EWB's Top 50 TV Shows of 2014: The Results

[Benjamin]

How's that too high for a show with ten episodes? True Detective only had eight episodes its whole run and I don't think anyone's going to query that getting a high spot. It's not quantity, it's quality.

True, but it's still like only halfway through it's debut season, and most of it, while really good, have been pretty unremarkable. Like GoGo said, the Plastique episode and the Mist were pretty average at best, and it's still finding its footing and I still think the villain of the week theme is taking up too much time of the show as a whole. It's not about quantity, but I think it's premature to call it amazing compared to shows that have fleshed out their story (with even higher amounts of quality) with the same number of episodes.

[DFF]

Apart from two episodes (the Arrow half of the crossover and the finale) Flash has consistently been better than Arrow so far.

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

...I seriously need to watch more television.

[apsham]

True Detective absolutely took my out of a TV slump and gave me a ton of books to read, a show that I could watch dozens of times to notice the small details and just a straight up brilliant piece of television.

[TKz]

Flash and Arrow are the only two shows I look forward to each week, so I'm pretty happy they've placed so high. I think True Detective could've placed higher, but it just speaks to the broader appeal of Flash. I don't disagree that TD was the better show, though.

[GoGo Yubari]

Apart from two episodes (the Arrow half of the crossover and the finale) Flash has consistently been better than Arrow so far.

I would agree with that, if we're comparing it to the first half of season 3 of Arrow, which I've really not been that enamored with. The reason Arrow was on my top 15 was more because the stretch run of season 2 was ridiculously good, a kind of good that The Flash won't be able to be until the world's built up upon itself that the stakes will be there like it was for Arrow.

[zero]

Arguing about a good, albeit young, show being this high when The Walking Dead is in the top 10?

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I don't like the idea that people equate quantity with quality. A quality show is quality regardless of how many episodes there are.

For example, the single Black Mirror Christmas Special there was this year was still the best thing I watched. Why should there have to be 20 episodes in a year for it to be good.

Of course, I barely watch TV these days (and generally then it's a documentary) because I'm ancient now, so I'm hardly a good judge of anything.

[Colly]

I don't think its about raw quantity, isn't it more that Flash isn't actually through a full season yet so thus far its just origin and some monster of the week stuff? Black Mirror was wonderful but it had a start, middle and end, which Flash has yet to have.

[Benji]

So we're just not including shows that have a midseason break then? >_>

[Colly]

I'm not saying don't include it, in fact I haven't even seen it yet, I'm just trying to explain the question.

I am a huge fan of the fact that American tv seems to be embracing either shorter seasons (Hannibal) or even better these closed off miniseries with a conclusive end (Fargo, True Detective which I've yet to watch so it might not be conclusive...) rather than never ending cash cows where the end game is hurriedly invented before they're cancelled.

[Jimmy]

I've been disappointed of what I've seen of Black Mirror; which is only the first two episodes of Season One. Fully intend to do the rest at some point, especially the Christmas special with Jon Hamm, but for all it's interesting ideas, I found the first two kind of poorly executed.

[apsham]

True Detective you could call conclusive. There is a definite end to the story that is presented.. some people still have lingering questions but that all boils down to whether or not you believe a supernatural presence exists in the world.

[Colly]

Well now I'm scared.

[Your Mom]

I don't like it when people slam shows like Walking Dead or whatever being ranked so high. I mean I think True Detective and Mad Men are terrible but you don't see me bashing them. It always feels a little pretentious when people do that. I'm not singling anybody out but I just find it frustrating

[Benjamin]

I don't like the idea that people equate quantity with quality. A quality show is quality regardless of how many episodes there are.

For example, the single Black Mirror Christmas Special there was this year was still the best thing I watched. Why should there have to be 20 episodes in a year for it to be good.

Of course, I barely watch TV these days (and generally then it's a documentary) because I'm ancient now, so I'm hardly a good judge of anything.

So no one read my post at the top of page explaining this, then?

Also, Srar, I think it's totally fine to bash any show if you don't like it, otherwise the thread would just be full of "this show is great!", wouldn't it? You're perfectly allowed to make fun of True Detective or Mad Men all you want.

You'd just be wrong

[zero]

I don't like it when people slam shows like Walking Dead or whatever being ranked so high. I mean I think True Detective and Mad Men are terrible but you don't see me bashing them. It always feels a little pretentious when people do that. I'm not singling anybody out but I just find it frustrating

I just thought the show had a really dull season for the most part. There have been some signs of life, but I think the only reason it's so high is because everyone watches it, even though it's never lived up to its potential.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

For as good as True Detective was, it has somehow become overrated. There are some people calling it the greatest show ever which is just absurd.

[HC]

I loved TD, but Fargo was better in my opinion as far as top 2014 shows goes.

[Benjamin]

Agreed 100%. It was the 3rd best show of 2014 for me. I feel like TD is about to become like GoT, where the fanbase is too loyal to the show and hail it as the best show ever even if the quality dips.