The Best TV Shows of 2013, Midseason Edition

If I had to rate what I thought the best TV series was this season to date, that list would in in order:

The Americans
The Americans
  • Game of Thrones (HBO): I can’t imagine a situation where Game of Thrones isn’t the top show of my end of year “best of” list. It’s so well written, well acted, well directed…it puts most other TV to shame.
  • Veep (HBO): HBO’s funniest comedy in years is also the funniest comedy on TV.
  • Arrested Development (Netflix): A few episodes of this series didn’t work as well as some of the other ones, but I still really enjoyed the return of the Bluth family.
  • Hannibal (NBC): I feel like I’m the only one watching this best network TV drama in years. Hannibal is so good it’s a shame it doesn’t draw more of an audience.
  • The Americans (FX): I can’t wait for this sexy drama to come back next year so I learn the fates of the Soviet sleeper agents hidden in early 1980s Washington DC and, more importantly, the fates of the FBI agents hunting them.
  • Mad Men (AMC): Even in its sixth season Mad Men continues to surprise.
  • House of Cards (Netflix): I liked House of Cards right up until the very end. It’s still a good show, I just felt like there needed to be at least some closure on things rather than just having an ending.

And there are a lot of promising shows on the horizon this summer and next season too. There’s a lot to be excited about.

What I’m Watching, April 2013

Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones

Sunday:

  • Game of Thrones (HBO): Game of Thrones is the best of the best series in a spring season of a lot of great dramas.
  • Veep (HBO): I don’t think there’s been a lot of good comedies on TV recently but Veep is a big exception.
  • Mad Men (AMC): I think Mad Men‘s finest days might be behind it, but it’s still a great show.

Wednesday

  • The Americans (FX): I honestly didn’t think that The Americans was going to be a good show, let alone a great one when I first heard about it. How happy I am to be wrong.

Thursday

Saturday

  • Doctor Who (BBC America): Episodes of Doctor Who this year have been spotty at best but I still dig the Doctor and his new companion.

On the DVR

  • Orphan Black (BBC America): I watched one episode of Orphan Black and liked it but never got into it enough to check out other ones. All episodes are still on my DVR and I think I’ll end up watching them someday soon.

Looking forward to…

  • Arrested Development (Netflix, May 26): I think the return of my all-time favorite TV series of the last decade is a very big deal, not only for the return of the Bluth family but also for Netflix’s continuing commitment to quality original series.
  • The Bridge (FX, July)
  • Low Winter Sun (AMC, Summer)