Top 10 TV Seasons of 2015

Courtesy of Screencrush. From left to right: Marvel's Jessica Jones, Fargo, BoJack Horseman, The Leftovers

TV blew me, and many others, away this past year. The old adage of “too much good TV” was really apparent this year, which is why I have a shortlist dedicated to shows I couldn’t watch because I just didn’t have the time. I really hope I can find the time to see these seasons, because one of the shows, Orange is the New Black season 3, is a favorite of mine, but I just haven’t had time to watch the most recent season. Granted, the following short lists could have been filled with different shows that deserve to be named, but they became so long that I had to cut them down to only a few choices. Anyway the first is a list of shows I couldn’t see because I sadly have not been graced with an ability to pause time to watch these shows.

Unable to watch due to time constraints: Jessica Jones (Season 1, Netflix); Better Call Saul (Season 1, AMC); Orange is the New Black (Season 3, Netflix); The Knick (Season 1, Cinemax); Bloodline (Season 1, Netflix); Narcos (Season 1, Netflix), BoJack Horseman (Season 2, Netflix)

The next list are shows that really deserve to be mentioned because of their iconic status and appearance on other top ten lists, a few of these shows I’ve seen but haven’t been able to catch up on because they just have so many episodes at this point.

Unable to watch due to large number of episodes: The Americans (Season 3, FX); Mad Men (Season 7, AMC); Veep (Season 3, HBO)

The next list is my honorable mentions. These shows are incredibly inventive, enjoyable, and clever, but they just didn’t have enough to get to the top ten status.

Honorable Mentions: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Season 2, HBO); Adam Ruins Everything (Season 1; TruTv) The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 1, Netflix), Transparent (Season 2, Amazon); Silicon Valley (Season 2; HBO); Show Me a Hero (Season 1; HBO)

10. Making a Murderer (Season 1, Netflix)

Created by: Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos

Directors: Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos

Writers: Laura Riccriardi and Moira Demos

Starring: Steven Avery, Dean Strang, Jerry Buting, Brendan Dassey, Len Kachinsky, James Lenk, Andrew Colborn, and Ken Kratz

Notable Episodes: “Eighteen Years Lost,” “Plight of the Accused,” “Testing the Evidence”, “Framing the Defense,” “The Great Burden”

Synopsis: In 1985, Steven Avery is convicted for the sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beernsteen. 18 years later he is exonerated of his crimes after DNA proves that another man committed the crime. After filing a lawsuit against the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s department he once again gets into trouble.

Making a Murderer came out of nowhere. What started as a Netflix show about a man convicted under suspicious circumstances has now become one of the biggest shows of 2015. The wrongdoings of the prosecution has angered so many people and hundreds have asked for Steven’s case to be reexamined. The show has certainly become notable for the reaction people have had following the show, but it also is an incredibly well-filmed documentary that explores the treatment of the lower class and corruption and miscarriages of justice in our current system.

9. Marvel’s Daredevil (Season 1, Netflix)

Created by: Drew Goddard

Directors: Phil Abraham, Adam Kane, Ken Girotti, Farren Blackburn, Guy Ferland, Brad Turner, Stephen Surjik, Nelson McCormick, Nick Gomez, Euros Lyn, and Steven S. DeKnight

Writers: Drew Goddard, Marco Ramirez, Joe Pokaski, Luke Kalteux, Douglas Petrie, Steven S. DeKnight, Christos Gage, and Ruth Fletcher Gage

Starring: Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Rosario Dawson, and Vincent D’Onofrio

Notable Episodes: “Cut Man,” “In the Blood,” “Shadows in the Glass,” “Speak of the Devil,” “Daredevil”

Synopsis: At a young age, Matt Murdock is blinded in a chemical accident. A new and hungry defense lawyer, Matt creates a façade of being incredibly limited due to his blindness. The accident enhanced his other senses, he can hear the way someone’s arms move when they’re writing, he can feel words on a page, and he can smell the exact things someone had for breakfast. Using these talents he operates as a vigilante, helping exact justice as Daredevil.

Daredevil is one of the best forms of media that Marvel Studios has created. It’s dark and violent, the imagery is beautiful, and the story is riveting. Wilson Fisk is one of the best villainous characters that Marvel Studios has invented. His backstory and emotions are explored during the first season and it gives him a more human character. Ultimately, the action of the show elevates itself above a lot of other action TV shows this year, with well-choreographed fight scenes and great continuous takes. It’s the superhero show that fans deserve.

8. Game of Thrones (Season 5, HBO)

Created by: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Directors: Michael Slovis, Mark Mylod, Jeremy Podeswa, Miguel Sapochnik, and David Nutter

Writers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Dave Hill, and Bryan Cogman

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Stephen Dillane, and Gwendoline Christie

Notable Episodes: “The House of Black and White,” “Kill the Boy,” “The Gift,” “Hardhome,” “Mother’s Mercy”

Synopsis: The politics of Westeros are once again sent into a spiral after an influential leader has been killed. The Lannisters and Tyrells both operate from the shadows, using their children to heighten their power over the throne. The Night’s Watch continues to prepare for the inevitable fight with The White Walkers, and they allow The Wildlings passage to the other side of The Wall in order to increase their numbers. The city of Meereen is still being ruled by Daenerys, but a group of insurgents wish to bring slavery back to Meereen and want to end the queen. Many say the Seven Kingdoms is once again at peace, that the wars are ended. With everyone attempting to backstab everyone else, we see that The Seven Kingdoms can never truly be at peace.

Season 5 of Game of Thrones is its weakest season. The show was filled with controversy regarding some of its darkest scenes, one in particular had social media users filled with anger. Still, it was filled with amazing scenes of intense action, and its twists and turns were just as shocking as any other season. We also had the pleasure of watching several characters expand in their personalities. Lena Heady, Maisie Williams, and Sophie Turner knocked it out of the park in particular this season. Jaime, one of my favorite characters had a particularly uneventful season involving his trip to Dorne, which was particularly upsetting for book fans because of how amazing the Dorne storyline is in the novels. Still this couldn’t topple the amazing scenes from this season. Game of Thrones still continues to be one of the best shows on television.

7. The Man in the High Castle (Season 1, Amazon)

Created by: Frank Spotnitz

Directors: David Semel, Daniel Percival, Ken Olin, Michael Rymer, Bryan Spicer, Nelson McCormick, Brad Anderson, Karyn Kusama, and Michael Slovis

Writers: Frank Spotnitz, Thomas Schnauz, Evan Wright, Jace Richdale, Rob Williams, Emma Frost, and Walon Green

Starring: Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Luke Kleintank, DJ Qualls, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Joel de la Fuente, and Rufus Sewell

Notable Episodes: “The New World,” “The Illustrated Woman,” “Three Monkeys,” “End of the World,” “A Way Out”

Synopsis: Set in an alternate history where the Axis Powers won World War II we see the United States divided into three portions. Through the Midwest and the Eastern states, Nazi Germany rules the newly named “Greater Nazi Reich.” New York has been transformed into the new capital, Times Square is adorned with the swastika of the fascist state. In the East is Japanese Pacific States, which are distinctly more rooted in the cultural of the island nation now. Between the two are the Rocky Mountain States, or the Neutral Zone, a lawless area uncontrolled by either country, but still just as dangerous for those who might be attempting to overthrow the oppressive governments. The Jewish people hide in fear of being discovered, as does anyone else targeted by the Nazi’s view of pure Aryan race. Underneath the shadows, the resistance operates in transporting newsreels to a mysterious figure known as “The Man in the High Castle.” The newsreels reveal different outcomes of the war, the main one being a world where the war is won by the Allies. The characters come in possession of one of these films, and become tangled up in a huge conspiracy that will forever change them, and put them in danger.

Amazon’s original show based on the Philip K. Dick novel of the same name is awesome. Its inventive world is enough to engross and terrify you. The world is vibrant and filled with imagery that make you realize how different the world would be if the war had been lost. The show is also filled with incredibly awesome characters, who are fully realized and very fleshed out, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s performance of Trade Minister Tagomi is an endearing character. Alexa Davalos’ portrayal of Juliana Crain depicts a strong-willed woman who will do whatever it takes, but is still knowledgeable of when she is in over her head. Rufus Sewell as Obergruppenführer Smith makes for an incredibly interesting villain, he’s menacing and terrifying to watch, but his character is still deeply emotionally nuanced. With enjoyable characters, an incredibly interesting setting, and an intense suspense thriller make for an amazing new show that I’m excited to see more of.

6. Hannibal (Season 3, NBC)

Created by: Bryan Fuller

Directors: Vincenzo Natali, Marc Jobst, Guillermo Navarro, Adam Kane, Neil Marshall, John Dahl, and Michael Rymer

Writers: Bryan Fuller, Steve Lightfoot, Jeff Vlaming, Angelina Burnett, Nick Antosca, Tom de Ville, Don Mancini, Helen Shang, and Angela Lamanna

Starring: Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, Laurence Fishburne, Gillian Anderson, Joe Anderson, and Richard Armitage

Notable Episodes: “Antipasto,” “Dolce,” Digestivo,” “The Great Red Dragon,” “The Wrath of the Lamb”

Synopsis: Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) has fled to Italy. After recovering, Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) goes on a search to find the man he once considered his good friend and bring him to justice. Meanwhile, Mason Verger, a man that Lecter had wronged has hired men to hunt down Lecter and Graham in order to enact his vengeance. In the latter half of the season Will must find Francis Dolarhyde (Richard Armitage), who is committing murders in an attempt to become The Great Red Dragon.

Visually amazing and thematically sharp, Hannibal is a show that sadly got cancelled this year because not enough people were watching the show, luckily NBC allowed the season to finish, and the final episode did deliver something resembling an ending. The performances in Hannibal are top notch, especially Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy. Mikkelsen’s Lecter is intense, calm, and refined making him one of the most fascinating characters on television. On top of that, the story is suspenseful and incredibly entertaining. It keeps you on the edge of your seat every single episode. Its beautiful visuals, entertaining characters, and crazy twists and turns make Hannibal the type of show that sticks with you. I just hope it can make a return on a different channel.

5. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (Season 1, HBO)

Created by: Andrew Jarecki

Directors: Andrew Jarecki

Writers: Andrew Jarecki, Marc Smerling, and Zachary Stuart-Pointer

Starring: Robert Durst, Gary Jones, Cody Gazalas, Jeanine Pirro, Kim Lankford, Dick DeGuerin, Andrew Jarecki, and Marc Smerling.

Notable Episodes: “Chapter 1: A Body in the Bay,” “Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy,” “Chapter 3: The Gangster’s Daughter,” Chapter 4: The State of Texas vs. Robert Durst,” “Chapter 6: What the Hell Did I Do?”

Synopsis: Robert Durst is a member of the Durst family of New York City, an incredibly wealthy real estate empire. In 1982 Robert Durst’s wife Kathie disappeared without any explanation. All signs pointed to foul play and Robert was the suspect. When Robert skipped town, the investigation hit a dead end and they were unable to find Durst. In 2001 he popped up again in Galveston, Texas, this time he was the head suspect in a case where his neighbor had been murdered and dismembered. Is Robert Durst a deadly killer with no emotion, or is he just the unluckiest man in the world?

Andrew Jarecki’s wonderfully crafted exploration into the world of Robert Durst is incredibly captivating. Durst is a fascinating character, and watching the progression of his story is like watching an amazing murder mystery. Whether he did it or not is something you’ll have to watch to find out, but I assure you the six-episode ride is incredibly worth it.

4. Master of None (Season 1, Netflix)

Created by: Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang

Directors: James Ponsoldt, Aziz Ansari, Eric Wareheim, and Lynn Shelton

Writers: Aziz Ansari, Alan Yang, Harris Wittels, Joe Mande, Andrew Blitz, Sarah Peters, and Zoe Jarman

Starring: Aziz Ansari, Noël Wells, Eric Wareheim, Kelvin Yu, and Lena Waithe

Notable Episodes: “Parents,” “Indians on TV,” “Nashville,” “Ladies and Gentlemen,” “Mornings”

Synopsis: Dev (Asiz Ansari) is an actor trying to get into something more important than commercials. We see the world through his eyes as a young man in New York who is possibly a bit jaded by his ability to have a nice life. We see Dev learn and grow as he experiences dating, your relationship with your parents, the life of minorities in media, and how to handle our expectations of people based on snap judgements.

One of the smartest comedy shows I’ve ever seen. Yes, Master of None, will have you holding your side with laughter, but it’s so much more than simply funny. It explores complex ideas that most comedy shows wouldn’t dare touch. “Parents” is an incredibly good episode, as we learn that we should appreciate the sacrifices our parents made for us. Cut your parents some slack and teach them how to use their iPad, it really isn’t a big deal, especially compared to what they went through to make your life good. There are so many more amazing episodes that make Dev examine the way he leads his life, and hopefully it will make you think about how you lead yours as well. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll definitely learn a thing or two.

3. Mr. Robot (Season 1, USA)

Created by: Sam Esmail

Directors: Niels Arden Oplev, Sam Esmail, Jim McKay, Nisha Ganatra, Deborah Chow, Christoph Schrewe, and Tricia Brock

Writers: Sam Esmail, Adam Penn, David Iserson, Kyle Bradstreet, Kate Erickson, and Randolph Leon

Starring: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Chaikin, Portia Doubleday, and Martin Wallström

Notable Episodes: “eps1.0_hellofriend.mov,” “eps1.4_3xpl0its.wmv,” “eps1.5_br4ve-trave1er.asf,” “eps1.8_m1rr0r1ng.qt,” “eps1.9_zer0-day.avi”

Synopsis: Elliot Anderson (Rami Malek) is a brilliant programmer for a Cybersecurity company. At night he works as a cyber-vigilante, hacking people in high up positions and finding their dirty secrets in an attempt to rid the world of a little bit of evil. He is approached by a man only known as Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) who wants him to join his hacktivist group fsociety, who have one mission. To destroy the largest, manipulative company in the world. E Corp, or as Elliot calls them, Evil Corp.

A brilliant exploration into corporate greed and hacktivist movements, Mr. Robot combines an amazing combination of intense thriller, character study, and elegant visual cues. The show has been praised for its real world portrayal of hacking, this isn’t the movie hacking you’ve seen in the past where a guy can kill a virus by pushing one button. There is coding, knowledge and fast paced reaction involved. Although, that is just the surface of what makes Mr. Robot so great. The performances are amazing, especially from Rami Malek, who portrays Elliot as a struggling antisocial genius, but making him incredibly likeable. The story is suspenseful and leaves you wanting more. Mr. Robot is the type of brilliant cyber-thriller that television needs and certainly delivered that in spades.

2. Fargo (Season 2, FX)

Created by: Noah Hawley

Directors: Michael Uppendahl, Randall Einhorn, Noah Hawley, Jeffrey Reiner, Keith Gordon, and Adam Arkin

Writers: Noah Hawley, Bob DeLaurentis, Steve Blackman, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi

Starring: Kristen Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Ted Danson, Bokeem Woodbine, Nick Offerman, Zach McClarnon, and Angus Sampson

Notable Episodes: “Waiting for Dutch,” “The Gift of the Magi,” “Rhinoceros,” “Loplop” “The Castle”

Synopsis: On the cusp of the 80’s, the Gerhardts, a crime family stationed in Fargo, North Dakota get into a turf war with another gang from Kansas City. When a Gerhardt son kills a judge in Minnesota, the state police are brought into the matter and discover that the Gerhardt’s are almost untouchable. Meanwhile, a newly married couple gets involved in the matter and are targeted by the Gerhardt’s for an accident they are connected to.

Great music, hilarious dark humor, clever characters, and a really great crime story is just the surface level of why the second season of Fargo is so amazing. Fargo is an anthology show, so this season is totally different from the last. The performances are great and no one stands out from anyone else. Every single member of the cast is on point delivering some truly exciting drama. Fargo keeps you on your toes every single episode, and doesn’t care if it sticks to normal television plot tropes. It will stick a gang shoot out in the middle of an episode instead of leaving it till the end, because it knows it is good enough to keep you coming back. The visuals are great, every scene is so stunningly gorgeous from its lighting to the placement of the camera. If it wasn’t for the brilliance of one other show, there’s no doubt in my mind that this show would have been number one.

1. The Leftovers (Season 2, HBO)

Created by: Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta

Directors: Mimi Leder, Carl Franklin, Tom Shankland, Nicole Kassell, Craig Zobel, and Keith Gordon

Writers: Damon Lindelof, Jacqueline Hoyt, Tom Perrotta, Patrick Somerville, Tom Spezialy, Nick Cuse, and Monica Beletsky

Starring: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Regina King, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, Kevin Carroll, Carrie Coon, Ann Dowd, and Janel Maloney

Notable Episodes: “Axis Mundi,” “Lens,” “International Assassin,” “Ten Thirteen,” “I Live Here Now”

Synopsis: On October 14, 2011, approximately 2% of the world’s population completely vanished from the Earth. There was no big flash, no angels descending, just one minute they were there and then they just vanished. Into thin air. Three years later the world has become very different, people’s version of religion has changed. New cults have popped up, scientists are only studying possible connections to the disappearance. The world is a different place now, and all who are in it have felt some deep emotional change because of the “Sudden Departure.”

The first season of The Leftovers was a very dark and dour look at the invalidity of life. People were depressed and everybody was angry at everybody else. It was an intense and interesting show, but it was ultimately nothing ground-breaking. So imagine everyone’s surprise when season 2 happened and floored people with its new characters, mysterious storyline, and poignant explorations of new themes. The story is entertaining as ever, constantly offering a mix of sci-fi and supernatural that makes you, not so much care about the mystery, but how the mystery has affected people. The show never cared if it was totally weird, because the show just wants to give you a reaction, an emotional feeling. Confusion, anger, sadness, joy, etc. the show makes you feel all these things. Picking out only five notable episodes for this show in particular show was tough, because every single episode of The Leftovers season 2 deserves to be on this list.

2015 was an amazing year, and one that I really enjoyed. The TV list was my last list covering last year’s amazing media. If I was to choose from which category had the most impressive year it would probably be television, the medium that most people brush aside for not being worthy of quality content showed us that not only is it constantly evolving, but that it is becoming one of the most riveting forms of media in recent memory.

Hopefully 2016 provides just as much excitement as 2015 did! Once again, thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful 2016!