My 10 Best TV Shows of 2014

Now that 2014 has come and gone, it’s time to look back on a great year of TV.  It was very hard narrowing it down, but here are my choices for the 10 best shows of 2014. 

10. The Blacklist (NBC) –  As the only network show on my list, the Blacklist almost feels out of place on NBC.  While watching it, I almost feel like it should be on AMC or FX.  It has that cable feel to it.  That’s a compliment, in case you were wondering.   James Spader’s performance continues to make this show worth watching.

9. Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – Boardwalk Empire ended its 5 season run in 2014.  The final season was a great end to a great series.  Flashing back and showing us how Nucky became the man he was, bringing the show full circle and ending all of the storylines in a very satisfying way.  Steve Buscemi was outstanding as always.    

8. The Knick (Cinemax) – I will freely admit, it took me a few episodes to really appreciate and enjoy this show.  The Knick made Cinemax a real player in the original series landscape.  From Director Steven Soderbergh and starring Clive Owen, this series about a NYC hospital in the early 1900’s was emotionally compelling and extremely well written.  Owen was brilliant as the drug addicted chief surgeon, and Andre Holland was terrific as the black doctor he begrudgingly accepted as a colleague.

7. The Walking Dead (AMC) – The Walking Dead continues to amaze.  While the show garners massive ratings, it is still highly underappreciated by critics and the awards circuit. Now in its 5^th season,  it keeps us caring about its band of survivors.  Week after week it keeps us coming back and shows no signs of slowing down.  

6. Homeland (SHO) – After a less than stellar 3^rd season, Homeland came roaring back this year with one of its best seasons yet.  Mandy Patinkin’s powerhouse performance this season had us riveted to our TV’s.  While the season finale left a lot to be desired, it didn’t diminish what a great season Homeland had. 

5. Game of Thrones (HBO) – Season 4 of HBO’s epic series was perhaps its best.  The show continued with its sprawling scenery and shocking moments.  The death of King Joffrey and the subsequent trial of Tyrian highlighted a season full of those moments.  Masterful storytelling.

4. Mad Men (AMC) – AMC’s landmark series is still great after all these years.  One of the greatest drama series of all time has one season left to go, and it will be sorely missed.  While I was annoyed at AMC’s decision to split the final year into 2 seasons, I couldn’t stay mad for very long, Mad Men is just too good.  Jon Hamm as Don Draper is as good of an acting performance as anything on TV, now or ever.

3. Orange Is The New Black (Netflix) –  After an absolutely amazing first season, we wondered how Orange is the New Black could top itself.  Well, we’re not quite sure that it did, but it came awfully close.  The shows 2^nd season raised the bar on storytelling.  Intricately weaving the lives and back stories of each prisoner into the current storylines, and doing so with humanity and a nice dose of humor as well.  Not to mention one of the strongest and most diverse casts on TV today.

2. Fargo (FX) – Based on the film of the same name, and highlighted by the performances of Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, and Alison Tolman, this 10 part anthology series Fargo quickly became an unexpectedly gripping crime story.  When I first heard of a series based on the 1996 film, I thought it would be a mistake.  But the show was so good, you forget that it was even based on a movie.

1.  The Americans (FX) – FX's story of Soviet spies embedded in 1980's America expanded upon

 the stories of season 1, and raised the stakes for Philip and Elizabeth by placing them in situations that didn’t just threaten them and their cover, but also the lives of their children. A great finale set the stage for season 3 which premieres at the end of January.  Great stories, and great acting.  Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell turned in 2 of the finest performances of the year. 

Just Missing My List: House of Cards, Ray Donovan, 24: Live Another Day, True Detective, Veep, Sirens, The Strain, Bates Motel.

What do you think?  Did I miss your favorite show?  Hit me up in the comments and let me know, or leave a comment on my facebook page.  Thanks for reading!

CBS’ Scorpion is Action Packed, and Lots Of Fun

CBS’ new action-packed series Scorpion, about a group of geniuses recruited by US Homeland Security to help them solve various crimes, requires some suspension of disbelief, but is really a lot of fun.    The show is loosely based on real life genius Walter O’Brien, played in the show by British actor Elyes Gabel.   O’Brien is described on the show as one of the four smartest people in the world, with an IQ of 197. 

The series opens with a young Walter being arrested by federal agent Cabe Gallo (Robert Patrick) for hacking into NASA, and is recruited to work for the government rather than go to prison.   We next see Walter 20 years later, having started his own company with a team of geniuses, and struggling to make ends meet.    The team receives a visit from Agent Gallo, now working for Homeland Security, and is asked to help prevent 56 planes from crashing in Los Angeles.

While fixing the wireless internet connection in a local diner, Walter meets Paige, a waitress, played by former American Idol Katherine McPhee.  She has a son, who the group soon finds out, is just like them and has an instant connection with Walter.  The diner would later become the groups base of operations for the mission because of its strong wireless connection. 

Walter and his team attempt to hack into to the FAA to fix the bugged software that is causing the problem with the airplanes.   The episode’s climactic scene features Walter and Paige in a sports car traveling 200 MPH while a jumbo jet flies 10 feet about them as they race down the runway.  The scene, while not very believable, is quite intense and well done. 

The team, after successfully completing the mission, are offered jobs working for Homeland Security.  Walter also extends the invitation to Paige to act as a sort of liaison between the team and society due to their social awkwardness.  In this day and age of lots of heavy dramas, it’s nice to have a show that’s a little different.  A show with humor, great action sequences, and a likeable cast.

Think of Scorpion as The Big Bang Theory meets Die Hard.  It premiered on September 22^nd to 13.8 million viewers and looks well on its way to being a success.  I definitely recommend that you check it out.  Scorpion airs Mondays at 9 on CBS. 

For TV Fans, Fall Is The Best Time Of The Year

Fall means the end of summer for most people, but it is the time of year that most TV fans look forward to.  It’s the time when most shows come back from their long summer break and return to the airwaves with new episodes.   This year is no different.  While some shows will wait until October to make their return, most shows are returning this month.  It’s also the time of the year when most new shows will make their debut. 

There are a few shows that I’m looking forward to seeing based on what I know about them so far.  One of them is CBS ‘Scorpion.’  The series is loosely based on IT genius Walter O’Brien, who recruits other geniuses to help solve the complex problems of the world.  It stars Terminator 2’s Robert Patrick, Katherine McPhee, and former Game of Thrones actor, Elyes Gabel.  It premieres September 22^nd at 9, on CBS. 

Another show I’m looking forward to is FOX’s limited series ‘Gracepoint.’  It stars Breaking Bad star Anna Gunn, former Doctor Who actor David Tennant, and Nick Nolte.  This series is a remake of the UK drama ‘Broadchurch,’ in which Tennant also starred, but in a different role.  The show follows the investigation into the murder of young boy in a small California seaside town.  The media frenzy that ensues throws the entire town and the lives of its residents into turmoil.  ‘Gracepoint’ will last for 10 episodes and premieres Thursday, October 2^nd at 9 on FOX.

FOX’s ‘Gotham’ is a show that is generating a lot of buzz.  When the show was originally conceived, it was to follow the early career of Batman’s Commissioner Gordon on the Gotham City Police Force.  However, the show evolved and will now tell the origin stories of the characters of Bruce Wayne, and several Batman villains such as Penguin, The Riddler, Catwoman, The Joker, and Harvey Dent, among others.  Southland’s Ben McKenzie is playing the legendary police commissioner.  The series will premiere September 22^nd at 8 on FOX. 

One more show that seems intriguing is FOX’s ‘Red Band Society.’  This show centers on a group of teenagers living together in a hospital’s pediatric ward, and the staff members who often serve as their teachers, mentors and surrogate parents in addition to overseeing their medical care.   The show comes from Steven Spielberg’s Amblin television production company, and it stars Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and Dave Annable. FOX has already put the premiere On Demand if you don’t want to wait to watch it.  ‘Red Band Society’ premieres on September 17^th at 9 on FOX. 

Then, of course, we have the returning shows.  There a quite a few notable returns that will happen in September and October.  A couple of them are entering their last seasons.   HBO’s Boardwalk Empire will premiere its final season on Sunday, September 7^th and the final season of Sons of Anarchy will hit the airwaves with a 90 minute season premiere on Sunday September 9^th on FX. 

Here are some other new and returning shows of note:

·         Dancing With The Stars – ABC, September 15^th at 8. 

·         The Good Wife – CBS, September 21^st at 9.

·         The Blacklist – NBC, September 22^nd at 10.

·         The Big Bang Theory – CBS, September 22^nd at 8.

·         The Voice – NBC, September 22^nd at 8.

·         Survivor – CBS, September 24^th at 8.

·         Modern Family – ABC, September 24^th at 9.

·         Scandal – ABC, September 25^th at 9. 

·         Homeland – Showtime, October 5^th at 9.

·         The Walking Dead – AMC, October 12^th at 9.

Bill's TV Mailbag

From time to time my column will feature questions asked by readers regarding the world of TV.  Feel free to email me with any questions you may have about TV at BillsTVTalk@gmail.com, and I’ll do my best to answer you and may feature your question in a future column.  Here’s what we got!

Bill, My favorite show is The Blacklist.  Can you tell me anything about the upcoming season, are we going to find out what happened to Tom, and when will it be back? -  Marion from Methuen, MA.

Marion, I can tell you that the producers have confirmed that we will learn of the fate of Tom before the season is over, and they also confirmed that we haven’t see the last of the character of Berlin.  The show will return to NBC on September 22 at 10.  However, enjoy it while you can.  It will run until November 10, and then it will be taking a ten week break.  It will return on Super Bowl Sunday and then move to its new night and time, Thursdays at 10.  In casting news, Mary Louise Parker is joining the cast in a recurring role. 

I’m so excited that Netflix has decided to bring back The Killing for one final season.  What can you tell me about the new season? – Julie from Tewksbury, MA.

By the time you read this Julie, the show will be back.  It premieres August 6^th on Netflix.  As far as what we can expect in this final season?  Remember the character of Bullet from Season 3.  Well she may be gone, but she is certainly not forgotten.   Series creator Veena Sud said that the teen’s Season 3 death will continue to haunt Holder. “That was a game-changer in terms of Holder’s life,” she explains. “Up until that point, he was a homicide detective who had not lost anything in the course of his work.”  Sud promises that there will be “a final moment” that will honor the Bullet-Holder relationship.  This season’s case will revolve around a student at an all boys military academy whose family was murdered and Academy Award nominee Joan Allen will be joining the cast.

Please give me some info on the final season of Sons of Anarchy.  I need to know what’s going to happen.  – Mike from Amesbury, MA

Well Mike, prepare yourself for one hell of a ride.  According to Theo Rossi, who plays Juice, this season is going to be a bloodbath.  He says, “People are dropping like flies, literally, every two seconds you're like, 'Oh, that person's gone.  There's always a big clap-off it feels, every scene, every episode, somebody's leaving."  Yikes!  I can also tell you that the premiere is 1 hour and 45 minutes long, and picks up 10 days after the events of the 6^th season finale.   Sons of Anarchy’s final season premieres September 9^th at 10 on FX.

I absolutely loved Fargo.  I heard it was one season and done though.  Is it coming back or not? – Sandy from Manchester, NH

I have some good news and some bad news for you Sandy.  The good news is that Fargo is absolutely coming back for a 2^nd season.  The bad news is that none of the cast from the first season will be returning.  Season 2 will take place in 1979 and will center on the Sioux Falls case that Molly’s dad Lou was describing in an episode at the end of the season.  Producer Noah Hawley said that while the original cast will not return for season 2, he didn’t rule out some of them returning for a possible season 3.  Fargo is slated to return in the fall of 2015. 

I was a huge Breaking Bad fan, and I’m really looking forward to the spinoff Better Call Saul.  Can you tell me anything about it? – Jimmy from Westford, MA

Better Call Saul is a prequel that follows Saul in the days before his dealings with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman -- though creators have said the show's timeline could move back and forth over several decades, including the years during and after Breaking Bad which means there's the potential for Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and others to make cameos. There is no set date for Better Call Saul to premiere but it’s expected to hit the airwaves sometime in the last half of 2015.  

My Emmy Wish List

This column was originally published in The Valley Patriot, July 8th, 2014.

    

      The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 10^th and every year I like to review the past year in TV and give my Emmy Wish List.  This is my list of performances and shows that I really hope get recognized by the Television academy.  The nominations are almost certain to include members of the cast of Fargo, Breaking Bad, True Detective, Veep, and House Of Cards just to name a few.  However, there is always that one performance you really want to be recognized.  So I may not cover every category, just the ones where I really feel the chances of someone being overlooked exists. So here we go.

Melissa McBride, The Walking Dead, AMC - In my opinion, no one gave a more heart-wrenching, compassionate, powerhouse performance this year than Melissa McBride.  In particular, in the episode “The Grove.”  When her character, Carol, has to commit an unspeakable, tragic, but necessary act, you couldn’t help but be riveted to your TV screen.  In this show, full of amazing actors, McBride’s work stood above the rest this year and deserves a nomination.

Matthew Rhys, The Americans, FX – The most improved show on TV this season was FX’s cold war spy drama The Americans.  Season 1 was good.  Season 2 was phenomenal.  No bigger reason for the shows improvement than the performance of its lead actors Matthew Rhys, and Keri Russell.   Rhys is mesmerizing in his role as Philip Jennings, torn between his actions as a spy and his life as a father to his two children.  Bryan Cranston and Matthew McConaughey are the favorites in this category, but at the very least Rhys should be recognized with a nomination. 

Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel, A&E – Last year I felt that Bates Motel’s best performance came from Vera Farmiga as Norman’s mother Norma.  That still might be true, but this year it got a heck of a lot closer.  Hightower’s work this year as future Psycho Norman Bates was really something to behold.  Watching Norman’s slow but certain descent into madness was riveting, and while a nomination here is a long shot due to the competition, it is most certainly deserved. 

Uzo Aduba, Orange Is The New Black, Netflix – People who are not Netflix subscribers are really missing out on some great TV.  Along with House of Cards, Orange is the New Black is among the best shows on TV right now.  TV’s best ensemble cast delivers episode after episode, and this season Uzo Aduba’s turn as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren was touching, funny, and you couldn’t take your eyes of the screen when she was on it. 

Keri Russell, The Americans, FX – Much like her co-star Matthew Rhys, Keri Russell absolutely should be nominated for her outstanding work on FX’s The Americans.  Russell perfectly portrayed Elizabeth Jennings, a ruthless cold war spy, who balances her job with the roles of mother and wife, and struggles with her feelings of loyalty to her country, and her loyalty to her family.

Ray Romano, Parenthood, NBC - It’s always great as a TV fan when you see a performance that surprises you.  For me, this year, that performance came from Ray Romano and his turn as a dramatic actor on NBC’s Parenthood.  Romano’s work as Hank Rizzoli tugged at the heartstrings.  Hank’s realization, as he learns more about Max's Asperger's diagnosis, and comparing it to his own personality traits delivered some exceptional scenes.  It really says something when an actor who is known for his comedy stands out among such a great cast. 

James Spader, The Blacklist, NBC – NBC’s The Blacklist was the best drama on broadcast TV this year.  The role of Raymond Reddington joined the list of great TV Villains, and was played incredibly by James Spader.   I will make this guarantee.  James Spader WILL win an Emmy for this role.  It may not be this year, but it will happen.  He is that good.  It’s an extremely tough and crowded category, but Spader deserves to be mentioned among the best dramatic actors on TV. 

Summer is No Longer a TV Wasteland

Not too long ago, the summer season was a vast wasteland for TV lovers.  As recently as the 90’s you would be hard pressed to find any new programming at all between June and September.    Sure, you had a few new shows that premiered over the years during the summer.  Seinfeld is one of the more celebrated shows to premiere over the summer.  It premiered on July 5^th, 1989 as “The Seinfeld Chronicles.”  It was far from a hit.  NBC had no plans on picking the show up and even shopped it to FOX, who declined.  NBC found money in the budget to film four more episodes and the rest was television history. 

As Cable TV became more widely available, the idea of summer reruns steadily faded.  Cable networks realized that summer was a good time to put on their original shows. The broadcast networks saw their audiences go to cable in the summer and, in many cases, ­ never come back.

Luckily, things began to change when the calendar flipped to the year 2000.  That summer, a little show called “Survivor” premiered on May 31 and quickly became a ratings and cultural phenomenon.   Its premise was simple.  Strand a group of strangers on an island forcing them to live together, each week casting off a member of their “tribe.”  The castaways would compete in challenges for rewards and immunity from being voted off the island.  The last person standing would be awarded $1 million dollars.  No actors, no scripts.  The shows finale, on August 23, 2000, drew 51.7 million viewers.  Nielsen determined that 125 million Americans watched at least part of the finale.  It would become the 2^nd highest rated television program of the decade, second only to the series finale of “Friends.”   The TV industry took notice.  Summer could be the place for new programming, and no longer a place for reruns.

In the years following Survivor’s massive ratings, other programs continued to have success in the summer months.  The genre of Reality Competition programming has benefited the most.  Shows such as “American Idol,”  “Dancing With The Stars,” and “Big Brother” were all summer shows that were ratings juggernauts for their respective networks. 

In recent years, scripted programming has begun to have summer success as well.  Last year, “Under The Dome” premiered on CBS on June 24 and became a hit.  The show will return on June 30^th for its second season.  ABC’s “Rookie Blue” will return on June 19^th for its 5^th season, every one of them being broadcast during the summer.

There was a time when if a pilot failed to get a slot on the fall schedule that was the end of its chances.  Now there’s hope.  Many pilots that fail to get that coveted fall premiere now will get a chance to fill the many slots of summer programming.  The networks are always looking for that diamond in the rough to give a second chance, and hopefully find the next big hit.   

One thing is for certain.  With all of the choices for TV viewers these days, there is never a shortage of new programming for the TV lover during the summer months.  Between Broadcast, Cable, and services like Netflix, and Amazon, there will be hundreds of hours of shows to keep viewers satisfied as the temperatures begin to rise.  

The Return of Jack Bauer and 24

Monday May 5^th marked the highly-anticipated return of an iconic TV show and character to the airwaves.  24: Live Another Day premiered on FOX and brought Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer back to TV. 

24’s real time concept, an entire season of 24 one hour episodes, spanning one day in the storyline was unique and innovative when it premiered.  The pulse pounding storylines about a US Counter Terrorist Unit in post 9/11 America made audiences stand up and take notice and 24 became the talk of TV.

The show aired on FOX from 2001-2010 for 8 seasons and 192 episodes, plus a 2 hour movie in between seasons 6 and 7.  Sutherland won an Emmy,  a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Jack Bauer over the course of the series run. 

In May of 2013, after several failed attempts to bring 24 to the big screen, Fox announced that the show would be returning in a “limited run event series” called 24: Live Another Day.  Fox CEO Kevin Reilly said that the series would essentially represent the twelve "most important" hours of a typical 24 season.  As with the rest of Fox's push into event programming, the production will have "a big scope and top talent and top marketing budgets."

In a press release, Producer Howard Gordon said:  “Jack Bauer has always been an exciting, thrilling character, and I confess that I've missed him. I think the audience has too. The character has evolved through the years, and this new and exciting event series format is perfect to tell the next chapter of his story and continue to reflect how the world is changing. Fans can rest assured that the Jack they know and love will be back.” 

The story will take place 4 years after the events of the show’s final season. Once again, world peace hangs in the balance as the U.S. is about to sign an important treaty with Great Britain. U.S. President James Heller,  played by William Devane, is in London to sign the pact, but the CIA uncovers a threat to assassinate the president.  Jack Bauer, will be forced to come out of hiding in an attempt to thwart the plot.  

All the familiar elements are in place including the digital clock signaling the ends and beginnings of segments to remind us that it's all happening in real time.  But while the 12-part series will still portray the events of a single day in real time, there will be jumps forward between certain episodes.

Whether 24 : Live Another Day will lead to more 24 is yet to be seen.  Producers and actors have all said they would be open to more but the ratings will need to be there.    "I think the show could go on indefinitely," Sutherland said, then added with a tone of doubt in his voice: "I'm not sure how long Jack Bauer could go on."   Sutherland still hopes a 24 feature film will be made one day, but for now is just happy to be back playing Jack again.  “He’s this long-lost friend,” he says. “It was great to see each other again!”

24: Live Another Day airs Monday nights at 9 on FOX. 

Bill’s TV Talk Mailbag

From time to time my column will feature questions asked by readers regarding the world of TV.  Feel free to email me with any questions you may have about TV at BillsTVTalk@gmail.com, and I’ll do my best to answer you and may feature your question in a future column.  Here’s what we got!

Hey Bill, I’m a huge fan of American Horror Story, can you give me any scoop on Season 4? – Sandy from Amesbury, MA

I can tell you a few things about season 4, Sandy.  For starters, it will be called, American Horror Story: Freak Show and will center around a carnival and the people involved, and it will be set in the 1950’s in Florida.  The entire season 3 cast is set to return, and a new big name has been announced as a cast member for season 4.  Who is that big name?  It’s none other than Michael Chiklis, who will be joining the cast as the ex-husband and father of characters played, respectively, by Kathy Bates and Evan Peters.

I really enjoyed Orange Is The New Black‘s first season.  Any idea when we can expect Season 2? – Christina from Lowell, MA

Season 2 will premiere on Netflix on June 6^th, and from what I’m hearing you can expect the show to focus a little bit less on Piper and a little bit more on everyone else this season.   Also, contrary to other rumors out there, Laura Prepon’s character of Alex will be appearing in most of this season’s episodes.

Big fan of Mad Men, so I’m feeling a little bittersweet.  I’m excited for the show to return, but feeling bad that this will be the final season.  What can you tell me about the upcoming final episodes? – Mike from Methuen, MA

Don’t worry Mike.  Even though this is Mad Men’s final season, the season is being split into 2 parts.  The first 7 will air beginning April 13^th, and the rest will air about a year later in the Spring of 2015.  So you will still have the show around for a bit.   I can tell you that you will see  a West Coast branch of Sterling Cooper opening in season 7, and creator Matthew Weiner said that something that happened in the past is likely to "cast a shadow" over the final season.  Wiener said "... as writers we don't just throw stuff away once it's happened. There is a shadow being cast over this whole season that started not just last season, but the first time we met Don Draper."

Please give me some scoop on Parenthood.  I love that show! – Karen from Andover, MA

It appears as though the show isn’t done with the Amber and Ryan story just yet.  Expect to see Ryan return for the season’s final 2 episodes.   Executive Producer Jason Katims said that when Ryan sees Amber again “it’s over very, very dramatic circumstances and incorporates some of our other characters in a rich story… I’m not going to say anything more than that, other than get your Kleenex ready.”

Whatever scoop you can give me about my favorite show Ray Donovan would be appreciated.  Thanks. – Richard from Salem, NH.

The show will have 2 new additions when it returns.  Hank Azaria will be joining the cast as James Cochran, head of the LA division of the FBI, and Hollywood legend Ann Margaret will be coming onboard as June Wilson, who is described as “a major star back in her day who has a history with Ray’s boss Ezra.”  Ray Donovan returns to Showtime on July 13^th at 9 pm.

CBS “Intelligence”: Been There Done That

CBS new series ‘Intelligence’, starring LOST’s Josh Holloway and CSI’s Marg Helgenberger, premiered on January 7^th to decent ratings.  It boasted a good cast, and an interesting premise.    The drama centers on a high tech intelligence operative named Gabriel, played by Holloway, who has a super computer microchip implanted into his brain, and the director of the cyber security agency named Lillian Strand that he works for, played by Helgenberger. 

The show is pretty much your standard procedural.  Show the crime, solve the crime, and catch the bad guys.  The problem is that this premise has been done before, and better.  NBC had a series called Chuck, which ran from 2007-2012.  It was the story of a computer geek who accidentally downloads critical government secrets into his brain, essentially making his mind a super computer.  Sound familiar?  The difference was that Chuck was a nerd and this thing in his brain made him a spy, and that made it interesting.  Gabriel is already a competent spy, much less interesting.

Granted ‘Intelligence’ takes a more serious approach, while ‘Chuck’ was much more light hearted.  But Chuck was much better acted and written.  ‘Chuck’ built a cult like following over its 5 years on the air and stood out from other shows.   ‘Intelligence,’ however, is loaded with your standard clichés and lazy writing, and does nothing to separate itself from other shows of its kind.  There’s just nothing special to it. 

In the pilot, Strand decides that Gabriel needs a bodyguard, so she hires an attractive young brunette from the Secret Service to watch over him.  Let the sexual tension begin.   Cliché #1.    Midway through the episode we find that Gabriel’s co-worker and friend is actually working for the other side.  The Mole.   Cliché #2.  Throw in a fight with a guy twice his size, an unlikely hero saving the day, and mysterious issues surrounding his missing wife and her possibly being a traitor and you have 3 more clichés that Gabriel has to deal with in the first hour. 

It was really good to see Holloway on TV again, but he is wasted in this series.  I’ve never been a big fan of Helgenberger and watching her in this series reminded me why.  I just never find her believable in her roles.  She’s very wooden and dull in this role although, let’s face it, she doesn’t have much to work with.

There are some good action sequences that will attract fans, Holloway is very likable in his role, and the show may get better as it goes along. Ratings have plummeted since the pilot episode, however, this is the type of series that CBS normally turns into a hit, so we will have to see where it goes in the coming weeks.    If you like “Intelligence,” get your fill of it while you can.  My guess is that it will be unlikely to see a 2^nd season. 

With so many choices on TV these days, shows really have to do something to stand out, and ‘Intelligence’ fails to do so.  In fact, it is so unoriginal and boring, that is just blends in with today’s TV landscape and gets lost in the shuffle.  Hopefully Josh Holloway gets a better vehicle to come back to TV in, once this show is put out of its misery. 

My 10 Best TV Shows of 2013

My list of the best that TV had to offer in 2013 was so hard to compile.  There were so many quality programs to choose from this year, so narrowing this list down was a tough task.    You will notice that there are no sitcoms on this list, but unfortunately the crop of comedies on the air right now just didn’t make the cut.  Here are my choices for the best TV shows of 2013. 

10. (tie) Homeland  (SHO) – When I started compiling this list, this show wasn’t on it.  But the final 6 episodes of the season were top notch and propelled Homeland back onto the list.  Claire Danes and Damian Lewis were excellent as always, but this season belonged to Mandy Patinkin and his portrayal of CIA Director Saul Berenson.   The truly gut wrenching finale was one of the year’s best episodes.

10 (tie) Mad Men (AMC) – Mad Men didn’t have its best season, but still better than most series on the air.  Jon Hamm’s Don Draper continues to be one of TV’s greatest characters.  With just 2 short seasons left of this amazing show, I’ll be savoring every episode.

9. The Blacklist (NBC) – The only network series on my list, The Blacklist stars James Spader as one of Americas Most Wanted who now aids the FBI in catching the most dangerous criminals in existence.   Spader is superb in the lead role.

8. Ray Donovan (Showtime) – Liev Schreiber stars in the title role of this exciting series.  Ray Donovan is a Boston raised tough guy, now living in Los Angeles and making his living as a “fixer” for a powerful law firm.  Jon Voight, as Ray’s ex-con father, gives one of the best performances of his career.

7. Masters Of Sex (Showtime) – This freshman series about Masters & Johnson, the the pioneers of the science of human sexuality whose research touched off the sexual revolution, boasts some of the year’s best acting.  Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, and Beau Bridges are excellent.

6. Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – Even though this show is lower on my list than it was last year, that speaks more to the quality of programming on TV today than any decrease in the quality of this series.  On the contrary, Boardwalk Empire had one of its strongest seasons to date. 

5. Southland (TNT) – TV’s best police show, Southland, ended its 5 year run in April with its finest season yet.  Top notch writing and acting, especially by Michael Cudlitz, who gave one of the year’s best performances. 

4. House of Cards (Netflix) – Kevin Spacey’s top notch performance highlighted this political drama.  The series centers on Senator Frank Underwood who, after getting passed over as Secretary of State, decides to exact revenge on his political enemies. 

3. The Walking Dead (AMC) -  Now in its 4^th season, AMC’s zombie apocalypse drama continued to evolve by adding something to this year’s episodes that it was previously lacking, a great villain. David Morrissey’s performance as The Governor stood out in a great ensemble cast. 

2. Orange Is The New Black (Netflix) – Weeds creator Jenji Kohan created this dramedy that centers on Piper Chapman, played excellently by Taylor Schilling, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to 15 months in prison.  This engrossing series that mixes dark humor and dramatic storylines, top notch acting and writing was TV best new series of the year. 

My pick for the best show of 2013 is…..

1. Breaking Bad (AMC) – There is just way too much to say about this series in this small space.  Perhaps the finest TV drama ever created, Breaking Bad, came to its immensely satisfying conclusion this year after 5 seasons and 62 episodes.  Vince Gilligan’s epic story of Walter White’s evolution from mild mannered chemistry teacher to hardened gangster intensified its brilliance this year.  Bryan Cranston continued his mesmerizing role as Walter White.  “Ozymandias” was one of the best TV episodes of this or any other series. 

Honorable Mentions:  Modern Family, Bates Motel, The Big Bang Theory, The Americans, Veep