Paul's favourite TV series of 2009-2010
As a counterpart to my yearly favourite album lists (2010 is proving difficult, but is forthcoming), I've decided to expand into my other main interest and make yearly (mostly comedy) TV lists as well. These will cover standard TV seasons (September-August) and should be written up in the summer, but since I'm late this year it's going up now. Keep in mind this covers September 2009 to August 2010, so there'll be no Terriers or (much) Community fun in this one. Lastly, I wrote thesis-length posts about some of these shows, so I'll link them where appropriate.
10. Modern Family: Season 1
I could write a lot about what I don't like about this show. It's engineered to have enormous mass appeal (so enormous that it works for "smart" viewers as well). The characters are broad but not too broad. The jokes are calculated down to the timing of their delivery, and you can so easily see the machinations of the writers behind them. But none of that matters, because Modern Family is very, very funny. I'd say about half of its debut season's episodes did something new and fresh with the family comedy genre, and the other half were at the very least lots of fun to watch. This is the best example of what a popular comedy should be: broad but intelligent.
9. Party Down: Season 2
Party Down has sadly been canceled, but it ended on a very sweet note that still had tinges of the darkness that this show is known for. Its second season didn't have a standout episode quite like the first season's "Celebrate Rick Sargulesh," but it was definitely more consistent overall. I could honestly watch Henry and Casey bounce off each other for thirty straight minutes, but this season managed to develop some characters who really needed it, like Roman and Kyle. Jane Lynch's Constance was really the show's secret weapon, and it's too bad she was no longer a regular in this season, but it's nice to see her in the finale anyway. This was by no means a perfect show, but it had its own sense of humour and I can think of few comedies that went to territories quite as dark as it did.
8. Peep Show: Series 6
David Mitchell and Robert Webb once said that Peep Show could last forever. As much as I love TV shows ending in their prime, I can't quite argue with them here. Peep Show only gets funnier and darker as it goes on, and I really would love to just see where Mark and Jez's horrible lives take them. I do have a few qualms with the show's seasonal structure: characters are introduced for a season and tend to fall by the wayside afterward. But series 6 was still fun all the way through, and went to some awful new places, like that really amazingly unbearable house party in episode 5. As usual, it ended on a wonderfully devastating note with Sophie's pregnancy, something that was nicely resolved in this season's also-amazing premiere. It's a difficult show to watch, but I'm happy I keep doing it.
7. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 5
Season 4 was pretty lame, concentrating mostly on silly "shocking" moments, so it's nice to see season 5 settle into more of a naturalistic groove. This was probably the most consistent season yet from these guys, and it's definitely due to low-concept episodes like "Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens" and "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention." This season also has what may be my favourite-ever episode of the show, "Mac and Dennis Break Up," which has no silly plotlines or useless guests. It involves a plot created by the main characters and only involving the main characters, which results in only them bouncing off each other for thirty minutes. The gang is so well-drawn that giving them the thinnest plot and just letting them go from there can really produce some amazing episodes of television, something which this year's season is thankfully doing more often.
6. Community: Season 1
Believe me, season 2 will score much, much higher. But Community's debut season is still a lot of fun, and it's great to see the creators and actors trying what works and what doesn't over the course of the year, finally turning it into the fantastic ensemble-driven show it is now. The show really came into its own by the end, with great episodes like "Modern Warfare" and "Romantic Expressionism." And of course, Troy's "full-on erection" line in "Introduction to Statistics" made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. That was when I knew the show was capable of greatness, and this year's season is showing that in spades.
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 7
I'm not the biggest Curb fan, and I'll be the first to say the show's been steadily declining since season 3. Since season 6, the show's turned to gimmicks to keep itself relevant, and a Seinfeld reunion is the biggest gimmick of all. It's all the more impressive, then, that it worked flawlessly. "The Table Read" was one of the best Curb episodes ever made, and is absolutely mandatory viewing for every Seinfeld fan. But the real treasure came in the finale, which was incredibly fulfilling, but in a different way. It was, to a certain extent, an examination of the relationship between Larry David and Seinfeld, and involved a completely unexpected discussion of his two alter egos, which culminated in a scene with Larry David playing "Larry David" playing Jason Alexander's Larry David (George Costanza). It sounds silly, but it was all perfectly done, and could've served as an incredible series finale; which is too bad, since season 8 is forthcoming. But the show still worked in other ways too: "Vehicular Fellatio" is, by all counts, a "classic" Curb episode, and it's still one of the funniest ones it's done. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld's chemistry this season was incredible, making me wish Jerry was more of a regular character. And finally, keeping Leon around way past the time his storyline ended was one of the best recent decisions for the show. I don't know how the next one will turn out, but I'm comfortable saying season 7 was the best one the show's done.
4. The Thick of It: Series 3
The Thick of It is one of the most perfectly-crafted sitcoms I've ever seen. Its humour is absurdly intelligent while containing the most swearing of any show ever. Its plots are unbearably intricate while still being just a platform for more jokes. And its characters are so intensely unsympathetic that watching them destroy each other emotionally is just another part of the show's charm. This series, while outstanding, isn't the best The Thick of It has to offer. Episodes are once again 30 minutes long, which is too bad, since the two hour-long specials made in 2007 are maybe the most perfect hours of comedy ever made. Jamie, the show's most hilarious character, is absent, which sorta makes sense from a story perspective but is still quite disappointing. And the show's mostly back to tackling low-stakes political hijinx instead of the government-shattering plots of the specials. But as the series goes on, and we begin to learn more about Malcolm Tucker and what he's dealing with, it really comes into its own. Episode 7, of course, is one of the best half hours the show has ever done, ending with a really incredible cliffhanger that, unfortunately, was not resolved as well as it could've been. But it's still great to see minor characters pop up again, from Ben Swain to Angela Heaney to Julius Nicholson. And the opposition, of course, are one of its best creations of all. I adore watching this show, and I'm unbelievably excited about the forthcoming series 4.
3. Louie: Season 1
I've talked about Louie before, and there's not much more I can say about it than what I did there. It's the perfect encapsulation of an amazing stand up comedian's career, and it's challenging the notion of what a great sitcom can be. I wrote that post halfway through the season, and since then there have been some duds, like "Heckler/Cop Movie" and "Travel Day/South." But episodes like "Bully" and "Poker/Divorce" reach for something beyond straight comedy, and achieve it perfectly. It's a testament to Louis C.K.'s greatness that he can even craft an almost entirely dramatic episode, like "God," and still pull it off. The season ended on a really sweet note, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.
2. Parks & Recreation: Season 2
The quality of a sitcom is usually measured in episodes, or even in moments. Seasons are understandably not discussed as much: it's difficult to keep the quality consistent over the twenty-something episodes that make up a usual season, but that's what makes P&R's second season so impressive. Over the course of the year, they crafted 24 near-perfect episodes of the show, which improved so well on its mostly forgettable first season. One-dimensional characters were expanded greatly, making each character occupy an essential role in the series, each one with their own style of comedy. The poorly-done uncomfortable comedy of the first season was dropped, in favour of much more welcome affection between the characters, culminating in really well-done episodes like "Christmas Scandal" and "94 Meetings." Episodes like "Kaboom" and "Telethon" are some of the funniest episodes of a sitcom I've ever seen. And the show even manages to make an iffy subplot like April and Andy's fledgling romance absolutely engrossing. This show's got the best cast of any sitcom currently airing, and it uses everyone to their fullest potential. The writers are unmatched at crafting absolutely hilarious situations, and the show is carving out its own sense of humour at the same time. I haven't seen a season of a sitcom this well-crafted since season 2 of Arrested Development. Parks & Recreation is my favourite comedy on the air right now, and I can't wait for it to come back next month.
1. Breaking Bad: Season 3
What haven't I said about Breaking Bad? It's one of the greatest shows ever made, and this season is its best yet. It may not be as well-plotted as season 2, making it work less as a whole, but the quality of the individual episodes is more than enough to make up for that. It subverts the audience's expectations at every turn, and the season ended with a cliffhanger that made Pascha and I stare at each other, wide-eyed and speechless, for what felt like forever. So much care goes into its creation, from keeping the characters realistic to keeping the plotting unlike any other show I've seen. There's not much more to say, really. I've never seen a show like this, and no other show matches what it's doing. All television should be this good.
10. Modern Family: Season 1
I could write a lot about what I don't like about this show. It's engineered to have enormous mass appeal (so enormous that it works for "smart" viewers as well). The characters are broad but not too broad. The jokes are calculated down to the timing of their delivery, and you can so easily see the machinations of the writers behind them. But none of that matters, because Modern Family is very, very funny. I'd say about half of its debut season's episodes did something new and fresh with the family comedy genre, and the other half were at the very least lots of fun to watch. This is the best example of what a popular comedy should be: broad but intelligent.
9. Party Down: Season 2
Party Down has sadly been canceled, but it ended on a very sweet note that still had tinges of the darkness that this show is known for. Its second season didn't have a standout episode quite like the first season's "Celebrate Rick Sargulesh," but it was definitely more consistent overall. I could honestly watch Henry and Casey bounce off each other for thirty straight minutes, but this season managed to develop some characters who really needed it, like Roman and Kyle. Jane Lynch's Constance was really the show's secret weapon, and it's too bad she was no longer a regular in this season, but it's nice to see her in the finale anyway. This was by no means a perfect show, but it had its own sense of humour and I can think of few comedies that went to territories quite as dark as it did.
8. Peep Show: Series 6
David Mitchell and Robert Webb once said that Peep Show could last forever. As much as I love TV shows ending in their prime, I can't quite argue with them here. Peep Show only gets funnier and darker as it goes on, and I really would love to just see where Mark and Jez's horrible lives take them. I do have a few qualms with the show's seasonal structure: characters are introduced for a season and tend to fall by the wayside afterward. But series 6 was still fun all the way through, and went to some awful new places, like that really amazingly unbearable house party in episode 5. As usual, it ended on a wonderfully devastating note with Sophie's pregnancy, something that was nicely resolved in this season's also-amazing premiere. It's a difficult show to watch, but I'm happy I keep doing it.
7. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 5
Season 4 was pretty lame, concentrating mostly on silly "shocking" moments, so it's nice to see season 5 settle into more of a naturalistic groove. This was probably the most consistent season yet from these guys, and it's definitely due to low-concept episodes like "Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens" and "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention." This season also has what may be my favourite-ever episode of the show, "Mac and Dennis Break Up," which has no silly plotlines or useless guests. It involves a plot created by the main characters and only involving the main characters, which results in only them bouncing off each other for thirty minutes. The gang is so well-drawn that giving them the thinnest plot and just letting them go from there can really produce some amazing episodes of television, something which this year's season is thankfully doing more often.
6. Community: Season 1
Believe me, season 2 will score much, much higher. But Community's debut season is still a lot of fun, and it's great to see the creators and actors trying what works and what doesn't over the course of the year, finally turning it into the fantastic ensemble-driven show it is now. The show really came into its own by the end, with great episodes like "Modern Warfare" and "Romantic Expressionism." And of course, Troy's "full-on erection" line in "Introduction to Statistics" made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. That was when I knew the show was capable of greatness, and this year's season is showing that in spades.
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 7
I'm not the biggest Curb fan, and I'll be the first to say the show's been steadily declining since season 3. Since season 6, the show's turned to gimmicks to keep itself relevant, and a Seinfeld reunion is the biggest gimmick of all. It's all the more impressive, then, that it worked flawlessly. "The Table Read" was one of the best Curb episodes ever made, and is absolutely mandatory viewing for every Seinfeld fan. But the real treasure came in the finale, which was incredibly fulfilling, but in a different way. It was, to a certain extent, an examination of the relationship between Larry David and Seinfeld, and involved a completely unexpected discussion of his two alter egos, which culminated in a scene with Larry David playing "Larry David" playing Jason Alexander's Larry David (George Costanza). It sounds silly, but it was all perfectly done, and could've served as an incredible series finale; which is too bad, since season 8 is forthcoming. But the show still worked in other ways too: "Vehicular Fellatio" is, by all counts, a "classic" Curb episode, and it's still one of the funniest ones it's done. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld's chemistry this season was incredible, making me wish Jerry was more of a regular character. And finally, keeping Leon around way past the time his storyline ended was one of the best recent decisions for the show. I don't know how the next one will turn out, but I'm comfortable saying season 7 was the best one the show's done.
4. The Thick of It: Series 3
The Thick of It is one of the most perfectly-crafted sitcoms I've ever seen. Its humour is absurdly intelligent while containing the most swearing of any show ever. Its plots are unbearably intricate while still being just a platform for more jokes. And its characters are so intensely unsympathetic that watching them destroy each other emotionally is just another part of the show's charm. This series, while outstanding, isn't the best The Thick of It has to offer. Episodes are once again 30 minutes long, which is too bad, since the two hour-long specials made in 2007 are maybe the most perfect hours of comedy ever made. Jamie, the show's most hilarious character, is absent, which sorta makes sense from a story perspective but is still quite disappointing. And the show's mostly back to tackling low-stakes political hijinx instead of the government-shattering plots of the specials. But as the series goes on, and we begin to learn more about Malcolm Tucker and what he's dealing with, it really comes into its own. Episode 7, of course, is one of the best half hours the show has ever done, ending with a really incredible cliffhanger that, unfortunately, was not resolved as well as it could've been. But it's still great to see minor characters pop up again, from Ben Swain to Angela Heaney to Julius Nicholson. And the opposition, of course, are one of its best creations of all. I adore watching this show, and I'm unbelievably excited about the forthcoming series 4.
3. Louie: Season 1
I've talked about Louie before, and there's not much more I can say about it than what I did there. It's the perfect encapsulation of an amazing stand up comedian's career, and it's challenging the notion of what a great sitcom can be. I wrote that post halfway through the season, and since then there have been some duds, like "Heckler/Cop Movie" and "Travel Day/South." But episodes like "Bully" and "Poker/Divorce" reach for something beyond straight comedy, and achieve it perfectly. It's a testament to Louis C.K.'s greatness that he can even craft an almost entirely dramatic episode, like "God," and still pull it off. The season ended on a really sweet note, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.
2. Parks & Recreation: Season 2
The quality of a sitcom is usually measured in episodes, or even in moments. Seasons are understandably not discussed as much: it's difficult to keep the quality consistent over the twenty-something episodes that make up a usual season, but that's what makes P&R's second season so impressive. Over the course of the year, they crafted 24 near-perfect episodes of the show, which improved so well on its mostly forgettable first season. One-dimensional characters were expanded greatly, making each character occupy an essential role in the series, each one with their own style of comedy. The poorly-done uncomfortable comedy of the first season was dropped, in favour of much more welcome affection between the characters, culminating in really well-done episodes like "Christmas Scandal" and "94 Meetings." Episodes like "Kaboom" and "Telethon" are some of the funniest episodes of a sitcom I've ever seen. And the show even manages to make an iffy subplot like April and Andy's fledgling romance absolutely engrossing. This show's got the best cast of any sitcom currently airing, and it uses everyone to their fullest potential. The writers are unmatched at crafting absolutely hilarious situations, and the show is carving out its own sense of humour at the same time. I haven't seen a season of a sitcom this well-crafted since season 2 of Arrested Development. Parks & Recreation is my favourite comedy on the air right now, and I can't wait for it to come back next month.
1. Breaking Bad: Season 3
What haven't I said about Breaking Bad? It's one of the greatest shows ever made, and this season is its best yet. It may not be as well-plotted as season 2, making it work less as a whole, but the quality of the individual episodes is more than enough to make up for that. It subverts the audience's expectations at every turn, and the season ended with a cliffhanger that made Pascha and I stare at each other, wide-eyed and speechless, for what felt like forever. So much care goes into its creation, from keeping the characters realistic to keeping the plotting unlike any other show I've seen. There's not much more to say, really. I've never seen a show like this, and no other show matches what it's doing. All television should be this good.