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Ben's Top 40 Albums of 2013 (Top 40 Albums Up)
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Member Since: 9/26/2001
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Oh, you know what I do for the movie list. LET'S GO.
41) Not the most interesting premise ever, but that may just be part of its charm, given the team behind it. I'll put it on my radar.
40) I'm not a good Godzilla fan at all. I just now got around to watching the teaser today, and my god, it's a REAL Godzilla film made outside of Japan! And my anticipation just skyrocketed into the outer reaches of space.
39) David Cross directing a film? *writes down the word "Hits" under Red's Must See list*
38) Wait, THAT'S what Jude Law looks like for this film? Jesus christ, we may just have a replacement for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Well...a chubbier, balding Wolverine, but still! Like the concept, too!
37) Sadly, it's not about HARVEY Birdman. But that plot synopsis has made this my second most anticipated film on the list so far behind Godzilla. That has potential to be glorious.
36) Garry Shandling is the third-to-last name mentioned on your cast list. If that doesn't say something about the strength of your cast, nothing will.
35) Sorry, not buying it. Wasn't a big fan of Bad Teacher, and I'm expecting similar results here. HOWEVER, if anyone can save Jake Kasdan, it's Jason Segel.
34) Simply put, this movie looks MASSIVE. The cast, the production, everything. If this winds up being a failure (commercially or critically), I will be surprised.
33) The Muppets was so freaking great that my anticipation for a sequel began around the moment that the movie ended. The trailer just amped that anticipation up to infinity. Is it just me, or does this feel like a more modern mashup of The Muppet Movie and The Muppets Take Manhattan? The celeb cameos (Muppet Movie), the outlandish story (Manhattan), the hilarious villain (Manhattan, though Movie had its moments), the recipe is all there. And my god, Danny Trejo saying "Wakka Wakka". DANNY TREJO. SAYING "Wakka Wakka"!
32) An action/comedy on a micro-budget. This could either be really interesting or really bad.
31) THE BOG IS BACK!
30) I tend to be interested in anything Kristen Wiig is in nowadays, but that plot synopsis and the Ferrell/McKay combo sold me.
29) First of all, WHAT A NAME! Now THAT is a movie title. Second, WHAT A PLOT! Now THAT is a movie plot. Third, WHAT A BLURB! Now THAT is a Ben blurb.
28) They'll never stop the X-Men/Have no fears, they've got stories for years, like/X-Men past and present/Joining together for a kickass movie...say hello to my most anticipated movie of 2014.
27) BIG EYES? MORE LIKE BIG FISH 2, AMIRITE? Like the story, love that Krysten Ritter is in the movie, LOVE that Cristoph Waltz is being directed by Tim Burton, and ADORE that Burton and the Ed Wood writers are teaming up again. Recipe for success.
26) I saw the trailer for this and...I was completely lost, I don't mind admitting it. However, I'm intrigued!
25) All you need is Apes, Apes...Apes are all you need.
24) Shohreh! Haven't heard from her in years, it seems like. But really, that's not why we're excited. It's all about THE DIRECTORIAL DEBUT OF UNCLE JONNY! The big key is, as you mentioned, the connection Stewart shares with the story itself. This has a lot of potential.
23) And we go from one interesting story to another, this one involving Jonah Hill! THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING.
22) Cameron Crowe...directing Bill Murray. And that's the game.
21) Here's one that I'm worried about. I want this to be as grand and as outrageous as possible, but I'm terrified that Christian and Catholic groups will try to stop that from happening. Believe me, I want to see Aronofsky's vision. This is his dream project, and coming from a guy who has given us Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream, The Wrestler, and The Fountain, it says a lot that this is the movie I'm most looking forward to of his.
21 down, 20 to go!
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Member Since: 3/5/2011
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So excited for Godzilla and X-Men
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20. While We’re Young
Release Date: TBA 2014
Directed and Written by Noah Baumbach
Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Driver, Charles Grodin, Adam “The King Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Dree Hemingway, Maria Dizzia, Brady Corbet, Matthew Maher, Ryan Serhant
It's a great time to be a Noah Baumbach fan. Fresh off the success of 2013's Frances Ha, which is maybe my favourite movie of the year, Baumbach will release the long-gestating While We're Young, a movie about "an uptight documentary filmmaker (Stiller) and his wife (Watts) find their lives loosened up a bit after befriending a free-spirited younger couple (Seyfried, Driver)." The movie was originally going to be made shortly after Baumbach's Greenberg (one of my favourite movies of the past five years), with James Franco and Greta Gerwig as the young couple, and Cate Blanchett as the wife. Stiller has always been attached to it, and i'm glad he was able to star in it. I'm a huge Stiller fan, and I think he works so well with Baumbach. They are kindred spirits.
While that post-Greenberg version would have likely been great, I think the version that was made will ultimately be the better movie, not just from casting (look at that photo of Adam Driver!! He is going to incredible in it), but because Baumbach made it after Frances Ha. Again, I love Baumbach's movies, but Frances Ha was him reaching an even higher level. That movie had the energy of a young filmmaker with something to prove, not a director in his 40s who has been making movies since the mid '90s. I cannot wait to see it, and seriously, look at the cast! Grodin!!! Ad-Rock!!! Can I Fandango my ticket for this right now?
Note: Baumbach will likely have two movies out in 2014, as he directed a low-budget untitled movie set at a public school, which stars Greta Gerwig and Lola Kirke (Jemima's sister). I told you it was a great time to be a Baumbach fan!
19. Jupiter Ascending
Release Date: July 25, 2014
Directed and Written by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Starring Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Douglas Booth, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, James D’arcy, Terry Gilliam, Vanessa Kirby
I love the creative resurgence of The Wachowskis. Speed Racer is an amazing movie (I have written about it at least twice on ATRL. Search around and you should find my thoughts on it), and their last movie Cloud Atlas (which they made with Tom Twyker) was such a massive undertaking, so ambitious in its scale and scope, that I personally believe they pulled off. Both Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas are movies devoid of cynicism, and movies that have been attacked by the awful Gawkers of the world for that. They are such amazing filmmakers, and they take us to worlds that other directors could only dream of attempting and pulling off as well as they do.
Which leads into Jupiter Ascending, another big swing from Andy and Lana. To quote the plot "In a universe where humans are near the bottom of the evolutionary ladder, a young destitute human woman is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe because her very existence threatens to end the Queen's reign." Now, that plot synopsis alone is a lot to take in. And I have seen the trailer, and that is also a sensory overload. But I trust them. Who else is making massive world building Sci-Fi right now, that is based on an original concept? I thank The Wachowskis, and also especially thank Warner Bros for funding it. Both Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas were not big box office hits*, but yet WB continues to believe in The Wachowskis, giving them tons of money to make these movies that no one else is making. While eighteen other movies rank above Jupiter Ascending, it is maybe the one I am rooting for the most. I hope it's a big hit, so they can finally get the recognition that they deserve. Movies like Blade Runner and The Thing failed at the box office, but they are movies that we site as some of the best of their respective genres. The Wachowskis have delivered two of those recently, and i'm hoping that Jupiter joins them (well, besides the whole underperforming at the box office thing. Obviously!).
*though in the case of Cloud Atlas, it was mostly funded internationally, so WB wasn't hurt much by its small box office take.
18. 22 Jump Street
Release Date: June 13, 2014
Directed by Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Written by Michael Bacall, Rodney Rothman
Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Wyatt Russell, Jillian Bell, Amber Stevens, Lucas Brothers, Nick Offerman, Rob Riggle
I am going to be saying this again later on in this countdown, but i'll say it first right now: Phil Lord & Chris Miller are wizards. They take projects that other directors would do a poor job of (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, the #11 movie on my list, this), and instead bring so much originality into everything they do. 21 Jump Street was not supposed to be a good movie, let alone a movie that was really funny, had great action, and actually had a decent story with characters that you cared about (scripted by Scott Pilgrim vs. The World co-writer Michael Bacall, who is back for the sequel). The movie had a lot of smart ideas, including many funny meta jokes about the movie as a reboot of a previously existing property (mostly in the scenes with Nick Offerman's character, who returns for the sequel).
So, can they do it again with 22 Jump Street? Judging from the hilarious first trailer, I think they are on their way! Again, Lord and Miller are WIZARDS, just when you think you can count them out, they surprise you. The concept for the sequel is about Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill going undercover at a college to crack a crime ring within a frat. The action looks even bigger than the original, the premise is funny (with Offerman's character winkingly explaining that they will be instead working out of 22 Jump Street, right across the street from their old HQ). I am also very excited to see the wonderful Jillian Bell in a big part. Best known for playing Jillian on Workaholics, Bell is one of the funniest comedians right now (she's a Groundlings alum, the same school that gave us Will Ferrell, Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, among others), and I think she is really due to breakout in a big way. Comedy sequels are hit and miss (mostly miss), but I think we are currently in the middle of an upswing for them. I saw Anchorman 2 a couple days ago, and it was really hilarious, with plenty of weird and absurdist moments. With 22 Jump Street looking promising, one other movie coming up later on this list, and sequels to MacGruber and Wet Hot American Summer in the beginning stages, I think we are thankfully in a great period for the comedy sequel. Hooray!
17. Foxcatcher
Release Date: TBA 2014 (maybe a spring/summer release?)
Directed by Bennett Miller
Written by E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
Starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller, Anthony Michael Hall, Tara Subkoff, Brett Rice, Lee Perkins
I placed this movie last year, as it was supposed to come out in the fall for Oscar season. But it was pushed back, as Bennett Miller didn't want to be rushed. Good for Miller, as the holiday season is already packed enough with movies as it is. Now Foxcatcher will be away from this year's insane glut, and get a chance to shine on its own terms.
During this period, a trailer for the movie actually leaked. I don't know if you can still find it online, maybe only embedded on random Tumblrs? In any case, it looks so great. Carell is really going for it, playing Jon du Pont with such scary determination in his eyes. Carell is usually so huggable and sweet (sweet Brick), but in portraying du Pont, he really is playing into some of the more sinister characteristics of Michael Scott or Andy in The 40-Year Old Virgin. The characteristics that are subtly present in those characters, but that we don't think about because we love Carell so much. It is not just the Steve Carell show, however, as Channing Tatum also looks really quite excellent in the little footage seen, as Mark Schultz. I am so happy that everyone now knows that Tatum is a great actor with range (from his great dramatic work with Steven Soderbergh, to him being the funniest part in 21 Jump Street). The Foxcatcher story is very compelling from what I know of it, and I like Bennett Miller a lot as a director. This is definitely one to keep an eye on next year.
16. Gone Girl
Release Date: October 3, 2014
Directed by David Fincher
Written by Gillian Flynn
Starring Rosamund Pike, Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, Missi Pyle, Casey Wilson, Lola Kirke
When Gone Girl first became a literary sensation (both commercially and critically), the talk instantly went to who should direct the eventual movie? And even before he was attached, David Fincher's name came up often. So when he officially came on board, was it predictable? Maybe, but just because something is a predictable choice doesn't mean the finished project won't be fantastic. Because it likely will! His last movie, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was really great, because he elevated the pulpy (and some would say problematic) source material into something great.
Now that Fincher is on board, let's take a gander at this cast. WHAT??? First, Rosamund Pike is an out of the box choice for lead character Amy, but I love it. This was a part (just like with Lisbeth Salander in Dragon Tattoo) that every actress in Hollywood wanted, but Pike won out, and she should do a great job. I last saw her in The World's End, and she was really good with limited screen time. The next lead is Ben Affleck, which is a pretty wild choice in its own right. Casting someone that recognizable in the part. I can't wait to see how Fincher works with Affleck. And then you have the rest of the supporting cast. NPH! Tyler Perry! Casey Wilson! Kim Dickens! The dude from Almost Famous! What a weird but wonderful cast! It will be released in early October, which is the perfect bridge between it being a big commercial hit and a possible awards contender.
15. Finally Famous
Release Date: TBA 2014 (TIFF premiere?)
Directed and Written by Chris Rock
Starring Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, Sherri Shepherd, Kevin Hart, J.B. Smoove, Ben Vereen, Griffin Newman
Chris Rock has achieved more than most comedians ever get to do. He's one of most successful and beloved stand-up comedians of all-time, he had a successful (and Emmy winning) sketch show on HBO in the late '90s, he has acted in high-grossing movies. However, the one thing that Rock hasn't had (which he will be the first to admit) is he hasn't directed and written a movie that he was entirely proud of. While his Chris Rock Show buddy Louis CK gets to take over the world, with his great FX comedy Louie which he writes/directs/stars, Rock hasn't cracked the movies yet, creatively speaking. That will change with Finally Famous.
Finally Famous was put on my radar first through Rock's appearance on Neal Brennan & Moshe Kasher's podcast The Champs. The entire podcast is worth listening to, as it's a great career-spanning interview with Rock. When the interview turns to movies, Finally Famous is brought up, and Brennan mentions how he has read the script and believes that it's the first script of Rock's that is written like his stand-up. Rock is elated, as that was his goal. Rock is an incredible writer of stand-up material, and with Finally Famous he wants to bring that same kind of pointed satire to movies. Here's the premise of the movie:
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Andre Allen is a comedian turned film star who, despite the expectations of his millions of fans, is determined to reinvent himself as a "serious" actor. Although his latest pretentious historical film project is tanking, his upcoming television wedding to pretty, popular reality star Erica Long (Gabrielle Union), is the biggest media event of the year. In the midst of all the frenzy leading up to his televised nuptials, Andre agrees to be interviewed for The New Yorker by Chelsea Brown (Rosairo Dawson), a gorgeous but no-frills young woman with a sharp intelligence that matches his own. It's a feisty, funny, no-holds-barred interaction that may well change the course of both their lives.
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There's a lot of material to work from, just from that short synopsis. As of right now, this is not a movie on a lot of people's radar, but judging from Rock's clear excitement for finally directing and writing a movie he's proud of, and Neal Brennan's endorsement (who is not someone who will puff you up. He will tell you to your face if your thing is garbage) this is definitely one to look out for in 2014. I have a feeling we will be hearing a lot about it.
14.Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Release Date: April 4, 2014
Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Georges St-Pierre, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson
Joe and Anthony Russo are comedy directors, best known for directing the pilots of Arrested Development and Community (as well as many subsequent episodes of both series). And now here they are, directing the sequel to Captain America! One of the things that I love about Marvel Studios is that they often go for the offbeat choice in directors, not just the same people who are offered everything. Shane Black, Joss Whedon, Kenneth Branagh, and a director whose movie is still to come on this list, it's a really amazing roster of talent. The Winter Solider is said to be in the vein of '70s political thrillers like The Conversation, The French Connection, and Three Days of the Condor, which is so cool to hear. It is also said to deal directly with SHIELD (with Three Days of the Condor’s own Robert freakin' Redford as the head of SHIELD), and their shady practices. Captain America is all about old fashioned American idealism, of course he's going to have second thoughts about what SHIELD are doing. It's a great premise for a sequel, and it further proves that no one is beating Marvel Studios right now when it comes to major 100 million+ all ages tentpoles.
13. Manglehorn
Release Date: TBA 2014 (SXSW 2014 premiere?)
Directed by David Gordon Green
Written by David Gordon Green, Paul Logan
Starring Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Chris Messina, Harmony Korine
David Gordon Green is one of my favourites. I have maybe said that in nearly every year-end thread I have done, but it's the truth. Whether he's doing comedy like Pineapple Express or episodes of Eastbound & Down, or heavy dramas like George Washington or Undertow, there are few directors around today that are better than DGG. He came back this year with Prince Avalanche, starring Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch, and it is one of my favourites of the year. A nice blend of his two styles, drama and comedy, into a really wonderful little movie. He also screened JOE this year, at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, which stars Nicolas Cage. Reviews out of the festivals were positive and I can't wait to see it. It is not charting this year, due to having talked about it before, and not knowing when its release date is.
Following those two movies, he shot MANGLEHORN this past fall, a drama. Let me quote to you the plot synopsis:
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AJ Manglehorn is an aging, ordinary guy in a small town. He nurses his sick cat, squeezes out a conversation with the local bank teller every Friday, and eats at the same place every day. But there is more to Manglehorn than meets the eye: he's an ex-con who, 40 years ago, gave up the woman of his dreams for a big 'job'. He now obsesses daily over the choices he made. After a dramatic effort to start over, Manglehorn faces a terrifying moment and is unmasked as a guy with a very, very dark past.
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Doesn't that sound excellent? And with Al Pacino in the role of AJ Manglehorn, it should be something really special. It sounds like a wonderful character-based drama, the kind that DGG is so good at. The rest of the cast is really unique too, with Holly Hunter, Chris Messina (who has starred in many things over the years, but is probably best known as Danny Castellano on The Mindy Project) and ****in' Harmony Korine in a rare acting role (who most recently directed Spring Breakers, a movie that came and went without any attention. Have you guys heard of this movie?). Manglehorn sounds perfectly tailored to my tastes, and I look forward to seeing it sometime next year.
12. Dumb and Dumber To
Release Date: November 14, 2014
Directed Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Written by Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly, Mike Cerrone, Bennett Yellin, Sean Anders, John Morris
Starring Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Kathleen Turner, Laurie Holden, Rob Riggle, Cam Neely, Rachel Melvin, Brady Bluhm
Dumb and Dumber To is one of the best titles I have ever heard. It is genius in its stupidly, which could also describe the original Dumb and Dumber as a whole. Like all of the best sequels, no one was banging down the doors of the Farrellys to make a sequel (despite the first one being a huge box office smash), and it took at least three tries with various studios to get it off the ground. If the Farrellys didn't give a **** about it, they would have dropped it after the second try, but they kept pushing for it to happen. And now here we are! And it worked out perfectly, as it is now timed for the 20 year anniversary of the first one (which came out in December 1994). Like the first one, this will be an awards picture, so other Oscar hopefuls need to keep that in mind before they get crushed by the D&D juggernaut!
There are many other factors that make this of interest to me. Like for example, I cannot wait to see Jeff Daniels as Harry again, especially after two seasons of playing Will McAvoy on The Newsroom. You truly could not think of two characters who are more polar opposite from each other, which shows what an amazing actor Daniels is. Also, in hearing the Farrellys talk about the sequel, they are really treating the characters seriously. Which is why we will see Kathleen Turner play the previously unseen Fraida Felcher, why Brady Bluhm will return to reprise his role as Billy the blind kid, and Cam Neely as Sea Bass, to name just a few of the D&D callbacks/characters that we know will be involved with the sequel. The plot of the movie ("20 years after the events of the first movie, Harry and Lloyd head out in search of one of their long lost children in the hope of gaining a new kidney") sounds like the perfect blend of carrying dramatic weight while also allowing plenty of opportunities for ridiculous gags.
11. The Lego Movie
Release Date: February 7, 2014
Directed and Written by Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Starring Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Cobie Smulders
Remember when I said earlier that Phil Lord snd Chris Miller are wizards? Here's further proof! There's no way a movie based around a brand like LEGO should be good at all. But yet, as Lord and Miller have proven time and time again, the trailers for The LEGO Movie have been really fantastic and laugh-out-loud hilarious. The movie is about Emmet (Chris Pratt), "an ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together." That evil LEGO tyrant goes by the name of President Business, and he is voiced by Will Ferrell! I mean, come on. How great is that?? The rest of the cast includes Elizabeth Banks (as Wyldstyle), Morgan Freeman (as Vitruvius), Nick Offerman (as Craggy), Alison Brie (as Uni-Kitty), Charlie Day (as Spaceman Benny), and Liam Neeson (as Bad Cop/Good Cop).
But that's not all, The LEGO Movie is also taking advantage of being a Warner Brothers movie, as it will contain multiple superheroes from the DC universe! And the casting on them is pretty perfect: Will Arnett as Batman, Channing Tatum as Superman, Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, Cobie Smulders as Wonder Woman*. How good are those?? No disrespect to Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, but I would be much more excited about the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie if they were played by Arnett and Tatum. Also, in what is said to be a very small cameo, Will Forte will voice Lincoln! That one is for all the fans of Lord and Miller's short-lived but beloved animated comedy CLONE HIGH.
The animation looks beautiful (everything is made to look like LEGOs! Everything!), the casting is perfect, Lord & Miller's track record is unstoppable, the real question is, if you aren't looking forward to The LEGO Movie, why the hell not?
*A SHIELD agent as Wonder Woman??? Smulders is breaking all the rules!
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10. Neighbors
Release Date: May 9, 2014
Directed by Nick Stoller
Written by Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O’Brien
Starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Dave Franco, Chris Mintz-Plasse, Jake Johnson, Lisa Kudrow, Ike Barinholtz, Jason Mantzoukas, Carla Gallo, Hannibal Buress
Neighbors is the new movie directed by Nick Stoller, an underrated comedy director known for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, and The Five-Year Engagement. Neighbors is the first movie of Stoller's that he did not write, as he was hired by his buddies Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (they met as writers for Undeclared) to direct Neighbors, which was written by Apatow proteges Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien (Cohen started out as Apatow's assistant, before both Cohen and O'Brien graduated to producing The 40-Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, and Funny People). Neighbors is the next step in Seth and Evan building their own comedy empire, following the success of 50/50 and This is the End.
Neighbors is about a married couple (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne) moving to a new house, which happens to be neighbors to a fraternity house, fronted by Zac Efron. It's a clear premise for a comedy, which anyone can grasp. The trailers for the movie have been funny, the cast is excellent, there's nothing more to this movie. It just looks funny and it involves people I like.
Sidebar: the title of this movie. This is where studios annoy me, as the original title for this movie was TOWNIES, since that's who Zac Efron's crew are. That's the exact term for them. But Universal believed that no one knew what that meant, which is why we are stuck with the more generic Neighbors (which was already the name of an early '80s John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd movie). It's stupid, but oh well.
09. Search Party
Release Date: September 12, 2014
Directed by Scot Armstrong
Written by Scot Armstrong, Mike Gagerman, Andrew Waller
Starring T.J. Miller, Adam Pally, Thomas Middleditch, Shannon Woodward, Alison Brie, Krysten Ritter, J.B. Smoove, Jason Mantzoukas, Rosa Salazar, Jon Glaser, Brian Huskey
One of my favourite things about making these lists each year is that I get to shine a light on movies that I feel aren't being talked about. Movies I feel could make an impact in the future. That's why I have selected Search Party at #9, ahead of some pretty big movies.
What is Search Party? It's a movie about "a pair of friends who embark on a mission to reunite their pal with the woman he was going to marry." Originally titled Road to Nardo, it stars TJ Miller and Adam Pally as the two friends, and Thomas Middleditch as Nardo, the buddy who is going to get married. Those three guys alone are so funny, and if you aren't aware of them yet (Pally starred as Max on Happy Endings, TJ Miller has been in a billion things, Middleditch was in The Campaign), you soon will. In a nice inadvertent tie-in to the movie, both TJ Miller and Thomas Middleditch were cast as leads in Mike Judge's upcoming HBO comedy Silicon Valley, which will premiere this spring, paired with Veep. Some nice early promotion for Search Party!
And then of course there's the equally talented three women who lead up the starring cast, Shannon Woodward, Alison Brie and Krysten Ritter. An amazing cast. It's the directorial debut from comedy screenwriter Scot Armstrong, who wrote Old School, among others.
This is a big studio comedy, set for release in September, and it's filled with TV stars-at best in the lead roles. This is so exciting to me. People wonder why a movie like The Hangover was such a huge success, and it's because of the casting, which I feel is replicated here. When you cast the leads of your movie with very funny people who could carry a movie, but haven't got the chance to yet. I hope the movie is great, and leads to more great things for everyone involved.
08. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Release Date: March 7, 2014
Directed and Written by Wes Anderson
Starring Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Harvey Keitel, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Lea Seydoux, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson, introducing Tony Revolori
I'm a Wes Anderson fan for life. His last movie Moonrise Kingdom was among his best to date. The trailers for this movie have been fantastic. The cast is incredible. I have no doubt that this will be a great movie. Cue credits.
07. Interstellar
Release Date: November 7, 2014
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, Michael Caine, Bill Irwin, John Lithgow, David Gyasi, Wes Bentley, Mackenzie Foy, David Oyelowo, Ellen Burstyn
For years, as I have trafficked various movie sites/message boards, Jonathan Nolan's Interstellar has always been a movie that people talk about. At the time, it was thought to be a Steven Spielberg movie, and up until a year ago, it was. When Spielberg dropped it, Jonah's brother Chris jumped on board, and it's now his first-post Batman movie. Chris Nolan is the only guy who could make a movie like this on such a large scale (well, either him or the guy who dropped out, that is). What is "this?"
"A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage."
So yeah, that sounds interesting! And while I was excited just on that and Nolan's involvement, the real reason why this is a Top 10 movie, and not a Top 20 movie is the involvement of Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey just might be the best actor working today, as everything he has been in post-The Lincoln Lawyer has been tremendous. He is such a good and fun actor to watch. I love the idea of Nolan working with McConaughey, as Nolan's films are critiqued for being cold and not having a sense of humour. Casting ****ing McConaughey in the lead sets those fears to rest, as someone who can deliver swagger, while also nailing the great dramatic moments. And then you have the rest of the cast, which you can read for yourself above. A great cast! I have to give serious props to Nolan for making this movie, as he is one of the few guys in Hollywood who can make anything that he wants. That he chose this weird hard sci-fi movie about wormholes is so exciting, so great.
Sidenote: Interstellar filmed for at least one month in Calgary! McConaughey was seen in and around town, at local swimming pools back in August. A true man of the people!
06. Guardians of the Galaxy
Release Date: August 1, 2014
Directed and Written by James Gunn
Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillian, Djimon Honsou, Benicio Del Toro, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel
I know I have used the term "big swing" multiple times in this list, but I am forced to use it this time. Guardians of the Galaxy is the biggest swing by Marvel Studios to date. A WEIRD space opera, where the lead character is a talking raccoon with a machine gun (voiced by Bradley Cooper)... I love it so much! James Gunn, known for Slither and Super, writes and directs, and he's yet another ballsy choice for director by Marvel. Gunn is a really talented guy, and that they went with a guy who is very comfortable putting weird images on screen is perfect for the material.
The rest of the cast is really insane, with the great Chris Pratt playing Peter Quill/Star-Lord, John C. Reilly as the leader of the Nova Corps, Zoe Saldana in green makeup as Gamora, Karen Gillian with a shaved head as Nebula, and the voice of Vin Diesel as talking tree Groot (the only thing that he says is "I AM GROOT"). "Weird, wild stuff," to quote Johnny Carson. I love that Marvel Studios is making this movie, as their big summer movie. It's probably the biggest risk of the summer, as if the Wachowskis movie doesn't do well, it's not a big deal. If Guardians doesn't do well, then a key part in Marvel's Phase 2 has faltered, and bringing the GOTG gang on board with The Avengers will seem like a riskier bet. I believe the movie will be great, and it will be a hit, though. Just showcase Rocket Raccoon, and the people will flock!
05. Tammy
Release Date: July 2, 2014
Directed by Ben Falcone
Written by Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Allison Janney, Mark Duplass, Dan Aykroyd, Sandra Oh, Sarah Baker
One of the most welcome developments of the past couple years has been Melissa McCarthy staking herself as one of the few bankable names in Hollywood today. Whether she's in trash (Identity Thief, a movie she could not save), or great, original comedies (The Heat, Bridesmaids), people come out in droves to see her movies. Her next movie, Tammy, is the most personal to date for McCarthy, as it comes from a character she developed at the Groundlings, where she started out. She co-wrote the script with her husband Ben Falcone (who directs*), which is about "After losing her job and learning that her husband (Mark Duplass) has been unfaithful, a woman named Tammy (McCarthy) hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother (Susan Sarandon)" Shirley Maclaine was originally cast in the role as the grandma, but her involvement in Downton Abbey forced them to recast it.
I just love everything about this movie. That it's the big fourth of July weekend movie, when the cast is not your typical big studio comedy cast in 2013 (Kathy Bates! Allison Janney! Dan Aykroyd! Sandra Oh!). That it's a big comedy centred around two women over 40. There are just a lot of things to celebrate about Tammy, which is why it's one of the movies I am looking forward to most in 2014. Added bonus: Adam McKay and Will Ferrell are producing it through their Gary Sanchez Productions company, giving it some additional comedy firepower.
*McCarthy was originally set to co-direct with Falcone, but that didn't come to pass, though it might just be a director's guild thing, similar to how Joel Coen was credited as the only director on Coen Brothers movies for years, despite both Joel and Ethan directing the movies. Ethan had a producer title those years, which is the same title McCarthy has on Tammy, so that might be the case.
04. How to Train Your Dragon 2
Release Date: June 13, 2014
Directed and Written by Dean DeBlois
Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Chris Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harington, Cate Blanchett, Djimon Honsou
The first How To Train Your Dragon movie is one of my favourite animated movies of all-time, and my #2 favourite movie of 2010. It's a movie that is all about the characters and emotion, a movie that feels timeless and could be enjoyed in any era. The sequel has some mighty big shoes to fill, but knowing that Dean DeBlois (who co-directed and wrote the original) is back puts me at ease. Apparently the reason why he agreed to come back for the sequel was only if he could turn it into a trilogy, with him directly saying that The Empire Strikes Back was the inspiration for Dragon 2. To quote DeBlois: "What I loved especially about Empire is that it expanded Star Wars in every direction: emotionally, its scope, characters, fun. It felt like an embellishment and that's the goal." Dragon 2 is set five years after the events of the first one, and every trailer I have seen has been thrilling. Knowing that DeBlois is making this a trilogy for artistic reasons makes me even more excited. While the decision to make a sequel was a business decision, it sounds like DeBlois has turned that scenario into a creative boon for the films. I can't wait to see the next two chapters in the lives of Hiccup and Toothless.
03. The Interview
Release Date: October 10, 2014
Directed by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Dan Sterling
Starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Timothy Simons, Randall Park
One of the big successes in film this year was Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg's directorial debut This is the End. Seth and Evan turned what could have been a flimsy excuse to get friends together into a movie that had a genuine story with characters that you cared about (building the relationship between Seth and Jay Baruchel was a masterstroke, and the whole reason why the movie's emotional stakes work at all), in addition to it being a ****ing insane movie with huge laughs (I am only half-joking when I suggest that Danny McBride should be nominated for an Oscar for it).
Just over a year later, Seth and Evan are back directing with THE INTERVIEW! It re-teams Seth Rogen and James Franco, making it the stealth Pineapple Express sequel we have been waiting years for (well, make that Pineapple Express 3, as the sequel was done in This is the End haha!). I am a huge fan of Seth and Franco individually (yes, even Franco. He may say dumb things, but he's an undeniable force as an actor, whether he's doing drama or comedy), but joined together they are one of the great comedy teams of this era (right up there with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly).
So, what is The Interview about? The short version: "An attractive talk show host (Franco) and his producer (Rogen) unwittingly get caught up in an international assassination plot." What that plot doesn't tell you is that they are flying to North Korea to interview the North Korean Prime Minister, with the CIA forcing them into the assassination plot. Whether you like their work or not, you have to give Seth and Evan credit: the movies that they make together are original and have never been made before. No formula here!
Franco looks to be inhabiting a Ryan Seacrest-like figure, going clean-shaven for the role. Rogen has hinted that this just might be Franco's craziest role to date, and I can't wait to see what he means by that. The rest of the starring cast is stellar, including the great Lizzy Caplan (why Caplan is the real deal: the movie she does on her hiatus from the great Showtime series Masters of Sex is this! Reuniting with her old Freaks and Geeks pals Rogen and Franco!), Timothy Simons (who plays Jonah on HBO's Veep. If you watch Veep, then that news should greatly excite you like it does me), and up-and-coming actor Randall Park (who has appeared in multiple movies over the years in supporting roles, quietly destroying in every single one. He also appears on Veep, playing Danny Chung). It's a fantastic starring cast for an absurd concept. This is definitely one to watch out for if you are looking for the big R-Rated studio comedy to beat next year.
02. They Came Together
Release Date: World Premiere at Sundance 2014
Directed by David Wain
Written by David Wain, Michael Showalter
Starring Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Max Greenfield, Jason Mantzoukas, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Noureen Dewulf, Christopher Meloni, Melanie Lynskey, Michaela Watkins, Michael Ian Black, Randall Park, Lynn Cohen, Michael Shannon
I placed David Wain's follow-up to Wanderlust on last year's list at #3. Moving on up one year later! At least this year we know for certain that it will be coming out, as it will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Since I wrote about it last year, let me just copy & paste the official Sundance film guide synopsis for the plot, in case you don't know:
Quote:
They Came Together relates the epic love story of Joel, a corporate executive for Candy Systems and Research, a mega candy store chain, and Molly, the owner of a small sweet shop called Upper Sweet Side. When Joel is tasked with shutting down Molly’s mom-and-pop operation, the unlikely lovers find themselves hurtled into a whirlwind romance. From quaint bookstores and coffee shops to neurotic family members and psychotic ex-lovers, Joel and Molly must face some harrowing obstacles on their path to true love.
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So yes, as you can see from that description, this is clearly David Wain and Michael Showalter's riff on You've Got Mail and other romantic comedies of its type. Wain and Showalter wrote this movie together at the same time they wrote their summer camp movie parody Wet Hot American Summer. This movie is just going to be the absolute greatest. I can't contain my excitement! It premieres next month at Sundance, and I am this close to blowing money on a flight to Park City and trying to see a screening of it. Since I probably won't, I hope its release date isn't too far off from its Sundance bow. While Adam McKay is my #1, David Wain is, in my opinion, the second greatest comedy director alive today, and I greatly anticipate getting a chance to see it soon. And after watching it once, I look forward to watching it dozens upon dozens more times after.
01. Inherent Vice
Release Date:TBA 2014 (Cannes premiere?)
Directed and Written by Paul Thomas Anderson (adapted from the Thomas Pynchon book)
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Martin Short, Jena Malone, Benicio Del Toro, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell, Sam Jaeger, Kevin J. O’Connor
For the first time in the history of my year-end movies list, a comedy is not #1. A straight comedy, that is, as from what I gather Inherent Vice is definitely quite comedic. Adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s 2009 novel, Inherent Vice tells the story of pothead private investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) who investigates the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend in Los Angeles in the winter of 1969 and summer of 1970. I have not read the Pynchon book, but many reviews have said that it is quite similar to The Big Lebowski, as it's a shaggy-dog narrative. It's the first Pynchon book to ever be adapted into a film, and Pynchon gave Paul Thomas Anderson his blessing in making it.
I am saying all these quick statements, so I might not be making my case for this as my #1 really well. But just.... I feel it in my bones when I think about it. When I read that cast, when I know that Paul Thomas Anderson is directing a ****ing late '60s-early '70s-set detective story in L.A. That it stars Joaquin Phoenix, who is having a hell of a comeback. That both Martin Short and Owen Wilson are starring in a Paul Thomas Anderson movie together. That Anderson's last movie The Master, which I caught up with late, is one of the best movies I have seen in the past few years. That Warner Brothers is funding it, meaning this crazy and singular thing will probably get a wide release right off the hop. That Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead is returning to score his third P.T. Anderson movie in a row. That Robert Elswit, who last shot There Will Be Blood for Anderson, is the cinematographer and will be shooting it in 35mm film. That the film will include a shot that has 470 feet of dolly track. This is why I love movies and why I make this list every year. For movies like Inherent Vice, which just send me into an incoherent state of excitement. Paul Thomas Anderson rarely makes movies, so that we are getting two in the span of three years is something that should be treasured, as it might not happen this quickly again. But rather than think about that, let's just get excited that we are less than a year away from Inherent Vice!!
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That's it for the 2014 movies list! I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did researching, and writing it. Next up with the TV List, which won't be posted until late this week at best.
Thanks to everyone for the comments (especially Ryan, for his massive yearly response to the movies list. Looking forward to reading part 2!). I really appreciate them all. Since there won't be an update before then, I hope everyone has a a wonderful Christmas, and in general a good holiday break!
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 12/7/2008
Posts: 87,284
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The Leggo movie sounds great!
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Member Since: 10/3/2009
Posts: 35,844
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The Lego movie? Ha! I might get to see it after watching so many stop-motion videos with Legos.
If I ever get to see a movie at a movie theater, I will be anticipating for Dumb and Dumber To.
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Member Since: 5/23/2007
Posts: 65,087
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Captain America's first movie was kind of boring for me, but the same happened to me with Thor and I loved the 2nd part, so I'm excited for this new Captain America movie! The Lego movie looks.. interesting, trailer was great
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Member Since: 10/31/2011
Posts: 16,937
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Very cool list. Interesting to read about these movies! Excited for Tammy especially.
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Member Since: 5/9/2009
Posts: 6,397
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Oh yeah one of the old veterans is here. Done, Diane Young, Q.U.E.E.N , Honest and Do I Wanna Know? Are all good songs from the ones that did not made it. Used 2 is decent jam, Ohm sounds like a free and joyful song, Stripes is like a good old fashion country song. That video she is in makes her like a top woman in charge. Son of an American just has some good old music. Hush Hush is ok, Weight sends a relaxed vibe. Like a Rose tells such a nice story through the lyrics, the music and the vocals. Night Still Comes sets a good vibe for me and it is also sets some good chills. Wakin on a Pretty Day has a good type of sound, and Me & You & Jackie Mittoo sounds ok. Overall some good music on here. Good job and enjoyed the write-ups.
Movies that interested me are Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Jupiter Ascending, 22 Jump Street, Finally Famous, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Search Party, & Inherent Vice. Good job so far and have a merry X-Mas.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Well, it's been a while. LET'S GO. AGAIN.
20) I feel like we should just call him "The King Ad-Rock" from now on. **** that simple "Ad-Rock" nonsense. "The King" MUST be added.
19) Here's another of my most anticipated films, because the Wachowskis NEVER skimp on their films. They may not be great films, but there's always effort. The cast is also wonderful, particularly the leads, as is the story.
18) Real talk: I haven't seen 21 Jump Street. I'm sure I will eventually, though, and I'm sure I'll love it. And then, I'll love the sequel, too.
17) Whoa, I was wondering when this was coming out. I had heard that it got pushed back, so I guess it just went off of my radar. But I saw the not-extended trailer, and Steve Carell looks TERRIFYING. Shades of Robin Williams in One Hour Photo, actually.
16) Well, it's a Fincher film. Don't need anything else to sell me on this.
15) God, I hope this succeeds like you think it will. It's time for Chris Rock to reach the heights of some of his high-profile comedian friends.
14) More real talk: I've never seen The First Avenger. I am such a bad movie watcher now. I will fix this, though, I swear!
13) DGG and Al Pacino together. I mean...wow.
12) God, I REALLY hope this is good. I shouldn't feel so worried that it will be bad, but I have so little faith in the Farrellys at this point that I wouldn't put it past them to make a crappy sequel to one of the funniest comedies ever. But man, the fact that Sea Bass is returning ALONE is making me so giddy.
11) LEGO MOVIE!!! Saw the trailer for this and laughed my ass off. Looks like a very fun time.
10) What a generic title for what looks to be an otherwise interesting movie from a crew that knows exactly what they're doing.
9) Alison Brie and Krysten Ritter in a movie together. Someone hold me.
8) I'm really surprised that this isn't #1, actually. It has ALL of the elements for a #1 Ben movie.
7) "McConaughey just might be the best actor working today"...not in a world where Daniel Day-Lewis exists. But yeah, he's always been kind of an underrated dramatic actor, and he's really been stepping up his game lately. And he's got freaking NOLAN directing him.
6) Oh yes! This has the potential to be really, REALLY bad...but man, even if it is a trainwreck, it's probably going to be one hell of a fun ride along the way. That is also one of my favorite casts of the entire year.
5) Go get 'em, Melissa. Melissa McCarthy turning into one of Hollywood's most bankable actresses is one of my favorite stories of the last few years, and everything I've seen from her has been tremendous. Note: I have not seen Identity Thief and do not plan on it.
4) I'm just going to go on ahead and say I'm looking forward to this despite not being a gigantic fan of the first film and leave it at that.
3) Seth and Franco riding together again, and Lizzy Caplan is along for the ride. And I'm sold.
2) THE WAINMAN! And my god, that cast is making me dizzy. Chris Meloni in any Wain film is enough for me to recommend the movie, but there's just so much going for this. Another of my most anticipated.
1) Well, this was an unexpected #1. It does sound interesting and has an interesting and exciting pedigree. I wouldn't say it's the most exciting idea I've heard of through you this year, but I'm sure it's going to be good, because you're recommending it, and you've NEVER led me down the wrong path.
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Member Since: 3/28/2008
Posts: 11,952
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Can't wait for While We’re Young as well! Every single Seyfried's film is good( ) so While We're Young will automatically be a good one as well!
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Member Since: 10/5/2009
Posts: 137,162
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Captain America + 22 Jump Street are the ones I'm most excited for.
Lego Movie looks cute.
Haven't heard of a lot of these, yet! Some of the casts look really amazing.
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Member Since: 11/17/2008
Posts: 28,694
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I didn't really watch movies this year
But Captain America: The Winter Soldier seems to be a good one
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Thanks everyone for the comments! I really love reading them. Once again, thanks to Ryan for the great conclusion of his mega comment! You go above and beyond each year. BTW: Fair point about Daniel Day-Lewis, but he's only in movies once every 3-4 years, and one of those was NINE . I'm still picking McConaughey, since everything i've seen him in since 2011 (which includes his terrific stint on Eastbound & Down) has been tremendous, IMO.
Sorry for the delay in posting new updates (and commenting on your countdowns! Which I promised to do, but have done a pretty ****** job of). I'm working on my TV List, but it has proven to be quite difficult to compile. Here's a tease: The battle between #1 and #2 is the hardest I have ever encountered in all my years making this year-end list, Top 40 Albums list included. And no, it probably doesn't involve the show that you are thinking of. It was an amazing year of TV, and i'm trying to get the list just right. I hope to get the first part of the list up within the next few days. Until then, I am going to get busy commenting!
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 11/16/2004
Posts: 28,450
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Jupiter Ascending, 22 Jump Street, Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Tammy, They Came Together for sure. Some of the others sound interesting too! Next year looks like a good one for the movies!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Some qualifiers before we begin:
- I am not doing a separate list of adult swim shows this year, despite it being another standout year for the network. If I made a list, these would be the shows that I would highlight (and which I highly recommend you check out): Childrens Hospital, The Eric Andre Show, Hot Package, NTSF:SD:SUV::, The Heart, She Holler, Newsreaders, Rick and Morty
- Speaking of adult swim: the one show I would have included in the main list this year would have been season 3 of EAGLEHEART. The only reason why i'm not is because its season is still currently going on, with three episodes left to air. If all ten episodes from season 3 aired in 2013, I feel confident that it would have placed in my top ten. It's one of the great comedic TV achievements of the year, and creators Michael Koman, Andrew Weinberg, Jason Woliner, and cast members Chris Elliott, Maria Thayer, Brett Gelman, have created some all-time great absurdist stuff. Season 3 of Eagleheart was, to use a comparison I read somewhere else, like if David Lynch wrote and directed episodes of POLICE SQUAD! If that sounds appealing to you, run, don't walk to see the absurdist beauty that is Eagleheart: Paradise Rising.
- Some of my all-time favourite shows ended this year. While I will highlight a few of them in the coming list, some aired a tiny amount of episodes which means I cannot include them. The great adult swim series DELOCATED aired just a series finale in 2013, and it was the perfect capper to Jon Glaser's wonderfully silly and weird series. 30 ROCK closed out its season this year, with one of the all-time great final seasons for a comedy. Dr. Spaceman greatly misses it. And while not necessarily an all-time favourite show of mine (though I loved it very much), David Simon and Eric Overmyer's TREME wrapped up its run this year with a five episode season. I placed its third season at #8 last year, so if you are interested in my thoughts on Treme go read my 2012 write-up.
- I am just slowly catching on to the WORKAHOLICS train. I bought all the seasons on DVD, and I am making my way through them right now in preparation for its season 4 premiere on January 22nd. Expect to see Workaholics on the main list next year. One little note for now: Jillian Bell is the truth.
- Shows that have made the list in past years, but I am behind on: FX's JUSTIFIED (I just bought season 4 on DVD, and am ready to blast through those soon), CBS' THE GOOD WIFE (behind a couple seasons on that. Not sure if I will be ready in time for next year, but hearing how great this past season has been makes me antsy to be caught up with it), and FX's ARCHER (behind a couple seasons, due to it not being widely available to watch in Canada).
Now, onto the main list:
Just Missed:
Maron (IFC)
Call the Midwife (PBS)
Getting On (HBO) - which would be in the Top 40 list if it had aired its 6-episode season earlier in the year
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network)
Community (NBC)
The Ben Show (Comedy Central)
Mom (CBS)
40. The Walking Dead
Network: AMC
An up-and-down year for The Walking Dead this year, which is the norm for the show. Some weeks I don't like it, while some weeks I think it's great. New showrunner Scott M. Gimple seems like a good fit for the show, as he wrote one of the standouts from the series "Clear" from season 3 (which saw the return of Lennie James' character). We'll see what the next half season brings in February.
39. The Newsroom
Network: HBO
I still find this show endlessly watchable, despite all the moments that make me cringe. I thought the Genoa storyline from this year was actually pretty great, featuring some wonderful writing from Aaron Sorkin (no one is better at writing a deposition than Sorkin). I also kind of love how corny it is, with the most dad rock soundtrack on TV today (I like the majority of the songs featured, mind you, since I am nothing but a cornball at heart). There was one Will McAvoy line this year, where he said, in all sincerity, "THERE'S GOING TO BE A HEARTACHE TONIGHT" which was kind of my favourite thing ever in its Sorkinness. The show, meanwhile, exists in this weird state right now, where HBO would love to renew it for a third season (its ratings were up over last season), but the only thing that is holding it up is Aaron Sorkin himself, since he's the guy who writes every single episode of the show. Season 3 would be on the air next year if Sorkin agreed to it, but instead, the show is basically in this weird ?????? state, with Damon Lindelof's new series THE LEFTOVERS instead taking its Sunday at 10 PM slot next summer. Even if Sorkin agrees to a third season right now, it won't be on the air until 2015 at the earliest. Despite all my problems with the series through its two seasons, I am hoping we get a third season, as there is really nothing quite like it, for good and bad.
By the way: The season 2 theme was a step-down from the season 1 theme song, but I preferred the visuals of the season 2 intro. I will go to my grave saying that the season 1 theme song was a great TV theme!
38. Legit
Network: FX
Legit, the comedy created by and starring stand-up comedian Jim Jefferies, was a nice surprise early in the year. I was aware of Jefferies prior to the series, but the ads and promo art didn't make it look all that appealing. It looked like a show that consisted entirely of Jefferies acting cool and slamming everyone else. But, then I watched Legit, and I was pleasantly surprised .As Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club put it in his review of the pilot "it's a show about an asshole filled with enormous compassion." Jefferies does a great job as the center of the show, but what really makes the show great is the ensemble of Dan Bakkedahl (as Steve, Jefferies' roommate, who has relationship problems), DJ Qualls (as Billy, Steve's brother who has muscular dystrophy), and recurring cast member Nick Daley (who plays Rodney, a friend of Jefferies, who is mentally challenged. He steals the show in every episode he's in). Each episode is built around a topic, in trying to get Jefferies "Legit" (episodes include Dreams, Love, Anger, Family), and it's a smart way to structure the show. It's a nice mix of profane humour (the pilot deals with the gang trying to get Billy laid), and sweetness. Season 2 will air next year on FXX in February, and I am looking forward to it. Carrie Fisher and previous 007 George Lazenby will guest star in the next season, joining Mindy Sterling and John Ratzenberger, who were in the previous season.
37. Family Tree
Network: HBO
Christopher Guest's first ever TV series Family Tree was a nice little show to watch over the summer. Starring the great Chris O'Dowd (who doesn't like Chris O'Dowd??? Nobody!), it was a show about O'Dowd's character exploring his family tree, which takes him on a bi-coastal journey through the UK and U.S. Many Christopher Guest alums guest-starred throughout the series, such as Michael McKean, Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr., Bob Balaban, Don Lake, and Guest himself. The breakout star of the series, however, was Nina Conti and her puppet Monk. Conti in real life is a stand-up comedian who uses Monk in her act, which is why she was so excellent as acting as both herself and as Monk. The series will not be coming back for a second season, but i'm fine with that. In the grand tradition of British television (the BBC co-funded the series along with HBO), shows don't need to air tons of episodes to make them satisfying. While I wish there was a second season, i'm happy with the eight episodes that we got. If you are a Christopher Guest fan, and haven't checked out Family Tree yet, you really should. Spend an afternoon and watch them all in a row. You will have a great time, I guarantee it. What, did I just turn into the Men's Wearhouse guy??
36. Drunk History
Network: Comedy Central
Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner's Drunk History was a Funny or Die smash long before it was a great Comedy Central series. It even won a short film award at Sundance a few years back! The Comedy Central series retains the same qualities that made the shorts so unique and hilarious, while also expanding it in organic ways. For example, each episode deals with a certain city (Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C.) or even an abstract period (the season 1 finale, which was The Wild West, with stories about Billy the Kid and The Alamo). The interstitials between the shorts involve Derek Waters interviewing people from the respective city at bars, which leads to dumb drunk people saying funny things. The heart of the show remains the Drunk History shorts, though, and how Waters and Konner both conduct the interviews and the re-enactments are so well done. An all-star cast leads the re-enactments, and it would be easier to list who hasn't been in a short then to list the huge list from season 1 (episode 1 alone features Jack Black as Elvis, Nathan Fielder as Bob Woodward, Bob Odenkirk as Richard Nixon, Adam Scott as John Wilkes Booth, Will Forte as Edwin Booth, Fred Willard as Deep Throat, Stephen Merchant as Abe Lincoln, Dave Grohl as Elvis' Memphis Mafia, Jack McBrayer as H.R. Haldeman, and Jonathan Ames as Junius Booth). As for the Drunk History storytellers themselves, Jen Kirkman will always be my #1 favourite. She was the very best at doing it in the original Funny or Die shorts, and her story in the TV series, about the life of Mary Dyer (with Winona Ryder portraying Dyer) was hilarious, truthful, and digressive (the best part coming at the end when Kirkman mentions how terrible The Doors are, out of nowhere).
The series has been ordered for a second season, which we should see sometime in the summer.
35. The Mindy Project
Network: FOX
I said some disparaging things about The Mindy Project in my year-end last year, and I want to take them back (partially) . The show has definitely improved since its rocky beginnings (the episode featuring Seth Rogen still might be the best episode the show has ever done), and it is a reliable laugh-getter (with 30 Rock and Happy Endings both off the air, it may be the current joke king on network TV). Speaking of, many of the great 30 Rock writers (including Jack Burditt, Tracey Wigfield, and Lang Fisher) went over to Mindy in the middle of season 1 after 30 Rock wrapped, and that's when the show really began to improve. Is it a perfect show? Not even close. Do I wish that Ben & Kate got a season 2 over Mindy? Absolutely, as B&K proved itself to be a great show very early on, and it would have definitely have been better than Mindy at this point. But even still, i'm glad it exists, and i'm glad Mindy Kaling finally has a vehicle of her own. It probably won't get a third season, which sucks, but i'm glad it was around as long as it was.
34. The Bridge
Network: FX
Season 1 of The Bridge was a strange beast of a show. The series' focus was split between a serial killer case (which was directly taken from the Danish/Swedish version of the show), and a The Wire-esque look at the activities of the U.S./Mexico border. The serial killer stuff was often quite stupid and not as interesting as the really unique stuff happening in Juarez. The show was renewed for season 2, and co-creator Elwood Reid has stated that the serial killer stuff was not his favourite to do, and the main reason why he did it was because it was directly taken from the Danish series. Now that the case is over, the show will focus more on the interesting stuff on the border. Like Lyle Lovett as Monte P. Flagman! Matthew Lillard (who has never been better) and quality TV drama good luck charm Emily Rios as newspaper reporters, Cougar Town's Brian Van Holt as a sleazy former lover of Annabeth Gish's character. Lots of unique characters! Despite the serial killer material being a slog at times, it was always made watchable thanks to co-leads Diane Kruger as Detective Sonya Cross (whose character has Aspergers), and Demian Bichir as Detective Marco Ruif. Both turned in excellent work, and it was fun watching their relationship develop over the season. I know that season 2 will be much better than season 1, and it will finally fully become the show I (and the creator) wants it to be.
33. Trophy Wife
Network: ABC
Trophy Wife, like Cougar Town before it, has a terrible title that does not at all tell you what makes the show wonderful. The title is meant as ironic, but irony doesn't play well on network TV (especially plastered over bilboards and commercials). So let's instead focus on what makes the show special: everything else! The cast on this show is amazing, with Malin Akerman doing great work as Kate. She has always been a good comedic actress, but she has never been given this much to do before, and she is doing a great job. The other wives, Marcia Gay Harden and Michaela Watkins, are amazing in it as well. Watkins in particular, who I have always been a fan of. She is one of those comedic performers who is always funny, and i'm glad she is finally in a sitcom where I can see her be hilarious every week. She always kills me. The rest of the cast is also strong (including Bradley Whitford), and it's the rare family sitcom where the kid actors aren't incredibly annoying! It should win an award just for that.
The show was created by Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins (who some of you may know from her CurrentTV days, when she was The Target Woman. I believe those videos are still up, and they are definitely worth checking out. They are great!), based on Haskins' own personal experiences, and you can tell, as much of it feels real and not contrived. It is unclear if the show will get a second season, as it is a bubble show, but i'm hopeful! ABC gave it a full 22 episode order, so at the very least we'll get a season's worth of Trophy Wife.
32. The Office
Network: NBC
The other NBC Thursday Comedy that ended its run this season. While not as consistent as 30 Rock, The Office was a very important show for American comedy. It popularized the mockumentary style that many shows use today, and the ethos in which Greg Daniels ran the show in its best years (character-based comedy with earnest emotion) is something that many shows have tried to replicate but have mostly failed at achieving (i'm looking at you Modern Family). Yes, the show took a dip in its last few years, right when Daniels stepped aside and Paul Lieberstein became showrunner ("Dammit Toby!"), but even in those lesser years, there was always at least a few good episodes, or they introduced great new elements which gave the show new life (one example: the introduction of Ellie Kemper as Erin, who quickly became my favourite character on the show).
The final season wasn't as perfect as 30 Rock's (one thing in 30 Rock's favour: it had 13 episodes, as opposed to The Office's 25 episode final season), but like 30 Rock, it stuck the landing with its finale. It was a series finale that achieved big emotional pay-offs, and was very reminiscent of the final episode of Cheers, a cornerstore in every network comedy showrunner's writers room. Was it the funniest episode? Maybe not, but to me it was a great send-off to characters I have spent nine years enjoying being in the company of.
The use of the phrase "end of an era" is a cliche at this point, but with the end of The Office and 30 Rock so close together, it really truly feels like it. Other ATRL members can attest to the fandom that I (and other ATRL members, such as TC, O, Ke, others that I might be forgetting. Sorry if I did!) had for NBC's mid '00s-late '00's Thursday line-up. It will forever be cemented in my signature as a two hour block of programming that will always mean a lot to me. People decades older than me can talk about the glory years of NBC in the '80s and '90s, when Seinfeld, The Cosby Show, Friends, Cheers, Fraiser, were on. But from researching, as great as those shows were, they were usually paired with also-rans, many one season wonders that no one remembers. Which is why I believe the line-up of programming that we got, which started in 2006 as My Name is Earl/The Office/Scrubs/30 Rock, and ended in its very best version in 2010 with Community/Parks and Recreation/The Office/30 Rock*, is the greatest two-hour network comedy block of all-time. Other networks have tried to copy it since (most recently FOX, with their Tuesday night line-up), but it just isn't the same. It can't top the ol' 2 Hours of Power. And with television becoming so fragmented, and many of the best comedy minds moving to cable, we probably won't see a comedy block that good ever again. I will greatly miss 30 Rock, The Office, and the NBC 2HOP. I will always cherish those 2HOP memories fondly.
*The great Ben Schwartz, who plays Jean Ralphio on Parks and Rec, tweeted this on February 8th, 2010: "I don't think America realizes how good we have it Thursday nights on NBC." So true.
31. Happy Endings
Network: ABC
ABC, you ****ed up. Yes, Happy Endings had low ratings, and you gave the show three seasons. But what else do you have? Your upcoming mid-season comedy Mixology (produced by alt-comedy god Ryan Seacrest) is getting the post-Modern Family slot, just like Happy Endings did back in season 2. Do you really expect that show to do any better? Come on. You had a committed fanbase that was growing constantly. VH1 just picked up the rights to air reruns of the show, and I bet it will do really well for them. This is a show that was cut short and should have been airing new episodes this fall. Once Adam Pally, Casey Wilson, Damon Wayans Jr., Elisha Cuthbert, Eliza Coupe, and Zachary Knighton become huge stars, you will kick yourself for losing something great that had more to offer. Hopefully there will be a revival at some point, maybe the VH1 ratings will give it a second life, ala Family Guy? Who knows! I just know that Happy Endings deserved more than what it got.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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30. Arrested Development
Network: Netflix
When I did my very first TV list back in 2005, I listed Arrested Development at #1. This was a couple months before the series finale, and I was already resigned to believing that was the end of the series. Through the years there was a lot of talk of a movie, but I was never fully invested in it, as it wasn't officially greenlit by any studio. I guess this is a roundabout way of saying that I still can't believe there was a new season of Arrested Development this year. It feels like a dream!
Some people may see this placement as low, but I don't feel that way. Season four maybe never reached the heights of the previous three seasons, but Mitch Hurwitz did a great job of coming close. Jason Bateman was the only actor contracted to be in every episode, with the rest of the ensemble popping in and out throughout the season. I guess that's the reason why it is lower. Hurwitz has said that since season four's job was to reintroduce the characters, the next step is to do something else (whether it's another season for Netflix, or the long promised feature film) that has the Bluth Family together at all times. From my end, season four of Arrested Development was a big success, getting long-time fans passionate about the show again, and gaining new fans who never watched the original run on FOX (or, to say a truly scary thought: people who were born after the show was cancelled. AHHHHH!!). I'm sure we will see more from the Bluths sometime in the next couple years, and I bet, now that the groundwork is laid out and the characters have been reintroduced, we will get some the best episodes of Arrested Development ever.
29. Out There
Network: IFC
Out There might be the most below the radar show on my Top 40 List, which is probably why it was cancelled earlier this year. And it didn't get the standard "Send out a Press Release Announcing its Cancelation," but instead was announced through the creator Ryan Quincy's Facebook page. Rough.
So what was Out There, and why is above Arrested Development? It was a truly wonderful animated comedy/drama, which was very similar in tone to Freaks and Geeks, about the coming of age of Chad (voiced by creator Ryan Quincy), his little brother Jay (Kate Micucci, from Garfunkel & Oates), and Chad's best friend Chris (Justin Roiland, who most recently co-created adult swim's Rick & Morty with Dan Harmon). It was set in a small town, and it didn't always go for the laugh in the scene. Again, it had a similar Freaks and Geeks/King of the Hill-style tone, where it was very low-key and sweet if needed. The rest of the voice cast featured John DiaMaggio (Bender!) as Chad's father, Megan Mullally as Chad's mom, Pam Adlon (Bobby Hill! Also appears on Louie!) as Chris' mom, Fred Armisen as the boyfriend to Chris' mom, and Linda Cardellini (Lindsay Weir!) as Sharla, Chad's love interest. It also featured great guest stars like Selma Blair, Jemaine Clement, Nick Offerman, Stephen Root, Jason Schwartzman and Christian Slater. An all-star cast!
I have already mentioned the Freaks and Geeks and King of the Hill comparisons, but if you love those shows as much as I do, you really should seek out Out There. It had a different tone from other animated shows out there, and the personal experiences depicted (whether it was about high school, working a job that you hate, getting bullied) all felt very real. You can tell when you watch something that isn't formulaic and is based on true-life experiences, and that's everything that made Out There special.
28. Hello Ladies
Network: HBO
I love Stephen Merchant. Not just as a co-creator along with Ricky Gervais of great shows (The Office, Extras), but as a comedic performer himself. His long, gangly body is inherently comedic, and he has proven to be a really great actor. His first big showcase as an actor was his role on Extras, where he was responsible for the funniest scenes in the series (in particular his date with Ashley Jensen's character, which might as well be the pilot for Hello Ladies). So I was very excited to hear that Merchant was stepping out on his own to create and star in his own TV series for HBO. Hello Ladies lived up to my expectations, and it was just as cringe-inducing (and we're talking British cringe, not American cringe. Hardcore cringe!) and as hilarious as his past work.
Merchant truly plays a real asshole on this show, as Stuart. So when he gets his comeuppance at the end of the episode, you feel relieved. As much as I love Merchant however, the reason why the show works is Christine Woods, who plays Jessica, Stuart's roommate. As the eight episode series goes on, Stuart and Jessica almost become co-leads of the show, as you are involved with both of their plots. While Stuart is trying to find a woman, Jessica is busy creating an unwatchable web series and auditioning to act, where she is often up against her rival, played by the great Jenny Slate. The series also features great work from Nate Torrence as Wade, who starts off as a goofy sadsack, but throughout the season gets the most crushing moments in the show. Also featured is new SNL cast member Kyle Mooney, who is always hilarious.
It is unclear if this show will get a second season, as we probably would have heard by now if HBO ordered another season. But I still have some hope. Seeing as the first season was only eight episodes, and Merchant has a long history with the BBC, maybe the BBC could come on-board as a co-producer on it? I do hope that we get another season, but if we don't, Merchant's training in the BBC style meant that the end of the first season was very satisfying. If we get more, great, but if not, it plays as a great little mini series.
Sidenote: the soundtrack on this show is amazing, I am a huge fan of '70s soft-rock, and each episode featured a different song from the genre. Not to mention the theme song from the series was Hall & Oates' "Alone Too Long." Perfection.
27. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Network: FXX
I am always happy to watch the new season of Always Sunny each year. Last season was shakier than most, but this season was a return to form. Some of my favourites include the premiere "The Gang Broke Dee" (an amazing showcase for Kaitlin Olson, who is the funniest person on the show, I think), "The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award" (great Emmys satire), and "The Gang Saves the Day" (the big 100th episode, which was so great that I dare not spoil in case you haven't seen it yet). We will be getting at least one more season in 2014, but beyond that, who knows. Sunny has had a great run, and I trust their judgments in when it's time to go. But that they keep making episodes this funny nine seasons in is very impressive.
26. The League
Network: FXX
This was the best season of The League to date. The fantasy football stuff was well done (the finale was so good), the characters went through more (I love what they did with Paul Scheer's Andre and Mark Duplass' Pete), and it featured the NEXT LEVEL BONKERS "Rafi and Dirty Randy" episode, which was written by Seth Rogen and Jason Mantzoukas. It was an episode deliberately not like the ones before it (or after), as it just let Rafi and Dirty Randy loose for 22 minutes in their own story. It's among one of the funniest half-hours of television that I watched in 2013. Even if you don't watch The League, seek out that episode. It is wacko in all of the best ways.
25. Orange is the New Black
Network: Netflix
Jenji Kohen's Orange is the New Black is a very good series, which had one of the best debut seasons of the year. Is it a great series? I don't know about that. But that all boils down to personal preference. I thought the first five episodes were the show at its best, as we slowly learned more about the other women in the prison. The first episode that focused on Sophia in particular was an amazing hour, and the most humanity I have ever seen a TV show give a trans person. I also must give huge praise to Natasha Lyonne, who plays Nicky, as she is amazing on the show. She is my favourite character, and I wish she had more to do. Lyonne is just so darn good.
So what makes this series #25, when most people who have watched it put it in their top ten or five? While some of the humour lands (the aforementioned Nicky is very good with that), I think a lot of the humour falls flat, and feels of a piece with Kohen's previous series Weeds. It's that kind of Showtime-style "Not Really Funny, But Not Dramatic" style which drives me crazy. Granted, OITNB is mostly successful at avoiding those trappings, but they sometimes slip in (mostly when they leave the prison. The prison stuff is usually funny and good). But really the biggest reason, probably, why this show ranks low for me is the character of Pennsatucky, played by Taryn Manning. I think Manning gives it her all, but the writing of her character is so off and I find her character grating and not the least bit believable. It's a MadTV-style broad stereotype of a religious person. Which is not to say that I was at all offended by it, mostly bored. There's nothing new or interesting about her character. And that the back-half of the season so heavily featured Pennsatucky made the latter episodes more of a slog to get through. Also, I really don't care about Jason Biggs' character. I know his role is an important to the real-life Piper Chapman, but his scenes are usually the ones that feature the lame humour (the Ira Glass parody comes to mind).
All that aside, I did say that OITNB had one of the best debut seasons of the year, for basically everything else. The acting is very good (I love Crazy Eyes!), it goes in directions that you don't expect, and it's a great showcase for many female character actors, who rarely get a spotlight this big. For that alone, OITNB is worthy and should stick around. I am looking forward to season 2, and I hope they fix some of the problems I had with it. If they don't, that's fine, but it will mean that it will never become a capital G Great Show, at least in my opinion.
24. Parenthood
Network: NBC
Season four of Parenthood (which finished its run on January 22nd of this year) was the show's best season to date. Season five of Parenthood, meanwhile.... has been less great. Not bad, by any means! It is still a very enjoyable show to watch each week. But there have been some weird plotlines (the Kristina running for Mayor plot, in particular) which haven't been the show at its best. In season five's favour: the Amber and Ryan stuff has been amazing, featuring great work from both Mae Whitman (TV's best crier! Take that Jon and Claire Danes!) and Matt Lauria. Also, season five saw the return of HANK! RAY ROMANO! I love Ray, and think he's not just a great comedian, but also a stellar dramatic actor (I placed Men of a Certain Age in my top ten for both of its seasons). Hank is great on the show, and I have really enjoyed watching him interact with Max. They are a great team.
The ratings for Parenthood haven't been very good, so season five might end up being its last. I hope that isn't the case, as I love this show very much. If it is the last season, we have half a season left, and i'm sure Jason Katims has a wonderful finale planned, just in case it gets cancelled.
Sidenote: Jason Katims will have two shows on the air in mid-season, with his adaptation of About a Boy airing on NBC after the Olympics. I am very excited! Katims is the king of the film-to-TV adaptation, as that's basically all he has done as a showrunner so far (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, now About a Boy). If anyone can make it special, it's Katims.
23. The Americans
Network: FX
While I fell behind on Graham Yost's Justified, I was able to see the first season of the Yost-produced The Americans, and wow! Is it ever great! Created by Joe Weisberg (who was a former CIA officer), The Americans is set during the Cold War period of the '80s, about Elizabeth (played by Keri Russell) and Phillip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), who are two soviet KGB officers posing as an American married couple in the suburbs of Washington D.C., with their children. Oh, and their neighbor also happens to be an FBI counter-intelligence agent named Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich). Now that's a hook for a show!
What makes The Americans such a great and fun show to watch is the melding of the family drama and the spy stuff. It's basically Parenthood meets Alias, but set in the '80s. Some shows would find that to be a tricky balance to pull off, but both sides are given their due, which makes the show such a unique pleasure. Both Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are terrific on the show, as you learn more about the backstories of their characters throughout the first season. I also must give praise to the great Margo Martindale, who plays Claudia (or "Granny" as she was introduced), who is the KGB supervisor for the Jennings. Despite now starring in CBS' The Millers, Martindale has assured fans that she will be making appearances in season 2, which is very exciting news!
Season two premieres on February 26th, and I highly recommend you check it out if you haven't yet. That's still nearly two months away, so you have time to watch the first season! It's only 13 episodes! I have a feeling that season two will find the show getting even better, as cable dramas tend to do in their second seasons (well, unless your name is Homeland).
22. Hannibal
Network: NBC
Hannibal was not supposed to be good. It was an international co-production, picked up straight to series with 13 episodes, which usually leads to a cheaper and less engaged product. It also involved a previously existing property, which at that point had been overdone, and felt like a cheap cash-in that would further sully the Thomas Harris books that spawned the film series. What we should have realized is that Bryan Fuller was behind it, and he never does anything half-way. His take on the material (focusing on the beginnings of the relationship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lectar, who at the time was a forensic psychiatrist) was so original, so distinct, the type that you rarely see on network TV nowadays.
I don't mean to insult network television when I say this, but Hannibal 100% feels like a cable drama, something that could be airing on AMC unaltered, and no one would bat an eye (and in the case of AMC, it would be their most critically beloved series since Breaking Bad). The work that Hugh Dancy as Graham and Mads Mikkelson as Lectar are doing on the show is so incredible, and most of it is done in long conversations, not big action moments. It is also a horrifying series (one that I could never binge-watch, as i'm pretty sure I would feel horrible afterwards) that looks at the realities of serial killers, not done in a flashy/non-substantive way. Showing the true horror of killing and death. The series also has a distinct visual style, set in the pilot by director David Slade, which also feels straight out of a cable drama. Wordless sequences, striking imagery, every frame feels fussed over, which is the Bryan Fuller way. The series also features great work from co-stars Caroline Dhavemas as Dr. Alana Bloom, and Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford. Also turning in great work as recurring characters are Kids in the Hall's Scott Thompson, Gina Torres, Raul Esparza, Gillian Anderson (playing Hannibal's psychotherapist), and Eddie Izzard.
Season two will premiere on Friday, February 28th, and I highly recommend you check it out. The season 1 finale set up a new dynamic for the coming season (doing a reversal on an iconic image in the Thomas Harris universe), which should be very interesting to watch play out.
21. Inside Amy Schumer
Network: Comedy Central
When a comedian makes it big, they are often given a TV series. The problem with that in most cases is that the TV show isn't an accurate representation of what makes the comedian so great on stage, and it often feels like a lame retread of something that came before. In the case of Inside Amy Schumer, Schumer (partnered with the amazing Jessi Klein as head writer) has created her own show that is uniquely hers. It plays to her strengths, as each half-hour episode contains chunks of new stand-up material, woman on the street interviews (which she previously did on Fuse. Yes, Amy Schumer used to be a host on Fuse), one-on-one Amy Goes Deep interviews, where she interviews various figures (cops, **** stars, religious people, etc), and lastly, sketch comedy. Added together, it means each half-hour gives a well-rounded and true sense of Schumer's sensibility.
While Schumer is a big reason why the show is as great as it is obviously, she also had an all-star writing staff, which included Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan (great comedian, who appeared in a few sketches with Amy), Gabe Liedman (who now writes on Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Kurt Metzger, and others. Also the sketches were directed by PFFR's John Lee (who Schumer worked with on Delocated, where Schumer played Eugene Mirman's character's girlfriend), and Chappelle's Show co-creator Neal Brennan. It's a murderers row of talent, which helped further refine Schumer's sensibility and made it the great show that it was.
Some of my favourite sketches (and there are more where this came from, if you end up watching the series):
- O'Nutters, featuring Jon Glaser, written by Kyle Dunnigan.
- Compliments, featuring Abby Elliott, Nikki Glaser
- Abusive Couple
- Makeover
- The Perm
- Skip Therapy, featuring Kyle Dunnigan
Inside Amy Schumer is returning for a second season on April 1st, which will feature guest stars Paul Giamatti, Janeane Garofalo, Colin Quinn, the return of Jon Glaser, and more. 2014 will be a big year for Amy, as she will also begin production on her first movie, Trainwreck, which she wrote and will star in, with Judd Apatow directing, for a summer 2015 release. Very happy for Schumer’s success!
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That's it for part one! 20-11 should be up in the next couple days. Thanks again to everyone who commented, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! I will see you all in 2014!
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Member Since: 10/3/2009
Posts: 35,844
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Dude from #28 looks like me,haha.
I haven't been much into TV shows since 2011 and House MD. I do remember watching The Walking Dead with my brother, though, and I liked it. Glad to see it opening the list.
Happy 2014 Ben!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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20. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Network: FOX
Every year after the May Upfronts, new shows are announced. You read the premise*, you see who created it, and who stars in it, and you end up making early judgments. Sometimes the shows that on paper look the most intriguing are the ones that suck, and sometimes the ones that you weren't looking forward to at all become favourite shows of yours. In the case of FOX's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, that was a show that on paper felt like a show that tailor-made to my sensibilities, as it was created by Parks and Recreation's Mike Schur and Dan Goor, and starred Andy Samberg (who I love, whether its The Lonely Island or Hot Rod), Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age!!), Terry Crews (Idiocracy!!), Joe Lo Truglio (The State!), Princess Chelsea Peretti (COFFEE CRANKIN' THROUGH MY SYS'). Everything about this show on paper appealed to me. And guess what? It more than lived up to my very high expectations, as Brooklyn Nine-Nine is my favourite network comedy of the fall season.
Mike Schur is one of the smartest people making television right now, as he's a student of the form. One of the main reasons why Brooklyn Nine-Nine works is because it's a police comedy, which hasn't been done in years, despite some of the greatest shows of all-time (Barney Miller) being that genre. There hadn't been a hit cop comedy since Barney Miller, which meant that the time was right for one, especially as we are in a climate that is filled with cop shows. The grammar of the cop show is well known by everyone, which means you can just plop the characters in this world and you don’t need to explain it. Cast in the lead role of Jake Peralta was Andy Samberg, who Schur and Goor dub as "Comedy McNulty," which refers to Dominic West's McNulty character from The Wire. McNulty's motto was “The **** did I do?" which isn’t that far off from how Peralta reacts. While Peralta isn't a drunk like McNulty, he instead does pranks, and doesn't take things seriously. Despite that, Peralta is a great detective, which is another key point in why the show works as well as it does. This is not a show about a bad detective; it's a show about a good detective who acts childish, as his superiors (lead by Andre Braugher's Captain Ray Holt) try to discipline him. The relationship between Samberg and Braugher is so great, and makes for a wonderful comedy team.
The supporting characters are all strong, even in this early stage, which include Joe Lo Truglio's Charles Boyle, Terry Crews' Terry Jeffords (who some would say steals the show), as well as great newcomers Stephanie Beatriz as Rosa Diaz, and Melissa Fumero as Amy Santiago. All of them are excellent, but my favourite supporting player is my girl Chelsea Peretti as Gina Linetti. I have a been a huge fan of Peretti's for years now, so watching her get this huge showcase for her talents is so gratifying to watch. She is killing it. I am so thrilled for her, as she has long deserved a breakout like this. I mean, her interpretive dance to "Beautiful"????? THE GREATEST.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been ordered for a full season, and will be airing an episode after the Super Bowl, paired with New Girl. While I wouldn't say that a second season is a done deal at this point (FOX's two-hour nights make it difficult to proclaim anything safe), it's looking better than not at the moment. I hope we get to see many more seasons of this show, as even with only eleven episodes aired to date, it is one of my favourite comedies on television at the moment.
*Which rarely tells you if a show is going to be good or not, especially comedies. Most network comedies strive to be "hang-out" shows, so the inital premise that the show is being sold with (Happy Endings being one recent example) is rarely the reason why a show succeeds or fails.
19. Portlandia
Network: IFC
Season three of Portlandia was the best and most ambitious season of the show to date. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's tribute to Portland tried for more serialized arcs this year, with the addition of Chloe Sevingny's Alexandria. For most of the season, she is mostly wasted (which was done on purpose, as she pokes her head out of doorways, with funny Looney Tunes-style sound effects), but she becomes a major part in the story in the last three episodes, as Fred and Carrie fall in love with her, which sets up a love triangle (which ends in one episode with a Godard-inspired French New Wave-style sequence, which is very well done). There's also an ongoing plot involving Kyle MacLachlan's Mayor character, who gets ousted as Mayor of Portland (which happens through a very hilarious sequence, in which The Mayor is revealed to have a printer running constantly at all times, which he almost treats as a pet. He feeds it paper, and names it "PRINTS"), and he goes off the grid. All those plots, in addition to other plots involving Fred and Carrie's other characters, converge in a very satisfying finale, which is not something you can say for most sketch comedy shows.
Outside of the plotting, Portlandia is still Portlandia, meaning it is hilarious as ever. There are too many great sketches to list, but I loved the "Take Back MTV" episode, which served as a '90s MTV reunion, with Kurt Loder, Tabitha Soren and Matt Pinfield cameoing. It was a hilarious satire on Gen Xers wishing that MTV still played music videos, which culminated in Fred, Carrie and MTV alumni storming MTV's NYC HQ, where it is revealed that a little girl is in charge of MTV, and she wonders who all these old people are. Hilarious, but sadly true. I also loved the Milk Advisory Board segments in every episode (which Chelsea Peretti consulted on), which also had a neat little arc in the season.
Season four premieres on February 27th, and it was renewed for an additional season after that. This will be the first season of Portlandia where Armisen is gone from SNL, where his focus will be entirely focused on Portlandia. He doesn't have to rush back and forth between the two shows, which should lead to an even better show. Fred, Carrie, and unsung hero director Jonathan Krisel have created a distinct work of comic greatness, and I cannot wait to watch season four in a couple months.
18. Game of Thrones
Network: HBO
Game of Thrones, what can you even say? It is a great show, even coming from this fantasy agnostic. There's a reason why it's one of the most popular shows on television today. I mean, The Red Wedding... What other show does something like that?? I know it comes from the books, but even still, it was done in a very shocking way. I don't even know what to say about GOT. Everyone loves it, I love it too. I am excited for season four. Hodor Hodor Hodor.
17. Masters of Sex
Network: Showtime
Note: this ranking is from the first ten episodes, as I have yet to see the final two. Please do not spoil them! I plan on watching them within the next couple days.
I am always wary of Showtime's shows. They have earned a reputation as a network that meddles with their product (the head of Showtime David Nevins was responsible for Brody not going off with the bomb at the end of season one of Homeland, which is what set the chain in motion for the terrible seasons two and three of the show), and when they don't, they usually just have bland shows. So when a show like Masters of Sex hits, I am equally excited and cautious about it. It could all go south in a hurry, but for right now, I think Masters of Sex is a wonderful show that is unlike anything else on TV.
Right off the hop you have Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as Masters and Johnson. They are both really great in the roles, with Sheen playing the icy coldness of Bill Masters, and Caplan as wonderful as ever as Virginia Johnson. I could be technical about it, and describe what makes them so good in their roles, but I would rather just repeat that they are amazing in it. Masters in particular, especially in episode five, when a major event happens in his life and he lets his guard down, is such powerful work. For a guy who up to that point could have been classified as a prickly asshole, to see him break down was shocking and proved that there was a human under there. Complex work.
I also must single out Beau Bridges and Allison Janney, who are both guest-starring on the show (and both currently star in first year CBS sitcoms), as they play Provost Barton Scully and Margaret Scully, and the story of their relationship is some of the realest dramatic acting you will see on television in 2013. I won't hint, in case you haven't watched it yet, but both Bridges and Janney are incredible in their roles, playing complex characters.
I appreciate that Masters of Sex is all about the human drama, and doesn't become soapy. It tells little stories set in the period, and based on true events, and sketches them out in ways typically not seen on Showtime. It was renewed for a second season, and once I watch the final two episodes of season one, I will be ready to anticipate season two. As of now, this looks to be one show that Showtime has yet to screw up, and thank goodness for that!
16. Kroll Show
Network: Comedy Central
Nick Kroll's Kroll Show is an ambitious undertaking, a show that is basically attempting to be the Arrested Development of sketch comedy. What further helps that claim is that John Levenstein (a long-time AD writer) is one of the executive producers on the show. If you don't understand what I mean, let me explain:
The concept of Kroll Show is that it's based around Nick Kroll's many wonderful characters which have existed for years: El Chupacabra, Bobby Bottleservice, the Rich Dicks (with Jon Daly), the Oh Hello guys (with John Mulaney), as well as brand new characters like the pubLIZity girls (with Jenny Slate). Each of those characters has their own style, their own TV show, essentially. The framework of a single episode of Kroll Show is that you are flipping channels watching the different episodes of those shows, and you see more of them each week. As you watch the entire first season, you see returning callbacks (like the Chick-Fil-A parody ChiKK Klub, which many of the characters on the show eat), or spin-offs (Dr. Armond is the dog plastic surgeon for the pubLIZity girls, and he quickly gets his own spin-off called Armond of the House, which then spawns a spin-off with his son called Roman’s Empire). If this all sounds complicated, don't worry, it really isn't once you watch it. I guess my point is that watching the eight episodes gives you a greater enjoyment of the world that Nick Kroll has created. Also worth noting: Jonathan Krisel is one of the three co-creators (with Kroll and Levenstein), who directs every episode of the show. Krisel does the same duties on Portlandia, basically working on both shows (which includes being in the writers room), meaning he's one of the hardest working guys out there right now. His work is always stellar, and the visual style he brings to both Kroll Show and Portlandia is always an added bonus.
Now that the conceptual stuff is out of the way, let me just say that Kroll Show is ****ing hilarious. One of my favourites from the first season was the spot-on amazing Degrassi parody Wheels Ontario (which includes multiple Canada references. A bag of milk! Former Calgary Flame Joel Otto! I was in heaven watching it), which only featured in one episode of season one, but will return for more in season two. My favourite of them all though was the character of Kroll's that I hold in highest regard: Gil Faizon, the character who is paired with George St. Geegland (played by John Mulaney) in Oh, Hello. The Oh, Hello guys CRACK MY **** UP. Without hyperbole they are two of my favourite sketch characters of all-time, and they bring me such joy. The mispronounced words, the references, they are such particular characters that I feel deconstructing them would take away some of the fun. For some reason, the Oh Hello guys just make me laugh harder than almost anything out there.
Season two of Kroll Show will premiere on January 14th, and it is going to be a great season. All of our favourites will be back, in addition to new characters, and amazing guest stars (Amy Poehler! Laura freakin' Dern!). Kroll Show is maybe the most ambitious sketch show out there right now, and if you like comedy that aims high, then you should give it a look. I bet you will love it.
15. Key & Peele
Network: Comedy Central
Season three of Key & Peele was the show's victory lap. After a triumphant first year (which consisted of seasons one and two), where Key & Peele got to meet President Obama, season three was the show saying "Yeah, We Know We Are Great. Here's Some More Sketches To Blow Your Mind." Of course, Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael Key are humble guys, so they would never say that, but i'll say it for them.
One of the great mysteries in writing sketch comedy is the ending. The story goes that the sketch comedy writer who knows how to write endings will be the richest person in the world, as it is very difficult to do (and why shows like Mr. Show and Monty Python often skip endings, as they blend into one continuous sketch). All that said, Key & Peele is about as successful as any sketch show at writing endings. I forget who wrote it on Twitter (else I would credit them), but they said that they like to play the game of "Guess the Key & Peele Ending," and they haven't won once. It is true, as the sketches always go in directions that you would never expect.
I have lots of favourites from season three, including the return of the East/West College Bowl, Cunnilingus Class, Insult Comic, Mr. T PSA, but my favourite of the season was the transcendent L.A. VICE. A loving tribute to the work of Michael Mann, L.A. Vice is the greatest directorial work from brilliant K&P director Peter Atencio to date. From the '80s inspired song (which I guess is a song from Far Cry?), the Mann-inspired slo-mo, the pastel suits, and great performances from both Jordan and Keegan, it is simple premise executed as well as any sketch I have seen this year.
2014 will be another big year for K&P, as the show was renewed for season four, and it was also announced this year that K&P will be writing a starring vehicle for themselves to be produced by Judd Apatow. Things are only going up for K&P, and I can't wait to see everything that they do in the coming years.
14. Rectify
Network: Sundance Channel
When AMC first started airing original programming, they came on with the one-two quality punch of Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Two deliberately paced dramas that were unlike anything else at the time. They had a third show called Rubicon that followed, which wasn't a success (I loved it, though!), but followed in the same style as the two shows. Then The Walking Dead followed, and blew everything up for AMC. That's when AMC became a business, and when the small character-based dramas that they started with became the outliers in their line-up.
In 2013, AMC Networks' partner Sundance Channel began airing original programming, which started with the mini-series Top of the Lake by Jane Campion, and followed with this series, Rectify. Rectify is Sundance's first scripted drama, and it feels very reminiscent of the early days of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, though it is very much its own thing. It is also deliberately paced, and there's not much action. What makes the show hum is the stellar writing (from creator Ray McKinnon, who you may remember as Reverend Smith on Deadwood), and acting, lead by unknown Aden Young.
Rectify is about "Daniel Young (Young), who was imprisoned as a teenager for the rape and murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend Hanna. New DNA evidence vacates his original trial and he returns to his hometown of Paulie, Georgia after spending 19 years on death row. The subsequent adjustments and events in the lives of Daniel, his extended family, and the townfolk are related as a character study in a slowly unfolding Southern Gothic story." That's how Wikipedia describes it, and for six episodes that is what it is. As someone who adores the '70s character study films of Bob Rafelson, and loves the setting of a smalltown, this show is perfection to me. The rest of the cast is also very good, which includes Abigail Spencer as Amantha, his younger sister, J. Smith-Cameron as Daniel's mother, Adelaide Clemons as Tawney, Daniel's sister in law, Clayne Crawford as Daniel's step brother (and Tawney's husband), and Luke Kirby as Daniel's new lawyer. It also features Hal Holbrook, Sean Brdgers, Michael O'Neill, Johnny Ray Gill, among others.
Rectify is the type of show that isn't made much anymore. Over six episodes, it unfolds slowly, but every minute feels lived-in and organic to the characters. The show was renewed for a second season, which was bumped up to ten episodes, and I cannot wait for it. Rectify is a special show, and if you are a fan of this kind of drama, then you really ought to check it out. Thank god for the Sundance Channel for making shows like this exist.
13. Parks and Recreation
Network: NBC
This is the first year where Parks and Recreation is outside of the top ten. What happened, you may ask? Nothing really. The show is still as enjoyable as ever, maybe it's just a case of taking it for granted. Does it surprise me much anymore? Not really. I guess consistency is boring. Not when you are watching it, though, and especially when other shows around it lose their way, which is something Parks and Rec has never done.
2013 was a big year for Pawnee, as it included the wedding of Leslie and Ben, which was a wonderful episode, the retirement of Jerry ("EGGS, BACON, AND TOAST!"), Leslie battling city council, and the impending departure of Chris Traeger and Ann Perkins. Oh, and Ron Swanson got married and finds out he's going to become a father to a child. Lots of big happenings! I also must give praise to Jon Glaser as Councilman Jamm, who is such a funny and great antagonist to Leslie Knope. I am a Glaser fan for life, but even still I have been laughing a lot at Jamm, while also hating him for being against Leslie. One of the great villains of our time! YOU JUST GOT JAMMED.
There's a very good chance that this next run of episodes (the next episode set to air will be the 100th episode!) will be the show's last, as it is not improving in the ratings, and it has already reached syndication. I think the best case scenario is that it gets renewed for a final thirteen episode season, ala 30 Rock, otherwise this will be the final season of Parks and Recreation. That the show is produced in-house by NBC Universal productions is a good sign for it, however. Whatever happens, I think we are going to get a great series finale this year, whether it's this season or a shortened final season. I trust Mike Schur to deliver the goods, as he has already written a few possible series finales for Parks and Rec at the end of the past few seasons. The show has given me lots of joy over the years, and while I am sad that we are reaching its final days, I am excited to see how the show ends up.
12. New Girl
Network: FOX
Season two was the best season of New Girl to date, while season three so far hasn't been New Girl at its best, but it has still remained very funny and entertaining. I guess the show began this year with the kiss between Jess and Nick, which was shocking and very well done. The fallout from the kiss remains the best the show has been so far, and it featured great acting from both Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson. I enjoyed Merritt Weaver's work on the show as Elizabeth, and I liked the arc with Schmidt and Cece. The Chicago episode was excellent. The reintroduction of Damon Wayans Jr. as Coach has taken a while to get him back into the groove of the show, but DWJ remains a delight. I don't know what else to say. The show always makes me happy, always entertains me. I had a lot to say about the show last year, when there was more to talk about, so go read that write-up if you want to read my thoughts on it.
11. Girls
Network: HBO
I really appreciate that Lena Dunham and executive producer Jenni Konner decided to flip the formula and try new things for season two. That shows to me that Girls is here to stay, and will always remain vibrant and singular.
One example: my favourite episode of the season was episode five, "One Man's Trash" written by Lena Dunham, and directed by Richard Shepard. The episode features exactly two characters from the show (Hannah and Ray), and one new character in Joshua, played by Patrick Wilson. Hannah goes over to Joshua's house to confess to dumping the trash from Grumpy's (where Hannah and Ray work) in Joshua's trash cans. What then leads is an affair, and a very hallucinatory episode that felt very Sopranos/Mad Men at times. A short story come to life. It had nothing to do with any of the plots going on at the time, and the events from the episode might not be mentioned again in the history of the show. But it was a 20some minute short film that was as great as anything I watched in 2013. I love that not only does it exist, but that it was plopped right in the middle of the season. Ballsy.
There were other episodes, like "Video Games" which involved Hannah going with Jessa to upstate New York to visit Jessa's parents. That was another short story-like episode, which I really loved. The season went into dark places as well, as Hannah's OCD was revealed, which then later involves her sticking a q-tip very far in her ear, which took her to the hospital. I will never use a q-tip ever again as long as I live! As scary as any horror film! The finale (co-written by Dunham and Judd Apatow) had more uplift, as Marnie and Charlie reunited, and Hannah and Adam come back together (though is that really uplifting? It is played as a big romcom moment, but we know where this is going. Which is why that's a wonderful scene that plays with our emotions).
I love the reactions that Girls gets out of people. So many shows just involve us blankly staring at the screen, and then shrugging when its over. Girls gets people MAD, as it does not give a **** if you like it or not. Girls is its own thing, and does not give a **** if you like it. I am very excited for the upcoming third season (which has incredible comedy writer Paul Simms, best known as the creator of Newsradio, joining the show as an executive producer), and I can't wait to see what new ways Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner piss off the general public. Or rather, in the case of me and other fans, what ways they will delight us and surprise us.
Oh and one last thing: Colin Quinn on Girls: A++++++++. He will be back for season three, and I cannot wait. An original Brooklyn guy like him on the show set in new Brooklyn. It is too perfect for words.
P.P.S.: Jon Glaser as Laird. So good.
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The top ten will be up Sunday at the earliest. Thanks again for the comments!
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