It’s the start of a New Year, and with each New Year comes the beginning or end of several of our favorite shows. 2009 brought about the anticlimactic end to Battlestar Galactica. 2010 spells the end of The Tudors and, of course, Lost. The sci-fi behemoth created by J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Lieber and Damon Lindelof comes to a close in season 6. What can you expect? Answers. In the beginning, fans wondered if Lost would conclude with the castaways being found. Been there. Done that. What we want to know is why they were “brought” there in the first place and why are there individual histories all tied together. Also, what’s the deal with the Smoke Monster and/or the Island spirit? We’re trusting Lost to give us a season of shock and awe that will leave us overwhelmingly satisfied, and not left wondering “WTF?” like the finale of Battlestar Galactica.
As for The Tudors, fans have begged the series to continue on after King Henry VIII’s reign. After all, the show is called The Tudors and not King Henry VIII. Unfortunately, after 4 seasons Michael Hirst and Showtime are calling it quits. Sorry.
And, now our top 10 TV shows that premiere January through the Spring Season. Honorary Mention goes out to Weeds and True Blood, who both, unfortunately, fall into the category of Summer premieres. Our last Honorary Mention goes to “Chuck” - love the show, but it’s DVR bait destined to fall into the category of “I’ll catch up on it later.”
10. Caprica. We didn’t get the answers we were looking for in the actual Battlestar Galactica series. So, here we have Caprica. This spin-off series had an initial preview on DVD in 2009. Hopefully, now we’ll learn just what the heck was happening. [Premieres Jan 22 at 9/8C on Syfy]
9. Nurse Jackie. There’s no denying it: Edie Falco is simply amazing to watch. Falco will bring you back week after week to this dark hospital comedy. [Premieres March 22 on Showtime]
8. Burn Notice. While not actually a “season premiere,” Burn Notice structures there show around 2 premieres a year, the actual premiere and a mid-season premiere. A four month hiatus and captivating characters, like Michael Weston and Fiona, is enough to earn this show a spot in the Top 10. By the way, Season 3 is arguably the best to date, so, yeah, it’s worth the watch. [Premieres Jan 21 at 10pm on USA Network]
7. Big Love. You may not be a fan of polygamy and you may think this is biased against Mormons, but this show just has a way of sucking you in. After last seasons shocking events, season 4 will strike in a big way (no pun intended) [Premieres Jan 10 at 9pm on HBO]
6. United States of Tara. Toni! Toni! Toni! has done it again. The United States of Tara is back with a cast of lovable characters, twisted alters and an arsonist for a son.[Premieres March 22 on Showtime]
5. The Tudors. King Henry VIII goes out in style, snagging number 5 on our list for his final season on Showtime. Long live the King. [Premieres April 11 at 9pm on Showtime]
4. 24. Jack Bauer. What can you say? The guy just doesn’t die. He may just be the next Chuck Norris. Call the plot lines ridiculous or the seasons hit-or-miss, Jack is back and he’s saving the world for the eighth time. The outlandish shenanigans will will be revealed in just a few weeks. [Premieres Jan 17th at 9\8c on Fox]
3. Damages. It’s the year of the Leading Lady. Glenn Close will have your nerves on end in her role as Patty Hewes. Campbell Scott and Martin Short have signed on as series regulars, while Lily Tomlin and Keith Carradine guest-star. Expect a stellar third season. [Premieres Jan 25 at 10pm ET/PT on FX]
2. Breaking Bad. Who would have thought a story about a drug-dealing chemist could be so exciting. AMC did. Much like Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad is one of the more gritty shows on TV that the public just hasn’t caught on to en masse. But, that’s okay because it’s cable and those who do watch feel like they’re a part of a select and elite group. [Premieres in March on AMC]
1. Lost. Answers. Nuff said. Just please don’t end like Battlestar Galactica and leave the answers for a spin-off. [Premieres Feb 2 at 9pm on ABC]
There you have it, 10 shows to start your New Year off on the right foot. Chime in and let us know your thoughts.
Battlestar Galactica was always a show that asked more questions than it answered. Did anyone really think that the finale would be any different? I love the way it ended. The whole show has been about characters who are living in a universe that they don’t understand, and that they can’t predict. If they got all of the answers all of the sudden on the last episode, I think it would have been a letdown for me. The universe is mysterious! Things just happen! Sometimes things happen for a reason, but no one knows how. I like how the show and the finale explored those themes.
And don’t think for a second that Caprica will answer any questions from Battlestar. Don’t even go there. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment. It’s a completely different show that takes place 58 years before, so don’t just sit there waiting for it to tell you what Starbuck is. It has its own story to tell.
I actually enjoyed the ending of battlestar. Thought it was pretty wild way of looking at things.
Battlestar Galactica was the worst. The ending was a huge FAIL.
LOST WILL BE BETTER. The team is more professional and they understand what it means to let down fans. They took our comments seriously after season 2 into season 3. That’s why they announced the official end date and finally started giving us answers.
Is there a premiere date for Breaking Bad yet. That’s one of my favorite shows on TV. I definitely feel like it’s an elite group. I try to tell my friends about it but they’re just not paying attention. I’ll just have to buy them the DVDs for their birthdays.
I absolutely adore Toni Collette and Edie Falco. I can’t wait for them to return. I’m so happy that you have so many shows with leading women on your list.
Jack bauer ridiculous? FAIL!