Expectations, they're a total b--ch, no? And the Netflix revival of the cult hit series (which was canceled after three seasons) had such insanely high expectations when it returned for a fourth season, it seemed like there was no way the Bluth family reunion could meet our lofty standards. Silly, silly us.
There's good reason Veep gets all the awards, it's damn funny. Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President Selina Meyer—along with her hapless staff—is comedy gold. Now that Selina is on the road to be POTUS? Forget about it, she has our vote … if only just for the laughs.
Mindy Kaling's rom-com-gone-wrong is probably the best sitcom currently airing that you are probably not watching, which is such a shame, considering the sophomore season of The Mindy Project has found its sweet spot. An effortlessly cool blend of workplace shenanigans and dating woes, TMP features some of the funniest writing (the throwaway one-liners are aces) and one of the best will-they-or-won't-they relationships (Mindy and Danny, obviously) on TV.
This BBC America gem seemingly came out of nowhere and took the pop culture world y storm this past summer, thanks in large part to Tatiana Maslany's mindblowing performance as not one, not two, not three, but seven different characters. Orphan Black, the little sci-fi show that could, was easily the most fun we've had watching a series in quite some time. Consider us Clone Club members for life.
Routinely the sweetest show on TV, Parks & Recreation is like the best comfort TV … ever. Our hearts broke for Leslie Knope when her beloved city turned on her and best friend announced her departure, but the plucky city employee and her cohorts kept the laughs coming. It's no easy task to blend human emotion with outrageous comedy, but Parks did it with ease in 2013.
It seems like you can't open a magazine or click on a link without reading about Shonda Rhimes' political thriller that has more twists and turns than a ride at Disneyland. After its breakout second season, Scandal showed no signs of slowing down in season three, upping the ante (which we didn't even know was possible) when it comes to reveals and changing the game in terms of how deliciously deplorable TV characters can be and what a network show can accomplish in a mere 43 minutes. Also, two words: Kerry. Washington.
More like The GREAT Wife, right!? This season has been a non-stop thrill ride thanks to the big shakeup. Leave it to The Good Wife to turn everything on its head 100 episodes in. The tension between Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and her former co-workers/lovers is palpable and ADDICTING. Take notes, this is how you do standout TV drama.
Remember when everybody just wanted to talk about Netflix reviving Arrested Development and nailingKevin Spacey down for a series, but then suddenly all your friends were talking about this show about a women's prison? Orange Is The New Black spread like wildfire because of course it did. The humor, heart and great drama captured in Jenji Kohan's prison series is unparalleled.
No, we're still not over the "Red Wedding," which is one of the most memorable TV episodes in recent history that left us speechless and numb. Such is the power of the world the HBO hit's team has created, a brilliant blend of political intrigue, fantasy elements and badass performances. And come on, they have dragons.
The show that launched a thousand people constantly begging you to binge on it is as legitimate as they come. Yes, it really is that good. Yes, Bryan Cranston really is that good. (So is Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, the craft service table, etc.) Yes, the writing really is that good. Everything you've heard about Breaking Bad is true, but in 2013, it took us right to the edge of our seats and our sanity with its final episodes. The suspense built up to the series finale, which could have disappointed us because there seemed to be no good way to wrap up such an epic show. Nope. Breaking Bad's ending was sensational, making it one of the best shows of 2013. And ever.
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