This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Picking a top 10 TV shows is an almost impossible task … but I did it, anyway.
It's that time of year.
What follows are my personal choices. And this could easily have been a top 20 … top 30 … top 40 …. or more.
So if a show isn't on the list, that's by no means an indictment of it.
1. "Late Show with David Letterman"
I'll readily admit that nostalgia played a big part in my No. 1 pick for 2015 — but not just nostalgia. David Letterman is possibly the greatest late-night host ever (although he'd argue that title goes to Johnny Carson), and the last few months of his 33-year run were once-in-a-lifetime TV.
Letterman's final episode was practically perfect in every way. Heartfelt without being maudlin. And he didn't forget to be funny.
I was laughing and crying at the same time.
2. "Game of Thrones"
This remains a singular TV series, done on an epic scale not seen anywhere else on TV. It's not just all about the grandeur, however. The characters come to life. And it's always good for big surprises.
3. "The Good Wife"
In the midst of its seventh season, this legal/political/family drama remains engaging and surprising — and disproves the theory that all the really great dramas are on cable.
4. "The Flash"
We're in sort of a golden age of comic-book-inspired TV shows, and this is the best of the bunch. It's exciting, engaging and just plain fun.
5. "Jane the Virgin"
Just for the narration and on-screen text, this show is worth watching. It's weird, wacky, funny and delightful — and it's easy to fall for a series headlined by the delightful Gina Rodriguez.
6. "Mad Men"
I was never as slavishly devoted to this series as some — it was not without its (many) flaws. But the final season worked, and the final episode satisfied an almost-impossible-to-please audience.
7. "The Americans"
Spy dramas are tough to maintain — the tension tends to dissipate or the plots spin into ludicrous land. But "The Americans" has stayed taut and true to itself — and the marriage of Russian sleeper agents Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) is fascinating.
8. "Fargo"
There was definitely no sophomore slump here. (Are you listening, "True Detective"?) Season 2 had (almost) absolutely nothing to do with Season 1, but it completely captured the quirky, offbeat, violent/hilarious vibe.
9. "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst"
This is what reality TV should be — the enthralling, shocking, true-life story of a mega-rich misanthrope who may have committed multiple murders. And who seems to confess in the series finale.
10. "The Big Bang Theory"
It's no longer cool to heap praise on this series, but in its ninth season, as it approaches its 200th episode, the sitcom still delivers big laughs. And it's got huge heart.
THE 10 WORST SHOWS
Yikes. I could have made this list 100 shows long.
And I haven't even included shows that aren't even trying — abominations like "Bachelor/Bachelorette," "Family Guy," "Jerseylicious," "Duck Dynasty," everything in the "Real Housewives" franchise, and anything featuring a member of the Duggar or Kardashian clans.
1. "Stalker" • Not just a bad crime drama, this was anti-women violence porn.
2. "2 Broke Girls" • It's remarkable how tawdry and unfunny one show can be.
3. "Wicked City" • Who thought a show about a serial killer and his girlfriend was a good idea?
4. "Sex Box" • A couple get in a big blue box, have sex and then answer questions from sex therapists. And it's boring.
5. "Blunt Talk" • This isn't just an unfunny comedy, it's painfully unfunny. Make it stop!
6. "The Brink" • Political satire isn't easy; this show made it seem impossible.
7. "Truth Be Told" • White friend and black friend talk about stuff … and it wasn't as good as that makes it sound.
8. "True Detective" • OK, so there were a lot of worse shows. But Season 1 of this show was so good that Season 2 just seemed so bad.
9. "Backstrom" • Bad murder mystery mixed with a miscast Rainn Wilson as a grumpy detective was a formula for disaster.
10. "I Am Cait" • I'm glad Caitlyn Jenner is happy, but this exercise in narcisism was unwatchable.
BONUS: The best new series of 2015
1. "Better Call Saul"; 2. "Fresh Off the Boat"; 3. "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"; 4. "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst"; 5. "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"; 6. "The Jim Gaffigan Show"; 7. "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"; 8. "Supergirl"; 9. "The Man in the High Castle"; 10. "Master of None"
spierce@sltrib.com
Twitter: @ScottDPierce