Breaking Bad
After a superlative fourth season, it seemed like Breaking Bad couldn't possibly top itself. But the first half of the show's fifth and final season proved that even though Gus Fring was gone, there were still a few ticking time bombs ready to go off at any given moment. The taut, riveting season saw Walter White stepping into the role of meth kingpin as he descended further and further into moral bankruptcy.
Parks and Recreation
Mad Men
The 1960s arrived in full force on Mad Men this season, and with it came fascinating explorations of sex, drugs, civil rights, and more. The fifth season of the AMC drama inspired plenty of water cooler moments, from Roger's LSD trip to poor Sally Draper witnessing her first blow job to Lane's tragic suicide. And who could forget Jessica Paré's sultry "Zou Bisou Bisou," which became an instantly classic Mad Men moment. The show's cast remains as impeccable as ever, mining darker and more unsettling emotional material with skill and honesty.
Girls
Called the anti Sex and the City by some and a narcissistic display of white privilege by others, Girls became one of the most controversial new shows of 2012 even before it aired. Indeed, Lena Dunham's HBO comedy about four hapless 20-somethings stumbling through life in New York City isn't for everyone.
Louie
In its third season, Louie remained just as strange and undefinable as it was in its previous seasons, and I mean that as a compliment. The FX comedy scored with memorable guest spots from Melissa Leo, wonderfully prickly as a blind dater, and Parker Posey as a wounded free spirit with an uncomfortably electric energy.
Homeland
Though it suffered its share of missteps towards the end of its second season, there's no doubt that Homeland is one of the most compelling shows currently on television. This season moved with a breakneck pace, quickly dispensing with questions like 'would the CIA ever find out that Brody was a terrorist?' (they did) and 'would Carrie take Brody down for his betrayal?' (of course she did) in favor of even more high stakes plot twists.
Game of Thrones
If you've read any of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series, you know just how stuffed with characters and complicated plot machinations the novels are. But HBO's Game of Thrones somehow manages to weave together the various narratives to create a singularly compelling television series filled with swords and sorcery (and sex, there's also lots of sex).
Parenthood
Just try to get through an episode of Parenthood without dissolving into ugly tears — I dare you. The NBC drama about the Braverman clan is at once touching, authentic, funny, and deeply human. It also has one of the finest ensembles on television, with Monica Potter, Mae Whitman, Peter Krause, and the rest of the cast delivering award-worthy performances week in and week out.
Community
Why does Community deserve to be called one of the best shows of 2012 even though it only aired a scant 12 episodes thanks to some lamentable scheduling by NBC? Because I considered putting five of those 12 episodes on my best episodes of 2012 list. From the brilliant faux documentary of "Pillows and Blankets" to the spot on Law & Order tribute of "Basic Lupine Urology" to the emotionally resonant and visually creative "Digital Estate Planning," Community delivered episode after episode of fascinating, fearless, and wholly unique television.
Boardwalk Empire
The third season of Boardwalk Empire started strong, then slogged along a bit, but in the end it delivered in a huge way with two fantastic final episodes that secured its place among the best dramas on TV. Introducing Bobby Cannvale as the sociopath gangster Gyp Rosetti early on, Season 3 built to a climactic bloodbath as it became more and more clear that the Sicilian would be nothing but trouble for Steve Buscemi's incumbent Atlantic City boss Nucky Thompson.
Best of the Rest
The Walking Dead
Though the first half of the second season wobbled, in 2012 The Walking Dead roared back to life (no pun intended) with a series of shocking, action-packed episodes. Four main characters were sacrificed — rest in peace, guys — and the katana-wielding Michonne and the evil Governor were added to help expand the survivor's dangerous world.
Sons of Anarchy
This season of Sons of Anarchy saw Jax assuming his new position as the leader of SAMCRO, and with the new power came dark new dangers. The AMC drama didn't pull any punches, first devastating fans with Opie's shocking death, then having Tara be taken by the police (after Otto bit off his own tongue to prevent himself from implicating her, naturally). Sons of Anarchy is never easy TV, but its brutality is always compelling.
New Girl
I confess, I didn't care for New Girl when it first hit the air last year. I just wasn't drinking the adorkable juice. But over the course of the first season, I became enamored with this delightfully silly comedy and its talented cast. Now I can't get enough of Schmidt's neurotic sexuality, Nick's zombie novel, Jess' attempts at modeling, Cece's surprising vulnerability, and Winston's laid-back charm. I'm sorry I doubted you, New Girl. Now promise you'll never leave me.
Happy Endings
Fact: Happy Endings fits more jokes into one half-hour episode than any other show on television. The lightning-fast ABC comedy is a zany, madcap roller coaster of hilarity, but the talented cast also manages to keep the characters relatable. Though some initially compared the show to Friends, Happy Endings has blazed a silly, fast-talking, utterly delightful comedy path all its own.
30 Rock
Though Ryan Murphy's everything-but-the-kitchen sink tendencies can sometimes make his other shows feel scattered, the no holds barred approach works perfectly for his frenzied gothic nightmare, American Horror Story: Asylum. Led by the incomparable Jessica Lange, the AHS ensemble is uniformly excellent, and every week the series manages to be both intensely disturbing and also emotionally resonant. No easy feat.
Archer
If you ignore the entire storyline involving Kalinda and her ex-husband, The Good Wife remains one of the most intelligent, well-acted dramas on television. This season the show has explored emotional and ethical questions with keen insights and sly wit, particularly in the excellent episode, "Another Ham Sandwich."
The L.A. Complex
Not many people watched this Canadian soap about aspiring stars living and working in Los Angeles, and that's a real shame because it was far and away my favorite TV guilty pleasure of the year. Scratch that, I don't feel even a little bit guilty about loving this delightfully dishy drama, which satirized everything from reality TV to 7th Heaven-style Christian television to the porn industry. But it was rapper Kaldrick King's closeted homosexuality storyline, so similar to Frank Ocean's real-life journey, that provided the emotional high-point of a series that showed great potential and was gone too soon.
Suburgatory
Suburgatory can be one of the funniest shows on television, as when Ryan loses it after finding out he's adopted or Dalia makes a music video for her erstwhile housekeeper, but it's also got one of the biggest hearts in primetime. Tessa (the wonderful Jane Levy) finally meeting her long-lost mother and discovering the fraught nuances of their new relationship was both funny and deeply touching.
The Vampire Diaries
Vampire Diaries fans love to focus on the love triangle (and make no mistake, it's a good love triangle), but there's much more to the CW drama than pretty people mooning at each other. The fast-paced series is expertly plotted and not afraid to take big risks, as evidenced by the Damon and Elena sire bonding plot line that has divided fans as of late. Even when it makes a misstep, The Vampire Diaries is a compulsively watchable slice of gothic fun.
Modern Family
Modern Family has won the Emmy for Best Comedy three years in a row, and for good reason. It's sharply written and well-acted by its talented cast, who all deserve to eventually win Emmys of their own. The addition of Jay and Gloria's baby should add a whole new layer of hilarious family dysfunction come 2013.
Justified
The Kentucky-set FX drama had the unenviable task of filling Emmy winner Margo Martindale's villainous shoes this season, but luckily newcomers Mykelti Williamson and Neal McDonough were more than up to the task of amping up the drama. With sharp, witty writing, feature film-caliber cinematography, and one of the best ensembles on television, it's a wonder Justifieddoesn't get more awards show love.
Suits
In the first half of its great second season, Suits mined darker emotional territory and reaped the rewards. The legal drama put Pearson Hardman at risk and questioned the loyalties of every employee in the process. Donna's decision to destroy evidence to protect Harvey, along with her subsequent firing, was the high point so far in a show that just keeps getting better.
The Colbert Report/The Daily Show
Election years always give late-night shows tons of comedy fodder, and the 2012 presidential race had more than its fair share of ridiculous moments. From poor Big Bird to Clint Eastwood's chair to the perpetually absurd Paul Ryan, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report were terrifically on point with waggish humor and shrewd political satire. It was a comedy ticket we could all believe in.
Best Episodes
Parks and Recreation, "The Debate"
All season long we'd been building to Leslie Knope's showdown with Paul Rudd's Bobby Newport, and "The Debate" did not disappoint. The episode had all the laughs of silly debate promises (“By the end of 2013, we will have a fully operational mall on Jupiter.”), but it was Leslie's impassioned closing argument that has us standing up and cheering: "If I seem too passionate, it’s because I care. If I come on too strong, its because I feel strongly. And if I push too hard, it’s because things aren’t moving fast enough. This is my home, you are my family, and I promise you, I’m not going anywhere." As Bobby Newport himself said, “Holy sh--, Leslie. That was awesome.”
The Walking Dead, "Killer Within"
Walking Dead fans had their share of complaints about Lori Grimes, but almost no one could deny the emotional punch her death created in the middle of the series' third season. Lori went into labor during the middle of a walker attack and, realizing that she wasn't going to be able to deliver her baby the old-fashioned way, pleaded with Maggie to cut out the baby even though it meant her own certain death. The fact that Carl was eventually forced to shoot his own mother in the head to prevent her from becoming a walker only added to the devastating emotional trauma of the moment. Not content with one harrowing death, the episode also featured T-Dog being bitten and then nobly sacrificing himself to a hoard of walkers in order to save Carol's life. Brutal.
The Vampire Diaries, "The Departed"
Elena Gilbert never wanted to be a vampire. She told Stefan as much during the show's second season, confessing that she'd rather have the choice to grow up and start a family. But in The Vampire Diaries' third season finale, Elena asked Stefan to save Matt's life instead of her own in a scene eerily reminiscent of her parents' death, and inadvertently sealed her own fate as a bloodsucker. It was a thrilling episode, fraught with spooky horror-style chills and love triangle revelations, but it was the final scene — Elena gasping to life on the morgue table, her new supernatural life just beginning — that set the stage for a whole new Vampire Diaries.
Community, "Pillows and Blankets"
By my count, there are at least five episodes of Community that could have ended up on this list. But my personal favorite was the faux-Civil War documentary "Pillow and Blankets," which had best friends Troy and Abed facing off against each other in their quest to build the ultimate fort. From Britta's crummy photography, to Pierce's pillow man super weapon, to Annie playing nurse as she lint-rolled feathers off the injured, the episode was filled with gem after gem of comedic gold. And I'll be damned if Troy and Abed putting on their imaginary friendship hats at the end of the episode didn't bring a stray tear to my eye.
New Girl, "True American"
What better way to bond with your new girlfriend's male roommates than by playing their insane drinking game? That's the basic premise behind New Girl's delightfully madcap episode "True American," which features Dermot Mulroney doing his best to keep up with the gang's bizarre bonding ritual, described as "50% drinking game, 50% life-sized Candy Land." The floor is lava, Presidents' names are involved, and there's some sort of alternate crazy zone, but other than that the rules of True American are mostly unclear (luckily, the Internet has solved this problem). It's a gleefully silly episode that proved New Girl's power as one of the best new comedy kids on the block. Now drink!
Game of Thrones, "Blackwater"
After a season of buildup, the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones' second season delivered a truly epic Battle of Blackwater that was action-packed and visually stunning. The show had avoided major battle scenes before, but there was no skimping on the climactic King's Landing showdown, which saw Stannis and Tyrion's forces clashing on land and at sea as green wildfire blazed all around them. While the men battled below, the ladies of King's Landing had their own riveting psychological drama, with a drunken Cersei cruelly tormenting Sansa ("The Gods have no mercy, that's why they are Gods."). In the end, it was clear who ultimately won the great Battle of Blackwater: TV fans.
Louie, "Daddy's Girlfriend, Parts 1 and 2"
Louie's best episodes are often about connection — both the desire for and the fear of connection — and nowhere was this more perfectly realized than in the melancholy, yet fascinating, two-part episode "Daddy's Girlfriend." It all starts with Louie's daughters asking a seemingly simple question: "Daddy, why don't you have a girlfriend?" From there Louie works up the nerve to ask out a bookstore clerk (Parker Posey, crackling with impulsive electricity), who takes him on a wild nighttime adventure through New York City that involves trying on women's clothing, buying medicine for a homeless man, and climbing seemingly endless flights of stairs to look down on the city below. It's a strange, spellbinding look at two people desperate for connection in a world that is so often short on it.
Homeland, "Q & A"
Homeland has no shortage of thrilling firework moments, but in the end it was a far quieter episode that ended up packing the season's biggest punch. After taking down confirmed terrorist Brody in his hotel room, Carrie is faced with the daunting task of breaking down her former lover piece by piece in the interrogation room. "It's the lies that undo us," she tells Brody, slowly and shrewdly revealing her own inner demons so that he can do the same. Claire Danes and Damian Lewis peel away the layers of their characters until there is nothing left for Brody to do but curl up into a ball on the floor, exhausted from the sheer lightness of having finally told the truth. Or so it would seem. With Homeland you never can be too sure.
Glee, "The Break-Up"
Glee has a tendency to revel in the preciousness of teen romance (Rachel and Finn were seriously thinking about walking down the aisle last season), which is why Season 4's "The Break-Up" was so refreshing. In one fell swoop, three of Glee's core couples ended their romances, some more amicably than others, in a riveting hour of television that was all about the things we let go of as we grow up. Blaine's (Darren Criss) low-key version of "Teenage Dream," so fraught with the pain of growing up and letting go, has been the high-point of Glee's season so far.
Girls, "The Return"
For all the emphasis that Girls places on life in New York City, the best episode of the show's impressive first season took place in humble Lansing, Michigan. When Hannah goes home to visit her parents for their anniversary, she brings a trash bag full of her laundry and a heap of falsehoods about just how great her life back in NYC is. “You are from New York, therefore you are just naturally interesting," she tells herself in the mirror before a first date with a local pharmacist. But though Girls often mines rich material from Hannah's inability (and unwillingness) to grow up, when her father suffers an accident she taps into a quiet inner maturity and offers both parents poignant moments of physical and emotional support. Who says you can't go home again?
Mad Men, "At the Codfish Ball"
Little Sally Draper is all grown up now. While "Far Away Places" may have been the most visionary (literally) episode of Mad Men's fifth season, "At the Codfish Ball" was a masterpiece of quiet realizations and repressed emotions. Don discovers that his anti-tobacco stance has made him a pariah among big businesses, Megan faces her parents' crumbling marriage, and Sally walks in on her "date" Roger in a compromising position with Megan's mother. The end of the episode featured the various characters sitting at a table together, lost in their own thoughts but unable to express them out loud. Classic Mad Men, indeed.
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