My Top 15 TV Shows Ever

I love TV.  TV is one of my top forms of entertainment.  You can watch it while eating, watch it before going to bed, have it on while you get stuff done around the house, etc.  So naturally, I have a lot of shows that I've watched that I'd like to share my thoughts on.  If they're BOLD then I've seen every episode.  Here we go, my top 15 TV shows ever! (In alphabetical order)

That 70s Show - This show jumpstarted so many careers: Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, even Topher Grace.   There aren't many teen sitcoms, if any, that are as relatable and funny as this one.  

Breaking Bad - Oh, man.  There has never been a show that's made me go "Oh damn!" or "Oh shit!" as much as this one.  Never has a show made my heart pound harder or my jaw drop further.  Breaking Bad is known by those who've seen it as one of the best TV shows... period... and for good reason.

Californication - I don't know what it is exactly about this show.  Maybe it's David Duchovny's acting as the lead character Hank Moody.  Maybe it's the tremendous writing or drama they build.  Whatever it is this show is able to keep me hooked once I start watching it.  I don't think this show gets enough praise for what it's done.  Anyone who is a fan of Duchovny, likes writing, or enjoys dark dramadies should enjoy this.

Dexter - This is definitely in my top 5.  Dexter is well-written (until the last few episodes...grr...), well-acted, and in my opinion, the most suspenseful and thrilling show I've seen.  Michael C. Hall was born for Dexter, and the role written for him.  If you love crime, thrillers, how the minds of serial killers work, or even cop-type shows you'll like Dexter.

Family Guy - I haven't seen every episode because it is still on the air, but Family Guy is the funniest cartoon I think I'll ever watch.  I've never liked the Simpsons, but Family Guy certainly hits my funny bone.  Seth McFarlane and the FG writers always know exactly where to draw the line, because they keep pushing the boundaries of dark comedy.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S - Friends may forever be my favorite sitcom.  I own all 10 seasons and have seen each episode at least 5 times.  Sure, there are plot holes and instances that make you cringe, but the things I learned about love and friendship from this show are more than any one person could have taught me.

Game of Thrones - I just recently got into GoT, and I got to say I'm hooked.  I'm not typically into fantasy type TV shows, but this show is so well-written and acted that I'm entertained by every episode.  They are only making 2 more seasons, but sometimes it's best not to draw shows out.  Plus, apparently there will be some spin-off series set in the same universe.

Heroes - Very strong first few seasons, then died off at the end.  Such a shame.  But if you like superhero... ANYTHING... then you have to watch at least the first two seasons of Heroes. A lot of plot holes and inconsistencies, but the first few seasons you really care for the characters and the episodes were very well-written.  I've never finished this show because the episodes went so off the rails the last few seasons.

How I Met Your Mother - This might be the most well-written comedy along with The Big Bang Theory.  A man tells the story to his kids of how he met their mother, but it's way more than that.  It's about all the twists and turns Ted and his friends Barney, Lily, Marshall, and Robin's lives take.  In a lot of ways, this became the Barney Stinson show, but that's only because of the stellar writing and acting for his character.  A lot of people criticize the way it concluded, but I feel that fans would have not been 100% happy with any conclusion.

LOST - Great acting, writing (the first few seasons) and great characters.  So a group of people survive a plane crash on a deserted island in the Pacific, but how and why they got there, and what this island is about is enough to take up all six seasons.  I feel like the show lost its sense of realism in the last 2 seasons or so, going from drama/action to science fiction.  Like Heroes and Dexter, don't look for a satisfying conclusion here.

The Office - I almost advise against watching this show because it kind of makes you want to go work for a paper company.  Such well-written characters (Jim, Pam, Dwight, and who could forget Michael Scott?).  Some of my hardest and longest laughs have come from something I saw on this show.  However, I have to agree with the majority that the show just wasn't the same when Steve Carell left.

Parks and Recreation - Like the Office, it is filmed like a documentary.  Some may say it is a rip-off of The Office, but it's actually a partial spin-off.  Apparently there was a plan to connect the two shows together, but that idea was scrapped.  The writing for this show is great, and the characters were LITERALLY written for the actors (See what I did there?  P&R fans will get it).

Star Wars the Clone Wars - Yes, a Star Wars TV show.  How could I not?  But what the writers are able to fit into 22, 23 minutes is incredible.  The voice acting is really good as well.  If only the prequel films could have had the same attention to detail as this show did.

Twin Peaks - Only two seasons made, but what a classic.  I love it when any show or movie is set in the beautiful PNW.  The show does stray into the sci-fi/fantasy genre a bit, which I wasn't a huge fan of.  However, Kyle MacLachlan's acting is superb.

The Walking Dead - I could argue that this may be the most binge-watched show in TV history and I probably wouldn't too many opposing me.  Who knew they could make a show about the zombie apocalypse so compelling?  While it is based off of the comic of the same name it doesn't always follow it, leaving for some mystery as to what will happen, such as who did Negan really kill?  But the characters we've followed since season 1 like Rick, Carol, Daryl, and Glen always make us cheer for them when they take out "walkers".

Top 10 Favorite TV Characters of All Time

I just got to thinking recently.  I've made my Top TV shows ever, but what about my favorite TV characters?  Most shows I've seen have 1 or 2 characters that really stand out and are well-written, but I'm only going with one per show (and no animated shows... sorry).  Of course, a lot of credit has to go to the wonderful actors who portrayed them.  Here are my Top 10 Favorite TV show characters (That I've seen).  And for fun, I will include my favorite moment from that character, as well as a video clip of that moment.

10. Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), Parks and Recreation
I had to include at least one female character on this list, and it's Leslie from Parks and Rec.  I actually used to find Amy Poehler really annoying, but now after having watched Parks and Rec, I can say she is really fun to watch.  Her character is an inspiration to those at long odds, but with a lot of ambition. 
Favorite moment: Leslie and Ben's first kiss

 
9. Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), The Office
I'm not a huge fan of Michael Scott or Dwight Schrute on The Office, but they are good characters.  To me though, no one can top John Krasinski as Jim Halpert.  He was so good with the dramatic scenes with him and Pam (Jenna Fischer), and he is especially good at the deadpan stares at the camera.  My favorite moments of his though are the numerous pranks he pulls on Dwight. 
Favorite moment: When he dresses up and acts like Dwight to annoy him

8. Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon is without a doubt the star of The Big Bang Theory.  He's a part of every funny moment on the show it seems like.  His obsessive-compulsiveness, his intellectual prowess, just everything make him such a unique character. Jim Parsons has won multiple Emmy's for this role, and for good reason.
Favorite moment: "Bazinga!" (In the ball pit)

7. Hank Moody (David Duchovny), Californication
David Duchovny clearly found his best role as Hank Moody.  What I love about Hank is his quick wit, especially with the ladies.  He might not always make the right choices, but he always has the right intentions and he's clearly a good guy deep down.  He makes picking up chicks look effortless. 
Favorite moment: "Boooooo ya!  The baby's black, Karen, the baby's black!"

6. Darryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), The Walking Dead
Darryl is many people's favorite character on TWD and he's mine too.  Rick is a close 2nd, but he often makes choices and decisions I don't agree with.  Darryl is just a badass who will occasionally show his soft side.  For these reasons, Darryl cannot be killed off.  Many fans would protest and probably petition to have him brought back (somehow).  Darryl might put up a tough front, but he's got a soft side deep down. 
Favorite moment: Reacting to his brother becoming a walker

5. Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Friends
Friends is an ensemble cast, and while they all did really good jobs, no one stood out to me more than Matthew Perry as Chandler.  Most people would agree Chandler is the funniest of the six, and I'm one of them.  What also helps is that he's a very relatable character, dealing with not finding the perfect job to family issues to finding the girl of his dreams. 
Favorite moment: The back and forth game with Phoebe, then telling Monica he loves her in TOW Everyone Finds Out

4. John Locke (Terry O'Quinn), LOST
There aren't many characters on TV that go through the trials and tribulations that John Locke goes through in his life.  From all the flashbacks and the portrayal of The Smoke Monster/Man in Black as him, he was definitely one of the highlights of the show every week.  I really wish he hadn't died, but perhaps he had to in order for him to finally have some peace.
Favorite moment: Admitting he was wrong about not pushing the button in the hatch

3. Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), How I Met Your Mother
Sure, the show centers around Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he met his kids' mother, but the star is obviously Barney Stinson.  NPH is so good at portraying the womanizing Barney that a couple seasons in the writers just gave up and ended up giving him more screen time than any other character, even Ted.  Not many (if any) TV characters have made me laugh more.
Favorite moment: Going on The Price is Right (best video I could find)

2. Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), Dexter
No one could have portrayed Dexter quite like Michael C. Hall.  Dexter wasn't that complex of a character, which is why he's not #1, but I certainly understood why he was the way he was.  Basically, Dexter was a badass and should have gone out in a bad ass way.  His character certainly made some questionable decisions near the end.
Favorite moment: Mocking a victim of his by yelling "F**********k!"

1. Walter White (Bryan Cranston), Breaking Bad
I think the role of Walter White should go down as the one of the best TV show characters... EVER... from any time period.  Basically, he is a good guy gone bad, but you still feel for him because of his good intentions.  Towards the end, he does pretty much go all the way dark side, but he redeems himself in pretty much the coolest way possible.  Hard to top that. 
Favorite moment: "Say my name." "You're Heisenberg" "You're goddamn right"