Seriously, the main reason I haven't been posting is because there hasn't been anything to talk about. I've been going to movies and have left uninspired (save for Guardians of the Galaxy, but if the box office rankings are to be believed you don't need me to tell you how awesome that movie is). So, while I leave the theatre mostly unfulfilled and waiting for inspiration to hit me so I can once again address the millions (AND MILLIONS) of Knight Owl's fans, I have also been catching up on my television. And now, I'm again inspired.
The debate has raged on for decades about which is the better forum between film and television. Up until this year, I was firmly on the Film side of the argument. However, more and more high quality shows have been released over the past few years, raising the bar for TV while the same bar for film remains untouched. This year subjected us to a fourth Transformers movie, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot featuring Megan "Michael Bay is a nazi" Fox, and sequels to 300 and Sin City that came six years too late. On the flip side, TV has graced us with shows such as those featured on this list.
Now, as of this writing, the Emmy's were on maybe a week ago. Jim Parsons won the award for Lead Male in Comedy for The Big Bang Theory, which at this point should just be renamed "The Jim Parsons Award for Being Jim Parsons". Modern Family won for outstanding comedy series for the fourth or fifth year in a row, which is ridiculous but hard to argue with. Breaking Bad (which you might see on this list) was another big winner of several awards, most of which I agree with, but not all. The reason I bring this up is because in no way does any award show influence my opinion on what is 'good', or the shows that have swayed my opinion on TV over film. All of these choices are, as always, personal and subjective. Not everyone will agree with me and that's fine. I do urge you to give these shows a chance though. I did, and they didn't disappoint.
On with it, shall we?
The Captain Obvious Award for Show that I don't need to tell everyone how awesome it is because everyone already watches it: GAME OF THRONES
If you don't know what show I'm talking about, I have no words for you. But it's easy to be as good a show as GoT is with a prewritten plotline and maybe the biggest budget a TV show has ever seen. Here's the thing though: too many shows have only one or two lynch pin characters holding everything together (we'll call this the Sheldon Position). GoT has an entire roster of characters that are focal to the story, that people want to see, and that are in no way safe from being arbitrarily killed off at a moment's notice. It adds to the urgency and appeal of a show that could easily be very, very hard to watch. Now, many
Also, Ramsay Snow FTW.
The Good Night, Sweet Prince Award for Show ending this year: BREAKING BAD
There is an approximate fuck ton of shows wrapping up this year, something I intend to address at year's end, but none will be missed more than the six season story of a mild mannered chemistry teacher-turned- chaotic evil drug lord Walter White. Many shows feature story arcs that only span a season, if that; problem is introduced, problem escalates, problem is solved with nearly no real consequences to those involved. Dexter was fucking terrible for this, even at it's best. BrBa, in contrast, as a story that spanned the entirety of the show, with a fluidity and consistency that is unrivaled by any show ever. It's linear, easy to follow, and incredibly endearing. The show is incredible at painting every character in a shade of gray as opposed to white hats vs. black hats. Nearly every action, no matter how despicable or even who carried it out, had an understandable reason behind it right from the jump and up to the final credits. It's tough to tell someone to watch this show, because the greatest appreciation for it can only come after finishing it. But fuck it, I'll do it anyways. Watch this show. All of it.
The Laugh Track Award for Best sitcom on TV: PARKS AND RECREATION
A couple years ago, Community was on it's last legs and was on the precipice of being cancelled. I was a very strong supporter of the show and a huge advocate for its continuation. I got what I wanted, but in a very 'be careful what you wish for' kind of way. It became a sad shadow of it's former self, and apparently a toxic environment that led to the showrunner leaving, then Chevy Chase leaving, followed by Donald Glover, and this year, that dreaded cancellation. Even if it's been picked up somewhere else, there's only a fool's hope it will return to it's former glory. Parks and Rec, on the other hand, has only gotten better. I always tell people to skip the first two seasons because they are admittedly hard to watch, especially when you compare them to season three and beyond, which are comedy gold. Seasons one and two very heavily depended on Ron Swanson to be the Sheldon position while everyone else was finding their footing, but now the show is filled with amazing and endearing characters with very succinct and individual personalities and roles. It's consistently very funny and at times quite touching. Go figure, a sitcom with emotional traction. The only you get that out of The Big Bang Theory is if you sympathize with the lead character shitting all over his friend with Asperger's Syndrome. Fuck you, Leonard.
Anyways, channeling Rob Lowe's Chris Traeger: Parks and Rec is - literally - the funniest show on television.
The Superhero Movie Show Award for Show best representing the Comic Book genre: ARROW
This was a tough one. When Marvel released Agents of Shield in the fall of 2013, I was expecting the best since it was a combination of the amazing string of Comic Book films released by Marvel, culminating in The Avengers, with a Joss Whedon TV show. Up to this point, there hasn't been a bad show developed by Whedon, just a bunch of untimely demises. But I was disappointed in the first half of the first season of Shield, which consisted mostly in a lot of tongue-in-cheek references to the films without much of an established story of its own. Arrow I was more reluctant on, since it wasn't long ago that Smallville wounded me right to my core with it's horrendous ending. I'm now caught up with Arrow, and it's fucking hardcore. Dark, violent, and entertaining with just the right amount of the formula that made Smallville good. What's
best to me is that the show holds itself accountable for what could be perceived as its faults. It rewards those who stick with the show with the payoffs it doesn't immediately deliver. Any references made to characters in the first season pay off in the second. Arrow's willingness to arbitrarily kill people early on is addressed later. Also, it makes a laughable character like Green Arrow seem not only viable, but a legitimate badass. And now we have The Flash and a GODDAMN BATMAN (well OK, not really Batman but I'm excited anyways) show coming in the next month or so. Marvel might have the film market cornered, but DC has some heavy hitters on the networks.
The Popular On Netflix Award for Best Original Netflix Show: HOUSE OF CARDS
I'm a big fan of a lot of the original programming on Netflix, and to be quite honest I was really close to putting Orange Is The New Black on here. Then I thought about Kevin Spacey being mad at me if I didn't go with House of Cards and my mind was made up. Political intrigue is so touchy when it comes to film and TV because it can get horribly boring at times, if not predictable. This show differs in that instead of focusing on a situation or scenario going awry, it revolves around a person going around and fucking shit up because he's a goddamn supervillain. I can't say enough about Kevin Spacey on this show. He's incredible. And that would be enough if the rest of the cast weren't also amazing, which they are. To compare Robin Wright's character on this show with GoT's Cersei Lannister would be spot-on. But seriously, even if politics doesn't interest you in the least, watch the first episode and let Kevin Spacey, wizard that he is, cast a spell on you.
The Beautiful Horror Award for Show that best turns murder into an art form: HANNIBAL
This show never ceases to amaze me. At first, I didn't think the show could ever live up to the immortal performance of Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. Much to my surprise, the show surpasses the films by the end of season two decidedly. Much like comparing Heath Ledger to Jack Nicholson as Jokers, Mads Mikkelsen is just so different, even an antithesis to Hopkins, that they're barely recognizable as the same character. While Hopkins is dramatic, wide eyed and over-the-top, Mads is more subtle, manipulative and substantially more sinister. The best way I've heard it put is that in the show, Hannibal is less a psychopathic killer and more like Lucifer himself, pulling the strings of those around him while also committing horrible acts when no one's looking. The other characters too, from Hugh Dancy's Will Graham, walking on the edge of sanity while dealing with his empathic abilities and Hannibal's manipulation, to Morpheus as the obsessive FBI agent Jack Crawford, are exquisite. The show is surprisingly gory and violent for network television, but incredibly beautiful in its presentation. Showrunner Bryan Fuller has always been good at colorful, artful presentation with shows like Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies, but Hannibal is a perfect mix of that art with the horror featured in the show's content. While not for everyone, and definitely not easy to watch at times, this show is damn near perfect.
The Just The Best Award for Best show on TV this year: TRUE DETECTIVE
Wow. Just WOW with this show. Everything about it. From the low number of 8 episodes to the damn opening theme song. The slow burn of a developing murder case between two separate time lines is the single greatest season of television I've ever watched, and I know I talk with a lot of hyperbole but this is straight up truth. Leading the show is Matthew McConaughey (man, that name is a nightmare) in a role I believe should have beaten even Bryan Cranston's Walter White for the Emmy this year. I find it hard to compare his performance in this role with anyone, he was so far different from anything I had ever seen in a film or show. His partner, Woody Harrellson provided some much needed levity to the show, while providing his own gravitas, giving both characters a balance of relativity and uniqueness. No doubt you've seen this show referenced somewhere in popular culture over the past year. It's been considered a big deal, with good reason. My understanding is that each season will carry with it new lead characters, not unlike American Horror Story (which isn't bad, but can't end a season well to save it's life), so Woody's and McAlrightalrightalright's performances will stand out even more singularly and I can only hope whoever follows them will be even half as good. If not, I'll always have the theme song.
So there you go. The Fall TV season is on it's way, as is the final seasons of Sons of Anarchy and Boardwalk Empire, and not to mention FOOTBALL! Lots of watching to do, so if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know where I'll be.
Knight Owl
