I can’t finish my 2008 Film List until some movies finally make it to Nashville. But I can make of list of cool TV I saw this year. Despite having no cable, I still managed to stay current on most of my favorites.
Battlestar Galactica
Network: Sci-Fi
The penultimate season (or the first half of the final season by the network’s count) was the most consistent season so far. No stand alone episodes (not that there wasn’t plenty of filler) made for a real mounting sense of dire suspense. The show has grown so complex that I have trouble keeping the different cylons apart, but it is truly shaping up to be an epic series. Characters still have a tendency to change depending on what the drama of each episode demands, and some characters are frustratingly single-minded, but that final scene of this season: uber depressing, which means it was uber awesome! I have no idea who the final cylon might be.
Performances I liked:
Mary McDonnell
Breaking Bad
Network: AMC
I don’t know what’s going on at AMC, but I like it. Malcolm’s dad becomes a meth dealer and madness ensues. This show has one hell of a dark streak (the episode where a body is dissolved in acid was especially gruesome). And I’m glad to see Aaron Paul finally get a decent role. The season finale lacks the punch that I’ve come to expect from such episodes, but that was due to the writer’s strike. Violence? Drugs? Sex? More, please.
Performances I liked:
Bryan Cranston
Aaron Paul
Fringe
Network: Fox
It’s really just a jacked up CSI. Mad science used to solve mysteries with the ongoing promise that there is a deeper mythology lurking. There are a few episodes that lend to the bigger mystery, and I think these are the strongest since the more formulaic episodes suffer from too much repetition. The first episode in particular had some iffy character development. John Noble’s character can be too much of a joke, but then he lets some dark aspect of his son’s childhood slip out. Some of the plotting is contrived, but the final episode galvanized my interest, and I will continue watching in the next year.
Performances I liked:
John Noble
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Network: F/X
One of my favorite moments of the year is watching Charlie and Dee discuss whether or not it’s racist to want to eat a white dude rather than a black dude. Tackling the big issues. “Dude, stop pulling out your teeth!” It also features one of my favorite songs of the year. “This Boy’s Hole” Or “This Boy’s Soul” depending on who’s singing it. In fact, I was a little sad when the season ended. In a deal like the one ABC made for LOST, Sunny has been guaranteed 39 more episodes over the next three years. Plenty of time for somebody to give Charlie Day an award. My favorite character on TV right now.
Performances I liked:
Charlie Day
Danny DeVito
Glenn Howerton
Rob McElhenney
Kaitlin Olson
LOST
Network: ABC
This season, the show totally delivered on what it had been promising. A growing, all consuming arc, batshit crazy plotting, and backstories that confirm some of the survivors are not there by chance. We even got a brilliant influx of new, mysterious characters (Jeremy Davies’ single shot flashback has inspired me with a theory regarding his character’s significance.). We finally have some real, menacing villains. Kevin Durand’s Keamy in particular was a brilliant addition – towering over the rest of the cast and committing one of the most shocking acts on the show to date. I believe this season also has the highest body count of recurring characters. And all this in the face of a writer’s strike that cut the season down the middle. My parents are now watching the show, and I assumed they were completely confused about everything at this point, until one night my mom expertly explained the long complex history between Desmond, Penny and her Father to my brother.
Performances I liked:
Naveen Andrews
Henry Ian Cusick
Jeremy Davies
Kevin Durand
Michael Emerson
Jeff Fahey
Yunjin Kim
Ken Leung
Terry O’Quinn
Mad Men
Network: AMC
I liked the second season even more than the first. The show got into the lives of some of the lesser executives more, and pondered relentlessly on a time of massive change in American society. There isn’t a lot of nifty plotting. Instead, the rewards are all in the immense details, and the ironic eye of almost fifty years of history. Mysterious pacts, unwanted pregnancies, and afternoon rapes.
Performances I Liked:
John Hamm
Christina Hendricks
January Jones
Elisabeth Moss
Primeval
Network: BBC America
Fringe-lite. But far more fun. This show suffers from some truly bargain basement special effects, but it makes up for its shortcoming with an enjoyable cast and twisty mythology. The show has only begun to touch on the dangers of time travel, but I can see some insane elements falling into place.
Performances I Liked:
Andrew-Lee Potts
Reaper
Network: CW
Only a few episodes aired in 2008, but they pushed the story forward ably. The demon rebellion, revelations about the missing pages in the contract, and real looming darkness. Still just the slacker dude Buffy, but it’s fun as hell.
Performances I liked:
Ray Wise
Skins
Network: BBC America
Teens being bad. Each episode focuses on a different character. The main character is the Machiavellian (and sexually confused) Tony who manipulates his closest friends for his own personal entertainment. The show rotates from comedic running gags to dark shocking moments. I absolutely ache for each of these sad, frustrated characters. It's a little too soapy at times, but the performances make up for it.
Performances I liked:
Mike Bailey
Joe Dempsie
Mitch Hewer
Nicholas Hoult
Hannah Murray
Larissa Wilson
TV Shows I Watched, But Was Disappointed In
Fear Itself
Network: NBC
Like most recent horror anthologies, a lot of the episodes lack a real punch. I’m inclined to blame this blandness on the fact that it airs on a broadcast network. But some episodes were actually creepy, and it was shockingly graphic for NBC. Still, most episodes were not scary at all and relied on a last minute twist that defied all logic.
Generation Kill
Network: HBO
In typical Simon style, characters sit around, waxing poetic about their lives (so deep, man), while bitching about their jobs. And Ziggy was still way too obnoxious. But this anti-glorification of all things soldier is much batter than the propagandish Band of Brothers. And that final shot is creepy.
Performances I Liked:
Alexander Skarsgard
Billy Lush
Gossip Girl
Network: CW
Curiosity got the better of me, so I netflixed the first season. I was hoping for something trashier and more vile, but it really is just rich people crapping on everybody. That being said, the main guy (you know, the “lower class” guy) was immensely likeable. And after a while, I started to appreciate the Machiavellian Chuck.
Performances I Liked:
Penn Badgley
Ed Westwick
Heroes
Network: NBC
What the fuck is going on?! Despite culling actors from both Veronica Mars and The Wire, this show has become too frustrating and convoluted to endure. I like the look and style of the show, but the plot is indecipherable. At least Kristen Bell’s character is dead now and I can quit watching.
Pushing Daisies
Network: ABC
Still too cutesy and whimsical, but immensely watchable and fun. Visually and tonally distinct. As the ongoing story gets more and more complicated, it becomes better and better. The network has already dropped the hatchet, however. With only three episodes left (rumored to be burned off sometime soon), there is no way the story will get a satisfying resolution.
Robin Hood
Network: BBC America
Still kind of lame, but the series really fucked with the legend in the last few episodes, and rumor has it the last episode of the third season will kill off Robin. And yet, it will continue without him? It looks like I’ll be watching the third season – and then I’m done with this show!
Performances I liked:
Richard Armitage
Swingtown
Network: CBS
Boring. For CBS, it was damn risqué. For any other network, watered down tripe with no drama or style.
True Blood
Network: HBO
It started off okay, then got boring, then was pretty good, then ended okay again. It was never scary, and the dialogue was too exposition-heavy, but that title sequence is goddamn awesome. And the short stretch with Stephen Root was fantastic.
The Wire
Network: HBO
Too much McNulty. Too much plotting that is way on the nose. Too many new characters to grate on my skin while the characters I like get the shaft. The most frustrating part: when McNulty steps out of his car to look at the city and has a montage. I roll my eyes at you.
Shows I Regret Not Watching
Dexter – I enjoyed the first season, but neglected to catch the second or third. And rumor has it, they are both pretty good.
Friday Night Lights – A few episodes played earlier in the year, but for the new season, it moved to Direct TV. Since I do not have access to Direct TV, I cannot see you Friday Night Lights.
In Treatment – I didn’t even hear about this show until it was well into its debut season, but it airs four or five times a week. A week! For someone without Tivo or HBO, I’m pretty much going to have to wait for DVD here.
The Shield – I only recently got through the fourth season (which was pretty lame), but I’ve heard the final season was fantastic and the finale mind-blowing. I can’t wait to work my way through the last (gulp) four seasons.
The Venture Brothers – I watched the first two seasons on DVD this year. What an amazing show. Random scattershot inappropriate humor? Check. Shout outs to my favorites shows as a kid (namely Jonny Quest, Scooby Doo, Superfriends, etc)? Check. A deep, expanding cast and mythology? Check. How have I not been watching this show all along? Sadly, I only watched the first two seasons after the third had aired.
Joe Dempsie
Mitch Hewer
Nicholas Hoult
Hannah Murray
Larissa Wilson
TV Shows I Watched, But Was Disappointed In
Fear Itself
Network: NBC
Like most recent horror anthologies, a lot of the episodes lack a real punch. I’m inclined to blame this blandness on the fact that it airs on a broadcast network. But some episodes were actually creepy, and it was shockingly graphic for NBC. Still, most episodes were not scary at all and relied on a last minute twist that defied all logic.
Generation Kill
Network: HBO
In typical Simon style, characters sit around, waxing poetic about their lives (so deep, man), while bitching about their jobs. And Ziggy was still way too obnoxious. But this anti-glorification of all things soldier is much batter than the propagandish Band of Brothers. And that final shot is creepy.
Performances I Liked:
Alexander Skarsgard
Billy Lush
Gossip Girl
Network: CW
Curiosity got the better of me, so I netflixed the first season. I was hoping for something trashier and more vile, but it really is just rich people crapping on everybody. That being said, the main guy (you know, the “lower class” guy) was immensely likeable. And after a while, I started to appreciate the Machiavellian Chuck.
Performances I Liked:
Penn Badgley
Ed Westwick
Heroes
Network: NBC
What the fuck is going on?! Despite culling actors from both Veronica Mars and The Wire, this show has become too frustrating and convoluted to endure. I like the look and style of the show, but the plot is indecipherable. At least Kristen Bell’s character is dead now and I can quit watching.
Pushing Daisies
Network: ABC
Still too cutesy and whimsical, but immensely watchable and fun. Visually and tonally distinct. As the ongoing story gets more and more complicated, it becomes better and better. The network has already dropped the hatchet, however. With only three episodes left (rumored to be burned off sometime soon), there is no way the story will get a satisfying resolution.
Robin Hood
Network: BBC America
Still kind of lame, but the series really fucked with the legend in the last few episodes, and rumor has it the last episode of the third season will kill off Robin. And yet, it will continue without him? It looks like I’ll be watching the third season – and then I’m done with this show!
Performances I liked:
Richard Armitage
Swingtown
Network: CBS
Boring. For CBS, it was damn risqué. For any other network, watered down tripe with no drama or style.
True Blood
Network: HBO
It started off okay, then got boring, then was pretty good, then ended okay again. It was never scary, and the dialogue was too exposition-heavy, but that title sequence is goddamn awesome. And the short stretch with Stephen Root was fantastic.
The Wire
Network: HBO
Too much McNulty. Too much plotting that is way on the nose. Too many new characters to grate on my skin while the characters I like get the shaft. The most frustrating part: when McNulty steps out of his car to look at the city and has a montage. I roll my eyes at you.
Shows I Regret Not Watching
Dexter – I enjoyed the first season, but neglected to catch the second or third. And rumor has it, they are both pretty good.
Friday Night Lights – A few episodes played earlier in the year, but for the new season, it moved to Direct TV. Since I do not have access to Direct TV, I cannot see you Friday Night Lights.
In Treatment – I didn’t even hear about this show until it was well into its debut season, but it airs four or five times a week. A week! For someone without Tivo or HBO, I’m pretty much going to have to wait for DVD here.
The Shield – I only recently got through the fourth season (which was pretty lame), but I’ve heard the final season was fantastic and the finale mind-blowing. I can’t wait to work my way through the last (gulp) four seasons.
The Venture Brothers – I watched the first two seasons on DVD this year. What an amazing show. Random scattershot inappropriate humor? Check. Shout outs to my favorites shows as a kid (namely Jonny Quest, Scooby Doo, Superfriends, etc)? Check. A deep, expanding cast and mythology? Check. How have I not been watching this show all along? Sadly, I only watched the first two seasons after the third had aired.
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