Top 10 TV Shows of 2013

2013 brought a series of triumphs and upsets to television. While many critics lauded cable and online dramas, sitcoms started to fall out of the spotlight. As sad as it is to admit (being the passionate sitcom lover that I am), this shift is starting to become an accurate picture of television. In 2013 most cable and network channels (with the exception of Fox and TBS) opted to do away with the more daring sitcoms in favor of mainstream sitcoms that they thought would draw in bigger audiences. This "CBS" way of thinking resulted in the most unimpressive set of new fall sitcoms in over half a decade. Many dramas on the other hand took 2013 as a chance to flip the script and create some of the best moments on television in years. My love for sitcoms means this list will definitely be more comedy heavy, but dramas occupy many of the higher spots this year. Two of my top five shows are straight forward dramas, and one is a crime drama with heavy comedy elements if that gives you any idea of 2013's lack of sitcom strength. There are a few spoilers ahead, but I tried to keep them as minimal and vague as possible.

Honorable Mentions:

Community: Yes, season 4 was a ghost of the Dan Harmon run show, but I don't think that every single episode was a complete failure. Some of the mishandled episodes still had slightly rewarding messages. I thought "Heroic Origins" was a decent attempt at an origin story for the study group. The episodes "Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations" and "Herstory of Dance" are two episodes that I actually thought were pretty great. The "re-Harmonized" season 5 writers must agree to a point since Brie Larson's character from "Herstory of Dance" is being brought back this season (which I am very excited about). All I'm saying is that I've seen this season on some "10 Worst" lists this year, and it shouldn't be there.

Psych: If I had another space on this list, it would probably go to this show. A few highly questionable plot choices in season 7 have it sitting here. Not a bad season, just not the best the show has seen. This show is television's best take on the "Sherlock Holmes" formula, even if the show has never explicitly admitted that that is what it's doing.

Ground Floor: Bill Lawrence's first post-Cougar Town sitcom has shown a lot of promise, but shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Mindy Project have just been on longer and had more of a chance to prove themselves. I look forward to seeing where this one goes. Briga Heelan has been the standout cast member so far.

Elementary: The appeal of this show to me is all about Lucy Liu's Joan Watson. I like the female take on the traditionally male character, and watching the way her character develops a relationship with the emotionally distant Holmes is the main draw here. 

10. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

From the same minds that created the proven sitcom juggernaut Parks & Recreation, Brooklyn is easily the most impressive new comedy of the fall 2013 season. It took a while to find its footing, but Brooklyn has some very impressive writing aided by a diverse cast of characters. Not every joke lands, and the characters sometimes come across as more of a "character type" than an actual person, but the heart of a show like Brooklyn is the writers' ability to sometimes sacrifice the joke for a genuine emotional connection with the characters. Brooklyn Nine-Nine has some growing up to do, but that puts it miles ahead of most new shows this year. 

9. The Mindy Project

Dr. Mindy Lahiri has a vain and shiny outside, but a warmly neurotic and nerdy inside. In 2013, The Mindy Project made for some great TV. The series that struggled to find its main cast and direction in 2012, came into its own in 2013. The driving force in the show is Mindy Kaling, who has some of the most hilariously subtle nuances of any actress on TV. The show excels in its handling of the will they/won't they romance between Mindy and her coworker Danny. Mindy has slowly grown to see that Danny is more than the hard exterior that he puts out to the world, and Danny in turn has grown to see that Mindy is a strong and caring woman. The scenes where these two characters find each other alone and see each other in their emotional nudity are some of the best moments of TV in 2013. 

8. Go On

The most devastating cut of the late spring renew/cancel season was Go On. This show was easily the most witty, daring, and heartwarming series to emerge since Community and Cougar Town. I think Go On was the victim of many tragic judgments and misunderstandings. First, people apparently can't watch Matthew Perry without seeing him as Chandler from friends.  Yes, there are similarities between Chandler and Ryan King, but what was really great about King was that his character grew out of a major life tragedy. In fact, that's what made the entire premise great. Second, many people who saw the show thought that it was either too mainstream, or not mainstream enough. I didn't see it as mainstream or non-mainstream. It was simply a show about a sometimes bizarre subject matter that embraced its identity instead of hiding from it. It was far more creative than the laugh track laden CBS comedies, and had wits enough match up against NBC's sitcom royalty. The show had its flaws, but overall it found a balance between humor and pain that few other shows, sitcom or drama, have been able to.

7. Enlightened
Enlightened is another sad case of a show that ended too soon. It didn't go out without making one last final declaration of defiance, however. Season one of the show lacked direction and focus, but season two knew exactly what it wanted to accomplish and did it beautifully. In an industry that admires male characters falling apart, Amy Jellicoe (Laura Dern) is a refreshing change of pace as the highly flawed woman working tirelessly to make herself and the world better. In season two we see Amy taking on the company she works for by trying to expose all of their illegal and unethical practices. It is a journey unlike any other show on TV this year, right down to the final episode in which we see Amy confront everything that she has been fighting. Seeing Amy's triumph in that final episode was easily one of the most satisfying moments on TV.

6. New Girl
New Girl started to find its voice in 2013. The writing was quicker, wittier, and more charming than in years before. Another smart development in the show was making Winston a bigger character. I had always thought that Winston was one of the funnier characters on the show, but in 2013 I kept hearing people say how much funnier they thought he had become. It was a good development, until for some odd reason they decided to stop and focus on returning character, Coach. I understand how appealing it must have been for the writers to develop a character that they never had a chance to develop, but losing Coach was the biggest stroke of luck that New Girl ever got as a young show. Unlike the beautiful blend of levelheadedness and craziness that embody Winston, Coach comes across as smug and hard to relate to. Adding Coach was just one of a few unusual plot twists, such as the increasingly frustrating Schmidt and Cece situation. I can't see any logical conclusion to that situation on the horizon. Overall though, New Girl is one of the funniest shows on TV in a long time, and I have no doubt that the writers have some vision of where they are going, and that there will be many laughs along the way.

5. Cougar Town
Cougar Town had a lot to overcome this year. After being put on hiatus, then postponed, and finally cancelled by ABC after a lackluster (in ratings, not quality) third season, the show was given a very risky pick-up by TBS. What TBS knew that ABC apparently didn't was that promoting a show is a necessary step if you want viewers. I will be the first to admit that the show had a few minor struggles in season 4. Overall it was just slightly less witty and charming than it had been in past seasons. Let's be clear though, it was nothing close to the Dan Harmon-less Community debacle. For the most part, Cougar Town deserves a round of applause for moving to a new network and changing show runners without becoming something that fans could no longer appreciate. To be certain, Cougar Town is in the top tier of TV comedy, and season 4 was no exception. The highlight of the season was easily the origin story episode "Flirting With Time," a hilarious and extremely charming look at how the group met and changed each others lives in ways they never knew. I'm looking forward to what this show can bring in 2014.

4. Castle
No show's consistency impressed me more in 2013 than Castle. There wasn't a bad episode all year. Being in its sixth season, this is the point where you might expect most shows to lose their edge. This isn't the case with Castle. The smartly timed and perfectly carried out relationship between the title character and his detective partner Kate Beckett gave the show new life going into the fifth season and continuing into season six. What really makes the show shine however is the way it perfectly balances tongue-in-cheek humor with whodunnit crimes worthy of a Dashiell Hammett novel. There hasn't been a crime solving couple with this much chemistry and humor since the film adaptations of Hammett's The Thin Man. The writing for the show is also excellent. Castle's edge over other crime dramas is that the writers come up with genuinely interesting mysteries for their characters to solve each week. Other shows either lean far too heavily on the science and procedure of it all, or they bait audiences with tasteless gore. Castle was all about the whimsy and genuine mystery in 2013.

3. Parks & Recreation
 Parks & Recreation has the biggest heart on TV, and in 2013, no show had more consistent laughs (though Cougar Town came close).  The genius of this show in 2013 is that we saw each character reach their goals (Season Five), and then have them taken away in some form (Season 6). This show is never better than when it makes its characters the underdogs, and season 6 has done exactly that. The jokes are great and plentiful on Parks, but its the heartfelt moments that will stick in people's minds. Watching Leslie essentially give up her seat as a city councilwoman to defend the right of the Eagletonians (a group she notoriously despises) to vote, is easily one of the best moments TV moments of not just this year, but any year. That moment encompasses what Parks is all about. Doing the right thing despite self interest. Leslie Knope is the hilarious modern day Atticus Finch, and TV desperately needs that.

2. The Newsroom
Most critics have a fairly hefty disdain for The Newsroom. Those who don't, seem to pass it off as mediocre. My theory is that many dislike it because it has the gall to tell people that there are right and wrong practices, and that it's about time we stop being so complacent about the wrong ones. Critics love a show that displays the many shades of wrong, but hate being told there are any definite rights and wrongs in the world. The Newsroom is more than just a lesson on morals, and season two proved exactly that by not leaving any character a high road to take after the disastrous report on Operation Genoa. Much like Parks & Recreation, every character spent the season facing multiple failures and having to find strength in humility. The show's greatest asset is Aaron Sorkin's amazing penchant for writing the fastest and wittiest dialogue on TV. The episode, "News Night with Will McAvoy" is a self-contained masterpiece of character dialogues, that highlights all of the show's best qualities. Unlike most cable dramas (except Enlightened), these characters are growing up instead of sinking down, and it's refreshing to watch. The critics are white noise at this point. The Newsroom built on a great first season with a better second season that culminates in the perfect two part finale. It ends with a torch of hope in an ocean of turmoil.

1. The Good Wife
I have never seen a show turn a solid, awards garnering, premise on its head like The Good Wife has done this season. The result is a smarter, more intense, beautifully written show that caught just about everyone off guard. First, you have to give credit to Robert and Michelle King as creators/showrunners. Most people wouldn't have the guts to take their critically acclaimed show and turn it into a whole new animal after five seasons, but they took a huge risk that has thus far turned out to be the best decision they ever made. The best two arguments I can give for The Good Wife being the best show of 2013 are the episodes "Hitting the Fan" (yes, that title means exactly what you think it does) and "The Decision Tree." In, "Hitting the Fan," Will, Alicia's boss, mentor, and former lover, finds out that Alicia has been planning to leave Lockhart-Gardner and take clients with her to start her own firm, Florrick-Agos. An explosion goes off. This episode shifts the entire balance of the show. Friends are now enemies. The line between hero and villain is blurred. Alicia betrayed Will, but in many ways, Lockhart-Gardner had repeatedly betrayed Alicia. "Hitting the Fan" starts off a season long war between the two firms that creates some of the most quick witted, emotionally intense, and oddly laugh out loud hilarious moments the show has ever seen. By the time the show reaches "The Decision Tree," both firms have had ample opportunities to bruise each others' egos, and it has been ugly. The tension of Will and Alicia's unspoken, and at this point highly unobtainable, love for each other reaches a head in this episode. Will tries to hurt Alicia in court by bringing up a discussion they had during their secret relationship together. There is a scene in the episode in which Will tries to play out in his head how he thinks his courtroom examination of Alicia will go. He imagines himself trapping her in lies as a revenge fantasy, and there has never been a more clear look into the mind of a man who is burdened with the anger of a love lost than in this scene. Both Josh Charles and Juliana Margulies give the best performances of the series in this episode. The emotional depth these actors reach is astounding. The episode ends with a giant cliffhanger that leaves one character doing a spit take in the very last second of the episode. That spit take just about sums up this season of The Good Wife, so far. No show has me more anxious to tune in each week, and never have I been so glad to have no idea what to expect when I do tune in.

Review: Christmas Is Here by Brandon Heath

Christmas Is Here, by Brando Heath is a nice Christmas album that has a couple missteps, but mostly brings a lot of charm to the season. Like with most CCM Christmas albums, this one has three different kinds of songs: traditional Christian, traditional secular, and original. The traditional Christian songs are where Heath excels. I'm always looking for a good cover of a traditional Christian Christmas song. That was one of the highlights for me with this album. This is the first album in my collection to have the songs In A Bleak Midwinter and O Little Town of Bethlehem. Heath's covers of these songs are simple and reverent, which is something there isn't enough of in modern Christmas albums. 

Added to the list of traditional Christian songs are; Away In A Manger, Go Tell It On The Mountain, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful/Angels We Have Heard On High. Heath does a good job of covering all of these songs, but none of them stood out to me as the best versions I have ever heard of these songs. If you are looking for an awesome version of Go Tell It On The Mountain (tied for my personal favorite Christmas song), then you're better off going for Francesca Battistelli's version. That being said, if you aren't looking for near perfection with any of these songs, Heath does a good enough job of covering them for the casual fan. 

The lone traditional secular Christmas song on the album is The Christmas Song. Nobody comes close to doing this song as well as Nat King Cole. That being said, I have heard and loved a lot of covers of this song, and Heath's version is just as good as any of those. 

What really makes Heath's album worth owning are the original songs. Well, at least most of them are worth owning. The Day After Thanksgiving, an attack on celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving, is easily the worst song on the album. I'm partial, cause I think complaining about when people start celebrating Christmas is just pointless and stupid. If you are a Scrooge who is into that sort of thing, then yes, the song has an okay sound to it. I would just like to point out that this album came out in October. Just A Girl is an interesting take on the night of Jesus birth from the perspective of the Inn Keeper who denied Mary and Joseph a room. A lot of times when people do original songs about this subject, it comes out as cheesy or overly sentimental, but Heath does a really good job of not going overboard with this one. The stand out on the album for me is Momma Wouldn't Lie To Me. This fun, hilarious, and well written song is reason enough to buy the album. 

Track Listing: 

Track 1: The Day After Thanksgiving

Track 2: The Christmas Song

Track 3: O Little Town of Bethlehem

Track 4: Just A Girl

Track 5: In The Bleak Midwinter

Track 6: Momma Wouldn't Lie To Me

Track 7: Away In A Manger

Track 8: Go Tell It On the Mountain

Track 9: Silent Night

Track 10: O Come All Ye Faithful/Angels We Have Heard On High

Serve the Niche

I have odd tastes. The shows I watch have low Neilson ratings, the music I listen to is almost never on the top 40, and you probably haven't seen (or even heard of) most of my favorite movies. Like I said, I have odd tastes. I'm a niche man. Most people don't see the value in what I like, but there is a small group of us that does. Niches are often overlooked by marketers and companies that are looking to sell to the "Top 40" crowd. I think this is a mistake, and I think the internet is the answer to fixing it. 

A Japanese gaming company created a game this year to celebrate the 15th anniversary of a franchise. This franchise was once popular in the United States, and is still very popular in Japan. By about the middle of the last decade, this franchise no longer had the mass appeal in the U.S. that it had when it first started. For this reason the Japanese company has so far decided no to release the game in the U.S. I understand the reasoning. If the franchise is no longer popular enough to reach a mass audience, it probably is not cost effective to manufacture and distribute the game to the small niche that desires it.

 I think there is a different answer though. All major gaming systems have internet capability, so why not sell the game to English speaking customers through digital download? That would eliminate the cost of manufacturing and distributing the physical game. This company could be profiting from the U.S. niche of gamers who want the product simply by translating it into English and offering at a downloadable game on the device. 

This idea goes beyond just video games. TV shows are another area where companies could be making a profit off of niches. One of my favorite shows is the 90s sitcom Just Shoot Me. I have the first three seasons on DVD. There were seven seasons of the show, but I only have three on DVD because they stopped producing the show on DVD after producing season 3. I'm guessing that between manufacturing the DVDs and distributing them, that the company that owns the rights to Just Shoot Me wasn't making much of a profit. If these companies wanted to make a profit off of the fans of shows like Just Shoot Me, why not offer all of the seasons of the show for purchase by digital download or internet streaming? Again, this avoids a lot of the costs associated with serving the niche through DVD sales, but it companies could make money off of die hard fans of the show. I would probably pay a little too much just to have access to the entire series. If you want my money as a consumer, the ball is in your court to start serving the niche.   

Review: Francesca Battistelli Christmas

I was talking with my friend recently about some Christmas albums that come out this year, and said I would let her know if they were any good. She suggested that I just write up the reviews on here, and so I am. The first album on the list is Francesca Battistelli Christmas. This album actually came out last year and quickly became one of my Christmas favorites. There are two reasons I'm reviewing it this year. The first is that I had every intention of reviewing it last year, but all of my writing time was consumed by my work on the campus magazine. The second reason is that this year, Francesca released the album as a two pack with a DVD of a Christmas concert she performed in Nashville. So, my first album review on here will actually be an album/DVD review.

Francesca Battistelli Christmas:

Francesca Battistelli is the kind of artist you want making a Christmas album. First of all, she has an amazing voice that lends itself perfectly to Christmas songs. She is also not one of those singers that feels the need to make every old song "her own." Many artists I really like have turned me off of their Christmas albums because they changed the arrangement of classic songs way too much. When Batistelli changes up the arrangement of a song, it is nothing drastic, and usually accentuates the natural qualities of the song instead of trying to alter them.

The songs on the album are a good mix of traditional Christmas songs and Battistelli's own original Christmas songs. As I said above, her voice is perfect for singing the traditional songs. With songs such as "The Christmas Song", "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", and "Marshmallow World," Battistelli adds punches of energy to the album by giving them an up tempo feel. This is especially effective with "The Christmas Song" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" because these songs were originally slower songs that even had a bit of a somber feel to them. I like the somber feel of the originals, but this energetic feel also works really well. I also love how Battistelli changes the line from "if the fates allow" to "if the Lord allows." As someone who doesn't believe in fate, I personally relate to this change more.

One of the aspects of Christmas albums done by Christian artists is that they have more traditional Christian Christmas songs. For me, this is where Battistelli hits her sweet spot. Songs such as "What Child Is This? (First Noel Prelude)" and "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" are slower more emotive points in the album. These songs are where Battistelli's vocals really shine. In the other two traditional Christian songs, "Joy To The World" and "Go, Tell It On The Mountain" Battistelli strips down the music to a more acoustic sound and really lets her vocals carry the songs. This works really well because it gives the songs a free feeling, but still maintains the seriousness of the messages within the songs. It is worth mentioning that "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "Go Tell It On The Mountain" are my two all time favorite Christmas songs, and I think she handles them perfectly here.

The final aspect of the album are Battistelli's four original songs: "Heaven Everywhere", "Christmas Is", "You're Here", and "Christmas Dreams." A lot of times, I'm not a huge fan of modern original Christmas songs. The classics are amazing and these days it seems like few have the ability to write new Christmas songs that are enjoyable to listen to and that have a message worth spreading. Battistelli's original songs, however, have both of these qualities. "Heaven Everywhere" is an emotive reminder of the spirit of Christmas and how we should carry that on throughout the year. There is also a very well placed transition that Battistelli does into "Angels We Have Heard On High" in the middle of the song that sounds great and adds another dimension to the song. The song "Christmas Is" is a fun song about Christmas traditions with an awesome shout out to A Charlie Brown Christmas. "You're Here" is a very well written look at Jesus Birth through Mary's eyes. Finally, "Christmas Dreams" take a look the excitement of Christmas from the perspective of a parent with small children. All of these original songs add a personal touch that makes the whole album even better.

Overall, I could not recommend this album more. It has quickly become a classic for my Christmas playlist.

Track Listing:
Track 1: The Christmas Song
Track 2: Heaven Everywhere
Track 3: Christmas Is
Track 4: What Child Is This? (First Noel Prelude)
Track 5: Marshmallow World
Track 6: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Track 7: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Track 8: You're Here
Track 9: Joy To The World
Track 10: Christmas Dreams
Track 11: Go, Tell It On The Mountain

Christmas Live In Nashville:

Being such a fan of Batistelli's Christmas album, I was really hoping that this added concert DVD would be just as special. After watching it, I was not disappointed. The concert has mostly the same lineup of songs as the album, but with a few songs in a slightly different order. It is great to see Battistelli sing these songs, because you can see the sheer joy and excitement she has for Christmas music. Battistelli's vocals do not falter during the concert either, something I often worry about with live recordings.

The benefit of having the DVD is the added content from Battistelli. In between songs, Battistelli gives you some insight into why she chose certain songs for the album, or what personal connection she derives from some of the songs. It makes the album and the concert that much more meaningful. There are also segments of the DVD where it cuts away from the concert and shows interview clips of Battistelli answering questions about her feelings and memories of Christmas. After the concert is over, there is also a series of interview clips you can watch that were not shown during the concert. These clips give viewers an added insight into Battistelli's relationship with Christmas.

It is worth keeping in mind that the two disc CD/DVD combo is a few dollars more than just buying the individual CD, but I think it is money well spent. If you really want to avoid paying too much for it, get it from your local Christian store when they have a sale on it or a coupon that applies. That's what I did. After watching the concert DVD, I knew right away that watching it would become an annual Christmas tradition.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Have you looked at a calendar today? There's nothing significant about October 25th, except that I find myself thinking about how Christmas is only two months away. You know when people talk about the metaphorical "happy place"? Mine is Christmas. It's two months until Christmas, and Christmas is already on my mind. Before you start thinking I'm crazy, it's not like Christmas is all I'm thinking about. Every once in a while, my mind just wanders to this place.

I start thinking about how great it would be to throw a small Christmas party for friends and family. Just a small group around a Christmas tree, playing board games, having a great time simply being in each others company. Sometimes I start thinking about my favorite Christmas TV specials and movies. They all represent what I love best about the Christmas season.

When I was a kid I got excited about Christmas because of toys and all of the excitement of the season. Christmas is kind of a playground as a kid. Now I love the season because it represents three of my favorite things: Jesus, family, and giving. Is it strange that at different points in the year I yearn for the lights of a Christmas tree? Probably, but really what I'm yearning for is the time of year when Jesus, family, and giving are actually considered a norm. If you ask me, it's a little strange that those things are not more present throughout the rest of the year.

P.S.
This whole post was written while listening to Vince Guaraldi's instrumental version of O Tannenbaum from the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. The jazzy sound of the piano playing that song always catches my ear in the scene where Charlie Brown goes to find a Christmas tree.

The Hook Episode: Psych

Psych was actually on for many seasons before I started watching it. My friend who watches the show asked me if I had any interest in seeing the show, and one Christmas bought me the first few seasons of Psych. Ever since I have been hooked on the show. Aren't generous friends the best?

The episode that I picked as the hook episode for Psych is the 15th episode of the 1st season, "Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast." That last part of the episode title is a slightly morbid play on words that you will understand when you watch the episode. In this episode Shawn and Gus are tasked with helping Juliet solve the supposed suicide of a young girl on Halloween night, by investigating her sorority sisters who believe they are being haunted by the urban legend "Scary Sherry." In a side story, Lassiter has to work with a rookie detective who turns out to be anything but what he expected. 

There's nothing worse than a Halloween episode of a show that has nothing to do with Halloween. This episode of Psych really commits to the format. The urban legend of Scary Sherry is treated just seriously enough to make it seem spooky, but there's also a very real case for the gang to solve. Kind of like a Scooby Doo episode, but wittier and there aren't any stoned people driving around in a van. The reason I think this is a hook episode is because it is one of the first examples of how committed Psych gets to an out of the box theme. Also, this episode features one of the best scenes of Shawn and Gus freaking out in the entire series. That alone is a sight to see. Watch this episode with your friends this Halloween and get hooked on Psych. 

The Hook Episode: New Girl

Preface: This is the first in a series of posts I will be writing on the topic of what I like to call the "hook episode." The hook episode is the episode of a show that you would recommend to someone if you were trying to get them hooked on the show. For the most part these episodes will be early on in the run of the series, but there will be some exceptions. 

New Girl is one of the most well written sitcoms currently on air. Early on in the first season of the show, a lot of people were critical of whether or not the show would last. There were questions about whether or not Zooey Deschanel would be able to carry the show, and whether or not the characters would have the right chemistry. It did not take long for this show to hook me, however.

The episode of the show that I picked for the hook episode is episode 5 of season 1, "Cece Crashes." In this episode, Cece, Jess' best friend, has to stay in the loft for a few days throwing off the entire dynamic that Jess has formed with her loft-mates. The reason I picked this episode is because it is one of the first episodes that is laugh out loud hilarious, and it sets up many vital character dynamics that are still a main part of the show today. "Cece Crashes" is the first episode to ask if Jess has feelings for Nick. Watching Jess irrationally try to deny her feelings, unbeknownst to Nick, was the first taste of how funny the show could be. This is also the episode that introduces the idea that Schmidt and Cece could possibly have romantic feelings for one another. The end of the episode in which Cece shows openness and compassion toward Schmidt was a first glimpse into the charm and character the show has. After seeing this episode, I remember thinking that this was a show I wanted to stick with.

The 13 Smartest Shows Currently on TV

Last year if you will recall, I did a list of what I thought were the 12 smartest shows currently on TV. You can view that post here. It was fun and a little over a year later I feel like the TV landscape has changed enough that I can go for it again. This time in honor of it being 2013, I will do what I think are the 13 smartest shows on TV. This list will definitely have some returning shows from the last list, but with shows being cancelled or concluding, there is definitely room this year for things to change considerably. So here goes the list.

13.) Nashville 

In many ways, Nashville is one of those shows that is filled with petty drama. I don't consider shows like that to be very smart. The reason this show makes the bottom of my list however is due to what I like to call its "music IQ." The songs for this show are extremely well written. It would be easy for this show to phone in the songs, and just rely on the petty drama to get ratings. I'm glad they don't. The musical aspect of this show feeds the illusion of young artists breaking into the music world with honest lyrics and simple melodies. It may not always have the smartest plot lines, but the music keeps you coming back for more.

12.) Elementary 

Another new one to the list this year, Elementary squeaks in at the bottom of the list not so much for the crime solving as for the character dynamics. I'll be honest, when the first season of this show started, I thought it was just going to be a slower, less interesting, version of The Mentalist or Psych. At first, it was. But as the season went on, they made the perfect decision to turn the season into a mutual journey of growth between the two lead characters Joan Watson and Sherlock Holmes. Seeing Watson, easily the most likable character on the show, come into her own was very rewarding. What was even more rewarding however was seeing how Watson changed Holmes' view of himself, leading up to what I think was the best scripted finale of any network show this season.

11.) Necessary Roughness 

In its short time on air, this show has had its touchdowns as well as its bumps and bruises. The missteps were odd love triangles, and over extended plot lines that were never that interesting in the first place. Most of this occurred in season two. That being said, what this show will always have going for it is the tough wit of Callie Thorne playing Dr. Dani Santino. Sports and psychology might not seem like a likely pair, but the two topics meld together extremely well on this show. Another reason to give it ups in the intelligence department is that it is one of the few shows on TV that is even willing to take on tough topic of psychology, and do so while still giving the profession the serious treatment it deserves.

10.) The Simpsons 

You might notice that this show is down four spots from where it was last year. This is for a couple of reasons. First, my goal in putting this show on the list last year was to give it the recognition it deserves as a major force in modern day television comedy. It's still on the list for that reason. The reason it is down from last year is because the last season of the show was not quite as impressive as the season before, and I wanted to give some other shows more credit. The Simpsons is and always will be a comedy pioneer, but they'll just have to do that from the number 10 spot for now.

9.) Psych 

Psych is a show defined by the witty banter of its two main characters, Shawn and Gus. I'm glad to say that during this last season of the show, that witty banter was still there. The problem, and reason it is down two spots from last year, is that it almost seemed like the writers of the show were determined to undermine the show's wit with horrible plot twists. The plot choices that were made on this last season often seemed more confusing than entertaining, and often made the show far less enjoyable than it should have been. Another problem I had was that some of the fun "gimmicks" that have made the show great in the past kind of fell flat this season. For example the 100th episode of the show was a parody of the film Clue featuring some cast members from the film. The plot lacked any interesting twists, which was a distinguishing feature of the film. For being the show's 100th episode, it didn't even have the entire main cast in the episode. All of this being said, the chemistry of Shawn and Gus will make this show one of the smartest on TV as long as it is on (which hopefully isn't, but probably is only one more season).

8.) The Mindy Project 

I'm pretty excited to have this show on the list this year. Of the sitcoms that survived their freshman season (not many did), this is easily the best. It's not the funniest show on TV, but it can be very witty when it's at the top of its game. What really makes the show work is creator/writer/star Mindy Kaling. She's a funny woman. Her character is a less neurotic, more professionally successful, Liz Lemon type, which is a good model to have for a show. What makes the show smart is that Kaling's character balances being a highly intelligent woman with a comical "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" love life. I also like that the show is unafraid to take on serious topics such as dating between people of differing religious backgrounds, and gender politics in the workplace. Add that all on top of a rag tag cast of misfit characters and you have a show that could have a bright future.

7.) Castle 

This show actually moved up three spots on the list this year. It's still the same charming crime drama that it has always been, but the reason it jumped up so much was because the writers made just about every correct plot choice that they could have this season. First of all, there is Caskett. For those of you who aren't fans of the show, this is the fan created relationship name for the show's two main characters. Finally getting Castle and Beckett together was smart in my opinion. You could only keep that "will they, won't they" alive for so long without people just not caring any more. So this show took the plunge and I'm glad to say that everyone who claimed they were "jumping the shark" was completely wrong. The show perfectly balanced the Caskett relationship with the day to day casework. Beyond Caskett, this season just had a solid line-up of well written episodes. From the episode where Beckett and Castle are on the run to save their lives, to the 100th episode which paid perfect homage to Hitchcock's Rear Window (and was much more enjoyable than the Psych 100th episode which took place with roughly a week's distance between the two), the writers did their jobs well this season.

6.) The Good Wife 

This show fell two spots this year, but for the most part, that isn't the show's fault. One reason is that new shows have made the list and simply out performed what is easily network TV's best and most critically lauded drama. Another aspect is that I don't have as much to judge the show on. Due to football delays and DVR issues, I was only able to make it through about half the season before I got too far behind to catch up. I fully plan on catching back up when the season is released on DVD. Another reason the show fell a little is because in the episodes I did see, I felt as if Alicia Florrick, the strongest female character on TV, wasn't being utilized as well as she had been in past seasons. Does this mean a dip in quality for the show? I doubt it. Like I said, it's the best network drama, and I have no doubt that legacy will continue.

5.) Parks and Recreation 

Holding steady at the number five position, Parks and Recreation was, as always, one of the most consistent and solid comedies on TV this season. Instead of one big plot line that spanned the season, as was done very successfully the last two seasons, this season consisted of more small, mostly unconnected, plot lines. It still worked very well however. The show never lost any of it's charm or ensemble fueled wit. A particular highlight of the season was the Leslie/Ben wedding. It was touching at points and hilarious at others. One thing I noticed was the very uneventful season finale (again breaking the mold of ending the season with a big event/cliffhanger). Like my friend said when we were discussing the finale, "It didn't even really seem like a season finale." Overall though, it's the same great show with the same great cast. Also, can we get Amy Poehler an Emmy for her work on this show?

4.) New Girl 

Last season there was a feeling of "will this show work, or will this show bomb." The critics of the show were loud, but season two proved that they were wrong. It picked up right where the pace of season one left off. This season didn't stumble on the "how will a girl live with these guys" premise of season one. That had been dealt with in season one, and I was very glad to see season two move on. Also, I liked how there was growth from every character. It was a smart choice to just dive into the Nick/Jess relationship without apologizing or looking back and being afraid to progress with it. Most of all, the show was just funny. Episodes such as the one where Jess thinks one of her adult writing students wants to kill her were downright hilarious. The show is also getting in a habit of having some very charming Christmas episodes, which is a good precedent to set. Overall, I think this show can only go up in the future.

3.) Community 

You could probably argue, and maybe justifiably so, that after the season Community just had under its new show runners, that it should be much lower on this list. I can respect and acknowledge that argument, but three things prevent me from listening to it. First of all, this is the same beloved cast that has always brought this show its charm. The second reason is that while many episodes were not as good as previous seasons, a few were (namely the Origin Story episode and the Thanksgiving episode). Third, in case you haven't heard, for season five DAN HARMON IS RETURNING AS SHOWRUNNER. I'm glad that my loyalty refused to let me give up on this show because with Dan Harmon back at the helm, I have no doubt season five will be everything fans loved about seasons 1-3. No matter what trials it has been through, Community is still the little show that could.

1.) Cougar Town (Tie) 

Speaking of little shows that could. Cougar Town went from being shoved into a corner by ABC, to almost being cancelled by ABC, to being bought by TBS, to being not only renewed for a fourth season by TBS, but a fifth season as well. Out of the wreckage of ABC's mishandling of a very funny and witty show came the funniest season of TV this year. Let's just pause and say thanks to TBS. Why was Cougar Town so great this season? Well unlike Community, the show got a new showrunnner without losing any of the witty writing or ensemble charm that it had with the old showrunners. There were also some really great and creative episodes this season. The origin story episode was a highlight for me (I may have watched it four or five times). But I respected that the show also took time to touch on some serious issues, such as religion (I have to admit I didn't see that one coming, but I respected where they went with it). Most of all the show was great because the characters have incredible chemistry and their witty banter is hands down the best on TV.

1.) The Newsroom (Tie) 

While Cougar Town was the smartest comedy on TV this year, The Newsroom was hands down the smartest drama on TV. HBO crafted ten near perfect episodes of television that started with a bang and ended in a very satisfying place. So what makes this show smart? First of all, the premise of the show is so simple and genius that it is almost criminal that no show has done this before. The main theme of the show is journalistic integrity and using the news to inform viewers of what they need to know going into the voting booth. If only the real news followed these ideas. The second aspect that makes it great is that the show is set a couple years in the past so that it can cover actual news stories, but not so far in the past that these news stories aren't still very real and fresh in our minds. Third, perfect casting. I mean it is spot on. They could not have picked a better cast. Each character is extremely intelligent and powerful in their own right, but they also each have flaws that are exposed on a regular basis. There has been some criticism that the female characters on the show are weak. I don't understand this. These are some of the strongest female characters on TV. Their flaws often present themselves through clumsiness, true, but their strengths present themselves through acts of great character. I think this criticism is born out of misogyny. You don't here anyone calling Don Draper or Walter White weak characters, and yet their flaws are presented through selling drugs, murdering, and cheating on their wives. Are critics really saying Mac (the lead female character in The Newsroom) tripping over a cord or getting her words mixed up makes her a weaker character than her male counterparts on TV who have done much worse? Back to the show. The final element of the show that makes it great is the writing. It is extremely intelligent, but also extremely witty. If you can watch the opening scene of this show and not get drawn in, then you must have the TV on mute.

Social Politics

If you know me well at all, then you know that politics is one of my least favorite subjects. Let me clarify. I try pretty hard to keep up with what is going on in politics and the news. Being an informed voter is important to me. The bickering and arguing is what I cannot stand about politics. More than anything I cannot stand politics on social media.

I hate politics on social media, because let's be honest, nobody is using social media to try to have a genuine discussion about the political issues of the day. What they are using it for is to bolster their argument that they know what is best politically, and to dare others to disagree. We love to rile up our neighbors and declare how they just don't get it when it comes to politics. We demonize, create an enemy, and line up against the opposing team.

Here's my point: have you ever been convinced of a political issue because someone tweeted about it or posted about it on Facebook? If you can answer yes to that question, then please for all things good in this world, DO NOT go vote in an election. I'm dead serious. If you form your opinions based on a snarky tweet or unreliable Facebook link, you are not doing you due diligence as a citizen entrusted with the power to vote. However, I'm going to guess that most people would answer "no" to the question I posed. If the answer is no, then why tweet that tweet or post that post? Who are you satisfying with that? Only yourself.

Now in no way should this be mistaken for me saying that people should not voice their opinions. By all means we should. People have fought and died for our right to speak our opinion. That being said, maybe do so in an intelligent and respectful way. Maybe instead of pejoratively ranting about your views on an issue, tweet the link to an informative article that allows people to form their own opinion about a subject. We are a long way away from living in a society where people can talk calmly about political issues without taking it personally when someone disagrees. I think we should work on our ways of talking about these things face to face instead of trying to wage political war on social media websites.

2013 Academy Awards Overview

Last year I did a comprehensive 3 post review of the Academy Award nominees in the major categories. Well this year I don't have time to do all of that, so I'm just doing a shortened version of the same thing.

Best Supporting Actor:
Alan Arkin in Argo
Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master
Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln
Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained
Who Will Win:
This is a tricky and sort of unpredictable category. Christoph Waltz won the Supporting Actor Golden Globe, but Tommy Lee Jones won the Supporting Actor "Actor" at the SAG Awards. My guess is that it will probably go to Waltz, but I would not rule Jones out by a long shot.
Who Should Win:
My personal pick would be Alan Arkin. I feel like he plays his role very well. I would be fairly happy if it went to Tommy Lee Jones as well, because I felt like he played his role well. To be fair and honest I have not seen Philip Seymour Hoffman or Christoph Waltz's performances so I can't say anything about them.

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams in The Master
Sally Field in Lincoln
Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables
Helen Hunt in The Sessions
Jacki Weaver in Silver Linings Playbook
Who Will Win:
Anne Hathaway. I have no doubt in my mind that she will take this award. First of all, she has been a darling of the Academy for a while, already having been nominated for an Oscar in the past and having hosted (or maybe butchered would be a better word) the Academy Awards in the past. The other reason is that there is a ton of emotional appeal to the role, even if it did require minimal acting.
Who Should Win:
I'll preface this by saying that I have not seen Helen Hunt (for personal reasons) or Amy Adams performances. I feel a little sorry for Adams because this will be her fourth nomination in this category and she is yet to win an Oscar. That being said, I can't make much of an argument for someone to win this award over Hathaway. Sally Field and Jacki Weaver both gave good performances, but they were not large roles within their respective movies.

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook
Joaquin Phoenix in The Master
Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln
Denzel Washington in Flight
Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables
Who Will Win:
Daniel Day-Lewis. Lewis has won every award he has been nominated for up to now. He is also a two previous Oscar wins and this nomination makes a total of five nominations. Many have been calling Lewis' interpretation of Lincoln an amazing embodiment.
Who Should Win:
Daniel Day-Lewis did a good job, but in my opinion Bradley Cooper deserves this award. Cooper's role required a greater range of acting skills. That's not to say that Lewis did not do a good job, but, "if it's me reading the signs" Cooper gave the best performance this year. (That last part was a little Silver Linings Playbook reference) Joaquin Phoenix's performance in the only one I have not seen.

Best Actress
Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty
Quvenzhane Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild
Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook
Naomi Watts in The Impossible
Emmanuelle Riva in Amour
Who Will Win:
This is easily the tightest race of any of the acting categories. Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence both won Golden Globes for their performances, while Chastain won the Critics Choice Award, and Lawrence won at the SAG Awards. The Academy has a tendency to give awards to actors portraying real people and historical pieces, so that might be a slight lead for Chastain. On the other hand, actors who are a part of the Academy are the people who vote on this award, so maybe the SAG given to Lawrence is a better indicator. 
Who Should Win:
In my opinion, Lawrence gave the acting performance of the year, male or female. She was outstanding in her performance. That being said, I have seen all of these acting performances, and every one of these actresses gave good performances. If the award were to go to anyone other than Lawrence it should be Quvenzhane Wallis who at age six showed acting skills that far surpass the skills of actresses four times her age. Interestingly enough, I felt like of the five Chastain's performance was the least worthy of the award.

Best Animated Feature Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
Which Will Win:
This one is a little harder to predict, mostly because there is less of a president. Brave won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, but it was one of the less favorably received Pixar movies in the span of their career, so I wouldn't necessarily say it's a sure thing. The other president is that things with Tim Burton's name on them tend to get attention, so Frankenweenie way also have an edge in this department.
Which Should Win:
Brave is a good movie, but in my opinion the competition it received from ParaNorman and Wreck-It Ralph this year makes it the second or third best. Personally, I believe that Wreck-It Ralph is the best of the animated features this year.

Best Picture
Amour
Life of Pi
Argo
Lincoln
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
Which Will Win:
Best Picture is always a bit of a wild card category. I would say there are three frontrunners: Lincoln, Argo, and Zero Dark Thirty. Lincoln is a biopic about the country's most popular president abolishing slavery. It also helps that Lincoln has Spielberg's name on it. Zero Dark Thirty's advantage is the same as Lincoln's in that it's a true story (or so the writers say) and that the director, Kathryn Bigelow, has had a movie of a similar nature win Best Picture in the recent past (That movie is The Hurt Locker). Argo has many things going in its favor. It is based on a true story, and it took home the Golden Globe for Best Picture in Drama, and Best Ensemble Cast award at the SAG Awards. On the other hand, a movie hasn't won Best Picture without the director also being nominated for Best Director since Driving Miss Daisy, and Kathryn Bigelow and Ben Affleck were both passed up for that nomination this year.
Which Should Win:
My favorite movie of the year is easily Silver Linings Playbook. It has a nice blend of humor and drama that I think gives it a more human touch than many of the other nominees. That being said I've seen all but one of the films (Django Unchained, mostly because of violence and language issues) and I think they are all good films. I would say it was a stretch to have Amour nominated for best picture. My second favorite of the films is a tie between Beasts of the Southern Wild and Argo. Honestly I would be happy with any of these three films winning best picture.                   

Black History Month: Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson is probably the closest thing to an Aretha Franklin or Etta James to come from the current generation of singers. Her vocal range is amazing, and the sheer power behind her voice is what reminds me of vocalists such as Franklin. She's not the most popular singer out there today, but with Grammy and Oscar wins under her belt, she had certainly proved her ability.

If This Isn't Love

Jesus Promised Me A Home Over There

Black History Month: Cee Lo Green

Cee Lo Green is an odd and eccentric singer. That being said, he can also be a very talented individual. What I like about Cee Lo is his ability to bring back the sound of Motown, but also to make that sound relevant to current generations. His song Forget You brought that Motown sound to a whole new generation and was wildly successful.

Forget You

Satisfied

Black History Month: The Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers had a little bit of controversy in their career. Mostly revolving around creative disagreements between them and the Motown producers. That being said, their most popular hit, It's Your Thing, is still a very recognizable song to this day.

It's Your Thing

Black History Month: Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is an iconic artist. He started out as a Motown sensation, and has continued to produce hits throughout the years. His strong, soulful, voice has gained him notoriety, as well as his well written songs and well orchestrated instrumentals.

Uptight (Everything's Alright)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours

Black History Month: The Jackson Five

I know most people probably recognize Michael Jackson before The Jackson Five, but being a bigger fan of Motown, I tend to prefer the sound of The Jackson Five. They weren't the most prominent Motown group, but they gained quite a bit of popularity and had a number of hits in their time.

I Want You Back

ABC

Black History Month: The Temptations

The Temptations are maybe the most popular of the Motown groups, and definitely the most popular of the male groups. Their vocals are clear and crisp, but still emotive enough to fit easily within the R&B/Soul genre of Motown. The proof of their success is the long list of songs that are noticeable hits still to this day. On a personal note, Ain't Too Proud To Beg is one of my favorite songs because of the emotion in every lyric and the perfect harmonies.

My Girl

Ain't Too Proud To Beg

Black History Month: Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were another successful female group of the Motown era. Though not as successful or enduring as The Supremes, The Vandellas were able to produce some lasting hits during their prime such as these:

(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave

Dancing In The Street

Black History Month: The Four Tops

When you think male Motown groups, The Temptations are probably the first to come to mind, but The Four Tops also had a strong impact on the genre. Their sound isn't revolutionary by any means, but The Four Tops had strong vocals, and were able to coin some hits in their day.

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)

It's The Same Old Song

Black History Month: The Supremes

The Supremes are easily the most successful female group of the Motown era. Honestly they rank among Motown's most successful solo or group artists. While the past of the group may be sordid (see the movie Dream Girls, which speculates on the issue if you don't know what I'm talking about), they have proved to be an enduring group.

You Can't Hurry Love

Black History Month: Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye is often seen as one of the greatest singers. It's no wonder why. He has a great range and a very emotive voice. Many of his songs are considered classics and range in topics from love to anti-war protest.

I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing

Black History Month: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Smokey Robinson was one of the people that really made the whole Motown movement big. As a performer he had a distinct voice that could not be matched. Beyond that however, Robinson was the writer behind many of Motown's greatest hits, even if he wasn't the one to sing them.

The Tracks of My Tears

Cruisin'

Black History Month: Mickey and Sylvia

Mickey and Sylvia are an often under-recognized duo. Many of their songs take a sort of Blues meets Pop style. Like I said, they aren't extremely well known. Their most famous song is called Love Is Strange, which gets its popularity mostly from being featured in the movie Dirty Dancing.

Love Is Strange

 

Black History Month: Melanie Fiona

Melanie Fiona is one of those modern artists that is helping to reestablish the influence of Motown on current R&B. That's not to say that she doesn't still have a modern sound. What makes Fiona great is how she blends raspy, soulful, vocals with 60s/70s styles and yet still makes it sound relevant.

This Time

L.O.V.E.

 

Black History Month: Mandisa

Mandisa is the Gospel/CCM artist that first got me interested in the genre. What's great about Mandisa is the way she mixes Godly messages with amazing vocals. Each of her three albums has been nominated for a Grammy. The shame about Mandisa is that she really has an amazingly powerful and well controlled voice, but the music industry often neglects to recognize the talents of Gospel singers.

Lifeline

Only The World

 

Black History Month: Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong easily has one of the most distinct voices in the entire music industry. It's not the most crystal clear or technically perfect voice, but it does lend itself well to his jazz styling. Not only is Armstrong a famous singer, but he is also noteworthy for his trumpet playing. In fact, many consider him to be one of the leading developers of jazz music. Here are a couple of his songs:

Hello Dolly

What A Wonderful World

 

Black History Month: Etta James

Etta James had an amazingly powerful voice. It was deep, and drew listeners in whenever she sang. I would argue that she really deserves about as much recognition as Aretha Franklin got, but I don't think she ever did get as much as she deserved. However, she clearly had an influence on the industry. Her song At Last is one of the most easily recognizable songs, and even rapper Flo Rida used samples of her singing in the background of one of his latest hits.

At Last

I'd Rather Go Blind

 

Black History Month: Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill isn't the first rapper, and her canon is certainly not huge. That being said, Hill's ability to mix fast paced rapping with meaningful messages warning listeners of the woes of sin and heartbreak. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was the first Hip-Hop/Rap album I ever bought, and it is worth mentioning that it was the first Hip-Hop/Rap album to ever win Album of the Year at the Grammys.

Everything Is Everything

Tell Him

 

Black History Month: Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke is a great, and I think often under-recognized, artist. First of all, the man has one of the most soulful voices I've ever heard. Second, he knew how to sing songs that had popular appeal as well as songs that had strong messages. Perhaps his most famous song is the Civil Rights anthem A Change Is Gonna To Come. Here is it and another great song of his:

 A Change Is Gonna Come

You Send Me

Black History Month: John Legend

John Legend is probably my favorite current male R&B/Soul singer. His voice is smooth and soulful, and his songs often throwback to Motown, which just so happens to be one of my favorite movements in music. Not to sound cheesy, but Legend has studied the legends. His fascination with singers like Marvin Gaye shows through in his music, and it makes him stand out in the crowd. In fact, his song Slow Dance is one of my favorite songs ever. Here are by far my two favorite songs of his:

Slow Dance

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free