#shes not even top 10 worst people in westeros at this very moment

[tweedfrog]

Cersei has to face the younger and more beautiful queen/valonquar prophecy because the gods hate to see a girlboss winning

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2010s: 45 - 41

45.  Rasmussen - “Higher ground” Denmark 2018

[2018 Review here]

FRIZ DEE YERRO, WINDY YERRRRR

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Remember when Christer rejected “Higher ground” from Melfest and it was the fucking WORST Melfest ever? Remember how Denmark recycled it and let it win DMGP? Well...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOWNED SO HARD!! and not just Sweden to be honest, because “Higher ground” slaps, even a full year after the fact. It’s a paragon of righteous scandi energy, conceived in a mancave over a keg of mead, inspired by a tale of medival pacifism (which actually makes it non-toxicly masculine), imprinted on by Game of Thrones (a wonderful tv series that ended when the White Walkers melted down the ice wall and murdered everybody in Westeros ^__^)

In a nutshell, an absolutely kick ass entry.

Truth be told, it is IMPOSSIBLE to not get up from my chair, pound my chest and march along with the Old Norse (😍) post-chorus chanting. Rasmussen DELIVERS a performance so intense it rips the space/time continuum and creates a portal to the good old Viking days. 100% deserving of being 2018′s KEiiNO and the highest Danish entry on this ranking!

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44. Pasha Parfeny - “Lăutar” Moldova 2012

THIS DRAMPET MAKES U MIME GIRL

Pasha Parfeny looks like this now:

😬 

Years of being awesome clearly took their toll on poor Pasha, but I will cherish him for the fountain of fun he has always been.  “Lăutar”  is such an uninhibited display for Moldovan FOLK, bringing out the dulcimers, horns and “drampets” to bring a much-needed ethic palate cleanser after the musical genocide committed on the Baku Stage. It also features some of the best dance choreography found in this decade, in which Pasha and dancers hop around the stage like overexcited gerbils <3

(btw: the pink dancer SLAYS me every single time.)

Such a frivolous, playful, adorable act that radiates mirth from every pore. 😍 But wait, we aren’t done, because “ Lăutar” also features some of the more memorable, hilarious, iconic butcherings of the English language found in this decade (”You haven’t seen before the looks like drampet. 😍 Butter sound go straight to ur soul”😍). It certainly helps that Pasha is like a male Ruslana, struggling to express himself and resulting some hilarious awkward interview gold (Eurovision.tv: “Pasha, what is your secret for happiness” Pasha: “Make good sex ^__^”  Eurovision.tv: “. . .” 😍)

Naturally, a Pasha write-up cannot be finished without noting how central he is to ‘Moldova in Eurovision’, almost as much as Moldova’s staging is. This little man’s (literally. He’s like 1.65m lol) musical legacy includes:

- writing and performing Lăutar in 2012 - being a former vocalist for Sunstroke Project - being the mentor of Aliona Moon and writing her 2013 song - being the original songwriter for DoReDoS before Kirkorov took over   In other words, he is ~CONNECTED~ to every epic, high-tier Moldovan entry. WHAT AN ICON. Stay Safe Pavel!!

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43. Dino Merlin - “Love in rewind” Bosnia - Herzegovina 2011

Finishing 6th place from the death slot when will ur faves...x Man I do love my narrative entries, and it doesn’t get much better than an old man reflecting back on his life’s had, satisfied with its outcome. It’s such a c00t premise and Dino Merlin plays the part of the adorable grandfather with conviction. 😍 Even manages to transform Maja Sar into a fun hume for once:

“Love in rewind” really is all about the group effort. Dino himself is of course fantastic and makes this performance, but his troupe of ragtag troubadours carry a lot of weight as well, providing a wackadoodle wonderland for Dino to project his nostalgia onto.  

And then there’s the question of “Love in rewind” itself. It is easy to lump it in with all the other frivolous folk, but in reality it’s an experimental avant garde song disguised as folk 😈 (exactly like “Putnici”, in fact!). The song is made into an artform by a few unorthodox, sudden key changes. Key changes hated by the millennial wannabe pitchfork crew, but here at BorisBubbles we don’t support weakness so let’s wave them all goodbye in celebration of what is easily Bosnia’s best Eurovision entry:

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42. JOWST ft. Aleksander Wallman - “Grab the moment”  Norway 2017

[2017 Review here]

As a shameless EDM Hound, I have to admit that I am totally smitten by this piece of electronic undergroundness. A wonderful epileptic seizure of pitch black and lavender, executed to perfection by Aleksander Wallman. “Grab the moment” offers show-stopping visual effects, great vocal execution and an additctive beat. THE TRIPLE THREAT OF LIVE MUSIC!

Fortunately, there’s also a great underlying message. I haven’t really talked about the Mental Health Anthem all that much in this ranking, but that’s mostly because I haven’t ranked most of them yet. Any song that inspires people to believe in themselves, that it is okay to be imperfect and that tackles social issues such as procrastination and neurosis HEAD ON and WITH RESPECT, deserves praise.

Which is exactly what JOWST & Aleksander do, specifically by addressing young heterosexual men. 😍 (ie: the demograph that is the least likely to reach out for a support when they need it). They do this very cleverly, by using teenspeak to discuss the ever-relatable theme crippling anxiety and how to lay it aside and get shit done. 🤜🤛 so let us all 

KILL k177 K!££

~ThEvOiCeInMyHeAd~

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41.  Ruth Lorenzo - “Dancing in the Rain Spain 2014

THE RAIIIIIN THE RAIIIIN THE RAIIIIIN

Ruth. Yo quiero ser Ruth. Because Ruth is emblematic of Spain’s biggest (only) strength in Eurovision: the LOUD OVERDRAMATIC SCREECHING POWERBALLAD 😍 There are so many precedents to Ruth, from “Él” to “Vuelve Conmigo” to “Bailar pegados” to “Quedate conmigo” but “Dancing in the rain” may be my favourite of the lot. In part because Ruth is a GODDESS and I was *invested* in her success the second she won the NF:

Which she then followed up by forming a backstage bitch coven with Conchita and Suzy. 😍 Excuse me for a moment, I have to lay myself down and blow myself with a fan because that alliance contains so much awesomeness it gives me palpitations. 

But I mostly love “Dancing in the rain” because of the performance. It’s a great composition in its own right, providing intense screaminess, well-executed language changes and of course, literal stage rain. 😍 However, Ruth is SO intense in her delivery it becomes a moment of contemplation, of exaltation, and of stupefication as Ruth’s SONIC ENERGY washes over us like a tsunami of sound. DEJA CAER, DEJA LA LLUVIA CAER, THE RAIN THE RAIN THE RAIN

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and since this is the last update for Spain, Bosnia, Moldova and Denmark, I’ll include my overall thoughts below. 

DENMARK

The only people who like Denmark in this decade are those with negative taste and no self-respect and those desperately wanting to be Swedes but never will be Swedes (ie: Danes)

MOLDOVA

Not a ‘perfect’ track record, but still an excellent showing for a country with so few resources. Moldova is one of my favourite countries in ESC and this chart should show you why. 

BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

Bosnia - Herzegovina participated four times in this decade and were epic exactly once. Thank you for that... now I normally would add that I miss them but, nah. Bye. 

SPAIN

I am honestly shocked Spain didn’t do worse on my ranking?? I don’t think they’re like.. a ‘TERRIBLE’ esc country the way Ireland and Montenegro are, but jesus fuck out of the cavalcade of incompetent countries that have no idea what the fuck they’re doing, Spain is the giantslewofincompetentcountriesthathavenoideawhatthefuckthey’redoingest. Which is puzzling given that all of their high results come from kickass female-fronted powerballads, ie: the easiest trope to nail. (case in point: Macedonia scored a top 10 with one. Macedonia.) JUST STICK TO THOSE and ditch the wannabe reggaetons. 

[wazafam]

The Pirates Of The Caribbean movies and Game Of Thrones has a lot of similarities, with romance, adventure, politics, a little magic, and sword fighting all being the common themes. While the Disney movies tell the tales in a slightly less gruesome manner, there's a lot of simple comparisons between them, and that includes the characters.

RELATED: Pirates Of The Caribbean Characters, Ranked From Least To Most Likely To Win The Hunger Games

While there are some moments on the ocean in Game Of Thrones, the series typically takes place on land, with huge castles and battlefields being the typical setting. However, if the characters from Westeros were to hop onto the Black Pearl and set sail across the seas, which characters would get along, and who would end up fighting to walk the plank?

10 Would Work: Will Turner & Jon Snow

Will Turner and Jon Snow are very similar people in their respective stories, and that is why they'd work so well as friends. Each of them stands out as being totally different from the rest of the characters in their stories because they're genuine, honest characters, which is what makes them such likable people.

Will and Jon always try to help as many people as possible by doing things by the book and being true leaders. While both of them can make mistakes, they're smart enough to learn from their mistakes and piece things together to improve, which they'd do well together.

9 Wouldn't Work: Elizabeth Swann & Daenerys Targaryen

In theory, these two strong and powerful female characters should work well as friends. They both stand up for what they believe in and have no problem telling people how they feel, no matter who they're facing. But in reality, this is a friendship that wouldn't go down well.

Daenerys is someone who is sly and cunning, often not good at taking advice and when she comes across other strong and powerful women, she typically doesn't handle the situation very well, which is why this friendship wouldn't work out well.

8 Would Work: Tia Dalma & Melisandre

When it comes to these respective stories, there are small elements of magic involved that make things different and interesting. Tia Dalma and Melisandre are the two characters that provide those moments, and that is likely what would bring these two together as friends.

RELATED: 10 Things To Watch With The Main Cast Of The Pirates Of The Caribbean

While they are each able to use magical abilities, it isn't something that they do all the time, and that brings an element of mystery to them as well. It's never clear what they're thinking and that is what makes them so interesting, and could bring them together well as friends.

7 Wouldn't Work: Cutler Beckett & The Hound

Cutler Beckett is one of the best villains from the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, and a big part of that is how underhanded he is. Cutler will do anything in his power to get what he wants, using his intelligence to his advantage throughout the story.

However, that is the opposite of The Hound. He's not interested in chatting and would rather just fight. Cutler likes to belittle people with his words, but that wouldn't work with The Hound, instead, he'd just find him annoying.

6 Would Work: Bootstrap Bill Turner & Ned Stark

Two loyal and trusted men who both get let down by others, which leads them into situations where they don't belong. For Bill Turner, that is becoming part of Davy Jones's crew, and for Ned, it is working in Kings Landing. However, together, they would get along well as honest men who want to do their best.

RELATED: Pirates of the Caribbean: 15 Best Jack Sparrow Quotes

The fact that both of them still give their all, even in positions they don't wish to be in, showcases the type of people they are, which is why they'd connect. As two fathers who try to do their best for their children, they would have a lot in common if they were to fight side by side.

5 Wouldn't Work: Davy Jones & Arya Stark

Davy Jones is an eccentric character with a big personality who has a lot of charisma. While he might be a villain, he has no problem in being over the top about how he talks and showcases his passion, which is the complete opposite of how Arya Stark operates.

Arya is a mysterious character and someone who certainly prefers to keep to herself. She has no interest in big conversations and the manner in which Davy behaves as a villain is something that Arya would look to take down.

4 Would Work: Ian Mercer & Ramsay Bolton

In both Pirates Of The Caribbean and Game Of Thrones, these are the two most vicious characters that seemingly take a lot of pleasure from being sick and twisted. They like to cause harm to other people, and they're happy to play up and be friends with people in power to give themselves that opportunity.

They're not nice people, and they only have an interest in being friends with those in power that can aid them in any way possible. That is why they'd work well together as friends, as they would be out to cause as much harm as they could.

3 Wouldn't Work: Governor Weatherby Swann & The Mountain

Governor Weatherby Swann might be someone who finds himself in a position of power in most places, but whenever he comes across someone much scarier and stronger, he isn't able to cope. He gets scared and nervous easily and doesn't really express things well to solve any issues.

RELATED: Game Of Thrones: 10 Biggest Flaws In The Final Season That The Books Can Fix

Alongside The Mountain, who isn't a big communicator, there's no doubt that they wouldn't get along. Weatherby doesn't have the personality to command a killing machine like The Mountain, and because of that, he would likely end up intimidating the Governor, potentially killing him instead!

2 Would Work: Captain Jack Sparrow & Tyrion Lannister

Stick these two on a deserted island with as much rum as possible, and they'd be happy men. Both Captain Jack Sparrow and Tyrion Lannister are notorious for their drinking, and they would certainly enjoy doing that together, which would make for quite the drinking contest.

They're both passionate and eccentric at times, and they're each a lot smarter than they may seem. They have a way with words which often leads to them talking their way out of trouble, and together, it's easy to see how they could get along.

1 Wouldn't Work: Captain Barbosa & Tywin Lannister

Unlike his son, Tywin Lannister likely wouldn't fit into the pirate world very well. He's all about power and control, and that would lead to tension with almost everyone on the high seas. One person he certainly wouldn't get along with is Captain Barbosa.

Barbosa also likes to be in control of situations, believing he is the captain and leader of every situation, no matter what. Because of that, they'd likely end up at loggerheads, trying to outdo each other, rather than getting along and working together.

NEXT: Game of Thrones: 5 Ways Tywin Was The Worst Lannister (& 5 It Was Cersei)

Pirates Of The Caribbean Meets Game Of Thrones: 5 Friendships That Would Work (& 5 That Wouldn't) from https://ift.tt/2P43fKr

[itsonlycody]

Cody’s Top 15 TV Shows of 2016

I'm trying to keep introductions short this year. I don't need to go on again about we're in a new golden age of television, there's too many shows, etc. There's a lot of good TV out there and nowhere near enough time to watch all of it. These are the shows from last year I felt were worth making time for.

Honorable Mentions:

Black Mirror, Love, Silicon Valley, Orange is the New Black, Speechless

15. Game of Thrones (HBO)

After a somewhat lackluster fifth season that struggled to adapt the slowest, most aimless books of it's source material, Game of Thrones was back in top form for it's sixth year by finally passing George R.R. Martin in his story. As a result, the show felt fresher and more exciting than it has in a long time. After years of build-up, we finally begin to see signs of the end game for the many characters of Westeros. The show delivers it's usual thrills, with deaths both heartbreaking and satisfying, breathtaking visuals, epic battles, and solid acting across the board. One of the elements that makes this past season stand out is the heavy focus on the female characters of the show. After seeing hours of abuse and terror heaped upon these women, we finally see deep, complex characters like Sansa, Arya, Cersei and Daenerys regain their power and take action. While Game of Thrones initially seemed to be a story portraying the realistic yet poisonous power of men in charge appears to be the story of brave, determined women rising up and overtaking their oppressors.

Best Episodes:

“Home”, “The Door”, “The Winds of Winter”

14. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX)

Between this and the fantastic documentary, O.J.: Made in America, O.J. Simpson was surprisingly everywhere in 2016, and with good reason; despite the progress we've made over the past few decades, there is still an undeniable race problem in America. Ryan Murphy's miniseries highlights how little has changed in the past 20 years in regards to how black people are treated by the police and the media. I envisioned the worst when I heard Murphy was telling this story, imagining all of his worst campy tendencies being indulged while portraying the media circus that was the O.J.trial. Instead, we got a gripping, in-depth look at the lives of everyone involved in the case and the struggles they faced, most effectively seen with a trio of outstanding performances by Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance and Sterling K. Brown as the attorneys prosecuting and defending the Juice.

Best Episodes:

“From the Ashes of Tragedy”, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”, “Manna From Heaven”

13. The Good Place (NBC)

The high concept sitcom has made a bit of a comeback in the past year, with shows like The Last Man On Earth and People of Earth taking ambitious, heavily serialized stories and reformatting them into a half-hour hangout comedy format. The Good Place is set in the afterlife and follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell, in her best role since Veronica Mars), a fairly bad person in life mistakenly sent to the titular "good place" after her untimely death. With the help of her assigned soulmate, Chidi (William Jackson Harper, a true stand-out), she attempts to become a better person and earn her spot in The Good Place. That premise provides a decent amount of material to do a decent "good deed of the week" format. Instead, creator Michael Schur and his team of writers (many from Schur's Parks and Recreation) constantly keep the story moving with twists and revelations arising on a near weekly basis. The Good Place is the rare sitcom that came out of the gate strong, and is still running strong with a hilarious cast (including Ted Danson, still as charming as he was in his Cheers days), smart storytelling, and a lot of heart and mind.

Best Episodes:

“Pilot”, “The Eternal Shriek”, “Most Improved Player”

12. Westworld (HBO)

There's not much more I can say about what is probably the most heavily discussed show of the year. Some complained about the heavy emphasis on mystery, with an abundance of teases about the true nature and motivations of the Hosts and employees that populate Westworld. While it's true the show occasionally got a bit lost in it's puzzle box narrative, it's hard to deny that Westworld is just flat-out entertaining with one of the best ensembles on television. Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton give the show it's heart with performances that are alternately heartbreaking and chilling, often in the same scene. Jeffrey Wright provides a wonderful moral center for the story, giving the character of Bernard a quiet thoughtfulness that makes the occasional bit of necessary exposition compelling. Then there's Anthony freaking Hopkins, who even in his late 70s gives a masterclass in true acting and is riveting every second he's on screen. While the first season of ultimately feels like a bit of a prologue for what's to come, it's a damn good prologue; one that leaves me very excited to see what's next.

Best Episodes:

“The Original”, “The Adversary”, “Trompe L’Oeil”

11. Fleabag (Amazon)

This British import pulls a bit of a bait and switch on viewers; it starts out as a raunchy comedy about a young woman struggling to get her life together, albeit a very funny one with a striking central performance by writer Phoebe Waller- Bridge. However, by the end of the first episode, and with each consecutive episode, Waller-Bridge reveals the dark, sad heart at the core of the series. Fleabag takes the convention of the rude, promiscuous 20-something that we see on so many cable comedies and really digs into the person underneath; what makes this person act the way they do and make the choices they make? Yet, the show never judges Waller-Bridge’s character, even if she judges herself. The show also boasts a solid supporting cast with brilliant character details. The central relationship between Waller-Bridge’s character and her sister is one of the better sibling relationships on TV, and no character goes wasted; a character present in one short scene at the beginning of the series ends up unexpectedly returning, and providing some of the most poignant, revealing moments in the story. There has been no word yet if Waller-Bridge will bring back Fleabag, but we can only benefit from hearing more of her unique voice.

Best Episodes:

“Episode 1″, “Episode 4″, “Episode 6″

10. Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)

2016 was a rough year. The nightmare circus that was the election, and it’s results, left a lot of people feeling drained, upset, and uncertain of where the country would be heading in the near future. Many comedy shows that deal in political satire seemed unsure of how to tackle the rise of Trump. Late night hosts such as Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and Trevor Noah went for an angle of frustrated disbelief, while Saturday Night Live was unsure what comedic approach to take after providing an unfortunate spotlight for the Donald the year before. Jimmy Fallon took the approach of goofing around with him and tousling his hair. Enter Samantha Bee. The former Daily Show correspondent could not have been given a better time to get her own show. Bee needed no time to settle into her host role, instead giving the sense of anger and outrage that many people felt about everything happening in the political sphere. She took on topics such as the Syrian refugees, gun control, abortion, and both the Republican and Democratic parties with blunt honesty and empathy. The laughs came from pointing out the hypocrisy and absurdness of the election, and from just needing a release of the extreme tension we were experiencing. Just beginning it’s second year, it looks like Full Frontal will be around for a while, and it’s a good thing; as the political landscape looks as if it is going to only get worse before it gets better, we need someone like Samantha Bee to help us through it more than ever.

Best Episodes:

“Cleveland”, “Republican National Convention”, “President Obama”

9. Veep (HBO)

When creator Armando Iannucci left Veep after Season 4, there was concern that the show would lose the hilarious bite that came with Iannucci’s razor sharp dialogue. Thankfully, new showrunner David Mandel maintained the show’s quality in it’s fifth season, bringing what may be the show’s best year yet. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was as perfect as ever as Selina Meyer works to win over congress when her presidential election ends in a tie. As great as Louis-Dreyfus is, the whole ensemble really makes Veep work, with Timothy Simons’ Jonah and Sam Richardson’s Richard being highlights, and Sarah Sutherland getting a much welcome increase in screentime as Selina’s daughter films a documentary and gets in a new relationship. The season built wonderfully to a genuinely surprising conclusion that promises an entirely different show when it returns. In a time when real world politics seem like satire, Veep continues to provide a hilarious alternative.

Best Episodes:

“Mother”, “Kissing Your Sister”, “Inauguration”

8. Better Call Saul (AMC)

A Breaking Bad spin-off was always going to have a lot to live up to. Following one of the most popular shows of the past decade was tough enough, but making the focus of that spin-off a relatively minor supporting character used primarily for comedic relief? It seemed destined to be a mess, but the first season gave a surprising amount of depth to the man who would become Saul Goodman. In it’s second year, Better Call Saul truly finds it’s voice. Less reliant on the action and tension of it’s parent show, Saul instead plays as a slow motion tragedy, as we watch Jimmy (in a wonderfully layered performance by Bob Odenkirk) struggle to do the right thing, all while knowing he is doomed. Michael McKean continues to be as good as ever as Jimmy’s manipulative brother, and Rhea Seehorn gets a much appreciated larger role as Kim, the one person who could possibly pull Jimmy back from the brink of corruption. Those who enjoy the more thrilling, gritty style of Breaking Bad will enjoy the continued presence of Mike Ehrmantraut, who at times seems to be in his own, equally good series as he navigates the Albuquerque crime world and comes across some familiar characters. The journey of Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman can only grow worse, but it will surely make the journey for those watching all the more captivating.

Best Episodes:

“Rebecca”, “Nailed”, “Klick”

7. BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

The best comedy about depression starring a cartoon horse maintained it’s wonderful mix of hilarious absurdity and dark truth in it’s third season, as BoJack works the award circuit for his leading role in the Secretariat biopic. The show expands it’s experimental streak with an episode set entirely in 2007 (complete with reminders of the time), one with almost no dialogue, and a drug bender episode with chunks of the story missing. Will Arnett as BoJack rivals his work as Gob Bluth for the best performance of his career; he is able to play BoJack’s pain and sadness just as well as his arrogance. Additionally, Aaron Paul and Paul F. Tompkins show new depths to the primarily jokey characters of Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter. Despite all of the adult animated comedies out there, BoJack Horseman feels like something new and original. It uses it’s medium to do things a live-action show could not do, but still is able to find a deep, emotional truth.

Best Episodes:

“Fish Out of Water”, “It’s You”, “That’s Too Much, Man!”

6. Atlanta (FX)

One of the ideal goals of any story being told is to transport you and let you witness a life that you don’t encounter in your everyday life. This could mean going to space or entering a world of magic and fantasy. In some instances, however, it simply means learning more about people you see every day, who are still underrepresented by most modern media. In interviews for Atlanta, show creator/star Donald Glover said he wanted viewers to experience what it felt like to be black. Atlanta itself ends up being a captivating, surreal and empathetic show that is really unlike anything I’ve seen before. Glover plays Earn, a young man in Atlanta who’s essentially homeless; after learning that his cousin, Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry), has a rising rap career, he offers to become his manager in order to support himself and his daughter, as well as proving himself to his daughter’s mother, Van (Zazie Beetz). That set-up provides plenty of opportunities for a weekly grounded series. Instead, Glover makes Atlanta a show that exists in a slightly different world; where Justin Bieber is black and where an entire episode is a talk show from a fictional black entertainment network, complete with fake commercials. Despite the bizarre touches Glover adds, Atlanta is also achingly realistic; Earn’s constant struggle to make money and provide for his family, and all the detours in that journey, from dealing with Alfred’s public reputation to sudden bursts of gun violence, provide a melancholy touch along with several hilarious setpieces. That mix of the sad, strange, and comical is what makes Atlanta so unique and what makes Glover’s voice so essential.

Best Episodes:

“Streets On Lock”, “Value”, “B.A.N.”

5. Halt and Catch Fire (AMC)

In it's first season, Halt and Catch Fire was fine, if flawed; a ­look at the '80s computer industry that occasionally leaned too heavily on the moody antihero trope that had grown so tired. It held just enough interest with it's strong performances and a promising narrative shift towards the end of the season. In Season 2, the show took a huge leap forward as it shifted the central focus to it's female characters, Cameron (Mackenzie Davis) and Donna (Kerry Bishe), while revealing the weak, sad nature if it's male protagonists, Joe (Lee Pace) and Gordon (Scoot McNairy). In it's third year, the quality of Halt and Catch Fire continued to skyrocket, turning itself from a very enjoyable series to one of the best dramas on television. A location change to Silicon Valley give things a renewed sense of energy. All four leads are given roughly equal screentime, but have evolved so much that all of their stories are equally captivating. Joe MacMillan is still devious and cunning, yet Pace reveals more of the wounded, insecure man underneath. As Gordon struggles with both his brain damage and his career aimlessness, McNairy beautifully plays the pain and frustration Gordon is feeling. Davis is as terrific as ever as Cameron stubbornly tries to keep control of her company, and Bishe continues to show new layers to Donna as her opportunities rise and increase. As the season progresses, the characters have to make some tough decisions, and with the writing and performances have grown so strong, it leads to some truly stunning and heartbreaking dramatic sequences that occasionally rise to the level of Mad Men. AMC was kind and smart enough to give Halt and Catch Fire time to find it's identity. The ratings remained low, but they stuck with it, including an opportunity to finish out it's story with a final season this year. When the show started, I didn't think I would care so much to see where these characters end up. After a stellar third year, I'm not quite ready for them to leave yet.

Best Episodes:

“The Threshold”, “NIM”, “NeXT”

4. The Americans (FX)

There's not much more I can say about The Americans in it's fourth season than I did in it's first, second, or third season. The spy family drama gets better and better each year, both in content and as a payoff to everything that came before. Stories that have been building up since the very beginning of the series continue to pay off, showing how expertly The Americans plays the long game. That long game is reflected by it's performances. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys give Elizabeth and Philip a consistent tired, beaten down in their performances. All of the horrible decisions and actions they have chosen to take over the years are starting to show, turning the excitement and vigor of their early adventures into a struggle just to make it through the day. That weariness extends to the people surrounding them, with Holly Taylor's Paige and Alison Wright's Martha getting significantly increased roles. Paige's story in particular makes quite an impact. On most prestige dramas, from The Sopranos to Breaking Bad to Homeland, the teenage character is usually seen as an annoying distraction from the main action. With The Americans, that character not only becomes essential to the main narrative, but manages to be sympathetic and just as captivating as the main characters we've been following for the series. While The Americans has never been talked about as much as some cable dramas, it's easily on the same level. With each season, the Jennings family grows more and more fascinating as their lives and relationships grow more and more fractured.

Best Episodes:

“Chloramphenicol”, “The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears”, “Dinner for Seven”

3. Horace and Pete (LouisCK.net)

Louis C.K. is a comedian and storyteller who is a master of the unexpected. His brilliant stand-up features constant reversals and punchlines that sneak up on you with brutality. When given his own HBO series, C.K. went against expectations and made a Norman Lear inspired sitcom filmed in front of a studio audience.  His second series, Louie, challenged the idea of what a half hour comedy could be, featuring a highly cinematic style, stories that spanned several episodes, and episodes that were primarily dramatic at times. His latest series, Horace and Pete, took everyone by surprise, in many different ways. It arrived completely unannounced; one Saturday morning, those subscribed to C.K.'s mailing list received an email with a link to the first episode on his website. Viewers were treated to what amounted to a 67 minute filmed play (complete with intermission) with a dark, dramatic tone and an impressive cast, including Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco, Jessica Lange, and Alan Alda. As the weeks went by, a new episode would be released, ranging from 30 minutes to a little under an hour, and could be almost anything. Some episodes dealt with current political issues and featured references to news events from recent weeks. One was one long conversation between C.K.'s Horace and a previously unseen character played by Laurie Metcalf, opening with a nine minute monologue solely framed on Metcalf. Horace and Pete features some of the best writing of C.K.'s career, reaching depths of extreme sorrow while still remaining his dark, vulgar wit. It helps that he has such a solid cast performing his words; Alda shows a side of himself that has almost never been seen, and Buscemi plays Pete as wounded live wire, constantly captivating you with his every moment on screen. One of the most impressive things about Horace and Pete is that it's a complete story. The 10th episode provides a definitive ending. It's hard to think of many artists who would create a show in secret, release it without it any notice, and then end it, and move on, but that kind of creativity is what makes Louis C.K. one of a kind.

Best Episodes:

“Episode 1″, “Episode 3″, “Episode 10″

2. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend seems like a tough sell; a musical comedy with a potentially alienating title and a penchant for awkward moments. As the theme song notes, however, "The situation is a lot more nuanced than that." Co-Creator and star Rachel Bloom (along with co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna) is well aware of the troubling tropes of romantic comedies, and uses her show to deconstruct the elements of these types of stories while still embracing their more engaging elements. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has honestly been an eye-opening experience for me. There are so many tropes and narrative choices in romantic stories, be it a major plot point or even just a throwaway joke, that have become so commonplace, we often overlook the implications of what it's implying. The writers call out these moments head-on, with Bloom's Rebecca sometimes halting a scene to question an offhand comment. It's honestly made me look at certain types of storytelling in a completely new light. Aside from the more thoughtful aspects, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is also flat-out hilarious and entertaining. The comedy is so sharp, with quality jokes coming at a rapid pace. The songs (written by Bloom, Adam Schlesinger, and Jack Dolgen) are terrific, playing as clever satires of popular music both old and new, while still holding up as smart, catchy original songs. The show has also developed a great stable of supporting characters, running jokes, and callbacks, making the show's setting of West Covina feel like a fully realized place. Nearing the end of it's second season, Bloom & McKenna have pulled no punches, unafraid to completely change the narrative and dynamics of the show at a moment's notice. It's this bold inventiveness that makes Crazy Ex-Girlfriend truly special, and, yes, nuanced.

Best Episodes:

"That Text Was Not Meant For Josh!", "When Will Josh See How Cool I Am?", "When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone?"

1. Stranger Things (Netflix)

This is a really predictable choice for my #1 show if you know me well. It pretty much hits all of my genre interests. A coming-of-age/sci-fi/horror show set in the early '80s that feels like Stephen King by way of early Steven Spielberg with a bit of John Carpenter and Freaks and Geeks mixed in. It would be very hard for me not to love Stranger Things at least a little bit. My anticipation was through the roof before it debuted, and thankfully, it did not disappoint. I understand the complaints of some. Yes, at times, it leans a bit heavily on it's influences, but to those who say people's enjoyment of the show comes solely out of a warm sense of nostalgia, I have to disagree. Yes, it's kind of cool to be reminded of the movies that The Duffer Brothers pay homage to, but Stranger Things really succeeds with it's characters, particularly it's young leading cast. Visual references can only go so far (and did for some), but the story would hold no weight if not for the talent and charisma of Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, and especially Millie Bobby Brown. The kids have an instant rapport, and as the season progresses, you really grow to care for them; you want them to be happy and grow tense when they are in danger of getting hurt, both physically and emotionally. The adult cast holds their own as well; Winona Ryder does some of her best work in years as the emotionally distraught Joyce Byers, and David Harbour embodies the gruff, heroic leading man perfectly. Yet the smaller episode order doesn't restrict the growth of the characters. Even supporting characters like antagonistic Steve (Joe Keery) get a full arc, and minor characters like concerned friend Barb (Shannon Purser) and teacher Scott Clarke (Randall P. Havens) make an impact. The Netflix format suits the show very well, neatly structured and moving along at an exciting pace, yet not overstaying it's welcome at 8 episodes. By the end of the first season, the stories have closure while still leaving much more to be told in the future. I realize Stranger Things isn't the most revolutionary show out there. It doesn't tackle serious issues and embraces it's genre themes and influences wholeheartedly. However, there was no other show in 2016 that I had a better time watching; each episode felt like an event, and left me theorizing and anxious to find out what would happen next. Sometimes that's all you need with a story, and Stranger Things delivers.

Best Episodes:

“Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers”, “Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly”, “Chapter Eight: The Upside Down”