So, how about TV in 2014? From my personal count, I must've watched at least 70 different shows. Subtract 20 or so where I only watched the pilot, and I still realized I watched at least 50 shows at least 2 or 3 episodes in. It's really a staggering amount of TV when you factor in 2014 was probably one of the better years (despite being worse in nearly every other category). I'm normally not one to sort out a top ten, but as I had fellow peers insist that I do, I slowly organized my thoughts into what I thought was some of my favourite TV in 2014. It's a mix of stuff that's just fun to watch, I had plenty of fun engaging in (before, during and after watching) as well as just stuff I found piqued my interest creatively in some way.
The list here is more closer to 30 than 10, but here's my top 10, followed by a bunch of other stuff I couldn't ignore. And this is only just what I watched. There was not counting stuff I should have been watching but haven't gotten around to, like Fargo, or The Good Wife, or anything else you could possibly list.
1. Person of Interest
A lot of people were disappointed that the show did not veer off in a different direction coming out of the season 3 finale, but that was never in the books for the show, and I respect the showrunners sticking to the show's formula. Despite wearing a now very thin procedural veneer, the show moves at a fairly quick pace and is one of the few shows that uses its procedural formula to move its serial plotlines forward, rather than reserving them at their bookends, giving the procedural aspect of the show a strong narrative drive rather than feeling like rote filler. Person of Interest also continues to tackle relevant issues such as national security while it also starts to look at the topic of the creation, evolution and fears of self-aware artificial super-intelligences. Person of Interest is wholly deserving of people's attention, and its multiple balancing acts of the procedural-serial format, creating worthwhile and sympathetic protagonists and antagonists, managing of multiple concurrent and significant plot threads, as well as simply having a fantastic mix of action and intelligent storytelling that is always consistent which makes this show some of the best television to you can find right now.
2. Once Upon a Time
This is one show that I absolutely look forward to watching every week. There's a confidence that the show found in the first half of it's third season and hasn't let up on since then. Of particular note is the first half of season four, which introduces the characters from Frozen. It's done particularly deftly, especially considering that the writing staff had to work within the limitations given to them by Disney of having to use characters from Frozen coming out of the events of the movie rather than reinterpreting their origin stories and characterizations, as is the show's typical m.o. The cast of Frozen is particularly well realized, with maybe the only the costume design being just barely questionable, as the straight translation of their costumes occasionally clashes with the show's own aesthetic. Otherwise, the cast of Frozen's characters drive the main plot of the half season but never clash thematically or take over the spotlight from the show's original characters, and the show constantly surprised me at every turn with how well it seemed to incorporate Frozen's characters and themes as part of the show's own. The writers also provided some interesting turns on smaller details from movie through the show, giving both OUAT and Frozen additional texture, almost making Frozen feel like it fit naturally into the mythology of Once Upon a Time, despite being wholly separate ventures. You could very well argue that season 4.1 of Once Upon a Time is as good of a follow-up to Disney's Frozen as you might expect from a possible Frozen sequel.
Shameless is a show that does not get enough love, and it's fourth season in particular feels like there was even more life breathed into an already consistently amazing show. Not simply content to ever ride on its own success and any winning formula or retread similar ground, the fourth season of Shameless dials up the emotional drama and it never feels misplaced despite being more of a looming presence over previous seasons. Watching previously very strong characters like Fiona fall from grace and having to truly face extremely dramatic and heartbreaking arcs sounds like a recipe for just more misery. And there is, but the show always proves its own DNA true in showing that rather than sulking about it, the characters pick themselves and continue on as best they can, whether they like it or not. Despite a few faltering plot lines, the sheer strength of this season's strongest character and emotional arcs completely offsets any imbalance.
4. Louie
When Louis CK is essentially given a blank cheque, it's amazing to see what he can do. Not content to simply make relatively absurd-at-times and brutally honest comedy, he hones season 4 of Louie into a really focused and serial format, including a six-parter and a two-parter - which deserves its own special mention - nestled in the middle of the former. Louie explores some interesting and often dark places with the longer stories and at times what he's committed to screen borders on controversial, or at least worthy of deeper discussion. The other large story in season four of Louie features a flashback to presumably what is a version of Louis CK's childhood and his reflection on it after discovering his elder daughter's behaviour mirrors his, which was extremely fascinating to watch. There's almost no actual "funny ha ha laugh out loud" comedy in this two-parter but proved to be one of the more affecting episodes of television in 2014 for me.
When Louis CK is essentially given a blank cheque, it's amazing to see what he can do. Not content to simply make relatively absurd-at-times and brutally honest comedy, he hones season 4 of Louie into a really focused and serial format, including a six-parter and a two-parter - which deserves its own special mention - nestled in the middle of the former. Louie explores some interesting and often dark places with the longer stories and at times what he's committed to screen borders on controversial, or at least worthy of deeper discussion. The other large story in season four of Louie features a flashback to presumably what is a version of Louis CK's childhood and his reflection on it after discovering his elder daughter's behaviour mirrors his, which was extremely fascinating to watch. There's almost no actual "funny ha ha laugh out loud" comedy in this two-parter but proved to be one of the more affecting episodes of television in 2014 for me.
5. The Americans
After a fantastic first season, The Americans returned with a renewed energy and came out the gate ready with an even more stellar second season, not only ratcheting up the espionage angle, but also continued to probe the troubles of domestic life and the toll that the Cold War takes on its characters. The only arguably dull spot was the resolution to the final act of the season, but it was far enough removed from many other strong plot threads that everything else hitting its mark didn't really seem to mar the second season at all.
After a fantastic first season, The Americans returned with a renewed energy and came out the gate ready with an even more stellar second season, not only ratcheting up the espionage angle, but also continued to probe the troubles of domestic life and the toll that the Cold War takes on its characters. The only arguably dull spot was the resolution to the final act of the season, but it was far enough removed from many other strong plot threads that everything else hitting its mark didn't really seem to mar the second season at all.
6. The 100
The 100 is the show that could, and frankly deserving of more viewers and more attention. It always defies the trappings of the network it's on to provide riveting and thrilling television from week to week. It's not afraid to pull its punches or show us it's not going to sit idly by and play by the same rules most network television. It's also not afraid to let us know their character's actions have real consequences, and then subsequently deliver in ways you would not expect. It may be on The CW, but this show is extremely sure of itself when tackling very real and complex themes through its narrative and characters. The core cast of the show is split fairly evenly but what is fantastic to watch are the women who are constantly large and in charge.
7. Jane the Virgin
In one of the biggest surprises of the year, Jane the Virgin is one of those shows that seems to defy belief until someone watches it and gives it a fair shake. I am thoroughly guilty of writing it off just from the premise alone, but the writing and performances are worth it. There's a certain grace in how the show handles the personal relationships in earnestness but then shift into telenovella-levels of absurdity with relations to its plotting, character relationships and general tone without feeling incongruous at all. Never. This is also wrapped around a fantastically voiced narrator who breathes life into the show by giving him character as well as providing a cheeky way for the writers to play with the audience, one of the many feats I was genuinely surprised by. I'm not a stickler for voice overs, but regardless, Jane the Virgin's narrator puts everyone's to shame.
In one of the biggest surprises of the year, Jane the Virgin is one of those shows that seems to defy belief until someone watches it and gives it a fair shake. I am thoroughly guilty of writing it off just from the premise alone, but the writing and performances are worth it. There's a certain grace in how the show handles the personal relationships in earnestness but then shift into telenovella-levels of absurdity with relations to its plotting, character relationships and general tone without feeling incongruous at all. Never. This is also wrapped around a fantastically voiced narrator who breathes life into the show by giving him character as well as providing a cheeky way for the writers to play with the audience, one of the many feats I was genuinely surprised by. I'm not a stickler for voice overs, but regardless, Jane the Virgin's narrator puts everyone's to shame.
8. 24: Live Another Day
The revival of the long-lived series under a shorter episode count definitely gave this season a lot of energy coming into it. Perhaps it was the long gap between it's finale and the start of the revival, but Live Another Day is exactly what fans of 24 wanted and loved. The show takes some pages out of more recent events, but the familiar tropes are all there, just packaged into a shorter format and it seems to work better for it. Nothing ever feels stretched out to pad time and your typical 24 tropes are played long enough for them to pay off before moving on. 24: Live Another Day was definitely some of the most fun TV I've had in 2014 and I'm hoping for the revival to return and take to heart the lessons learned from Live Another Day.
The revival of the long-lived series under a shorter episode count definitely gave this season a lot of energy coming into it. Perhaps it was the long gap between it's finale and the start of the revival, but Live Another Day is exactly what fans of 24 wanted and loved. The show takes some pages out of more recent events, but the familiar tropes are all there, just packaged into a shorter format and it seems to work better for it. Nothing ever feels stretched out to pad time and your typical 24 tropes are played long enough for them to pay off before moving on. 24: Live Another Day was definitely some of the most fun TV I've had in 2014 and I'm hoping for the revival to return and take to heart the lessons learned from Live Another Day.
9. You're The Worst
This was one of the few rom-coms that survived 2014 - the rest having fallen to the wayside - and its uniqueness shows. Taking on two almost anti-heroes (if not just outright despicable people) as the traditional rom-com couple made the genre feel fresh. Not content with simply making the leads of a romantic comedy utterly terrible people, You're The Worst goes as far as to give their "sidekicks" more material to work with than a traditional rom-com sidekick would get and acting less like a foil to their counterparts and more like real characters beings that have their flaws, vices, and despicable wants all out there. The fact that a show about despicable people finding love with each other while also being one of the funniest shows of the year says a lot about You're the Worst. It never dips into overly saccharine territory and remains brutally honest with their characters, despite everything, which makes You're The Worst absolutely fun to watch.
This was one of the few rom-coms that survived 2014 - the rest having fallen to the wayside - and its uniqueness shows. Taking on two almost anti-heroes (if not just outright despicable people) as the traditional rom-com couple made the genre feel fresh. Not content with simply making the leads of a romantic comedy utterly terrible people, You're The Worst goes as far as to give their "sidekicks" more material to work with than a traditional rom-com sidekick would get and acting less like a foil to their counterparts and more like real characters beings that have their flaws, vices, and despicable wants all out there. The fact that a show about despicable people finding love with each other while also being one of the funniest shows of the year says a lot about You're the Worst. It never dips into overly saccharine territory and remains brutally honest with their characters, despite everything, which makes You're The Worst absolutely fun to watch.
10. Boardwalk Empire
There's much to say about the final season of Boardwalk Empire; that it was too short, or there was too much of a focus on Nucky, other characters were more fun to watch, but when you're given a shortened season and asked to end it on your own terms, the show pulled it off with as much confidence as anyone could ask of it. It still felt rushed in a few character arcs, but the focus on Nucky became evident as the flashbacks started to elucidate more of Nucky's early life in Atlantic City and giving them purpose. Perhaps the time could've been better spent on the other characters and giving them some more screen time, but I think I saw what they wanted to accomplish with the final season. It's not easy ending any show, because fans will never truly be satisfied, but Boardwalk Empire set out what it seemed to accomplish with having the flashback timeline to help bookend not just the season, but the series. You may not particularly have liked Nucky Thompson, but after the final season, he easily justifies the time spent on him in final season, especially when you see all the pieces start to fall in place, and giving the entire series additional texture for a rewatch.
And then everyone else ...
There's much to say about the final season of Boardwalk Empire; that it was too short, or there was too much of a focus on Nucky, other characters were more fun to watch, but when you're given a shortened season and asked to end it on your own terms, the show pulled it off with as much confidence as anyone could ask of it. It still felt rushed in a few character arcs, but the focus on Nucky became evident as the flashbacks started to elucidate more of Nucky's early life in Atlantic City and giving them purpose. Perhaps the time could've been better spent on the other characters and giving them some more screen time, but I think I saw what they wanted to accomplish with the final season. It's not easy ending any show, because fans will never truly be satisfied, but Boardwalk Empire set out what it seemed to accomplish with having the flashback timeline to help bookend not just the season, but the series. You may not particularly have liked Nucky Thompson, but after the final season, he easily justifies the time spent on him in final season, especially when you see all the pieces start to fall in place, and giving the entire series additional texture for a rewatch.
And then everyone else ...
Arrow
With the latter half of the second season, Arrow moved at an extremely breakneck pace that provided excitement in every episode and of course, heart-pounding twists especially with the stinger at the end. Season three lets off the gas a little, somewhat tripping over itself a bit and dragging out some plot threads, which don't feel very natural, nor are the newer flashback scenes as exciting as they were, but Arrow still proves to be a very fun show to watch.
With the latter half of the second season, Arrow moved at an extremely breakneck pace that provided excitement in every episode and of course, heart-pounding twists especially with the stinger at the end. Season three lets off the gas a little, somewhat tripping over itself a bit and dragging out some plot threads, which don't feel very natural, nor are the newer flashback scenes as exciting as they were, but Arrow still proves to be a very fun show to watch.
The Flash
If Arrow is dark and grim at times, The Flash is the bright and optimistic counterweight to it. It shows from the different colour palettes and lighting from Arrow, as well as in the tone throughout. It's a great companion series to Arrow, but also mostly works without it, providing newcomers something new and special. I don't have much experience with The Flash in general, but the show is easily warming me over to its version of Barry Allen as The Flash.
If Arrow is dark and grim at times, The Flash is the bright and optimistic counterweight to it. It shows from the different colour palettes and lighting from Arrow, as well as in the tone throughout. It's a great companion series to Arrow, but also mostly works without it, providing newcomers something new and special. I don't have much experience with The Flash in general, but the show is easily warming me over to its version of Barry Allen as The Flash.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Always a blast to watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as the entire cast always gives it their all no matter the material they are given, being able to raise it above what you would expect. There is possibly no combination of characters in a plot that fail to illicit at least a hearty chuckle.
Always a blast to watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as the entire cast always gives it their all no matter the material they are given, being able to raise it above what you would expect. There is possibly no combination of characters in a plot that fail to illicit at least a hearty chuckle.
Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey
It's absolutely beautiful in every way possible, and I felt Neil deGrasse Tyson was an amazing host to present the science of life on Earth and the majesty of the universe to a new audience. I never had any previous experience with the older Carl Sagan series, but there were plenty of moments in deGrasse Tyson's narration that made me physically choke up, whether it was him describing his early years and meeting Carl Sagan, or in its final moments, showing us truly how small the human race really was. I can only hope this series proved inspirational to someone, if not formative.
It's absolutely beautiful in every way possible, and I felt Neil deGrasse Tyson was an amazing host to present the science of life on Earth and the majesty of the universe to a new audience. I never had any previous experience with the older Carl Sagan series, but there were plenty of moments in deGrasse Tyson's narration that made me physically choke up, whether it was him describing his early years and meeting Carl Sagan, or in its final moments, showing us truly how small the human race really was. I can only hope this series proved inspirational to someone, if not formative.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is almost in a league of its own, not quite really wanting to even fit into the mold of a typical cable show, but it doesn't need to. It's one of the most fun I've had watching in the past year, and the show constantly surprises with it's fairly quick pacing and absolutely thrilling character work. This year was also the year where there was much more action on-screen for Game of Thrones and none of them disappointed; surprised, if anything.
Hannibal
No other show can prove to be both gorgeous and grotesque in the same minute save for Hannibal. Season two continues the psychological thriller of Hannibal Lecter, who has probably endeared me more in Mads Mikkelson's version than Anthony Hopkins' (yes, heresy!). Season two continues the adventurers of this charming psychopath. It's been a few months removed from the finale of season two, possibly one of the most shocking things I've witnessed on-screen. You see it coming, but you can't do anything to stop it.
No other show can prove to be both gorgeous and grotesque in the same minute save for Hannibal. Season two continues the psychological thriller of Hannibal Lecter, who has probably endeared me more in Mads Mikkelson's version than Anthony Hopkins' (yes, heresy!). Season two continues the adventurers of this charming psychopath. It's been a few months removed from the finale of season two, possibly one of the most shocking things I've witnessed on-screen. You see it coming, but you can't do anything to stop it.
The Leftovers
This show is not for everyone, especially those concerned with wanting to get their teeth around a mystery and then trying to solve it. The show wants nothing of that, and instead opts to focus on the characters and their grief in the wake of an unexplainable event. It requires quite some suspension of disbelief at times, and frankly I'll admit sometimes the escalation of drama feels sometimes strains the very definition of disbelief, but that's not to say the emotional arcs of the characters ever feel manufactured at all. People are going to hate this show for not wanting to succumb to their view of how serial television should be, and that's perfectly fine as well, but this show has given me some of the best hours of television alone when it's at its best, and that is more than worth it.
This show is not for everyone, especially those concerned with wanting to get their teeth around a mystery and then trying to solve it. The show wants nothing of that, and instead opts to focus on the characters and their grief in the wake of an unexplainable event. It requires quite some suspension of disbelief at times, and frankly I'll admit sometimes the escalation of drama feels sometimes strains the very definition of disbelief, but that's not to say the emotional arcs of the characters ever feel manufactured at all. People are going to hate this show for not wanting to succumb to their view of how serial television should be, and that's perfectly fine as well, but this show has given me some of the best hours of television alone when it's at its best, and that is more than worth it.
Mad Men
Mad Men still remains strong in the first half of it's final year as we continue the journey of Don Draper and the rest of the people in his orbit, personal and professional, though at this point, the venn diagram there starts to contract. It has been a wonderful journey to watch Don pull himself out of his spiral, hopefully for the final time, and I'm hopeful for the second half.
Mad Men still remains strong in the first half of it's final year as we continue the journey of Don Draper and the rest of the people in his orbit, personal and professional, though at this point, the venn diagram there starts to contract. It has been a wonderful journey to watch Don pull himself out of his spiral, hopefully for the final time, and I'm hopeful for the second half.
Penny Dreadful
There's moments in Penny Dreadful that are slow, plodding, not as worthwhile, but when the performances from Eva Green and Timothy Dalton show up (and that's not to discount the rest of the cast), they take the show into the stratosphere. It's absolutely mesmerizing to watch Victorian-era monsters and characters come to life on the screen. There's a lot of misery to be found between Green and Dalton's characters, and it's always a treat to watch them interact, whether through the big emotional moments, down to the smallest glance.
There's moments in Penny Dreadful that are slow, plodding, not as worthwhile, but when the performances from Eva Green and Timothy Dalton show up (and that's not to discount the rest of the cast), they take the show into the stratosphere. It's absolutely mesmerizing to watch Victorian-era monsters and characters come to life on the screen. There's a lot of misery to be found between Green and Dalton's characters, and it's always a treat to watch them interact, whether through the big emotional moments, down to the smallest glance.
I don't personally identify with being LGBTQ myself, but Transparent is still fantastic and resonant to me in a way I was not really expecting when I went to watch it. Perhaps it might have to do with the family dynamics presented in the show, but I was easily transfixed by watching Jeffrey Tambor play an aging man in transition into a woman. It has its moments of brevity, but the show is seeped in a melancholy that never really dissipates as you watch the journey of not only the patriarch of a family slowly try to find himself and as his family tries their best to connect with him, but also realizing that his family was never properly equipped - ill-equipped if anything - to handle these issues, as they all have their own hangups with their own sexuality that they come to try to understand.
True Detective
An absolutely grim but beautifully shot, amazingly well acted character study is all that needs to be said about True Detective. There were certainly parts where it faltered or stretched itself thin and didn't pay it off, but the show knew exactly what it was about - it's leads in Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey - and delivered in that department in spades.
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The very special Firefly Award of 2014 goes to ...
An absolutely grim but beautifully shot, amazingly well acted character study is all that needs to be said about True Detective. There were certainly parts where it faltered or stretched itself thin and didn't pay it off, but the show knew exactly what it was about - it's leads in Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey - and delivered in that department in spades.
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The very special Firefly Award of 2014 goes to ...
Selfie
The name didn't help, nor did the pilot, which borrowed to heavily on Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. But what followed after was such a surprise and refreshing that it was quite a shame that it was cancelled. Selfie eventually transcended it's adaptation of the source material to show us that both their leads were both flawed individuals who had a hard time changing themselves. It was absolutely fun to see both leads helping the other to become a positive influence in one another's lives, and playing off one another to make the other a better rounded person. It's a shame we'll never see any more, because John Cho and Karen Gillan had fantastic chemistry.
The name didn't help, nor did the pilot, which borrowed to heavily on Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. But what followed after was such a surprise and refreshing that it was quite a shame that it was cancelled. Selfie eventually transcended it's adaptation of the source material to show us that both their leads were both flawed individuals who had a hard time changing themselves. It was absolutely fun to see both leads helping the other to become a positive influence in one another's lives, and playing off one another to make the other a better rounded person. It's a shame we'll never see any more, because John Cho and Karen Gillan had fantastic chemistry.
"Next time, I'll be ready." -the very last line of dialogue in Selfie
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Something that may have gone fairly unnoticed ...
Cristela
I've never been a big fan of multi-cams, but from the very first episode, Cristela had me laughing pretty heartily with the laugh track. The entire cast brings their best in every episode, and it shows. Cristela herself is probably the most infectious, though he co-stars all pull their weight, giving me the impression the cast just moves like clockwork.
I've never been a big fan of multi-cams, but from the very first episode, Cristela had me laughing pretty heartily with the laugh track. The entire cast brings their best in every episode, and it shows. Cristela herself is probably the most infectious, though he co-stars all pull their weight, giving me the impression the cast just moves like clockwork.
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And my thoughts on a few Canadian shows...
19-2
The first thing to mention about 19-2 is that it's not a cop show. Okay, it's a cop show, but it's far removed from a procedural as cop shows get. The English adaptation of the show, I've been told, is more or less a translation of the French series, give or take a few character bits. And that is precisely what 19-2 is - a character show about cops. Rather than setting up the show with whodunits, it's an interesting look at the headspace of first responders, people we often take for granted, and how they deal with the horrors and dangers the face on the job, and the ways some deal with it.
The first thing to mention about 19-2 is that it's not a cop show. Okay, it's a cop show, but it's far removed from a procedural as cop shows get. The English adaptation of the show, I've been told, is more or less a translation of the French series, give or take a few character bits. And that is precisely what 19-2 is - a character show about cops. Rather than setting up the show with whodunits, it's an interesting look at the headspace of first responders, people we often take for granted, and how they deal with the horrors and dangers the face on the job, and the ways some deal with it.
Strange Empire
It's strange enough to say that this isn't what you'd expect from the CBC, but it truly isn't. It's not something that seems appealing to middle Canada at all. It's very slow, sometimes aimless at times, but it has style, that's for certain. The aimlessness is somewhat brought about by the leads being not particularly close to another, acting more as different lenses of the world that want to be explored, though they do occasionally cross paths, but more often with little consequence. I'm not versed enough in western-themed TV (Deadwood, Hell on Wheels, etc.) to make a good judgement, but there is something unique to the setting than what I've seen, bringing women to the forefront of frontier life. It does eventually decide to pick up the pace and become easier to watch and digest. It's not aiming to be historically accurate in any sense, that's for sure, so those risk averse should probably keep away.
It's strange enough to say that this isn't what you'd expect from the CBC, but it truly isn't. It's not something that seems appealing to middle Canada at all. It's very slow, sometimes aimless at times, but it has style, that's for certain. The aimlessness is somewhat brought about by the leads being not particularly close to another, acting more as different lenses of the world that want to be explored, though they do occasionally cross paths, but more often with little consequence. I'm not versed enough in western-themed TV (Deadwood, Hell on Wheels, etc.) to make a good judgement, but there is something unique to the setting than what I've seen, bringing women to the forefront of frontier life. It does eventually decide to pick up the pace and become easier to watch and digest. It's not aiming to be historically accurate in any sense, that's for sure, so those risk averse should probably keep away.
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