2012 felt like a good year for TV series. Perhaps, 2011 was a lot better, having birthed several good series like American Horror Story, Homeland, Revenge, and Once Upon a Time among others. So 2012 is more like the sophomore year for these new series. Something to prove that their initial success ain't a fluke. With 2012 ending House, I've more space for new series to watch and were there lots of good series this year. Below are the list of the series I am keeping and the ones I am tending to drop.
Ongoing
1. The Big Bang Theory (season 6)
It never gets old
It never gets old
Taking off from where it left in its previous season, TBBT is one of the most consistent sitcoms I've seen. And despite the many going-ons in the characters' for the past 6 seasons, the main cast retains their core personalities. The jokes are still always on time and unlike How I Met Your Mother whose only funny asset is Barney Stinson, TBBT managed to have setups and characters that are all humorous and don't grow old. And usually at Season 6, most of the energy have flown out the window, but at TBBT, it just gets better. A definite victory for Chuck Lorre.
My take: Keep watching
Rating: 9.0
2. Modern Family (season 4)
It's growing stale, guys!
This is a bit sad. Modern Family broke into the TV scene consciousness after amassing several nominations at the Primetime Emmys when it started, and for all the right reasons. The first two seasons of Modern Family are indeed a breath of fresh air. But as season 3 started, things started to grow old. The characters started feeling exhausted, having revealed most of their quirks and having resolved those. Sure it keeps itself humorous for most of its episodes, but the "heart" that made Modern Family so great in its first two seasons feels absent in seasons 3 and 4. Maybe it's still there, but the beating is faint already.
My take: Keep, their worse is New Girl's best, so wait and hope for things to improve.
Rating: 7.4
3. Breaking Bad (season 5 part 1)
Sad to see you go, Mr. White
Season 4 is when Walter White finally took the turn for the bad. But Season 5 seals the deal. And in a twist of capitalism turn from AMC and the producers (I'd like to think), the usual 13-episode-per-season agenda has been mutated and spliced into 16 with 2 equal parts shown in summer 2012 and summe 2013. Bummer! It's interesting to know that the writers of Breaking Bad do not care to show flashforwards because the process as to how things ended in that manner is always interesting. And that's what Breaking Bad that, some level, Revenge is trying to emulate to poor effect. My only contention is that this season had to only 8 episodes long. And that season 6 (aka season 5 part 2) had to wait (and kill us waiting) until Summer 2013.
My take: Keep. Honestly can't wait, and please let there be a spin-off movie of sorts.
Rating: 8.8
4. How I Met Your Mother (season 8)
When will this ever end?!
Ted Mosby sucks. Barney Stinson's antics are old news. This series has played all its tricks and still we have not seen the fabled mother. Maybe Ted is simply imagining things? All the fandom that this series has gotten completely eludes my reason after season 5. Like most sitcoms, the first 4 seasons were funny, then it just ended up feeling like it's the Neil Patrick Harris show with Josh Radnor occasionally throwing his bits of cheesy corny ideals into the mix--and also that all too long confused storytelling. It just doesn't make sense to continue watching until Mosby delivers.
My take: drop. Watch only when there's nothing else better to do.
Rating: 5.3
5. Girls (season 1)
Why 10 episodes only?!!!
I am mad at Lena Dunham's Girls for the simple fact that the returning season is only 10 episodes long. I mean, I understood that Season 1 was a gamble (that I'd like to think has paid off enough to secure at least 13 episodes for season 2). Months after the season ended, the near-real series that cocked itself into mass consciousness thanks to its hipster identity (quite oddly) got confirmed for a 10-episode second season. Unlike its spiritual ancestor, Sex and The City, everyone in Girls is detestable as much as they're likable. And in all these you'd see people you know in real life. These are real people at their youth doing really stupid things and if you're young enough and old enough to know what it's like to be in that quarter life situation, you'd know the power of Dunham's storytelling.
My take: Keep. Can't wait.
My take: Keep. Can't wait.
Rating: 9.5
6. Homeland (season 2)
Please don't be crappy!
Homeland's first season made history by killing Mad Men's Emmy Best Drama series streak. With hard-hitting performances from Danes and Lewis, both of whom snatched Outstanding Lead Emmies for their individual performances, it's no wonder season one is one of the best series on primetime in 2011. Came 2012 and Homeland came back strong plots and storytelling. Amid some troubled episodes where the writers threw caution to the wind and allowed some logical mishaps to occur, Homeland remained strong and finished with a thought-provoking episode that makes you think how next season is going to progress, because if anything, the finale felt like its writers writing themselves into a corner where the story cannot progress. But this happened an episode ago, and another episode before that, and these people have proven themselves capable of surprising the audience with what's not obvious, often offering a shock that TV don't normally deliver.
My take: Keep. The goods still outweigh the bads and I can't wait how they're going to make Season 3 work.
Rating: 9.4
My take: Keep. The goods still outweigh the bads and I can't wait how they're going to make Season 3 work.
Rating: 9.4
7. The Walking Dead (season 3)
Can we stop doing this mid-season break thing, AMC?!
Season 2 of The Walking Dead was basically that, dead. For most of the season, there were no zombies, no action. Only dialogue after dialogue that made the story dillydally too long. Season 3 took notes and made itself into a Sunday-night thriller for its followers--offering a change pace and several deaths that, in the same vein as Homeland, makes you question if the writers are writing themselves into a corner. But in a less capable manner, The Walking Dead delivers and is slowly turning into the gold series it is destined to be--just gotta hate the long mid-season breaks that can really be avoided.
My take: Keep. The Walking Dead season 3 is one of the best in TV this 2012-2013 sweeps.
Rating: 9.2
My take: Keep. The Walking Dead season 3 is one of the best in TV this 2012-2013 sweeps.
Rating: 9.2
8. New Girl (season 2)
I never thought I could hate Zooey this much
For some reason, I loved the first season. It held the promise that How I Met your Mother had when it started. Then, Bam, second season was a fizzle. It is just not happening. Zooey was more annoying than charming, and her pals are equal levels of douche that you start hating yourself for taking this series to your commute. The jokes are tepid and character development got crappy (ier) in season 2. Sigh, what a waste to Max Greenfield and Deschanel.
My take: Drop. Watch only when there's nothing else to do.
Rating: 3.7
My take: Drop. Watch only when there's nothing else to do.
Rating: 3.7
9. Louie (season 3)
Keeps getting weirder
Hmmmm. Hate me, but season 2 trumps season 3 Louie at any given day. Sure, the last 3 episodes are redeeming and those two with Parker Posey were a breath of fresh air, but it's as if Louis CK has started taking himself too seriously (and he has some right to) and stopped the jokes. That's what made season 2 gold: it was funny and weird and surreal and divine all merging into one weirdness that you don't get on TV all the time. Season 3 has depth, but it lacked the divinity and sublimity that season 2 achieved by tackling issues of war, homophobia, and death. Season 3 missed all that, plus it wasn't that funny. It has its moments but not as scathing and indellible as the ones in season 2: the talk Louie had with Pam about him loving her selflessly only to turn her down when she asked her to have a bath with him, or that time when Louie goes out for a date and a homeless guy charged him and had his head decapitated by a truck, or that talk with an evangelist about masturbation--these made Season 2 sublime. And frankly, I find season 3, at times, too weird even for me.
My take: Keep. But watch only when I am prepared to be weirded out.
Rating: 8.4
My take: Keep. But watch only when I am prepared to be weirded out.
Rating: 8.4
10. Game of Thrones (season 2)
Hell, yeah. Zombies, bitch!
The most illegally downloaded TV series of 2012, hah! HBO's Game of Thrones is a production perhaps too great for TV. With its raw and real feel, the series has gathered a massive following and a great deal of attention from the international community that only The Walking Dead can rival. It has its flaws, though, I felt the narration could use some speeding up especially since it seems like the third book would need two seasons at this pace of storytelling, something that can wear down the cast and spell problems for the production.
My take: Keep. One of the best things that happened to TV ever.
Rating: 8.8
My take: Keep. One of the best things that happened to TV ever.
Rating: 8.8
11. Once Upon a Time (season 2)
That's what happens when you play with magic
When season 2 began, I have great hopes for this series. So the writers, for the first two episodes, treat magic in "our" world with caution and are far from achieving continuity errors. Then it went downhill. Continuously. One continuity error after another, it just wouldn't stop that it seemed ridiculous when the mid-season finale aired with the biggest continuity (or logical) error ever in TV of 2012. Sucks that it started so well and that Season one managed well amid the sappiness and cheesiness of some fairy tale back stories. Season 2, hopefully, is just experiencing some setbacks, though there is no way that final scene in Season 2's mid-season finale could be corrected. It's just beyond words--near Wenn Deramas level--stupid.
My take: Keep. But be ready to drop.
Rating: 6.5
12. Fringe (final season)
Can't we have a good finale?
It's apparent that Fringe ended long time ago to TV executives and it's only us fans who are watching it. Unfortunately, I have to go with the TV execs on this season. It's sappy. I am now unsure whether having it end at Season 4 was the better way to go or was producing Season 5, a one last hurrah that is very apparent as being such, the better idea? Seriously, Fringe was in all its glory at Season 3 when all the build up from the previous 2 seasons were working into the story. It just went downhill when they decided to reboot the timeline at Season 4 and make some details written out just like magic--an excuse for poor writing. And that was extremely annoying so I was glad that the writers made it work in the last episodes. And now, Season 5 removes 80% of familiarity. There are new villains and previous seasons were moot and academic--heck the main cast is trimmed and so were the writers working on it. It's just sad that a final season had to work this way and I can't believe I am quitting Fringe in a way that I never thought I would.
It's apparent that Fringe ended long time ago to TV executives and it's only us fans who are watching it. Unfortunately, I have to go with the TV execs on this season. It's sappy. I am now unsure whether having it end at Season 4 was the better way to go or was producing Season 5, a one last hurrah that is very apparent as being such, the better idea? Seriously, Fringe was in all its glory at Season 3 when all the build up from the previous 2 seasons were working into the story. It just went downhill when they decided to reboot the timeline at Season 4 and make some details written out just like magic--an excuse for poor writing. And that was extremely annoying so I was glad that the writers made it work in the last episodes. And now, Season 5 removes 80% of familiarity. There are new villains and previous seasons were moot and academic--heck the main cast is trimmed and so were the writers working on it. It's just sad that a final season had to work this way and I can't believe I am quitting Fringe in a way that I never thought I would.
My take: Keep. Since it's only three episodes more. Oh but the horror of watching it destroy itself.
Rating: 5.0
13. Revenge (season 2)
Camp, like revenge, can taste bitter, too
In all fairness to Revenge's Season 1, it was deliciously camp, like a soap opera that never ran out of bitchiness that you start wondering, "how are these people making money?" or "do these people have nothing better to do than frame each other?" It was funny in that manner that you may not want to take it seriously at times and just enjoy the campiness. Then Season 2 had to happen, turning the camp joy fest into an espionage shit crap pie. Though that was bound to happen, either way. You can't expect Revenge to be campy forever and keep itself running to Season 5. It needed to develop its story, but sadly, it took the wrong route. The simple story of avenging Emily Thorne's parents now transforms itself into 24 or Alias where they hunt down the terrorists who aren't very camp, btw. And what's with Nolan's gay-today straight-tomorrow bull shit? Why can't the writers have enough balls to keep the gay dude gay?
My take: Keep. And hope it improves, but I don't have my hopes up.
Rating: 6.8
In all fairness to Revenge's Season 1, it was deliciously camp, like a soap opera that never ran out of bitchiness that you start wondering, "how are these people making money?" or "do these people have nothing better to do than frame each other?" It was funny in that manner that you may not want to take it seriously at times and just enjoy the campiness. Then Season 2 had to happen, turning the camp joy fest into an espionage shit crap pie. Though that was bound to happen, either way. You can't expect Revenge to be campy forever and keep itself running to Season 5. It needed to develop its story, but sadly, it took the wrong route. The simple story of avenging Emily Thorne's parents now transforms itself into 24 or Alias where they hunt down the terrorists who aren't very camp, btw. And what's with Nolan's gay-today straight-tomorrow bull shit? Why can't the writers have enough balls to keep the gay dude gay?
My take: Keep. And hope it improves, but I don't have my hopes up.
Rating: 6.8
14. True Blood (season 5)
Now we're talking business
Here's one series that's likely running out of blood (pun intended). Season 5 ran very slowly, having no new mythical creature threats and with episodes that make you ask, "when are they gonna get naked again?" and realize that you're only watching it because of the nudity. Then the season finale happens and your mind is blown. Making you wish season 6 would come sooner. I guess True Blood has its ways like that ever since. I just have to ask how this show is gonna run now that Alan Ball, the showrunner for five seasons, has dropped the ball on this one. Only time can tell, but I am interested how they'd make of Season 6.
My take: Keep. It can only go up from here
Rating: 7.5
Concluded / Dropped
1. House (8 seasons)
This one four seasons ago
When House dropped Cuddy after Season 7, you know it's gonna turn for the bad. But bad was an understatement for the shitstorm that is Season 8. There was barely any medicine in it, more of drama that fails. Sad that it ended, but I think it's for the best. House, like his liver from too much Vicodin, is already failing.
Series rating: 7.0
Series rating: 7.0
2. Cougar Town (on ABC, 3 seasons)
Dead as its title
You know a series is going to get canceled when it strays from its title and its network couldn't greenlight a new season properly. Cougar Town has been moved to TBS from ABC, which means the series is still alive. But I don't know, it's kinda sad that the cul-de-sac crew ran out humor mid-way and everyone had to resort to bullying Tom. Sad, especially since I love Busy Phillips.
Series I need to Pick Up Already
1. Mad Men
I know, I know. I really need to. But I couldn't get the courage to start getting the whole 65 seasons before me. Ugh!
2. Treme
The series is ending next season and probably this is the best time to pick it up.
3. Parks and Recreation
Amy Poehler! Unlike its NBC contemporaries, Parks and Recreations still is funny to date. But where do I start? I heard season 1 was horrible and only became better with succeeding seasons. Should I start with Season 2 or 3?
You know a series is going to get canceled when it strays from its title and its network couldn't greenlight a new season properly. Cougar Town has been moved to TBS from ABC, which means the series is still alive. But I don't know, it's kinda sad that the cul-de-sac crew ran out humor mid-way and everyone had to resort to bullying Tom. Sad, especially since I love Busy Phillips.
Series I need to Pick Up Already
1. Mad Men
I know, I know. I really need to. But I couldn't get the courage to start getting the whole 65 seasons before me. Ugh!
2. Treme
The series is ending next season and probably this is the best time to pick it up.
3. Parks and Recreation
Amy Poehler! Unlike its NBC contemporaries, Parks and Recreations still is funny to date. But where do I start? I heard season 1 was horrible and only became better with succeeding seasons. Should I start with Season 2 or 3?
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