2014 was another great year for television, and it was an especially great year for new shows, as, more than ever, freshman series were arriving and making us fall in love with them quicker than we ever though we could, claiming more and more spots on critics’ “Best of the Year” lists. I, like many of my colleagues here at TVOvermind, found myself enjoying a lot of the new shows in 2014 even more than some of my returning favorites, and even though I didn’t get to watch all of the new series that debuted this year (more on that in a minute), I watched enough of them that I wanted to dedicate an article to discussing how great of a year it’s been for first-year shows.
So, in no particular order, this is my list for the best new shows of 2014. (And for the record, I have not been able to watch enough episodes of You’re the Worst, Transparent, BoJack Horseman, Review, or Broad City for them to qualify for this list. Since episodes for all five series are only 20-30 minutes long, I’m hoping to check out all of their first seasons over the holidays.)
True Detective
There’s been a lot of backlash against HBO’s True Detective due to the way the series wrapped up its first season, but even if the second half of Season 1 became a much more straight-forward crime drama after the series abandoned its interview format, the performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and Cary Fukunaga’s fantastic direction were enough to make True Detective one of the best new shows of 2014. Plus, who can forget Rust Cohle’s “Time is a flat circle” monologue, or the six-minute continuous shot that ended “Who Goes There?”
The 100
Since I got into The 100 so late, I haven’t been able to dive into Season 2 yet, but The 100‘s first season alone is good enough to make this list. Thrilling, suspenseful, and compelling sci-fi seems to be hard to find on TV today, but The 100 makes it look easy. The series is a hidden gem on The CW and easily one of the best new shows of 2014. I can’t wait to watch more of it.
Outlander
I was a little nervous before Outlander‘s premiere. Aside from Spartacus, I had never really found any of Starz’s original series all that interesting, and a historical romance (with a little time travel mixed in for good measure) seemed like it could be another swing and a miss for the cable network. Thanfully, I was really, really wrong. Outlander was not only one of the best new shows of 2014 but one of the best shows on TV period, filled with action, humor, and fantastic performances from its two leads, Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. The show deserves a spot on this list for “The Wedding” alone.
Fargo
Similar to Outlander, I wasn’t sure of what to make of Fargo when it was initially announced. Why did we need a re-imagining of such a classic Coen brothers’ film Well, after an impressive premiere, Fargo just got better and better as it went along, led by three amazing performances from Billy Bob Thorton, Martin Freeman, and newcomer Allison Tolman. By the end of Fargo‘s 10-episode first season, Noah Hawley had created something so unique and original that I almost forgot that there had ever been a Fargo movie to begin with.
The Leftovers
I understand why people didn’t like The Leftovers: it was bleak, it didn’t answer many of the questions it raised, and it came off a little pretentious at times. But you know what else The Leftovers was during its first season? Haunting. And beautiful. And incredibly compelling. No show brought me into its world and allowed me to connect with its characters more on a weekly basis this year than The Leftovers did. Was it hard to watch at times? Most definitely, but I loved every single minute of it.
Selfie
Selfie is a perfect example of “good show, bad title.”; that title, along with a lackluster pilot, pretty much sealed the show’s fate, as viewers never showed back up to watch the ABC comedy and the network cancelled it seven episodes into Season 1. But what ABC (and the viewers who didn’t bother to stick with the show) missed out on was a transformation, as Selfiie utilized the electric chemistry between its two leads, Karen Gillan and John Cho, and the talent of its supporting cast to become what I would call this year’s best new comedy. And thanks to Hulu, we get to spend a little more time with Eliza and Henry.
The Flash
Even though it’s only aired nine episodes, The CW’s The Flash already feels like a veteran series. The show, which comes from the same creative team as The CW’s other superhero series, Arrow, is so comfortable in its own skin and has been one of the most consistently entertaining things to watch on TV in 2014. Led by Grant Gustin’s strong performance as Barry Allen, with supporting players Jesse L. Martin and Tom Cavanagh also doing great work as Barry’s father figures, The Flash is already a good show that could very soon be a great one as it speeds into 2015.
Silicon Valley
It took me a few episodes to warm to Silicon Valley, but once the HBO comedy found its rhythm, it became one of the most consistently funny shows on TV. Part satire, part crude humor, Silicon Valley was a perfect mix of everything that series creator Mike Judge does so well. Plus, it gave us one of the best ensembles of any comedy that aired this year and an Emmy-worthy performance from the late, great Christopher Evan Welch as Peter Gregory. I can’t wait for Season 2.
Penny Dreadful
Penny Dreadful‘s first season was more like an eight-episode prologue to the horror that’s to come in Season 2, but there’s no denying how enjoyable it was or how quickly it moved. Anchored by an insanely committed performance by Eva Green (seriously, someone give this woman an Emmy), the Showtime drama was a dark, gory thrill-ride from its opening scene to its closing moments.
Jane the Virgin
Although I haven’t watched all of the Jane the Virgin episodes that have aired so far in 2014, what I have seen, I’ve loved. Smart, funny, and self-aware (Jane‘s use of “The Narrator” is one of the best things to happen to TV this fall), The CW series is most definitely one of the best new shows of 2014, and thanks in large part to the charming performance of series star Gina Rodriguez, I expect it to be one of 2015’s best shows as well.
Photos via HBO, The CW, Starz, FX, ABC & Showtime
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