EWB's Top 51 TV Shows of 2013: The Results

[VerbalPuke]

I didn't vote, but two of those three would have been in my top three (Breaking Bad at 1, and Walking Dead at 2). I can see where people aren't into the Walking Dead, it is fucking silly, but I've always been a fan of the living dead, going back to when my dad got me the original Dawn of the Dead when I was 11 or 12. Part of it is also that I don't watch a lot of TV.

Breaking Bad is the best show I have ever seen. Nothing even comes close, it was brilliant, no other show could get my adrenaline going in anticipation of what would happen next. It made me say "Holy shit" out loud quite often. It was fucking great.

I want to start Game of Thrones from the beginning, my wife has been watching season 2 via netflix and I watched a few episodes, and it seems like a really great show. I think I'd like to read the books, then start the show from the beginning.

[Colly]

No one still watches Walking Dead, it just magically made its way into the top 3 and one of the longest threads in this bit of the forum.

I really enjoyed this last half season, although I think I seem to struggle to spot the peaks and troughs that internet concensus decides on every so often so probably have more patience than most.

Elsewhere I really liked Elementary and Hannibal, along with some of the low scoring Brit types (Toast of London was wonderful. Clem Fandango), and at some point I really need to catch up on Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. Lack of Sky Atlantic be damned!

[Benjamin]

I didn't vote, but two of those three would have been in my top three (Breaking Bad at 1, and Walking Dead at 2). I can see where people aren't into the Walking Dead, it is fucking silly, but I've always been a fan of the living dead, going back to when my dad got me the original Dawn of the Dead when I was 11 or 12. Part of it is also that I don't watch a lot of TV.

Breaking Bad is the best show I have ever seen. Nothing even comes close, it was brilliant, no other show could get my adrenaline going in anticipation of what would happen next. It made me say "Holy shit" out loud quite often. It was fucking great.

I want to start Game of Thrones from the beginning, my wife has been watching season 2 via netflix and I watched a few episodes, and it seems like a really great show. I think I'd like to read the books, then start the show from the beginning.

VP, as someone who started reading the books after watching the first season, I'd recommend watching the TV show first before reading the books. It makes the TV show much, much better.

[zero]

Watching The Walking Dead is like watching WWE at this point... It pisses me off more often than not, but I can't stop because I don't want to miss out if it gets good.

Game of Thrones is marvelous.

Breaking Bad is an instant classic and will be what people point to when they talk about the weird moment in our history when TV became a superior storytelling medium than film.

[TKz]

Still haven't caught Mad Men. Maybe one day.

Arrested Development Season 4 was great, despite some weak episodes. Definitely didn't deserve a lot of the crap it got from fans.

Parks and Recreation maintains it's space by being consistently "pretty good", but I definitely don't think it's at the level it once was. Still great, but not on the level it used to be.

Walking Dead is a pretty fun action show when it's not trying to be deeper than it's capable of. I still like it, I don't care as much though. The people who keep shitting on it need to get over the fact that it's popular and realize that it's perfectly okay for people to enjoy a show that isn't some drama masterpiece.

Game of Thrones was more on than ever this season and continues to be fantastic. Best show on television, as far as I'm concerned, but it was never beating Breaking Bad's final season.

Breaking Bad is Breaking Bad. What more can you say about it. Not my personal #1, but I have no problems with it being there.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

There is nobody beating Cranston this year (or anything Breaking Bad-related to be honest) for anything at The Emmys. I will hold out hope that Hamm gets one for the final season of Mad Men in 2015 like the Kyle Chandler going away present he got after Friday Night Lights concluded.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I lost interest in The Walking Dead a few seasons ago. Can't even really explain why, it just got to the point where I was like "meh, this show isn't that great, I can easily miss it". I'm not really sure why that is. The appeal's beginning to wear off, I guess.

Game of Thrones had a fantastic season. Looking forward to season 4 even more.

Breaking Bad was easily the best show of 2013, so it's in its rightful place. I'm looking for GoT to fill the Breaking Bad sized hole in my heart come April.

[Pesci]

Things I've seen at least some of:

Black Mirror - made my list because I saw that Hammy voted for it and I couldn't think of much else. It's very good. Possibly like it more because of how little there is of it, so everything comes across as fresh

New Girl - saw like 3 episodes, was alright. Didn't find it funny but still decent enough viewing. May eventually go back in but I'm not too bothered if I do or don't

Dexter - saw the first season, thought it was okay. Didn't continue, don't think I will

QI - pretty much agree with metalman's assessment of it. Used to be good, now it's less good. Sometimes still watch

The Office - used to love it but could feel it getting noticeably less good. Gave up on the penultimate season I think, but I'll finish it one day

Modern Family - gave up somewhere along the line. Found myself watching because I liked the characters rather than its humour, and there were like 6 or 7 comedies I preferred so I didn't have time

The League - pretty good show

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - I'll agree that it's a bit samey but I just love how ridiculously out for themselves and shameless the characters are. I'll watch it for as long as it sticks around

South Park - agreed that it's not something you need to watch every week, but when it's on it's fantastic. The Black Friday/GOT trilogy was incredible

How I Met Your Mother - tried to get into it, couldn't. Barney is fantastic but the rest is meh

Archer - Archer is brilliant

The Big Bang Theory - I don't like it but it's pretty inoffensive, or at least it used to be back on like Season 4 when I'd catch it on TV over here

Sons of Anarchy - tried to get into it a couple of times but it's just not my thing

Boardwalk Empire - watched the first four or five episodes but had to drop it because I was too busy. I liked what I saw and I'll almost certainly be back for more some day

Community - used to be fantastic, now less so. It's still decent, but it's slipped a lot on my favourites list

Doctor Who - never liked it, always been a bit annoyed by the amount of coverage it gets. It's not terrible or anything though

Justified - tried to get into it, didn't get past the first three episodes or so. But I'm sure I'll be back. The premise is too badass not to be back

Mad Men - tried to get into it I think four times before I forced myself past the first five episodes. I'm glad I did. It's a slow build but it's amazing drama sometimes. I'm almost at the end of Season 3, I'll probably steadily work my way through the rest

Arrested Development - glad my favourite comedy show of all time didn't disappoint of its return. I loved Season 4 and I'm so glad it returned, even if just for a short while

Parks and Recreation - actually ranked it higher than AD because that's how much I've been loving it for the past couple of years. I don't really see a huge slip this season, though thinking about it I guess a lot of characters have lost their edge

The Walking Dead - I think I ranked it 10th on my list. I like it but it frustrates me because it feels like it could be so much better. There are a lot of episodes I find myself disappointed with, but when it's on it's very good

Game of Thrones - I completely had it wrong for ages. I was imagining this Lord of the Rings-esque show and I'm not really the biggest fan of Lord of the Rings, but it's a fair bit lighter on the fantasy and then when there are fantasy elements, they're way cooler. Essentially started watching it because I thought Emilia Clarke was hot but every season's had me hooked more and more. Had it at #2 on my list (behind the obvious #1) because I thought Season 3 was phenomenal. Can't wait for the return

Breaking Bad - what to say that won't make me sound like a complete fanboy. Potentially my favourite show ever and the best story from start to finish I've ever seen told on TV

Selected things I haven't seen:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D - kind of been holding off to see how people rate it. I'll watch it one day, but probably not soon

Axe Cop - looks like it could be brilliant

Arrow - I didn't think it looked great when I saw the premise but it seems to have become quite good so I'll check it out

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - never heard of it, but I've been wanting a new comedy to get into and you guys seem to love it and have been right with other comedies I'd never heard of (Parks and Rec, Party Down, Community) so this could be it

[MalaCloudy Black]

B99's by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, two of the guys behind Parks & Rec. Schur co-created Parks and I believe Dan Goor has written/directed a number of episodes. I think you'd probably like it.

[livid]

The Walking Dead is yet another show on my list of things to watch, though I've become less and less inclined to get around to it from some of the reviews I've heard/seen about it. Maybe one day. Maybe not.

Game of Thrones was super close to being #1 for me but this was just too strong of a year. That said, I loved last season and absolutely cannot wait until April 6th. I definitely would not be surprised if it ends up being #1 next year.

I don't really think anything needs to be said about Breaking Bad anymore. Everybody just knows how great it is. Hell, even Sousa enjoys it!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Never seen Breaking Bad. Not too fussed by not having seen it either strangely, despite the serious love-in it gets everywhere.

[Colly]

FYI Brooklyn 99 starts on E4 next week.

[C-MIL]

Tried jumping in on Walking Dead with AMC's new year's marathon. Quickly discovered it's not for me. #3 seems like a bonkers rankings.

Watched seasons one and two of Game Of Thrones. Liked season one quite a bit, two not so much. Would prefer it to go back to medieval political intrigue instead of dragons and zombies, but I reckon that's a tough genie to put back in the bottle. Season three is technically on my to-watch list, but everything that gets added to that list automatically goes ahead of it so it might as well not be...

Breaking Bad is television that doesn't leave a scar, it leaves a hole.

Update on my previous post: I've started Orange Is The New Black. I was definitely expecting more of a comedy, but it's been crazy compelling. The chicken episode was hysterical though. Only a few episodes in, but it feels like it's building to something big.

[GoGo Yubari]

Watched seasons one and two of Game Of Thrones. Liked season one quite a bit, two not so much. Would prefer it to go back to medieval political intrigue instead of dragons and zombies, but I reckon that's a tough genie to put back in the bottle. Season three is technically on my to-watch list, but everything that gets added to that list automatically goes ahead of it so it might as well not be...

Season 3 has way more medieval political intrigue than season two had, if that helps.

[Benji]

Yeah, the dragons and zombies will be fun for big battles when they finally get there, but the Games of Thrones itself is where all the fun is at.

[Azazel]

I didn't vote, but two of those three would have been in my top three (Breaking Bad at 1, and Walking Dead at 2). I can see where people aren't into the Walking Dead, it is fucking silly, but I've always been a fan of the living dead, going back to when my dad got me the original Dawn of the Dead when I was 11 or 12. Part of it is also that I don't watch a lot of TV.

Breaking Bad is the best show I have ever seen. Nothing even comes close, it was brilliant, no other show could get my adrenaline going in anticipation of what would happen next. It made me say "Holy shit" out loud quite often. It was fucking great.

I want to start Game of Thrones from the beginning, my wife has been watching season 2 via netflix and I watched a few episodes, and it seems like a really great show. I think I'd like to read the books, then start the show from the beginning.

VP, as someone who started reading the books after watching the first season, I'd recommend watching the TV show first before reading the books. It makes the TV show much, much better.

I somewhat agree with this, maybe not all of Season 1, but a few episodes so you get an idea who the characters are and have a face to put to them since there are so many. The book and show go so well together, so it is really up to you which you want to do first, the obvious advantage of the books is you have twice as much of the story you can tackle now.