For my top TV show list, that means comparing things
that's aren't similar at all. How does a laugh compare to a tear shed? And how
was the laugh or tear earned? For an established series, am I taking it for
granted or is it actually getting worse? Should an inconsistent show be rated
by its peaks and valleys or where it averages out? By comparing one show to
another, I'm able to figure out what I value about a show and why. This is how
I like to go about organizing my thoughts. The toughest part is always knowing
when to stop. There's no right answer, so there's no way to be finished. The
problem then is explaining how I ended up with the order I did.
This 2017 list nearly broke me. There's just not
that much difference between any show within 10 spots of another after the
first few on my list. There are dozens of shows I want to recommend to people.
Small shows that no one watches, big shows that people take for granted,
ambitious shows that scare people away, simple shows that people dismiss. This
is what I finally ended up with.
A quick clerical point: Where available, I'll
include where I ranked a show in previous years. For some context, I ranked 65
shows in 2016; 68 shows in 2015; 47 shows in 2014; 47 shows in 2013. I'm not
sure about 2012, but I did make a top 10 for that year. So, being 40th in 2016
is very different from being 40th in 2014. Keep that in mind.
Top 10
1. The Leftovers (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #1 -
2015, #5 -2014
Favorite Episode: The Book of Nora
Not only is this my favorite show of 2017. It's my
favorite thing of 2017 (TV, movie, time spent with friends and family, etc.)*.
I love the world that David Lindelof and Tom Perrotta have created. The third
and final season was as crazy and satisfying as anything I've seen in a while.
This season alone had a Tasmanian lion hedonist sex boat, a presidential penis
scanner, and a Wu Tang Clan tattoo. The lead quartet of Carrie Coon (a national
treasure), Justin Theroux, Christopher Eccleston, and Amy Brenneman is the best
on TV. I'm going to miss this sad, strange, bold, funny, insane, heartbreaking
show.*Disney Land was pretty great, I ate some delicious wings, and Kelly Clarkson had a new album. I'm still comfortable ranking Leftovers at the top.
2. Master of None (Season 2)
Previous Rank: #7 -
2015
Favorite Episode: Amarsi Un Po
This is the most
formally inventive half hour show on TV. Aziz Ansari proved that season 1 was
no fluke by making something even better: even more introspective than before
and often hilarious. "Thanksgiving" rightly won the Emmy for writing
this year, although it's the nearly hour-long "Amarsi Un Po" that
stuck with me the most. There's no wrong answer for favorite episode this
season because there's so much variety in it. Master of None is Ansari
and Alan Yang's crazy little laboratory. Also, bonus points for having a sexual
assault in Hollywood story months before it became national news*.*Note:I know it's been going on for decades. I'm just giving the show credit for not just being reactive to the Harvey Weinstein story.
3. Better Call Saul (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #9 - 2016, #22 - 2015
Favorite Episode: Chicanery
It’s hardly news to anyone watching the show that it’s more
than just an excuse to continue Breaking Bad. (And if you aren’t
watching, shame on you!) Sure, the Mike Ehrmantraut half of the show that is
explicitly a Breaking Bad spinoff, in which Jonathan Banks goes for the
record for least word spoken by a major character is great. The real heart of
the show is the battle between the McGill brothers that gave us the exceptional
courtroom episode, “Chicanery”. Bob Odenkirk. Michael McKean. Rhea Seahorn.
Jonathan Banks. There’s no a weak link in this cast.
4. Review (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #8 - 2015
Favorite Episode: Cryogenics, Lightning, Not
Reviewing
5. The Good Place (Seasons 1-2)
Previous Rank: #19 - 2016
Favorite Episode: Michael's Gambit
6. Halt and Catch Fire (Season 4)
Previous Rank: #11
- 2016, #25 - 2015, #35 - 2014
Favorite Episode: Goodwill
The first show from the second half of the year. You
probably don’t watch Halt and Catch Fire, because if you’ve even heard
of it, you probably didn’t make it through the bumpy first season. Your loss.
Few shows in recent memory have course corrected so spectacularly. The smartest
move was shifting the excellent Kerry Bishe and Makenzie Davis’ Donna and
Cameron to the forefront and toning down Don Draper wannabe, Joe MacMillan (Lee
Pace). This fourth and final season was deeply emotional without ever feeling
manipulative. All I can say is that you’d be wise to watch it to the end.
7. Veep (Season 6)
Previous Rank: #1 - 2016, #2 - 2015, #2 - 2014, #8 -
2013
Favorite Episode: Georgia
Was it a down season for Veep or am I just taking it
for granted after 6 seasons? Definitely the former and probably the latter.
This is the first season in a while in which the majority of the episodes
weren’t the best thing I saw that week. If that’s the ridiculously high bar
I’ve set for it, then I’d be a fool to let Veep drop out of my top
10. Still no show guaranteed a laugh as
reliably as Veep. Besides, it still has Selena Meyer, Jonah Ryan,
Richard Splett, and countless other great characters. TV viewers are being
spoiled by so much in one show.
8. Brooklyn Nine Nine (Seasons 4-5)
Previous Rank: #8 - 2016, #12 - 2015, #4 - 2014, #18
- 2013
Favorite Episode: Your Honor
Every year, I think I’m taking Brooklyn Nine Nine
for granted, but past rankings disagree. This is one of the best comedy
ensembles on TV. There are endless combinations to exploit. Andre Braugher’s
Captain Holt is a Ron Swanson-level comedy weapon. With episodes like “Moo Moo”
they’re even moving into more dramatic territory without being any less funny.
My only complaint is that nothing in 2017 was as funny as the mumps episode in
2016. For those counting at home, that makes 2 Michael Schur shows in my top
10. I don’t care if I’m predictable.9. The Americans (Season 5)
Favorite Episode: Dyatkovo
A lot of the very best shows over the last few years had
slightly down seasons this year, which has made them tough to rank. The
Americans certainly suffered some because it felt like it spent most of
this season setting things up for its final season in 2018 rather than arching
for this season. Still, no one on TV does being sad and tormented better than
Matthew Rhys. Keri Russell did exceptional work showing noticeable cracks in
Elizabeth's historically unfaltering allegiance to mother Russia. The show also
gets bonus points for continuing to give the teen daughter, Paige (Holly
Taylor) more to do without it hurting the quality of the show. 10. American Vandal (Season 1)
Favorite Episode: Premature Theories
I’m sorry, but I have to make room in the top 10 for this Serial-esque
parody series. No show centered around finding out who spray painted a bunch of
dicks on teachers’ cars should be this well executed, funny in a variety of
ways, and able to make me genuinely care about what happens to the characters.
Any fan of Serial, Making a Murder, The Jynx, or anything
of that ilk should delight in the juvenile spin on genre. The best satire comes
from a place of love, and that’s evident in American Vandal. A non-fan
couldn’t make something this specific and authentic.
The Other Top 10
Note: This isn't my Next Top 10. This is the other
10 shows that could've been my top 10. Except for the very top spot, I could
easily make a top 10 out of these shows and be totally fine with it.
11. BoJack Horseman (Season 4)
Previous Rank: #5 - 2016
Favorite Episode: Ruthie
12. Game of Thrones (Season 7.1)
Previous Rank: #10 - 2016, #11 - 2015, #14 - 2014,
#5 - 2013
Favorite Episode: "Beyond the Wall"
You know what? Game of Thrones deserves the hype.
I’m sorry. I don’t have some hot take about the show. It’s overflowing with
performers giving star-making performances. No show has stakes this high. No
show has production values this high. Every week is like watching a blockbuster
movie. This season (or half-season) definitely had plotting problems. “Beyond the
Wall” is emblematic of everything that’s right and everything that’s wrong with
the show. Seven years in and the show is paying off all the audience’s
patience. Hate the show if you want, but we are watching something special.
13. 13 Reasons Why (Season 1)
Favorite Episode: Tape 6, Side A
Definitely the most divisive of my highly rated shows. I
get that there's a lot of problematic stuff about the show. I just don’t care.
Once I started watching, I couldn’t stop. This is a show overflowing with great
performances, especially from Katherine Langford and Dylan Minnette. There’s a
buy-in required up front but it sure as hell pays off by the end. I would’ve
found a way to sneak this into my top 10 if not for the news that there’s going
to be a second season. The end of season one was pretty perfect. Anything
beyond it makes the show significantly less remarkable.
14. Blackish (Season 3-4)
Previous Rank: #13 - 2016, #34 - 2015, #29 - 2014
Favorite Episode: Lemons
15. Girls (Season 6)
Previous Rank: #15 - 2016, #19 - 2015, #12 - 2014,
#3 - 2013, #8 - 2012)
Favorite Episode: The Bounce
Girls isn’t the cultural lightning rod it was in its first
seasons but it managed to finish exceptionally strong. “American Bitch” was one
of the most talked about TV episodes of the year and looks downright prophetic
now. “Latching” is one of the more counter-intuitive series finales I’ve ever
seen. “What Will We Do This Time About Adam?” was a surprisingly beautiful
flashback to earlier seasons. For my money though, it doesn’t get much better
than season MVP Andrew Rannells and the Elijah-centric “The Bounce”. I’ll miss
this series and its ability to both delight and irritate me.
16. Last Week Tonight (Season 4)
Favorite Episode: Sinclair Broadcast Group
17. The Deuce (Season 1)
Favorite Episode: Pilot
I’ll probably say this about the next dozen picks, but this
feels way too low considering how much I liked The Deuce. This is the
rightful sexual 70’s successor to The Wire from David Simon. James
Franco playing twins somehow doesn’t come off as a stunt. Maggie Gyllenhaal -
no surprise here - dazzles. The cast is huge and without a weak link. It’s nice
to see Emily Meade show up on another great show after she was left behind on The
Leftovers. My only actual complaint is that 8 episodes wasn’t enough. I
can’t wait to see wait comes next.
18. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Season 1)
Favorite Episode: Pilot
Oh, thank god. Amy Sherman-Pallindino hasn’t lost it. I was
worried after the Gilmore Girls revival was so 'meh'. Rachel Brosnahan
is an absolute star, able to deliver that fast-paced dialogue every bit as well
as Lauren Graham, which isn’t something I say lightly. It’s astounding how well
Sharman-Pallindino built this world and these characters in only eight
episodes. It’s nice to see Alex Borstein finally get to shine on a
Sherman-Pallindino show*, and Tony Shalhoub gets to remind everyone that he’s a
comedic weapon beyond what he did for 8 seasons as Adrian Monk.
*She was the original pick for Suki on Gilmore Girls before being recast with Melissa McCarthy. It’s hard to be mad about that.
19. Speechless (Season 1-2)
Previous Rank: #38 - 2016
Favorite Episode: N-I--Nightmars on D-I-Dimeo
S-Street
20. The Carmichael Show (Season 3)
Favorite Episode: Shoot-Up-Able
You didn’t watch this show. No one did. You probably
weren’t even aware it existed until now. That’s fine. NBC never knew what to do
with it and mostly burned it off. I didn’t finally catch up on it until this
year. It’s a throwback sitcom in the vein of All in the Family. Every
week a new social topic is discussed in depth for the length of the episode.
Season 3 covered topics like consent, supporting the troops, and guns. Don't
let that scare you though. The show it legitimately very funny. The long focus
on a topic allows for the type of earned punchlines that few shows have the
opportunity to pull off. David Alan Greir and Loretta Devine are old pros, not
to mention that the show includes LilRel Howery and Tiffany Haddish before
their breakouts in Get Out and Girls Trip respectively.
The 10 I Wish I Could've Put Higher
This group is dominated by shows that I loved that,
frankly, don't need my help. While the idea behind a top 10 (or more) list is
to rank quality, inevitably, little shows that I want to champion get some
extra love. That leaves a lot of shows that everyone knows are great falling lower
than they probably would if all else was even. While these shows are nearing
the halfway mark in my list, I still really loved them all.
21. The Middle (Season 8-9)
Previous Rank: #12 - 2016, #13 - 2015, #10 - 2014,
#11 - 2013
I’ve said it for years. The Middle, not Modern
Family is the real star of the class of 2009. Few family comedies have
evolved with the aging of the children as seamlessly The Middle has with
the Hecks. This quiet classic is finally feeling its age in the final season.
It’s hard to remember how long the show has been on until you see episode
titles like “Halloween VIII: Orson Murder Mystery” or “Thanksgiving IX”. I’ll
miss this delightful, overlooked gem when it’s gone, although it is time for
it. Thankfully, I still have another half season of Sue’s unflappable optimism,
Brick’s quirks, and Mike’s perfectly timed moments of action.
22. Legion (Season 1)
Falling from my midyear 6th place show to 22nd
now is certainly recency bias at play. Noah Hawley’s take on the X-Men
universe is the most visually inventive and crazy show this side of Twin
Peaks. The Bolero sequence is among my scenes of the year (if I made such a
list). Dan Stevens and Rachel Keller impressed me enough that I’ll happily
watch anything with them (except Downton Abbey. I really don’t have the
time). Aubrey Plaza is in a role that fits her perfectly. This should be high
on my list, but I needed to stop tinkering.
23. Fargo (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #4 - 2015, #1 - 2014
Like Legion, there’s some recency bias hurting Fargo,
which aired back in April. That, and the fact that the first seasons are so
great that any dip in quality gets amplified. Season 3 lands somewhere between
the intimacy of season 1 and the excessiveness of season 2. Ewan McGregor got a
lot better when he only had one character to play. David Thewlis became the
super-Lorne Malvo. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Carrie Coon turn this into yet
another prestige cable drama that is carried by the female performers. And,
remember the Peter and the Wolf episode? That was a lot of fun.
24. Silicon Valley (Season 4)
Previous Rank: #14 - 2016, #5 - 2015, #3 - 2014
Silicon Valley really is the bizarro world Entourage.
I don’t buy into this revisionist history that Entourage was always hated
by people with “taste”, but I certainly have always enjoyed Silicon Valley
more than even peak Entourage. Season 4 relied on the same tricks as
previous seasons (everything gets as bad as possible, then they are given a
sliver of hope). While still funny, often exceptionally funny, it’s getting
predictable (in spirit if not exact plot points). Perhaps the loss of Erlich
will shake things up. I sure will miss the feud between Erlich and Jian Yang
though. Their beef is up there in Cece and Niles territory.
25. Better Things (Season 2)
Previous Rank: #30 - 2016
This wonderful series lost a couple spots due to the
involvement of the now toxic Louis CK (he wrote or co-wrote every episode and
was an active producer for the first two seasons). I’ll admit that’s not fair,
because this is undeniably star/writer/director/creator Pamela Adlon’s show and
voice, but that’s how it is. The show is messy and nasty yet also touching and
sweet; just like real life. The trip to Canada. The surreal dance sequence at
the end of the season. Two or three of the most emphatic sexual rejections ever
recorded. The fake funeral of Sam Fox. So many great moments in an excellent
sophomore season.
26. Big Little Lies (Season 1)
Of course I’m going to enjoy a show with Reese Witherspoon,
Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern. Zoe Kravitz, Adam Scott, and
Alexander Skarsgard. That’s not to mention the excellent young cast including
Darby Camp, Iain Armitage, and the recently ubiquitous Kathryn Netwon. Like a
couple other shows, I’m penalizing it [unfairly] because I’m mad that they are
making a second season, despite wrapping the first story up so well. I love how
female focused the cast and storytelling is, although I got bored of the
problems of the obscenely rich. That cast though. That cast.
27. The Handmaid's Tale (Season 1)
Elisabeth Moss is exceptional. The rest of the show
could’ve been garbage and I still would’ve watched it for her. Add in Yvonne
Strahovski, Alixis Bledel, Ann Dowd, and Samira Wiley and you have a series with
an embarrassment of talent. The world-building of this dystopia is terrific. The
main thing hurting it is that start of the season was so much stronger than the
end. That’s a common problem with dystopias: there’s a lot of interesting
exposition but the story of how it falls about isn’t as engaging. The
Handmaid's Tale is probably the show of the year. The Emmy win would certainly
suggest so. I’m curious to find out if it’s going to be another one season
wonder or if it has staying power.
28. Stranger Things (Season 2)
Previous Rank: #17 - 2016
Oddly, I think I liked Stranger Things 2 even more.
I don’t have an explanation for how it dropped from last year other than
lacking the surprise factor of the first season (i.e. we all saw it coming this
time). If you ignore Chapter 7, the second season does everything that made the
first season so delightful and changed up just enough so it didn’t feel stale.
I’m not sure which pairing worked better: more Eleven and Jim Hopper or the
surprise joy of the Dustin/Steve duo. They overcorrected the #JusticeForBarb
some and also introduced a number of new characters fairly seamlessly, even if
they haven’t yet delivered on the promise Billy as a character.
29. GLOW (Season 1)
In 2010, if you’d've asked me, I would’ve predicted that by
now Alison Brie would a major part of a big film franchise or have the lead
role in a hit comedy or RomCom under her belt by now. Well, that hasn’t quite
happened – as much a I love Sleeping with Other People, it wasn’t a hit
– but I’ll accept her being a big TV star as a consolation prize. GLOW
is an excellent showcase for her talents and puts her front and center. I
didn’t know I needed a show about the 80’s female wrestling scene. I do now.
Also, Marc Maron shows range I never would’ve predicted from him. And it had a drug-dispensing robot. What’s not to love?
30. Mindhunter (Season 1)
This is the series that breathed life back into the tired
serial killer tropes by going back to when they were first being explored. It’s
great seeing Jonathan Groff leading another show. Holt McCallany does the
“grizzled veteran cop” thing almost too well. Anna Torv joins a setup similar
to Fringe but gets a new kind of character to play. Cameron Britton gets
one of the more nuanced serial killer roles in years. I’m incredibly curious to
see what they do with the BTK Killer next season (or whenever that happens).
Oh, and can someone explain to me why Hannah Gross looks so familiar? I can't
figure out who she looks like, because I've certainly never seen her in
anything else.
The 10 (+17) in the Middle
Do you know what these are? These are good shows.
They may not represent the best 2017 has to offer, but I found them all
worthwhile.
31. The Vietnam War
I caught the Ken Burns bug hard this year, binging The
Civil War, Prohibition, The West, and The Roosevelts
early in the year. I was chomping at the bits for this 18-hour epic. You can’t
beat the depth and scope of this series. Perhaps the only thing working against
it is my sour memories from trying to fit this in in the middle of premiere
week this Fall. I enjoyed the early hours the most, when it gave decades of
context to Vietnam before the US entered the conflict. I can’t wait to see
what’s up next for Ken Burns and Lynn Novak.
32. Saturday Night Live (Season 42-43)
Previous Rank: #32 - 2016, #36 - 2015, #20 - 2014
I made a horrible mistake. I ranked all the shows in 2017
before I went back to look at the best SNL sketches of 2017. The show is
very hit or miss (more hit in the spring and miss in the fall). When it’s good
though, it’s damn good. The first appearance of Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer
is one of the great SNL sketches ever. Remember how they did a whole
sketch about the Avatar logo? “Welcome to Hell” was a pretty brilliant
response to all the sexual assault news. “Where in the World is Kellyanne
Conway?” is a sublime 2 minutes. I’m stopping here, but I could go on for a lot
longer.
33. When We Rise
I’m still kind of shocked this chronicle of the gay rights
movement got made, for ABC, and aired right in the middle of the Winter TV
season. This felt like a vintage network mini-series; the type that no one's
made in a decade or two. I was thoroughly impressed with the depth of the story
while staying accessible to those not familiar with the story already. While
the actors player the older versions of all the characters like Rachel
Griffiths, Mary-Louise Parker, Guy Pearce, and Michael Kenneth Williams got all
the press, I was actually more impressed with the young cast, including Emily
Skeggs, Austin P. McKenzie, and Jonathan Majors. I hope ABC continues doing
things like this.
34. Catastrophe (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #28 - 2016
Dammit, England! Make more episodes. Six just isn’t enough.
As soon as I start getting in the groove of watching this argumentative RomCom,
the season is already over. If nothing else, the third season is worth watching
for the episode with Carrie Fisher, who is in peak comedy form shortly before
her death. Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney make for one of the most believable
and sometimes nasty couples on TV. I’m especially curious to see what happens
next with Rob’s alcoholism relapse. The way this show works though, season 4
could start a year later and not even mention it until episode 5.
35. Feud: Bette vs. Joan (Season 1)
I’m a big fan of stories of old Hollywood. If nothing else,
I have to thank this show for leading me to the You Must Remember This
podcast. Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange were wonderful as the titular Bette
and Joan. Stanley Tucci had too much fun as the foul-mouthed Jack Warner.
Jackie Hoffman’s Mamacita was a reliable scene-stealer. Oddly, my favorite side
story was that of the wholly made-up Pauline Jameson (Alison Wright), as an
aspiring female filmmaker in the 60s. The Oscars of 1963 episode is certainly
the highlight of the season. The story fizzled some in the three episodes that
followed.
36. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #29 - 2016, #17 - 2015
I wish I could explain why, but I’ve really cooled on this
show from when it premiered. Ellie Kemper is still perfectly cast for the
titular role. I had a lot of fun with her adventures in college this year.
While I admire how committed Tituss Burgess is to the role, I’m really tired of
Titus Andromedon. He’s too much. Jaqueline White is a 90% approximation of
Jenna Moroney, but the character doesn’t quite work as well in this world. All
that said, the series is a joke machine. Even when I don’t like an episode as a
whole, there’s reliably two or three jokes that make me laugh out loud.
37. This Is Us (Season 1-2)
Previous Rank: #27 - 2016
Haters gonna hate, right? I adore the cast, especially
Sterling K. Brown, Mandy Moore, and Milo Ventimiglia. Episodes like “Memphis”
or the trilogy that ended 2017 were tremendously emotional. I love that a
family drama like this is the biggest show on TV. It tells me that Jason Katims
is just one good pitch away from a hit show. I think I just resent how cheaply
emotionally manipulative it is sometimes. It doesn’t always earn the big
moments. They have abandoned many of the “Twist is Us” tendencies of the first
season that bothered the hell out of me, but the fact that they keep teasing
Jack’s death tells me that they are writing for a much different audience than
me.
38. The Last Tycoon (Season 1)
As I said with Feud, I love old Hollywood stories.
I’m going to watch show about them even if they are bad. The Last Tycoon
was more generic than bad, pulling from a dated “prestige TV” playbook. Matt
Bomer is ideal casting for the lead role – a transparent Don Draper type.
Kelsey Grammer is at his best with a big character like Pat Brady. I even like
Lily Collins as the studio boss’ daughter looking to prove herself. The series
doesn't do anything unique or special, but I sure had an easy time watching it.
I’m sad that Amazon pulled the plug after one season, even though I won’t be
signing any petitions to bring it back. One season might’ve been enough.
39. The Simpsons (Season 28-29)
Previous Rank: #36 - 2016, #42 - 2015)
I rate all the shows in my list in a series of
head-to-heads with no idea where anything is placed until the whole list is
done. I look at it as an encouraging sign of consistency when shows like The
Simpsons stay in the same range year after year. I’m certainly taking The
Simpsons for granted. It’s just hard to get excited about another season
after nearly three decades. 2017 had a good batch of episodes like "The
Serfsons", "22 for 30", "Dogtown", and of course
another "Treehouse of Horrors". That’s good enough for me.
40. The History of Comedy
On the plus side, The History of Comedy mixes two of
my favorite things: documentary series and comedy. On the other hand, there’s
not much here that I haven’t seen before. It’s still nice to see their take on
women in comedy over the years, the rise of blue comedy, and the infiltration
of comedians’ actual lives into their acts. While I do mostly agree with the
points they’re making, it’s hard to avoid rolling my eyes when it inevitably
gets to talking heads from comedians about how important what they do is.
Really though, CNN could make 50 episodes of this and I’d watch them all.
41. Orange is the New Black (Season 5)
Previous Rank: #26 - 2016, #28 - 2015, #24 - 2014
The prison break idea was a good experiment. Most shows are
content doing the same thing over and over again. Not Jenji Kohan. Going back
to her Weeds days reminds us that she’s willing to shake anything and
everything up on a whim. It’s a shame that this idea didn’t quite work. There
weren’t 13 episodes of plot to sustain it and there were plenty of timeline
inconsistencies. I’m still curious to see what experiment next season brings.
What’s great is that no show has as deep a pool of characters to choose from.
There’s always some new pairing or grouping to explore.
42. Fresh Off the Boat (Season 3-4)
Previous Rank: #18 - 2016, #16 - 2015
The evolution of Fresh Off the Boat has been fun to
track. No more voice-overs. Eddie is no longer the lead character. Outsiders like
Honey and Marvin and Eddie's friends have been rounded out. Evan and Emery have
clear personalities. Jessica is still the star and Louis is the rock. I haven’t
cared for all the directions the show’s gone in (Less Kenny Rogers and Michael Bolton, please). Episodes that reflect on the Asian American experience like
“The Flush” and “The Masters” are when
the show is at its best. Oh, and bravo for fitting the Macy’s Parade massacre
of Barney the Dinosaur into an episode.
43. The Last Man on Earth (Season 3-4)
Previous Rank: #22 - 2016, #31 - 2015
Truly no comedy is doing or even attempting what The
Last Man on Earth is doing. This year had Melissa’s mental breakdown, Gail
getting trapped in an elevator and almost dying, a stand-alone episode with
Kristen Wiig and no regular cast members that isn’t given any context for half
a season, and a random time jump just for the fun of it. Whenever I reach a
point when I can’t put up with Tandy’s antics anymore and think about dropping
the show, they do something brilliant that I never saw coming. This is a very
acquired taste, for sure. It’s rare that a show can surprise me so consistently
though.
44. American Ninja Warrior (Season 9)
Previous Rank: #48 - 2016, #45 - 2015
You take the good with the bad. I fast forward through all
the backstory segments for the competitors. I almost always hate whatever
ninja-based nickname someone has been assigned. Akbar Gbajabiamila and Matt
Iseman’s commentary is often just silly. Then the clock starts and some
mountain climber or former gymnast blasts through some obstacle that I can’t
even fathom being able to complete. This is reality TV without politicking or
questionable eliminations. You either make it through the course or you don’t.
I like that. And, find me a more earnest show on TV. It sure would be nice if
someone could even get close to winning though. Nine seasons in and only two
people have ever completed all four stages. That’s insane.
45. Godless
Unlike a lot of shows this year that should've stopped
with one season, I wish Godless could've been designed for more than 7
episodes. This Western revenge series set up a large and interesting world that
there wasn't enough time to fully explore. The idea of a Wild West town run by
woman alone has several seasons of potential. Great performances by the likes
of Michelle Dockery, Merritt Wever, and Scoot McNairy. Jack O’Connell still has
trouble standing out in my mind. Jeff Daniels got to chew a ton of scenery in
very entertaining ways. And Sam Waterston’s mustache was glorious.
46. Dear White People (Season 1)
Justin Simien and company did an excellent job translating
the film of the same name to the small screen. It managed to hold onto a lot of
the things that made the movie so entertaining in a more fragmented structure.
He populated the university with a great cast for a second time (It’s almost
like there’s a lot of talented black actors who have been underutilized for
years or something). Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins stepped in for the
strongest episode of the season. Even though I liked the show, I did tended to
forget about it a lot, often going weeks or months between episodes. I’m not
sure how to quantify that, but it’s a bad sign.
47. The Big Bang Theory (Season 10-11)
Previous Rank: #47 - 2016, ? - 2015, #22 - 2014, #19
- 2013
Look. We’re on season 11. The story’s been written about Big
Bang. It had a slow start, in part because of the writers strike of 2008.
It had a brief window of Emmy love and has been a ratings smash for the better
part of a decade. It’s not an inventive show. It’s not trying to be hip. What
it is is perhaps the last great multi-cam sitcom, of this era, at least. I
never miss an episode because it’s such a well-oiled machine by now that even
when it's lazy it's very watchable. I also couldn’t tell you with any certainty
what storylines were from the last year. It's not plot-intensive.
48. Bob's Burgers (Season 7-8)
Previous Rank: #44 - 2016, #43 - 2015
I like Bob’s Burgers. I don’t love it. There’s just
enough brilliance to keep me watching, but it’s also one of the last things I
clear off of my DVR every week. I liked the experimental premiere episode this
Fall which used a bunch of fan art for the animation. The voice cast is top
notch. Tina, Gene, and Louise are one of the best sets of TV kids. I told
myself I’d write about 100 words or more for every show on this list, and I’m
struggling to get there with Bob’s Burgers. I just don’t have that many
thoughts about it in 2017.
49. Mr. Robot (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #31 - 2016
It’s nice that Mr.Robot stopped trying to be smarter
than the audience*. Season 3 was an overall improvement over season 2. Every
week was a new experiment for Esmail. Of course, the highlight of the season
was the fifth episode, aired commercial-free and shot to look like a single
take. It’s hard to not appreciate a show with that kind of ambition. Sadly, I’m
watching the show mostly for the direction and performances at this point. I
simply don’t care about the story. It’s a muddled mess that I’m happy to
ignore. Now, I just pray that they don’t decide to give Tyrell Wellick an
entire episode again.
*Sam Esmail can talk all he wants about always assuming the audience would figure the twists out early, but I don’t believe it. Why do it and reveal it like a big surprise if it wasn’t supposed to fool people?
50. Transparent (Season 4)
Previous Rank: #35 - 2016, #20 - 2015
Not every show is built for 10 seasons. Transparent
has mostly moved past its original premise by now and hasn’t found any specific
thing to fill that void. This season moved things to the Holy Land, which
produced settings and stories I’ve never seen in a show before, so that was a
relative success. However, none of the main characters had a clear direction and
nothing arched as beautifully as the second season flashbacks did. At this
point, I like the characters enough that they can get me through any other
stumbles. I’d just like for season 5 to have more of a purpose and not exist
just for the sake of existing.
51. The Crown (Season 2)
Previous Rank: #43 - 2016
Replacing John Lithgow’s Winston Churchill with more of
Matt Smith's Phillip didn’t do The Crown any favor’s in its second
season. Calire Foy continues to be stellar as Queen Elizabeth. This just isn’t
a topic I care that much about. I don’t care about the royals that much, and
the fact that the story is bound by modern history further limits it. I do like
whenever Vanessa Kirby shows up as Princess Margaret, and while I don’t care
for Phillip as a character, I do like Matt Smith quite a bit. I may look at the
transition from Claire Foy to Olivia Colman as Elizabeth as an excuse to jump
off next year. Then again, I like Olivia Colman a lot as well.
52. Modern Family (Season 8-9)
Previous Rank: #46 - 2016, #48 - 2015, #21 - 2014,
#20 - 2013
It’s fair to say that Modern Family is going through
the motions at this point. That’s been true for a number of seasons. “Five
Minutes” was a familiar but fun tweak of the formula. I enjoyed seeing Charles
Barkley and DeAndre Jordan show up in “Basketball”. The season premiere about
the solar eclipse was a fun bit of location shooting. One of my favorite
meta-games lately is tracking which Dunphy kid(s) show up in an episode. The
same goes for if Manny makes an appearance. They are getting around the classic
TV problem of the kids growing up by just ignoring it. That’s as good a way as
any to do it.
53. The Flash (Season 3*)
Previous Rank: #56 - 2016
It’s worth noting that I only catch up with The Flash
over the Summer, so I’ve only seen the Winter/Spring episodes. Season 3 is a
blur to me because I binged it so quickly*, that it’s hard to distinguish the
2016 episodes from the 2017 ones. I’ve completely lost track of all the
different Earths there are and any of the timeline mechanics. Here’s what I do
remember: This is a really fun cast, even when they are being super serious.
That’s why it’s the only one of the CW DC Comic shows I make a point to
eventually catch up on.
*I swear, I’m not making speed jokes. There’s just no way
to talk about binging this show without it sounding like I’m trying to be cute
about it.
54. New Girl (Season 6)
Previous Rank: #40 - 2016, #46 - 2015, #23 - 2014,
#15 - 2013
It's been a while since there were any new episodes. And
how the hell have there been 6 seasons of this show? There's no way it
premiered that long ago. Regardless, this is a cast that’s probably too good
for a low-rated niche sitcom at this point. Zooey Deschanel was always a big
“get” for Fox. Jake Johnson and Max Greenfield are ready to lead shows from the
start. Lamorne Morris should at least be on a show that was designed to include
him from the start. I am curious to see what this second attempt at Jess and
Nick as a couple will look like. It almost has to be handled better than last
time.
55. Girlboss (Season 1)
Britt Robertson and a strong supporting cast almost made
this work. I’ve been tracking Robertson down in everything since I saw her in Tomorrowland.
Eventually, someone will figure out how to use her right. Ellie Reed should
play the best friend in everything from now on. Her enthusiasm in infectious.
It reminds me some of Sue Heck. Speaking of The Middle, it’s nice to see
Alphonso McAuley showing up in something else. Recurring characters played by
RuPaul, Jim Rash, Norm MacDonald, and Melanie Lynskey populated this world
nicely. Too bad the show had trouble finding a compelling narrative, challenged
the lead character’s likability too much, and ultimately got cancelled before
it could figure itself out.
56. Girl Meets World (Season 3)
Previous Rank: #53 - 2016, #30 - 2015, #32 - 2014
It’s hard to be too bothered by this cancellation. The
third season sputtered out of control way too often. It lost track of what made
it enjoyable in the first place, trying to force more love triangle drama than
it could handle. 2017 only had three episodes. One of them was a behind the
scenes episode. The finale had some nice cameos but they tried to fit in a
half-season arc about moving to London into two or three episodes. It just
didn’t work. I’ll miss the potential of Girl Meets World and drunkenly
singing along to the theme song every Friday, but I’m fine with it ending.
57. Alias Grace (Season 1)
Maybe it was because I binged it all in one night, but I
didn’t care for Alias Grace. It was well-made on a technical level. I
don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything set in 19th century Canada
before, so that was cool. Sarah Gadon was great in the titular role. I’ll
certainly be looking for projects with her in the future. I’m also a huge fan
of showrunner Sarah Polley’s films. Perhaps I was too distracted by Margaret
Atwood’s involvement (co-writer) and tried to compare it to The Handmaid’s
Tale. This ranking certainly owes more to a lack of an impression made than
me thinking it was bad (although the two are often related).
The Bottom 10
Just remember, I don't keep up with shows I think
are awful. Well, not many.
58. The Defenders (Season 1)
I think I might be done with the Marvel Netflix shows. Each
show gets diminished returns. Daredevil got tedious by the second
season. Jessica Jones sagged massively in the middle of the season. Luke
Cage took a nosedive once Mahershala Ali was gone. I didn’t even bother
with Iron Fist. The long-awaited Defenders team up was nothing like the
joy of finally seeing the Avengers assembled in 2012. I don’t know what
I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. Also, it needed a lot more Sigourney
Weaver doing Kung fu. They teased us with a little of it then killed her off. I
don’t care if it means a lot of awkward cuts to a stunt-double. I want Ridley
kicking ass.
59. The Get Down (Season 1.2)
Previous Rank: #55 - 2016
I actually thought the second half of the season, the half
that aired in 2017, was an improvement. I’m bumping it down a few spots for
wasted potential. And, while it was overall better, there was no moment as
purely entertaining as the rap battle at the end of the 2016 batch of episodes.
The show was done in by a complete lack of buzz and an extraordinary production
cost. Perhaps this means Justice Smith and Shameik Moore will be available for
some other great project that will know how to use their charisma and talent
better. I do wonder what this show would’ve looked like had they known going in
that it would be a single season.
60. Tosh.0
Previous Rank: #59 - 2016, #56 - 2015
I’ve largely stopped watching the show at this point. I’m
leaving it on the list because I still saw quite a few episodes. I was going to
say that I don’t think Daniel Tosh has his heart in this anymore. Then, I
noticed that, at least according to IMDB, he hasn’t been credited as a writer
on the show since 2013. That could just be IMDB wonkiness, but it would make
sense. The show has felt like it’s on auto-pilot for a while now. While there’s
no end to finding funny internet videos, I do think there’s only so many
interesting ways to present them.
61. Sherlock (Season 4)
Previous Rank: #60 - 2016, #30 - 2014
What can I say about a season that left little impression
on me at the time and was over 11 months ago now? It feels like Benedict
Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are doing this as a favor for Steven Moffat at
this point. Moffat seems to be burnt out from all the Doctor Who and Sherlock
(who are two sides of the same character). It’s such a small time commitment
that I’ll probably still stick with it whenever it returns. The star power
alone makes it worthwhile. The magic is gone though, for me at least.
62. Powerless (Season 1)
I like Vanessa Hudgens. I like Danny Pudi. I like Ron
Funches. I like Alan Tudyk. I don’t regret watching this. I knew it was doomed
from the start. There was no corporate synergy keeping this alive the way it
would if this aired on the CW. It was never quite clever or funny enough and
showed no signs of figuring itself out. Hudgens was somewhat miscast, although
she showed enough flashes that I’m convinced she could work as the lead in some
other comedy. I need more Danny Pudi on my TV. He is too damn good to not be on
a great comedy show at all times.
63. Ghosted (Season 1)
I’m mainly still watching this because I don’t know if I
could live in a world where a comedy show with Adam Scott, Craig Robinson, and
Amber Stevens West isn’t good. So, I’m holding out hope that it improves. So
far, the biggest issue I have is that it is the wrong length. A half hour isn’t
enough to comfortably do the “monster of the week” thing they are trying to do.
Maybe there’s a tweak out there they can find that I don’t see.
Additionally, am I the only one who didn’t realize that
Ally Walker wasn’t Felicity Huffman for a really long time?
64. Love (Season 2)
Previous Rank: #57 - 2016
Gillian Jacobs is excellent. Claudua O’Doherty is a true
delight. I cannot question its commitment to its premise. But, good god, do I
hate the lead characters. Jacobs and Paul Rust are doing great work. They are
doing a great job making Mickey and Gus selfish, indecisive, unlikable, and
real. That’s the danger of making a show about unlikable characters: You can do
too good of a job. This is an uncomfortable show that often makes me want to
jump out of my skin. It’s like sour candy. It’s painful but I keep coming back
for more. If next season wasn’t going to be the last, I’d be dropping it now.
Escalation of commitment is a bitch.
65. The Young Pope (Season 1)
I have no idea how many episodes of this show I watched. I
know it wasn’t the whole thing. It wasn’t like I hated watching it either. I simply
couldn’t handle it. It’s so aggressively weird and confidently different that
it was too much. It’s really like someone pitched a Funny or Die sketch and
Paolo Sorrentino decided to take it as seriously as possible without taking out
any of the jokes. As someone who didn’t watch Twin Peaks I can safely
call this the most baffling thing I saw this year. It’s actually a quality
show. I just don’t have the capacity for it.
66. House of Cards (Season 5)
Previous Rank: #37 - 2016, #51 - 2015, #36 - 2014
For the record, I had it this low before the Kevin Spacey
stuff happened. I bumped its ranking up last season because the finale got me
excited for a new status quo, then season 5 reverted back to the same old
thing. I watched most of this season out of completism and listless obligation.
I’ve been completely checked out ever since I realized they would never give
Frank Underwood a worthy opponent. Well, the sixth and final season is set up
pretty perfectly for Spacey’s absence, and I’m incredibly intrigued by the idea
of a House of Cards more from Claire Underwood’s perspective.
67.Taboo (Season 1)
I was so excited for this. Tom Hardy is probably my
favorite actor by total output over the last decade. FX is battling HBO as the
gold standard for original television programming. A stylish 18th
century period piece about revenge sounded like a great idea. Sadly, I found
everything about the show repellant. It was overly dark and damp. Hardy decided
to drop all his charisma. I felt like no one on the set was allowed to smile.
This was drudgery made into a TV show. It was a complete slog. Perhaps someone
with a higher tolerance for that found a way to love it. As a diehard Leftovers
fan, I thought I was one of those people. I’m somehow not.
---------------------------------------------
Here's a couple shows I couldn't find a way to rank.
I did watch some or all of them though.
30 for 30
This documentary series is one of the best programs
of the last decade. I simply can't watch them all and often lose track of the
ones I do want to see. I only caught the series about the 80's Lakers and Celtics
and the John Calipari doc in 2017. The former was excellent. The latter was ok.
Bates Motel
I busted my ass to catch up on this show in time for
the final season. Then, with only a couple episode left, I lost track of it. I
think my DVR messed up one episode then it got lost in the shuffle. Regardless,
the end is so key to this series that I couldn't rank the show without having
seen the last few episodes. My guess is it would've been in the 40s. Too much
of the non-Norma and Norman parts of the show didn't work for me.
Psych: The Movie
Look, I loved getting more Psych and they
picked back up without missing a beat. I just can't compare a movie with full
seasons. Additionally, since it's so clearly just a super-sized episode rather
than a real movie, I couldn't consider this for my 2017 movies list either.
Just let it be known that I thoroughly enjoyed this and would love it if this
became an annual or semi-annual thing.
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