Honorable Mentions
Terriers, Psychoville, and Dollhouse didn’t quite make the cut, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t brilliant this year. Terriers (RIP) was a well-written, wonderfully acted, witty buddy-cop mystery drama that also happened to be very funny. It was compelling, at times extremely affecting, and shot just gorgeously.
I may be biased where Psychoville (which I am counting as 2010 because of the Halloween special, he he) is concerned because I am absolutely enamored of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. I will adore anything they create. However, their current project is stupendous on its own, from its Rope-inspired fourth episode (guest starring standout newcomer ♥~Sam Kisgart~♥) to the Modus Operandi musical sequence featuring wax serial killers come to life singing about everything from poisoning to strangles.
Dollhouse started off rough, admittedly. But shit got real the second season, the second part of which aired in 2010. Joss and co. stepped it up plot-wise, and the result was a beautiful and nightmarish The Attic, a heart-pounding The Hollow Men, and the reflective post-apocalyptic Epitaph Two: Return — a fitting, if not wholly satisfying, end to a fantastic and daring series.
#10 Modern Family
Modern Family is getting the critical recognition it deserves. It’s not only one of the funniest comedies on network TV, it’s also the one with the biggest heart. Wonderful writing, amazing cast, just a well-executed show in every way.
#9 Fringe
Sci fi shows are few and far between these days, especially on network television. But never fear, Fringe has got your bases covered: it’s the most disturbingly gory, thought-provoking, visually stunning, perplexing, exciting show on TV. And it is so fun.
#8 Party Down
Party Down is the funniest show I have ever seen. It is the funniest show you’ve never heard of. It is a show that I believe, from the bottom of my heart, is compulsory viewing for everyone that likes comedy, even a little bit. It is a master class in what good humor should be.
#7 Parks and Recreation
Fact: This is the funniest show on television right now. (And that isn’t up for debate.) The cast is an all-star dream team — give Amy Poehler or Aziz Ansari room to improvise, tell Nick Offerman to pratfall or throw a hamburger at his face, and you’ll see what I mean. When you’ve got a tremendous cast, sharp writing, and the most likable lead on TV in Leslie Knope, everything just clicks.
#6 Louie
Louie C.K.’s unique brand of sad, dark humor permeates his eponymous show, and the result is a brilliantly melancholy tone unlike anything else on television. Superb direction, cinematography, episode format, and score (not to mention ace acting and writing) are all integral to conveying the show’s feel — one part stand-up, one part narrative sketch show, two parts midlife crisis, and 100% of the very real, relatable, self-deprecating Louie C.K. telling stories and jokes in the unforgiving city of New York.
#5 Doctor Who
Steven Moffat’s sharp wit and penchant for non-linear narrative characterized the fantastic series 5. His themes of identity, storytelling, and, of course, time — being rewritten, moving too slowly, saying “five minutes” but showing up a decade later — complemented by visual motifs like red against blue and the ubiquitous crack, made for compelling, engaging viewing. Series 5 is what good Doctor Who should be: a romp in space, the tragedy of an old man who’s loved and lost, an exploration of (THE UNIVERSE! and) humanity and compassion, and at its heart, a fairytale about a mad man and his blue box.
#4 Sherlock
This was certainly a triumphant year for Steven Moffat. One of his shows is a British institution, and the other features one: Sherlock Holmes (this time, sans deerstalker and pipe), the world’s only consulting detective and London’s resident high-functioning sociopath. Benedict Cumberbatch is a revelation. Martin Freeman plays his Watson wonderfully. The scripts are funny, complex, suspenseful; the direction masterful; the cinematography tilt-shiftingly brilliant. All three episodes were some of the most compelling viewing of the year.
#3 Mad Men
What can I say about Mad Men that hasn’t already been lauded and gushed about through every media outlet? With one of its strongest seasons yet, Mad Men lived up to its universally high expectations. In particular, “The Suitcase” was the most superb forty minutes of television I watched this year. Elisabeth Moss and Jon Hamm blew the rest of the cast out of the water with their flawless performances that showcased their tremendous dramatic chops. I laughed and cried and remembered why I love television: because when it’s well done (and this was light years beyond “well done”) it can be emotional and compelling, and when you identify with these very real characters it can hit close to home.
#2 Community
Community is smart. Its self-awareness, meta references, and in-jokes strengthen the connection between show and viewer. It’s a young show, and its willingness to experiment is its greatest strength; I think its unpredictability of style and tone (the fantastic “Mixology Certification” arguably tonally at odds with the rest of the season), grounded in its strong and familiar cast, makes it all the better. The cast’s chemistry and comedic timing are impeccable. But the most compelling aspect of Community, for me, is the fact that it never forgets where its heart is.
#1 Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul earned their Emmys in “Fly.” (Esposito, Norris, Banks, even Odenkirk should ALL have been nom’d for Best Supporting Actor.) I almost had a heart attack during “One Minute,” which featured one of the most heart-pounding (and -stopping) sequences I’ve ever seen. “Half Measures” and “Full Measure” drew the impeccable third season to a stupendous close. Breaking Bad is the best written, best acted, best looking series on the air. When I set out to make this list, there was no debate about who should take the top spot. Breaking Bad was, simply, the best show of 2010.
