'Tis the season of re-runs, so LA TV Insider Examiner should have a lot of time on our hands, right? Wrong! 'Tis (also) the season of reminiscing, and that is exactly what we're going to do this week...take you down the short memory lane that was 2011. We will bring you our favorite interviews from the past year, as well as our favorite television shows (new and returning), favorite guilty pleasures, and maybe even a few surprises along the way.
Best Returning Television Shows of 2011 – Normally we would limit ourselves to the top 5 or else we’d have you here until this time in 2012, waxing nostalgic, but this time we had to throw in an additional selection. You’ll see why once you see the selections.
- Breaking Bad (AMC) – There is something just so twisted and delicious about how beautiful this show physically looks and how disgusting most of the acts its characters carry out (regardless of intentions) are. But what really made this season top notch in our books was the fact that we were allowed to judge Walter (Bryan Cranston) freely. In the past, we have judged him and felt badly for doing so because of the situation the show placed him in. The tide is turning, though, and we can’t see where it washes us up next.
- Community (NBC) – How does a show that took on stop-motion animation, a two-part paintball epic, and homages to modern classic films top themselves? With a season of multiple points of view and timelines, a musical, and even more off-campus antics. And we’re only half-way through!
- Friday Night Lights (NBC/DirecTV) – It feels unfair to leave Friday Night Lights off a list about the best of any kind of television, but admittedly, it may also be a bit unfair to the other choices to keep including it, even though it was barely on this year (especially depending on which cable provider you have). FNL, as it has affectionately come to be known, made us care about small town people who ordinarily might not have had an impact bigger than Dillon, Texas. It made us care about football. It made us care about the kids on the periphery-- the ones most teachers and parents right off for doing the wrong things. It made us care about being better-- in our jobs, to our own families and friends, for ourselves. It taught us so many things, and surprised us so many ways, and perhaps most importantly, it gave us the perfect life motto: Full Eyes. Clear Hearts...
- Justified (FX) – The subject matter seemed to be for niche audiences at first glance, and yet the characters came alive from the first moment they were each on-screen, drawing you in with some of the strongest dialogue around. We admit we pre-judged this show, expecting it to be dark and depressing the majority of the time-- and don’t get us wrong, sometimes it was, but that just meant the lighter moments were felt all the more poignantly when they came. This is a show that reaches into your chest and makes you come alive with emotion on each and every viewing. Including complex characters that, even in a surprising setting, still could teach modern audiences a thing or two is only the icing on the cake.
- Nikita (The CW) – From the first half of Nikita’s first season to the back end, it was almost like the show experienced two separate seasons, so when the second season finally, actually, came around, all bets were off. The show always zigs where you think it will zag, keeping you on the edge of your seat from week to week with twists, in addition to actual explosions. Though there haven’t been any shocking deaths yet this season, getting the dynamic has been changed a couple of times, in a couple of different ways already. There is suspense in the missions, of course, but there is suspense in the inter-personal drama, too. This show alternates between keeping your heart pounding, breaking, and melting.
- Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Even though Leslie (Amy Poehler) and Ben (Adam Scott) had to break up for a stretch in order for her to finally pursue her city council dreams, she’s finally pursuing those dreams, so life in Pawnee has got weirder and more wonderful. Ron Swanson freaked out even worse when his first wife came to town; we got to see Ben’s nerd side; and we learned how to Treat Ourselves thanks to Tom and Donna. Who knew those who really knew how to live would be the residents of such a small town?
And in the spirit of giving for the holidays, we're going to leave off the "worsts" but you can probably imagine what we consider those, since there are some shows we just never, ever write about!
What a year 2011 was! Thanks for joining LA TV Insider Examiner this year for television news, reviews, and interviews. We are already planning some big things for 2012, including more advance reviews of the mid-season programs, some exciting interviews and features, and of course, live, breaking TCA coverage. Make sure you're subscribed to this page and following us on Twitter so you stay up-to-date with all of the TV news!
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