And of course, a big thank you to Ryan, for going above and beyond in his comment about the Top 50 2013 movies. As Roger noted, what an impressive feat! Thanks, once again!
Well, it's mostly my fault for not being here when the first set was posted. The bigness of the post is solely because of my procrastination. THANKS, SELF!
Before I begin, i’ll list some honourable mentions. These shows didn’t make the cut either because, 1) I haven’t seen all the episodes in the season that aired this year, 2) it was a weaker season for the show and wasn’t worthy of inclusion, or, in the case of The Mindy Project, 3) it isn’t fully “there” as a show yet, and it’s way too soon to include it on a list like this.
Raising Hope
The Good Wife
Suburgatory
The Mindy Project
Wilfred
Archer
Downton Abbey
Cougar Town
One last honourable mention is NBC's short-lived AWAKE, a drama that lasted only 13 episodes. It had one of the best pilots of the year, and while its episodes 2-4 weren't as good, it settled into a great rhythm, and it ultimately ended in a satisfying fashion.
35. The Newsroom
Network: HBO
I have a lot to preface, by placing The Newsroom on my list. Because, of all the shows on this list, it's the one with the most caveats. It is decidedly my least favourite of the 35, and i'd probably put some of the honourable mentions above it, on a pure "This is Good" scale. Yet, the reason why The Newsroom ranks at #35 over something like Awake is that, even when it was terrible, it was never, ever boring. Does the show have too many male characters talking down to female characters? Absolutely, and it is uncomfortable every single time. Is it preachy? Yep!
So, why then, would I place it on at all, beyond me saying that it's not a boring show? It's because, while this is hardly Aaron Sorkin's finest hour, it is still Aaron ****ing Sorkin, and when the show scores on something, and gets a great monologue in, for a moment it becomes great. The pilot (directed by the great Greg Mottola) was mostly fantastic, and the build-up to the newscast was thrilling. Though Jeff Daniels' Will McAvoy has more bad moments than good, it is still an excellent performance from Daniels, and when the writing matches with his talent, the show becomes electrifying. Alison Pill is one of my favourite young actresses, and her character is mostly a waste of those talents, but it's still Alison Pill and she is working her damnedest to try and sell it. Sam Waterson's character is largely great, as is Jane Fonda's character. And in a statement I would not predict saying a year ago: Olivia Munn as Sloan Sabbith is my absolute favourite character on the show, and it proves that Munn is actually a quite capable actress.
Here's another reason why The Newsroom ranks on my list: For all of its cringe-worthy and ridiculously contrived moments, I actively cannot wait for season 2 to air. To the point where I wish the new season was starting tomorrow. Because, The Newsroom was one of the most fun shows to discuss in 2012, and whether it had a good or bad episode, it was always really fun to talk about. I have no idea if season 2 will be an improvement on season 1 (though, with season 2 set to largely take place during the 2012 election cycle.... That could lead to both some moving and powerful moments, as well as some very problematic moments. I'm excited for both!), but I do know that I am just counting down the days until I get to see it. Aaron Sorkin, whether doing good work or bad work, is an amazing writer, and we are guaranteed to get some wonderfully moving moments, with some terrific monologues, as well as all the bad things listed above. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
BTW: I am pro-Newsroom Opening Titles/Theme. I love them! I know no one else does, but I thought i'd stick up for them.
34. Up All Night
Network: NBC
I know the main focus of Up All Night this year has been all the creative shake-ups (including the season 2 mini-reboot, where they dumped The Ava Show & Missy, and the switch to becoming a multi-camera sitcom in spring 2013), which I find to be a shame, as that overshadows that the show was quite good in 2012. I know the show isn't for everyone and they would prefer a more comedic show (though, to give a miniorty opinion: I think Up All Night at its worst is still far, far better than any episode of Modern Family), but I loved that about it. I think Christina Applegate and Will Arnett made for a good couple, that had disagreements, but were never in danger of separating. A married couple who love each other, in a sitcom! What a concept! I think Maya Rudolph, in both The Ava Show era and post-Ava Show era, has always been fantastic, and I love Luka Jones, as the brother of Applegate's character. He starred in another NBC comedy from this year, which we'll get into later. I thought the last two episodes of 2012 (which also were the final episodes of it as a single-camera sitcom) were really great, and some of the best they have ever done. The creator Emily Spivey (an SNL vet, and one of the strongest comedy writers out there today) had a specific vision for the show that maybe changed a bit between seasons, but it was always a show I enjoyed spending a half hour with each week. I am hopeful for the multi-camera retool, as Applegate, Arnett, and Rudolph all have experience performing in front of a live audience and producer Lorne Michaels should hopefully bring some of his SNL magic to it, though it will probably be a completely different show, as I can't see the basic concept of the show working in a multi-cam form. So, the Up All Night that we know today is dead, and in 2013 a brand new show, with the same actors, also titled "Up All Night" will exist, and I hope it ends up being a good show. At the very least, i'm happy that the single-cam version of Up All Night ended on a high.
33. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Network: FX
Season 8 was a very meta year on Always Sunny. The episode that showed that most explictly was the second episode of the season, "The Gang Recycles Their Trash" a Community-esque episode, that had the characters reliving moments that they have gone through before in the show's history. It's an episode that is so great that you really have to watch it twice to get all the different plots they are playing with. The season as a whole was quite good, because I mean. Any season that has Guillermo del Toro playing Pappy McPoyle is automatically a great season of TV. I'm happy that Sunny is still on the air, and will continue to be on the air for at least one more season. Even this far into its run, it remains one of TV's best comedies.
32. The League
Network: FX
Season 4 of The League was another great season of the show. Is there really anything more to say about it at this point? The mythology of the show, surrounding the fantasy league, got crazier this year, the show had some wonderful guest stars (JB Smoove as a guy in a wheelchair! Seth Rogen returning as Dirty Randy!), and it made me laugh each week. This isn't a complicated or deep show. It just makes me laugh. Oh, and I almost forgot: RAFI BOMB!!!!!!!
31. Dexter
Network: Showtime
Without question, this was Dexter's best season since season 4. I may even go one step further, and say it was the best season of the show since season 2. It's really fun to watch a show when it has a set endgame and there's no more wheel-spinning. Without getting into direct spoilers for the season, the show confronted what happened at the end of last season in an amazing way, and it really made the show exciting again. Because, there was a point in the last couple seasons, where it wasn't exciting to watch the show. It was like a job, to just sit there and watch a new episode. The thrill was gone, to paraphrase BB King. But the thrill returned in season 7 in a big way. Another major factor: Ray Stevenson's character Isaak Sirko, who was unlike any character that had appeared on Dexter in the past, and Stevenson chewed up every monologue he was given. It is some of the best work I have ever seen from him. Next season is set up to be the final season of the show (unless Showtime ****s it all up, and orders another season, which I hope doesn't happen), and the writers are writing it that way. The season 7 finale ended in a big way, that should make for a very exciting and fun season of TV next year. And even if they **** it all up in season 8, season 7 of Dexter will still go down as one of the best cases of a show returning back to its former greatness that I can remember.
30. The Walking Dead
Network: AMC
(NOTE: As you may have heard, showrunner Glen Mazzara was fired by AMC. He will still be involved with the back set of episodes for season 3, but will have no involvement in season 4. This ranking is based on the episodes Mazzara was in charge of, so that decision doesn't come into play yet, but I thought i'd mention it, just as an aside. It's one of the dumbest TV exec decisions that I can remember in many a year).
I am just going to say it right now: Frank Darabont was terrible for The Walking Dead. Yes, the pilot that he wrote and directed was great, but did you see the episodes after those??? Oh, brother. It wasn't until Glen Mazzara came on-board as showrunner for the back-half of season 2 that the show finally began picking up some stream. And the front-half of season 3, the first with Mazzara fully in charge, is decidedly the best run of episodes from the show yet. I actually care about the characters now! The scenes with no dialogue are powerful and really well done. And probably best of all: The zombies are no longer the thing I am most interested in with the show. That's huge! Now, granted, there were some amazing zombie moments in these episodes, but that's not the only reason to tune in anymore! It is more of an added bonus now, as the show really has gotten me invested in these characters. A moment in this past season, involving a major character's death, was so shocking and brutal. It was perfectly handled. I am really excited for the next batch of episodes to begin in February. Will the show continue to be good, without Mazzara? I don't know, but it is certainly a blow to a show that has really been on quite a roll. If you stopped watching Walking Dead due to those awful Frank Darabont episodes, catch up! It's really good now! Honest!
29. The Office
Network: NBC
While i'm making declaritive statements: Paul Lieberstein as showrunner was terrible for The Office. Lieberstein (AKA, Toby from The Office.Dammit Toby!) became showrunner in season 6, as Greg Daniels was busy working on the pilot for Untitled The Office Spin-Off, which would later be known as Untitled Amy Poehler Sitcom, which would later become Parks and Recreation. There were good episodes under his leadership (the Jim & Pam wedding, much of the Michael Scott farewell arc), but in general the show felt very rudderless in those years. Now in its ninth and final season, Greg Daniels is back on the show in a supervising role (with comedy writing vet Brent Forrester and Sarah Silverman Program/Girls writer Dan Sterling as the new showrunners), and you can tell that the show has a purpose again. I actually care about the week-to-week stories again, and I think the last few episodes of this season in particular were quite strong (especially "The Target," which guest-starred the great Chris Gethard). I have a lot of faith that Daniels and company will end the series on a high note. When The Office ends this May, it will truly be an end of an era, and i'll be very sad to see it go.
28. Fringe
Network: FOX
Fringe is currently in its final season, and I am enjoying it quite a bit. The series finale will air in late January, and I can't wait. I won't say any details, in case people haven't seen it/aren't caught up yet, but I will be sad to see Fringe go. A very good show.
27. Don’t Trust The B In Apt. 23
Network: ABC
One of the great surprises of 2012 was The B in Apt. 23. Created by long-time American Dad writer Nahnatchka Khan, The B shares a lot of similarities with Adad. Namely, Krysten Ritter's character (Chloe) is written very similarity to Roger the Alien. Now, I don't know what your preferences are, but if a comedy in which Krysten Ritter acts like a Roger-like figure doesn't interest you, I don't know what will. She is excellent in the role, as is Dreama Walker as June. They make for a really good pairing, and they only get better with each episode. The rest of the supporting cast includes James Van Der Beek as himself (you may think that the "As Himself" gag is tired, but Van Der Beek sells it and has turned this pseudo-version of himself into a living, breathing character of its own), the great Eric Andre as June's coworker Mark, the very funny UCB improviser Mookie Blaiklock as the pervert neighbor who lives across the alleyway from June & Chole, and many others. The show is in serious ratings trouble, and probably won't get another season, which is a big shame. As while season 1 was quite enjoyable, season 2 has been really fantastic and become one of the best network comedies on the air today. Give it a shot before it gets cancelled, as I can defintely see this show having a cult following years from now. Be ahead of the curve! Don't come late to the party!
Season 3 of Justified was a step down from season 2, but that's only because season 2 was so damn good. Season 3, meanwhile, while very good, was just "fun." Season 2 rivaled Breaking Bad, I think, while season 3 was a very well-acted and fun drama. Which is perfectly fine! It is still one of the best dramas on TV today, and really, there aren't enough dramas that are aiming to be just "fun" nowadays, which is what sets Justified apart from the rest. I hope it has another season 2-level season in it, and maybe that's what season 4 will bring. Because, it's weird. In no way was season 3 "bad." it just wasn't life-changing, I guess. It was a very fun season of TV, that included great performances from Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, and guest stars Neal McDonough and Mykelti Williamson. I am very excited for season 4 to begin at the start of January, and I suggest you watch Justified, if you haven't already.
25. Portlandia
Network: IFC
AYYYYY-OHHHH RIVER!! Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's sketch show marvel Portlandia kept rolling on in season 2, and it has now become an established player in the comedy landscape. In season 1, it was the scrappy underdog, on a channel that not many people watched (IFC). In season 2 and beyond, it has basically become IFC's flagship show, in which IFC is building its entire identity around. And for good reason, as Portlandia continued to be great in season 2. Tim & Eric vet Jonathan Krisel's (who will be at the helm of Comedy Central's upcoming sketch show KROLL SHOW, starring the great Nick Kroll) direction remains inspired and bouncy, and the writing (from Armisen, Brownstein, Krisel, Simpsons vet Bill Oakley, former Community writer Karey Dornetto) was sharp enough to get an Emmy Award nomination this year. An Emmy nom! For Portlandia! I love it. There's not really a lot to say about Portlandia, that I didn't say last year, but it just remains as funny as ever, and I can't wait for the season 3 premiere on January 4th.
24. Ben & Kate
Network: FOX
Ben & Kate is my favourite new network show of the fall season. I like FOX's The Mindy Project just fine, but Ben & Kate is a far more confident, assured and ultimately, funnier show than TMP. It helps that Dakota Johnson (as Kate Fox) and Nat Faxon (as Ben Fox) had their characters down pat since the start of the pilot. Their chemistry as brother and sister is really believable, and it's rare that you see a show on TV that's about a brother and sister relationship like this. Creator Dana Fox (who previously wrote on New Girl but is a very successful screenwriter, who is also a part of the "Fempire" with Diablo Cody, New Girl creator Liz Merriwether and Nick & Norah screenwriter/Ben & Kate writer Lorene Scafaria) based the character of Ben Fox on her brother, and apparently many of the situations that Faxon's character has done on the show are taken from real life, similar to Larry David basing Cosmo Kramer on his old neighbor Kenny Kramer.
Johnson and Faxon are tremendous, but the other stars of the show include the very funny Lucy Punch as BJ, who may just be the breakout character of the fall. She's so good. UCB performer Echo Kellum as Tommy, Ben's best friend. With each episode Kellum gets better as Tommy, and in some episodes he has been the one to say the funniest line/do the funniest thing in the episode (with the Halloween episode "Scaredy Kate" being one in particular where this happened). Also, Maggie Elizabeth Jones plays Maddie, Kate's daughter, and she's very good. What I love about Maddie is that she is written as an actual little kid, and not that awful Modern Family thing where Kids Talk Like Adults which is so cheesy at this point. Maddie reacts and talks like an actual 4 year old, or however old she is, and it's refreshing. I love the moments where Lucy Punch's BJ chastises Maddie, in a very funny way, lecturing her about something that she would obviously have no understanding of.
The show isn't getting good ratings, and could very well be cancelled at the end of its 19 episode first season. But The Mindy Project is also doing awful in the ratings, and it has had far more problems creatively (from cast members leaving to new characters being introduced late in the run), so maybe Ben & Kate shouldn't be counted out just yet. Because, 10 episodes into its run, I can say that Ben & Kate has had one of my favourite first seasons for a network comedy in a while. Another one of those favourite first seasons for a network comedy happened earlier this year, which we'll get into a bit later. But for now, I encourage you to watch Ben & Kate, as it is a nice warm hug of a show, with some great laughs. I believe Salon dubbed it "The Parks and Recreation of family sitcoms," (in terms of its feel-good nature, not in terms of it being on P&R's level), and I can't argue with that.
23. Homeland
Network: Showtime
Oh boy, Homeland. Last year, it ranked in my top 10 favourite shows of 2011. This year, it's #23. Unlike with Justified, which had a similar tumble from 2011 to 2012, I can't say its because the show just had a "fun season." In the case of Homeland, i'll be blunt and say it's because at least half of season 2 of Homeland was really bad. Like, "They Completely Miscalculated What People Thought Was Great About The Show In Season 1" bad.
What are the positives of season 2 of Homeland? I can say that episode 1, 2, 4, and 5 were very great, and top 10 worthy. Episode 3 was OK, but it had one plot (won't reference it, but it was a Brody plot) that really ****ing annoyed me. That should have been my first clue that things weren't right with Homeland. Claire Danes remained excellent (though, at times, they may push a little too hard on the Carrie Cryface, to the point of SNL parodying it in their funny Homeland sketch). Damian Lewis as Brody was very good (and excellent in episode 5), though very ridiculous later on in the season. Mandy Patinkin as Saul was from beginning-to-end fantastic on the show, and he may just be my favourite character on the show. And even in the bad last half of season 2, there were wonderful character moments, even when the plot was completely askew.
The bad? Well, for the people who haven't seen season 2 of Homeland, i'd rather not go into specifics. I'll just say that the creators may have thought that we cared more about the romance of certain characters more than we actually did. Some very inconsistent characterizations drove me nuts. And just a LOT of ridiculous plotpoints. More ridiculous moments than a reigning Best Drama Emmy winner should have.
All that said, I will absolutely watch season 3, as I think they have set something up that could redeem the show. Unless they do one thing and then we'll know what kind of show this is once and for all. I guess i'm just disappointed in Homeland, as I had very high hopes for its future after season 1. I thought it was one of the best dramas on TV. But with season 2, Homeland can barely touch the best of what network TV has to offer drama wise, let alone the cream of the cable crop (your Mad Men's, your Breaking Bad's, other dramas coming up). I hope it returns to season 1-level greatness in season 3, but season 2 will remain an undeniable big disappointment for me.
22. Game of Thrones
Network: HBO
Season 2 of Game of Thrones was fantastic. It built on what made the first season so special, and it introduced many new exciting characters. It is among one of the most beautiful looking shows on television. And episode 9, "Blackwater," directed by movie director Neil Marshall, is one of the best episodes of TV drama of 2012. From what I understand, season 3 will be based on the third book (which will likely be split into two seasons of TV), and some mighty big things happen in that third book, apparently. I am only watching the HBO series, so I am going into these events blind. Maybe 2013 will finally be the year when Game of Thrones enters my top 10? I would love to do that! It is very capable of reaching those heights! But for now, it remains an endlessly watchable drama, and one of the best of its kind currently airing. If you aren't watching yet, come on. Do it! It's really good!
21. Best Friends Forever
Network: NBC
There's a very good chance you have no idea what Best Friends Forever is. Which is a shame, as this short-lived 6 episode mid-season sitcom on NBC last spring was really so, so good. It should still be airing right now! Not to harp on The Mindy Project some more (which I do like! Really!), but that a show like that, that has so much creative turmoil and problems, can get 24 episodes, yet Best Friends Forever, which knew what it was FROM SECOND ONE, can only get 6 episodes? It's a ****ing travesty.
Best Friends Forever was co-created by Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham, who were also the show's stars. They have been UCB Theatre performers for over a decade, and two of the most talented improvisers on the planet earth. The way they wrote scripts (and they were credited for writing three of the six episodes) was that they recorded themselves improvising scenes, based on a loose plot, and that's how they wrote dialogue. Just Jess St. Clair and Lennon Parham, improvising an entire 22 minute episode of TV on their own, and that became a script. Which is why the show felt so relaxed and believable from the start. There was never, ever a phony line on the show. Never a "oh, that's a clever thing that a comedy writer thought up in a writers room" line. Every line, joke or not, felt organic to the characters and who they were. They were bringing Del Close's method of improv to a sitcom on the National Broadcasting Company, and it was ****ing marvelous to watch. Even beyond their writing method, it was so great to watch a show that was co-created and co-starring two of the funniest people in the world, who weren't major stars in any way and got to where they did solely on years of hard work. The show deserved a lot more than what it got.
The show's third lead was current Up All Night Star Luka Jones, who is another UCB Theatre mainstay. He was also very great on the show, and fit in really well.
You can stream all six episodes of Best Friends Forever on NBC.com I highly recommend you check them out. You won't get more than six episodes of TV, but they, in my mind, are six of the funniest, warmest and most delightful episodes of a new network sitcom you will see this year. Only Ben & Kate comes close.
Further studies: i'd be remiss not to mention that Jessica St. Clair plays a character on the popular Comedy Bang Bang podcast called Marissa Wompler, a 16 year old intern, who is my favourite recurring character on the show. It proves JSC's improv bonafides, and why Best Friends Forever should still be on the air. In an episode of CBB this year, Lennon Parham joined in on the fun, playing a teacher named Miss Listler, and she was just as funny as Wompler. The podcasting company Earwolf just released The Christmas Womptacular, which includes Wompler, Listler, Scott Aukerman, Jason Mantzoukas as Eric "Gutterballs" Gutterman, and Brian Huskey as step-dad Seth, and it is so funny and so good. I highly recommend you check it out.
Link to all of Jessica St. Clair's appearances as Marissa Wompler Direct link to the recent Christmas Womptacular
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TOMORROW: TV Shows 20-01! It's a Christmas Eve miracle! I was thinking of waiting until tomorrow to post it all at once, but I think it is better to split it up. I look forward to talking to all of you then!
I'm so **** show excited to see where Breaking Bad ends up.
But for now - I finally got in to Walking Dead! Just made it to end of season 2 and god damn **** is getting good. Can't wait to be all caught up.
I have been meaning to catch some of Ben and Kate, and at some point, finally watch Dexter. ****, I wish I watched more TV. Your list is such a good read Ben. Just enough information without being too spoiler. Keep up the great work Spaceman!
Admittedly, I'm WAY behind on current shows, but I had heard that Homeland really stunk up the joint at certain points this season. Allow me to catch up and weigh in myself.
And I really, really, really, REALLY need to watch season 7 of Dexter already. Really. Really. And many of the other shows you mentioned, of course. And I also REALLY need to get into Don't Trust the B. But do trust me.
I don't watch TV. But the one that gets my attention the most is Walking Dead, heard the buzz and hype about it, but yeah, because i don't own a TV I haven't really watched it, not even searching for it in the Internet, shame on me.
You always need to add a GIF to be credible on ATRL. dur.
Your list is one of my favorites because I can get excited about stuff but then forget. You know, at some point this year, I went back to your list for ideas... why don't I do that more often? ANYWAY
Ooh, The Band Perry – Better Dig Two sounds nice! Thanks for sharing, and I'd say I will remember to check out the album but I'm too forgetful to say such things. I am getting this song now though.
I like "Cartoon and Cereal" but I don't know if I agree with you concerning the album. Granted, I don't know **** but yeahhhh, I appreciate you still sharin'!
I don't know how I forgot about Blur but I'm not even gonna go into that.
Hospitality – "Friends of Friends"!
So, I definitely didn't know about the other two Scott Jacobson videos until your post, naturally, but good to see a song/video I did know about and liked! "I also love how the video has the “New York” scenes take place in L.A., and the “L.A.” scenes take place in New York." I did not realize that but... yeah, I see it. *walks away in shame*
Hot Chip and Real Estate ^_^
So... I really like the video for "Simple Song," as well as your description
I do want to see Kick-Ass 2!
I'd be more sold on Monsters University if Boo was there too! Not everyone from the gang is back! >:O
I'm okay with anything as long as it has Tina Fey and Paul Rudd but yeah, you right. Whoa, and then a movie with Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd? He's got all the good scripts!
lol, that's actually how I read Elysium too XD
Spring Breakers! Yes! Teen Starlets, and James Franco!
Yes. Yes. Yes. to Star Trek into Darkness.
I wish half the information you brought to these write-ups stayed remained in my head for later decision-making.
lol. Oh ATRL censors.
LOL @ the End of the World picture <3 OH MY GOD, that is SUCH a good picture.
I need to eventually watch NTSF:SD:SUV:: but motivation is so low -_-
Great description for Newsroom. Completely agree.
I also agree with UAN being better than MF, but I still like both for different reasons
You make me excited to catch up on Dext!
Not gonna lie, if I was to get into another baby show, it may be Ben & Kate. I'm gonna avoid it though!
My day was a lot busier than expected, so I had no time to properly work on my year-end list. Because I really like to carve out a chunk of time to work on these year-ends. I could post my top 20 TV shows right now! I could! But, these TV shows were important to me this year, and I feel like I need space to describe why they meant something to me, and why you should give them a shot, if you haven't yet. I'll stop with the timetables, and instead say that the top 20 TV shows will easily be posted by Friday. Without question. I said "i'll stop it with the timetables," and I give myself a timetable. Uhhhhh, Good Work, Doc Spaceman. But yeah, the TV list should definitely be completed by Friday, and then it'll be all music, all the time. Which I know is very good news for some of the people who like my year-end. For a thread titled "Ben's Top 40 Albums of 2012," there's been a lack of music-related content for a while, and I apologize for that.
So, until then, if you celebrate Christmas, I say MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone! And if you don't, Happy Holidays! Now, to bring my thread back to 2012 music, here's a great recently released cover of Slade's classic "Merry Xmas Everybody," by one of my all-time favourite bands Sloan. It is an excellent cover of what is (for my money) one of the greatest Christmas songs ever written. So, enjoy one of Canada's best bands doing a cover of one of the UK's most iconic songs, by one of the great UK groups of the '70s. Long live Noddy Holder!
Really like your singles list Good #1 by Blur late on hearing on it tho Lamar, The Band Perry Ty, Future Bob , Aimee, TD, are all good ones too and ZZ Ward, Shins, A.C Newman get a mention also is nice, you have music videos that I’m shocking am familiar with like all of Aimme’s videos including the #1 remake was a nice touch, HotChip (Old FIFA it’s so great),the Easy video is hilarious, Teardrop Windows s is good as well, Nick Lowe, and The Sihns. Must check out the videos for Jeff The Neighborhood & Guided by Voices. Haven’t heard of OFF! But I should since there is abuzz going on. The 2013 Movies piece is an interesting read can’t wait for them, Paul McCartney songs is good., I know only NTSF:SD:SUV:: & Childrens Hospital and both are nice, don't tend to watch Adult Swim's shows I just watch Family Guy reruns & Robot Chicken. The TV Shows, I like Archer and Wilfred at times, also It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Walking Dead, The Office, Fringe, Justified, Portlandia. Must See Dexter , sucks for not having HBO. Great write-ups I see you’re on passionate about this that’s always good to see and you have a quite best of so far. TheX-Mas song wow.
It remind me of Death Cab For Cutie!
But the one that gets my attention the most is Walking Dead, heard the buzz and hype about it, but yeah, because i don't own a TV I haven't really watched it, not even searching for it in the Internet, shame on me. 
