Summer TV Review

With all this talk about Peak TV this summer, you would think there would be tons of original shows to watch and obsessed over the past few months. Oh wait, there were! With the fall TV season already starting up, I just wanted to take a few moments to celebrate the great TV I saw this past summer starting with my favorite...

1. Sense8 - This Netflix sci-fi series from  Andy and Lana Wachowski absolutely took a hold of me like no other show this year. The show's concept is as intriguing as it is epic. Eight individuals, strangers to one another and situated around the world, suddenly find themselves connected physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. They are able to experience what the others experience, take over each other's bodies and minds, share skills and memories, and so much more. This unique ability shared among the Sensates as they are called provides the show with many opportunities to highlight issues of identity, family, sexuality, among many others. Plus with a truly diverse and international cast and shooting locations, the scope is appropriately epic. Of course all of this would mean nothing without great characters and honestly it is impossible to pick a favorite from the main Sensates to the large supporting cast playing their loved ones. Is the show perfect? Hardly, especially with its thin and convoluted government conspiracy plot. But it's still one of the most high-reaching and highly empathetic show you'll ever find.

2. Orange is the New Black - Netflix making a second appearance already, but why not? This show was groundbreaking two years ago when it premiered and it's still breaking ground. One of my absolute favorite things about this show is its ability to get into every character, no matter how small, and see what makes them tick. Their decision to switch it up from last season and not have a central villain character shows the show's willingness to keep experimenting as well as making their "protagonist" becoming a little antagonistic and, more surprisingly, a bit more of a supporting player. But it's unavoidable with a large and talented cast, still one of the best and most diverse in TV these days.

3. Mr. Robot - USA Network is usually known for its light and casual procedurals so I initially didn't give Mr. Robot any mind. That was until all the critics couldn't stop raving about it. Since I was already a fan of lead actor Rami Malek, I gave it a shot and thank goodness I did because what I discovered was a thrilling hacker drama with more layers and twists than I dare thought was possible for a TV show. Malek, with his sharp features and wide eyes, is the perfect lead playing the brilliant, insane, socially anxious Eliot Anderson. The show, like its central character, keeps wanting to alienate, but only pulls you right into its drama. The show's technical prowess must also be commended from its truly cinematic and arresting visuals to its bombastic sound. All of it plays in perfect service to the truly fucked up world where you hardly know who is good or evil, real or imaginary, friend or foe.

4. Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp - Yeah, so Netflix is just kicking ass and taking names even more so with this most improbable show. How did they possibly decide to do a prequel to a cult film from a decade ago starring all of the original actors, most of whom have gone on to much bigger, better things? And once they did and got everything done to see it through, including getting all of the aforementioned actors to agree to appear on the show, how did they actually make it as good as it was? To get into specifics would be moot, but creators and writers David Wain and Michael Showalter truly captured the wacky spirit of their film and adapted it well to TV. And huge kudos to the all of the actors being back as it really wouldn't have been the same without all of them participating in this very weird, very funny show.

5. Hannibal - The fact that this show lasted on NBC for three seasons seems just as improbable with its dark and grotesque subject matter coupled with its tragically low ratings. But thankfully Bryan Fuller and company were able to have relatively free rein to tell their masterful tale of Hannibal Lecter and the people he consumed, both literally and figuratively. Granted this season, I think they went a little too out there even for my taste, but the fact that they went to those crazy places is one of the things I loved and will miss about the show. Shout out to Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy, Gillian Anderson, and everyone else on the cast for what they did and were able to do.

Quick thoughts on other shows...

Humans - Yes, this summer there was a show about humans called Mr. Robot and a show about robots called Humans. Multitudes. Anyways, this "robots have feelings too" show was really quite good with some aces acting.

American Ninja Warrior - Still one of the best competitive reality shows to watch over summer. Compelling (and attractive) cast of characters doing something only few of us can attempt to do.

So You Think You Can Dance - The Street vs. Stage format change was super annoying enough to make me think for a moment about not watching this season, but the immense talent, which never left, convinced me to stick around.

Teen Wolf/Scream - Lumping both of these together, because they're both on MTV and gave me my requisite "hot teens in immortal danger" and "hot teens dying a lot" storylines I apparently crave.

Face Off - Yes, another reality show, but this one is so good. They do cool special effects makeup! And the contestants actually help each other! And the judges know what they're talking about! What a concept.

Unreal - And finally, I only saw the pilot of this show before it suddenly became unavailable to watch, but that one episode showed me exactly why so many people became quite obsessed with it this summer. Hope to see more of it when it's available to watch again.

End-Of-Year: Favorite 2014 TV Shows, Part 2

Happy Monday! So, I already picked my favorite TV performances as well as listed Part 1 of my TV rankings. As we head into the second month of 2015, I can now present to you...

My Top Fifteen TV Shows of 2014

15. The Americans - Everything I loved about the show in its freshman season--the cool Cold War spy stuff, the subtle period stylings, the interplay between work and family--was still around in its sophomore season. But this time around the actors are even better with even crazier, more emotionally hefty storylines that revolved around family and what that actually entails when lies and secrets take over. I would also be remiss if I didn't praise the phenomenal work that Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are both doing, in and out of their ridiculous wigs.

14. The Leftovers - This unique post-apocalyptic tale based on the novel of the same name seemed like a tough sell. It dealt with a world suffering from the effects of the disappearance of 2% of the world's population. It's a tough sell, because it's undeniably bleak and its initial focus on one small town created the added sense of claustrophobia. Weirdly, all of that worked for me and while it wasn't a perfect show by any means I was still awestruck by the imaginative storytelling and the commitment of the cast to bring this world alive in their small ways. This show wasn't for everyone, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

13. In the Flesh - Its first season was a top 10 pick for me last year and while this second season didn't reach the emotional high of the previous season, it still packed a wallop. The ebb and flow of the town's feelings to the PDS (or rotters) among them was still a great source of drama as we continue to see this world through Kieran's eyes. A little bit of romance and a little bit of a tragic end makes me even more disappointed that we're not getting a third season.

12. Faking It - This MTV show was a pleasant discovery via Tumblr and I'm so glad I tuned in. It revolves around two girls who are best, best friends who pretend to be lesbians to gain popularity at their super liberal high school only for one of the girls to realize she actually is a lesbian and is in love with her best friend. The concept is ridiculous befitting the show's mostly irreverent, sarcastic tone and yet most of its storylines, including the complicated relationship between the two leads, are handled with surprising deft and heart.

11. Parks and Recreation - I'm writing this in the midst of the series' final season (spoiler alert: they are killing it), so I may be biased but I still thought the latter half of season six was damn good. Maybe it's because no matter what I just enjoy hanging out so much with this show and its cast so even a weak episode or plot line here or there doesn't matter much. Plus the two-part finale was one for the ages with the Unity Concert, Ben and Leslie's trip to San Francisco, the Michelle Obama cameo, and of course the now infamous time.

10. Fargo - The movie is an all-time best so it was pretty brave of them to try and adapt it for television. Thankfully they just took the feel of the place and the characters and made it work for television to fantastic results. The technical stuff like directing/writing/cinematography are all top-notch, but I think it's the cast that really made this show work anchored by Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, and Martin Freeman making all of its quirky characters and dark comedy quite accessible.

9. The Comeback - Even though I'm a HUGE Lisa Kudrow fan, I admit that I didn't watch the first iteration of The Comeback a decade ago until this past year in preparation to see, well... its comeback. And both seasons are truly remarkable in chronicling every cringe-worthy misadventures of an older actress trying to get her mojo back. Kudrow and company don't miss a beat in the most recent season keeping the tone consistent with the first, but also displaying different and evolving stakes. The finale was a thing of beauty and, if we don't get any more of Valerie Cherish, a perfect series finale.

8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - One of my favorite new shows last season maintained its high quality through the end of its freshman season and into this new season. The cast is still wonderful together and separately and it was enjoyable seeing some of the evolving characters and relationships. The handle on Boyle's character is especially inspired taking his early obsession with Rosa and segueing it with a thing with Gina. They also are giving Andre Braugher more to do as befitting his awesomeness. "BOOM! Did it both ways! No regrets!"

7. Veep - This group of potty-mouthed misfits continues to make me howl with laughter headlined by the always wonderful and game Julia-Louis Dreyfus. That bathroom scene alone with Tony Hale was one of the funniest things on TV all year. How this show does what it does in ten half-hour episodes per season is amazing to me and its brand of political satire is just going to be that much more needed in the years to come. I can't even imagine what they have in store next.

6. Shameless - I'm fine with this show changing its categorization to comedy especially if it means people are paying more attention to this lovely gem of a show. I do find it amusing that they did this during the emotionally bleakest season they ever had with Frank suffering from liver disease, Fiona going to jail, Lip struggling at college, and Ian spiraling. There are darkly comedic moments throughout, but drama/comedy really doesn't matter. This underrated show is simply great TV filled with a superbly talented cast. Everyone should watch it.

5. The Good Wife - Oh boy, all of us thinking that this show was just going to rest on its laurels had a shock coming in early 2014 when they unexpectedly (understatement) killed one its lead actors in dramatic fashion sending not only fans reeling but the characters as well--a harder Alicia, a lonelier Diane, a lost Kalinda, etc. This most recent season isn't kidding around either with Alicia running for state's attorney, Cary in jail, Diane leaving her own firm, and Kalinda... well it's the beginning of the end for her sadly. Perhaps the show is biting more than it can chew, but it's still been a thrilling ride.

4. Game of Thrones - I was excited to see what the post-Red Wedding season of this show would look like and it's pretty much more drama and more death! From Joffrey's Purple Wedding death to the epic battle on the Wall, it was a season of chess pieces moving and getting their heads smashed in, literally. Like every season of this show, there are new characters and new plot threads which could feel overwhelming. Taken as a whole though, it's still one of the most beautiful and ambitious shows on the small screens today. It helps that the actors are just as great as the locales they shoot in.

3. Hannibal - *BEST DRAMA* I respected, more than love, this show's first season, but something just clicked for me in the second season. Perhaps it was Hugh Dancy's Will going toe to toe with Mads Mikkelsen's brilliant portrayal of the title character and it all finally feeling like a fair (and bloody) fight. The deadly chess game these two played on each other as well as on the mostly oblivious people around them was a joy to witness and this isn't even mentioning the strong supporting characters and superb technical aspects of the show. With regards to the latter, no show has displayed food and crimes scenes in a more beautiful, grotesque way.

2. Jane the Virgin - *BEST NEW SHOW* There's always one show every season that just pleasantly surprises and for me this was it. I just didn't have any high hopes about a telenovela-inspired show on the CW about a virgin who gets accidentally pregnant. Its strong pilot sold me. It's hard to put into words my love for this small show. It's like someone mashed up everything that is wonderful about Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, and Gilmore Girls and cast an amazing leading lady surrounded by a talented cast who can handle both the sudsy overdramatics and the sweet, quiet human moments. It also has, hands down, the best voice-over narrator in the history of television.

1. Orange is the New Black - *BEST COMEDY* It's hard to argue that this show broke ground when it debut in 2013 and last year it took advantage of all of that buzz to deliver an excellent sophomore season making my previously favorite new show to my favorite show overall. The diverse and large predominantly female ensemble was a continued highlight including a lead character who felt more at home, a new villain that really rocked the boat and added real stakes, and the many, many supporting and background characters that were duly given plenty of moments to shine and grow.

Final Note: In terms of the tally of my top 35, HBO comes out ahead with 6 shows including 4 in my top 15. Showtime and ABC tie with 4 a piece while FOX and FX has 3 each. Also in my list are shows from the following networks: Comedy Central, the CW, BBC America, History, PBS, AMC, and NBC. New shows, not including The Comeback, number at 12 while 2 shows have been canceled (Enlisted, In the Flesh) and another 2 will be ending their runs this year (Mad Men, Parks and Recreation).

End-Of-Year: 2014 TV Winners

2015 has been a week old and there are already a few of TV shows and performances that have set the bar for the upcoming year. With that said below are my top performances of the year in their respective categories starting off with my pick for Best Ensemble...

Best Ensemble: Jane the Virgin
Runner-Up: Orange is the New Black
Other Nominees: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fargo, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, The Leftovers, Parks and Recreation, Shameless, Veep

The cast of freshman show Jane the Virgin is from top to bottom excellent. From the delightful title character played by Gina Rodriguez to the wonderful unseen narrator. The women are the MVPs and yet the men are pretty damn wonderful as well in what could've been trickier roles. In any case, I realize I had to pick this cast considering I wanted to nominate ALL of them below and I nearly did. Meanwhile my pick last year Orange is the New Black is still the prime example of diverse female characters on the air (or streaming, in this case) right now and their sophomore season just solidified how great they all are.

Best Actor, Drama: Hugh Dancy, Hannibal
Runner-Up: Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal
Other Nominees:
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Luke Pasqualino, The Musketeers
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

The one-two combination of Dancy and Mikkelsen enabled the sophomore season of Hannibal to reach the next level as their escalating cat and mouse games really heat up. Mikkelsen has been predictably delicious as the cannibal mastermind, but it's Dancy who really dug into a much darker place to match and even surpass his co-star last year. Hamm and Rhys expectantly did well in their solid shows by falling headlong into their fatherly ennui while Spacey chews scenery like no one else. Finally, Pasqualino is pretty and charming befitting someone playing d'Artagnan. Honorable mentions go to the McConaughey/Harrelson team in True Detective and Justin Theroux's penchant for shirtlessness and not wearing underwear in The Leftovers.

Best Actress, Drama: Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Runner-Up: Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Other Nominees:
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Keri Russell, The Americans
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Davis' line delivery alone of her show's title in the pilot is enough to push her to the top of this stacked category, but she also followed that up with her wig-removing crackling delivery of "Why is your penis on a dead girl's phone?" that had everyone talking. Meanwhile Maslany yet again does double, triple, sextuple, octuple duties playing god knows how many characters and does it so superbly. It's literal sorcery! Margulies went through a ringer this past year with her character going through a loss and building herself up to an almost different character while Wright delved deeper into her character's dark past in order to forge ahead even stronger. Russell and Moss continue to excel as well. Honorable mention goes to Ruth Wilson doing her best to make us believe that anyone could find Dominic West more attractive than Joshua Jackson in The Affair.

Best Actor, Comedy: Chris Messina, The Mindy Project
Runner-Up: Jonathan Groff, Looking
Other Nominees:
Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation
Martin Freeman, Fargo
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley

I honestly think I'm giving Messina the win just for this scene alone as he channels his stripper past for all of our delights. But his elevated role on the show as Mindy's now boyfriend has been a wonderful delight through and through. Groff, meanwhile, like the other nominees, are playing a version of awkward/dorky that I find very endearing and it's nice to see this from him especially after his slight miscasting in Glee a few years ago. Samberg is a lovable doofus, Scott is sexily dorky, Middleditch is funnily awkward, and Freeman is hilariously disturbed. Honorable mentions go to the new and older Doctor Peter Capaldi, the queen bees of Vicious Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi, and the horse-riding sexily dorky king himself John Cho in Selfie.

Best Actress, Comedy: Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Runner-Up: Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Other Nominees:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Emmy Rossum, Shameless
Rita Volk, Faking It

To be honest, this category is as close as to a 6-way tie for me as it gets since these six wonderful actresses deliver six such indelible and incredible performances that I really hesitated picking a winner, but Kudrow's biting and welcome return to television takes my top honor especially after that absolutely breathtaking (series?) finale. Of course, I can't talk enough about how fantastic newcomer Rodriguez is on her show which seems like the perfect match of actor and program, both so full of heart and charm. I've talked about the awesomeness of Rossum, Poehler, and Louis-Dreyfus before (all previous winners of mine) so I'll just say watch Faking It if you haven't and you'll see how great Volk is in it as well. Honorable mentions go to the very funny ladies of Broad City and Tracee Ellis Ross' colorful Rainbow on Black-ish.

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Runner-Up: Dylan O'Brien, Teen Wolf
Other Nominees:
George Blagden, Vikings

Matt Czuchry, The Good Wife
Jack Falahee, How to Get Away With Murder
Joshua Jackson, The Affair

Yes, I know what you're thinking. I just created a Guys I'd Like to Fuck List. There are some very, very attractive men here not going to lie. My top pick is of course the brilliant Dinklage who was constantly on the defensive this past season until he went on the offensive and blew everyone away. O'Brien was my next pick since I highly enjoyed his time possessed by an evil spirit enabling the actor to really stretch himself in new, fun ways. As for the others... all talented, all cute. Blagden was crucified, Jackson was cuckold, Czuchry was framed, and Falahee was rimmed... a lot. Honorable mentions go to Jordan Gavaris' ass, Josh Charles' dramatics, Robin Lord Taylor's limp, and Iain De Caestecker's hallucinations.

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Melissa McBride, The Walking Dead
Runner-Up: Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Other Nominees:
Annaleigh Ashford, Masters of Sex
Carrie Coon, The Leftovers
Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones
Katheryn Winnick, Vikings

Sure McBride played such as bad-ass hero in the fifth season premiere, but it was her gut-wrenching scenes in the late fourth season episode "The Grove" which haunted me all year. She's also been a consistent highlight this season and it's been great seeing her character's development most of all. Then there's Panettiere who is literally the best thing about her show and she handles all of its soapiness with such real emotion that you just feel for her. Ashford's role was thankfully expanded this season though I wish she was actually in more while Williams, Coon, and Winnick all displayed such resiliency amidst sucky circumstances. Honorable mentions go to the most sympathetic Evil Queen Lana Parilla in Once Upon a Time, the fiercest fish Jada Pinkett Smith in Gotham, and the liveliest zombie Emily Bevan in In The Flesh.

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Jaime Camil, Jane the Virgin
Runner-Up: Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Other Nominees:
Reid Scott, Veep
Jeremy Allen White, Shameless
Michael J. Willett, Faking It
Parker Young, Enlisted

Braugher should get all of the awards, but he's had a season and a half to delight us all with his increasingly more expressive Captain Holt so that's why I gave this to Camil who, in just a handful of episodes, turned what could have been such an irritating one-dimensional character into someone completely opposite of that. He has great writers, of course, but there's just something so natural and straightforward in how he plays his ego-driven telenovela superstar making it so much fun to watch. White really doesn't belong in the Comedy category, but he was SO affecting this season that I would've nominated him in Best Actress. Young, Willett, and Scott are witty bon-mots machines in already fantastic shows. Honorable mentions go to steamy Raúl Castillo in Looking, Tony Hale's bathroom scene in Veep, and Billy Bob Thornton's weird hair in Fargo.

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Cristin Milioti, How I Met Your Mother
Runner-Up: Samira Wiley, Orange if the New Black
Other Nominees:
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Andrea Navedo, Jane the Virgin
Chelsea Peretti, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Lorraine Toussaint, Orange if the New Black

While the final season of HIMYM was largely a failed experiment, it at least gave us Milioti. My favorite episodes last year where ones that featured her, especially the 200th episode where we saw 9-years worth of her stories condensed in one beautiful, way-too short episode. As I was making my picks for this category, I realize I could've easily filled this up with actresses from Jane the Virgin, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Orange is the New Black. I split the difference picking one for each show (two for OITNB). Wiley is my MVP last year as she really stepped up though Toussaint came so close playing such a great villain. Navedo's scenes with Gina Rodriguez are my favorite aspects in that show and Peretti is always, always a highlight. Chlumsky as Selina's campaign manager was expectantly hilarious. Honorable mentions goes to ALL of the other ladies from the aforementioned shows, because seriously wow.

Best Limited Role, Actor: Pedro Pascal, Game of Thrones
Runner-Up: Michiel Huisman, Orphan Black/Games of Thrones/Nashville
Other Nominees:
Noel Fisher, Shameless
Anthony Mendez, Jane the Virgin
Conrad Ricamora, How to Get Away With Murder
Andrew Scott, Sherlock

Damn, I made a sex list again. I mean, yes all of these men caught my attention for one reason or another. Pascal was the easy top pick for me as he was unforgettable in the role, but Huisman did his best appearing briefly in three shows the past year with hot and bothered ladies in his wake. Mendez's role as the unseen, but sassy narrator in Jane the Virgin is a delight as is Ricamora's brief (usually shirtless) scenes in his show. Scott probably appeared not even 30 seconds all season and yet he still made the requisite impact. Fisher's character's evolution was my favorite part of the show last year. Honorable mentions goes to the Super Bowl Prince in New Girl, Michael Pitt eating his face on Hannibal, and Russell Tovey's huge... ears in Looking.

Best Limited Role, Actress: Julianne Nicholson, Masters of Sex
Runner-Up: Gillian Anderson, Hannibal
Other Nominees:
Ann Dowd, True Detective/Masters of Sex/The Leftovers
Rhea Perlman, The Mindy Project
Carrie Preston, The Good Wife/True Blood
Barbara Rosenblat, Orange is the New Black

We get to the final category and like last year I'm giving it to a veteran actress playing sick on Masters of Sex. Nicholson's plight wasn't any less harrowing than last year's Allison Janney and I truly was so emotionally attached to her character that when she left midway through the season I kinda stopped caring about the show. My runner-up I think only appeared in two episodes, but her brief scenes with the two leads crackled and popped all the same. Preston is an old-hat in this category and every day I wonder why no one has given her a leading role of her own. Perlman is as refreshing an addition to her show's ensemble as Rosenblat is needed. Finally, Dowd was busy, busy, busy this year with three very different and complicated characters. Honorable mentions go to the other ladies--"alive" or dead--on Hannibal, Palicki's heroic hair flip on Agents of SHIELD, Natalie Dormer's mischievous half smile, and Kate Walsh for sexily slaying it on Fargo.

Whew! And now all is left is my ranked list of TV shows which I hope to get posted before this weekend's Golden Globes. Refresh your memories on my pick for Best Drama, Comedy, and New Show here. Happy watching all!