End of Year Lists: TV/Movies
First, here is the list of books read, music heard, and movies and tv watched in 2013.
Before I begin, let me just say that I watched a lot of tv this year. More tv shows than I watched last year, I think. Though 2012 had many more episodes, per the 500 Episodes in a Year Meme. Well over 1000 last year. I am going to fall just short of 800 this year. Oh well.
Anyway, some might be surprised by what made this list and what was left off. I wrote a list of tv I enjoyed, and it was close to 20. It was agony to get it down to ten. Again, like last year, I am basing this on the shows I liked best, not necessary the most high quality.
Top 10 TV
10) Haven: I really didn't care much for S3, and I hated the finale, so I wasn't expecting much from S4. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed S4. The casting of Colin Ferguson as William was brilliant. I also really loved the new character Jennifer. Most importantly, there was a lot for my favorite character, Duke, to do.
9) Homeland: This show is not nearly what it was in S1. It's not nearly as realistic, but I don't care about that. I just want to be entertained. The beginning of S3 was kinda slow and boring, but the last three episodes more than made up for it. They were non-stop intensity. Because of those episodes and the always brilliant acting, it made my list.
8) Continuum: This has three elements of a sci-fi series I like: time travel, cool sci-fi gadgets, and conspiracy arcs. Sometimes episodes blew my mind. I think the lead character is compelling, and I enjoy her interactions with all the other characters, especially Alec. The villains are fascinating because you know what they are doing is wrong, but you also know they have a reason for doing it, likely because the government and big corporations in the future are corrupt as can be. I kind of love that we don't know who is worse.
7) White Collar: I always considered this my popcorn show. It was entertaining, but the most recent seasons (besides this latest one) just weren't as good in my opinion. But I feel like S5 has stepped it up a bit. I'm finding that there is a bigger intensity that's been leaving me on the edge of my seat. As usual, my enjoyment is partially shallow, too, as Matt Bomer is the perfect human being.
6) Republic of Doyle: All of S4 and the first ten or so of S5 aired in 2013. I enjoyed both, though I was not really that fond of the S4 finale. But S5 has been so full of feels, I cannot even. The writers reward us one way, and then they rip our hearts out in another way. Despite all that, it's still hilarious and quirky, and I love the Newfoundland accents.
5) Pretty Little Liars: This is still the show I can babble about the most. Admittedly, though, I didn't love the second half of S3. I think they spent too much time on Spencer's spiral and the other characters suffered as a result. What I mean by that is they were given the crap storylines. Things got a little better in the 4A, but they also got more confusing. The Halloween episode, at least, ended in such a way that I can't wait for 4B.
4) Orphan Black: I watched the pilot, was bored to tears, and didn't watch the rest of the season. Then all the praise from everywhere started pouring in. So I had to go back and see what I was missing once the season was over. Dear lord, I am so glad I listened to everyone, because this show is amazingly good. Also, Tatiana Maslany is a revelation and a treasure. Just wow.
3) Breaking Bad: I tried to resist this show for as long as possible. I didn't want to watch a show in which no one was likeable. But as the series was getting closer to the end, I decided to give it a chance. I mean, all the critics and fans already did, why shouldn't I? Boy was I glad I did. I marathoned all five seasons non-stop. Now that is what I call a roller coaster of emotion, omfg. The second half of S5 aired in 2013, the part that counts for this list. It was brilliant, especially "Ozymandias" which might just be the perfect hour of television ever or close to it. The acting, writing, and pretty much everything on this show was fantastic.
2) Nikita: I am basing this on the second half of S3 and all 6 episodes of S4 (wah!). Admittedly, I didn't love S3, but I didn't hate it either. There was still something entertaining in every episode. But S4 more than made up for that. All 6 episodes have been non-stop action and ass-kicking. The series finale was perfection. I had many feels about this show ending, as some might have seen on Twitter. I am still having trouble letting this one go. I'll miss this great cast together and the great storytelling.
1) Sleepy Hollow: Talk about a show that looked kind of terrible on paper, but I was still interested to watch a show with a time traveling Ichabod Crane. What a hugely pleasant surprise! I love everything about this show. Ichabod's confusion over technology and the current tax system has been an absolute delight. His chemistry with Abbie Mills is outstanding as well. Plus she is amazing. Irving, Katrina, and Jenny are also great characters. Plus, Jenny was Sonya on Nikita, so I have a soft spot for her. Aww. All of this makes for a fun and entertaining hour of television. No, it doesn't have the quality of a show like Breaking Bad, but it's got a lot going for it. Such fun!
Honorable Mentions: Warehouse 13, Suits, Switched at Birth, Game of Thrones, The Carrie Diaries, Graceland
Warehouse 13 was better than it had been, which I appreciated. Suits might have made the top ten if S1-2 aired in 2013. S3 went off the rails a bit, but was still good. Switched at Birth might have made the list if S1 aired. I felt S2, while still decent, was not the same. I still highly enjoy it, though! I appreciate there is a show featuring a disabled person. Game of Thrones. Now that's the one I agonized over. That is #11, basically. It started too slow for me, though. "The Rains of Castamere" was excellent and full of action, but not enough to make up for the rest of the season, imo. Sorry! Don't throw things at me? The Carrie Diaries is delightful (and likely to get canceled, sadly), but it wasn't enough to make the list. Tveitland Graceland is a fun new series, too. Perhaps it will make the list someday.
Shows I Gave Up On: Hart of Dixie, Nashville
Top 10 Films
These are movies I saw in 2013. Only two are actually from 2013, so, there's that. These aren't getting an explanation. I'm saving that for the ranking of the Oscar nominated films, which will get its own post.
1) Argo
2) Silver Linings Playbook
3) Les Miserables
4) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
5) Pitch Perfect
6) Zero Dark Thirty
7) Life of Pi
8) Thor: The Dark World
9) Django Unchained
10) Chronicle
Up next, stats from my 500 Episodes in One Year meme.
Before I begin, let me just say that I watched a lot of tv this year. More tv shows than I watched last year, I think. Though 2012 had many more episodes, per the 500 Episodes in a Year Meme. Well over 1000 last year. I am going to fall just short of 800 this year. Oh well.
Anyway, some might be surprised by what made this list and what was left off. I wrote a list of tv I enjoyed, and it was close to 20. It was agony to get it down to ten. Again, like last year, I am basing this on the shows I liked best, not necessary the most high quality.
Top 10 TV
10) Haven: I really didn't care much for S3, and I hated the finale, so I wasn't expecting much from S4. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed S4. The casting of Colin Ferguson as William was brilliant. I also really loved the new character Jennifer. Most importantly, there was a lot for my favorite character, Duke, to do.
9) Homeland: This show is not nearly what it was in S1. It's not nearly as realistic, but I don't care about that. I just want to be entertained. The beginning of S3 was kinda slow and boring, but the last three episodes more than made up for it. They were non-stop intensity. Because of those episodes and the always brilliant acting, it made my list.
8) Continuum: This has three elements of a sci-fi series I like: time travel, cool sci-fi gadgets, and conspiracy arcs. Sometimes episodes blew my mind. I think the lead character is compelling, and I enjoy her interactions with all the other characters, especially Alec. The villains are fascinating because you know what they are doing is wrong, but you also know they have a reason for doing it, likely because the government and big corporations in the future are corrupt as can be. I kind of love that we don't know who is worse.
7) White Collar: I always considered this my popcorn show. It was entertaining, but the most recent seasons (besides this latest one) just weren't as good in my opinion. But I feel like S5 has stepped it up a bit. I'm finding that there is a bigger intensity that's been leaving me on the edge of my seat. As usual, my enjoyment is partially shallow, too, as Matt Bomer is the perfect human being.
6) Republic of Doyle: All of S4 and the first ten or so of S5 aired in 2013. I enjoyed both, though I was not really that fond of the S4 finale. But S5 has been so full of feels, I cannot even. The writers reward us one way, and then they rip our hearts out in another way. Despite all that, it's still hilarious and quirky, and I love the Newfoundland accents.
5) Pretty Little Liars: This is still the show I can babble about the most. Admittedly, though, I didn't love the second half of S3. I think they spent too much time on Spencer's spiral and the other characters suffered as a result. What I mean by that is they were given the crap storylines. Things got a little better in the 4A, but they also got more confusing. The Halloween episode, at least, ended in such a way that I can't wait for 4B.
4) Orphan Black: I watched the pilot, was bored to tears, and didn't watch the rest of the season. Then all the praise from everywhere started pouring in. So I had to go back and see what I was missing once the season was over. Dear lord, I am so glad I listened to everyone, because this show is amazingly good. Also, Tatiana Maslany is a revelation and a treasure. Just wow.
3) Breaking Bad: I tried to resist this show for as long as possible. I didn't want to watch a show in which no one was likeable. But as the series was getting closer to the end, I decided to give it a chance. I mean, all the critics and fans already did, why shouldn't I? Boy was I glad I did. I marathoned all five seasons non-stop. Now that is what I call a roller coaster of emotion, omfg. The second half of S5 aired in 2013, the part that counts for this list. It was brilliant, especially "Ozymandias" which might just be the perfect hour of television ever or close to it. The acting, writing, and pretty much everything on this show was fantastic.
2) Nikita: I am basing this on the second half of S3 and all 6 episodes of S4 (wah!). Admittedly, I didn't love S3, but I didn't hate it either. There was still something entertaining in every episode. But S4 more than made up for that. All 6 episodes have been non-stop action and ass-kicking. The series finale was perfection. I had many feels about this show ending, as some might have seen on Twitter. I am still having trouble letting this one go. I'll miss this great cast together and the great storytelling.
1) Sleepy Hollow: Talk about a show that looked kind of terrible on paper, but I was still interested to watch a show with a time traveling Ichabod Crane. What a hugely pleasant surprise! I love everything about this show. Ichabod's confusion over technology and the current tax system has been an absolute delight. His chemistry with Abbie Mills is outstanding as well. Plus she is amazing. Irving, Katrina, and Jenny are also great characters. Plus, Jenny was Sonya on Nikita, so I have a soft spot for her. Aww. All of this makes for a fun and entertaining hour of television. No, it doesn't have the quality of a show like Breaking Bad, but it's got a lot going for it. Such fun!
Honorable Mentions: Warehouse 13, Suits, Switched at Birth, Game of Thrones, The Carrie Diaries, Graceland
Warehouse 13 was better than it had been, which I appreciated. Suits might have made the top ten if S1-2 aired in 2013. S3 went off the rails a bit, but was still good. Switched at Birth might have made the list if S1 aired. I felt S2, while still decent, was not the same. I still highly enjoy it, though! I appreciate there is a show featuring a disabled person. Game of Thrones. Now that's the one I agonized over. That is #11, basically. It started too slow for me, though. "The Rains of Castamere" was excellent and full of action, but not enough to make up for the rest of the season, imo. Sorry! Don't throw things at me? The Carrie Diaries is delightful (and likely to get canceled, sadly), but it wasn't enough to make the list. Tveitland Graceland is a fun new series, too. Perhaps it will make the list someday.
Shows I Gave Up On: Hart of Dixie, Nashville
Top 10 Films
These are movies I saw in 2013. Only two are actually from 2013, so, there's that. These aren't getting an explanation. I'm saving that for the ranking of the Oscar nominated films, which will get its own post.
1) Argo
2) Silver Linings Playbook
3) Les Miserables
4) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
5) Pitch Perfect
6) Zero Dark Thirty
7) Life of Pi
8) Thor: The Dark World
9) Django Unchained
10) Chronicle
Up next, stats from my 500 Episodes in One Year meme.