2015 is almost here, (I know! So crazy.) and there’s no better time than December to take a look back. In this case, we’re taking a look back at the best, worst and bestworst* 2014 fall TV shows, most of which we covered in our TV Preview series.
*Shows you know you shouldn’t Love with a capital L, but you do anyway.
Best New Show:
Emily: Jane the Virgin. I had serious doubts about this show based on title alone, and it just goes to show you should never judge a book by its cover. This show is funny, adorable, and heartfelt. It had one of the best pilots I've seen (it knew what it was right out of the gate) and hasn't had a bad episode since. It deserves all the love it's getting, and Jane is one of the most likable (and moral) characters I've seen on TV in years (ie. Gina Rodriguez is fantastic)!
Honorable Mention: The Flash
Mandy: The Flash. I adore Barry Allen, and this show never fails to make me chuckle. It’s so far removed from the darkness of Arrow (and, similarly, Gotham and Constantine), but the lightheartedness really works for it. And yet, it still fits in the Arrow universe. (Hey DC movie people, I’m throwing side eye your way.) I’m intrigued by the Harrison Wells side-plotline, and I look forward to seeing the team grow and change. Also: I’m really excited about the possibility of there being a musical episode at some point. I mean, Grant Gustin can really sing. It would be a shame to waste that talent!
Honorable Mention: Scorpion
Worst New Show:
Emily: How to Get Away With Murder. I love Shonda Rhimes, but this was one of the first shows to go from my DVR. I get people love it, but very early on I realized there were no characters that I cared about, and the murder mystery did nothing for me. I'm normally a huge fan of Viola Davis, but there is little to no chemistry between any of the main characters. And enough with the affairs and the lies and the backstabbing. What happened to good old fashioned soapy story?
Mandy: Manhattan Love Story. I could barely stomach the first episode of this show, and never bothered to watch another. I probably should have given it another chance, but it was cancelled so quickly that I didn’t have the opportunity. I think the worst thing about it, for me, is that I often don’t even like hearing my innermost thoughts, so hearing the internal monologue of people that I don’t know seemed like torture-lite.
Bestworst New Show:
Emily: The Affair. This show is fascinating. I know I've made it clear that I'm over shows centering around affairs (which is why I'm putting it in the "bestworst" category), but I love how the story is being told. If you don't know it's first from one of their points of view and then from the other, so you don't know who (if either) actually remembers it correctly. And Pacey Whitter is in it, so there's that, too.
Mandy: Surprisingly … I don’t have one. At least, not a new one; I have plenty of guilty pleasure shows that have been on the air for a year at least. This season was full of shows that I didn’t feel much of anything for, good or bad. I’m hoping the midseason offerings are a little more intriguing.
Hottest Cast:
Emily: Kingdom. Ladies, if you don't have DirectTV, find a friend that does. In the same way Friday Night Lights is not really about football, Kingdom is not really about MMA fighting. It's a pretty emotional roller coaster in the best way, and many (most) of the scenes are done shirtless.
Mandy: Stalker. I only watched one episode of this show, but I’ve seen previews. This cast is definitely People’s Sexiest material. Dylan McDermott, Maggie Q (who’s an FYA fave), Victor Rasuk, Mariana Klaveno … even Marc Blucas was on an episode. And although we all know Riley wasn’t Buffy’s true love, he sure was fun to look at during those college seasons.
Still Holding Out Hope:
Emily: Red Band Society. I wanted so badly to love this show, but it's just not believable, and can't quite find it's own rules to follow. I still am behind the concept, and the show thankfully isn't the tearjerker that you might think from the premise. I like the cast, especially Octavia Spencer, but it's just still missing something.
Mandy: Gotham. As boring as episodes of this show can be, I find myself being drawn in by the future villains we’ve met so far. I don’t know all that much about Batman, but the little I do know has come in handy with the various nods to what they’ll become that happen in this show (e.g., the coffee mug Edward Nygma has that has a question mark drawn on it).
And now, we’ll give you our predictions for the future.
What Will Stick Around:
Emily: Blackish. This show is funny in a way I never expected to enjoy. It is a solid comedy.
Mandy: Jane the Virgin. I really didn’t expect to enjoy this show. But it’s sweet, funny and way entertaining. It’s just crazy enough to work.
What Will Die an Early Death:
Emily: The Mysteries of Laura. So many shows have already been canceled (that were not surprises), but this one got an early full season pick-up, and I don't know anyone that watches it (including myself). Does anyone else? It might not be that bad, but I haven't read any raving reviews, which just has me asking questions.
Mandy: Constantine. Hollywood has made these predictions a whole lot easier with all of the cancellations that have already happened, but this is one show that I don’t see sticking around too much longer. It had a lot of promise, but there are plenty of monster of the week shows currently airing. Constantine never really stood out from the crowd, which is a bummer.
So, what’d you think about the new shows? What do you love? Hate? Were you as un-awed by this season as we were? Let us know in the comments!