This was a very lack luster television season, if you judge by the amount of writing I have done alone. Nothing really impressed me so much this year. Some of my old favorites even had me wondering what I was watching this for. Even Justified did not fully engross me; I know it is sacrilege to some of you so if you have complaints about that send them to your next door neighbor please. But of the new shows that came out a few are worth mentioning. I do expect to see the Sophomore slump in full swing for these shows next season; however I do have my fingers crossed that they will avoid this trap and be back for a third season.

5. The Goldbergs. This show is funny! I really enjoy this. It is The Wonder Years for generation X. the typical family comedy is in full swing but it adds in just enough 80’s kitsch to make it stand out. I must admit when I first heard that Wendi McLendon-Covey was going to play a mom I thought sure you jest. She pulls it off. She is the mom from the 8o’s and has the shoulder padded sweaters to prove it. I really can’t wait to see what becomes of The Goldbergs in season 2. Here’s wondering if my younger cousin has all those stupid videos he made and if he is in talks for his own show.

4. Sleepy Hollow. This one I was excited for at the onset. I am a history teacher by trade and therefore was interested in how the Founding Fathers were going to be portrayed. To my surprise they were done very well. Many of the inaccuracy from what are reality and what is taught in school seems to be where the humor lies. My other history teacher friends and I love to laugh about the historical reference dejour each Tuesday after watching this adaptation of the legend of sleepy hollow. The cast is strong the writing is good and the stories seem to be a nice balance of creative story telling mixed with just enough history to make it funny and creepy at the same time.

3. Brooklyn 99. I cannot believe this got picked up. I mean that in a good way too. I immediately thought this is far too quirky to stick around. I immediately thought of other cop shows that were funny and quirky that did not last; like sledgehammer and police squad. Then from nowhere it won me over. I do not even know when I began to really love this show. All I kept saying was it was Barney Miller funny, and that’s not Hyperbole. It really is. Find it this summer and start watching it before next season starts. You will laugh out loud; actually laugh out loud not that stupid texting LOL when you are not LOLing.

2. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I was so nervous about this. Joss Whedon has not had the best of track records on TV. Firefly and Dollhouse to name two recently awesome Whedon shows that were cancelled. I know Buffy was around for forever and a day but I was nervous. This show started off slow but picked up shortly after Captain America the Winter Soldier was released. I think they have found their stride. The cast is good and the writing is exactly what you would expect form Whedon’s style; Very real world in a very surreal world. The little jokes are as good as the big dramatic moments. My ten year old daughter loves this show and begs to stay up and watch it. This show has me nervous about a sophomore slump. I know they got picked up for eighteen episodes and I know they will use all eighteen to make something happen. I just hope they leave enough bread crumbs along the way that they do not lose the audience they have been picking up.

 
1. The Black List. I would definitely have to put this as one of my favorites from this season. My only issue is the female lead, Megan Boone, is not my favorite. I feel she is the weakest of the cast. Unless they pull a bewitched there is no fixing that. However to list her as the weak link in this cast is nothing to sneeze at the cast is so strong. Spader is AWESOME as Red Redington. Love the very matter of fact delivery that has become James Spader’s style. The story is almost perfectly passed. Not once did I say “they really need to give us more on that”. My big concern for this show? If they go the lazy route and make Red Lizzy’s father. I swear by all that I hold dear I will leave this show like a blind date fleeing from a bathroom window. It would just be lazy writing and far too predictable. Here’s hoping the writers tell the network execs to shove it every time they give them that note.
Those are my top five of the last season. Was yours on the list? Let me know in the comments.