# "The Best TV of 2014 So Far" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2014, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083 "2014-07-01T11:38:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![franz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@franz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/franz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/1 "2014-07-01T11:38:45Z")
1. Game of Thrones (HBO) 2. Mad Men (AMC) 3. Broad City (Comedy Central) 4. True Detective (HBO) 5. Orange is the New Black (Netflix) 6. The Americans (FX) 7. Veep (HBO) 8. Orphan Black (BBC America) 9. Louie (FX) 10. Community (NBC) 11. Portlandia (IFC) 12. House of Cards (Netflix) 13. Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family) 14. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (FOX) 15. Girls (HBO) 16. Fargo (FX) 17. Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central) 18. Parks and Recreation (NBC) 19. The Musketeers (BBC America) 20. Silicon Valley (HBO) /source rollingstone Do you agree/disagree with the list? Thoughts? Opinions? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/2 "2014-07-01T12:45:15Z")
Well, I’ve seen Cosmos and House of Cards and a couple of episodes of Mad men and Orange is the new black. I’m surprised. I thought I watched more popular stuff. Apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/3 "2014-07-01T13:17:58Z")
Heh, I consider myself a big TV watcher, and I only regularly watched three of those on the list. My own list would include: Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family) Person of Interest (CBS) The Originals (CW) The Vampire Diaries (CW) Whose Line is It Anyway? (CW) The 100 (CW) Elementary (CBS) Game of Thrones (HBO) Nashville (ABC) Dominion (Syfy) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/4 "2014-07-01T13:31:56Z")
From your list I have watched these: _Orange is the New Black Orphan Black Community Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey The Musketeers_ I tried but didn’t really warm to: _True Detective Fargo Silicon Valley_ The rest I’ve never seen or gave up on early in their run. So my other favourite shows this year include: _Person of Interest_ (binge watched the whole lot) _Suits_ (same) _Crimson Field Call The Midwife_ So… not much I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/5 "2014-07-01T13:59:53Z")
“The Best TV of 2014 So Far” * * * 1. Game of Thrones (HBO) – Haven’t watched 2. Mad Men (AMC) – Not a favorite but I watch(ed) 3. Broad City (Comedy Central) – Haven’t watched 4. True Detective (HBO) – #3 5. Orange is the New Black (Netflix) – Haven’t watched 6. The Americans (FX) – #2 7. Veep (HBO) – Not enough viewings to rate 8. Orphan Black (BBC America) – Haven’t watched 9. Louie (FX) – #5 10. Community (NBC) – Haven’t watched 11. Portlandia (IFC) – Haven’t watched 12. House of Cards (Netflix) – #1 13. Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family) – Haven’t watched 14. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (FOX) – Not enough viewings to rate (bailed out after 3) 15. Girls (HBO) – Haven’t watched 16. Fargo (FX) – #4 17. Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central) – Not enough viewings to rate 18. Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Haven’t watched 19. The Musketeers (BBC America) – Haven’t watched 20. Silicon Valley (HBO) – Haven’t watched /source rollingstone I’m probably too old to be appealed to… ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/6 "2014-07-01T17:20:08Z")
I’ve watched and enjoyed many of them, but my only comment is about\* OitNB\*- I really tried to get into it, but so much of the time in S1 it seemed as if they used the first take of an improv session- timing is off, pacing is slow, some (not all) of the performances are from Acting 101… I guess I must be missing something because so many people love it, but I can’t understand what everyone enjoys about that show. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/7 "2014-07-01T17:35:17Z")
Quite surprising. _Mad Men_ is a shadow of its former self while _Louie_ is an amazing program. _Girls_ is good only on occasion. _Fargo_ is 100 times better. _Orange is the New Black, Veep, Orphan Black, House of Cards_ all deserve to make the list. _Portlandia_ has gone belly up. _Community_ is in danger of doing likewise. The two CC shows I haven’t seen but have my doubts based on ads and clips. _Key & Peele_’s bits look far better. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/8 "2014-07-01T18:38:42Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Well, I’ve seen Cosmos and House of Cards and a couple of episodes of Mad men and Orange is the new black. > > I’m surprised. I thought I watched more popular stuff. Apparently not. It’s possible you are watching popular stuff. The Rolling Stone list is of the “best” or the most well regarded, not the highest rated. [Here’s a list of the highest ratings from the first part of this year for cable](http://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/ratings-amc-own-tlc-among-notable-cable-gainers-in-2014-1201151885/#). [Here’s a list of the highest ratings from broadcast TV for last year](http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/20/top-50-broadcast-tv-shows-of-2013-14/). It looks like none of the shows on the “best” list are among the highest rated. I think Game of Thrones would be if the list I found covered that time. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/9 "2014-07-01T18:51:46Z")
Some great shows (IMO) that aren’t on that list: \*Hannibal \*- yes, it’s a bit over-the-top, but it’s really well done \*Continuum \*- Canadian sci-fi show, I’ve enjoyed it more than _Orphan Black_ this season. \*Arrow \*- best comic book-to-TV show ever? _Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD_ - steadily improved throughout the season ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/10 "2014-07-01T20:18:40Z")
0_1. Game of Thrones (HBO)_ Good, but not quite great this season \*02. Mad Men (AMC) \* Never cared for it _03. Broad City (Comedy Central)_ Haven’t seen it or heard of it. _04. True Detective (HBO)_ Tried two epis, may try more \*_05. Orange is the New Black (Netflix)_ meh \*06. The Americans (FX) \*Haven’t seen it _07. Veep (HBO)_ meh \*08. Orphan Black (BBC America) \* Haven’t seen it, may try it. \*14. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (FOX) slow. \*_15. Girls (HBO)_ bad. _16. Fargo (FX)_ Fabulous. Great TV. _19. The Musketeers (BBC America)_ Haven’t seen it or heard of it. may try it. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/11 "2014-07-02T01:42:10Z")
I know that Orange is the New Black is generally considered to be an excellent show and most people here really seem to like it. But I just don’t get the enthusiasm for it. I watched a few episodes and it all just seemed so dark and bleak and not at all very enjoyable. But that is just my opinion and I recognize that many other people can find a way to enjoy this show very much. I don’t know if it’s just that it doesn’t appeal to me. I watched OZ (another prison drama) and quite enjoyed that. But one of the Orange episodes I watched had a rather ugly woman sitting on the toilet several times in the episode and Piper later complains that she doesn’t like sharing a cell with a woman who sits on the toilet 8 times a day (or something like that). I realize that this show is classed as “dark humor” or “black humor” but I just can’t find the humor in it. I watched one episode that dealt with the inmates conducting a “job fair” and many of the women just seemed to babble insane crap. One of them said she hoped to get a job where she could spend her time dealing with round objects because there is just something about round objects that pleases her. Many other of the job fair participants made similar crazy remarks and under diff circumstances, there might be something to laugh at in their remarks. But they were just so crazy that I couldn’t find any humor and I couldn’t enjoy the episodes at all. Changing gears however, I didn’t see “Halt and Catch Fire” on your list. For any PC afficienados, it is a very interesting show about the early days of the IBM PC and the struggle for other companies to develop clones. I can’t say it is a great show. But I’m sure that anyone who is interested in PCs would enjoy it and I’d like to recommend you take a look at it. It has just started its first season and has produced 5 episodes so far. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/12 "2014-07-02T03:30:38Z")
I watch very little tv. I am very fond of “Father Brown” with Mark Williams as G.K. Chesterton’s crime-solving priest. A friend of mine has been taping them, and I went on a binge and watched eight episodes this weekend. That’s remarkably good stuff! I saw two episodes of “Crossbones” and have to confess, I’m pretty impressed! ---
**Author:** ![franz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@franz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/franz)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/13 "2014-07-02T09:03:35Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Quite surprising. > > _Mad Men_ is a shadow of its former self while _Louie_ is an amazing program. > > _Girls_ is good only on occasion. _Fargo_ is 100 times better. > > _Orange is the New Black, Veep, Orphan Black, House of Cards_ all deserve to make the list. > > _Portlandia_ has gone belly up. _Community_ is in danger of doing likewise. > > The two CC shows I haven’t seen but have my doubts based on ads and clips. _Key & Peele_’s bits look far better. :):):):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/14 "2014-07-02T13:48:34Z")
Broad City looked horrible in commercials so we skipped it, but we kept catching five minutes of it at the end of recordings of whatever came before it and always left us wanting more. It really is a hilarious show. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/15 "2014-07-02T15:35:16Z")
I would think\* The Good Wife\* deserves to be on the list, but given the dearth of broadcast network shows on the list (2 NBC, one Fox), maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. I’d like to see _Grimm_ on the list. This last season was much improved and well-paced. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/16 "2014-07-02T16:59:18Z")
True Detective The Good Wife Longmire Fargo ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/17 "2014-07-03T18:33:32Z")
I haven’t seen a lot of these shows. I’d make room for _Archer_ on the list, though. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-tv-of-2014-so-far/692083/18 "2014-07-04T14:58:01Z")
I liked this season of The Walking Dead. I loved this season of American Horror Story. Mad Men? In it till the bitter end, and then I will weep it is no more. Other than those three, I guess I really don’t seem to watch much TV. Of the list above, I’ve seen bits of Game of Thrones, and that’s it. I’d rather watch old movies on TCM, and doze off to reruns on TV Land.