Wilson's Top 10 Television Shows of 2011

Hello SpoilerTV readers! It's that time of the year again -- you know, that time where people are absolutely bats*** insane and fighting each other over soulless corporate products that make people "happy"...Ah, I love Christmas. I also love those posts that magazines and blogs post around the end of the year that blatantly expose their opinions on the entertainment of the previous year. It's a mixed feeling for me to read those reviews (which are usually lengthy and drowning in rhetoric) because sometimes (well, more like all the time) I have issues with their opinions and I feel like my opinion is better, and I inevitably ignore their list and think of one of my own. Then, well...then I keep it to myself.

Well, guess what? I'm projecting my own opinions on all you people now, so let me take a moment to ceremoniously laugh like a villain: MUAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

Ok, so now that I've taken care of that little nugget of delight, let's move onto my top ten shows of the year. I base these on a combination of things:

1) Let it be known that I am biased! I like shows even when from a critical standpoint there may be better shows out there! Also, factor in the fact that I'm not omniscient (well, as far as I know!) so there's probably some shows I missed out on this year. Just know that I'll catch up eventually *coughBreakingBadcough*

2) Strength of the writing. Yes, even when the actors can't get their act together, sometimes good writing still prevails.

3) The quality of the acting -- No, I don't ignore the acting, it's just the slightest bit lower on my list of priorities.

4) Production values -- When all else fails, pretty effects and nice sets still take the sting out of a roughly-acted or written show.

**5) Last but not least, entertainment value. Sure, it has good actors, sure it's written to be cynical and dark and therefore appeals to my demographic...so why do I feel like I'm being punished when I'm watching this show?

HONORABLE MENTIONS (To be in this category means that I absolutely loved these shows, but just slightly less than the numbered shows listed below)

Person of Interest

Covert Affairs

Alphas

American Horror Story

Enlightened

Damages

Harry's Law

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Being Human (US)

Supernatural

The Walking Dead

Community

The Closer

Shameless

10 Raising Hope

I'm surprised by how many comedies will have made it into this list, but it's true...comedies were exceptional this year, and this show has me on the floor laughing uncontrollably every episode. They've got a great family and somehow keep it light and entertaining while also somehow pulling off bathroom humor with class! This is my favorite family sitcom since Malcolm in the Middle, and it's the rightful heir to that comedy throne, easily.

9 The Vampire Diaries

I feel so odd having VD in my top 10 list. It feels like by all means it should not be here, what with teenagers and hundred year-old vampires having sex and doing stupid stuff, it's all twilight right? Well, not really. This show is ridiculous at times with the love triangle fluff, but there's some serious stuff going down on this show. It's got a break-neck pace that makes every episode feel like a season finale, and has legitimate writing for main story arcs, and well-written flashback episodes that fill in the holes of the whole story that is being played-out. I'm amazed at how fresh and winding the story is on this show. It could've easily slid down the hill into mediocrity (I mean, did you see the first half of season 1? Absolute dreck) but it hit a huge stride mid-season and since season 2, it's been nothing but gore and unbelievable twists. Somehow this show mixes it up every 4-5 episodes and brings in something or someone new that throws all the well-laid plans of vamps and men out the window to up the stakes a bit more.

8 Game of Thrones

A sweeping epic brimming with talent, crackling dialogue, brilliant acting all around, and all based on one of the most critically-acclaimed series of fiction in the past 25 years. It's nothing but a recipe for greatness. I enjoyed every episode and I ran through every episode like a mad addict. This is genre television at its absolute best. The only thing that holds it back for me, is that it felt like a tease...The REAL show begins next year, it seems. I just need more now!

7 Justified

Two words: Mags Bennett. season 2 of Justified is perfection. The pacing, the acting, the swagger of Raylan, perfectly portrayed by Tim Olyphant...It's just brilliant. FX has hit the proverbial gold mine with quality television in the last 10 years, and Justified is probably its most promising drama. The power struggle between the law enforcement and the broken groups of backwoods thugs was intense and immensely gratifying.

I'll bet that even this stellar season can be topped somehow by season 3, which debuts in only a couple weeks!

6 SUITS

This was probably the biggest surprise of the year for me. I really did not expect this show to be so good. But (much like the show at the #1 spot) I was just enthralled by the ability of the cast and the writers and the sets and the stories that all fell together so well. This is another great example of characters driving a show rather than a story of the week taking the wheel. The main premise is a tad thin and arguably rough to get past, but if we can ignore the whole "Doesn't have a law degree" issue for a couple of seasons and just focus on all these characters on the board, and let them go at each other's throats all the while keeping the dialogue as pristine as possible, and the adept story-telling in play, then this will go down in my personal all-time favorites list.

5 Homeland

The twisty tale of Brody and Carrie. I never knew what to expect next. One minute we're convinced he's a terrorist, the next he's having sex with his accuser. Left and right this show brought it in it's freshman season. I wish I could throw all the emmys and golden globes at each of the cast members. Claire Danes definitely gave the best female performance of the year (and that's a tight race between many others that I found to be stellar this year) and Damian Lewis could scare the s*** out of me one moment, and have me seize up on the verge of tears the next moment. I believe I'll stop here so that I don't divulge anymore of the incredible twists this show had this year.

4 Parks & Recreation

I believe that P&R was without a doubt, my favorite network comedy this year. I was torn for a while between P&R and Community because they are both incredible shows. However, sometimes the interaction of Ron Swanson, Leslie Knope, and the rest of the amazing group of people in the Parks department just win out. I believe the sincere affection that Leslie and Ben showed for each other was very effective, and to add that on top of a series of hilarious and witty dialogue, and pitch-perfect delivery from each of the cast members, it's balanced out to be one of the most rewarding comedies I've ever watched, and has come a long way since the misguided first season.

3 Fringe

The Abrams epic science fiction series flew into high-gear with the 3rd season premiere. While I am of the opinion that the first half of season 3 (which aired in 2010) is superior to the second half, and season 4 has yet to really gain its footing, Fringe remains in its niche: vastly superior in almost every aspect to most television. It has an air of sophistication, from the well-crafted and amazingly-portrayed characters, to the alarming and inventive twists and turns. The dialogue is precise and crackling, and the scripts seem to be created merely to extract every last bit of talent from its cast, as things can turn on a dime and we have completely new characters with each of their nuances shifted. The tales of death and tragedy that surround these characters in their attempts to restore order are routinely fraught with tears and laughter. Fringe has had its issues this year here and there, but there is no denying this drama its place in the best of the best. (Obligatory nod to the amazing Anna Torv, John Noble, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddick, and Jasika Nicole. I love you guys!)

2 The Big C

The second season of The Big C was nothing short of a season-long epiphany. Between truly hysterical moments and probably a few of the most tragic and gut-wrenching moments I've ever witnessed, The ups were comprised of the most heartfelt and powerfully happy ups imaginable, and the downs were sudden and palpable. I was so enamored by this show that I found myself trying to catch my breath after each episode, whether it end with the titular character defending her right to keep her job in spite of her condition, or with the redemption of a character sealed with unforeseen consequences. There are universal truths buried in the scripts of this show, and to call them poignant would be an understatement.

1 The Good Wife

From the second half of the second season through the first half of the third season, this show has been nothing but good to me. "Good" meaning incredible, entertaining, and a breath of fresh air. There are few shows on television that have to do with law that don't put me to sleep. I tend to enjoy a good hour of a closed-case law show, but only on a rare occasion that I don't feel the need to be engrossed in it, or if I need something on in the background while I'm working through an assignment or something of the like. The Good Wife is hardly an hour of mindless law jargon. Granted there are a few cases that seem to be overdone or familiar, however there's almost always something missing from the narrative, a twist, that turns it all on its head. The cases range from gruesome to strange and funny. However, it's usually the case that the story of the week seems to serve as more of a backstory to the real matters at hand: the endless struggle of the characters, back and forth in power struggles, inner demons, and a long list of "game-changing" twists that turn the show on its head on a regular basis.

The stories of these characters are all fleshed out, and brought out to the open. Each character is perfectly cast, and well-placed in all the events that unfold. The disturbingly serene smirk of Anika Noni Rose's Wendy Scott-Carr in her conquest for office, Archie Panjabi's Kalinda procuring means to ends without going into details, Christine Baranski's Diane, an unbelievably fierce, yet morally commendable veteran lawyer...the list goes on. From every main cast member to each and every guest star, (Lisbeth Tascioni!) there's nothing but emmy-worthy acting on this show.

The wit and the pacing is also a huge positive. I mean, what other show could go from spinning the image of a senator fellating Santa Claus (..."Here comes Santa"-Eli Gold) to a scheme "investigation" into judicial corruption, all the while taking on huge themes and really laying on thick the importance of character-driven drama...I am impressed by this show on a weekly basis, while also being more entertained than by any other show this year.

Ok, I'm rambling... Your turn! What are your top 10 shows of 2011?