As with the movie section, this is for shows I watched and not TV as a whole. So apologies to shows I would have liked to check but missed like Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Maybe if I ever get that Netflix account we can do business. Now, on to my TV recap for 2015
Favorite TV Show: The Flash
No brainer here. The Flash had probably the best first season of any superhero show in recent memory. They didn’t drag out the origin story, got right to the superheroing and managed to bring out many major characters without making it feel rushed or like they were trying to stuff everything in. The show is well cast and well acted, and the villain portrayals have been spot on Harrison Wells/Reverse Flash made it onto the All-Time superhero show villain team in truly evil fashion. And then they kicked off season two with even more greatness including parallel worlds and more villains. No show is perfect obviously, but there was very little to quibble with here.
Most Improved Show: Agents of SHIELD
I remember the days of season one, where so many people were trashing the show 24/7. And while I defended it then, it was not without my own issues. From where I was sitting there was some pretty wooden acting by several cast members and the show was often hard to keep paying attention to. It started getting better as season one went on and season two was pretty solid start to finish. But season three has been a real thrill to watch. I do understand that a lot of season one was to plant the seeds for what’s going on now and will probably look better in hindsight, but that doesn’t change the opinions I was forming in real time when I watched it. But season has been compelling from the jump and a lot easier to follow. It’s much better for a show to hit its stride in season three than to be running on fumes.
Comeback of the Year: Arrow
After a killer second season, season three of Arrow was hit and miss, the main problem being the lackluster version of Ra’s Al Ghul that was presented to us. It really felt for me at the end of season three that it would be tough to keep the show going. If as big a villain as Ra’s has been dealt with already in less than awesome fashion, how do you take things much further? But season four has been much better, mainly thanks to Neal McDonough’s portrayal of Damien Dahrk, the big bad this go round. There’s also some real suspense going on as we know that one of Team Arrow will be taking a dirtnap at some point but we have no idea who just yet. A better villain and no foregone conclusions on late season developments makes for a better show all around.
Runner Up: The Blacklist.
I bailed on the Blacklist during season two. It had gotten redundant to me, turning into a ‘just how many weeks are we going to have Red Reddington and the CIA go after yet another person on his list?’ show. Season Three brought a new twist to the story with Red and Agent Keane on the run after being framed for involvement in a massacre that claimed the life of a U.S. Senator. This added element has provided a need twist to the story and was enough to bring me back into the fold.
Second Runner Up: The Daily Show
Jon Stewart was tired of doing the show, and it was pretty clear for anyone watching it. From where I was sitting he looked more into his WWE appearances than anything on the Daily Show. So his retirement from the show provided an opportunity for someone to come in take it forward. Enter Trevor Noah, a surprise choice to fill Jon’s shoes that ruffled a few people’s feathers upon his selection. But Noah has proven more than capable, and I’m back to watching the show regularly again.
Fall Off of the Year: Gotham
The show started off so promising. It had a real Gotham Central meets Batman: Earth One feel to it at the outset, but then went off the rails in the second half of the first season. The subplot with Jada Pinkett’s Fish Mooney character disappearing, then getting involved with the Dollmaker, then coming back to Gotham, then being ‘killed’ by Penguin was just too much. Then the second season has turned into an over the top, what crazy situation can Jim Gordon and young Bruce Wayne get into, let’s introduce another villain who isn’t supposed to be around until Batman is actually working, show. And it’s gone far off into no man’s land. I still watch it but it’s quickly getting relegated from the DVR to the watch On Demand later pile.
So that’s where I stand on TV for 2015. God willing we’ll see how 2016 shapes up for these shows plus Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow.
Stroke of Genius 