FEATURE: CBM Editor Josh Wilding Picks His Top Ten TV Shows Of 2014
You've seen my ten favourite movies of 2014 (click here to check out the list if you missed it), but which TV shows came out on top in 2014? Did The Flash race into the #1 spot or have True Detective and Arrow topped it? Hit the jump for my ten must-watch shows of the year...
Honourable Mentions
It's been an incredible year for television, but not every show could make it into the top ten! Game of Thrones was once again fantastic, but it in some ways felt like the weakest season to date. Other dramas like Orange is the New Black and Ray Donovan were great and well worth watching, while I'm well aware that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has greatly improved. As I write this, I'm three episodes into the first season, so I'll let you know where it ends up on this list when I'm all caught up. Supernatural meanwhile is still somehow going strong after ten years on the air, and Hannibal is one of THE greatest TV shows out there right now. It's just a shame we constantly have to worry about its future, but at least we know for sure that season three is on the way...
10. Brooklyn Nine Nine
This is by far the best comedy on TV right now. Great characters, fun stories, and big laughs make Brooklyn Nine Nine essential viewing. As it's a cop show, there's an occasional bit of action, and that too is handled well. Regardless, I can't help but look at beautiful leading lady Melissa Fumero and wonder which comic book movie role she would be suitable for. Any suggestions?
9. Gotham
As forced as the premise might be on the surface, Gotham has been a pleasant surprise for the most part so far. It suffers from some issues (dodgy dialogue for the most part) and there's room for improvement, but there have been a lot of cool moments so far, and following the evolution of characters like Jim Gordon, The Penguin, and Bruce Wayne has made for compelling viewing.
8. The Walking Dead
After fixing the botched handling of The Governer in the midseason finale, the second half of The Walking Dead's fourth season introduced the idea of standalone episodes focusing on specific characters, something which season five has thankfully continued. With Terminus dealt with, it's still not clear where this season is taking us, but the show is back to being a weekly must-watch.
7. Arrow
Deathstroke was always going to be a tough act to follow, and season two of Arrow was amazing. Sadly, despite the introduction of Arsenal and Ra's al Ghul, season three has faltered somewhat. There have been a lot of great moments and it's still an awesome show, but the series doesn't place higher because the most recent episodes are simply no match to what's come before...
6. Fargo
Was anyone really expecting much from this one when it was first announced? Whether you're a fan of the original movie or not, Fargo - which saw Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton take on leading roles - is a dark and twisted story which is full of great twists, turns, and character beats. The unexpected MVP of the series? Relative unknown actress Allison Tolman!
5. Constantine
A lousy timeslot and lack of promotion killed Constantine before the first episode even aired, and a second season now seems unlikely as a result. It's a damn shame too, as Matt Ryan is perfectly cast as the Hellblazer character, and the stories have so far been a solid mixture of scary and enjoyable. With any luck #SaveConstantine will work, and episode thirteen won't be the end!
4. The Missing
Chances areyou won't have heard of this one, but the BBC/Starz co-production has been doing well on both sides of the pond. Taking place across two different time periods, The Missing is not all that different to True Detective, though the focus here is on a missing child and the aftermath that has on both of his parents. It's worth watching for the amazing Tcheky Karyo!
3. House of Cards
The second season of House of Cards wasn't embraced by everyone, especially as it took a slightly more over the top turn as Frank Underwood did everything necessary to reach The White House. Still, if you're happy to embace those elements, this is essential viewing and well worth getting Netflix for. Seriously, someone needs to cast Spacey as a major comic book movie villain already...
2. True Detective
You have seen True Detective, right? If not, you're seriously missing out! The amazing eight part HBO drama features stellar performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, an, ahem, unforgettable scene with Alexandra Daddario, and a fascinating and engrossing story which will keepyou hooked from start to finish. Oh, and let's not forget that tracking shot!
1. The Flash
The Flash is a TV show which could have gone horribly wrong, but with some great standalone episodes, an intriguing and exciting overarcing storyline (WHO IS REVERSE-FLASH?!), and special effects a million times better than you would expect from a series on The CW, this is the clear winner. It's so good in fact that it's hard to imagine the big screen Flash topping this show!