Of Dexter Season 5

Here we are, a little over a week after Dexter Season 5 finished. How did this fifth season compare to the preceding four and how much longer will I actually be sticking with this show, find out now!

Dexter's fifth season was like a solidification of every single problem the show has had in it's earlier seasons. Every single season of Dexter is a self contained story with almost all guest stars drafted for each season not making it into the next, and after five seasons of the same shit it's getting a little dull. Every promise that the show-runners have made that there would be a change in the formula in the show have proven to be false. This year, fans were promised that there would be no Big Bad, but a collection of them, and whilst in some ways this was true, the last episode still focused upon a single Big Bad. Dexter has now proven that it has a set formula and that the show is in many ways too scared to stray from its chosen path.

Dexter is not a show like Breaking Bad which takes risks and puts it's characters into compromising situations. In Breaking Bad, Walt's wife has now found out that he is a drug dealer, this happened 2.5 seasons into the show. In Dexter, Rita never found out, Deb still comes annoyingly close and any character that does find out has to be dealt with in some way by the seasons end. This year three new characters found out that Dexter was a serial killer. Lumen (Julia Stiles) the new love interest, Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller) one of the years Big Bads and Liddy (Peter Weller) a corrupt cop hired by Quinn to spy on Dexter. By the end of the year, two of these people were killed and the other has left Miami. Whilst it's nice to have Lumen out there in the world knowing Dexter's secret, it would have been better to keep her close-by. The show avoided a chance to add a new wrinkle to their formula, Dexter could have had a partner in crime, someone who knew and cared for him even though he was a serial killer. Dexter needed something like this to shake up it's formula five years in. Sadly this didn't happen and so Dexter is once again alone and no one knows that he is a serial killer.

The other thing that the show needs to stop doing is teasing that Deb will find out that Dexter is a serial killer. Five seasons in and Deb is still coming increasingly close to finding her brother is a serial killer. This year she was less than 10 metres away from him with only a dirty plastic sheet in between the two of them. Progressively over the season she began to see that the murders of certain people (i.e. the people who raped and almost killed Lumen) were necessary and decided to let the pair of vigilantes (her brother and Lumen) go without even seeing them. What makes this so annoying is that a moment like this has happened in every single preceding season. It would be alright if it was only a recent occurrence or used sparingly, but it's not, the show continues to use this plot point. I'm beginning to lose my faith in the writers at this point, if I can't trust them to go through with this then there's not much I can trust them with. I know it probably won't happen until the end of the show, as the writers themselves said that once Deb finds out the show is over, but then they need to downplay her finding out so it stops being infuriating. It would be a big change to the formula of the show but it doesn't have to be the end, of course if done wrong the show could spiral out of control, but done right and the show enters a creative renaissance. Five years into the show something big has to happen and clearly Rita's death at the end of Season Four was not it. Season 6 needs to rectify this in some-way or I might be done with Dexter.

But Dexter Season 5 wasn't horrid, just infuriating and that was purely from the formula that every season of Dexter follows. The show is stale but there's enough there to like. Michael C. Hall is still one of the best actors on television and Jennifer Carpenter is still enjoyable as Deb. The police side of the show is never as interesting as Dexter's but I still like characters like Masuka and Quinn. Then the new elements of Season 5 were all very good, Julia Stiles and Jonny Lee Miller were both great and I wish that Julia Stiles could stick around or show up in future seasons, because I did like Lumen as a character. But standing head and shoulders above those two was Peter Weller (aka Robocop) as Liddy. Whilst Peter Weller is no John Lithgow, he was just hamming it up and having a hell of a time as the corrupt cop. He was a joy to watch in every scene he was in, and I'm slightly annoyed he didn't live out the season to become a thorn in Dexter's side, but again that's not how Dexter works as a show.

I'm beginning to waver on Dexter, I still enjoy the core of the show, particularly Michael C. Hall as Dexter and I always enjoy the guest stars they rope in for each season, but it's getting stale. Something big needs to happen in Season 6 of Dexter, be it a large twist or just announcing that Season 7 will be the last year so they can create a story that extends on for more than one season. Dexter has my attention for at least one more year but unless it's starts to show some degree of risk taking I might be out come the end of 2011.

7/10

Favourite TV Shows 2009 - Top 10

I know I've put the title top 10 up in the title, but it's actually a top 11, so already I'm lying, also apologies for not getting this up sooner but a mixture of snow (and not actually being too ill this year to take advantage of it) and jumping back into school right in the middle of mocks means that I'm really quite busy. I'll have more time come summer once exams and the television season are over, but really this being done quite disjointedly whenever I have a free moment and I'm not trying to maintain a social life and my education. Not easy to say the least.

But here we go, my favourite shows of 2009.

11. Scrubs
Scrubs hit its eighth season (and technically ninth) this year, and whilst the past few seasons had been disappointing, it’s hard to say that Season 8 wasn’t an overall success. Whilst some people began to experience ‘show fatigue’, overall this eighth season was a huge return to form. Gone was the cartoony buffoon that JD had become over the preceding few seasons. Also gone were the over long fantasy sequences that had plagued the past few season. Overall, Season 8 was just back to basics Scrubs which is what we wanted all along. With one of the best episodes that Scrubs has ever made in the form of ‘My Last Words’ and a perfect finale, Scrubs Season 8 was an absolute winner, even if it did come a couple of years too late.

10. Glee
People who know might have expected to see this one a bit higher, and whilst I do deeply love Glee, it's only had 13 episodes and there were better shows from 2009. Glee is kind of the spawn of High School Musical and Freaks & Geeks. It definitely errs more towards Freaks & Geeks which is definitely a positive, considering how well regarded those 18 episodes of F&G are. Glee takes popular and show tunes and then has them be covered by the outcasts of the Glee club. It sounds like a crap idea for a show, but a mixture of the talent and it being really quite cynical about high school life make it great. Jane Lynch is superb as Sue Sylvester, one of the best comedy characters produced this year (along with Ron 'freaking' Swanson) and the rest of the cast are just as enjoyable. The show might sound like a real hard sell but overall it just works, the songs are well done, the cast is great and it just exudes happiness. It might be camp as fuck, but I love Glee and cannot wait to see what's coming in the back 9 (with an episode directed by Joss Whedon!!!)

9. True Blood
The best vampire fiction to be debuted in the post Twilight fervor. It's more adult, funnier, sexier and more enjoyable. More events are crammed into one hour of True Blood than almost any other show on television. Whilst it's easy to say that True Blood is shit, that's mostly from people who can't see the camp and humourous side to the show. You're supposed to realise that none of this is supposed to be taken seriously. There are so many great moments within True Blood that can make you laugh or even occasionally cry. There are some great characters and the plot just moves at such an unbelievable pace. Whilst the show does occasionally slip up (look at the long and protracted Maenad arc in Season 2) pound for pound, it offers the most content and enjoyability a week for each episode.

8. Parks and Recreation
Easily the best show to debut in 2009, Parks and Recreation started out slow. However like the US Office, it quickly found it's feet and when it came back for its second season it was firing on all cylinders. The characters were meshing and the writing was tighter. Everything was just working now and what went from one more tepid shows from earlier on in the year has become one of my absolute favourites. It's easily the best out of NBC's Thursday Night comedy lineup (far better than Community which flits between good and bad episodes) and one I want to see survive for a while. Hopefully it won't become like The Office where it just seems to run out of ideas, but when you have a scene stealing character as Ron 'Freaking' Swanson, I don't really mind how long it stays on the air, just so long as it maintains it's current quality.

7. How I Met Your Mother
Still my favourite overall comedy on television. Mostly because of some incredibly inventive writing and Neil Patrick Harris' portrayal of Barney Stinson. It's not the most critically acclaimed comedy on television but for me, in terms of laughs, I will get a couple of good laughs an episode and that's honestly all I really want from a comedy. We're barreling into How I Met Your Mother episode 100 tomorrow and I can't wait to see what the show does to celebrate it's longevity. HIMYM is probably the best example of a classic sitcom still on television, especially compared to the other awful examples that still exist (apart from BBT). I don't really care if we never find out who the mother is, the show is always funnier when not focusing on that story and again, it's really only the humour that matters.

6. Dexter
Dexter came back for Season 4 far stronger than it left us at the end of Season 3. Whilst Season 3 wasn't bad, it certainly wasn't as good as Season 1 or 2. It moved at a far slower pace and whilst Michael C. Hall was fantastic, as well as the stellar performance from Jimmy Smitts, they were still the two main pulls. Luckily Season 4 not only had the stellar performance of Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow, the story was a lot more exciting and delivered some terrific twists (seriously that last scene was such a curveball and just changes how the show will be next season). I can't wait for Season 5 now with such a changed landscape. My only wish is that an end date gets announced because the concept of the show is one that begs for an endpoint, we can't keep following everyone's favourite serial killer for 6 years and not have any kind conclusion. So whilst I'm sure Season 5 will be just as good, the show needs to end within the next year or two if it wants to go out on top.

5. Supernatural
I started the year watching Supernatural Season thinking it was decent yet seriously flawed show. After a couple of months break and I kept seeing good things about the show. So I decided to get over my trepidation and watch Season 2, which blew my mind. It was such a solid season of television that perfected pretty much everything that was wrong with Season 1. It was the strength of this season that led me to watch all of Season 3 and 4 before Season 5 premiered. It was such a fun ride and whilst Season 3 has sooo many flaws it doesn't harm the overall feel of the show at all. Supernatural is just a great show from start to finish. It mixes standalone and mythology based episodes with such precision that it always feel like the show is continuing and now we're actually moving into the final 12 episodes of a story 5 years in the making. I couldn't be more excited to see Eric Kripke is taking us on the final stretch of episodes. The show is a superb mixture of humour and drama and the supernatural that just make it winner overall and also a sucess story when it comes to networks messing with their writers story in the fact that they promised a five year story and that's what we're getting (even if the show is renewed this year).

4. Chuck
Chuck is just fun, a hell of a lot of fun. I can't believe that last year I only ranked the show at 11. Chuck didn't really improve in 2009, it stayed true to what it was but somehow it just clicked and became one of the shows that I'd just want to watch over and over again. Season 2 was an amazing season of television and I'm so glad that we're getting a third season (which starts tonight). Chuck just wins on so many levels. It's abashedly geeky with so many film and game references, it has quite possibly the best guest cast on television with it being almost guaranteed that anybody in a one time guest role or even a recurring arc will be incredible and the fact that it has one of the best soundtracks on television. The show is never anything less than it what it aims for and it does so perfectly. The entire is cast is great and there are so many great moments throughout the season (JEFFSTER!!!). Chuck is action packed and hilarious and a show that wouldn't give up for anything, whilst my other favourite new show from 2007 might have died, I'm glad that Chuck is sticking around to give me one of the most pure fun hours of television that I can find each week.

3. Lost
Last year Lost was number 3 because there were 2 better shows. This year, Lost is number 3 because not only were there 2 better shows, but also Lost didn't actually have an amazing year in Season 5. Not that the show wasn't brilliant, Season 5 was still fantastic, it just wasn't as good as it has been in Season 3 or 4. Whilst we're still barreling along at an impressive pace. The show was setting up all the pieces for Season 6. We got the normal fantastic acting, great twists and great writing but overall it just seemed the show was hitting the normal stratospheric heights that it hit in Season 4 with episodes like 'The Constant'. Luckily when it comes to Lost, even an episode that can only be labeled 'good', it's just better than 95% of everything else on television. The show is going to have an incredible sixth season, I'm sure, and since it is one of my favourite shows ever, I'm sure it'll top my list next year. But before we move onto Season 6, let's focus on some great moments from Season 5. Episodes such as 'The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham', 'Dead is Dead' and 'The Variable' were all superb. And there was the finale, which I'll talk about in my next blog post based on top episodes.

2. Breaking Bad
If it hadn't been for the number 1 show, this would have been there with a bullet. But I think we all know what number 1 is. Breaking Bad is another show I regret putting so low last year (number 10? what on earth was thinking), it's just a phenomenal show. Everything about it just drips quality. The writing is darkly funny and the acting is incredible. Bryan Cranston is a revelation but in Season 2, Aaron Paul really stepped up the game and was going head to head with Cranston in so many scenes and just elevated the season above pretty much everything on television. The frequent foreshadowing used during the beginning of episodes, incredible set up as well as some genuinely disturbing scenes scattered throughout the season, really made it stick out in my head. When a show has only aired 20 episodes and already people can be asking whether or not it's deserving to be on not just end of the year lists but end of decade lists, you know you have a winner. Season 3 starts in March, which still feels so very long away.

1. Mad Men
Mad Men is the best show on television at the moment. No other show is anywhere near as good. At all. Lost on the whole might be and Breaking Bad is close, but Mad Men is just transcendent. Like The Wire it just feels like a perfect whole. Everything comes together in such a satisfying way. The performances, the writing, the set decoration and costumes. It might be a slow burn but when it gets to the end it just feels like so much has happened. The way show mixes in real life events over the top of the characters lives just seems amazing and...and...you know what I go into a massive long stream of hyperbole of what makes this show work. Essays can be written about it's tone and style, analysing the characters motives. But all you really need to know is that, yes it's as superb as you've heard and if you're not watching it you should be. It's one of the greatest televisions shows ever produced and should be seen a lot more outside of those people who actually take critics opinions seriously (they like stuff you've never heard of for a reason, it's just better than the shit you watch).

Of Dexter Season 4

Well it's been a year, Dexter has come to an end once again. This really does mark an end to 2009 American television. Whilst Brits have a plethora of Christmas television to get excited all the big American shows are over. Glee ended last week, Mad Men has been of for weeks and we're now counting to the mid-season premieres of shows like Lost, Chuck and Breaking Bad.

Luckily 2009 ended in spectacular fashion for what has been a fantastic year in television. So Dexter Season 4 was a great improvement over Season 3. Whilst Season 3 was great, it larked the spark of Dexter in Season 1 and 2. Even though the show will probably scale to the heights of Season 1 and those tense last few episodes of Season 2, the show is still absolutely fantastic.

If you've followed my blog long enough then I'm sure you know that Michael C. Hall is superb as Dexter. One of those perfect character/actor blends. But I've spoken way to much about how great his performance in my other Dexter blog posts. So instead this year I'm going to focus on two other actors who made Season 4 so great.

Whilst Michael C. Hall takes almost all of the spotlight for the show, especially since he is named in the title, the other characters on the show are often overshadowed. Julie Benz as Rita is decent but comes off as a tad unlikeable. Also whilst LaGuerta and Batista are likable they're aren't the main draw for the show. The show has had tremendous talent such as Erik King's character of Doakes whose death was certainly one of the more annoying things about that second season finale and Jimmy Smits as Miguel Prado in Season 3 was absolutely brilliant.

But how was Season 4 going to top Jimmy Smits' performance? Well by hiring John Lithgow of course! John Lithgow was absolutely incredible this past season on the show as the Trinity Killer as one of the most detestable serial killers ever put to screen. He abuses his family and has killed four people a year for the past 30 years. Honestly this performance is a tour de force. He's someone you hate and yet whenever he's on screen you just can't look away. You know he could snap at any minute and whenever he's on screen it just ratchets up the tension a staggering amount. Truly one of the best performances that I've seen all year.

Then there was Jennifer Carpenter as Deborah Morgan. Whilst she might be as incredible as her real life husband Michael C. Hall, she holds her own and has to deal with some extremely tricky pieces of acting through the season. Reacting to her loves death at the hands of Trinity as well as finding out that the Ice Truck Killer (Season 1) was her step-brothers brother. She buoys all her scenes with some great emotional actor and has definitely moved on in leaps and bounds since Season 1.

This season of Dexter was interesting off the bat with the idea of that there was someone out there killing all these people and logically Dexter wanted to stop him, but was balancing this with his family and newborn son. However then the first twist of the season came. Trinity wasn't some loner, instead he was a family man, who went to church and built houses for the homeless. Whilst at first the season stalled after this, all was rectified by the time we got to 'Hungry Man'. An absolutely superb episode where we learned the true nature of Trinity and spun the season on to a truly fantastic final string of episodes.

Whilst in the end we all knew what the outcome would be, it was still so tense. Trinity was matching Dexter, and whilst he may not have been as closer as any of the innumerable killers that Dexter has had to dispatch, this one definitely had the biggest impact. Trinity was evil and had a system which he sadly managed to somewhat carry out in the finale episode of the season.

Many people have commented that ending to Season 4 of Dexter was similar to that of 24 Season 1 but that doesn't take away the impact. The finale was great up until that point including the poignant final scene between Dexter and Trinity but it's when we get to see the true extent of his evil. Trinity did not no other killer had done and killed someone close to Dexter, Rita. Those final few minutes of Dexter finding his wife in a bath tub of her own blood (echoing Trinity's first kill on the show) and his son on the floor, covered in her blood (echoing Dexter's own gateway to become a killer) were almost poetic. Upsetting but poetic but really leave us wanting to know what's going to happen in Season 5.

However this leads me to a final point. Whilst Dexter Season 4 was fantastic, the show NEEDS to announce an end date. Dexter is a show that has finite concept. We can't follow Dexter forever and the show needs to end soon. It also doesn't help that Season 2 felt like a final season and that we knew that Season 4 wouldn't be the last. The moment the show announces an end date the tension is really going to ratchet up to levels not seen since Season 2. Luckily the show managed to do something that changes the show this year but it would be nice for a two season arc, but every single season wraps everything in a bow which is quite grating (paticularly Season 2). So please Dexter, end next year whilst you're still on top. Sadly shows that get record breaking ratings in their fourth season don't go away easily. Ahh well Season 6 maybe?

In conclusion Dexter Season 4 was fantastic. It might not be better than Season 1 or 2 but was definitely better than the glacial Season 3 and actually did something that is going to change the show (hopefully for the better). John Lithgow was absolutely superb and we got the normal brilliance from Michael C. Hal. Now that the show has done something to significantly shake up the status quo going into their fifth season, I can't wait to see what happens next. Sadly we're going till next September to find out what the true impacts of this event were.

9/10

Favourite TV Shows 2008 - #05 Dexter

Even with a weaker third season, Dexter is still one of the best all round shows on the television. I've already gone into why Dexter is so great so I'm going to keep this review exceedingly succinct.

For starters for my review of Dexter season 3 click here

As a brief summary Dexter is a serial killer, who only kills other serial killers. He might seem to be an absolute evil character but instead we actually feel for him. This is mostly due to Michael C. Hall's incredible performance as the title character. There are few absolutely amazing performances left anywhere and this is one of them. Along with Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh, Heath Ledger as the Joker, Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus and Bryan Cranston as Walter White this is a performance that just needs to be seen to be believed. It is a performance that simply transcends the show and makes it must watch TV (even during this weaker season).

This being a weaker season is also the reason why it has fallen from two to five. Season 2 was about as tense as television can possibly get. This season seemed to suffer from the amazingness that was season 2. Whilst the story is still gripping and the acting amazing (seriously Jimmy Smitts = God), it was sort of overshadowed by last season. Dexter is still incredible I just hope it didn't peak to early as there are still at least two seasons left. Which whilst being a good thing, I'd hate to think that Season 2 was the best overall season (although it does have the weakest finale).

Dexter is still a powerhouse and a show I wouldn't give up watching because it is television at its best. However unlike last year where only Lost was better (although some people would say that is debatable) I watched four shows which were just better this year. Trust me if you know me then you can probably guess what these four shows. However today I'm going to say track down Dexter Seasons 1 and 2. Get hooked then come back and watch this, trust me you will not regret it (unless of course you have some serious problem with serial killers).

Of Dexter Season 3

Alright I said that I would be reviewing this and I keep my promises. It's up a bit late because at the moment I'm in France and whilst there is wi-fi out here, my laptop packed up half way through a music binge (I think I've downloaded 500 songs since Sunday.) So that sort of delayed this post, however here it is, Dexter Season 3 in all its glory.

A brief summary of Dexter is that Dexter is a serial killer. A serial killer that only kills other serial killers. The fun of the show comes from the fact that even know you know that Dexter is evil, you can't help but root for him. Part of this comes from Michael C. Hall's superb perfmormance that actually makes you feel for the character. Each season introduces a season long arc for a paticualr serial killer, season 1 was the Ice Truck Killer, season 2 is the Bay Harbour Butcher and this season it was The Skinner. However this isn't the only story, each season introduces a little personal story for Dexter and how is supposed to interact with the "normal" people around, along with personal stories for the rest of cast (because they too must have something to do).

Dexter Season 3 another great season for Dexter, however I'm going to get my first niggle out of the way, it isn't anywhere near as great as Dexter Season 2. Yes the finale of Season 2 didn't keep up the awesomeness of the rest of the season, but overal Season 2 of Dexter is about as good as television will ever get. There is a real tenseness to Season 2 due to the fact that it is Dexter that is being hunted this time instead of some other killer. It is season 2 that just leaves you on the edge of your seat at the end of each episode just wanting to know what happens next. And that is my biggest complaint for Season 3. It just lost something from Season 2, mostly due to the fact that Season 2 could have easily been a last season story-arc which was instead used for the shows second season. Instead Season 3 focuses on a story of friendship.

Whilst that sounds completely rubbish (I mean the serial killer makes a friend doesn't sound like the greatest pitch ever), the writers of Dexter make the story a great watch. Whilst the tension is mostly gone, it doesn't mean the show isn't a great watch. You are constantly guessing whats going to happen next. This season Dexter isn't actually involved in the big serial killer of the season story, instead the show focuses almost all of Dexter's time on his making friends with Miguel Prado (played superbly by Jimmy Smitts). Oh and a wedding. That's what makes the show fun, Dexter dealing with normal life problems whilst going out and murdering people at night. He has a girlfriend, he has a job, he has an appartment and he even has daddy issues but the show makes it fun to watch this seemingly normal stuff just because of who Dexter is.

Whilst the Dexter storyline this year is fun from start to finish, I will say I enjoyed the serial killer storyline that bit more. Yes Dexter's girlfriend Rita and Miguel Prado are great characters, it was just more fun watching Dexter's sister Deb and the rest of the police force try and track down the Skinner. Then with excellent form the storylines merge and you end up with a great finale. It was also nice to see some plot points left over for Season 4 because both Season 1 and 2 wrapped up everything in an over wrought way (if you've watched Season 2 you'll understand what I mean).

It's a fantastic season of television just not as fantastic as Season 2 or 1. Definately watch it for Michael C. Hall and Jimmy Smitts performances and also for this seasons police storyline just because I'm a fan of a good murder mystery (hence my love for Veronica Mars) 8.5/10.

Favourite TV Shows 2007

Well here is my list of favourite television shows and episodes of 2007. It was quite a year, looking forward to what 2008 brings.

1. Lost
Lost is the best show on television, Period. I have yet to come across a show which can beat it in terms of story or characters. The story is continually engaging and characters like Ben, Locke, Desmond and Eko keep me coming back for more and more. Whilst Season 3 started slowly it got into its stride and then kept going only to slow up during that ruddy tattoo episode.

OMG LOST SEASON 4 = FREAKING AWESOME

2. Dexter
Dexter is the best show on television (wait didn’t I already say that?). Okay best show that doesn’t involve an island. Dexter had a superb first season and the second is even better. Dexter has had me drawn in with suspense and amazing acting since the first episode. Michael C. Hall deserves every acting award under the sun for what he’s done with the character of Dexter.

3. Firefly
A show I ashamedly only watched this year, Firefly was an awesome show which I binge watched in a day along with the movie Serenity. Firefly is a show that shouldn’t have been cancelled and gets this high on my list not only because it’s amazing but because I want to show it my (belated) support and pray that it comes back in any shape or form.

4. Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is the best new show of 2007. The style and concepts are perfect and help give the show a real Tim Burton-esque feel. The show boasts lightning wit and has already become the critics darling. My only wish is for its continued sucess around the world. Which is I am pledging to get as many people as I can to watch it when comes to the UK. Even if it does mean that I will have to watch ITV1 *groan*

5. The Wire
The Wire is a novel. There is no other way to describe it, if you miss a single episode you’re f*****. However the show includes a massive array of characters and each episode focuses on multiple plot points, and it makes it work (unlike the stodgy mess that Heroes has become). The Wire is another show that I did not get into until this year but unlike another show that I started watching this year (24) I’m gonna keep this up till it finishes

6. South Park
South Parkis hilarious. It’s crude yet socially applicable at the same time. South Park is the only show I can think off that can take the piss of events going on in the real world whilst having an array of characters that are completely off the wall (talking poo and a towel, come on!!). However South Park makes it work and provides continuous laughs week in, week out.

7. Doctor Who
Oh Doctor Who you’re still an awesome show but can you please get rid of the Deus Ex Machina endings you seem to incorporate into you’re finales? You have an awesome build up towards the last episode of the series but they always end up disappointing. Episodes like Blink, Family of Blood and Utopia show that you are still one of the best shows on TV. So I want you to make me a promise next year Stephen Moffat is going to write the finale. Okay?

8. Heroes
Heroes started of really well. The story and characters were awesome and there was definite sense of motivation, then the season 1 finale happened. It was terrible. Heroes could have still made my top 5 shows of the year if it came back in the autumn with all the bravado it seemingly left behind the season’s penultimate episode, but sadly it didn’t and suffered for it. We didn’t want more build up; we wanted super powers and action. Then there’s the fact that they became too bogged down with the cast. Too many stories per episode meant that the pacing faltered and urgency was lost. Episodes like Company Man where there are only one or two storylines and the shows strength and they should make more like it. This making me sound negative isn't it, Heroes was good but then they just couldn't carry the story and the writers have admitted they screwed up so I can't wait for the next batch of episodes (a re-powered Sylar already has me salivating)

9. Chuck
Chuck is another new show. Chuck is a show that encompasses a lot of the changing perspective of the world. Not like religion or stuff like that but on the view of geeks. Geeks used to be the stereotypical bloke who wears white shirts, plays dungeons and dragons and lives in his mother’s basement. However shows like Chuck, show that it is the time of the geek. Zachary Levi is a natural fit as the awkward Chuck and really with the amount of references to geek topics (video games, gadgets), it’s a show I wouldn’t miss for the world.

10. Top Gear
Oh Top Gear why do have be so difficult? You’re not a comedy yet you’re funnier than most shows on television. Really Top Gear is a show I shouldn’t like. But I love it. I want to put it higher but…I can’t. Because of what it is, a magazine show. I have a loathing for all things without a storyline. Only Top Gear has been able to slip past my net and I intend to keep it that way.

Honourable Mentions:

Jekyll

My Name is Earl

Scrubs

I loved all these shows but they just didn’t do enough to make my list. Jekyll was a great show. But since it won’t be back next year I didn’t want to put it on my list. Scrubs had a lacklustre season (even if My Musical was great) and My Name is Earl failed to deliver as much as it did in its first season.

Maybe Next Year:

Veronica Mars

Started watching this a few days ago and already I can tell it’s gonna be good. Shame it got cancelled, but as we can see with Firefly I don’t really care if a show got the boot or not

EDIT - Having watched most of season one of Veronica Mars (binge watched it over the holidays not in time for this blog update) I can safely say that it would have made my list of favourite shows. The show is amazing. Funny, dramatic and damn good yarn. I HEART VERONICA MARS is all I can say (why didn't I start sooner?!?!?)

Favourite Episodes:

1. Flashes Before Your Eyes Lost

Just wow. Sheer awesome. Best hour of television I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching.

2. Blink Doctor Who

Stephen Moffat is a genius. Blink showed his incredible skill and talent and was only let down by the bit at the end when he tried to scare the little kiddies and even that was only a few secs long.

3. Pie-Lette Pushing Daisies

Not many shows can get me hooked just by watching the first episode, but Pushing Daisies did and with style (and a large slice of pie)

4. Through the Looking Glass Lost

The series finale of Lost showed how amazing the writers were with a twist at the end that I sadly spoiled for myself and wish I hadn’t. Still and awe-inspiring episode though.

5. Top Gear the American One Top Gear

The funniest hour of television ever, I nearly wet my self on multiple occasions. Top Gear doing what it did best, have three guys piss around in a couple of cars for a few days and film it.

6. Fantastic Easter Special South Park

By far the best episode of South Park the year. A pitch perfect spoof of the Da Vinci Code and at the same commented on how stupid the idea of an Easter Bunny was.

7. Ariel Firefly

A highlight of my year was buying Firefly on DVD. Ariel was the highlight of that experience. Ariel was Firefly at its best and hate awesome plot points and character moments (that scene with Jayne and Mal at the end was awesome)

8. Out of Gas Firefly

When I saw a bit of this on television I thought it was just a flashback episode but it was so much more. The story played out in a non-linear fashion and really showed how creative some writers are.

9. My Musical Scrubs

My Musical was wickedly funny episode featuring so many jokes from Scrubs’ past. The songs were great (Guy Love being the best) and even had its poignant moments that make Scrubs one of the funniest but also dramatic shows on television.

10. Company Man Heroes

Company Man is Heroes at its finest. One story line with lots of the main characters interacting with each other, and the flashbacks helped fill in Mr. Bennet’s past. Also it was the final episode featuring the amazing Christopher Eccleston and the last episode written by Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller.