My Favorite Television Shows of 2012

The greats continued to be the greats this year. Only two of the ten shows I mention in this post are new shows (and one of them isn't even coming back for another season). So it's basically an opportunity to continue to shower praise on the shows I've already praised so much already. As always, I haven't seen every show, though one particular show I feel that I may have liked quite a bit had I gotten to it is Treme. Maybe next year.





Honorable mentions: Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Girls, Luck, Eastbound & Down

5. Homeland

After a fantastically small-scale first season the second season expanded the stakes and took upon a wild plot, and while it was uneven at times, it ultimately still managed to maintain the devotion to character that made the first season great. It also continues to be one of the smartest TV depictions of the War on Terror, emphasizing the political nature of the war over the religious. But it's not a political show as much as it is one about people and relationships, specifically secrets and trust. All of this comes together wonderfully due to the great writing and the masterful performances by Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. (Full review)

4. Parks and Recreation

Leslie Knope's campaign for city council was one for the ages. Not only did the show skewer the modern day American political system, but the season provided Knope and the rest of the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee an opportunity to come together for a higher cause. Every character had a part to play and every character had a shining moment. But most importantly it was a season that saw Knope not fighting for her dreams, but fighting to see if she was truly (wo)man enough to achieve those dreams. (Full review)

3. Breaking Bad

For all intents and purpose this was the penultimate season of this masterful show, and while it helps set up the final season showdown we've been waiting for since the first season, it also delves deep into Walter White's lust for power. As Walter pushes for more while Jesse settles for less (but still a lot), Walter's initial desire to make money for his family after he dies is replaced with a new desire to make more and more to satisfy his sense of his own self-worth. This season, which had a bit more of a western edge to it, satisfied in pretty much all respects, from tension to suspense to character development. Which is to say, it was just another season of Breaking Bad. 

2. Louie

There is no doubt in my mind that history will see this show as one that broke new ground when it comes to television as an art form. The third season continued Louis CK's brilliant autobiographical experiment, using his amazing directorial and writing prowess to capture complicated emotions in ways that are completely accurate and creative. Highlights from this season include "Daddy's Girlfriend" where the amazing Parker Posey forces Louie to consider if he's ready to take the necessary risks in life, and the trio of episodes known as "Late Night" that see Louie take a step outside of his comfort zone to see if he really could go to the next level if he tried. (Full review)

1. Mad Men

The 1960's were a tumultuous time in America. It was time when the old made way for the new. We see this phenomenon transpire through the eyes of people like Don Draper, Roger Sterling, and Betty Francis in the fifth season of this already classic show. Draper is a man of ambition and success, and when he starts to feel the effects of irrelevance his natural response is more ambition. We learn from him and other characters like Pete Campbell and Joan Holloway that ambition can be a disease, a disease that can lead to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and immoral choices. There was no show this year that better captured these universal truths and feelings on a more consistent basis and in a more affecting way. (Full review)