Top 10: TV Shows of 2012

10. 30 Rock

"30 Rock" hit a bit of a rough patch at the beginning of 2012. However, it bounced back for its seventh and final season and has turned out some of its best episodes in years. Most notably, this season saw Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) finally tying the knot in a wedding that was both moving and wacky in a way that only "30 Rock" could deliver. "30 Rock" is one of the best heirs to the sitcoms of the 70s with its fearlessness in tackling race, political, and gender issues for huge laughs. In fact, it ended the ridiculous "are women funny?" debate with a monkey wearing a suit. No other show on TV can deliver so many jokes in such a short span of time. "30 Rock" might be winding down, but the many doors it opened for the flood of single-camera comedies that have emerged over the years will always be present.

9. Archer

"Archer" is far and away the best animated show on TV. A spy spoof that puts "Austin Powers" to shame, "Archer" proved that its spectacular first two seasons were just a warmup for how perfect season three would be. Few comedies currently on TV have plots as smart and intricate as "Archer" does, whether the bumbling heroes are trying to get rid of a dead body or fight villains in outer space. What makes "Archer" so unique is the neat little backstories it gives to all of its characters, which expanded in ever satisfying ways this season. For example, Archer's constant literary references suggest someone much smarter than he acts. "Archer," however, never has to hide its sophistication. It continues to be one of the sharpest satires currently on TV.

8. Homeland

I was a late convert to "Homeland," and I am not ashamed to say that I caught up in less than one week. "Homeland" hit a bit of a rough patch this season. However, those who immediately jumped ship need to learn a thing or two about TV history, and that "Homeland" is in the same company as some pretty great shows that have had faulty seasons and then bounced back. Even in the implausibility, there has still been plenty to love about season two. The show made a pretty risky story move early on and then built it up to an interrogation scene that was one of the most finely acted and scripted in TV history. However, this season went through a few big bumps in the road. One was literal (a car accident that was worth it only for allowing actress Morgan Saylor to shine) while others were illogical (see: Skyping with a terrorist on a Blackberry). Yet, I was still compelled to watch "Homeland" from week to week, and discuss with every other fan I knew. Many other shows have gone through rough patches early on, and I have faith in where next season will take us.

7. Happy Endings

The funniest show currently airing on network TV (while another one is still in an overlong hiatus) is also the most underrated. "Happy Endings" took the concept of "twenty/thirty-something friends" in a big city to insane new heights throughout seasons two and three. It does self-referential better than most shows on TV, and it knows when to be over-the-top and when to be human. "Happy Endings" doesn't just succeed in its endless mocking of sitcom tropes, but also how natural the ensemble feels together. Often, it just feels like a tight-knit improv group going crazy in whatever direction they desire. Plus, it has my favorite married couple on TV (Brad and Jane) and the most hilariously non-stereotypical gay character since "The Sarah Silverman Program." In the vein of "30 Rock," "Happy Endings" could probably cram more funny into five minutes than most shows ever could in an entire season.

I think it's the pronunciation that sold me.

6. Game of Thrones

2012 was the year I got back into fantasy. "Game of Thrones" was one of the many shows this year that helped push the medium forward, as it pushed its own storytelling ambitions in new directions and away from its source material. It truly blurred the difference between film and television with the episode "Blackwater," which contained a battle as epic as anything in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. What I always liked best about "Game of Thrones" is that even when it travels into the territory of dragons and the undead, it still remains incredibly grounded, as this story is much more of a political allegory than a battle of good versus evil. If "Game of Thrones" has proved anything to me, it's that moral ambiguity is way more interesting than battles of absolute good against absolute evil. Without it, where the hell else would we get amazing characters like Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Cersei (Lena Headey) Lannister, Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), and Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson)? Well, I think I know how everyone feels about Joffrey.

View the top 5 after the jump

Analog This: My 2012 Emmy Winners

I think everything that can be said about the many problems with last night's Emmys has already been said. Instead of ranting about Jon Cryer and "Modern Family" ruining everything, I will just say that I am happy that Louis C.K. got rewarded both for changing standup comedy and pulling off perhaps the greatest fart joke ever and making it last for an entire episode.

Here are my winners for the best the year had to offer in television. Keep in mind that many of these people and shows weren't even nominated for Emmys this year (after the jump):

Analog This: A Blockbuster Summer for TV; Maybe Less so for Movies

No one can deny it at this point: there is something wrong at the movies. Tentpoles and remakes just won't seem to go away. A good movie feels like a treat that is too good for its own good. There is good hope when something like "Moonrise Kingdom" can find an audience. However, when even Batman can't deliver, there must be a problem. However, one place I couldn't find a problem this summer was on television. While film has already broken down so many barriers, TV is just figuring out how to do the same thing.

This summer (well, it's been a long time in the making), cable and basic cable networks have nailed the formula down and created an entertainment experience that can sometimes rival even a great film. Now that everyone has a DVR box and access to the internet, shows can carry long stories in ways they never could in the past. Here are the shows that created a Blockbuster summer for the likes of AMC, FX, and HBO, amongst others:

Analog This: Mad Men Season 5 Finale

Jessica Pare: Humanizing French Canadians Since 2010.

Warning! May contain some minor spoilers for the season five finale. Read with caution.

Two years ago, when the previous season of "Mad Men" was drawing to a close, I claimed that the fourth season was the best season yet (I'm also not entirely sure I actually knew what the word "dissertation" meant). I take it back, because season five blew every other season out of the water. And unless season six can work miracles, and I know Matthew Weiner is good at doing that, it will be tough to top this one.

Yet, the season finale, entitled "The Phantom," was a little bit disappointing. It was definitely not a bad episode. I think my expectations for "Mad Men" are a bit too high. But when a major character dies a week before, it seems a little peculiar to only mention the tragedy once the week after. And while throwing in Don's brother was a nice touch (it tied in with his guilt over Lane's death), it felt a little bit out of nowhere considering the fact that Don was less haunted than usual by his past this season. As did  the cliffhanger, which questioned whether or not Don would return to his adulterous days.

Nonetheless, it was still a fitting way to tie together a fantastic season. A lot happened this season, and I'm hoping this list below can account for as much of it as possible. Here are some of the reasons why season five was so damn good:

Why Hollywood Hates Your Stupid Suburb

Well, I guess everything nice can go a little bad, too.

While watching this past weekend's excellent new "Mad Men" episode "Signal 30," I realized something that I should have understood long ago: Hollywood loves to hate on suburbia. The offsprings of cities have come to represent boredom and loss of youth, amongst other things. They can be purgatory or hell, depending on how you look at it. Even when they do look nice, there is usually some joke behind it. In front of the camera,  a suburban town never looks like a purely good place to live.

This Week, We are a Community: Day 3

New life goal: Become Don Draper and Abed combined.

And as a bonus, a helpful flowchart of the relationships of "Community"

Now That The Oscars Are Over...

...I can finally start talking about important things again, such as the return of "Mad Men" on March 25. The show has been on hiatus for almost two years ago, and that unbearably long time almost made me forget how great this show is. "Breaking Bad" has taken over the spotlight as AMC's best show, but one does not simply forget about "Mad Men."

I bring this up because today, a very provocative teaser poster was revealed for the next season. Usually, teasers don't mean much to me, but "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner can brilliantly tell the story of the entire upcoming season in just one image. From what I can tell, we will be entering a much less sheltered era. Things will become much more exposed, including Don Draper (Jon Hamm) himself. Weiner ambiguously says that by the end of this season, we will know what the show is really about. This fifth season could be the show's best one yet. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves yet. For now, take a look at the new poster. Discuss:

Read more over at The New York Times.

Mad Men: Dissertation on the Best Season Yet

Warning: Spoilers for the fourth season ahead. Proceed with caution.

When the epic finale of the third season of "Mad Men" ended with the image of Don Draper (Jon Hamm) walking into his hotel, unsure of the future that lay head, I was unsure of one thing: how could the makers of "Mad Men" possibly make an episode of television this good ever again?

Well, Matthew Weiner did it again, for every single episode of the nearly flawless fourth season of "Mad Men." "Mad Men" took the cautiously optimistic tone of "Shut the Door. Have a Seat" to a whole new level.

Uneasiness seemed to be the theme of this season. Season three ended with the assassination of JFK and season four was set to the backdrop of Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement. This is no longer the 1960s that "Mad Men" first began in where big men in big suits could sit comfortably behind their desks and ignore the problems of the world. This was a time when reality was leaking into office life.

With this, we also got a changed Don Draper, for better or worse. At one point, we see him trading in whiskey for wine and even questioning his own smoking addiction and incessant love affairs.

Much of this season was really about change, and how people respond to it. In addition to that, the show gave us many welcome changes. A scenery change is always good, and the new office of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce allowed for even more pressing problems. Another welcome change was the show's change in attitude. Despite the constantly serious subject matter, the show found a subtle, witty sense of humor this season. Much of this came through the show's dialogue, mainly banter between the main characters. A lot of this humor also came from small, charming moments which seem inconsequential. One of the best that is easy to forget is Don and Lane (Jared Harris) sharing a bottle of whiskey in a crowded movie theater.

A few of the show's principle actors also showed a few welcome changes. Mainly young Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper. This season, she dropped the lisp and whininess and became one of the show's darker and more interesting characters.

Then there's Betty Draper (January Jones). It is easy to hate on January Jones because, well, she's sometimes something of a terrible actress. However, it's hard playing a character that the audience is forced to hate, so she deserves some credit for that. In the last few moments, after all the horrible things she had just done (mainly, trying to ruin the happiness of everyone around her), she somehow came off as sympathetic. It's easy to forget that her paranoia and hatred towards all things that breath comes from years of being cheated on by Don. Perhaps the best quote to define Betty this season is this: "Just because you're sad doesn't mean everyone else has to be."

This season also managed to solve its Don and Betty plotline quite well through an unspoken midseason reconciliation between the two that was both revelatory and moving. Then there was those final moments as the two stood in there empty Westchester house, remembering their past and looking into the future. This announced the end of an era for "Mad Men."

Season four of "Mad Men" brought the show to new levels both story wise and thematically. The characters reached new lows of desperation, whether it had to do with searching for clients or searching for lovers. In this we could find characters constantly falling back into old habits or falling into the habits of others. Every character in this mad mad world is always trying to be someone other than themselves.

And at the center of this of course is Donald Draper, played as strikingly and mysteriously as ever by Jon Hamm. Like the company he helped start, Draper went on a bumpy and confusing course this season. He oscillated between redemption and past troubles. The more his secrets unraveled, the more he felt he had to beef up his fake identity. By marrying the much younger secretary over Faye, he proves to continuously try to slip back into youth rather than move forward.

The greatest moments of "Mad Men" always lie in mystery and intrigue, just like with Draper himself. It's not just mysteries like "who is Donald Draper?" it's more like the mystery behind his true emotions and intentions. Am I the only one more interested in what Don was looking at out that window in the final shot than why Joan decided to keep Roger's baby?

Overall, the reason season four proved "Mad Men" to be the truly amazing show everyone thinks it is is because this season really proved the show's real ambitions. It is attempting to use the past, settings, and people to re-create the idea of America. Few shows have dared try to achieve something this big since "The Sopranos" and have gotten this close to being right. This season showed us the constant rising and falling of the American Dream. As from episode one, Draper has both exemplified and put down the myth of the self made man. What category he ultimately falls into still remains a mystery.

"Mad Men" has always remained fascinating because of the endless intrigue. What I love best is hard to say. It could be the fact that missing one facial expression can impact one's perception of an episode. Or it could be how carefully every little detail is put on screen. Most importantly, I like it for a reason different from every other show I've ever enjoyed. While I enjoy most shows for having a sort of cinematic value, I enjoy "Mad Men" because its ambitions and overall contributions to the world are too grand to fit into one two hour time frame. The 1960s may be over, but the era of "Mad Men" will always continue.

If You Want Quality TV: Mad Men

In case you haven't caught up with the incessant (but well deserved) media coverage in the past few weeks, television's best drama, "Mad Men," will be making it's triumphant return tomorrow. The season three premiere will be airing Sunday, August 16 at 10 PM on AMC.

"Mad Men" is the best drama currently on TV (sorry, "Lost"). It does so by being multi-layered, well-written, well-acted, well-directed, and visually stunning. 

For those procrastinators out there who want to catch up on the first two seasons, you still have 23 hours to do so. For those of you who want to watch but don't feel like watching that much television (note: I wouldn't recommend against this; It would be time well spent), the recap attached below is very helpful: