It's Listin' Time!
I don't think I'm one of those bitter critics who hates everything on TV. But in 2008, I sometimes felt like one, especially as it came time to compile my top-10 lists for the end of the year. This was the toughest year I can remember to fill out a list, and I can only partly blame this situation on the strike. Yes, there was less new programming this year, especially high-profile scripted series, but there was also a lot of unexceptional material generally. For the first time (I think) since I began as a TV critic, there was not a single new fall broadcast show I wanted to put on my top-10 list this year.
Nonetheless, I managed to put together two lists for Time's year-end best-of-everything extravaganza, which is online now: best TV shows of the year (the headline says "series," but they're not all strictly series) and best episodes of the year. If you're interested in my explanations and tortured listmaking process, I offer a few thoughts after the jump.
I'm not sure I think of a top-10 shows list the same way other critics do. I don't think of it, as I think I've written before, as simply a list of my 10 favorite TV shows—or else South Park, for instance, would appear every year. Quite simply, "best" means a lot of different things.
Sometimes it means that a show—even one I don't think of as one of TV's 10 best per se—had an exceptional year, and I want to recognize it as such. (That was one reason I put on Chuck, the most improved of the post-strike "do-over" shows, which is markedly better than it was its first season.) Sometimes, it means "representing the best of TV as a medium"—which means I try to include a variety of genres, not just load up the list with scripted dramas, for instance. For the same reason I included the Presidential election, not because of any particular accomplishment in journalism or broadcasting, but because just by being, this election was both a spellbinding narrative.
And sometimes it simply means "best," which is to say, it's a subjective judgment, and I'm not going to try to defend it objectively, so bleah.
As for the rankings—let's be honest. Beyond the first few spots, the numbers are fairly arbitrary. It's apples-and-oranges to begin with to rank a reality show vs. a news show vs. a drama. Often, there's an element of rating on a curve. I'm not sure I think The Shield, as a whole, is a better series than Lost. But The Shield had a phenomenal final season, especially the last half of that season, while Lost's season 4 did not, to me, quite match season 3—so it moved down a bit on the list from last year.
You'll also note that a couple of my entries are not "TV" per se, as they originated as online video. But Time doesn't do a separate web video list; we're in a time now when you can watch web video on your TV and TV shows on your computer; and since I've seen little on TV as original as You Suck at Photoshop or Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, I thought it would be silly not to recognize them. That said, I don't think my survey of online shows was as comprehensive as it could have been (I might have included other Web series, like The Line). Next year, I may include more on the list, or rethink my criteria entirely.
Finally, there are plenty of shows I did not list. This does not mean I hate them. At some point I'll do a blog post about the shows that didn't make it and the reasons why. I loved Easy Money, for instance, but given that it was axed after a couple episodes, I hardly felt I had sufficient material to judge. (Whereas Dr. Horrible was even shorter, but was a complete work.) It was a rough year for comedies: as I wrote last week, for all the buzz around 30 Rock, its post-strike run was pretty weak, and while it's had a good run of episodes this fall, on balance it had a better 2007, even if Tina Fey was on fewer magazine covers. (I did put it on the best-episode list, for the outstanding season finale, "Cooter.") Ditto The Office, which I still love, but which I think suffered from having to compress the end of its season.
Finally, I'm especially interested to hear your own nominations for best episodes of the year. That was the more fun list of the two to do, but I'm also more certain that I egregiously overlooked something that really should be on there.
Oh, and I will blog a 10 Worst Shows list before the year is out. Oh, boy, will I. But in the meantime, the floor is open for your nominations—and your own lists.
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Very solid lists, JamesP. For once reading a critic's yearly top ten, I don't have any major complaints.
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For best episode consideration, I'd add Supernatural's Wishful Thinking. (Yes, I know what you're thinking, but Supernatural has been pretty good this year. This was a Ben Edlund written one that had you laughing all the way through and feeling like crying at the end.)
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Can't wait for the 10 Worst Shows list. Might I suggest Heroes and Knight Rider? -
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Agreed, you have again proven yourself worthy of your job (hint, hint, Time higher-ups.)
In addition to a 10 Worst list, I'd love to see a 10 Solid list. Not the particularly spectacular shows, but not the bottom of the barrel, either; the 10 shows that are consistantly pleasing, if never too high or too low.
I'd say that so far this season, How I Met Your Mother places. I actually disagree that Chuck belongs on the 10 Best, but I think it certainly belongs on the 10 Solid. Daily Show/Colbert Report probably qualify as well.
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@Matt: That's a good idea, probably as we get closer to the actual end of the year. (Weird thing about doing these lists for a magazine is that I had to finalize them in November.) Like I like to say, a Top 10 list is really a Top 9 list, then about a 15-way tie for #10.
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I too find little to quibble with on your list; my own personal list would also include Venture Bros at 10b & Reaper at 10c, but close enough.
No comments on the Best Individual episode yet; I always forget the majority of Spring TV when thinking about these lists. Although looking at yours, it seems noteworthy that nearly every episode in your list was a cable episode written outside of the usual Sweeps period planning. Sure, you can use strike disruptions to explain the spring episodes, but that Fall tv has still been weak (outside of, again, Chuck & 30 Rock, and arguably The Office) is more evidence that the cable model is winning in the long run.
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Both great lists. I think your the only critic who convincingly explains the reasoning for your choices, as opposed to just listing your favorites and BS'ing the explanations to fit. Also, I love the best episodes list - don't think you can find that elsewhere. I have to agree with you on my favorite show, Lost, which suffered a bit from appealing to the lowest common denominator with it's hyper-active pace and 24-level action.
My one exception (and you knew this was coming at some point): I don't buy Dr. Horrible being above The Wire, Lost and BSG. Yeah, I know you have your reasons, but I can't concede a single area (even web innovation), let alone as a whole, where Dr. Horrible was better. Dr. Horrible was disposable fun.
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Good lists! here's mine:
Best TV Shows of 2008:
Lost: Totally pulled off the switch to flash-forwards, and delivered some of the best episodes ever (The Constant is a prime example). It was a mindbending, timebending, island-moving good time.
Mad Men: Just excellent all around - acting, casting, mood, writing, set design, costumes. The first season introduced everyone, this season fleshed everyone out, and showed glimmers of humanity, strength, and frailty all around. Plus Christina Hendricks totally rocks every scene she's in (and every dress that she's in).
Sons of Anarchy: I was a latecommer to this show, and it took me a couple of episodes to get into, but man I sure got hooked. There's very little about that show that isn't Awesome. Its like the Sopranos meets Deadwood, kinda, with a biker gang. Excellent writing, acting, music, etc. Every episode delivered, and the story gets more complex and the world gets more richly developed throughout the season. Katey Sagel is the best part of the show as the queen mother of the family, but Ryan Hurst has an excellent supporting role as a man who has just returned to his family from prison, and Rachel Menkin from Mad Men is pretty good, too - especially in the later episodes, as her character gets more to do.
Chuck: Came back better than ever - a really enjoyable second season so far, for reasons we've already discussed over the past few weeks.
Gossip Girl: This season continues to build on last season's momentum. Its a delicious bunch of scandal and scheming, but also a really insightful examination of family, friendship, loyalty, trust, jealousy, pride, and class. The most interesting elements are often the power dynamics among the characters, which are presented in a very character-focused way. Plus, it had the most complicated and interesting adultery circle that I've ever seen - complete with psuedo-incest (Blair is kissin' on Chuck while she is dating Lord Marcus, who is having an affair with his (married) stepmom, who is having an blackmail-heavy affair with Nate, who is pretending to date Serena, trying to date Vanessa while also occasionally kissing on little Jenny Humphrey. Any show that can pull off the following dialogue, and have it be awesome, has my support: Vanessa: "I didn't sign up for some creepy three-way with someone's mom. Nate: "But she's PAYING ME MONEY!"
BSG: Crazy Starbuck, the cylon civil war, finding earth, Baltar the psuedo-savior, the adventures of the final 4 cylons, it was all good.
THe Office: Loved Amy Ryan's guest arc. This show really doesn't disappoint me, ever.
Supernatural: Consistently high-quality episodes, with smart writing, using its 4th season to seriously expand the existing mythology in an organic and sensical way. Awesome use of music, high-caliber acting, solid guest stars. Creative presentation, good direction, no complaints from me. I never, ever miss this show. It deserves a lot more critical support than it gets. Praise Be for Mo Ryan, who has been paying appropriate tribute so far this season.
Terminator: TSCC: As with Chuck, this season has come back much improved from last season. This is a show with a big picture vision, and this season the writers had a chance to start dropping more pieces/clues about the broader mysteries (of which there are currently several up in the air). The tone is effectively creepy and disturbing, the camera-shot choices have been extremely interesting and effective, music has been used well, and all the actors have gotten a chance to show more range. Shirley Manson's character has been extremely creepy, and the broader questions she has inspired about the potential morality and assimilation of machines has been even better. The show also isn't ignoring the time-travel-paradox issues; while it hasn't provided a lot of answers, its at least introducing/addressing some really cool questions, such as the extent to which time travelers could be coming from parallel futures and the degree to which they are capable of changing the future and averting the apocalypse. Shirley Manson summed up what I believe is the point of the show in one line: "John Henry defeated the machine, but he couldn't stop progress." They might change the path by which the apocalypse happens - defeating particular foes - but ten more pop up in its place, and at some point there is just an inevitability of their ultimate fate, but they're showing up to fight anyway. Its a really good story. Garrett Dillahunt and Cameron Glau are both standouts, although the writers have been giving Lena Headley more opportunities to bring the crazy this season.
Dr. Horrible: not only was it high production value on a shoestring, but also reinforced that "tv" can happen very successfully on the internet. I'm still listening to the soundtrack, and love my Dr. Horrible ringtones. Very good stuff. NPH stole the show, but Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day both delivered as well. And it was from Joss Whedon!!! yippee!
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@ shara - right on, with Sons. I wish FX didn't have such short seasons...
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@Matt - me too. While the show had one heck of a finale, it just doesn't seem like there have been nearly enough episodes.
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@shara/matt - yes, great to be seeing some Sons of Anarchy love as well as Breaking Bad, both awesome sort of under the radar cable... i might add some more fluff to my list, there is something to be said for stuff i enjoy that i honestly couldn't say is the 'best' and i like the idea of the solid list too... hmm i'll have to work on my list(s)
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I don't have much desire to see sons of anarchy for some reason, but I really have to see Breaking Bad.
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Wow... I can't believe that South Park "Imaginationland" didn't make your best episode list (even if it was a three episode arc.)
As for including the election as a "best series" -- TV coverage was so atrocious (and biased) overall that despite a few good moments, it really deserves a place on you're "worst" lists. It doesn't matter how good the narrative arc is, if the "acting" and "writing" and "direction" all suck, the show sucks.
And this show sucked.
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oh, btw... welcome to the internets. While its nice that you can embad some clips (yet can't seem to embed Dr. Horrible?) a link to various shows web-sites would be a great idea.
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And, as with all of Times Top 10 lists, why can't we just see the whole damned list, instead of having to click-through each one?
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Or does Time.com get put on the "10 worst major media websites" lists again?
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Yay for Dr. Horrible! Its production may have made the whole strike worthwhile...
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@plukasiak: Imaginationland = 2007. I put it on my best-episodes list last year, though only as a blog post... http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2007/12/20/robopost_the_10_best_episodes/
The clips: time.com decided to use them only with Best Episodes, I think just to keep production relatively manageable. (You'd think networks would be delighted to give you all the video you want to put them on a top-10 list, and yet apparently some of them were an ordeal for our producer to get.)
The click-through, of course, is an evil and obvious plan to drive up traffic. I'm sure after clicking through all of them, you will someday be seized by a desire to buy all our advertisers' products. -
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good lists, the only quibble i have is "The Constant" which i thought was a big stinky piece of cheese.
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@plukasiak: Imaginationland = 2007.
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geez, time sure flies when you're old and not paying attention! -
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How is Dr. Horrible a tv show? Is it not the definition of a short film?
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I am not commenting on its quality, but I have no idea how it gets into a tv top 10 list when it is no way connected to tv. I guess it features actors?
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I could see it on the movie list, what with it being a self contained story and all, but, tv show? Are you a tv show if you only have a single episode are not broadcast on television?
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If Doctor Horrible gets to be on the list, then so too should Wall-E and Dark Knight. -
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You're awesome, James! To be honest, I found the best episode list exciting! Most of the shows I watch regularly and I loved the choices for best episode. Even though I LOVE The Colbert Report, I had never seen that strike episode, and I thought it was brilliant. I am consistently impressed with the balance he strikes between being insanely funny and pointedly smart.
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@Ashman: It's a valid question. To me, Dr. Horrible--which after all did not have a theatrical release--is as much a TV show as a miniseries, special or made-for-TV movie. (It makes more sense to me than evaluating it in a "web video" category, alongside that YouTube video with the lion hugging the two guys who raised him.) I didn't, but could have, put A Colbert Christmas on my list--that's also a one-off. Now! Here's the big question: what happens when the theatrical-release window is no more, and I can watch Wall*E On Demand the same night it opens in theaters? I don't know, either, but I'll figure that out in three years.
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@James. Fair enough. I should confess I have an alternate motive for asking the question. To me, the absence of Friday Night Lights cannot be defended unless you employ the (stupid) Direct TV argument.
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By including Dr. Horrible, and not FNL you seem to be saying "I don't care where entertainment is available, I am commenting on all of it! Except DirectTV only stuff. That stuff is lame and only counts whe it gets to reruns on NBC."
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I guess I should allow for the fact that you don't think season 3 of FNL is good, but, I cannot fathom anyone having such an opinion. -
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@Ash: I could have gone either way on FNL. It's just one of those 10-way-tie-for-11th-place situations. I would note that Dr. Horrible was more easily accessible than DirecTV, but that's not a strike against FNL; I'll include shows on pay channels like HBO that only a fraction of people have.
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I don't hate DirecTV, though; I reserve that for my cable provider.
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