Favorites of 2013: Top 20 TV Shows

2013 was an incredible year for Your Movie Friend! Thanks for being along for the ride!

It's crazy for me to think that this little pop blog I started over a decade ago to just get my thoughts on culture into print has somehow now become an official source of film criticism.  Seriously, mind blowing.  But a midst the TV appearances, the acceptance to the BFCA, winning a YouTube reviewing contest, and fully producing video reviews every week, I haven't forgotten why I started doing this in the first place.  I love the way art can be used to tell stories that entertain and provoke thought.  Which is why I love January.

I get to rank stuff.

That's right, full on judgement. So each Monday this month I will be listing my favorites of the past 12 months, and I cannot wait to hear how much of an idiot I am for my choices. :)

Enjoy!

A few notes before we get into it:

- There will be no honorable mentions. If it doesn't make the cut, to mention it would hold no honor.

- I kept up with 53 TV shows and watched 179 new movies this year, meaning roughly about the top 38% of the TV I watched and the top 23% of the movies I saw are included. Math, yay!

- This is for newly viewed items in the calendar year 2013.  This means the final half of last season, and first half of this season for many TV shows, and also means there might be movies that came out last year that I am just getting around to seeing.  But for me these things were new this year.

- This is a "favorites" list, not a "best of" list.  I embrace the subjectivity of art.  This is my list and it is influenced by many factors that might be unique to my perspective.  Having said that, I'm pretty sure its also completely infallible.

Here's the plan for the month:

Favorite 20 TV shows of 2012 (Jan. 6th)

Favorite 41 TV shows of All Time (Jan. 13th)

Favorite 41 Movies of 2012 (Jan. 20th)

Favorite 41 Movies of All Time (Jan. 27th)

Here's my favorite TV of the year:

Elementary

So You Think You Can Dance

The Blacklist

American Ninja Warrior

The Simpsons

Downton Abbey

Phineas & Ferb

Almost Human

The Sing Off

The Americans

The Legend of Korra

Parks and Recreation

Newsroom

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Survivor

Modern Family

Arrested Development

New Girl

Doctor Who

Breaking Bad

Agree? Disagree? Bring it on in the comments!

Breaking Down Bad (Episode 16: Felina)

Aaron and Jeremy bid farewell to Breaking Bad by breaking down the final episode as well as talking about its placement in the history of TV.

 

21 Hours of TV 2013 Fall TV Preview (The Weekend)

5 hours left to fill in my 21 and with the usual wasteland that is Friday and Saturday TV, this just... might... work!

Let it Begin... LET IT BEGIN.... LET IT BEGIIIIIIIN!!!!

The Rest of the Week:

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
The Weekend (BELOW)

Friday

Friday this year appears to be a night of shows I've given up on.  Undercover Boss, Hawaii Five-O, Shark Tank, and Grimm are all shows I kinda enjoyed that were victims of previous cuts.  The only one I really miss is Shark Tank, and so...

It's back baby!!

In a first ever move on the 21 Hours we are bringing back a previously cut show! Of course to be fair, it was one of my final cuts in an absolutely brutal year last year, but still, it's HISTORY IN THE MAKING!!

Other than that, the only thing on Friday Night that I will be taking in is "Home Improvement 2: Last Man Standing".  The only show on TV worth putting up with a laugh track for, mostly because I'm already conditioned to enjoy Tim Allen that way.

MUST:  Nope.

The color coded breakdown:

8PM

ABC - Last Man Standing

CBS - Undercover Boss

CW - The Carrie Diaries
Fox - Masterchef Junior

NBC - Dateline NBC

8:30PM

ABC - The Neighbors

9PM

ABC - Shark Tank

CBS - Hawaii Five-O

CW - America's Next Top Model

Fox - Sleepy Hollow (Encores)

NBC - Grimm

10PM

ABC - 20/20

CBS - Blue Bloods

NBC - Dracula

------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday

OOOOOOH, CBS is mixing it up on Saturday's! Now they've added Comedytime Saturday to the already existing Crimetime Saturday!

They probably should have just called the whole thing wasteoftime Saturday.

MUST:  Seriously?

The color coded breakdown:

8PM

ABC - College Football

CBS - Comedytime Saturday

Fox - Fox Sports Saturday

NBC - Repeats

9PM

CBS - Crimetime Saturday

10PM

CBS - 48 Hrs. Mystery

-------------------------------

Sunday

Anyone else feeling a little bit of Deja vu?

Usually with each new season there are shifts, additions, and deletions that shake up the lineup, but this year, with one solitary exception, Sunday is the same as last year.  I don't mean the same for one network, I mean every network, the whole night.  No need to adjust your DVR schedule things will remain the same.

Speaking of remaining the same...

A quarter of a century. That's how long "The Simpsons" has been on the air.  It's mind boggling.  I've already seen the season premiere for this year (That's right, living the high life of a TV critic, seeing FOX animated comedies 3 weeks in advance.) and the most amazing thing is that the quality doesn't seem to be letting up. Yes, there is something about the magic of seasons 3-7, but I have to say, I dare you to watch any episode since season 8 and ID a drop in quality anywhere.  The perfect 10s are fewer and farther between but almost every episode is an 8 or 9.  Hilarious satire 25 years in a row, bravo.

Elsewhere, I'll also be watching the "not quite as Amazing as it used to be" Race, The Mentalist, and checking in with Once Upon A Time to see how they will continue to make that concept work.

MUST: The Simpsons

The color coded breakdown:

7PM

ABC - America's Funniest Home Videos
CBS - 60 Minutes
Fox - NFL OT
NBC - Football Night in America

8PM

ABC - Once Upon A Time

CBS - Amazing Race
Fox - The Simpsons
NBC - Sunday Night Football

8:30PM

Fox - Bob's Burgers

9PM

ABC - Revenge

CBS - The Good Wife
Fox - Family Guy

9:30PM

Fox - American Dad

10PM

ABC - Betrayal

CBS - The Mentalist

Weekend's Total:  Two 1 hour dramas, Two half hour comedies, Two 1 hour reality,  5 Hours
Final Total: 8 hours drama, 4 hours comedy, 10 hours Reality = 22 hours

-------------------------------------
WOO-HOO!! We're close!!

In fact losing that last hour is easy! At least two of my hours are reality results shows, so I'll just fast forward to the results and cut out that final hour!

Enjoy the season!

21 Hours of TV 2013 Fall TV Preview (Thursday)

Last year there were 7 hours of television I had on my list from Thursday night, this year.... 4.

To be honest it's a nice reprieve, the past couple years it's been painful to cut down to 21 and this year I may just come in about right on target thanks to the absolute quality dive NBC Thursday night is taking this year.  Of the four comedies they only kept Parks and Rec (which has quietly earned itself upper echelon comedy status) and then traded the other three (30 Rock, Office, and Up all Night... Yes.. I loved Up All Night) for an ok near miss (Welcome to the Family), a well meaning unfortunate miss (Michael J. Fox Show), and possibly the worst pilot I saw of the whole season, Sean Saves the World.  All in all it's a huge disappointment for the peacock but a major coup for my free time!

Elsewhere on the schedule is some of the most popular stuff that I just don't get.  I won't begrudge you your Big Bang Theory even though I find it unwatchable, but I'm sorry, we have to give up the ghost on Grey's and Two and a Half Men by now, right?  No? OK, go on, do what you're going to do, but I don't want to know about it.

There's also actually a few things worth watching.  I think I'm going to love having Robin Williams back on TV with The Crazy Ones, and I'm as surprised as you that I've turned into an Elementary fan.  Also, at the risk of being insensitive, I'm supremely curious as to how Glee will handle this past year's tragic events on the show.

I was also this close to giving a slot to the new Once Upon a Time spin-off OUAT: Wonderland but I couldn't give into the contradiction of the title.  If your show is called ONCE Upon A Time, you only get one show.  If we can't keep our promises as a society, really what are we?

The Rest of the Week:

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday (BELOW)
The Weekend

MUST:  Parks and Recreation

The color coded breakdown:

8PM

ABC - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

CBS - Big Bang Theory

CW - Vampire Diaries
Fox - X Factor (Results)

NBC - Parks and Recreation

8:30PM

CBS - The Millers

NBC - Welcome to the Family

9PM

ABC - Grey's Anatomy

CBS - The Crazy Ones

CW - Reign
Fox - Glee

NBC - Sean Saves the World

9:30PM

CBS - Two and a Half Men

NBC - The Michael J. Fox Show

10PM

ABC - Scandal

CBS - Elementary

NBC - Parenthood

Thursday's Total: Two 1 hour dramas, Two half hour comedies, one 1 hour reality, 4 hours

Overall Total: 6 hours drama, 3 hours comedy, 8 hours Reality  = 17 hours

21 Hours of TV 2013 Fall TV Preview (Wednesday)

Who knew the hottest moment of the TV week would be Wednesday at 8PM?  Really, its how they should sell DVRS. "Think you don't need a DVR? Well, Wednesday's coming."  OK maybe it's just me, but look at that lineup. "The Middle" is easily the most underrated comedy on TV, Survivor continues to stay great as other reality shows (I'm looking at you Amazing Race) get boring and stale, The X-Factor is the best singing show this side of "The Sing Off", and Revolution is one of the few concept shows that I stuck with last year.  Even CW's "The Arrow" is a fun show that I just don't have time to invest in.  I challenge you to find an hour anywhere else in the week with that much combined quality.

And the rest of the night isn't a slouch either. I'm one who felt "Modern Family" started slipping last season a bit, but it's still the second funniest show on TV and there's no way I'd miss it (I love you Phil, lets stay friends forever, K?) Even the shows I'm not watching show promise.  I enjoyed the pilots of "Super Fun Night" and "Ironside", but I'm not sure how they will fare long term.  And Nashville was a really good show that for whatever reason I found myself bored with after the first 8 episodes or so.  And with only 21 hours to work with boring just ain't going to make the cut.

The Rest of the Week:

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday (BELOW)
Thursday
The Weekend

MUST:  Modern Family

On to the color coded breakdown of the rest of Wednesday.

8PM

ABC - The Middle

CBS - Survivor

CW - Arrow

Fox - The X Factor

NBC - Revolution

8:30PM

ABC - Back in the Game

9PM

ABC - Modern Family

CBS - Criminal Minds

CW - The Tomorrow People

NBC - Law & Order: SVU

9:30PM

ABC - Super Fun Night

10PM

ABC - Nashville

CBS - CSI

NBC - Ironside

Wednesday's Total:  One 1 hour Drama, Two half-hour comedies, Three hours reality, 5 hours

Overall Total: 4 hours drama, 2 hours comedy, 7 hours Reality = 13 hours

21 Hours of TV 2013 Fall TV Preview (Tuesday)

Tuesday this season holds my favorite comedy, New Girl, my favorite new comedy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, AND my favorite new show on all of television, Marvel's S.H.E.I.L.D.  In addition it has two shows I had mixed feelings about in their debut seasons last year.  "The Mindy Project" had moments of humor but overall felt a bit forced to me so I've given up on it, whereas "Person of Interest" was intellectually engaging but was completely void of any comic relief for most of the season.  However, with the addition of a couple characters and an interesting finale, I'll give it another season to see if it finds it legs.  I'll also be watching the most emotional reality show on television (and the one with the best record of relationship successes) "The Biggest Loser" while consuming Andy's Custard through an I.V. just to balance out all that weight loss so the earth doesn't skew its rotation.

The Rest of the Week:

Monday
Tuesday (BELOW)
Wednesday
Thursday
The Weekend

MUST:  New Girl

The color coded breakdown:

8PM

ABC - Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

CBS - NCIS

CW - The Originals

Fox - Dads

NBC - The Biggest Loser

8:30PM

Fox - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

9PM

ABC - The Goldbergs

CBS - NCIS: Los Angeles

CW - Supernatural

Fox - New Girl
NBC - The Voice

9:30PM

ABC - Trophy Wife

Fox - The Mindy Project

10PM

ABC - Lucky 7

CBS - Person of Interest

NBC - Chicago Fire

Tuesday's Total: Two 1 hour dramas, Two half hour Comedies, Two 1 hour Realities, 5 hours

Overall Total:  3 hours drama, 1 hours Comedy, 4 hours Reality, 8 hours

21 Hours of TV 2013 Fall TV Preview (Monday)

Welcome to the 7th annual 21 hours of TV Fall preview. Everyday this week we will look at the current day of the week and what will be on that night (Friday, we will look at the weekend). It's my self imposed task every year to limit my TV viewing each week to 21 hours (14 without commercials, just so you understand I'm not as addicted as you think.). In going through the daily schedules I will rate each show red, blue, or green. Green means I will be watching (at least initially), blue that I won't but I won't hold it against you if you do, and red that I refuse to believe anyone of sound mind could be interested. At the end of the week I will add my total hours up and cut what I need in order to get down to the required 21, which won't include the 3 hours every week I peek through my fingers to see if the Detroit Lions have learned what this thing called "Football" is supposed to look like.

Oh one more thing.  Each day I will pick one or two "MUST" shows that in my humble opinion should be an automatic DVR add for all members of the human race. 

Monday

Wow, Monday has gone dry.  I've lost interest in Castle, and other than a couple exceptions the night is full of run of the mill, boring network fare.  There's nothing wrong with most of this stuff, Bones can be fun, I'm sure How I Met Your Mother is funny, and I know many who enjoy "Attempted Dancing with the People Someone You Know May Have Heard Of".  Even the new take on "Sleepy Hollow" is somewhat decent, but none of it is worth a slot in my precious 21.   I'll stick with "The Voice" at least through the interesting part and I'm excited about Spader's new drama, but other than that, blah.

The Rest of the week:

Monday (BELOW)
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
The Weekend

MUST:  The Voice

The color coded breakdown:

8PM

ABC - Dancing with the Stars

CBS - How I Met Your Mother

CW - Hart of Dixie

Fox - Bones

NBC - The Voice

8:30PM

CBS - We are Men

9PM

CBS - 2 Broke Girls

CW - Beauty and the Beast

Fox - Sleepy Hollow

9:30PM

CBS - Mom

10PM

ABC - Castle

CBS - Hostages

NBC - The Blacklist

Monday's total: One 1 hour drama, zero comedies, One 2 hour reality = 3 hours today, 3 hours total.

The 2013 3 EP Test (Fall TV New Shows Preview)

It's time for the 3 EP Test!

Based on my pet theory that it takes exactly 3 episodes of a new show to know whether or not it's something you will want to watch long term, each fall I scour the pilots for 7 new shows I'm willing to give a shot.  6 years ago when I started this it was basically for my family and a few friends (links: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) but this year all of the sudden I find myself a full fledged TV critic who has the pilots show up at his door months before they air. It's an exciting development and allows me to better communicate to you the shows that might be worth investing in this year, but it also has drastically affected this exercise.  Some shows that would have likely made this list, I am no longer interested in (I'm looking at you Michael J Fox) and many shows that I likely never would have given a chance now seem somewhat appealing to me.  In fact of the 40 or so new shows the networks are throwing at our walls this fall, I found at least a dozen of them vaguely interesting!

Also what does it say that about network TV that I get excited with a 30% almost success rate.

Point being, I had my work cut out for me this year, but I had to whittle it down to 7. But before we get to those, feel free to check out these shows whose pilots I found intriguing but just don't have the time to invest in.

About A Boy (NBC)

Mind Games (ABC)

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC)

Super Fun Night (ABC)

Welcome to the Family (NBC)

And here are the 7 that made the cut in reverse order of anticipation:

7) Enlisted (FOX)
Premieres: Late Fall, 2013

This is the best example of a show that would have NEVER crossed my radar to try out if it hadn't been sent to me to preview the pilot. It has no stars, doesn't seem like an interesting concept, and is buried in FOX's mid-season replacement program. And yet... I found this comedy about three military brothers genuinely funny with a great ensemble cast and some clever writing. Not sure if it will keep it up but I'll be watching when it finally airs.

6) The Blacklist (NBC)
Premieres: Monday, Sept. 23 at 10/9c

James Spader is great in this as a career criminal, and the twists and turns were just the right amount to keep me on the edge of my seat wondering what might happen next without feeling too gimmicky. We'll see if it can keep up that intrigue level over time but for now I'm in.

5) Believe (NBC)
Premieres: Midseason

Yes, JJ Abrams name is involved but he's not intimately involved. Rather, its the production value matched with the high concept premise (of which we aren't yet fully aware of) that will likely keep me interested long term.

4) Almost Human (FOX)
Premieres: Late Fall 2013

Now THIS is a JJ Abrams Show. Robots and humans working together in a futuristic society with Karl Urban acting his heart out. I also really enjoyed Micheal Ealy in this, who you may remember from the short lived Flash Forward. Of all the pilots this year this one felt the most like a movie and if they can keep that feel up, I think they have a hit on their hands.

3) The Crazy Ones (CBS)
Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9/8c

Two words: Robin Williams. (well... and Sarah Michelle Geller...but that would put me at 5 words... well, technically names... and really if you include all the words it's 9 words... except with the explanations it's now 37... wait did that include this sentence?... sorry... um... right... Robin Williams)

2) Brooklyn Nine Nine (FOX)
Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8:30/9:30c

The funniest pilot of the 2013 season. I'm not saying it's New Girl or Modern Family funny, but there are a lot of laughs to be had here and most of them from Andy Samberg. His sarcastic misplaced bravado is perfect for the role of a detective and the cast around him seems to flow perfectly with him. In a season without a lot of new laughs this is the one to watch for me.

1) Marvel's Agents of Shield (ABC)
Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c

Was there really any doubt? I mean come on, it's MARVEL!! The question on every fan's mind has to be, how exactly will the TV show interact with the movie's plots or characters? Done correctly this could be a new era in TV where the lines between movie and television continuity blur even further. At worst, it's a low budget knock off with silly plots and bad acting. I'm hoping for the first and can't wait to give it it's full 3 episodes to find out.

Stay tuned next week for the 21 hours of TV, where I pick which 21 hours of TV I will watch every week!

Breaking Down Bad (Episode 13: To'Hajiilee)

Aaron and Jeremy break down the latest episode of season 5 of Breaking Bad, episode 13, "To'Hajiilee" they go in depth with a review, theories and predictions for the final 3 episodes!

 

Breaking Down Bad (Episode 12: Rabid Dog)

Aaron and Jeremy break down the latest episode of Breaking Bad "Rabid Dog". Review, theories, predictions, and more. Join in the fun every Tuesday at 3PM Central.

 

Breaking Down Bad (Episode 10: Buried)

Aaron and Jeremy break down episode 10 of Season 5 of Breaking Bad, "Buried" and talk about theories, predictions, and favorite quotes with 7 episodes left of one of the best shows of all time.

 

Breaking Down Bad (Episode 9: Blood Money)

Aaron and Jeremy talk Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 9, spout some theories, remember favorite quotes, and offer some predictions. Join them every Tuesday at 3PM Central for the fun!


 

Breaking Down Bad (Season 5 Recap Episodes 1-8)

It's almost time for Breaking Bad so Jeremy and Aaron recap the first 8 episodes of season 5 in anticipation for the final 8. They catch up on characters, hanging threads, and offer their own big bold predictions about the finale.

 

Hannibal (TV Review)

My Thoughts on NBC's new take on our favorite cannibalistic serial killer, "Hannibal"

 

The 2013 Ketchup List (VOTE NOW!!)

Every year I select the 10 shows that I haven't seen an episode of that many others are buzzing about.  This is my summer "Ketchup List". I then allow you to vote for the two you think I most need to catch up on.  Last year you selected Downton Abbey and Dexter (how's that for a pairing? Maybe they could do a cross over episode.) and I spent the summer of 2012 immersed in old English aristocracy and new world serial killers. I'm also sad to say that after reaching the ketchup statute of limitations (five years off the air) "The Sopranos" will remain a gap in my TV repertoire and has been removed from the list.  That leaves three open slots that I have combined with the seven hold overs for this year's choices.  Read further thoughts on them below and then vote on which of the 10 you think I should catch up on this summer.  I'll try and binge on the top two vote getters the next couple months and then regurgitate my thoughts by the end of August!

In alphabetic order:

Archer (4 seasons, 49 episodes) (2010 - ?)

One of the rookies on the list, widely considered the best animated show on TV, and referred to by a friend of mine as the "show that will make milk come out of your nose", whatever that means. It's definitely got my interest piqued and I could use another laugh out loud show on my list.

Curb your Enthusiasm (8 seasons, 80 episodes) (2000 - 2011)

I keep hearing how Larry David is a genius and one of the key reasons behind why Seinfeld was such a huge success. I've also heard that some of the comedic payoffs in this show are transcendent. The problem is (begin ruining of comic credibility) Seinfeld was never my favorite. I didn't hate it, I just didn't see it the way everybody (and I mean everybody) else did.

Friday Night Lights (5 seasons, 76 episodes) (2006 - 2010)

One of three shows on the list that are finished. I missed this one simply because it never picked up enough steam to interest me. I've heard it's a story filled with authentic and beautiful characters, and some great core values as well.

Game of Thrones (3 seasons, 30 episodes) (2011 - ?)

Another recent offering from HBO, all I know about this show is that it's based on a book series and that anything can happen, with a significant emphasis on the word anything. My friends who love this one talk about how it's changing the face of storytelling.

Happy Endings (3 seasons, 57 episodes) (2011 - 2013)

This one just completely slid under my radar, but I've heard from 3 different sources that it may just have been the funniest thing on TV last year. I highly doubt that considering how consistently New Girl is hitting it out of the park, but if you like I'll give it a shot, even if it has been cancelled because no one else is watching it.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (8 seasons, 94 episodes) (2005 - ?)

This one just seemed a little abstract for me, but I've had friends tell me that the surreal humor is some of the most satisfying they've seen. At almost 100 episodes it would also be the largest binge watching task I've ever taken on.

Justified (4 seasons, 52 episodes) (2010 - ?)

I know the least about this show as any of them. It's apparently dramatically intense and engaging. I just figured it was another crime procedural and I honestly could do without every watching one of those again in my life. Yet some of my friends compare it to Breaking Bad. Really?

Mad Men (6 seasons, 78 episodes) (2007 - ?)

Easily the most critically acclaimed of the shows on my list this year. Critics have squawking about how good it is for years now. I do like John Hamm, but I just never could bring myself to invest in the show. This might be my summer of Mad Men, but it's up to you.

Suits ( 2 seasons, 28 episodes) (2012 - ?)

I can't believe a show airing on USA is making it's debut on this list, but I've been told by more than one trusted source that this show is actually funny and genuinely compelling to watch. I guess it is the network that gave us Monk so maybe lightning can strike twice.

Veep (2 seasons, 18 episodes) (2012 - ?)


The final newbie on the list is on for what I hear is an incredible performance by Julia Louis Dreyfus and some genuinely funny political satire. This one completely escaped my radar, but I've been hearing a lot of good things. What do you think?

VOTE NOW IN THE POLL TO THE RIGHT OR AT THE YOUR MOVIE FRIEND FACEBOOK PAGE!

The Real Ghostbusters (Retro TV Review)

With the help of his four sons, Aaron takes a look at the first season of "The Real Ghostbusters" as well as the impact of the Ghostbusters phenomenon on our culture. This review is part of Geekvolution's "Who Reviews the Reviewers" contest. You can check out more and vote for Aaron at Geekvolution's YouTube channel.


 

House of Cards (TV Review)

Kevin Spacey and Netflix team up to change the video content game with the Netflix only show "House of Cards". Does it stand or does it fall? And is the new model the future for TV?

*Note: I forgot to mention that the content is roughly equivalent to a pay cable show or R rated film.*

 

1600 Penn (TV Review)

The "family sitcom" has been a staple of tv for a long time. But is the first "first family" sitcom worth a vote?

 

Deception (TV Review)

NBC brings us a new murder mystery called "Deception". But how long before this mystery will completely unravel?

 

The Americans (TV Review)

FX returns to the Cold War era with Keri Russell in it's new spy drama "The Americans". Is it worth spying on or should we all duck and cover?