(Article by Emily Cottone)
December is a bittersweet time for me. As much as I love the endless Holiday specials and wonderfully awful movies, they do not make up for the fact that all of my favorite shows are about to disappear off the primetime schedule for a over a month. Painful as the winter hiatus may be, I am an adult woman who has finally learned not to have a panic attack when faced with a rerun of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.
Instead, I choose to end my year by reflecting on the brand new television shows that lit up the 2013 fall line-up (because if we’re being honest; there were very few bright spots) and since we’re now two months in my opinions will not be influenced by that inescapable pesky pre-season hype.
1. SLEEPY HOLLOW
Well color me surprised! I did not expect to like SLEEPY HOLLOW at all but I was sucked in by the clever writing, spooky story lines, and the undeniable chemistry between the shows two leads. I’ll definitely be sticking around for a full season.
2. THE ORIGINALS
I came in cautiously optimistic. As a long time fan of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, I was afraid a spin-off would fail to live up to it’s brilliantly addictive parent show. I’m happy to report that any of my trepidation was completely erased by episode two. THE ORIGINALS is everything I love about THE VAMPIRE DIARIES with an added element of ( dare I say it?) sophistication to the storytelling process. I’m hopelessly hooked.
3. BROOKLYN NINE – NINE
BROOKLYN NINE – NINE is hands down the funniest new comedy of fall 2013. It has a killer ensemble cast whose chemistry is strong enough that the writers seldom have to resort to using Andy Samberg as a comedic crutch. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the creators of PARKS AND RECREATION.
4. THE BLACKLIST
If I’m being perfectly honest this hit drama is not exactly my cup of tea but that doesn’t mean I can’t see what makes it work. James Spader is a charismatic powerhouse and his portrayal of a manipulative anti-hero coupled with a compelling weekly procedural is the recipe for ratings gold.
5. MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.LD
This hotly anticipated show had a lot to lose but thankfully it ended up being just enjoyable enough not to flop. S.H.I.E.L.D hasn’t exactly found it’s footing yet but it still has all the promise of being a brilliant hour of television
(Editor’s Note: This ties in nicely with our Fall Preview article: Fall TV Preview: Tiffany’s Top 10 New TV Shows to Watch this Fall 2013”
Emily Cottone has been a TV addict since she her awkward middle school days when she realized the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer were her longest and most stable relationships. Even though she has long since managed to establish actual human connections television remains one of her very best friends. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyTalksTV.