, he's one small step from being completely horrified by the people around him. Seeing the absolute panic on his face when the Mexican cartel started collapsing and Mike garotted that one guy served as a potent reminder that in spite of all this, Jesse is a sensitive kid who's mixed up in a whirlwind he can't get out of. It should be noted, however, that in spite of Jesse's innate constitution, he's in the thick of things, he knows it, and he does his best with it. Both he and Walt have murdered people at this point, they've both done a lot of things to hurt the people around them, and they've both gone against the other at times. The big difference in my eyes is that Jesse has an innate goodness and Walt... well, who knows what's at his core these days, but I don't think anyone would characterize it as "good." When Heisenberg kills someone, it's in his own self-interest. When Jesse kills someone, it's for the sake of others.

Walt and Gus are more alike than Walt would ever like to admit and more than Jesse will probably ever know. That's how Walt used Jesse to such a spectacularly bloody end. We, the audience, know more than Jesse does about Walt and that leads our negotiations to other ends. Jesse has this almost childlike view of the world. His morals are black and white in theory, but he's so impressionable and susceptible to outside influences that it takes a real shot across the bow to bring his resolve to the surface. From early on in the show, we've known how much Jesse cares for children. Nothing brings out his rage or wrath like acts against kids. We know this, Walt knows this, and Jesse suffers for it. Walt, that soul-sucking, game-playing bastard, knew full well that the way to get Jesse to turn of Gus would be to exploit Jesse's love of children. Jesse would never kill someone who had wronged him solely. Jesse has had the crap kicked out of him in every way possible for years. If he killed the people who had wronged him, no one would be left. No, Jesse acts out when people even more helpless than he is get hurt. He's all to aware of what it's like to be the victim in this way. He's the little guy, but not the littlest guy, and watching the helpless get screwed is more than Jesse can bear. Walt knows this. When Jesse had the gun to Walt's head and was (as it turns out, quite rightly) accusing him of poisoning the boy, Walt plays on Jesse's goodness and convinces him that he isn't capable of hurting a child. "Do you really think I could do that?!" As an audience member, who watched him actively let Jane die a couple of seasons back, the answer is a resounding, "Yes." Having seen the entirety of Walt's digression in vivid technicolor, there isn't anything I wouldn't put past him at this point. Jesse doesn't know this, however. What he does know, is that Gus is someone who hurts kids. In Jesse's black and white logic, it must be Gus. At this point, I honestly wasn't sure who had poisoned the boy. While in the back of my mind, I didn't want to believe Walt had done it, his moral compass points any which way but north these days, so he had to be a possibility. On the other hand, I couldn't see how Walt had access to the Ricin. Also, when Gus takes a stab at someone, it cuts to the core, so he was just as likely a suspect. Geez, I feel like I'm picking Iocaine here and I clearly can't choose the baddie in front of me.

In the closing scenes, when it's revealed that it was actually berries from Lily of the Valley that poisoned the boy, my theoretical mind splintered. I still thought Walt was a fair candidate, but I also know that the writers are just ballsy enough to have the poisoning have nothing to do with anything. While the reveal that it really was Walt made for a searing WTF moment, in a weird way, I think it almost would have hit harder if the boy's illness really had been an accident. When you're in the middle of a shitstorm, you can't see accidents for what they are and that has deadly consequences. In the end though, I was absolutely thrilled by the closing shot of the pot of flowers in Walt's yard. Some critics have felt it was a little too explicit, I appreciated having definitive proof. This show leaves a lot of things up in the air, makes the waters murkier and murkier with each successive episode, and shifts the balance of power often enough that it was nice to have something more grounded, more, well, explicit. It lacked some the nuance of the show's greatest moments, but it hit hard and worked extremely well. Had they not been so explicit, viewers would have been left with some thrilling uncertainty, but that would have sapped some of the mega impact of learning that yes, Walt is willing to kill children if it accomplishes his own ends. If it, in effect, helps him "win." The best part of it all was that it called back to Walt sitting in the backyard earlier, spinning the gun. I can usually see a plot point telegraphed from a mile away, but with Breaking Bad, I oftentimes read it wrong. When he was spinning the gun, and it pointed at him twice, and then at "nothing" the third time, I thought that was telling Walt that there was only him left. Little did I know that it was actually pointing to that potted plant-- that seemingly innocuous, random set dressing. Masterfully done, show.

There are a million other things to talk about with this show, the final story arcs, and the finale itself, but this is getting interminably long and difficult to organize. Here are my other random thoughts on the closing episodes of this season:
  • We may have gotten closure on whether or not Walt poisoned the boy, but there's still a lot up in the air. Did Ted actually die? What's going to happen with that? Where does Gus' empire go from here? Does Jesse suspect Walt after all? Does he really believe it was an accident? Will he ever learn the truth? And so on...
  • For as many times as my loyalties shifted from character to character, I could never bring myself to root for Hank. I know I'm in the minority here, and I honestly can't put my finger on why, but I've hated his character since minute one and haven't been concerned for his well-being or reputation for even a second. Most people wanted his theories to be proven and vindication to be had. I kept hoping he'd throw a clot and die. Even at his most awesome, he's the last person I'd want to spend a day with. I think the final straw for me came with how he treated Marie after he was injured. Ugh. I can see the reasons behind it, but that doesn't make me love him anymore. The problem with Hank is that I get the feeling I'm supposed to love him, but I don't.
  • Skylar, Skylar, Skylar. I love her, I hate her. It was when I realized that I was supposed to kind of hate her that I started to appreciate what she brings to the show. Most recently, her bid to save herself by pretending to be Ted's dingbatty accountant was pure gold. "Do you use Quicken? That program is amazing. It's like there's a calculator in the computer." Awesome. She has her issues to be sure, but she has some true moments of badass in her own right. I wish Anna Gunn had laid off the plastic surgery/botox though. Skylar was downright difficult to look at this season.
  • Best. Death scene. Ever. It may have strayed from the gritty reality of the show's core and aesthetic, but when you're as supremely awesome as Gus Fring, you deserve better than a conventional death. Calm, cool, composed, and well-dressed, even when half his face has been blown off. Badass in every regard. I'm sad to see him go.
  • I've very glad to see that Mike was conveniently recovering in Mexico for all of this though. Mike is probably my favorite character on the show and the only true father figure among them. I can't wait to see what they do with him in season 5--which had better come soon, dammit!
  • Speaking of people I can't wait to see again, Saul Goodman is fantastic. It's not easy to inject a believable amount of levity to a show like this, but Saul cracks me up at every turn. I'm so glad he survived the finale and I'm really hoping we get to me his guy who can disappear you if you order the right vacuum part.
  • I love Jesse so much. And I have a ridiculous crush of Aaron Paul, who is just so unbelievably talented. Even when he knows damn well that telling the doctors about the Ricin possibility will likely land him in jail, he doesn't hesitate for even a moment. He runs into the hospital to make sure the boy is okay. Walt, even if he hadn't poisoned him himself, would have stood in the parking lot weighing the pros and cons and ultimately deciding that it wasn't in his own best interest to save the boy. He would have watched him die to save himself. As always.
  • Hats off to the show, the writers, the producers, the directors, and the entire cast and crew. All the actors do such a fabulous job that there's no point in singling people out (although Aaron Paul breaks my heart, Bryan Cranston pisses me off, and Giancarlo Esposito scares the hell out of me). That said, the man who played Tio Salamanca gets extra points for being just as amazing as everyone else without saying a single word. Truly inspired. You know you have an amazing show when the death of two of the shows super-villains isn't met with a cheer. He and Gus will be sorely missed.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Line Item Raves and Nods to Not-bad-ishness

As mentioned in the previous post, there's been a lot to be disappointed by lately. I didn't even include my recent weariness with Burn Notice, but it's there. It's still better than many shows out there, so it got a pass, but I have to admit, the formula is really getting to me these days. I used to be able to "just go with it," but lately, I can predict with frightening accuracy at what minute the "twist that makes it look like the plan won't work" is going to happen. Sigh.

Amid the mediocrities and disappointments though, there really are some winners that I should give their due, whether they fall into the stellar category or the "well, that was a lot better than expected" category.

Here are my recent raves:

SUITS

I decided I was in love with this show (as well as with Gabriel Macht, who, after the dramatic improvement in his hair, warrants a poster above my bed) several episodes ago and I've been very pleased to find that it holds up. So often, I'll decide I'm in love just in time for the next episode to suck. Not so with Suits. Each episode is solid on its own, but altogether, they're making for a cohesive, driven, thoroughly entertaining freshman year. Unlike so many USA shows, the writers for Suits have a clear purpose in mind and defined character arcs to explore. This isn't your typical procedural where all but little tidbits of personal life and ongoing "big bad" get reset at the end of the hour. Indeed, after their last stellar outing, which sets up the season finale in fine, nail-biting form, my mom actually said, "So... it just continues next week?" I cheekily gave her a hard time saying, "Yep, television shows tend to air week-to-week," but I knew what she meant. It points to the best part of the show. It's serialized. It's not as serialized as more hard-hitting dramas like Breaking Bad or Justified, but it's far more of a serial than anything else USA has ever attempted. That points USA in the right direction, gives them a broader brand with which to work, and clearly improves the quality of this new series. I hope the unmitigated success of the show tells USA to do more of this in the future, because it's working. Thursday's offering was intense and twisty and layered in a way I just don't expect from this network. By the end of the hour, I was in no way certain that everything would work out just fine next week. I'm wagering it will, but the fact that there's even a chance in my mind that it could possible not resolve itself is a hell of a step in the right direction. Best of all? Mike finally called Rachel on her shit and threw her petty sexual politics in her face. Yeah, that's right, missy, you ignored him for months and blew him off until it was too late. Deal with it. (I'm not much of a Rachel fan, so that confrontation had me twiddling my fingers in Mr. Burns' fashion of diabolical glee.)


ROOKIE BLUE

Yes, that's right. Rookie Blue. I initially wrote this show off as Grey's Anatomy with Cops, and to large extent, it still is, but the more annoying elements of season 1 (the voiceover, Ephram's characterization, the forced will-they-or-won't-they-ishness) have morphed into a thoroughly enjoyable show that ups the ante every chance it gets. It's a light show, very easy to watch, but it's not devoid of substance. A lot of that substance is squishy, squee-worthy relationship stuff, but a lot of it is people getting shot too. They actually maintain a pretty nice balance. The will-they-or-won't-they-ishness is still there, but it's way more fun to watch because I like the characters involved so much more. Ephram has settled into the role and is actually pretty fabulous now, and they dropped the stupid, sanctimonious voiceover entirely. On top of that, the show is a lot more exciting this time around. Geez, who knew Canada was so dangerous? One of the main characters gets shot in the chest in the premiere for hell's sakes. Pretty freaking fantastic. This used to be the kind of show that I didn't tell people I watched it because it was a tad embarrassing, but I've always secretly enjoyed it will enough. This season however, I'm out and proud. It's a hell of a lot of fun and is actually pretty damn funny a lot of the time. In one episode, Andy, the main girl, is undercover as a car saleswoman (salesperson?). When asked about the engine, she peers under the hood, deer in the headlights, but goes for it with, "Dual..." And that's it. Hehe. I busted up. Her line delivery is what really sells it. Anyhow, I have found myself looking forward to it week-to-week and have saved the whole season on my DVR. That's right, I'll admit it.


BREAKING BAD

This show quite simply kicks ass. It's absolutely amazing and is far and away one of the most intelligent, adult, well-written shows on air. It's also one of the darkest. If you're looking to get caught up, be forewarned. It's not the kind of show that you can burn through 5 episodes in a day. It's incredibly dark a lot of the time and very cerebral. It doesn't spoonfeed and it doesn't pull punches. This show is more terrifying and exhilarating in its quiet moments than most shows are when buildings are exploding. This whole season has been about quiet, but earth-shattering shifts in power and I can't wait for more. As Jesse becomes the new Walt and Walt slowly turns into Jesse, all hell is breaking loose around them. It's, quite simply, gripping. If you've seen the show, you know. If you haven't, I couldn't possibly do it justice with a random paragraph on a blogpost. So I'mza gonna stop tryin'.


Those three shows are the real standouts in a summer of burnouts, but there are some honorable mentions as well.

Here are my nods to not-bad-ishness (oh, it's a word):

AGAINST THE WALL

I'm as shocked as you are. I'm still not entirely sure why I gave this one a shot, but I did, and I've been pleasantly surprised. I don't even think that's the impossibly low standards talking either. The fact that it's a largely procedural cop show wasn't doing my initial perceptions any favors, but knowing it was on Lifetime, Television for Women... Who Really Love Stories About Unfaithful Husbands Getting Murdered, was probably the biggest bias-creator. To my surprise, it's actually a very warm, funny little show about a woman who works in Internal Affairs. I'm no fan of cops in general (my admiration for Rookie Blue notwithstanding), so the thought of a show about a cop who nails other cops for being terrible at their jobs or just downright dirty has its appeal. More than anything though, it's about the interpersonal relationships among the main character's family, her friends, and how being the cop of cops affects her life. It's not perfect, and it's hardly top tier, but I'm enjoying it. It's well-made and charming in its own way. It has its issues (chief among them the annoying-as-hell realism in fiction that strong women have to have some sort of ridiculous foible (usually ridiculous levels of clumsiness) so that they can be vulnerable), but it has really grown on me. If the subject matter and overall treatment were more up my alley, I think I'd be quite the fan. As is, why not.


ALPHAS

I gave the pilot a lukewarm, yet mostly hopeful review and I'm pleased to say it has turned into a nice little show. Their most recent episode (the obligatory "everyone has been bewitched by a cult leader" episode) was by no means their best outing, but on the whole, it's a pretty good show. It's entirely too procedural for me to really get sucked in entirely, but that has more to do with me than the show. It taps into Sci Fi tropes without going overboard (usually) and that allows it to stay pretty grounded, while still interesting. I think my main hang-up is that I'm having a hard time really getting attached to the characters, but they're growing on me. It's been slow to find its way into my heart, but I think it'll get there eventually. They teased an overall mythology that they should pay more attention to and if at all possible, phase out the procedural aspect. If they could just do that, I'd be sold. As is, it's good enough to keep me going, and I'm enjoying it far more than I expected I would, but it's not yet living up to its full potential.


AWKWARD.

MTV doesn't exactly have the best track record for original programming, so imagine my surprise when this show caught my attention. I've seen 6 or 7 episodes, and while it has its moments, I can't quite decide if I really like it. That said, I keep watching, so it must have something that keeps me coming back. It's more ribald and raunchy that my usual fare, but the main character is female and that manages to keep it from being cliche most of the time. The lead actress does a really nice job and queen bee bitch is shockingly successful at making me want to punch her in the face, so the show must be doing something right. I can't say I'd recommend this show to everyone, but if you were at all interested but opted out assuming it would suck, it actually doesn't. Who'd have guessed?

Friday, January 28, 2011

Final Week-In-Review for January

It's that magical, magical time again. Friday. Here are my ever-growing thoughts on all the crazy that went down this week.

Best Advertisement: the Parents Television Council’s condemnation of… well, anything
As you know, I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the water-down, tamed and lamed US version of the British classic, Skins. But, as with so many shows before it, even the cut and censored version annoys the ridiculous, puritanical Parents Television Council… which makes me want to give the show another chance. Anything that gets their dander up gets a few extra points in my book. Heh, I’d have loved to have seen their take on the real version. They’re just so spectacularly stupid to think that their condemnation with cause fewer people (especially kids) to watch the show. Nothing made me quite so happy as when Gossip Girl used quotes from the PTC as their ad campaign, because really, that’s exactly what the PTC is doing. They’re basically telling kids exactly what they should be watching. Well, I’m no kid, but I’m suddenly much more likely to watch the US version of Skins… even if it could never hold a candle (crack pipe?) to the original.

Best Kiss: Castle
How could I not put this on the list, I mean really. Sometimes characters have great theoretical sexual chemistry, but then it’s all awkward and uncomfortable in reality. Not the case here. The steamy Castle/Beckett lip-lock wasn’t awkward at all. They’ve always had a really flirty, friendly kind of vibe going, so it just makes good sense that the sexual chemistry works as well as it does. Best part of all? Castle’s flustered reaction afterward. Hehe. Oh, Nathan Fillion. Always good for a laugh.

Best Remake: the US version of Being Human
I’ve actually had this one saved on my DVR for over a week. After the spectacular failure that was the US remake of Skins, I was understandably apprehensive about yet another seemingly unnecessary remake. Well, much to my delight and surprise, Being Human is actually good. Really good, I dare say. The major difference is that unlike Skins, the US Being Human didn’t simply take the exact same characters with the exact same names and film a pilot that was almost scene for scene the exact same show. I spent the Skins pilot feeling like I was listening to a bad cover-band. Being Human took the same base concept and characters, but made it their own in a lot of little ways. The US version starts several months prior to the UK version, so it was able to establish these characters in a slightly different way. By using this tactic, it felt like I got to see something new, but also got to see a bit of an origin story for characters that I kind of know. I say “kind of” because the US versions of Mitchell, George, and Annie are similar in substance, but quite different in tone. The US Mitchell (renamed Aidan) is more cool and casual than his enthusiastic UK cousin. The new George (now Josh) is more sardonic than hysterical, and the new Annie (Sally) is more down to earth than flighty. It gave the show a slightly different vibe and made it seem fresh and new, even though at its core, it’s essentially a show I’m already familiar with. They have tweaked all the original characters (the new Herrick (some of the shoes that would be hardest to fill) is awesomely played by Dexter alum Mark Pellegrino, who gives the character a new persona), and new characters have been added. George/Josh has a sister who, at the end of part 1 of the pilot, is in an incredibly precarious situation. To the show’s credit, after only half a pilot, I’m kind of dying to see what happens. They established these characters in a way that didn’t seem like a bastardized rehash, but rather as an inspired reimagining. I was surprised at how much I loved part 1 and I can’t wait for part 2. I was so sure I would hate this, but at the end of the day, it felt like a different kind of experience than the UK version. The original is clearly superior in many many ways, but I’m surprisingly excited to see how the US team makes it their own. I’m as shocked as you are, but this one seems to be a winner whether you’re a fan of the British series or not.

Best Vindication (the blast from the past edition): Sex and the City
Okay, so this comes about a decade late, but as you all know, I’m catching up on shows that I missed back in the day. I’ve really been enjoying Sex and the City (a hell of a lot more than I ever would have thought). Anyway, I just watched the episode where Carrie runs into Big’s new wife and she’s determined to look fabulous at a luncheon they’ll both be attending (you know, so she can save face and one-up the woman who won Big’s heart). Well, after Natasha (Mrs. Big) can’t make it to the luncheon to see Carrie looking divine, Carrie feels like she lost… until she gets a card from Natasha thanking her for attending the luncheon and lamenting the fact that she was sick. Nothing says vindication quite like poor English skills… “‘I wish I could have been their.’ T-H-E-I-R.” This of course means she has to immediately call Miranda with the good news about Natasha. “It’s a good thing she got married, because she’s an idiot!” Ha! Seriously, it’s like when you see a facebook status or a blog post from someone you hate and you notice that the grammar is horrendous. It just makes you feel good inside. Like pie. (Please keep in mind that I never proofread, so I’m sure I’ve had more than a few foibles in my day. It’s only when it’s someone I want to destroy that it’s truly satisfying…)

Charmiest (?) Third Time: Shameless
After a so-so pilot and a thoroughly disappointing episode 2, Shameless appears to have finally found some footing with episode 3. Engaging, funny, emotionally resonant, and interesting, the show’s third outing proved to be their best yet. I think the more the show focuses on the kids and the less screentime it gives to William H. Macy, the better the show. Fiona’s the real backbone of the family, but I think Lip and Ian are quickly becoming my favorite family members—especially as a pair. This show has been incredibly uneven thus far, but I’m hopeful the writers recognize what they have with these two and starts gearing the show in their direction. I really loved that Lip was more than willing to take a beating for his brother and thought nothing of it. The dynamic between the two of them is the best part of the show, and Ian is quickly turning into the best character.

Most Recent Discouragement from Getting Married: Perfect Couples
I’d say “biggest discouragement,” but that’s a really, really high bar, so we’ll stick with “most recent.” Perfect Couples was perfectly irritating. I made it to the end of the pilot, but just barely. I’ve said before that married couples are apparently boring (at least that’s what TV would have me believe)… Well, I’ll see my “boring” and raise me a “completely grating.” Painfully unfunny, too. Yeah, not adding this sucker to my rotation.

Best Immunity Prize: White Collar
Sure, winning immunity on a cooking show is fun and all, but at the end of the day, who the hell really cares? I much prefer White Collar’s brand of immunity because it comes with an origin story, not just a pass. All I can say is, it’s about time they gave us some background. I can see where they might have wanted to hold off till this late in the series (although I’m hearing that was a network decision, not a creative one), but with a set up like White Collar’s, I think it should have come a long time ago. Up till now, the audience basically knew nothing about Kate and spent every single episode of the show being slightly annoyed that Neal is so obsessed with this random face who has had no character development whatsoever. I defy you to find a fan of this show who was truly upset by her getting blown up last season. This show needed to establish her character in a way that had the audience truly invested in her and in her relationship with Neal. Last night’s flurry of flashbacks helped fill in a lot of blanks, but in terms of Kate, I think it might have been too little too late. It was nice to see that she can speak and all, but I still didn’t really buy the character. I think a different actress could maybe have invigorated the role, but the girl they got was just dull (entirely too dull for someone like Neal to really care about). I had always tried to give the show the benefit of the doubt and created a Kate in my head that was enigmatic, charming, and elusive, but now that I see her in the flesh? Meh. Neal can do a hell of a lot better. It makes the fact that he got arrested for her all the more irksome and ridiculous. Really? For her? Blanda Blahington? The rest of the flashback offerings were outstanding, however. It was great to see how Neal met Mozzie (hilariously toupee’d and goatee’d), how he became the man his is today (sort of—I’d still like to see where he originally came from), and how he and Alex got involved. Man alive, I love Alex. Sooo much more than Kate. She actually has an edge and has some genuine chemistry with Neal. The interplay between them is always sexy and fun to watch. Anyway, the writers did a lovely job keeping the continuity consistent with what we already know and nodding at little tidbits of knowledge (like the Raphael) that were seemingly irrelevant until now. Nicely done, show. Very nice.

Best Moniker: Bonds. James Bonds.
Once again, kudos to White Collar. I love that Neal’s FBI name (you know, before he and Peter actually met and became friends) was something so badass. You could see that it was killing Peter to admit that Neal was so impressive as to deserve such a moniker.

Darkest Matter: Breaking Bad
Yeah, so… started watching Breaking Bad on DVD. Damn… that show is dark. Good, but dark. I’m only a couple of episodes in, but it’s seriously reminding me of that episode of The Black Donnelleys where they have to dispose of some dead guy in a barrel. I’m as desensitized as it gets, but that doesn’t make watching guys dispose of a body pleasant to watch… it just makes it bearable.

Least Tempting Show Saved on My DVR: Chuck

Deadliest Custody Battle: Southland
Well, if True Blood is mommy and Southland is daddy, I think we now know who the judge sided with on the Kevin Alejandro custody trial. As is so often the case, mommy is keeping the kid. I realize that Kevin Alejandro is a regular on True Blood, so something had to give with his gig on Southland, but wow. That’s rough. And unfortunate on any number of levels. I actually kind of adored Detective Nate Moretta and seeing him killed like that was brutal. What’s worse, his partner Sammy is still with us. I’ve hated Sammy for a good long while (mostly because of his grating relationship with this wife), so to see Nate bite the bullet while Sammy walks away? Ouch.

Subtlest Simpsons Reference: Criminal Minds
It’s the little things that count. In terms of subject matter, Criminal Minds is about the unfunniest show on the planet, so when you’re watching an episode that slips in a joke, it’s much appreciated. As Garcia is looking into the deaths of convenience store owners in surrounding states, one such unlucky victims information displays on her computer screen with “Name of Victim: Apu, N.” She didn’t actually say the name, so you had to be paying attention, but it’s still nice to have something funny inserted into the "torture porn" that is this show.

Saddest Countdown: The Vampire Diaries
“One… Two…”
Three. I guess that’s more of a count-up, but still. I was never a huge fan of Rose, but last night’s heartbreaking death really hit me. I guess the good news is that after suffering for the better part of the episode, Damon helped her die peacefully… in his arms… as he created a fantasy in her head. Still sad, but I can think of worse ways to go. If that weren’t sad enough, Damon has to go and break my heart again at the end. Poor guy just can't catch a break.

Quotes of the Week:

“One million PTC members can’t be wrong.”
--Matt Webb Mitovich from TVLine.com, regarding the US version of Skins, which he included on his list of shows worth watching this week. All of sudden, I’m inclined to agree.

“Look, I may not have a badge, unless you count the chocolate one Alexis gave me for my birthday, but I’ll tell you this, like it or not, I’m your plucky sidekick.”
--Castle, from, well, Castle.

“Well, if you need me, I’ll be across the street in the bushes, stalking you. [pause] I saw you smile!”
--Steve, trying to win Fiona back after royally screwing up on Shameless.

“Wow, I don’t even need a corkscrew.”
--Neal, regarding Peter’s cheap choice of wine on White Collar.

“Well, that answers my question. Jeff Winger is sexy even in a coffin.”
--Dean Pelton, admiring Joel McHale on Community, the way all good people do.

“Dude, you have no idea how messy things are about to get.”
--Birkoff, assessing the total ass-kickery that’s about to ensue when Nikita and Michael square off against a gaggle of security guards.