It seems like we say the same thing every year, but we say it because it’s true: we really are living in the golden age of television. With so many different networks producing an abundance of quality series, whether they be drama, comedy, or somewhere in between, TV just continues to get better and better, and it’s both a blessing and a curse, as due to so many options, it’s pretty much impossible to watch everything that’s out right now. However, we here at TVOvermind do watch quite a lot of it, and after another fantastic year of television, we wanted to share our picks for the series that we loved watching this year. These are TVOvermind’s Best Shows of 2014.
Andy Behbakht
10. The Big Bang Theory
9. Doctor Who
8. Community
7. 2 Broke Girls
6. Constantine
5. Once Upon a Time
4. Gotham
3. Arrow
2. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
1. The Flash
Why The Flash: Being the big sci-fi/fantasy/comic book fanatic that I am, this was a big year for this reviewer, especially when it comes to comic book TV shows. But looking today, after this big year, my number one show on my list is, without a doubt, The Flash. Adapting one of the greatest superheroes of the DC Universe, Grant Gustin has brought the entertainment of superheroes in live-action to a whole new level. What Flash does that stands out from the other great comic book dramas like Arrow and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is embrace the idea of a superhero show. With the power of super-speed, we see this fantastic scarlet speedster with one of the strongest supporting casts on television, as he fights all sorts of evil from the legendary Rogues, dangerous meta-humans, all while seeking down the man that killed his mother. With the high quality of talent, production value and writing, this show is the one I would pick if I was only allowed to watch one show per year or per lifetime.
Blaise Hopkins
10. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
9. The Flash
8. New Girl
7. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
6. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
5. Arrow
4. Game of Thrones
3. True Detective
2. South Park
1. Boardwalk Empire
Why Boardwalk Empire and South Park: Boardwalk Empire really finished up its last season in the perfect way. The finale was probably my favorite behind Breaking Bad and it felt like they took a lot of good ideas from the way that show ended as well. South Park has been on fire this season and I don’t think I’ve found any episodes to be dull yet. True Detective delivered more than I expected it to and has me thrilled for season two, while Game of Thrones delivered on all major action sequences. Arrow has been proving this is its best season yet while Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has bounced back in what feels like a completely different show this season. New Girl has been a fun season and has avoided any awkwardness surrounding the Nick/Jess breakup, which could have been handled horribly. I was glad to see Cosmos return to television with Neil Degrasse Tyson at the helm, while The Flash and Last Week Tonight have become two of my favorite new shows this year. I can’t wait for their future seasons!
Chris King
10. New Girl
9. Fargo
8. The Americans
7. 24: Live Another Day
6. Outlander
5. True Detective
4. Boardwalk Empire
3. Game of Thrones
2. Arrow
1. The Leftovers
Why 24: Live Another Day: Jack Bauer really had no right coming back to TV after 24 wrapped up its eight-season run back in 2010. Even though it wasn’t the ending fans had wanted, the show had reached a conclusion, and after the final three years of the series had been so up-and-down in quality, it was time for Jack and the rest of the 24 gang to take a break (at least until the movie was ready). Then, after film negotiations continued to become more and more complicated, it was announced in 2013 that 24 would be back on TV the following summer for a brand-new, 12-episode, limited event series, and even though I remained a die hard fan of the show, I was scared that it would come back and be worse than ever. I’m so happy I wrong. Maybe it was the perfect mix of nostalgia and quality writing, but 24: Live Another Day was the best the series had been since its Emmy-winning fifth season. With half the amount of episodes that the show typically had, the writers were able to tell a thrilling, action-packed story with absolutely no cougars (we’ll never forget, Kim) or silly filler to bog things down, and Kiefer Sutherland didn’t miss a beat in the role he was born to play and was aided by the new strong presence of Chuck‘s Yvonne Strahvoski as Kate Morgan. Even though it may not have been the best show of the year, 24: Live Another Day was certainly the most fun I had watching TV in 2014.
Jen Winkler
10. True Detective
9. The Flash
8. The Mindy Project
7. Sleepy Hollow
6. Girl Meets World
5. Orange Is the New Black
4. The Leftovers
3. Parenthood
2. The Originals
1. Jane the Virgin
Why Jane the Virgin: If you aren’t watching Jane yet, I have to wonder why. It’s one of the CW’s two new shows that premiered this fall but it already deserves a spot on everyone’s Best of 2014 list. The writing is smart, quick, and witty in the veins of Gilmore Girls and Ugly Betty. There’s even a narrator who often delivers some of the funniest lines in the episodes. Gina Rodriguez shines as Jane Villanueva, a 23 year old who got accidentally inseminated during a routine gyno exam. Don’t let that crazy premise scare you away from the show, though. Soap opera dramatics are to be expected with an adaptation of a Venezuelan telenovela but there’s so much more to love about Jane the Virgin. It’s equal parts silly and surprisingly down-to-earth as the characters’ intertwined lives unravel in the most unconventional ways.
Nick Hogan
10. True Detective
9. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
8. The Flash
7. Arrow
6. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
5. The 100
4. Game of Thrones
3. The Walking Dead
2. Rectify
1. Fargo
Why Fargo: This was a tough year for television, but Fargo reached the top of my list for several reasons. I’ve always been a big fan of the Coen brothers’ work. The Coens can make you laugh, make you cry, and horrify you with bloody atrocities all at once. I was worried when Fargo was first announced, because the Coen brothers were not handling the project personally. However, Noah Hawley perfectly translated the very essence of the Coens’ films to the small screen. You could laugh one minute and be horribly offended by the latest atrocity the very next. Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton led an all-star cast of both comedians (Key and Peele, Glenn Howerton, and Bob Odenkirk among them) and capable dramatic actors like Colin Hanks and fresh, Emmy-snubbed Allison Tolman. Every character was cast perfectly, the humor was on point, and the dramatic moments were both gut-wrenching and awe-inspiring. What can I say? I’m a sucker for shows that are equal parts violence and humor, and few shows are better acted, directed, and produced than the soon-to-be classic mini-series, Fargo.
Paul Tassi
10. Bob’s Burgers
9. Silicon Valley
8. The 100
7. Modern Family
6. The Walking Dead
5. Hannibal
4. True Detective
3. New Girl
2. The Flash
1. Game of Thrones
Why The 100: It’s overshadowed by the CW’s more popular, brand-name offerings, but The 100 creates a surprisingly rich dystopian universe free from many of the usual trappings of “young adult” stories. The show’s lead, Eliza Taylor’s Clarke, thankfully spends more time problem solving and brawling than tangled in love triangles, and the supporting cast of teens and adults is top notch as well. The pacing of the show is excellent, with rarely a moment wasted as mysteries are introduced and resolved in short order, free from painfully drawn-out Lost style answers. Airing on The CW keeps it snappy but casual, and it’s a quality bit of light sci-fi during an era when the genre is painfully underrepresented on TV. It can be more brutal than you’d expect from the network, and shouldn’t be written off by its channel or too-attractive-for-the-apocalypse cast. It’s better than you’d imagine, and is one of the most welcome surprises on the air right now.
Sean Colletti
10. Girls
9. Broad City
8. Arrow
7. True Detective
6. The Honorable Women
5. Banshee
4. Looking
3. The Legend of Korra
2. Mad Men
1. Hannibal
Tim Gerstenberger
10. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
9. Law and Order SVU
8. New Girl
7. Bones
6. The Mindy Project
5. House of Cards
4. The Goldbergs
3. How I Met Your Mother
2. Chicago Fire
1. The Good Wife
Why The Good Wife: The Good Wife was by far the greatest TV Show of 2014. This year, we saw the death of beloved character Will Gardner played by the talented Josh Charles in March. While most shows go into a creative slump during their sixth season, this drama continued to surge with two storylines that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Will Alicia (played by the spectacular Julianna Margulies) win the State’s Attorney race? Is Cary (played by the brilliant Matt Czuchry) going to jail for a crime he did not commit? We will not get a chance to find out until 2015, but it appears that the wait will be well worth it if this awesome series continues to keep fans intrigued.
What do you think was the best show in 2014? Let us know in the comments below.
Photos via HBO, The CW, FOX, FX NBC & CBS
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