Bri’s Top Ten: TV Shows

I watch a lot of TV. I might even want to write for TV someday, since my forte is dialog. And so it only makes sense to give you guys my TOP TEN TV SHOWS in order (mostly)(I am bad at deciding the order for things such as this).

10. Heroes– This would be higher on the list if I had watched the last two seasons for any character other than Sylar. I’ve blogged previously about the fact that Sylar, played by the perfect Zachary Quinto, should really be considered the title character, and it mostly comes down to the fact that he carries this show for its last two seasons, even though there are like 11 other “title” characters running around. This show is fascinating, and even with the less-than-stellar final two seasons I found reasons to continue watching. Again, mostly because the character of Sylar, who acts as the villain for the majority of the show, is one of the best written characters on television ever. He’s complex; deliciously evil and heart-breakingly vulnerable, and hilarious to boot. Some of the other characters are good too, I guess, like Kristen Bell’s Elle, Greg Grunberg’s Matt, and Masi Oka’s Hiro.

9. Firefly- Joss Whedon is a god among men. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. He’ll make another appearance on this list later on, in fact, but for now, let’s talk Firefly. This show is nearly flawless, from its characters to its setting to its overall writing. It only got one season, so very few things are wrapped up, and that’s one of the greatest tragedies of mankind. It’s important also to note that the movie Serenity, which acted as a pseudo-sequel, is one of the best sci-fi movies I have ever seen. Everything about this series is great, but it’s this far down the list because I’ve only watched it thru once and it’s not as versatile or fun as some of the others I’ll mention.

8. Psych– I got into this show freshmen year, watched it all the way up to its current season, then went back and watched all of it again with Ellen within about a four month period. Now we’re both obsessed, and even after she left in the middle of fall semester, we kept up watching it together. The actors are fantastic, I’m a sucker for a good bromance, the relationships are believable, the humor is (fairly) consistent, and I am a slave to a quirky procedural cop show. I can’t help it. I’ve watched this show a lot, starting from all different places with all different people, so clearly it meant something to me.

7. Bones- I haven’t watched any of this most recent season, so NO SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS, PEOPLE, but hot diggity is this show good. I cried more during this show than almost any other show I’ve ever watched, and not always out of sadness. Sometimes it’s just so gosh-darned heartwrenching that you can’t help but get choked up. The writing/character development is SUPERB, some of the best I’ve ever watched, and I identify with Dr. Brennan to the point that it physically hurts sometimes. I have a problem, yes, but also if you haven’t seen Bones, you are doing something wrong with your life.

6. Ugly Betty– Do you guys remember this show?? One of the most flawless dramadies of all time, Ugly Betty is a show I will go back and watch over and over again because everything about it makes me feel good. The characters and struggles are realistic while also being a little fantastical, the setting is versatile and interesting, and the writing is just so good. I watched this show back when it was actually on air, and some of the episodes still make me cry. If I ever write a script a quarter as good as this show, I will die happy.

5. Battlestar Galactica (2004)– Remember when I used to live-tweet my reactions to this show? Yeah, that was a fun summer. This show. Holy crap, this show. It’s politics in space. It is equal parts epic sci fi battles and courtroom drama. How could I not love it?? BSG can be frustrating, however, and difficult to rewatch because of how immensely frustrating it is especially in the later seasons, which is why it’s only #5. Also… fat Lee Adama. Makes me laugh every damn time.

4. Scrubs– I’ve watched Scrubs all the way thru twice, and it’s a show that consistently makes me laugh. It’s one of those perfect comedies that isn’t afraid to tug at the heartstrings when necessary. It’s silly and smart and stupid and clever all at the same time, and again, I can’t help it, I love me a good bromance. And for the record, there is no such thing as the 8th season. Scrubs ended in its 7th season, end of story.

3. Veronica Mars– Aw yeah. This is the first show I ever watched all the way thru and then immediately watched it all over again, which canon-balled it into #3 even though I only just discovered it a few months ago. The first two seasons of this show are incredible; writing wise, character wise, dialog wise, story wise. It’s about a sassy, kick-ass high school girl detective. If it was set in space it would have been my absolute perfect show. The only reason it’s only at #3 is because, well, look at #1 and #2, but also because Veronica’s third season is sloppy and all over the place, with some weird anti-feminism overtones. I’m hoping the movie they’re shooting soon will reclaim the brilliance of the first two seasons.

2. Doctor Who– This used to be my absolute favorite show, but the last two seasons have been… inconsistent, to say the least. I mean, we’ve had brilliant episodes like The Doctor’s Wife, The Girl Who Waited, Closing Time, The Wedding of River Song, The Power of Three, Hide, etc, but then we’ve also had some weird duds. And by the end, I was kind of sick of Amy and Rory (although as I’ve previously stated, I thought if just Rory had traveled with the Doctor for a while it would have been really cool), and I’m still not totally sold on Clara, the new companion. However, this show on the whole is still one that I will go back to forever, and it’s about a quirky alien in space and time, which, if you know me, is a great match to my interests.

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer- Well. Let’s look back at the things I like in TV: a kickass girl protagonist, supernatural elements, witty/clever dialog, humor intermixed with drama, mysteries, emotional responses, interesting villains, space, and bromance. Buffy has all but the last two, and honestly you could argue that there are a few instances of subtle bromance on occasion. (Xander and Oz? Andrew and Spike?  They’re subtle, but they’re there.) Buffy is probably Joss Whedon’s most popular accomplishment to date, just because this show has lasted long after it ended. I’ve rewatched this show on so many occasions with so many other people that I actually can’t count. It’s the one show I will watch no matter the circumstances, unless someone’s watching the fifth season. I’m not a huge fan of the fifth season, or the fourth for that matter, but as a whole, this show is ultimately flawless. It has everything I love about television, plus it’s about a tiny female protagonist that kicks more ass than anyone else, ever.

So those are my top ten, and at another date I might talk specifically about my favorite seasons of different shows, but tell me, what are your top ten (or five, or three, or whatever) and why? Leave a comment! I’m always looking for new shows!