The older I get, the more I realize that nobody really likes most of the TV shows I watch. The unfortunate thing about that is that you guys missed out on some awesome stuff last year. With that in mind, I thought I'd rank the top TV moments of 2015 that you probably didn't see!:
5. Sleepy Hollow - Abby goes to the underworld
Following what critics deemed to be a disappointing second season, "Sleepy Hollow" has kicked things up a notch for season three. There's a new "big bad" and Ichabod is no longer tied down by Katrina, which has led to some good storylines with Betsy Ross. The big cliffhanger heading into the mid-season finale involved Abby sacrificing herself and entering Pandora's evil tree, heading down to the underworld, presumably. What's down there? Do we even really know? Does Abby have a plan? She's alive, I take it, but what awaits her in Pandora's demonic lair? I suppose we'll find out in a couple weeks, when "Sleepy Hollow" returns (on Fridays #gulp) in February.
4. Gotham - The death of Fish Mooney
I think a lot of people probably bailed on "Gotham" mid-way through its rookie season, and I totally understand that because, as much as I wanted it to, season one just wasn't very good. Nevertheless, I have stuck with it for one reason or another and, thankfully, season two has really taken a couple steps in the right direction. One of my main issues with season one was Jada Pinkett Smith's portrayal of Gotham kingpin Fish Mooney. I hate-hate-hated that chick. I'm not sure what it was - the over-dramatic acting, her desire for gratuitous violence or that weird torture scene where her old-lady armpits were on full display, perhaps? - but I don't remember ever wanting a fictional character to die as much as I wanted her to bite the big one. Thankfully, Oswald Cobblepot came to our collective rescue, pushing the former Queen of Gotham off of a very high wall to her (implied) death. You know what? I never publicly thanked the Penguin for what he did, so let me just say, on record, "Thank you, Oswald, for killing Fish Mooney!" (Note: We didn't see her lifeless body, however, so I suppose the door is open for a potential return at some point in the future, but let's just cross our fingers and hope that doesn't happen.)Honorable mention: My brother Cody brings up a great point: the scene in season two where Penguin and Riddler are singing a duet was hilarious - almost as good as Fish dying, but not quite.
Also worth mentioning: Gordon's elevator fight scene was classic (especially the 1:18 - 1:24 mark).
3. Survivor - Crazy Tribal Councils
While I'm not a huge fan of the "new school" strategy that these returning players are attempting to infuse into the game, I am still a die-hard fan of this series. To this day, THIRTY-ONE SEASONS LATER, I truly believe it to be one of the best shows on television. The most recent incarnation of the program, "Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance," was pretty good. I liked the way the cast was selected - entirely by fans' votes. I thought they had a nice balance of fan favorites, villains and characters. Things began to get crazy about 75 percent of the way through the season, with a handful of immunity idol-driven blindside oustings and a couple crazy Tribal Councils that will live in "Survivor" lore for years to come. Two Tribals, in particular, stood out to me: the time when Stephen Fishbach tried to get cute and vote out Joe with "his own vote," only to get sent packing, himself, and the Tribal in the finale where Jeremy and Kelley Wentworth both used their hidden immunity idols, resulting in zero valid votes -- and Keith almost agreed to walk away from the game!! That was crazy. I'm glad Jeff Probst explained what had happened afterward because my parents and I were all left scratching our heads. Long live "Survivor."2. The Flash - Who is Harrison Wells?
I binge-watched The CW's "The Flash" on Netflix a month or two ago and really enjoyed it. It wasn't as immature as "The Arrow" (which I only made it through about four or five episodes of before throwing in the towel) and wasn't as dark as "Gotham," which makes it a show you don't need to be ashamed of for watching. The best storyline of season one involves Barry Allen's relationship with his mentor, Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh). Because, out of all of the shows I'm discussing in this blog, I believe "The Flash" is a show that some of you might actually care to watch in the future, I will not spoil the surprise, but I will say this - it is crazy. (Unfortunately, since I watched the show on Netflix and not on The CW, I knew the secret beforehand.) Cavanagh plays that role like a pro and makes every episode great. I'm not a big DC Comics guy, other than Batman and a little Superman now and then, but "The Flash" is a fun, family-friendly show that I'd recommend if you've got the time and are looking for something to watch.1. Wayward Pines - Going down?: Ethan Burke versus the Abbies
I absolutely loved "Wayward Pines" this summer. It was originally just a 10-episode "event," but, to my great pleasure, FOX has decided to renew it for a second season. How on earth are they going to follow up that ending? Good heavens. In spite of all the haters that made it their personal mission to tell me that they will never watch the show, I thought "Wayward Pines" was freaking awesome. And the scene, in my opinion, that was the most freaking awesome of all was when Ethan Burke took on the Abbies for the sake of that confusing community. The elevator scene in the season finale solidifies Sheriff Burke's status as a stone-cold baller for time and all eternity. The man is a legend. No doubt about it, it was a weird little show with a weird little ending, but I loved it. It was mysterious, exhilarating, scary and intriguing and I couldn't get enough of it. (By the way, I just picked "Wayward Pines" up at Best Buy for $16.99 - not a bad deal!)What were your favorite TV moments from 2015? Comment below and let me know!
