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2016 GAF TV Show of the Year + TV Fail of the Year Voting Thread! Voting closes Jan 7

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R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
*Rules*

- Each person makes a list of up to 10 entries. No more than 10, please. Their #1 will get 10 points, #2 will get 9 points, #3 will get 8, and so on. Unranked lists will not be tallied. Do not list more than one show per number (eg. no ties).

- Editing is permitted for as long as the thread stays open.

- After voting ends, I will compile a single list based on the established point system.

- Add your thoughts for each show and some of them may be included in the results thread!

Sample Ballot

You don’t have to follow this format strictly, but it will make the thread a lot easier and avoid any complications. Thanks!

1. TV Show A ; Your thoughts on TV Show A.
2. TV Show B ; Your thoughts on TV Show B.
3. TV Show C ; Your thoughts on TV Show C.
4. TV Show D ; Your thoughts on TV Show D.
5. TV Show E ; Your thoughts on TV Show E.
6. TV Show F ; Your thoughts on TV Show F.
7. TV Show G ; Your thoughts on TV Show G.
8. TV Show H ; Your thoughts on TV Show H.
9. TV Show I ; Your thoughts on TV Show I.
10. TV Show J ; Your thoughts on TV Show J.

Eligibility

Any new TV series or miniseries, or any season of an existing series that aired in 2016 is eligible.

TV Movies, Foreign series, Reality series, and Documentaries (e.g. Planet Earth 2, O.J.: Made in America) are all eligible.

Anime is not eligible, seeing as how there's already a separate voting thread that is specifically for the best anime of the year.

Here's a list of 2016 TV shows for reference.

Voting will end on January 7.

Link to the previous voting threads - 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
For the second year in a row I'll also be taking votes for TV Fail of the Year!

*Rules*

- Each person makes a list of up to 3 entries. No more than 3, please. Their #1 will get 3 points, #2 will get 2 points, and #3 will get 1. Unranked lists will not be tallied.

- Please try to include a comment for each fail so people can get a sense of why you thought it deserved to be mentioned in this category.

- Make sure to clearly distinguish between your two lists (Best/Fail), so as to avoid any confusion.

- Fail of the Year isn't just limited to TV shows, so feel free to talk about broader aspects of the TV industry - concerning trends, disappointing networks, etc.

- This is a completely optional category, so if you only want to list your top 10 best shows of the year, then feel free to do just that!

Voting will end on January 7.
 
Grizzlyjin

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
1. Atlanta; this one really snuck up on me. Every week was such a unique experience. Not many show can switch between funny and thoughtful in the blink of an eye, but this show does it effortlessly.

2. American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson; I won't even lie. I clowned this show hard when the trailer came out. Boy, was I wrong. Sterling K Brown, Courtney B Vance, and Sarah Paulson put on an acting clinic. And even though it was cheesy and heavy handed in spots, the material usually met the quality of their performances.

3. Black Sails; this is the king of genre tv as far as I'm concerned. The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones get more viewers, but Black Sails has been killing it since Season 2, in terms of acting and writing. And on top of that, it looks great the entire time too.

4. Quarry; a quiet and contemplative show that is punctuated by moments of extreme violence. It's a little slow at times but I wouldn't change a thing. The directing is also superb. There's a car chase and an extended firefight that have to be two of the best scenes of the year for me.

5. The Americans; when is this show not good?

6. iZombie; the perfect season. Not a bad episode in the bunch for its second season. Not many shows can pull that off, especially with an 18 episode order. But they did it. The revelations and craziness that built up to the season finale... amazing. This show needs to come back already.

7. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; I think she's the best political satirist in the game right now. The 1 episode a week scheduling really lets them polish the material and only bring the good stuff to air.

8. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; I'm a latecomer to this one. But it's quirky show that shows us a lot of things that you don't typically see on tv. An Asian male love interest, a main character with depression, etc. I've only seen the first season but it really makes the residents of West Covina grow on you. Oddly enough, since this is a big draw for some, but I dont really care for the songs that much. Some are fun, but I'm usually laughing more during the "normal" moments of the show.

9. Arrow; fucking Arrow. After two years of hell, this show found its footing again. It's as good as it ever has been. I'm scared to even say anything cause I'm afraid it'll spook the writers. Just keep doing whatever you're doing now, Arrow.

10. Lady Dynamite; one of the few shows from an "alt comic" that I've enjoyed. LD is at its best when it uses those surrealist elements to highlight Maria's journey.

Honorable Mentions: Luke Cage and Daredevil. Loved the vibe but that Netflix pacing strikes again. Both shows start out so strong, but then the episodes start to feel bloated and the story runs out of gas before it gets you home.

Fail of the year: Blindspot. I watched the Season 2 premiere out of curiosity. Yep, still absurdly bad. Even more ridiculous now and the only person with a semblance of personality is Ashley Johnson.
 
C

ClivePwned

Member
1. Game of Thrones ; Season 5 was a mess but this year's season was just fantastic.
2. The Good Place ; Jesus, this is like peak Parks and Recreation. So good. Michael and Janet are the year's best new characters.
3. Stranger Things ; So great.
4. Luke Cage ; Specifically the first 6 episodes.
5. Upstart Crow ; First new UK sitcom I've liked in years.
6. The Grand Tour ; Some people hate this, but I love it.
7. Angie Tribecca; A perfect new version of Police Squad.
8. Silicon Valley ; Just perfect.
9. The Flash ; Ahhh-Ahhh. Savior of the Arrowverse.
10. Veep ; Watching this for Jonah's campaign.

Still haven't started Westworld.

fail of the year
1: Top Gear
2: Doctor Who gap year
3: Cancelling Agent Carter
 
S

sohois

Member
1. Planet Earth 2 ; Supremely Well made documentary. I felt the music was at times a bit too OTT, but otherwise the show was practically flawless

2. Silicon Valley ; I'm not sure Season 3 was quite as good as past seasons but Silicon Valley remains a very smart and very funny satire.

3. Broad City ; still really good.

4. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ; I know some people thought this season was a bit of a weaker entry than previous years but I thought it continued to be pretty great.

5. Steven Universe ; An excellent children's show. Though stylistically quite different, probably the closest thing you'll get to an 'Avatar' successor.

6. Archer ; Made much better use of the new surroundings than S5 and was quite fresh as a result.

7. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ; Recovered well from the terrible season 1 finale to deliver a more rounded and better overall second season.

8. Stranger Things ; it was pretty solid. Rarely touched greatness but never dull or stupid.

9. Brooklyn Nine-Nine ; By no means a classic comedy, but very consistent episode to episode and rarely ever puts out a dud.

10. The Night Of; Kind of a let down in the end. I wasn't actually that big a fan of the pilot either, which I thought was mostly pretty boring and too long, but I felt there was a really strong middle stretch and performances were all quite good.

Honourable Mentions: Game of Thrones; it wasn't the worst season.

Fail of the Year:

Westworld ; It's by no means an awful show, but such a colossal disappointment given the acting talent and production values.
 
P

Pluto

Member
TV Show of the year

1. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee ; Hilarious and on the point, she often says the things I think but can't put into words or things I didn't even think about but realize I should have.

2. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ; The best show nobody watches, I can't put into words why it's as great as it is, so I let someone else do the work.

3. The Good Place ; It's laugh out loud funny with some great dramatic moments, the characters are great, the cast phenomenal and I love how heavily serialized the show is.

4. iZombie ; It took a premise that sounds bonkers and made it work. The cases of the week are good, the serialized story is better. There's not a single weak link in the cast, their chemistry is incredible.

5. Steven Universe ; It subvertes expectations of masculinity, sexuality and gender identity in kid's cartoons. Male characters can be emotional and it's not portrayed as a joke and it's also a great show. The world building is great and it's one of the few currently airong cartoons that makes me feel the writers already knownthe story they want to tell. Rewatching the first episode and it's incredible how many later revelations were hinted at, often only in background art.

6. Stranger Things ; It's one of the great 80s movies that don't happen on the big screen anymore. The kids can actually act and are not annoying (which is a bug deal looking at the majority of tv shows featuring kids) and while the story itself isn't tha t original the presentation and atmosphere are great.

7. American Crime ; Incredible performances and a story that made me really uncomfortable because it felt so real.

8. Bob's Burgers ; It has been consistently great for years and despite Fox trying its best to kill it it's still here.

9. Game of Thrones ; It's Game of Thrones, it rules (except for Dorne which sucks beyond believe)

10. Grease Live! ; It wasn't just a live musical, the scope, the production, direction etc. was awesome. It was an event worthy of calling itself one.
 
S

Solo

Member
Best of the Year:

1. Westworld: have ever have a show get it's hooks into you so deeply right out of the gate, and not let go all season as it checks off (or in this case, relentlessly assaults) all your boxes for compelling television? That was Westworld for me. From the initial narrative hook, through to the introduction and development (and suffering) of a selection of wonderfully realized characters, to the superb set of actors who gave life to the characters, to the aesthetics of the show, to the glorious original score (complemented with some well-chosen and beautifully arranged licensed tracks), to the tough themes and questions it raised and followed through on, Westworld stimulated and electrified me like few shows have.
2. Stranger Things: nostalgia done right, led by a group of exceptional child actors, a fantastic synth score, an exciting and unpredictable narrative journey, and the most genuine, sincere characters and display of heart I saw on the small screen this year.
3. Vice Principals: I haven't laughed so hard at a TV show in a long time as I did to this deliciously dark walk on the wild side, featuring 2 of the most memorable, surprisingly layered comedic characters and performances in ages.
4. OJ: Made In America: the best documentary I watched this year by a long shot, and absolutely addictive and harrowing account of the rise and fall of one of the most infamous celebrities of the past 25 years.
5. American Crime Story: The People vs OJ: this show was better than it had any right to be, coming from the overstretched AHS guy, it blew me away with it's performances and for making an event we all know the outcome to feel riveting, relevant, and suspenseful.
6. The Night Of: a very strange show in many ways, it started strong and kind of meandered to it's end, but it was consistently engaging with excellent performances, marred only by some late season questionable writing.
7. Bloodline: the second season watching the (impeccably well cast and acted) Rayburn family slowly circle the drain before sinking was't as slow burn as the first season and was the better for it.
8. Daredevil: the second season stumbled on the back end (the Achilles heel of all Marvel Netflix shows), but the first half with The Punisher's arc was brilliant.
9. Game of Thrones: finally caught up on this one after dropping it after S4 and was treated to a resurgence.
10. American Crime: a solidly acted, occasionally gripping ensemble drama.

Fail of the Year:

1. Twin Peaks: for being pushed to 2017.
 
H

haikira

Member
1. Westworld
2. Better Call Saul
3. Game of Thrones
4. Stranger Things
5. Person of Interest

6. The Expanse
7. Bojack Horseman
8. Narcos
9. Mr Robot
10. House of Cards

x. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
x. Daredevil
 
S

Soulfire

Member
I watch a lot of light TV, Marvel is probably as serious as I go, so more than likely no one else will vote on the same shows I picked. Doesn't matter though because they're fun and I like them. Unsure of the placement of a couple, that might change, but probably not.

Best
1.Agent Carter; I loved this show, seeing a strong, capable woman that wasn’t distracted by relationships to the point where she couldn’t do her job was awesome.
2. Limitless; This was such a fun show that I always enjoyed watching week to week. It wasn’t too serious, but it still had an interesting overarching plot.
3. Luke Cage;
I loved when Cottonmouth said that Mariah was asking for it and she killed him. I liked her as a villain, though I did think she went weak there at the end.
4. Jane the Virgin; I love this show but have the hardest time explaining why to people. It’s just so crazy and awesome and I enjoy every episode
5. The Librarians; I love the mindless fun of this show. The season that just started is not my favorite, but I’m still liking it. I wish more shows were like this, it reminds me of Eureka and Warehouse 13.
6. Jessica Jones; I thought it was an interesting take on how a superhuman would react to being raped. I haven’t watched it since it first came out, but I keep meaning too.
7. Dark Matter; This is the kind of Sci-Fi I love. A crew in space fighting bad trying to be good. It’s not too deep but it’s fun and interesting.
8. Life in Pieces; Possibly my favorite comedy airing right now. I like the family interactions.
9. The Shannara Chronicles ; I thought it was a fun fantasy show, though I wish I could have seen it in HD. Really need to re-watch it and make sure it’s as enjoyable as I remember.
10. Timeless; My favorite new show of the season. I like the time travel, like most of the characters. Just wish that the overarching story would move faster and that the pretty boy that’s supposed to be protecting them was actually any good at his job.

Fail
-Canceling the shows I like, Agent Carter, Limitless, Galavant, probably a few on my list right now
 
N

Nielm

Member
Best:

1. Game of Thrones: Much better than Season 5.
2. Better Call Saul: Not quite as good as Season 1, but I still thought it was great.
3. Westworld: A bit underwhelming/hollow, but still an amazing, really well acted production with a fantastic finale.
4. Planet Earth 2

Fail of the Year:

1. Top Gear: Chris Evans.
2. The Walking Dead Season 7: It was just mediocre in most categories. From the acting/writing, to the cinematography, soundtrack, pacing..it was sub-par.
 
C

Cornballer

Member
Thanks for putting in the work, Ratsky. This is always a fun thread. I'll probably post my picks right before the deadline. :p
 
D

Dalek

Member
1. O.J.: Made in America
2. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX)
3. Stranger Things
4. Mr. Robot
5. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
6. Silicon Valley
7. The Night Of
8. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
9. Marvel's Daredevil
10. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Fail of the Year: Westworld (more of a dissapointment, really)


I'll add context later
 
V

Violence Jack

Member
Shows of the Year

1. Game of Thrones; Each episode was good to great, Cersei has finally reached her final form, and we're starting to see the beginning of the end.

2. Westworld; Holy shit, I did not expect this show to be so good and to present such moral dilemmas. It wasn't quite as good as GoT, but it captivates me just the same.

3. Stranger Things; Like a combination of the Goonies, ET, Scanners, and Stand By Me. I love the 80s throwback, it had a wonderful soundtrack, great performances, and just was a fantastic show from beginning to end. Can't wait for S2.

4. Archer; A fantastic rebound from what I thought was a mediocre season 6, the episodes were hilarious, action-packed, and ended on a great cliffhanger.

5. Arrow; I was one of many who was just about done with this show after a terrible season 4. But the show creators seemed to listen to all of the feedback. Once they scaled back the relationship drama, focused more on the vigilante stuff, brought back murder Ollie, and this became a much better show. Dare I say it's about as good as its been since season 2.

6. Daredevil Season 2; The reason this placed so high was the spot-on portrayal of my favorite Marvel character, The Punisher. I didn't think anyone could be more perfect for the role outside of Thomas Jane, but he brings an edge to this show that was sorely needed. The only reason it's not higher is that it takes a pretty big dip in quality as the show goes on, and especially after Elektra is brought in.

7. Penny Dreadful

8. Ash vs Evil Dead

9. The Flash; While not as good as it has been, it still made for great TV. Now that they've gotten past the "Fuck Barry Allen stage", and scaled back on the multiple timelines, it sets up very nicely for a great ending to the season.

10. Luke Cage

Fail of the Year

1. The Walking Dead; The only reason I still pay attention is solely for Neegan. It's not been worth watching except for season premiers and finales. The rest is just filler, and mostly the same thing that's been happening for the past 6-7 years.

2. Rocky Horror Picture Show; Tim Curry was the only good thing about this.

3. Thursday Night Football; God these games are terrible.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
1. Black Sails ; following up on the amazing S2, S3 builds and builds in tension as we head toward the final season and the inevitable war. Toby Stephens and Luke Arnold are putting in performances that should be recognized with nominations. The finale, where the two of them chew scenery, is absolutely epic. "My name is John Silver. And I've got a long fucking memory."
2. The Americans ; perennial favorite, with incredible performances from Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. I thought this past season was another step up for the show, especially as Paige learns more about what her parents are really doing. And kudos to Holly Taylor for putting in her own amazing work here. Shows can sometimes crater because the young actor/actress is asked to do too much or simply can't carry a role. Taylor is absolutely hanging with Russell and Rhys here, which is saying something.
3. Westworld ; as rich cast, a rich world, some time dilation, the peeling of the onion as we get to the core of the story. Hopkins as the puppet master in this world of androids was really amazing. S1 was a complete story.
4. Game of Thrones ; the pace took off a bit as they shed the slowness of the books and favored a direction toward wrapping things up. In some sense it became a bit much, especially as we see characters practically teleport half across the world from one scene to the next, but there's no doubting HBO is building toward an epic climax for this epic story.
5. Colony ; surprise hit for me. The tension between husband and wife mirrors the tension on the streets of the occupied city. Well done story, encapsulated into 10 eps so as not to stretch things too far. Hoping we see the ante upped in S2, and the recent trailer suggests our hosts aren't happy with how the colonists have been behaving.
6. Shameless ; the annual shenanigans of the Gallagher family returned twice this year, with a move into the fall for their most recent season to replace the not-yet-ready Homeland. Emmy Rossum deserves every penny she gets playing Fiona, because she is the dramatic core to this high caliber dramedy.
7. Stranger Things ; maybe not as incredible as many on GAF would have you believe, but overall a great callback to the 70s/80s with a creepy vibe.
8. This Is Us ; the best new show of the network season, this sometimes schmaltzy, sometimes overly sugarly show impresses across two generations and multiple layers of complex conflict, grief and joy.
9. Vikings ; perhaps a bit of a misstep as the life of Ragnar takes a plodding turn toward a part 1 and part 2, sometimes stretching things out a bit more than they need to be.
10. The Grinder ; this show was amazing. So meta. Rob Lowe was funny as the over-the-top actor-who-played-a-lawyer-on-TV-turned-lawyer alongside Fred Savage's real lawyer. The cast excelled, from William Devane as Lowe and Savage's father, to Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Savage's very funny wife, to Connor Kalopsis (the son) putting in some major comedy work. I was so bummed it wasn't coming back, but they wrapped it up nicely.

Fail of the Year
The Walking Dead ; Negan really isn't doing it for me. He comes off as a caricature of a villain, and JDM's hammy performance just makes it less compelling for me. He is supposed to be this menace, but he just seems like a dork with a bat.
 
L

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
Last year I get to put Person of Interest on the list.

1. Person of Interest ; Shortened episode count in it's final season, so generally it moved at a brisk pace. Satisfying ending, with the final 4-5 episodes being all-timer's, on a show with a lions share of all-timer's. Why is this song choice so perfect, and so painful.

2. Game of Thrones ; With some wonky storylines non-withstanding, I bought in on the Jon Snow ticket. One of the best finales I've seen in awhile, and a fantastic "GOT's Episode 9" this year in the Battle of Bastards.

3. Stranger Things ; Caught on about a month after it came out, wondered what the hoopla was about. Oh, 80's nostalgia done almost perfectly, with a perfect intro credits? Why didn't I check it out sooner!?! Some of the best Child acting in years, think all of them knocked it out of the park. Sheriff Hopper is the surprise character of the year. Justice for Barb.

4. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story ; Fantastic acting, and drew me back into the unbelievably true story that was the OJ Simpson trial.

5. Vice Principals ; Walton Goggins <3 Fantastic dark evil comedy, and a completely WTF ending.

6. Westworld ; Solid 1st season, good music (I see you, J. Nolan, and your continued love of Radiohead). Some wackier bits, but a nice look at the A.I. conundrum you started with Person of Interest.

7. Daredevil S2 ; Another show with a better 1st half than 2nd half (ninjas aren't great), but Jon Bernthal's Punisher is fantastic.

8. Ash vs. Evil Dead ; A solid season 1 was backed by an even better Season 2. One of the grossest things I've seen on TV at the beginning of the season, wrapped up by a final piece of fan service to the Evil Dead movies.

9. Luke Cage ; If only for the 1st half of the show, though I wasn't as disappointed by the back half as other's seemed to be.

10. Agents of Shield ; An ok season greatly increased with Ghost Rider. Way too good effects for network TV

Fail of the Year:

1. CW DC superhero shows ; I still watch them, but they are really starting to feel a bit dated in comparison to the various Marvel shows.

2. The Walking Dead ; I mean, I enjoy JDM's portrayal of Negan, that character is interesting, but I also knew what was coming, and the TV show wasn't as interesting after the fact, just as the comics weren't. Took "that scene" too hard, I guess. Show also seemed to be running in circles between episode 2 and episode 8.

3. CBS Drama's ; Mostly hoping for continue despair for that network, after it's quick dumping of Person of Interest.
 
L

Linkura

Member
Don't watch too much TV, so I'm going to make my list short of only shows that I think are worthy of being on the list.

1. Bates Motel ; One of my favorite seasons of television ever. They completely knocked it out of the park. Vera and Freddie were both amazing; you can tell that Freddie has really grown as an actor over the series. We got the Norma/Romero romance we always wanted, and the penultimate episode was a real shocker. I have no idea how the next and final season will work, but I have faith in this one after one incredible season. WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS SHOW ON THEIR LIST SO FAR.

2. Stranger Things ; This was a great surprise. The first 3 or so episodes I was kind of meh on, but I'm glad I stuck around. It got better and better with every episode. It was definitely sold on nostalgia fuel, but the show itself did not rely on it. I loved how it turned into straight out horror by the end.

3. The Exorcist ; Probably wouldn't be this high if I watched more TV, but I still think it should be on the list, so hey, #3. The quality is a little inconsistent, but it's never been terrible, and the last couple of episodes have been very good. You feel like an idiot for not seeing the big midseason twist coming, but not in an M. Night "this is stupid" way. Hoping the finale keeps up the high quality of eps 8 and 9. Otherwise I might have to remove it from my list. ;)

Fail of the Year:
1. Wayward Pines Season 2 ; Holy shit was this terrible. I enjoyed season one probably more than I should have, so this was a real disappointment for me. Had to stop after 3 episodes or so. It was getting into Under the Dumb territory. This probably happened because they went through the entire trilogy of books in the first season, so they had to make shit up. They should have just stopped with the one season.
 
E

El Topo

Member
Show of the Year:
-----------------
1. iZombie
2. Westworld
3. Stranger Things
4. The Girlfriend Experience
5. Mr. Robot
6. The Expanse
7. Luke Cage
8. Good Behavior
9. Crazyhead
10. 3%

Fail of the Year:
-----------------
1. Penny Dreadful Series Finale
2. Daredevil
3. Vinyl

I really wish I had gotten around seeing some more shows, especially Atlanta and Young Pope.
 
E

ezekial45

Banned
1. Atlanta; This is one of the rare shows that makes me feel like it totally captured how my life is going. Though it's been talked about to death about it being a black show, it's ultimately a black millennial show. Seeing these characters go through a world that's a struggle to live in, and hustle at every turn to find success, is something that our generation knows all too well. And the style, humor, and heart in this show is so magnetic. I had high hopes for this show since I came in being a big fan of Donald Glover, and this show totally knocked it out of the park.

2. Halt and Catch Fire; Been a huge admirer of this show since it started, and seeing it grow from a fledgling show about tech to one of the most engaging and heartfelt shows on TV was such a joy. This season was the strongest it has ever been.

3. American Crime Story: The People Vs O.J. Simpson ; I was highly skeptical of the show when I first saw the tv spots and trailers, but it ended up being an incredible season about the struggles of race, misogyny, and the perils of celebrity culture. All of which are are still important today.

4. Mr. Robot; S2 rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but I loved it. S1 was basically them tricking the audience into watching something that seemed like a standard USA Network TV show with all its tropes, and S2 was about setting it all on fire and making its own identity. It's weird, ambiguous, and really fucking bizarre. Which is great. Also, it had a wonderful love letter to 90s sitcoms in S2, which was fantastic.

5. Rectify; This show felt like it was one of the most criminally underwatched shows ever. It deserved way more viewers than it got, but I'm glad they finished the show out regardless. The final season had such a beautiful and perfect ending. It was never about a man getting revenge on those who did him wrong, it was about him getting his life back, and I'm the show stuck with that till the end.

6. Westworld; I really like being engaged with shows and having discussions about it after an episode airs, and this show did a great job bringing that out for viewers. There was a lot of material to digest, and the show did a great job with leaving the more stranger and obscure details unsaid, only to have it spring out in a really explosive fashion. It was really fun.

7. Luke Cage; I really dig Marvel's Netflix shows, and this one is my favorite. It's easily the most stylish of the bunch. The topics discussed here really hit close to home, and I'm glad they don't sugar coat topics like police brutality and troubles in communities. Which is refreshing, you constantly have to remind yourself that these characters are in the same world as Captain America and Iron Man. It's really great.

8. Search Party; I feel like capturing the millennial experience is one of the holy grails that networks are still trying to crack. This show totally captured it, and it perfectly illustrated the loneliness and silent despair of being unsure about the future in a world that doesn't seem make any sense. Plus, it's really hilarious. Alia Shawkat is amazing.

9. Stranger Things; I'm a huge lover of 80s adventure films, and this show just nailed its style and tone. S1 was incredibly tight and to the point, which got me so engaged.

10. Late Night With John Oliver; 2016 has been an especially shitty year, and watching John Oliver's weekly show was the relief I needed. It felt like decompressing with each episode, which is always important.

Fail of the Year -

The Walking Dead; I just fell out of this show completely. It had a strong start, going a bit too far into torture porn for my tastes, but it totally dropped the ball in the episodes that followed. It's just not interesting anymore to me. Which sucks, because the characters they brought were amazing in the comics. This shows just feels a bit too long in the tooth now.
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
I didn't watch as much TV this year as I was setting the framework for the future.

1. Person of Interest - The only time I cried man tears all year. Amazing finale to an amazing show.

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2. Westworld

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3. Mr Robot

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4. Daredevil

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5. Stranger Things

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6. Luke Cage

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7. Last Week with John Oliver

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8. American Crime Story: The People Vs. OJ Simpson

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9. Vice Principals

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10. Designated Survivor

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K

Karu

Member
No time for formatting and ranking, but still want to start building the list via brainstorming .. edit it later..

1. Horace & Pete; What a huge surprise. After the creative mega success of Louie, Louis CK does it again. An absolute killer cast, Alan Alda, Steve Buscemi, Eddie Falco and a ton of guest stars. An emotional tale about a dysfunctional family. If you haven't watch it. One of the greats. If nothin else, watch Episode Three where Laurie Metcalf gives the perfomance of the year.
2. Rectify; A stellar closer to a basically perfect show, top to bottom. Will have to see where it lands on my Alltime-list, but it definitely fights with the greats The Wire, Breaking Bad, Mad Men and Emergency Room over the top spots.
3. Orange is the New Black; Emotionally this season wrecked me. I personally prefer Orange's crazier, lunatic comedic site (as the fantastic Season Three), but if they nail it like in Season Four? Go for it!
4. Game of Thrones; The show's best season by far. The writing in any particular scene might have been higher in earlier seasons, but in Season Six it finally comes together to a whole - the one thing I thought was missing from the show from the beginning. If this is how they close out the show over the next two years, my overall appreciation of the show can only go up.
5. Veep; The best current comedy on air, no question. An alltime cast, killer writing, the best characters - Veep has it all. Every single award is justified and then some. If you're not watching Veep, you're missing out. And yes, it even trumps fan favourite Sillicon Valley by miles and miles.
6. Black Mirror; Episode One and Two of Season Three were pretty awful, but the episodes after that - the future war one being the exception - pretty much nail it. San Junipero and Shut Up and Dance being the absolute highlights.
7. Love; A ten episode Jupp Apatow movie? Yes, count me in! I am a huge fan of Knocked Up and 40-year Old Virgin and I'm glad Love is on a similiar level of quality. Many were put off, I binged it on Day One. Can't wait for another season.
8. Stranger Things; It's cool. It's very cool. I'm glad it will go on.
9. Better Call Saul; this was aired this year? Really? Huh. Well, it's amazing, but also somehow left my mind a bit. Still, an incredible follow up show (and season) to BB and Season 1 of Better Call Saul.
10. Westworld; It's kinda messy, and overwrought, but overall - as a fan of Nolan's PoI and LOST - it hit a nerve that left me satisfied. I absolutely hate crowd-solving a tv show, so that part never appealed or distracted from the actual show for me, so whatevs. It also had a killer final episode.


And here a few honorable and "honorable" mentions.

x. Person of Interest; A show where every season hovered around a 7,5/10 for me. I disagree strongly with the diehard audience about the consistency of PoI, especially in the oddly paced Season Three, but even then... this show was able to produce absolutely magnificient episodes as if it was nothing. Season Five was no different, and while budget cuts and such things are noticeable - to my huge surprise, as I feared the worst - not necessarily to its detriment. Glad this show could (somehow) end on its own terms.
x. House of Cards; Some called it a return to form, I am left a little bit baffled as it was basically a straight continuation of the heavily critized Season Three, which I vastly prefer overall.
x. The Good Wife; This show was at the top of television, but man... Iowa was the worst episode of the show and probably one of the worst episodes of the year, period. And you know what? I stopped watching right then and there. This show took a huge nosedive before Iowa, but it became apparent right there, that would never be able to recover. *throws plates comically at the audience and screams*
x. American Crime Story; What a surprise! This show is actually good, huh. A few direction choice are weirdly off putting, though with the dramatic and fluid zooming by the camera in the court room. Didn't like that at all.
x. Daredevil; Had a few absolutely outstanding moments and episodes (basically everything with the KingPin involved was ace and MCU's top tier material), but the pacing is still fucked and the ending episodes just suck straight up.
 
S

Sölf

Member
1. Person of Interest ; The best show I have seen in a long time. And it has one of the best finales I have ever seen. It deserves the first place, since it was just good for all 5 seasons.

2. Stranger Things ; Overall, this was probably the best show of the year. I finished it in a single day and oh boy, those child actors were good! I am hyped for the next season!

3. Westworld ; Finished this show in 2 days. The wait for the next season will be brutal. Really good show with quite a few twists. The usual HBO quality and it's made by the POI people. What's not to love?

4. House of Cards ; Not as good as the last seasons, as I have to admit, I don't remember that much of it, but the ending was really well and I NEED to know what happens next!

5. Gotham ; After season 1, this show became really good and is currently the best comic book show out there, imo. Season 2 was so far the best season, but season 3 is still good and I am hyped for what will come after the winter break.

6. Arrow ; The current season of Arrow - after the really atrocious ones that were S3 and S4 - is currently the best Arrowverse show out there. It's really good again and I really didn't expect to have that much fun with Arrow of all shows.

7. The Flash ; Imo, it's still the second best Arrowverse show, even though it's not as good as S1 and S2 at the moment. Still, it looks quite promising for the future, so there is that.

8. Supergirl ; Supergirl is pretty mediocre, but I like it more than during S1. It's not really good or bad, it's just a nice little show.

9. Legends of Tomorrow ; The final Arrowverse show, which could be much higher up, but the quality of the show is just all over the place. If it really embraces the camp, it's funny as hell. But when it tries to be serious, it's worse than any other Arrowverse show. If it would be more consistent, it could be so much better. The season finale was the first episode out of all 2 seasons, where I really said "I want to know what happens next". Overall it also was probably the best mid season finale of all 4 Arrowverse shows - but most other episodes have so many bad sections, uuuuugh!



I will edit this later. Aside from the Arrowverse shows I think I haven't seen anything from this year. Unless Making a Murderer S1 was this year, then I could add that.

Edit:
Edited Number 4-7.

Edit 2:
Added Westworld.
 
C

Cappa

Banned
01. Stranger Things
02. Game of Thrones
03. West World
04. 11.22.63
05. Narcos
06. Black Mirror
07 Luke Cage
08. OJ Crime Story
09. Daredevil
10. Ballers
 
K

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
Best of the year:

1. The Americans; I think this is the TV show with the best cinematography in my opinion. And the actors and the writing complements perfectly that. It transmits emotions, tension, it can shock you without giving the feeling that it tries too much.
2. Stranger Things; the biggest surprise for me. Actually after seeing the first episode I stopped there until reading more about it and the praise it got which made me go back to it and watch episode 2. And then I couldn't stop anymore. What looked at first sight as a B horror movie turned out to be a great show mixing 80's nostalgia, fantasy and parallel worlds and great children acting. Maybe the best little actors in the long time.
3. Game of Thrones; I think this was the best season yet for me. I really liked the build up to the more explosive episodes. And Hodor.
4. Veep; at the time when I saw it this was still a fantasy show and funny. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays amazingly well in this and Jonah is the best candidate. Meanwhile the reality has beaten anything from it though.
5. The OA; added this later as I saw the first season right before the end of the year. It has an interesting way of telling the story with some great acting. I really don't know yet if I love the story, but it surely kept me watching all the episodes in a couple of days.
 
B

BluenoseGames

Member
1. The Grand Tour
2. Stranger Things
3. The Americans
4. The Night Manager
5. Daredevil
6. The Walking Dead
7. The Flash
8. iZombie
9. Ash vs Evil Dead
10. Designated Survivor
 
B

Bluth54

Member
1. Shameless ; One of the best and most overlooked dramas currently on TV, plus it got 2 full seasons in 2016.
2. American Crime Story ; Extremely compelling true crime drama
3. Orange is the New Black ; Easily Netflix's best show
4. Better Call Saul ; Such a great follow up to Breaking Bad
5. Rectify ; Like Shameless one of the best Dramas on TV that no one knows about.
6. Game of Thrones ; An excellent season this year, plus as a book reader I enjoyed not knowing what was going to happen.
7. Silicon Valley ; One of the funniest shows on TV, another strong season.
8. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver ; Great humor, with informative long segments on important issues.
9. Stranger Things ; An 8 hour long Spielberg film, what's not to love?
10. Halt and Catch Fire ; A Mad Men style look at the early days of the consumer computer industry. If you love computers and technology you'll love this.

Honorable Mention The Americans ; Just started watching The Americans this year but it's a great drama.

Fail of the Year - No Doctor Who, Rick and Morty or Fargo this year. At least they should all hopefully be first half of 2017.

Edit: I had forgotten about Halt and Catch Fire, moved that to spot 10 and the Americans to Honorable Mention Also fixed formatting.
 
D

DorkLord54

Member
Not a complete listing yet, as I have some holiday binging to do before I compile my complete list, so I'm not numbering everything yet except what I know is certain. So, without further ado...

---------- Best TV Shows of 2016 ----------

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1. Atlanta
This surreal, bizarre look at the city of Atlanta from the perspective of a Princeton dropout-cum-hip hop manager and his rapper cousin is probably the year's biggest surprise. Not only is it a funny comedy, but it's also an insightful piece that uses its absurdity to speak to social issues affecting the black community, as well as life in general. It's a "black" show, but, much like any good show with that label, it shouldn't deter anyone from giving this must-watch series a chance. Sure didn't deter my white ass...

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2. BoJack Horseman
At this point, everyone 'in the know' knows that, despite how absurd the premise sounds, BoJack Horseman is one of the best shows on television, possibly ever. Starting off as your average "adult animated comedy" in the first half of S1, the second half quickly revealed itself to be a surprisingly serious examination of self-destructive self-loathing and depression that knew how to pull the heartstrings while feeling completely earned in doing so, and the third season is no different.

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Westworld
Based off a 1973 Michael Crichton film that would lay the foundation for his most famous work, this 'puzzle-box' show from Jonathan Nolan is a show dripping with atmosphere and dread. While it has some characterization issues, and isn't nearly as easy to get into as Nolan's previous show, Person of Interest (nor is its characterization as good), it has a standout performance from Anthony Hopkins that has to be seen, as does Ed Harris' Man in Black, the plot's mysteries are logical and are purposely foreshadowed by the creators, and Ramin Djawadi's score, while not as good as GoT or PoI, still is a pleasure to hear. And with them promising that S2 will be very different from S1, there's no telling where this show will go.

giphy.gif


Last Week Tonight
Isn't really much to say about Last Week Tonight that hasn't been said by everyone at this point. With its third season wrapped up, John Oliver is likely to continue to do what the heir to Jon Stewart has been doing for the past three years.

2yolmQ.gif


Silicon Valley
Another third season show, Silicon Valley is still probably the funniest comedy on television. Continuing its lampooning of the Bay Area and its tech culture, the season wrestles with the changes going on at Pied Piper following Richard's ousting as CEO. He is replaced by cutthroat mercenary CEO Jack Barker, played excellently by Stephen Tobolowsky. From the excellent bulldog scene to the seeming conclusion of the Hooli arc, Silicon Valley continued to deliver in its third season, and hopefully gives us another start-up of laughter in its fourth.

Shows that are likely to be included on the list after watching
The Night Of
Person of Interest
The People vs. OJ
Planet Earth II
OJ: Made in America
Stranger Things
Insecure

Shows I'm intrigued by at the moment and may be included
The OA
Vice Principals
Search Party

---------- TV Fails of the Year ----------

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Click to expand...

1. 2016 US Presidential Election Coverage
I mean, the GIF really says it all. No one in the media took Trump seriously, despite the heinous things he said, and we all paid for it. The media didn't just didn't do its job. Even when they went after him, it just seemed to put him in the spotlight, and, expect for a few publications and channels, there was an explicit need to make this a horse race so that they could continue to get higher ratings. Hopefully the media learns its lesson after having to deal with the most anti-press candidate in recent years, but I doubt it.
 
O

OceanicAir

Member
1. Person of Interest
2. Westworld
3. Better Call Saul
4. Atlanta
5. Luke Cage
6. The 100
7. iZombie
8. Limitless
9. The Magicians
10. The Expanse

Honorable Mention: Stranger Things
Hopefully will add thoughts about my choices later.
 
Avinexus

Avinexus

Member
1. Stranger Things
2. Game of Thrones
3. Better Call Saul
4. O.J.: Made In America
5. Black Sails
6. Atlanta
7. Westworld
8. Mr. Robot
9. The Night Of
10. Vikings
 
H

hydruxo

Member
1. Stranger Things ; I didn't actually watch it until early September, even though I had been hearing tons about it from people. It looked interesting but for some reason it didn't capture my attention much at first from the trailers. Once I watched the pilot though I was absolutely hooked. Binged all 8 eps in one afternoon/night and I've rewatched it 6 times now. One of my all-time favorite shows now. The characters, the atmosphere, the god tier soundtrack. Eleven and Hopper were such fascinating characters. I could write a book about how much I loved it tbh.
2. Westworld ; Sci-fi and westerns are my two favorites genres, so this was the perfect storm. Great cast, soundtrack, cinematography, intricate plot, etc. I really enjoyed the whole season and it had very few weak points for me.
3. Game of Thrones ; Always been a favorite show for me, but S5 was weak so it was great to see them really rebound strong with S6. Finale was incredible (Light of the Seven added so much to its respective sequences).
4. Better Call Saul ; Jimmy's antics are very entertaining and I really enjoy the show as a whole. Very well done, and as a Breaking Bad fan I'm anticipating the turn to Saul.
5. Mr. Robot ; I know alot of people thought S2 was weaker, but I really loved it. There's some crazy twists and turns and I enjoyed it every step of the way. Can't wait to see where it goes from here.
6. Daredevil ; Jon Bernthal as the Punisher is what really made this season. Great performance and I'm excited for his spinoff.
7. Atlanta ; Love Donald Glover and he's really in his element with this show.
8. Black Mirror ; San Junipero was a fantastic episode.
9. House of Cards ; Not as good as it used to be, but still a well done show and I enjoy the acting and backstabbing.
10. Luke Cage ; Alot of flaws, but I enjoyed what was there. Solid villain in the first half, but the show dragged towards the end. A good starting point for the character and I'm optimistic for S2.

Fail of the year ; The Walking Dead ; watched this for 3 or 4 seasons and enjoyed it somewhat but it's turned into a parody of itself at this point. It's just a soap opera and the plot never really goes anywhere. They'll probably keep it going for 5+ more seasons and still make zero progress towards any endgame.
 
C

Crixus

Member
1. Black Sails
2. Shameless
3. Better Call Saul
4. The Affair
5. Westworld
6. The Walking Dead
7. Game Of Thrones
8. Vikings
9. The Night Of
10. The Girlfriend Experience

Honorable mentions: Goliath, Chance and Fear The Walking Dead
 
M

mreddie

Member
1. OJ Made in America; The fact this wasn't a normal 30 for 30 was a sign ti was special, documenting the rise and fall of OJ was very facinating and it's very preplexing what went on during the trial.
2. Stranger Things; Basically, a early 80s Disney movie and it's very well done. I would like to think this solidfied Netflix being a contender and that online TV is the way to go.
3. Bojack Horseman; Season 3 is one fucked up ride. I can not believe the last 4 episodes are just gutpunch after gutpunch.
4. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story; I'm not a Ryan Murphy but fuck, this kinda blew me away. The acting and drama of it despite knowing what's gonna happen is amazing. It's bizarre how a reenactment can get so much praise. This shit would have been a UPN TV Movie if this was done in 1998.
5. Luke Cage; The first 8 episodes are very good. I do not care for Rosario though and Mike Colter is a bit dry, compared to Jon Bernthal'S Punisher performance but the supporting cast do wonders and help carry the show.
6. Daredevil S2; Honestly, The Punisher arc is the only reason why this is on the list, once the Hand get involved, shit kinda goes flat. Jon Bernthal basically is the new face of Frank Castle and it's amazing. Charlie Cox continues being good but again, I think the supporting cast pulls the opposite of what Cage's cast do. They hijack the show out of nowhere and gets kinda dull after while.
7. Full Frontal; This fucking election cycle needed Jon Stewart but dammit if Sam Bee is a welcome substitute. The next few years needs her when the political world goes batshit. Just like when we needed Jon during the Bush era.
8. Black Mirror S3; San Junipero is a damn masterpiece and while the season was really good, this is the crown jewel next to Nosedive and Hated in the Nation would already fill the 3 Black Mirror eps quota but we got more and that's good.
9. Angie Tribecca; I'm a Rashida Jones mark and it's basically the new Police Squad.
10. Agents of Shield; Ghost Rider saved this show and now he's out, I don't think the LMD arc will keep the Agents on TV.

Fails

1. 2016 Election Coverage; Aside from PBS and a select few people, none of the networks got off of this without looking pathetic and now, they might pay the price. Instead of treating both candidates equally and seriously, they brushed off the jerkass who would win and then just played everyone like fiddles. Also, the constant coverage of the emails, the tweets, and the tape got in the way to what both candidates would actually plan to do. No one in the news actually treated this seriously. And now, I'm banning myself from the national news stuff for likely till the next election. It's fucking appalling.

2. Thursday Night Football; This was a failure and we need to end this. Richard Sherman put it best when TNF puts the players in jeopardy and the quality of the games is subpar at best. Keep the London games and keep the Thanksgiving games but end this.

3. Moving Crazy Ex Girlfriend to Fridays to make room for Supergirl; I'm not a Supergirl fan but to move the show that needs to prove itself for a show to make room for a superhero show everyday is stupid. And of course, it might be saved but who knows because the other two shows that CW debuted are failing and not getting anything or keeping viewers after the A shows end.

4. Thomas Gibson; Dude, you had it easy on CBS, a channel which almost everyone watches and are on one of the most viewed shows on it, why be a jackass?

5. Flash S2/Arrow S4; Sadly, both shows had pull out some fanservice to save them in their next seasons but fuck, those season finales were fucking dumb, Really fucking dumb. Arrow is even worse because they had no idea what to do at all. At least Flash suffered from having a selfish protagonist.
 
R

Ragnarsson

Member
Show of the Year

1. The Young Pope; Ten hours of riveting television. It's one of the most interesting, well-crafted and thought-provoking shows I've seen in years. Every storyline mattered, every moment felt important, every character had a compelling arc. I think it will be overlooked this year (it has not premiered in the US), but I'm hoping this nomination will at least convince some who are on the fence to watch it next year.
2. Game of Thrones; Amazing season. The final two episodes, Battle of the Bastards and The Winds of Winter, both directed by Miguel Sapochnik, are especially worthy of a mention - the first portrayed the best and most ambitious war sequence I've seen on television; the second featured the incredible resolution of many arcs and it set up the ending of the show with a bang. This show isn't flawless, but this season was damn near.
3. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story; One of this year's biggest surprises. I knew some of the details surrounding the murders, but I felt that only after watching this show did I begin to understand what it was and, most importantly, what it meant. Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance and Sterling K. Brown hit it out of the park.
4. Person of Interest; An incredible final season to an incredible show. Person of Interest, you will be sorely missed.
5. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Consistently funny, always relevant. I now realize how many conversations I had this year that started with the acknowledgement of one of his segments. And that seems to be its whole idea: stirring up a conversation. Getting people to talk to one another. Making Donald Drumpf again.
6. Westworld; This is what you get when you take an interesting concept, a stellar cast, a great creative and production team, a whole lot of money and you mix them all up. Westworld isn't perfect, but it's so... damn... compelling.
7. Stranger Things; The show I didn't know I needed until I watched it. Everything about it felt so good. A great premise, an amazing cast and the right amount of nostalgia.
8. House of Cards; This season felt like a proper return to form. Everything just clicked, the character arcs were the most interesting they'd been since the first season, the pacing felt right. Without spoiling anything, it also featured one of the best ending shots of the year, which, to this day, still gives me goosebumps whenever I think about it.
9. Daredevil; A great follow-up to an awesome first season. The Punisher and Elektra were two great additions who didn't feel like mere fan service - they were both very interesting characters, they both contributed to the development of the title character and allowed him to show different sides to him. Good television right there.
10. Supernatural; Supernatural is back. And that is awesome.

Fail of the Year
1. The coverage of the US Presidential Elections; Shameful. Disgusting. Infuriating. Insane. Asinine. And now, Donald J. Trump is President.
 
A

Androidsleeps

Member
1. The Americans ; Still criminally underrated despite getting better with each season and being the best thing on TV.
2. Game of Thrones ; It wasn't the best season, but definitely an improvement from the previous season, had some of the best episodes in the entire series and got me back on the fanboy train.
3. Better Call Saul ; Improvement from an already good S1, and seriously this could've easily been a shitty spin-off but they still managed to create a great show and not just for the BB fans.
4. The Expanse ; Another underrated show that blew me away
5. Westworld ; I know it has some annoying problems but it does a lot of things right and it's just fucking gorgeous.
6. O.J. Simpson Made in America ; Managed to keep me hooked for 8 hours
7. Black Mirror ; Sure, not all the episodes were A+ and it's only 6 episodes, but I'm so happy it's back and I LOVED most the episodes.
8. The Crown ; Just like The Expanse, it took me by surprise. Did not expect this to be one of the year's best but it is. I urge people to give it a chance.
9. Veep ; Caught up with all the seasons this year! Needless to say it's amazing!
10. House of Cards; Came back better after a meh season. However, I night change this entry later, there's just so much good TV out there goddamnit!

--
Fail of the Year (Or rather disappointment of the year):

1. The Night Of; after a top notch pilot that set the bar so high we ended up with a mere "not bad" show that I kinda lost interest in near the end. Tried to be different and it just didn't work.

2. You're The Worst S3; WTH happened? It's by no means a shit season, but save for 2 or 3 episodes, it doesn't hold a candle to its previous seasons. I had high expectations.
 
N

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
1. Better Call Saul ; I was impressed with the first season, but this season blew my expectations away. Who knew that Bob Odenkirk could do serious so well? Very impressive acting overall, particularly Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, and of course Michael McKean. It is a show that is so deft at weaving between intense and hilarious, and one that I can't get enough of. A somewhat unnecessary spinoff conceptually, but it's already rivaling some of the seasons from the main series, to the benefit of all of us. Great stuff.

2. The Americans ; This was a close call for number one (1-3 I could probably rearrange in any order and be okay with). Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell are consistently stellar, and this season was helped by a solid guest turn from Dylan Baker. A very tense, emotional, well-acted, and well-done show that manages to get better each year.

3. Rectify ; Beautiful end for a beautiful show. Lots of great performances, especially from Aden Young, who was particularly heart-wrenching in his monologue in the season opener. I really hope more people will check this out now that it's over, because it really is a masterful show. Really great dialogue, but it was perhaps even more impressive with the moments where dialogue was restrained, lots of great moments of silent acting.

4. The Night Manager ; Great performances by Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Olivia Colman. It's a bit straightforward, but sometimes that's all you need, and this was a well-produced, well-executed miniseries.

5. Atlanta ; an often funny, often bizarre, often insightful show, Atlanta was a joy to watch week-to-week. It's a show that a lot of heart, and I really loved the main characters. I was especially impressed with the portrayal of Paper Boi.

6. Person of Interest ; a decent end to a fairly underappreciated show. Definitely a cast I will miss.

7. Baskets ; this show was a big surprise for me, went in without any expectations and found a surprisingly poignant and often funny show. Louie Anderson was amazing as Momma Baskets.

8. Archer ; a pretty solid season, I though the shift to the detective agency was a lot of fun.

9. Stranger Things ; entertaining enough. I really liked the dynamics between all the kids.

10. Hap and Leonard ; fun cast made for a fun show. Nothing mind-blowing, but really enjoyed it.

Honorable Mentions:

Better Things - Pamela Adlon is wonderful as Sam. Wasn't the best show overall, but I did enjoy a lot of it, and she was always great.

Bosch - it's an entertaining show with a decent cast. Thought this season had a lot of solid moments.

I will try to edit in my thoughts at some point, and might rearrange or change some of these, but wanted to get something down off the top of my head. Thanks for making the thread Ratsky.
 
Z

Zesh

Member
1. The Americans
2. Game of Thrones
3. Westworld
4. Daredevil
5. Black Mirror
6. The 100
7. Better Call Saul
8. House of Cards
9. The Flash
10. Arrow
 
C

chadskin

Member
1. Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life
2. The Americans
3. Stranger Things
4. Halt and Catch Fire
5. The Affair
6. Banshee
7. 11.22.63
8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
9. Bates Motel
10. Life in Pieces
 
S

Spikematic

Member
1. Westworld ; HBO scores big with yet another outstanding show. Everything about it worked - stellar performances by a top tier cast, amazingly done special effects, gorgeous cinematography, chill inducing score and of course, an amazing plot.

2. Black Mirror ; I loved every episode, all six of them! This is one of the best shows around and I really hope Netflix orders more episodes real soon!

3. Game of Thrones ; If this wasn't the best season yet then at least the last two episodes were among the best ones for sure. Super fun all around.

4. Better Call Saul ; This season improved on the already stellar first season. Pretty awesome that the spinoff of one of the best shows of all time is on its way to becoming one itself.

5. The Man in the High Castle ; I know this is going to be a very unpopular choice and I know plenty of people myself who find this boring. But I loved season 1 and I found season 2 even better.

6. Daredevil ; A lot of peoplehad issues with where the story went after the first four episodes but I still found it thoroughly entertaining.

7. Stranger Things ; Went in completely blind. Went out wanting season 2 badly. Just great stuff all around.

8. Narcos ; Even better than the awesome first season. Way less documentary-type stuff and crazy intensity.

9. Luke Cage ; Yet another very solid showing for Marvel on Netflix. Many flaws like the other two shows but still a very good time.

10. House of Cards ; Despite its many flaws I still find myself binging the shit out of this show the second it goes up on Netflix. The performances just make this way too much fun to watch.

Damn, that's a lot of Netflix shows there. And now:

FAILS OF THE YEAR:

Mr Robot: I loved season 1. WTF happened here?! I mean, it was always a little pretentious and up itself but it descended into parody levels here. I still got some enjoyment out of it for sure, so will continue watching, but with much lower expectations than I had coming out of season 1.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: After watching the first season it immediately joined the ranks of my top comedy shows. Season 2 just felt off for me for some reason. I mean it wasn't bad, it just felt... off. Was super disappointed in the end.

Penny Dreadful: WTF was that ending? Are you shitting me? I LOVED this show, shitty flaws and all. I was so invested in it. And season 3 had amazingly fun stuff going for it. And then that ending happened and it ruined everything for me. It's going to take me ages to get over this.
 
T

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
1. Mr. Robot, Season 2.
(I don't watch enough TV so just pretend I have two other shows...

...Okay, if you're SERIOUS about this Ratsky)
2. Better Call Saul, Season 2
3. The Walking Dead, Season 7.
 
P

Prompto

Banned
1. The Americans
2. The People vs Oj Simpson
3. Stranger Things
4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
5. Bojack Horseman

Only doing a top 5 since I haven't watched much this year.

Fail of the year: Probably an unpopular opinion but Mr. Robot season 2 was pretty disappointing to me and too full of itself. Still decent and Rami Malek gives a great performance as Elliot but I wasn't nearly as captivated as I was during season 1.

Also Walking Dead Season 7.
 
G

gforguava

Member
1. The OA ;
Brit Marling and Co. swoop in at the last minute for the win, this was not only my favorite show of the year but probably my favorite anything of the year. It was Brit Marling + Zal Batmanglij writ as large as possible without sacrificing their particular style.
A mundane milieu surrounded by the numinous, belief as an instrumental part of growth, circles of people, ritual as a means of communion, and ambiguity as a point unto itself and not a question to be answered.

"Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij are doing a Netflix show." and it was everything I was hoping that would be.
The ending of episode 5 is, all by itself, worth the price of admission.
When Scott's dead body is dropped off and Prairie goes all in with the 'movements', it is everything I love about these filmmakers' style, just completely unvarnished and unashamed.

2. Galavant ;
A true delight of a show, full of humor and fun characters and great music, and no amount great sfx, massive budgets, massive armies, and ponderous self-seriousness can match what this little show brought to the table. By the time you get to the last song, the wonderfully titled "Season 2 Finale", it feels epic and fulfilling in a way something like GoT will never be able to.

3. Search Party ;
A nearly perfect season of television. Went in expecting a funny mystery story and I got that plus the most interesting character piece on the small screen. Alia Shawkat's Dory is one of the best characters of 2016.

4. The Americans ;
Come on, it's The Americans.

5. Mr. Robot ;
For some reason people kind of hated this. And I have no idea why as I found this a vastly superior season to the first, to me this felt like the true expression of what the show was trying to get out last time but was hindered by all kinds of fits and starts to the storytelling. The filmmaking craft alone was enough to put this on the list.

6. Stranger Things ;
Not as solid as I would've liked, I never cared for the Sheriff as much as the show wanted me to, Winona played her histrionics perfectly but was given little else to do, and I found the show's view of Nancy(or maybe its lack of a view on her) all kinds of weird, but it was still a show aimed at my sensibilities and was absolutely a joy to watch.

7. Wynonna Earp ;
Is one of those fun shows that rarely get any recognition(like its Syfy siblings Z Nation, Killjoys, and Dark Matter), the kind of show that this "Golden Age of Television" has deemed unworthy. But it is the fun type of genre TV that us geeks used to crave and I couldn't be happier with it. Plus, Waverly and Officer Haught are the best.

8. Westworld ;
All the backlash in the world won't put a dent in this thing for me. It did suffer from pacing issues but the craft was too on point for that to matter much. And the fairness of the mystery storytelling(I still get a good chuckle out of all the people who were adamant against what was so painfully obvious) can't be stressed enough.

9. BrainDead ;
This was a show that I greatly enjoyed but had enough imperfections that moved it further down my list as I thought about it. Much like Westworld it had pacing issues, with both feeling like they had a few episodes too many. BrainDead also did a few things politically that annoyed me, with the central relationship having an interesting conflict that the show just wasn't really comfortable exploring and them not wanting to vilify the Right too much. So the show wasn't as biting as it could've(should've) been but it was still a fantastic time, with some great characters, those wonderful "Previously on BrainDead!" sequences, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead giving one of the best performances of the year.

10. Jane The Virgin ;
Walks a tightrope and it doesn't always walk it well. I only really noticed it in the second season but there are two halves at work(Jane's personal life and the telenovela-esque crime story) and yet Jane herself is only really involved with one of them. This can be problematic since Jane is the protagonist and the focus is on her more than not, but half of the show(plot-wise, not runtime-wise) routinely doesn't involve her. Sometimes its not a big deal, when everything is firing on all cylinders the speed of the narrative keeps everything in check, but at other points the whole thing starts to wobble. And since I love Petra and Luisa(and her wonderful lovelife) it sucks that they can feel superfluous for long stretches of time.
A lot of negative points there but I think it is important to point out the way things don't work to underline how all the faults in the world can be overcome when characters like Rogelio and Jane exist. Big bonus point for a love triangle where A) the two vying for the one are both likable and B) when Jane chooses one of them, the "loser" doesn't turn into an ass.


Biggest Fails
1. Game of Thrones continued march into stupidity.
2. Galavant will never grace my screen again.
 
G

-griffy-

Banned
Best

1. The Americans ; The best show on TV continues to be the best show on TV.

2. Atlanta ; What a terrific freshman season, from a team that doesn't usually get to make a TV show, sharing a voice that usually isn't allowed to be heard in a TV show. Alternatingly funny, bizarre and truthful.

3. Crazy Ex Girlfriend ; There aren't two shows I enjoy watching more than this and #4. Alternates between laugh out loud and earned emotion whenever it wants.

4. Jane the Virgin ; see #3

5. The Crown ; This is probably the best thing Netflix has done yet. Superbly produced, amazing acting all around, technically top notch. Restrained and lavish at the same time.

6. Stranger Things ; This show just scratches all my interest itches, checking a bunch of boxes. It's finally the replacement for Fringe I've been waiting for.

7. Better Call Saul ; This show sounds terrible in theory (seriously a logline of season 1 is hilariously mundane), even taking into account the pedigree of the cast and crew, but it's not.

8. Game of Thrones ; Finally things are coming together, barreling towards the end, characters and storylines clashing that we've been waiting years for. The season ended with back to back best in series episodes, again pulling off things that no TV series has ever really done or attempted.

9. Westworld ; This show is cool. The questions about consciousness and humanity it brings up is fascinating and darkly truthful, and the meta narrative about storytelling and prestige dramas is at times biting. The puzzle box structure of the first season also made it fun follow and discuss with others.

10. American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ ; This was a bad idea on every front that didn't deserve to be as good or affecting as it ended up being, but it was. Supremely well-timed commentary, even more so with what's come after it aired.

Honorable Mentions:
Any of the above could have easily switched places, and any of the below could have snuck in. I'm sure there's other shows I'm not even remembering right now, and plenty of good shows I haven't even had the chance to watch. #PeakTV is a real problem.

Black Mirror - Didn't skip a beat with the move to Netflix. It's still the twisted Twilight Zone that modern society deserves. San Junipero is a standout episode of the TV season.

Mr. Robot - This show is still cool and one of the most assured and unique creative voices on TV. There was just too much other good stuff for it to make the top 10.

Baskets - What a weird and delightful show.

OJ: Made in America - Perfect documentary counterpoint to The People vs. OJ

Supergirl - With the move to CW and airing before Jane the Virgin, I finally gave this a chance...and it's super fun! Completely unashamed to go full sci-fi/weird, with some surprisingly affecting character stories. This is also somehow a decent Fringe replacement

Brooklyn 99 - I binge watched about 20 episodes on a flight to South Korea and fell in love. Best comedy on network TV right now?

Last Week Tonight/Full Frontal - These two almost kept me sane this election season. Almost.

Fail
Walking Dead - After fumbling the finale last season, it came back with the worst episode of the series. Then it got worse.
 
J

Joni

Member
Short list to start, as I dropped anything that turned out to be boring immediately. Dropped so much stuff.

1. iZombie ; It was supreme fun combined with good twists.
2. Limitless ; Almost perfection. Idiot that cancelled this should be fired. From a cannon.
3. Westworld ; They dd the unexpected and turned the movie into a must-watch show.
4. Arrow ; Blame me, I liked the fourth and I'm loving the fifth.
5. Containment ; Cancelled too soon. It was a good short run, darker than you'd think.
6. Supergirl ; Just needs a good villain to score high. CYBORG SUPERMAN is a good start.
7. Reign ; Elizabeth was a terrific addition, that season ender was cruel. Show is darker than Game of Thrones.
8. The 100 ; Wasn't that attached to Lexa so I quite enjoyed the worldbuilding which was lacking in the past. And Trump proved a lot of criticism of that show wrong.
9. Legends of Tomorrow ; Please spend more time in certain sets, like 2046 and Hex.
10. The Flash ; Zoom Zoom Zoom ruined a lot.
 
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