We all know the deal with end-of-year lists. They’re incredibly subjective and often flat out “wrong.”
Still, they can be fun for debating purposes, and even better it’s always nice to see truly deserving things – and television shows in this case – get some recognition.
So it is with AFI’s list of the top 10 television “programs” of 2010. I place program in quotes as the criteria seems to be somewhat odd: The Pacific, a miniseries, and Temple Grandin, a TV movie, are mixed in with eight other fictional and serialized shows. In any event, here’s the list:
All of the AMC and HBO shows – The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men from AMC, Boardwalk Empire and The Pacific (which we can roughly call a one-season epic) from HBO – are superior productions that should be heralded from the rooftops and public thoroughfares and interwebs communications concerns possible. Temple Grandin, an HBO movie starring Claire Danes about a woman with high-functioning autism who becomes a doctor of animal sciences and inventor, is a high quality selection if odd for its inclusion as a made-for-TV film.
If nothing else, the list shows the absolute supremacy of AMC in terms of high quality dramas on television today. Truly and seriously, a fourth AMC program, Rubicon, fully deserves entry on the list as well. Sadly, Rubicon was cancelled after one season, as was FX’s Terriers, another show that many of its small but ardent base of fans will no doubt wish were included as well.
The comedies on the list – ABC’s Modern Family and NBC’s 30 Rock – are fine choices and very much in the top tier of shows on the air today, but clearly show a bias toward “safer” programming relative to edgier and arguably funnier shows such as NBC’s Community and Parks & Recreation or Starz’ Party Down.
Finally, I don’t watch Showtime’s The Big C or Fox’s Glee so I won’t make a lot of comments here. Glee is clearly a buzzy show of the moment for teenagers, women, and fans of musicals (I don’t fall into any of those categories). The Big C is arguably the most surprising choice of the serialized shows. The premise or look of the show certainly didn’t appeal to me, but then again, I’ve been hugely turned around late on shows before (see: Breaking Bad).
Thoughts about the list and your favorite shows of 2010 welcome!
You're right about the comedies. "Community" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" are in my opinion by far the best comedies on TV. They're both on hot streaks right now, and they're proving how great it is when a show is just piercingly sharp week in and week out.
It's Always Sunny gets a lot of love on TVGA for sure, good call Reuben !