D's Best of 2014

At this point, most of my posts start off with an apology for infrequent updates. And I know no one is coming here for excuses. The fact of the matter is that the summer months come, my television habit dwindles, my writing suffers, and its hard to get back in the swing of things. Next thing I know its December. And December comes with a gimmie: do a Best Of list. So here we go.

As I’ve said in years past, Best Of lists are arbitrary and kind of silly, but I still enjoy creating ones as an exercise in writing and to reflect on what I enjoyed this past year. It’s also interesting to look at my past lists and see how my tastes and affection for certain shows have changed over time. This particular "list" isn't ranked per-say. But it does flow from favorites at the tops to lesser favorites towards the bottom. Whatever that means.

That being said, without much fanfare, I present to you: 

D’S BEST OF 2014

BROAD CITY

Executive Produced by Amy Poehler with awesome guest stars and a killer supporting cast, you better believe Broad City is hilarious and perfect on every level. I rarely rewatch seasons of shows (and if I do I’m more likely to do it years after first seeing it). But I’ve rewatched Broad City’s first season at least four times this year alone. And usually it’s because I feel such an intense need to share it with others, that I’ll force them to watch it and next thing I know we’ve finished the season together. Abbi and Ilana are the new Lucy/Ethel, Mary/Rhoda, Tina/Amy and I can’t wait for them to breakthrough. And while I find Broad City way more relatable than Girls, listen to me when I say this show is absolutely for the boys as well. Come for the 90s R&B, stay for Hannibal Buress.

THE AMERICANS

The Americans is one of the best shows on television and the fact that it gets no awards love just goes to show how useless awards are. The acting, directing, writing, and feel of this show is all so damn engaging and superb. I loved The Americans its first season out, but its sophomore season was easily just as good and at times even better than the first. While the first season was a take on marriage and partnership amidst the Cold War and a world of espionage, the second season was about commitment, parenting, trauma, and coming of age. The season finale was a gut-punch of a twist on top of a harrowing season of intensity and heartbreak. If any show deserves recognition and viewership, it is certainly The Americans. Screw the nonbelievers. Come for the wigs, stay for the 69.

THE KNICK
Let me start off by saying The Knick’s writing is certainly lacking. While many people find it hard to look past the clunky dialogue, I never took much issue with it because everything else about The Knick is so damn good. Stephen Soderberg not only directed every episode (a la True Detective’s Cary Fukunaga), but he is the show's cinematographer, camera operator, and editor. On every single episode. It’s incredible because not only is it such an impressive work load, but because it is all so completely beautiful and subtle. There are dozens of “stealth-oners” (AKA one take tracking shots that are far less obvious than ones on showier programs) that had me writhing in delight. Every episode was lit and blocked to perfection. The camera took its time to focus on characters without cutting away to dozens of other angles. And the Cliff Martinez score pulsed through the season, giving The Knick its beating heart. So yes, while I’m normally the first person to point out shoddy writing, when it comes to The Knick it almost doesn’t even matter. The show could be in Dothraki and it’d still be great. Come for the liquid cocaine, stay for the liquid cocaine.

MAD MEN 

I’m sure at this point people are tired of hearing how good Mad Men is. But fuck them. Mad Men is fantastic. For the first half of its final season, Mad Men definitely hasn’t let up. The 1960s are coming to a close, times are changing, and while some are thriving in the times, others are struggling to keep their heads afloat. While Mad Men is certainly artistic, incredibly well written, and detailed at every stage, what keeps me coming back are the characters and the dynamics they’ve created. My favorite episodes of the series tend to involve Don and Peggy and this past season had plenty more of those little moments. From a dance, to a passing of the torch, to an Edward Hopper-esque pan-out of Don, Peggy, and Pete eating dinner together, I grew even more attached to these characters and their pseudo-family. You come to Mad Men for those moments, but you stay for the severed nipple.

LOUIE

What I love about Louie is the artistic free-form the show takes. From a mini-movie, to a serialized six-part episode, to a one-and-done candid plea from a full-figured gal, Louie has so much to say and so many different ways to say it. When I turn on Louie, I love that I don’t know what I’m going to get, that I don’t know which reality we’re living in, which characters are going to get a poignant or hilarious monologue, or where the episode is going to take me. A look at Louie’s adolescence felt like an episode of Freaks and Geeks in all the right ways. An episode where Louie bags a model is closely followed by an episode where Louie rejects a hilarious/sweet overweight waitress which manages to say tons about society and double-standards. The end of the season had even more to say on the matter as Louie attempted to force himself on a familiar woman. Serialization is more of a suggestion than a reality when it comes to Louie and it may seem like a season isn’t leading anywhere, but by the end of this latest run we explored so much about Louie, Louis CK, and the absurdity of love and humanity. This past season explored Louie’s relationships with all the women in his life (from his daughters to his mother to his Hungarian neighbor) and how those relationships reflect back on him. Which was ultimately a commentary on gender and society. I am continuously amazed at Louis CK’s pathos and diminished ego. Come for the model, stay for the fat lady.




TRANSPARENT 

Somehow Transparent is full of the most selfish characters you will ever encounter, yet you can’t help but engage in their story. What I appreciated about this show was how it portrayed the blatant messiness of families—something creator Jill Soloway picked up from the Six Feet Under writer’s room, no doubt. Inspired by her own father coming out and transitioning to a woman, Soloway wrote this show about a family with fluid sexuality/gender--and oftentimes a destructive relationship to sex--as they reel in the aftermath of their own father becoming a woman. Much of it was hard to watch and characters were hard to root for, yet a yearning for homecoming hung over the season. And I’m curious to see how they all grow together. Come for Jeffrey Tambor’s amazing performance, stay for Maura's outfits.

GAME OF THRONES

I hesitate to keep Game of Thrones on this list simply because of its distasteful use of rape and sexual peril. But then I’d be doing a disservice to a show that only manages to get better and better. Having read the books, I know what to expect from upcoming episodes. But David Benioff and DB Weiss have certainly diverged from the books by tweaking one or two narratives while completely fabricating story lines. It’s not always successful (Craster’s Keep, anyone?), but it keeps this book reader on her toes. From very well-choreographed battle scenes to the transformation of the remaining Stark children, the show knows how to land every moment, big or small. It manages to bring one-dimensional book characters to life on the screen as they crackle with charisma (only to die horrible deaths…valar marghulis). Come for the nudes, stay for the Dinklage.




TRUE DETECTIVE

Something about True Detective almost hasn’t aged well with me since it aired earlier this year. At the time the mystery and craft of the show pulled me in and was incredibly engaging, atmospheric, beautiful in its back-swampy ways, and thoughtful in its emotional and spiritual journey. But months later, after its effects have worn off, I find myself slightly annoyed at is pretentions, its rote philosophical pontificating, its disregard of female characters, and its highly praised yet unnecessary and overworked six-minute long tracking shot. (Look, I love me an impressive tracking shot, and True Detective’s was fantastic. But think about that episode and what anything in that shot had to do with anything whatsoever. Cut those last six minutes out of the show, and it would have no effect on the story or season. Which is certainly a waste in its showy, self-aggrandizing presentation.) That being said, True Detective deserves a place on this list and all/any lists due to its solid direction, solid acting, and what it has to say about life and existence. Come for Rust Cohle, stay for The Yellow King.

D's Top Ten Shows of 2012

I usually find the overabundance of year-end lists in December to be excessive, arbitrary, and predictable. While I follow many TV and pop culture blogs--whose opinions I respect and whose taste I trust--and look forward to their year-end rankings, I usually take them with a grain of salt.

However, I find the personal challenge of list-making to be a fun task for myself (nerd alert). I also figured that since this blog is so new, with so little posts, it would be nice to offer a rough outline of my personal tastes and preferences. Lastly, I made a list last year and it would be a shame to break my streak.

Just keep in mind that I find rankings to be slightly arbitrary. It's more of a general list of top shows. The order could be rearranged in various ways (especially when it comes down to comparing dramas to comedies). And it goes without saying that I by no means have seen everything on television in the past year.

That being said, lets get down to business:

10. Honorable Mentions: Boardwalk Empire, American Horror Story: Asylum, Portlandia, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Colbert Report, Bob's Burgers, Veep, The Walking Dead
Okay...so maybe not business per say. And I guess I failed my own list making challenge. But honestly I enjoyed all of these shows. Some I've seen every episode of and others, not so much. Some have done complete 180s, and others have maintained a certain level of consistency. But they each have had their moments and I truly think each of them deserves a nod of recognition.

9. Happy Endings
Many people find Happy Endings grating and the characters off-putting. And to be honest, the show is often hit or miss on a week-to-week basis. But when it hits, it hits SO good. The jokes come at a rapid fire pace. I'm constantly rewatching episodes or segments to make sure I caught everything. The performances are each hilarious in their own way and the cast is oozing with so much chemistry, its infectious. I honestly believe these people have been friends forever and have their own zany language, history, and outlook. The second half of the second season (including the lost kickball episode that only aired in the UK) and the first half of the third have had so many moments of pure hilarity and insanity. I love that they turn sitcom tropes on their heads, psyching out viewers in more subtle ways than a more blatant show like Community. Yes, the writing could be better, but it's ambitious and almost always hilarious. It's an underrated show and I just hope viewers, and ABC, continue to give it the chance it deserves.

8. Game of Thrones 
I generally find the translation of fantasy to screen, whether large or small, hard to pull off well. When its a book series that takes place in a completely different universe--with a huge cast of characters, its own history, customs, and religions--that only adds to the difficulty of putting it in your living room every week. Yet somehow HBO's Game of Thrones pulls it off without any confusion or inadequacies. One thing in particular about the second season I enjoyed, was how it strayed from the source material. I know thats a controversial thing to say when it comes to a beloved fandom or series, but I find the show more enjoyable to watch that way (and the book more enjoyable to read). Some things don't translate well to screen and retreading word-for-word can be boring and too predictable. The showrunners keep series writer George RR Martin in the loop so when they take artistic license, I trust them. This season once again exhibited fantastic acting, beautiful scenery and art direction, as well as well placed humor.  The scope of this show is immense and I'm regularly impressed. The story still finds ways to make my jaw drop in the best way possible. Character arcs and plot points that could have been boring or over-the-top are somehow stretched or confined to scale all in an incredibly well balanced season of genre-specific television.

7. Community 
Anyone who knows me knows I've been a huge Community fan since day one. Community is its own brand of hilarious, current, witty, zany, and self-referential humility. Although the Dan Harmon-less fourth season has been pushed back to 2013, this past spring still saw an extremely ambitious, creative, and comedic string of episodes. The Law & Order episode, the two part "Pillows and Blankets," "Digital Estate Planning," and the very emotional finale all immediately jump to mind. But besides the finale (which felt like a pseudo series finale), one episode that I found particularly poignant was "Virtual Systems Analysis": an entire episode that takes place inside the dreamatorium and Abed's head. This episode revealed the potential of the show, scratching away the comedic polish and genre-bending specificity it often hides behind, to reveal much more specific and affecting darker themes. Even the actors' performances in this episode were incredibly impressive and comedic. Actors playing a character playing a different character...it was Freaky Friday-esque but in the service of something much darker and emotional. Without Harmon I've been bracing myself for a drop in quality going forward, but I also find myself looking forward to spending more time with this hilarious community of characters.

6. Louie 
I genuinely think Louis CK is singlehandedly changing the face of the television comedy. Each episode manages to be filled with humility and pathos while remaining hilarious and even zany. Every week is like a new short indie film that somehow doesn't take itself too seriously. Its a comedy that makes me FEEL on a base level. It doesn't just move me (like other comedy's on this list do), but it manages to make me reflect and relate (and laugh) on a level I never knew a half hour comedy was capable of. This past season's guest stars were enormous. The episodes involving Parker Posey were clear standouts to me. But moments with Chloë Sevigny, Robin Williams, Melissa Leo and others were some of the best work I've seen any of them do. The episode of Louie in Miami is another that sticks out to me (and which I find being overlooked). But honestly, every single episode is pure gold. Its only when I'm comparing the show to itself that I can find myself criticizing, critiquing, and nitpicking here and there. He deserves all the recognition and praise he has been getting lately. And I can't wait for when he finally gets behind the camera again.

5. Breaking Bad 
I still have no idea whether this summer's installment was its own season or the first half of one long dragged out final season (I personally like to consider them each separate seasons), but that's neither here nor there. Witnessing Walter White further descend into darkness, crime, and isolation, leaving him alone with nothing but a pile of money and his ego, is still one of the most riveting things on television. The deconstruction of this character from the pilot up until this point is genuinely fascinating. Furthermore, no one does tension like Breaking Bad, and this season was full of little moments of nothing but gut-wrenching, breathless intensity. Episodes revolving around the character of Mike were particular standouts to me, but as were the immoral acts of complete depravity we witnessed this season. One episode tied my stomach into knots. Others had me cheering on the people whose lives Walter has essentially destroyed over the course of a year. Although there were only eight episodes, Vince Gilligan managed to introduce new characters and give them moments to shock me in ways that are still sticking with me months later. One other thing that I have always loved about Breaking Bad is its cinematic eye for open skies, desert land, and especially the molecular process. We're five season in and I have yet to be bored by a meth cooking montage. The reveal in the final moments of the season had my eyes bug and forced me to sit up as I slapped my leg and realized, along with the character of Hank, exactly what this means in the months to come. I'm so looking forward to the upcoming final season. If anything, I hope Walter White finally gets whats coming to him.

4. Girls 
One of the most talked about and debated series on television, even before the pilot ever aired, is Lena Dunham's debut series, Girls. I completely understand why many people find this series off-putting and the characters unsympathetic, but I also don't think it deserves all the hate and pretention its been getting. Not by any means. Personally, I love this show. Being the same age as Lena Dunham and her cast of characters, as well as living in New York, I find myself relating to this show more than any other on television. I won't go as far as to say Dunham is the voice of her generation, but she's most definitely a voice for me and the people I know. I have a friend that worked at Cafe Grumpy for years, I've been to huge random parties in the outer boroughs, I've seen friends run into old friends from camp, and I've had almost every conversation and disagreement these characters have. These are my friends and the people I grew up with. Yes many of them are sort of awful, entitled people, but there's just so much potential for character there. I realize this critique of the show is more about how I personally relate, and not so much an actual critique, but I just don't think I would feel right judging this show without being upfront. Aside from how I personally feel, I must mention that I am continually impressed by Lena Dunham as a writer and director. The shots, the music, the character development, the pace, the voice, all of it regularly impresses me. (I know we owe much of that to Judd Apatow as well, but I really do feel it is mostly Dunham's vision). This show has humor and a pathos in the vein of Louie (albiet it's much less zany and "indie"), and that is clearly something I respond to. These characters aren't easy to like, in fact they're easier to hate. But they each have a heart and a story and a journey ahead of them. And I genuinely believe you dont need to be a twenty-something female in New York to relate, laugh, or cringe along with me.

3. Parks and Recreation 
I have to say that this past year of Parks and Recreation may just be the series' strongest. Last spring's campaign and this fall's relationship development have all left me teary-eyed and emotional. And in an election year, Parks and Rec managed to remain unjaded about the state of politics in this country and the process itself. It never pokes fun at any one ideology or person, but finds a way to be all encompassing and relevant. As a politics-nerd I definitely appreciate this aspect of the show. And as a television-nerd, it only gets better. I love a comedy that isn't just jokes. That doesn't just hit the reset button every episode/season, but instead allows its characters to grow and progress. Parks and Rec knows when to end a story line or character arc and, more importantly, when to follow through and make logical, yet ballsy moves. Last season had hilarious guest stars in Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn, and stand-out episodes such as "The Debate" (written and directed by Amy Poehler) and the season finale, "Win, Lose, or Draw" (which brought me to tears multiple times; how Poehler didn't receive an Emmy is beyond me). But this current season also has its own run of hilarious and moving episodes, most notably "Halloween Surprise". But above all, Parks and Rec has a huge heart. For all the black-comedy shows on this list, for every example of crappy human behavior, and for all the shows that make jokes out of our darkest emotions (and for which I love them), Parks and Rec manages to be just as funny, poignant, and affecting...but with a smile on its face.

2. Homeland 
I obviously talk a LOT about Homeland on my blog. And I'm going to try not to get too into it right now. For my general thoughts on this past season, please see my previous post. But one thing I have to say is that much of the second season was just as good as anything in its first. Yes, it veered off course with a hit-and-run, (whose purpose appeared to purely serve relation disintegration, but in hindsight also served to give Dana a lesson in death and bring her closer to her father). And yes, there were plausibility issues. But I'm sorry, that season premiere, the reveal at the end of the second episode, the interrogation in "Q&A", the finale (and so many moments in between), is some of the best damn television I've ever seen. Period.

1. Mad Men 
In terms of television, Mad Men is in a whole league of its own. No other program could even begin to match its level of craftsmanship, style, storytelling, performance, or writing/directing. Yes this past season was pretty heavy handed with the death symbolism and its preoccupation with mindless death/murder, but it still pulls it off way better than anything else on TV. Characters made major moves this season, particularly the females (but also, and obviously, one particular Englishman). If I start to list the standout episodes of the season, I'll end up talking about almost every single episode. Instead I'll talk about the moments that I responded to, that ripped my heart out or punched me in the gut or sent chills down my spine or just made me laugh endlessly: Peggy saying goodbye to Don, Don showing up a little too late to Joan's apartment, Lane giving Pete a well deserved whooping, "Tomorrow Never Knows", Sally Draper getting an eye full, fat Betty, Joan standing up to her rapist husband, Roger Sterling's LSD trip, Don looking into the abyss of an empty elevator shaft, Michael Ginsberg's origin tale, Lane fixing his new Jaguar, and probably so much more that I'm forgetting. Actually, to be honest, I'm not forgetting. Because all thats left are vague feelings and images that feel like memories. And beautiful shots of museums and windows and snow and fog and orange sherbet and Alex Mack and hare krishnas and gap-toothed smiles and...not Bobby Draper. There's just something about Mad Men that feels like nostalgia. It deserves all the hype, buzz, awards, and recognition it gets. And the show's fifth season was certainly no exception.