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[lazybones18]

50. happy endings: sabado free-gante
(originally aired: october 30, 2012)

How could we not give a spot to this year's Halloween episode, which opens with the cast dressed as the Jackson 5 - in marionette form - with Brad as Joe Jackson? Easily one of the funniest moments of 2012.

49. new girl: fluffer
(originally aired: october 2, 2012)

It took a while, but "New Girl" finally seems to have found a way to start telling stories without having everything spiral off into their own silly tangents. Here Nick finds himself the emotional fluffer to Jess, who can't "get it up" so to speak in her no-strings-attached relationship with her new beau. It's a surprisingly revealing installment, both in its "Seinfeld"-ian premise and it's forthright discussion about Nick and Jess's own foibles.

48. bent: tile date
(originally aired: april 4, 2012)

Boy did this show find a way to sneak up inside and make you a believer or what? What could easily be dismissed as a low-key character study (which we did) eventually blossomed into a legitimately funny and rewarding show, one that took on the usual pitfalls and rewards of starting a relationship in a surprisingly adult way.

47. raising hope: jimmy's fake girlfriend
(originally aired: february 14, 2012)

Jimmy's declaration of love for Sabrina - a tour of their relationship as told via his improv class - was everything we love about Greg Garcia's shows: unapologetically silly, amusingly reverential and wonderfully heartfelt. Even better is that you never know which aspect is coming next.

46. the river: magus
(originally aired: february 7, 2012)

It's rare when a television series literally can do something that's never been done before. Here Michael Green and company posited a show about a mother and son - with a documentary crew in tow - looking into their husband/father's ill-fated expedition on the Amazon River. The end result was both genuinely chilling and unexpectedly clever, not to mention looked like nothing else you've seen on television before.

45. arrow: pilot
(originally aired: october 10, 2012)

A finely constructed hour that brims with the kind of confidence you rarely see in these kinds of shows, from its nesting doll of emotional stakes to its intriguing mystery throughline to its legitimately cool action to its star-in-the-making lead. If you want a recipe on how to make a superhero show: this is it.

44. spartacus: vengeance: libertus
(originally aired: february 24, 2012)

For a show that's killed and maimed people in every conceivable way possible, here's one we didn't see coming: bringing down the entire damn arena on everyone. Unexpected doesn't even come close to covering it. How about: insert-your-favorite-swear-word-here-ing awesome.

43. awake: pilot
(originally aired: march 1, 2012)

"Awake" took the idea of "high concept" to a whole other level, establishing two realities as the result of trauma suffered by our hero, Michael Britten. In one world his wife died in a car accident, in another his son, each separated by a night's sleep. The mechanics of the above alone were something to marvel at but the truly inspiring moment is when Michael declares that - contrary to every instinct of we the TV viewer - he's not interested in solving the mystery of his predicament and he'll do everything in his power to keep both worlds alive.

42. elementary: pilot
(originally aired: september 27, 2012)

Thoughtfully performed and slickly executed, somehow Robert Doherty, Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu managed to reinvent what's already been a heavily reimagined premise, a take that's brimming with discovery and awakening for not only the characters but for we the viewers.

41. last resort: captain
(originally aired: september 27, 2012)

Unabashedly ambitious and high concept, the opener to this unfortunately short-lived series swung for the fences in an engaging, thoughtful way. Shawn Ryan and Karl Gajdusek put a bunch of people in a submarine and pushed their preconceptions about country, family, justice and friendship to the breaking point. What else could you ask for from a TV show?

40/39. archer: space race: parts I & II"
(originally aired: march 15 & 22, 2012)

A two-part smorgasbord of all the things that make this show great, beginning with the fact they literally are in space and not just space, a fever dream of "Moonraker" meets 2013 space. Throw in everything from Bryan Cranston as a crazed astronaut to shameless vomit jokes and nudity, not to mention the return of evil cyborg Barry - all presented as visually beautiful as this series has ever been.

38. community: digital estate planning
(originally aired: may 17, 2012)

As a child of the 1980s, how could I not fall in love with an episode told almost entirely as a 1980s video game? What's really great about this installment is that much like last year's "Dungeons & Dragons"-themed episode, there's a love and affection for what's going on you can't fake. Whether it's having to restart after "dying" or the excitement of figuring out how to "jump," it's a clever romp that manages to transport the usual Greendale foibles and personalities into 8-bit form.

37. southland: wednesday
(originally aired: january 17, 2012)

The show's fourth season distilled what was already a strong mix into a well-oiled machine: just two detectives and four regular patrol officers. What was truly surprising is that two of those were new additions - Lucy Liu's Jessica Tang and Dorian Missick's Ruben Robinson - and the show didn't skip a beat.

36. parks & recreation: win, lose or draw
(originally aired: may 10, 2012)

Leave it to "Parks & Recreation" of all shows to rip the rug out from under its already loaded drama. With the fate of Leslie Knope's campaign still very much up in the air, another bombshell hits: her beau/campaign manager Ben has been offered the chance to run a real congressional campaign. So win or lose, her boyfriend is potentially missing in action for six months. The end result of both scenarios - she wins, he goes - felt unexpectedly real as much like in life, new challenges premptively take the wind out of overcoming old ones. Well that Ron Swanson saying things like "I've had the same haircut since 1978" or "I have one bowl" in succession.

35. the middle: year of the hecks
(originally aired: january 4, 2012)

It's amazing how much mileage this show gets out of the simplest of premises: Frankie foists Brick's new year's resolutions on everyone. And while they all are essentially excuses for silliness - Axl to clean his room, Brick to stop reading all the time, Mike to smile and Frankie to spend more time with Brick - the end result is actually quite sweet and revealing of a family that despite their daily exasperations and frustrations, genuinely loves each other.

34. modern family: election day
(originally aired: april 11, 2012)

Claire's run for City Council provided a hilarious cross-section of events as Phil tries to bus in his crotchety neighbor to vote; Alex, Manny, Gloria and Luke run the phone bank; Jay and Haley conspire to cover up embarrassing secrets; Claire is forced to give an important radio interview after breaking a tooth; and most delightfully, Mitch and Cameron, who outfit their car with a speaker system to get out the vote - only to find themselves using it as their overly personal soapbox.

33. the big bang theory: the parking spot escalation
(originally aired: november 29, 2012)

Let's be honest, as great as "The Big Bang Theory" was before Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) came onto the scene, they've since raised the bar exponentionally. Such is the case in this episode as Wolowitz and Sheldon's battle over the latter's vacant parking spot manages to pull their ladies into the fray (Bernadette: "Amy, I'm sensing a little hostility, is it maybe because, like Sheldon's work, your sex life is also theoretical?" Amy: "Well at least when we do make love, Sheldon won't be thinking about his mother."), raising the stakes on what's already a ridiculous showdown.

32. parenthood: road trip
(originally aired: january 3, 2012)

A road trip - or in this case, considering the size of the Braverman clan, a caravan - to see Zeek's mother uproots the show's usual mechanizations and gives us a wonderful showcase as a result: from Adam and Hattie's last time alone before she heads off to college, to Drew's mortification over catching his mother having sex, to Max shockingly calling his mother a bitch, to Crosby's valiant attempts to keep his eye on a chair (a gift from Zeek to his mom) and finally the slow burn reveal of Zeek's own challenges over the course of his life.

31. white collar: wanted
(originally aired: july 10, 2012)

"What if Neal really ran?" is a question that has been hanging over the series since its start. Here we finally get the answer, one that not only provides a nice break from the usual New York-based adventures but affirms how much the character of Neal Caffrey has grown and how deep his friendship with Peter Burke runs.

30. community: basic lupine urology
(originally aired: april 26, 2012)

Filed under the "because they can" category, this episode gave us a surprisingly reverential take on the "Law & Order" franchise as Abed and Troy investigate the "murder" of their biology project. Said endeavor casts everyone in the expected tropes - Shirley (police chief), Annie (assistant DA) and Jeff (the DA) among them - and displays an almost freakish ability to ape the original from its most obvious to its lovingly subtle aspects.

29. parenthood: what to my wondering eyes
(originally aired: december 11, 2012)

You've got to be made of stone to make it through this show unscathed, don't you? Between Kristina's "farewell" video, Adam breaking down and hugging his dad, Amber making the surprisingly adult choice to break up with Ryan rather than repeat the mistakes of her mother, Crosby and Jasmine deciding to have another baby and hell, even Zeek's recounting to the youngest Bravermans the time he saw Santa Claus, this episode ran its hands down the buttons of an emotional elevator and made sure we stopped at every floor. Sure it's all shamelessly manipulative at times, but darn if we didn't get swept away.

28. the good wife: the dream team
(originally aired: april 29, 2012)

The mechanizations to keep Lockhart/Gardner afloat remained as compelling of a high wire act as ever in this episode as the return of Canning and Nyholm (the always welcome Michael J. Fox and Martha Plimpton) threatens to derail all of the recent progress made by our heroes. The real highlights however were on the personal front: a rare face-to-face encounter between Will and Peter; Jackie's latest attempt to put a wedge between her son and Alicia; and of course, the haunting image of a nervous Kalinda, gun in hand, facing a unseen figure pounding at her door. (Sure we know the Pandora's Box that followed, but darn if it wasn't badass in the moment.)

27. southland: thursday
(originally aired: march 20, 2012)

The bookend to the show's stellar fourth season once again deftly navigated murky waters, whether it was Ben going full vigilante despite the pleas of Sammy from his hospital bed, Lydia finally coming to the realization she's been putting her unborn baby in danger or Cooper finally confronting Tang about her botched shooting. The latter in particular perfectly encapsulated the world of "Southland" (and perhaps our own as well): that no matter how high we think our moral ground is, the reality is far different.

26. justified: slaughterhouse
(originally aired: april 10, 2012)

To say Raylan Givens has daddy issues is an understatement. The perpetual thorn in his side since returning to Harlan, father Arlo delivers a crushing blow to his son in the third season finale, first by murdering the kindly Trooper Tom and secondly - and most devastatingly - taking the fall for another to protective his quasi-adoptive son Boyd.

25. modern family: bringing up baby
(originally aired: september 26, 2012)

Worth a spot on this list for its wonderful closing moments as Gloria's anxiety over telling Jay about her pregnancy is quickly sated by his overwhelming joy of having the Pritchett clan expand by one more. The resulting time jump to a now very pregnant Gloria - alongside everyone else's sped-up foibles - was just plain delightful.

24. big bang theory: the vacation solution
(originally aired: february 9, 2012)

Sheldon and Amy's relationship remains one of television's comedic gold mines, a fact made all the more evident by this episode in which Sheldon is forced to take a vacation. His destination of choice: Amy's workplace, where he's tasked as her assistant. The resulting journey - from being emasculated by his girlfriend, to drowning his sorrows in piña coladas to eventually doing the adult thing and apologizing - was not only a stellar showcase of Jim Parsons's talents but also a reminder of how big a part Mayim Bialik has played in bringing it out of him.

23. mad men: far away places
(originally aired: april 22, 2012)

"Mad Men" continues to thumb its nose at expectations, opting for vignettes about existential subjects rather than plodding forward as your typical serial. Case in point: this fable in which Peggy, Roger and Don attempt to maintain control of their lives, a haunting reminder that our vision of the world and ourselves is fleeting, always on the cusp of being replaced by something else, no matter how hard we try to ignore it.

22. 30 rock: mazel tov, dummies!
(originally aired: november 29, 2012)

Liz Lemon's wedding was everything we hoped it would be and more. Sure there's the expected silliness (Top Gun-esque windmill high fives, dressing up as Princess Leia, anything involving Dennis Duffy, etc.) but it's the perfect amount of sweetness - beau Criss cleverly sabotages their city hall wedding so she can have the one she hadn't yet admitted to herself - that set it apart.

21. how i met your mother: no pressure
(originally aired: february 20, 2012)

I love that even some eight years in, the romantic pangs of the pilot - in which the blistering chemistry between Robin and Ted is crushingly undercut by the news that she is in fact not the mother - still hang over in the series. Such was the case here as Ted once again offers his heart to her, to similarly devastating results. The ensuing fallout: Marshall tells Robin she needs to move out in order to give Ted space to heal was equally bittersweet, another example of the emotional honesty that makes this show so great.

http://thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2...2012-number-50-41-301303/20130107_bestof2012/
http://thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2...2012-number-40-31-926414/20130108_bestof2012/
http://thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2...2012-number-30-21-751310/20130109_bestof2012/

 

[lazybones18]

20. fringe: letters of transit
(originally aired: april 20, 2012)

The hallmark of "Fringe" has been its ability to establish a family unit no matter how outlandish the scenario. Lose your son, replace him with one from an alternate universe. Lose your universe, have yourself dropped into a new one. Regardless of the makeup, the connections of love and family still manage to get created. That constant state of reinvention once again became evident in this episode, as Walter, Astrid and Peter awaken some 25 years into the future under the rule of The Observers. Among the rebels: Peter's now grown up daughter Henrietta, squaring the circle of the family unit once again.

19. community: virtual systems analysis
(originally aired: april 19, 2012)

If centering an episode about trying to help Abed, a character who is paralyzed by his skewed perception of reality, using an even more fake perception of reality, the Dreamatorium, isn't snake-eating-its-tail meta manna from heaven, I don't know what is.

18. treme: tipitina
(originally aired: november 25, 2012)

David Simon and Eric Overmyer's annual closing up shop remains as potent as ever, as their characters either find peace in letting go of their previous ambitions or remain resolute in the face of the realities of their fates. As always "Treme" remains a compelling story about survival and what that means to each of its denizens.

17. parks and recreation: halloween surprise
(originally aired: october 25, 2012)

Ben's (Adam Scott) marriage proposal to Leslie (Amy Poehler) was somehow surprising, touching and hilarious all at the same time - a perfect moment between two great characters, not to mention two wonderful actors.

16. dexter: are you ...?
(originally aired: september 30, 2012)

It's a development that's been hanging over the series since its start: what happens when Deb finds out her brother is a serial killer? Six years later we finally got the answer. No cop out, no switcheroo, she really knows. The result: a full-on reinvention of the show, one that gave rise to questions about the status quo we've accepted for Dexter the character (and the show) all along.

15. luck: episode 9
(originally aired: march 25, 2012)

The de facto ending to David Milch's horse racing opus proved to be a surprisingly upbeat capper, from Mike and Ace's détente over the race track to the windfall for our sad sack group of gamblers. The latter in particular was disarmingly sweet as what were initially a group of degenerates at best ultimately morphed into a quartet of true friends, all hopeful of the future.

14. the good wife: another ham sandwich
(originally aired: january 29, 2012)

The defeat - for now at least - of Wendy Scott-Carr (Anika Noni Rose) was "The Good Wife" at the top of its game. Whether it's the cleverly passive-aggressive way the characters manage to manipulate each other or the endless shades of grey they continue to become mired in, this show is a delightful meal any week. Here though we them pushed to the precipice, from Kalinda going all double-agent to Alicia being tasked with admitting to her personal foibles on the witness stand.

13. mad men: lady lazarus
(originally aired: may 6, 2012)

Pete's search for and Don's attempts to hold onto happiness remained as fascinating as ever in this episode. For the latter, Megan's decision to leave Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce to pursue acting pulled the floor out from under him (literally if you count his experience with an empty elevator shaft). And in the former's case, a dalliance with an acquaintance's wife (Alexis Bledel) once again exposed - much like Don - his perpetual need to control the world around him. Plus, you know, it ended with a f---ing Beatles song.

12/11. breaking bad: say my name/gliding over all
(originally aired: august 26-september 2, 2012)

"Shut the f--- up and let me die in peace," were the final words of Mike Ehrmantraut to Walter White. They also marked the beginning of the end of Walter's empire as his meticulous construction begins to unravel across these two episodes. It's the end result of pride unchecked by humility. Even with his initial goals long achieved - Walter literally has more money than he can spend - there's a hubris inside him that still demands more. More respect. More fear. Just more. So how fitting then that the man who thinks he knows everything overlooks the one thing that lays the tracks for his downfall: a seemingly innocuous copy of "Leaves Of Grass" that Hank stumbles across and gets his wheels turning.

10. sons of anarchy: j'ai obtenu cette
(originally aired: december 4, 2012)

"Sons of Anarchy" finally stuck the landing so to speak in 2012. Each year the show seemed to paint its characters into inescapable corners for 12 weeks, then just pull them out of their predicaments without significant consequence. This time though, the big choices were finally made and their costs were heavy. That especially applied to Jax, who in his efforts to remove Clay for good, finally became the man he's loathed all along.

9. suits: she knows
(originally aired: june 14, 2012)

A breakthrough episode which solidified its status as a top-tier drama, "She Knows" doubled down on its previously shaky premise and somehow emerged clearer and sharper than ever thanks to its supernaturally charming cast, distinctive voice and slick look. At a certain point you either fall in love with a show or you don't and we fell hard in 2012.

6/7/8. louie: late show, parts 1-3
(originally aired: august 30-september 20, 2012)

After three seasons of character pieces, "Louie" finally pushed for a full-fledged narrative in this trilogy of episodes and the dividends were tremendous. Admittedly part the fun was seeing who would show up next (Jay Leno! Chris Rock! David Lynch?!) but the true draw was seeing Louie actually challenged on a level we haven't seen before, both at work and at home. The prize: a chance to succeed David Letterman on CBS. The ensuing "Rocky"-esque journey gave us a litany of great moments: from a pragmatic discussion about his career with a network executive (Garry Marshall) to learning how to literally tell jokes by the aforementioned Lynch. The piece de resistance of course arrives in the closing installment when, after learning the entire operation is for naught, the mere fact he was in the discussion proves to be all the victory he needs.

5. mad men: signal 30
(originally aired: april 15, 2012)

A dinner party at the Campbells - not to mention a science-fiction story by Ken Cosgrove - provided a window into Pete's foibles in this memorable episode. Perennially painted as the petulant child of the show, Pete nevertheless has grown to match the personal and professional success of his idol Don Draper. And yet, despite it all, he's still unhappy, on the cusp of tearing down his great life because it's suffocating him. It's Don of course who steps in and sets him straight, advice that also serves as a reminder he'll never be Don Draper... or anyone else for that matter, as much as he wants to be.

4. homeland: new car smell
(originally aired: october 21, 2012)

We all knew the day would come, we just couldn't imagine it happening this fast. And yet here we are 16 episodes in and the unthinkable has happened: Carrie and company, armed with definitive proof of Brody's terrorist activities, take him into custody. The fact that a rattled Carrie does it to simply regain the power in her relationship with Brody: all the better.

3. breaking bad: dead freight
(originally aired: august 12, 2012)

A brazen, daylight train robbery served as the backdrop for this standout installment as Walter and company endeavor to not only steal a shipment of methylamine, but replace it with water to cover their tracks. The end result was about as stunning a setpiece as this series has ever achieved, made all the more harrowing by its closing moments in which our "heroes" rejoice after pulling off their expertly crafted heist - only to be spotted by a random boy riding his bike. The choice is made before even a discussion can be had: Todd shoots and kills him in cold blood. Just... wow.

2. the walking dead: seed
(originally aired: october 14, 2012)

Season three opened with a staunch reminder of just how bad things have gotten in the world of "The Walking Dead." Ever outnumbered, our heroes make the only choice left to them: hole up at a nearby prison and pray its walls keep them safe longer than a few nights at a time. Before that can happen, they literally have to clean house. Said efforts are about as stunning and visceral of a TV experience as I've ever encountered, an agonizing sequence of events that's both thrilling (seriously how many zombies did they kill?) and downright unsettling (seriously how many zombies did they kill?) plus not without its costs (Hershel is bitten but potentially saved via impromptu amputation). Just another white knuckle episode of "The Walking Dead."

1. game of thrones: blackwater
(originally aired: may 27, 2012)

Sometimes things just live up to the hype. So goes the penultimate episode of season two, which finally put the show's oft-referenced - but rarely seen - epic battles front and center. A wondrous spectacle of both military strategy and CGI, Stannis' attempt to take King's Landing was worthy of the big screen. But as is custom with this show, it's the character beats that eclipse it all, whether it's the seemingly invincible Sandor Clegane losing his fire for battle, packing up and leaving; Cersei's spiral into drunkenness, acknowledging the cancerous presence she has become; and of course, Tyrion's stirring speech to keep on fighting, not for the crown but for their homes ("Those are brave men knocking at our door... let's go kill them!"). Man do I love this show.

http://thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2...2012-number-20-11-454011/20130110_bestof2012/
http://thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2...-2012-number-10-1-418123/20130111_bestof2012/

 

[NawidA]

That's a lot of content you just copy and pasted.

 

[Blablurn]

guess i need to watch walking thrones at some point

 

[tha_devil]

The top 4 being my favorite shows, i can agree with this list.

 

[gdt]

Good enough list. Hits most of the internet bullet points as to not make anyone angry.

 

[Insane Metal]

I've seen only TWD, and I don't think it was all that good at all.

No Revenge, Person of Interest or Castle?

At least arrow is in there. But the pilot wasn't the best episode either.

 

[lamaroo]

Good to see Luck was at least mentioned.