This Week's Top Three (Saturday, 9/28/13 through Friday, 10/4/13)

A very tough week as Homeland started and Breaking Bad solidified itself as one of the 10 best dramas ever on television. This only left one opening for The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy, Hell on Wheels, Boardwalk Empire, The Bridge, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, etc. to battle for.



3. The Bridge, Episode 13, The Crazy Place. A very good season finale that helped this show end on a high note. The season's promise from the first episode — with body parts of two dead girls placed on each side of the border — never seemed to materialize ... but the last couple episodes and news of a Season 2 renewal really have this show seemingly finding its pace. Throughout the season, The Bridge seemed close to busting out and being a legitimate top tier drama, but uneven pacing and weird story twists slowed it down. The main thing that has kept this show in good standing has been the fantastic acting of Demian Bichir, Diane Kruger, Thomas M. Wright and Ted Levine. All four of these top flight actors have the ability to steal scenes ... and Wright's portrayal of the intriguing Steven Linder was the high point of the first season. While the season overall left a little to be desired, I will still be looking forward to the second season next Summer.


2. Homeland, Episode 1, Tin Man Is Down. Despite premiering against the finale of Breaking Bad, Homeland still put up decent viewership numbers, because it is still a very well written, twist-filled drama that is nearly impossible to turn away from. This episode is very interesting in that it did not show Nicolas Brody at all and focused almost completely on Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) and the intense scrutiny that the CIA is facing after the attack that ended Season 2. As Carrie watches her life seemingly go down in flames, her most loyal and trusted friend, Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) has apparently turned his back on her in an effort to protect the agency. Exactly how all this will play out is going to be very interesting. Somehow, the writers and showrunners here have the ability to make Senate hearings and people watching Senate hearings very interesting.

1. Breaking Bad, Episode 8, Felina. Well ... that was it. Breaking Bad is over. Walter White is dead. Jesse Pinkman is hopefully off to the wilderness to grow old. Skyler and her family is taken care of. And Hank Schrader will get a proper burial. Vince Gilligan wrapped everything up in a nice bow for us ... and it was damn near perfect. Was it very predictable heading into the final episode? Yes. Did Gilligan maybe take the "safe way out" with Pinkman and White? Yes. Did that lessen the value of the ending to the terrific series in any way? Not really.
I probably would have liked it to be a little less predictable. But part of what made this last season so fantastic was the he showed us Walt at that diner at the beginning. So, while it made the last couple hours predictable, it also made the entire season more fun. From the second that Hank realized Walter White was Heisenberg to White's demise while saving Jesse, there was nothing to complain about in the unapologetic Final Episodes. As we watched as the once precious relationship between Walter and Jesse cracked and ultimately crumbled ... it was fantastic to see their last moments together as neither one could finish off the other. Throughout the series, the undertone was that, Walt would not allow Jesse to be killed and then Jesse would not allow Walt to be killed. In the Final Episodes, it was clear both had dropped this "rule," but somehow, when both are given the chance to do it themselves, they can't do it.
Bryan Cranston continues to be the top actor on television. Aaron Paul has taken his career to heights he could never have imagined. And Vince Gilligan will simply never be able to top his work here.
It is common with stuff ends to start spouting how great it is before letting it sink in for a bit. But here, I have no problem saying I think Breaking Bad has carved its niche into the top dramas of all time. Is it better than The Shield? The Wire? Mad Men? The West Wing? The Sopranos? Maybe, maybe not. But it is certainly in the discussion.
All other TV is lucky they have through next May to get their Emmy nominations in order, because right now I see no way that Breaking Bad walks out next September without Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Drama.

Honorable Mention: Sons of Anarchy, Episode 4, "Wolfsangel"; The Good Wife, Episode 1, "Everything is Ending"

This Week's Top Three (Saturday, 9/21/13 through Friday, 9/27/13)

Well ... as more and more shows move to Sunday night, it was time to shift This Week's Top Three to starting with Sunday shows instead of ending with Sunday shows. So, this week started with a Sunday that included the series finale of Dexter, the season finale of Ray Donovan and the penultimate episode of the newly crown Emmy Drama Breaking Bad.
I was curious to see if a very good final season of Dexter would end with a satisfying finale and — for the most part — it did not let me down. But was it good enough to bump Breaking Bad from the top spot?
And as the network shows all start back up, I was definitely looking forward to some new television on NBC and ABC ... so this week I am including a "Best New Show" toss in.

3. Ray Donovan, Episode 12, Same Exactly. Ray Donovan had some stiff competition for best new show of the summer with FX debuting The Bridge and AMC debuting Low Winter Sun, and while those both still have a couple of episodes left ... Ray Donovan was the best of the three going away. Liev Schreiber has completely taken this role and made it one of the most interesting characters on television. When the Emmy nominations come around next July Schrieber  and Jon Voight's mesmerizing performances may be forgotten, but they shouldn't be as they have made the show must see television week in and week out. James Woods could also be in line for some recognition in the guest star category as he was great as the FBI's most wanted ... even if his character made a couple of mistakes that were a little unbelievable by the end.
While Ray's role a as a fixer for the stars provides plenty of intrigue, the real central arch here is the family escaping Boston and the Catholic Church ... only to be surrounded by it when their father comes back around. And it makes for very real and emotional television on a weekly basis. I will certainly be looking forward to this show's return next summer.

2. Breaking Bad, Episode 7, Granite State. What is there to be said about this season of Breaking Bad? There are no words to describe the perfection that Vince Gilligan has crafted in this final eight episodes. While I think the Emmy for Best Drama was long overdue ... it deserved it for Season 2 or Season 4, not the hijinks and loose writing for the first eight episodes of Season 5 ... but that aside ... these final eight episodes have been brilliantly written, perfectly acted and expertly crafted. The whole world will be watching as things wrap up tomorrow night ... and they should be ... this is one of the five best dramas ever on television.
As for this episode ... my favorite thing about it was Gilligan finally using an episode to pass some time. The first 60 episodes of Breaking Bad were quick paced and not much time passed on an episode to episode basis ... but there was a decent amount of time passing here as Walter White sits alone in New Hampshire ... hiding from the world ... fighting his cancer and desperately hoping his family — his son in particular — can forgive him.

1. Dexter, Episode 12, Remember the Monsters. After a down Season 6 and boring Season 7 ... I think many of us were worried about how Dexter would wrap things up in Season 8. But it was well done. Many fans seemed upset with the open interpretation ending ... but I think it was perfectly done.
For eight years we have watched Dexter break his code and create bonds with other humans. Getting married, having step children and his own son, staying close with his sister, making numerous friends, etc. But in the end ... the code had to win out.
I thought the death of Deb was not needed and was a typical final episode shenanigan ... but it helped Dexter realize that everyone around him was always at risk because the Dark Passenger is always there. With his kill of Saxon ... I think he realized that he was always going to be a killer and if he joined Hannah and Harrison in Argentina, it would ultimately lead to problems for them as well.
The final shots were great. He once mentioned that all serial killers end up in Oregon ... and he clearly decided to go that route. And the final shot said to me ... the Dark Passenger is always going to be here, so Dexter has resigned his fate to being alone. The only question left is whether or not he is still following the code?

Honorable Mention: Sons of Anarchy, Episode 3, "Poenitentia"; Hell on Wheels, Episode 8, "It Happened in Boston"

BONUS
Best New Show of the Week
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Episode 1, Pilot.  I had high hopes for "The Blacklist" with James Spader and thought that "Hostages" with Dylan McDermott might surprise, but both of those seemed pretty formulaic so far. "Sleepy Hollow" is just trying to ride the coattails of some other successful shows ... and is doing it poorly so far.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. seemed like it could be another show that was just a disappointment ... but somehow it was highly entertaining. It does not seem like this show is going to try and be more than it needs to be, which will keep it very refreshing. It was also clear that this show has a fantastic budget, which is going to be needed to keep it fun and light on a weekly basis. I am definitely looking forward to all the different angles they can take with this show and see what kind of ways they may tie it in to the bigger Marvel universe that is crafted so well.

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 9/9/13 through Sunday, 9/15/13)

As we enter a wide open Emmy's week (and there will be more posts on that later) we are watching as one show is virtually assuring itself of any and all Emmy's that it will be up for in 2014.
With Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, The Bridge, Low Winter Sun, Hell on Wheels, Boardwalk Empire, Dexter and Ray Donovan all putting on great shows week in a week out ... we have another show sneaking into This Week's Top Three with a great series finale.

3. Burn Notice, Episode 13, Reckoning. Burn Notice had struggled to be even an average show the past couple of seasons, but with its seventh and final season it was successful in bouncing back and closing in a satisfactory way. The violence level ticked up considerably the last couple of seasons as Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) struggled to get closure from his time as a spy and move on to a life as a normal citizen and it had gotten kind of tedious. But, in this final season, his relationship with the CIA and his strained relationships with his closest friends Sam (Bruce Campbell), Jesse (Coby Bell) and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) was really put the test and gave the viewer a very good amount of emotional satisfaction as he found his way back to them. Sure, we had the typical "kill off" of a character we cared about in Michael's mother — and it was somewhat unnecessary — but all in all it was a good send off with a happy ending that made putting seven years into this show seem worth it. Good final storylines. An open enough ending for one-off events for the network later. And a show that sends viewers away with a smile. Well done USA Network, if only a single one of your others shows seemed worth a damn to me.

2. Dexter, Episode 12, Monkey in a Box. As one show came to an end, we moved one more closer to the end of another. Dexter closes up shop next Sunday, and its final season has been on par with all but maybe Seasons 1, 2 and 4. The writing has been very good (though a little sketchy with the first "brain surgeon" killer) and the acting has been exceptional as all the different angles are coming together for a perfect storm of events in the series finale. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has slowly evolved from a psychopathic killer into an everyday citizen ... right at a point when it could cost him everything he cares about. His decision to let Oliver Saxson (Darri Ingolfsson) live and be dealt with by the authorities was shocking and has put his sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) in peril as she lies in a pool of her own blood. This ending is very reminiscent of the ending of Season 4 when his complete consumption with getting the Trinity Killer caused him to be absent while his wife was murdered, only this time it is the opposite. His infatuation with Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) has led him to not murder a man who is dangerous to him and everyone he has grown to love. As the series comes to a close we all have to wonder if our favorite serial killer has finally let too much invade his life. Will it end with Dexter in cuffs? Dead? Or in Argentina?

1. Breaking Bad, Episode 6, Ozmandias. While this week will see wide open Emmy awards ... next year is already a case closed. Barring a total catastrophe in the final couple of episodes, Breaking Bad will run away with the 2014 Best Drama, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress awards. I am calling it before the final season of Mad Men is even in, before Season 3 of Homeland is in and before Seasons 4 of Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey are in. I just can't imagine any of those shows topping the expertly crafted final season Vince Gilligan is giving us to one of the greatest shows that has ever aired. The emotional toll of Hank's death, not only on the viewer, but on Walter, Skylar, Marie and Walt Jr. was perfectly done. As Walter (Bryan Cranston) desperately tried to cling to his family and ran off with his daughter, we see every bit of emotion in his face with Cranston's mesmerizing performance. Somehow, the monster he has become, does not always win out. His decision to leave Holly at a fire station and sever ties with his family by spewing as much venom as he could was the only way to keep them safe. We know that Walt vs. Jesse (Aaron Paul) is not quite yet settled, but Gilligan has made it very difficult for us to see how it gets there. As Walt heads off into anonymity, Gilligan has already let us know that something drags him back to his boarded up home and it likely involves Pinkman. I am not sure what the final two episode hold, but I am sure that they are going to be full of surprises ... and if the first six this season have been any indication ... they will be very satisfying.

Honorable Mention: Sons of Anarchy, Episode 1, "Straw"; Boardwalk Empire, Episode 2, "Resignation"; The Bridge, Episode 10, "Old Friends."

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 8/5/13 through Sunday, 8/11/13)

AMC had a big week debuting a new show and beginning seasons in two other shows. I will fully admit I was nervous about all three. I thought the new drama, Low Winter Sun, looked like it might be a little much. I was scared that Hell on Wheels went to far to come back at the end of last season. And I was worried that Breaking Bad might be trudging slowly for 6 or 7 episodes just to get to its climax.

My worries were laid to rest on all three shows. And in typical AMC drama fashion … they came in an pushed Showtime right on out … taking all three spots in This Week’s Top Three.

3. Hell on Wheels, Episodes 1 and 2, Big Bad Wolf and Eminent Domain. The ending of Season 2 of Hell on Wheels presented some major issues for the show going forward. The death of a very popular character followed by the imprisonment of a central antagonist made the future of Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount) seem very murky and possibly uninteresting. But, the writers figured out how to keep it going and make it fresh. The opening was a little over the top. A little of the story was herky-jerky (I mean, Cullen and Elam get to New York and back awfully quickly). But in the end, it stayed trued to its spirit and remains a believable Western drama … something television has not had much of in recent memory … if ever. Obviously, the most compelling part of the story here is the back and forth between Bohannon and Elam (Common), but the show is able to bring plenty of other parts of the Wild West to the forefront and explore it emotionally and historically. The eviction of a Mormon family to build the railroad right through their land was gripping television and the friction forming early between Bohannon about doing what is best for the railroad and what is right is going to be the main story point throughout the season.

2. Low Winter Sun, Episode 1, Pilot. When AMC debuts a new drama you should watch. Period. I was almost turned off by the previews of this show, but I kept reminding myself to not doubt AMC’s ability to make amazing dramatic television. From the opening moments where two cops murder another cop to the end where one of those cops feels he was duped … you cannot turn away. Mark Strong is perfectly cast as the brooding Detective Frank Agnew and Lennie James is equally solid playing his partner in murder, Joe Geddes. Some of the other parts of the show were a little cliché for cop procedurals, but in general it was well-written and makes you want to come back for more. Two alumni from The Wire, David Costabile and James Ransone, help round out a solid cast. I am very eager to see where this show goes in the next few weeks and see if AMC has struck gold again.

1. Breaking Bad, Episode 1, Blood Money. The weight of the world is on Vince Gilligan’s shoulders for the “Final 8” and in round one he delivered big time. The first eight episodes of Season 5 (aired last summer) were a little gimmicky in their build up to these final eight and left me wondering if Gilligan and the other writers have lost their mojo as the ending approaches. This opening act left no doubt that we are in for a fantastic finish to one of the ten best shows ever on television. The jump forward to Walter White (Bryan Cranston) making a return visit to his house to get his ricin back had so much information in it that I don’t even know where to begin. The house is condemned. It has clearly been the target of vandals and more. His full head of hair seems to indicate that he has beaten cancer … again. And his quick interaction with his next-door neighbor shows that she knows who he is and fears him. Heisenberg has been outed to everyone. But the show gets great when it starts to explore all the sides of Walt trying to get out of the business. Lydia shows up at the car wash and gets an earful from Walt and Skylar. Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) is in such a bad place mentally that he cannot bring himself to even touch any of the $5 million he has received from Walt. He tries getting rid of it any way he can … no matter how reckless it could be to him or to Walt. And Walt, with cancer back full throttle, realizes a major mistake has happened and Hank (Dean Norris) is on to him.

The confrontation between Hank and Walt at the end of the episode is exactly what you expect from great television series. They did not delay this face-to-face for three episodes while messing around … Gilligan got right to it. And for a show that has had so many memorable moments and so many memorable moments and so many memorable lines … it clearly is ready to tackle the end and it surely will not tread lightly.

Honorable Mention: The Bridge, Episode 5, “The Beast”; Dexter, Episode 7, “Dress Code”

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 7/29/2013 through Sunday, 8/4/2013)

As The Killing closes we head into a week where three AMC shows are slated to debut. Low Winter Sun, Hell on Wheels and Breaking Bad all premier this week, which will make it interesting to see if Dexter, The Bridge and Ray Donovan can stay at the head of the pack. I will also be curious to see how the final 5 episodes of Burn Notice stack up against these heavyweights. Burn Notice has strung together a handful of tightly written shows here during its last hurrah, but it misses the cut again this week.

3. Ray Donovan, Episode 6, Housewarming. Another solid episode put out to continue this shows quest to be the best new show of 2013. Liev Schreiber and Jon Voigt continue to steal scene after scene, as we look deeper and deeper into a dysfunctional Boston family dropped in the Hollywood hills.  The storyline with the stubborn FBI agent trying to bring down Donovan is well done, because Donovan has done his scare tactic and not scared him off. Ray is clearly scared of the thought of having to take out an FBI agent and can’t bring himself to take out his own father, leaving him caught in a position he is unable to solve. As Ray’s family continues to fall apart around him, he does not know how to keep them together and keep everything he has worked for from falling apart. Schreiber’s ability to show the emotional strain on Ray as he transforms back and forth from Ray Donovan family man to Ray Donovan problem solver is so well done that he certainly has him jumping into the Emmy mix next year. Still the show I look forward to the most week-in and week-out right now.

2. Dexter, Episode 6, A Little Reflection. Six episodes left in our glimpse at the life of a Miami police officer serial killer … And they seem to be going out with a bang. The show has always explored Dexter’s willingness to smudge his rules in order to satisfy his own emotional needs, so the Zach storyline has been perfect to give us one more tug-of-war in Dexter’s mind. His — and Dr. Vogel’s — decision to let Zach live and try to teach him the code could be his and the good doc’s downfall. It is nice to see the show really getting into the wind down as they have virtually settled the Deb-Dexter story arc that has dominated the last season and a half and was getting slightly tedious. Hannah McKay showing up at the end only makes things more interesting going forward and is evidence of another mistake by Dexter where he ignored Harry’s Code and tried to be “human.” By chasing Trinity for himself, it cost him his wife and his son his mother. But allowing Hannah to live it could cost him his sister. Is allowing Zach to live going to be his final mistake?

1. The Killing, Episodes 11 and 12, From Up Here and The Road to Hamelin. At the end of the previous episode, viewers of The Killing knew two things for sure. Ray Seward did not kill his wife and Joe Mills was not actually the Piper. Can there be a few holes pointed to throughout the season that make the eventual revelation of Lieutenant Skinner as the Pied Piper a little far-fetched? Sure. But a few slight holes do not change the fact that this payoff was very well done. If you watch shows like this often you learn there are hints dropped off quite often. A couple of weeks ago, when Joe Mills was arrested for the murders, all viewers knew he must not be the actual killer, but what could easily be missed is what Detectives Linden and Holder latched onto in the final two hours. Mills had Bullet and all of the trinkets of the dead girls in his car. It meant that if someone else was the killer — and we knew someone else had to be because why would The Killing give us the killer in episode 9 — it had to be someone close to the investigation … a cop most likely. So, while the season and the final two episodes were a little uneven … the show mostly stayed on course while keeping its “big reveal” in its back pocket. Not to be overlooked this season was the fantastic exploration of the streetkids in Seattle. The entire story almost seemed forced at first. In the end, it was so fantastic and showed so well the difficulty of kids and families that get lost with dealing with the system. Seeing Twitch throw away his habit while at the same time seeing Lyric get into another car was a great way for the show to end their stories and show how the cycle continues. But ... in the end ... what really makes The Killing a show we desperately want to see back for season 4 is the acting. This season could easily bring three acting Emmy nods. Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman and Peter Sarsgaard simply could not have performed better and all deserve recognition for their fantastic portrayals of Detective Linden, Detective Holder and inmate Ray Seward, respectively. The final moments of the season between a broken Linden and her desperate to save her partner Holder were agonizing and perfect … and left us all holding our breath for a fourth installment.

Honorable Mention: The Bridge, Episode 4, “Maria of the Desert”; Burn Notice, Episode 8, “Nature of the Beast”

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 7/22/13 through Sunday, 7/28/13)

The summer has not disappointed as a couple of new shows have been fantastic (The Bridge and Ray Donovan) and a couple shows in their final seasons have been very intriguing as well (Burn Notice and Dexter). But all of those are being dwarfed right now by the acting and brilliance on AMC’s The Killing as viewers are begging for the announcement of a fourth season, even as the rating numbers stay a little on the paltry side.

           

3. Dexter, Episode 5, This Little Piggy. As the clock winds down on this excellent series the writers are doing a pretty good job of keeping us guessing where it is going. I thought they were going to let the “Brain Surgeon” serial killer get away in an attempt to keep that storyline going, but the fact that they killed him just five episodes into the season leaves me wondering where they are planning to go from here. The love/hate relationship between Dexter and Deb has been fantastic and has worked well, even if it is a little neurotic from episode to episode. But they have written it like this on purpose. It almost seems the only way that Dexter does not end up dead is to scoop Deb in his arms and run off together to never be found and that just does not seem plausible. That leaves him arrested or dying as the most likely solution to years of serial killing … and being watching down the stretch here to see if it will be Quinn, Batista, Deb, Deb’s new boss (seriously, why is Sean Patrick Flanery on this show if not for something major?), etc. For the last two seasons the show has struggled through and entire season just to get to a final 2 minutes, lets hope that they can pick up the pace and not just sludge through for whatever ending they have planned for their anti-hero.

2. Ray Donovan, Episode 5, The Golem. While I was looking forward to “The Bridge” and the upcoming AMC series “Low Winter Sun” with great anticipation, I almost forgot how good Showtime has gotten at the serial drama business. Ray Donovan was an afterthought for my summer viewing, but somehow it has become quite possibly the best show of the summer and is finding new ways to surprise every single week. Liev Schreiber has hit gold here and found a role that suits him completely and has already shown off some talents that his movie career had convinced me he did not have. The overall story is a simple one that has been carved out so perfectly. How can Ray Donovan be such a “fixer” — the best in the business — when he cannot even keep himself and his own family in shape? As he watches his only father — played so well by Jon Voight — try to ruin everything he has worked for, he finds himself losing touch with his brothers, his wife, his daughter and his son. As we learn more and more about Ray’s past Ray it becomes more and more murky who exactly is the “bad guy.” The closing scene this week, where Ray is crying in his apartment without knowing that his wife is there was fantastic. Her walking in and asking him who he is was just speaking for all the curious viewers wondering the same thing.

1. The Killing, Episode 10, Six Minutes. Simply put, The Killing is absolutely great television. If you gave up on The Killing after the drawn on, overacted, terribly soap opera-like second season … I don’t blame you. But that means you are missing the best TV comeback story in a long time. This show has been close to perfect this season, and the heart wrenching, perfectly executed episode ending with an innocent man choking to death while hanging from a noose was as gripping as television has been this summer. The Killing is going to struggle with the 2014 Emmys because — like The Bridge, Ray Donovan and Dexter — it is airing so early in the process. But make no mistake … the acting on this show is as good as it is on ANY other and the writing here has been golden. The episode-long back-and-forth between Detective Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and soon-to-be-executed inmate Ray Seward (Peter Sarsgaard) was impossible to turn away from. Gripping, one-on-one dialogue like this is what has helped AMC set itself as the standard for television dramas. Despite the Summer run, Sarsgaard has to be a virtual lock for serious Emmy consideration at this point and this episode should be the one every voter looks at come next May. The character simply could not have been better acted and the last 15 minutes simply could not have been executed any better. Next week’s two hour season-finale should be fantastic.

Honorable Mention: The Bridge, Episode 3, Rio.

My 2013 Emmy Roundup: Drama Series

My 2013 Emmy Roundup: Drama Series

After revealing my Top 10 dramas of the year yesterday, time to narrow down the field to the six nominations. The Emmys nominations are announced on Thursday, which gives us a full two months to discuss and predict before the awards ceremony!

Best Actress Drama

Should be: Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, Justified, and Mad Men

Will be: Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, Mad Men and The Good Wife

My winner: Mad Men

 Likely winner: Breaking Bad

What an unbelievable category. I could be very happy with any of my top 10 dramas getting a nod (realistically any of them but Sons of Anarchy could). But when it comes down to it, the six I chose I think are constructed the best from top to bottom for the course of the season. There seems to be many critics out there ready to give Breaking Bad its first Top Drama trophy, though it is a 50/50 split with Homeland to most. That is funny to me since I consider this past season of Breaking Bad to be its weakest (though still worthy of an Emmy nod) and Homeland’s second season seemed a little all over the place at times.

In the end, for me, the most complete show of the season was Mad Men. I find it very important for veteran shows to always stay true to their characters, and this season of Mad Men was all about staying true to its characters and reminding us all of why we fell in love with the drama back in Season 1.

If I was going to rank my six nominations from 1-6 it would be: Mad Men, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Justified, Homeland, Breaking Bad.

As for the Academy: Breaking Bad and Homeland are the clear front runners, but last season everyone thought Breaking Bad was going to take over Mad Men at the top of the food chain and there was plenty of Downton Abbey buzz … all right up until The Emmys turned into Homeland’s coming out party. So, don’t bet on the favorites too heavily!

Dark horses: Game of Thrones has a real shot to steal this thing because of the buzz it was generating while the Emmy ballots were out. There is a slight advantage to airing while the ballots are going around. And Downton Abbey is a very well-liked show among the Emmy voters as it will no doubt continue to rack up a ton of nominations … can it finally spring the upset in the biggest category of the night?

My Top 10 Dramas This Year

So here it is … the most important category at the Emmy Awards. Top Drama Series. Last year was the first time that NO series was nominated from major American network television (Downton Abbey did get nominated for BBC/PBS), as the shift to cable for great TV was made complete. The Good Wife seems to be the only network show that has any chance to make a dent in the cable stalwarts this season.

Without further ado … here are my top 10 dramas of the season in alphabetical order.

Tomorrow, I will reveal what would be my six nominees and what I think will be the academy's nominees, one day before the Emmy Awards are announced.

Boardwalk Empire – I was very worried about Season 3 of Boardwalk Empire. The show had made a bold turn for Nucky Thompson (played expertly by Steve Buscemi) in having him kill fan favorite Jimmy Darmody at the end of Season 2 and it helped make that season spectacular. But without Darmody around, how could this show hold interest? They did it by introducing the sick and twisted Gyp Rosetti who gave newly-minted killer Thompson a serious adversary that was willing to do anything — and kill anyone — to end up on top. The love life of Nucky, Margaret, Owen and the suddenly alone Gillian Darmody was a distraction to the overall arc though and the show seems to regularly forget how good of an actor they have in Michael Kenneth Williams (who portrays Chalky White).

Breaking Bad ­– Season 5 of Breaking Bad opened with a fantastic scene on Walter’s birthday and the viewer left wondering, “What the hell?” The rest of the season took us on a roller-coaster ride to a wonderful final moment setting up the big head-to-head that fans had to have seen coming for years. There was some sketchy plot twists along the way (c’mon … the magnet, train heist and death of the superiorly trained henchman Mike all in an 8-episode arc?), but the show remains so superbly well acted that it is impossible to turn away.

Downton Abbey ­– This season of Downton Abbey was by far its best as death joined the fray seriously for the first time. The writers clearly did not know that they were going to lose one of their lead actors, so when he failed to extend his contract, we ended up with a two-death season in a show that has prided itself on avoiding the “gasp” endings so popular with shows these days. Somehow it worked perfectly though.  The acting on this show is vastly underrated and the superb one-liners delivered by Maggie Smith on a regular basis make for the funniest moments on dramatic television.

Game of Thrones – I must say, following Season 2’s boring almost repeat of Season 1 … I was not sure that Game of Thrones was going to hold my interest. I was ready to chalk it up to the crazy fanatics overhyping it and move on … then something crazy happened and we got what might have been the best show on television this year. Top to bottom, all the characters were written almost perfectly this season. Since they had to turn the super popular Peter Dinklage into a good guy (making Season 2 almost laughable following Season 1) … he delivered greatly throughout Season 3. Obviously the “Red Wedding” stole the thunder as the season’s moment (rightfully so) but there is so much going on and so much being well-acted and well-written right now that this show is a must watch next season just to keep up.

Homeland – Following a shocking Emmy sweep for Season 1, it was going to be very difficult for Homeland to live up to the well-deserved hype … and it performed admirably. I am often drawn to the best scenes to decide what the best shows were in a given season, and this season was full of fantastic scenes where two actors/actresses worked together and stole the show. Of course, the season was also filled with much more “suspension of disbelief” than we needed in the first season. What I love about Homeland is it clearly understands that its audience will keep up. It moves from storyline to storyline extremely quickly without dragging anything out because it knows the viewer has already figured out where it is going. I can’t tell you how many times I “figured out” what the rest of the season was going to be about only to see the show resolve the issue within and episode or two. That is difficult to do as a writer because you want to draw out your stories so you don’t run out of them … the top guys at Homeland are clearly not scared of running out of ideas.

Justified – While it has been nominated in numerous acting categories and has even taken home a couple of Emmys … no show on television is as vastly underrated as Justified. Timothy Olyphant’s portrayal as Raylan Givens is on par with Cranston as White and Hamm as Draper. As opposed to those other guys though, Givens is a clear good guy with some questionable tendencies. He has a haunting family past that was portrayed so perfectly throughout this season I would almost throw an Emmy at Olyphant if I did not think Hamm was so good this year. The show continues to run great story arcs around its two fantastic lead actors (Olyphant and the great Walton Goggins) and moves at a rapid pace while keeping one overall arc as the main attraction.

Mad Men – The critics seem to be getting bored with Don Draper’s antics, but this season was perfect in the Draper world for me and the critics who whined about Draper being “married” in Season 5 turned right around and whined about him “falling back to his ways” in Season 6. The last scene of Season 5 all but assured us of what Season 6 had in store for Draper, but what was done on the show this year was a slight touch of brilliance. They have kept the viewer invested in Draper and all of the people running around with him. They showed him falling deeper and deeper into the pit he so routinely falls into … and they gave us a life-changing moment that none of us believe will work for Draper. Having Sally see him for what he is was a HUGE moment for television this year. He finally realized that she would not see him as a workaholic father … but simply as a father who would rather be womanizing than see his kids. And it scares him because that is EXACTLY what he is. He takes being let go by HIS company in stride, scoops up his kids and sets up a final season where hopefully we can find ourselves desperately clinging to hope for Dick Whitman.

Sons of Anarchy – This show is ultraviolent … unbelievably so at times. This show is completely over the top. This show bounces all over the place. This show is motorcycles and guns first … story second. Those are the things all the negative critics say. And they are right. But it is remarkably good at all of those things while also telling a fantastic story that has arced not only for one or two seasons, but for five.  There is plenty of great television out there right now and there are many reasons people can point to Sons and say it is flawed. But, simply put, if every show on television had a new episode sitting on my DVR, SOA would be the first one I hit play on. I am eager to see what happens between Jax Teller and his treacherous stepfather Clay Morrow on a weekly basis. I want to know if Jax will get out and get away with his family or if he will die by the sword he has brought to so many throats. I want to believe that Morrow will realize the wrongs he has done and try to set them right all while knowing he absolutely cannot do that. And the motorcycles and violence … I can’t look away from any of that either.

The Americans – The best new show on television this year was The Americans. Sure, it did not have much going against it (House of Cards really is the only other strong newcomer) but it still provided a great season and has earned a second. This is another show that is superbly acted right down to the secondary roles, but it still lost its way a little in the middle of the season. I think it is tough to watch a period drama that is set in a period that so many of the viewers actually remember. The drama on this show is the tension between Keri Russell (Elizabeth Jennings) and Matthew Rhys (Peter Jennings) and how raising a family to serve Russia, while letting the children be “American” tears at every fabric of their being. All while a determined American agent, played expertly by Noah Emmerich, is living right across the street. There is plenty the writers can do with that without having to get to spy heavy on us. They seemed to have gotten back to that by the end of the season and I am eagerly awaiting Season 2.

The Good Wife – I keep trying to think of reasons that The Good Wife was not the best show on television this year … and frankly … I cannot come up with any. The storylines were perfectly executed. The acting is the best there is on television. And the show regularly gets “guest” actors and actresses that other shows would love to have. I think sometimes the writers and producers of TGW don’t realize that Alicia’s story alone is good enough to carry the show and they dragged on a terribly silly storyline involving the super talented Archie Panjabi (as Kalinda) for way too long at the beginning of the season, but outside of that there is little to complain about with this show. It is constant intrigue. Will the firm split? Will Diane leave for state Supreme Court seat? Will Alicia choose Will or Peter? Will Cary and Alicia leave Will? The story clearly closed the season with Will left all but alone … and it is going to be fantastic TV in the fall to see where his character goes from there.

Just missed the cut: The Walking Dead, House of Cards, Dexter

My 2013 Emmy Roundup: Drama Actors

The toughest categories to pick by far in the Emmy season are all of the best actor categories. There are as many as 15 deserving actors in the supporting actor category and there well more than six that deserve consideration in the best actor category, but we are going to struggle through narrowing down those lists right here …

Best Actor Drama

Should be: Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards), Timothy Olyphant (Justified) and Matthew Rhys (The Americans)

Will be: Cranston, Hamm, Spacey, Olyphant, Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) and Damien Lewis (Homeland)

My winner: Jon Hamm

Likely winner: Bryan Cranston

Wow, what a heavyweight category this is. It is going to be a massive battle just to be one of the six nominees and there is a good chance that Buscemi misses out on a nomination for the first time since starting Boardwalk Empire. The trophy is going to almost certainly go to one of two people, defending champ Damien Lewis or three-time champ Bryan Cranston. Personally, I thought Jon Hamm had one of his best seasons on Mad Men and I would give the slight nod to him over Cranston. In the end though, I think the voters are going to give Cranston his fourth top actor award.

Dark horse: Kevin Spacey was really good on House of Cards and House of Cards was great for about 7 episodes before it really lost its footing. That likely will cost him a shot at springing the Emmy upset. But he is a big name and since Lewis and Cranston have already taken home Emmys the voters may slide Spacey’s name to the top.

Best Supporting Actor Drama

Should be: Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), Noah Emmerich (The Americans) and Walton Goggins (Justified)

Will be: Dinklage, Paul, Patinkin, Goggins, Sam Waterson (The Newsroom) and Corey Stoll (House of Cards)

My winner: Peter Dinklage

Likely winner: Aaron Paul

The only person who will be nominated that I would have a problem with is Sam Waterson because I don’t think he is even slightly essential to The Newsroom and I don’t particularly like the show as a whole.  I would love to Emmerich and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead) get recognition for their work on their shows, but they will likely get left in the abyss that is full of worthy Supporting Actor candidates. In the end, I think Aaron Paul is taking home another Emmy as he stole the show for a few scenes in Breaking Bad this year.

Dark horse: Mandy Patinkin was exceptional on Homeland this year (better than Danes and Lewis) and could sneak in and take the Emmy home. He seemed to be the favorite for a while, but the buzz has recently shifted back to Paul and Dinklage.

Best Guest Actor Drama

Should be: Nathan Lane (The Good Wife), Michael J. Fox (The Good Wife), Jimmy Smits (Sons of Anarchy), Ray Romano (Parenthood), Mike O’Malley (Justified) and Matthew Perry (The Good Wife)

Will be: Lane, Fox, Romano, Smits, Rupert Friend (Homeland) and Robert Morse (Mad Men)

Another tough category filled with strong contenders and past winners, but it is difficult to see anyone other than Michael J. Fox winning this award again (he won one for his work on Rescue Me).  This will be his 16^th Emmy nomination and he has yet to win for The Good Wife. Truth is, while he is a guest actor, he is an integral part of that show and this time around he will get the award. Nathan Lane will provide stiff competition and Romano was the best character on Parenthood this past year, so he could be in contention.

Dark horses: If The Good Wife does not take home this award then it would seem Romano is the only legit dark horse candidate. Jimmy Smits was excellent on Sons of Anarchy, but the Emmys have never been too fond of that show. Rupert Friend could slide his way to victory if there is another Homeland Emmy takeover.

My 2013 Emmy Roundup: Drama Actresses

Finally we make it to the big boys. I like the comedies. I like the TV movies and miniseries. But it is a Golden Age of television dramas and Emmy Awards matter when there are so many heavyweights out there. Cable has taken over the Emmy Awards as HBO and Showtime continue to churn out premium shows at premium channel prices. But AMC and FX continue to produce the best shows on television. Going to be a slugfest among these four networks in nearly every category.

We start our drama roundup with a look at the fine actresses that grace our screen every week. There are plenty of great performances week-in and week-out and the Best Actress contenders are very thankful that Jessica Lange is sitting down in the TV movie and miniseries category.

Here we go for the ladies …

Best Actress Drama

Should be: Claire Danes (Homeland), Julianna Marguiles (The Good Wife), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Keri Russell (The Americans) and Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)

Will be: Danes, Marguiles, Dockery, Moss, Kerry Washington (Scandal) and Connie Britton (Nashville)

My winner: Julianna Marguiles

Likely winner: Claire Danes

This category is going to come down to Claire Danes vs. Kerry Washington in the end … and that is kind of an absolute joke. Scandal is a “buzz” show and anybody who watches it knows that. Kerry Washington is nowhere near the league of Danes, Dockery, Moss or Marguiles. But it has buzz after a significant ratings improvement this year and because of the buzz, the pro-network voters could come out in full force to help Washington to the top.

Dark horse: Marguiles is my pick to win and is the only dark horse that has a chance to upset Danes or Washington in the category. Moss will once again be an also-ran despite probably her best performance this season on Mad Men.

Best Supporting Actress Drama

Should be: Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Morena Baccarin (Homeland) and Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)

Will be: Smith, Gunn, Hendricks, Baranski, Baccarin and Monica Potter (Parenthood)

My winner: Maggie Smith

Likely winner: Maggie Smith

This will likely be another Emmy victory for Professor McGonagall, but Anna Gunn could definitely make a run at getting herself her first trophy. It was a very important season for Skylar on Breaking Bad and Gunn stood out more than she did in any other season.

Dark horse: Monica Potter has been getting a ton of critical love for her portrayal of a cancer-stricken mother on Parenthood and could sneak in for the win here. I personally like the show and like Potter’s performance, but to win an Emmy I think you need to go without the bald cap and actually shave your head.

Best Guest Actress Drama

Should be: Shirley MacLaine (Downton Abbey), Margo Martindale (The Americans), Carrie Preston (The Good Wife), Stockard Channing (The Good Wife), Abby Miller (Justified) and Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones)

Will be: MacLaine, Preston, Channing, Martindale, Miller and Jane Fonda (The Newsroom)

My winner: Margo Martindale

Likely winner: Jane Fonda

A couple of heavyweights will fight for this crown. Jane Fonda vs. Shirley MacLaine is what is going to come down to and former Emmy winner Margo Martindale might be left without even getting a nomination. The Good Wife will continue to dominate acting categories and continue to not win them and get shunned in the best drama category. I personally was not all that impressed with The Newsroom as a whole, or Jane Fonda individually, but the guest actor and actresses awards are often for movie stars to steal away.

Dark horses: Stockard Channing has the name recognition to pull off and upset here and if Game of Thrones is going to take home a handful of Emmys for what clearly was its best season, then Rigg is a strong dark horse candidate.

My 2013 Emmy Roundup: Made for TV miniseries/movies

Simply put … I wish that American Horror Story: Asylum was competing with the big boys in the Drama category because it was one of the five best shows on television this year. Unfortunately for AHS:A it has to go against a solid cast of made-for-television movies that could sweep a bunch of Emmy’s up.

Best Movie/Miniseries

Should be: American Horror Story: Asylum, Behind the Candelabra, Phil Spector, Top of the Lake, Parades End and The Hour

Will be: American Horror Story: Asylum, Behind the Candelabra, Phil Spector, Parades End, Political Animals and The Bible

My winner: American Horror Story: Asylum

Likely winner:  Behind the Candelabra

The Emmy voters are going to be too easily swayed by a biopic piece about Liberace starring two megastar actors. While AHS:A will still be nominated in numerous categories and take home some gold … this category is a virtual lock.

Dark horse: There is no dark horse here really. If Behind the Candelabra does not win then it would truly be one of the great Emmy upsets. AHS:A would be the only other choice.

Best Actor Movie/Miniseries

Should be: Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra), Al Pacino (Phil Spector), Benedict Cumberbatch (Parades End), Matt Damon (Behind the Candelabra) and Dominic West (The Hour)

Will be: Douglas, Pacino, Cumberbatch, Damon and Toby Jones (The Girl)

My winner: Al Pacino

Likely winner:  Michael Douglas

A bunch of Hollywood heavyweights here with Pacino, Douglas and Damon all battling new superstar Cumberbatch. There is virtually no chance anyone other than Douglas or Pacino walks out with the trophy.

Dark horses: There is definitely dark horse consideration for Damon and Cumberbatch here as both are getting a ton of buzz for their roles, but the Emmy’s love using these categories to give TV awards to movie stars … and Douglas and Pacino are about as large as life gets in Hollywood.

Best Actress Movies/Miniseries

Should be: Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Asylum), Helen Mirren (Phil Spector), Elisabeth Moss (Top of the Lake), Rebecca Hall (Parades End) and Sigourney Weaver (Political Animals)

Will be: Lange,  Mirren, Moss, Weaver and Laura Linney (The Big C)

My winner: Lange

Likely winner: Lange

Another virtual slam-dunk as Lange is the best actress on television by a wide margin. This is where I really would like to see AHS:A go against the dramas, because Lange deserves more recognition for her weekly portrayals and her work in this season was simply spectacular.

Dark horse: Mirren was great in Phil Spector and still has the star power that voters like in this category. It would be an upset for sure, but Mirren could sneak in and take the trophy home.

Best Supporting Actor Movie/Miniseries

Should be: James Cromwell (American Horror Story: Asylum), Zachary Quinto (American Horror Story: Asylum), Jeffrey Tambor (Phil Spector), Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake) and Rob Lowe (Behind the Candelabra)

Will be: Cromwell, Tambor, Lowe, Dan Akroyd (Behind the Candelabra) and James Woods (Mary and Martha)

My winner: James Cromwell

Likely winner: Cromwell

This category has a bunch of intrigue because Cromwell is the front-runner but has many famous names running along with him. Tambor and Cromwell were so superb in their roles though that I would have a tough time seeing one of the more famous Hollywood folks comes in a steal the thunder.

Dark horses: Lowe and Woods could both ride their Hollywood appeal to a trophy. Lowe has always been a favorite of the Emmys, so it will be interesting to see if he can spring an upset here.

Best Supporting Actress Movie/Miniseries

Should be: Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Asylum), Lily Rabe (American Horror Story: Asylum), Holly Hunter (Top of the Lake), Ellen Burstyn (Political Animals) and Phylicia Rashad (Steel Magnolias)

Will be: Paulson, Rabe, Hunter, Burstyn and Alfre Woodard (Steel Magnoilias)

My winner: Paulson

Likely winner: Hunter

This is the first category with no clear favorite in the movie/miniseries genre. Paulson and Hunter are running neck and neck and either could easily walk out with an Emmy. Paulson was another amazing part to the great acting cast on AHS:A. Without her back-and-forth with Zachary Quinto and Jessica Lange the show simply would not be the same. So, she is my choice, giving three acting Emmys to AHS:A on my watch.

Dark horse: Burstyn is a real dark horse here. As far as buzz goes Political Animals has pretty much lost all of it and it was not brought back for a second season. But Burstyn was widely regarded as the highlight of the show and will have an outside shot at sneaking past Paulson and Hunter.

My 2013 Emmy Roundup: Comedy

It is the most wonderful time of the year for TV aficionados. It is Primetime Emmy season. Which means it is also time for the experts to throw out all their predictions.

Since Comedy is pretty much my weak spot in my television repertoire, I figured I would cover all of the categories (Comedy Series, Comedy Actress, Comedy Supporting Actress, Comedy Actor and Comedy Supporting Actor) all in one post. The Miniseries/TV Special category will get the same treatment, but the Drama categories will all get their own posts.

So ... here we go ...

2013 Primetime Emmys

Comedy Series
Should be: Modern Family, House of Lies, Archer, Louie, Big Bang Theory, Arrested Development
Will be: Modern Family, Veep, Big Bang Theory, Arrested Development, Girls, 30 Rock
My winner: Archer

Likely winner: Modern Family

A very tough category. For me, it came down to what show makes me laugh the most, and that is not even close. Archer is the funniest show on television right now. It is smart, true to its characters and is extremely addictive. Modern Family has slipped into a tough spot of trying to remain fresh, but stay true ... a very tough spot to be in. I have no problem with them winning the Emmy since there is no chance that Archer gets recognized with a nomination ... but for me ... Archer is as good as any other comedy on television right now.

Dark horses: Arrested Development and Veep could both surprise because they have already received Emmy love before. Girls is definitely on the downswing in ratings and critical reception, so don't expect it to steal the spotlight.

Comedy Actor
Should be: Don Cheadle, David Duchovny, Alec Baldwin, Louis C.K., Jason Bateman, Matt Leblanc
Will be: Alec Baldwin, Don Cheadle, Louis C.K., Jim Parsons, Jon Cryer, Jason Bateman
My winner: Don Cheadle
Likely winner: Alec Baldwin

This category is a virtual lock with Baldwin making his last appearance for 30 Rock, but Jon Cryer shocked the world last year with his win and could pull the upset again. I feel that Duchovny deserves recognition for another fantastic year on Californication, but he almost certainly will not get a nomination.

Dark horses: Jon Cryer is definitely a possible surprise again. But I would think Louis C.K. is starting to get a ton of recognition and could finally spring the upset.

Comedy Actress
Should be: Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Amy Poehler, Martha Plimpton, Edie Falco, Melissa McCarthy
Will be: Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Amy Poehler, Edie Falco, Lena Dunham, Zooey Deschanel
My winner: Edie Falco
Likely winner: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

This category is a tough one because it is a pretty clear list of only about eight contenders. When it comes to acting chops, there is a ton here, but Edie Falco is clearly the best of the bunch, But the Emmy voters have never liked an individual actress like they like JLD. Expect the Veep star to walk away with another trophy.

Dark horses: Tina Fey could sweep in with the sentimental vote as 30 Rock heads off of television.

Comedy Supporting Actor
Should be: Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell, Ed O'Neill, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Will Arnett, Jeffrey Tambor
Will be: Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell, Ed O'Neill, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jeffrey Tambor, Max Greenfield
My winner: Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Likely winner: Ty Burrell

This is just one of the two Modern Family dominated acting categories. Honestly, any of the four on that show could win and I would be fine with it, but Will Arnett and Jeffrey Tambor on are great on Arrested Development and part of the reason the show was able to keep its charm after all of these years.

Dark horses: Jeffrey Tambor is the only guy who seems to have a chance to swoop in and steal the Emmy from the Modern Family conglomerate.

Comedy Supporting Actress
Should be: Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Mayim Bialik, Jessica Walter, Kate McKinnon, Anna Chlumsky
Will be: Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Mayim Bialik, Jessica Walter, Kaley Cuoco, Jane Krakowski
My winner: Jessica Walter
Likely winner: Julie Bowen

Another tough category because there are not enough good choices. Modern Family should have little trouble winning this one as Julie Bowen continues to decorate her mantle, but Jessica Walter is so fantastic on Arrested Development that should would be my choice. 

Dark horses: Mayim Bialik could easily swoop in and take the win here as her name recognition makes her attractive to some voters' pencil marks.

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 6/03/13 through Sunday, 6/09/13)

Another week with not a ton of new stuff on the tube, but some good stuff to keep an eye on and one let down of a season finale after an epic penultimate episode. Burn Notice also made a solid start to its final season, but not good enough to quite make the cut after a couple of lackluster seasons have taken it way down from its peak.

3. Game of Thrones, Episode 10, Mhysa. As Game of Thrones has shown it likes to do ... it uses Episode 9 for its climaxes and uses Episode 10 to try and get you licking your chops for more ... in particular more of the Mother of Dragons. For the second time in three seasons GoT gave us a Daenerys closing letting us know that she has some dragons that are coming for all you silly men in the seven kingdoms. And it works, but after such a spectacular ninth episode in both the first and third seasons, it is such a shame that the final hour of the season is just spent with more positioning of people for power plays that seem completely moot at this point. If Khaleesi doesn't end up on the Iron Throne or seriously flaming up Joffrey with one of her little pets, won't all of this emotional investment really kind of been a waste? I am very happy they showed some resolve in the Ygritee/Jon Snow situation, but it is clear she could have easily killed him, she wanted him to have a fighting chance. And in the end, this show reminded us what can happen weekly on GoT that we all take for granted. At any given point, Peter Dinklage can absolutely take over your television screen and you simply cannot turn away. He can be that unbelievably charismatic while playing a character that has evolved into one of the best on television. He could very well be setting another Emmy on his mantle this year.

2. The Killing, Episode 3, Seventeen. The Killing is always going to struggle with pacing because it tries to stay gritty and "real," but they are going to need to pick it up, because gritty is going to need a ratings boost to keep from being canceled for real. That said, I LOVED this episode. It is starting to pit our favorite duo, Linden and Holder, against each other with different partners and it is starting to form a ton of intrigue that can make things interesting every episode of the way (a problem the show has had with noticeable lulls the first two seasons). The street kids angle that I loved so much in the first two episodes is still very fresh and very intriguing and can take the story in a ton of angles. But really has everything so entertaining it Peter Sarsgaard as serial killer (we think) Ray Seward. Is he the way he is because he has been in prison all this time? Did he kill all those women, but NOT kill his wife? Did he kill any of those women? Has he killed someone else? If he is innocent of the crime he is convicted of, how comfortable are we as viewers with him walking if he maybe committed many others? It is perplexing to say the least and ... thus far ... expertly written and acted.

1. Mad Men, Episode 11, Favors. Seriously? What else could be No. 1. Somehow, even the "uneventful" boring episodes of Mad Men are so well done right now that nothing else on television is up to snuff. Barring a complete disaster of a season's ending in two weeks ... this is going to win iwify's Top Drama with relative ease ... and that is saying a ton considering the strong shows that have already come and gone this year. As Don Draper continually comes to grips with not liking who he is as a man he still balances his life with an almost eerily amount of precision. Yet, it call came crashing down as his own daughter saw him with a woman other than his wife. Don closes the door at the end of the episode completely perplexed what to do next. The wife, the other woman and his own young adult daughter all swirling around his brain as Chevy, Sunkist and Ted start to slip from it. Meanwhile, we continue to see the major struggles that Peggy is having with trying to figure out her lot in a man's world. Living alone and trying to lure help to chase off a rat was quite a memorable scene, but the scene with Pete after speaking to his mother was magical to see. It reminded us that even Pete has a light side and a few drinks has brought these two together before. Could be nothing, as the Mad Men folks love to mess with the viewers, but it certainly was nothing less than intriguing. Oh ... and Bob Benson. That guy.

Honorable Mention: Burn Notice, Episode 1, New Deal.

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 5/27/13 through Sunday, 6/2/13)

Well, after finally getting the family settled in a new home, it is definitely time for TWT3 to return ... and just in time for the end of the season on Game of Thrones and Mad Men ... and in time for the premier of The Killing and Longmire with Breaking Bad, The Bridge and Dexter's final season on the horizon.

This week looked like a slam dunk for me after watching Game of Thrones prior to watching The Killing or Mad Men. But, by the end ... the No. 1 show for the week was not as clear cut as I had previously thought as we had some excellent storytelling on AMC.

3. The Killing, Episodes 1 and 2, The Jungle and That You Fear The Most. I had high hopes for the return of this series after such a thorough botching of Season 2. And, the best cop duo on television did not disappoint despite a little bit of slowness in pacing for the season premier. The first time Detective Holder, says, "What up, Linden," had to bring a smile to the face of many fans of this duo and the new case is a nice fresh angle for the show. I am eager to see the ratings numbers because I already have a sense that I would like to see a Season 4. As for the show ... a slow pace still did not hurt the strong amount of intrigue that has been placed in a number of different spots. I am very curious to see how this all weaves together throughout the season and think that the inclusion of the entire "street kids" storyline could be quite a treat. The casting of the fantastic character actor Gregg Henry as Holder's new partner should provide great repartee to go along with the great connection between Holder and Linden.

2. Game of Thrones, Episode 9, The Rains of Castamere. Just wow. Fantastic television. Sure, all the fan boys/girls who have read the books knew this was coming, but it is often difficult for TV to stay true to source material with such popular and seemingly essential characters. With the unbelievable death of Ned Stark at the same time in Season 1 ... this betrayal and brutal killing of the matriarch and eldest son of the Stark household was unreal to watch. But, as the story was going ... had to happen. This is obviously a Game and when Robb and Catelyn chose to play it their way and shun others rules there was only one ending that could occur. Lost in the drama of the last 15 minutes was the great storyline where Jon Snow was just steps from Bran, who witnessed Snow's turn on the wildlings. Rest assured this is not the last we have seen of Jon Snow and Ygritte and we all know the Starks, and even their bastard son, are quite the suckers to the wiley ways of a woman they seemingly love. So, it will be very interesting to see how this story plays out in next week's finale and in the future of the show. Also, Daenerys just keeps gathering wealth, power and men. Once she comes for the Iron Throne it is going to be interesting to see how much those that are all playing their Game across the sea will defend against her might.

1. Mad Men, Episode 10, A Tale of Two Cities. While Game of Thrones was good enough to launch it from the middle of the pack to a potential Best Drama Emmy nod ... Mad Men keeps holding down the fort. It is apparent that I love it a lot more than many other critics out there this season, but I don't see a single flaw in this season so far as they build toward Don Draper's ultimate fate in Season 7. As the new merger continues to cause strain at work, Draper is constantly in flux with trying to decide who he is and what he wants away from the office. The constant pushing of Pete Campbell to the side is going to erupt into something as well. Should be very interesting to see where he goes as his personal life continues to fall apart and as he feels his security at work is being threatened. John Slattery once again proved to be a wonderful director in this episode as it was full of great one-liners and still very Roger-heavy despite Roger being behind the camera. With Draper's umpteenth near-death experience over with ... will he make any changes or will this just be yet another warning sign he fails to listen to?

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 4/22/13 through Sunday, 4/28/13)

Wow, what a tough week of television to crack the Top 3. The Americans, Grimm, Person of Interest, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife and Mad Men all had legitimately strong weeks as sweeps begin, but alas ... only three of them can earn This Week's Top Three honors!

3. Mad Men, Episode 5, The Flood. We have seen many period-dramas take historical moments and weave them into their fabric, but no show does it as well as Mad Men. Tying the slaying of Martin Luther King into Don and Megan's miserable trip to an advertising award show was brilliant writing and worked perfectly. Don (Jon Hamm) gut-wrenching discussion on what parenthood has been for him was also great television. Draper has had such a confusing life and horrible childhood that he had to wait until his kids were far to old to bond with them ... and he is already starting to realize that was a mistake. The scenes with Bobby (Mason Vale Cotton) were the writer's just giving us a gentle reminder that there are so many angles they can take Don Draper's life in this penultimate season. We were also reminded that there seems to be a big falling out coming for Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) and Harry Crane (Rich Sommer). With Harry basically delivering a "give me partnership or I leave" ultimatum last week ... losing Pete's support among the partners is not going to help him. And, finally, there seems to be ever so slight sparks with Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) and her boss, or at least he is clearly interested. This could be why they have planted the seed that Peggy and her current beau might not be as happy together as they appear. Throw in a few solid scenes with Michael Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) and Mad Men still has a perfect season, cracking TWT3 with every episode so far.

2. The Americans, Episode, 12, The Oath. What a fantastic episode to set up the season finale on this excellent rookie drama. FX is churning out such good television right now that I cannot wait for their next freshman to hit this summer, The Bridge. The Americans started out hot, slowed for a few episodes, but then found footing not only in the source material, but emotional footing as well. This episode centers on one key moment, when Russian-turncoat Nina (Annet Mahendru) decides to once again become Russian spy and tells her superior that she has been working with the FBI and she wants to fix it. This puts FBI agent Stan Beeman's (Noah Emmerich) life in immediate peril and puts us at as crossroads in how we feel about this show. It is so focused on the Russian plants and spies that we forget that Beeman is one of the "good guys." We know Beeman endangers our favorite Cold War heroes though, Peter and Elizabeth Jennings (Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell). And now that one of Peter's undercover personas is married to an asset, it is going to be interesting to see where that storyline goes in the season finale and heading into Season 2. The more under-the-radar story spun from this episode that could be dire for our KGB operatives is that the house maid who made the plant in the Secretary of Defense's office grew a conscience and told the FBI. This gives the FBI prime opportunity to send false messages and take the show in a handful of different ways. 

1. The Good Wife, Episode 22, What's in the Box?. This show has delivered all season and is a legit contender in the best drama field now dominated by the cable networks. This episode had so much intrigue I don't even know where to begin. From the questionable ballot box on election day to Alicia Florrick's (Julianna Marguiles) life-changing decisions, it was must-see television. In one final swoop, we see Alicia choose not only to leave Lockhart-Garnder and go with Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry) and his new firm, but, by default, she has chosen her husband, Governor-elect Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) over her desire, Will Gardner (Josh Charles). With the Lockhart in Lockhart-Gardner in line for a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court, Will could be left alone in business and life and it will make next season all the more intriguing. It appears that Cary screwed up his deal with Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) though, so Gardner will have at least one weapon sticking around. The way the writers slowly crafted what seemed to be a foregone conclusion (we could all see this coming about 10 episodes ago) was magnificent and another reason the show belongs at the top of the heap. Well done TGW, we will see you in a few categories on Emmy night.

Honorable Mention: Person of Interest, Episode 20, In Extremis; Grimm, Episode 18, Volcanalis.

This Week's Top Three (Monday, 4/15/13 through Sunday, 4/21/13)

Another week where the usual suspects came to play and nothing else. The Americans, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife and Mad Men were all very well done and had very strong moments. But, was anything good enough to knock Mad Men from it's No. 1 perch?

3. The Good Wife, Episode 21, A More Perfect Union. The Good Wife continues to flourish in its role as "The Best Show on Network Television." While that might be as lofty a title as it once was, it is still an important title and one that is barely disputed. This week's episode kept agonizingly toying with the viewers with the love triangle of Alicia Florrick, Will Gardner and Peter Florrick (Julianna Margulies, Josh Charles and Chris Noth). With Peter's proposal to Alicia being found out by her brother and her mother, she gets pressured by them to chase true love and let Peter go. But, it is not that easy for Alicia and if anything appears to have forced her closer to Peter. The season finale should be excellent as Peter's run for governor comes to an end and Alicia is sure to have conflicted feelings on her apparent choice. Alicia's mother going to Will and telling him to fight for her has stirred the pot and ought to make for excellent television. There are still great secondary stories going as well. As Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) continues to be pursued for the state Supreme Court should Peter win, Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) and Cary (Matt Czuchry) move closer to leaving the firm ... together. With Alicia examining her love and professional future, Will could be left out in the cold on all fronts.

2. Mad Men, Episode 4, To Have and to Hold. Mad Men drops to No. 2 this week, but not because of a let down, more like a Game of Thrones step up. Until they disappoint me this season, the writers at Mad Men seem almost a virtual lock to take my No. 1 drama award. To watch Don Draper (Jon Hamm) cheat on his wife more or less because he is jealous of her success and then turn around and get upset with her for a scene on her show involving another man is what makes this show so spectacular. We all want to cheer for Don. We want him to concur his demons because he seems so ahead of the curve in so many aspects, but then we are hammered with blunt realities like this that make it so difficult to pull for him. As Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) walks in an steals a client from her former mentor Don we should be proud of her, but somehow find ourselves upset that Don and his band of misogynists, led by Pete (Vincent Kartheiser), lost out on the Heinz Ketchup empire. Add  the brewing battle between Joan (Christina Hendricks) and the rest of the partners and the inclusion of Harry (Rich Sommer) in the mix at the top and you have plenty of ammo for the rest of the season.

1. Game of Thrones,  And Now His Watch is Ended. I was pretty ho-hum on Game of Thrones right up until the very last scene. I guess the writers expect me to cheer for Jamie Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) now that he has lost a hand, but nope ... not going to do it. I guess they think they can just keep Peter Dinklage in the background making snarky comments and I won't realize they are not exactly sure what the hell to do with him ... but nope ... I noticed. And then ... all was forgiven because of the lovely Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and her exceptional double-cross. Sure, all the viewers had to know that the Dragon Queen was not leaving without all of her dragons ... and sure, there were hints she knew all the things that Kraznys was saying about her while trying to get a dragon and give away as little of his army as possible. But that didn't change the effectiveness of the scene. Daenerys is coming with a unstoppable army and three maturing dragons. Does any of the other petty squabbling over the Iron Throne even matter?


Honorable Mention: The Americans, Episode 11, Covert War.