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Top 10 Favorite TV Couples 2012

We have our winners! Our favorite TV couples ultimate showdown has ended, and now it’s time to see which couples garnered the most votes from you, their fans!

You may notice there’s “2012” at the end of the title above. That because I’ve decided to make this TV couples poll an annual event! Things will change up a little each year. I also plan to continue the spring polls with more specific categories, though I will probably change those the most – maybe divisions for comedies and dramas, or by networks. Stay tuned!

Three of these couples did not make it into their division’s top 10, yet managed to improve their rank against increased opposition. Couples from the realistic division dominated this round, winning 6 of the 10 slots and the top two spots by a large margin. None of the wildcard additions made it into the top 10, with most situated close to the bottom (Nick and Jess from New Girl, despite not being an official couple, made it the highest of the newbies – #19).

Speculative couples got a lot of shakeup from last poll to this one. Once Upon a Time had 3 couples in the top 10, now they have none. Whedonverse shows had a decent showing with 2 couples from Firefly and one from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but none got to the top 10 in this poll. Even the winner of that poll barely garnered a hundred votes this time around.

The realistic couples were much more steady. Each of the five shows represented below also had couples in the top ten of the spring poll, though there was a bit of shuffling as to who from each show made it in.

#10 – Barney and Robin from How I Met Your Mother

This time, How I Met Your Mother fans preferred this destined-to-happen couple (don’t you love those HIMYM flash forwards?) over the rock-solid Marshall and Lily (which were #9 in the realistic show poll) by more than 100 votes. In the spring poll, they were less than 50 behind their friends for a #12 finish.

#9 – McGee and Abby from NCIS

Like Barney and Robin, this NCIS couple just missed making it into the top ten in the spring (#11), but got a better rank this year while getting about the same number of votes. (Hmm, I would who would win if we combined votes? Nah, too much math for me, but you’re welcome to figure that out and post it in the comments!)

#8 – The Doctor and Rose from Doctor Who

I can appreciate this couple more now that I’m partway through season two of the show. Their rank dropped from a #4 in the speculative poll, though they managed to garner an additional hundred votes this time around.

#7 – Booth and Brennan from Bones

In the spring poll, this couple was #6 and was joined by their coworkers Angela and Hodgins at #10. Pretty impressive that they only slipped one spot in the ranking against more competition.

#6 – Scully and Mulder

This couple was ranked #13 in the speculative poll, but the original shippers rallied and got them a spot in the top 10 this time.

#5 – Arthur and Gwen from Merlin

This couple stayed rock-solid in the ranks, earning the #5 spot both times. In this poll, they received 250 more votes, perhaps an acknowledgement of the fact that we soon will be bidding them farewell. In my mind, they tie McAbby for the most adorable couple in this top ten.

#4 – Derek and Meredith from Grey’s Anatomy

This couple made a dramatic comeback in the final days of this poll, going from #32 to #4 in less than 4 days. They also improved over their rank (#5) in the spring poll.

#3 – Elena and Damon from The Vampire Diaries

This couple jumped from #6 in the speculative poll, probably aided by the current plotlines on the show. It’s interesting to note – the day that poll ended was when I tried watching the pilot, probably influenced by how many people had voted for Elena and Damon. (Although it didn’t hook me, I watched 5 episodes in one evening when I gave the show another chance 3 1/2 months later.)

#2 – Tony and Ziva from NCIS

This couple remained at first and second place for most of the poll’s run, and lost by only 123 votes, a marked improvement from their #4 spot in the spring poll. With Tiva heating up, I wouldn’t be surprised if they win next year.

#1 – Castle and Beckett from Castle

The top favorite couple in the realistic division won a much closer race to again emerge victorious! While the spring poll coincided nicely with the season finale that brought these characters together, it’s great to know fans still love Caskett even with the will they/won’t they tension gone.

Which TV couples would be in your top 10?

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Arrow – Muse of Fire

After a week without Arrow, it was great having the show back, though the previews and sneak peaks and rumors did build “Muse of Fire” up a little too much in my mind. I loved the episode, though, and it included some great reveals and character moments, as well as awesome fighting scenes. Plus this week, apart from the intro, there were no flashbacks to the island (if memory serves me right, this is the first episode without them).

Spoilers ahead!

That omission gave the episode extra time to introduce a new character and love interest for Arrow. The Huntress was announced early this fall, and finding out her backstory (mob boss’s daughter trying to take down the organization) nullified any surprise reveals. I did like that she was the one informing on her dad to the FBI, not her fiance, who the dad had killed for the crime – at least she tried to take down her dad through proper channels before resorting to being a vigilante.

Her current methods leave something to be desired, especially since her aim isn’t that great. Shooting a guy in broad daylight and almost killing Oliver’s mom? Not good. I’m surprised Oliver seemed to forget all about that once he realized the shooter was Helena (I wonder how long it will take before I don’t think of H.G. Wells from Warehouse 13 every time I hear her name?), but I can see how he’d want someone to be himself with. Yeah, he has Diggle, but most of the time Dig disapproves of every move Oliver makes (I keep wanting to call him “Judge-y,” like Damon does Bonnie in The Vampire Diaries). Helena seems to lead too far in the other direction, but maybe she’ll wake Oliver up to his own moral values – if she doesn’t pull him down along with her.

I really enjoyed Tommy’s story this episode. Arriving at the same time as the pizza guy was great. I also liked him telling Oliver about going on a date with Laurel (and thankfully they didn’t do that cliche both-couples-end-up-at-same-restaurant thing) and Oliver’s response: “If you hurt her, I will snap your neck.” Pause. “Just kidding.” And Tommy saying he wished he could start over again with Laurel was sweet. I like the two of them together. I’m guessing Oliver and Laurel will eventually end up together, but I imagine that’s many seasons down the road.

And then there was the big reveal of the episode: John Barrowman’s mysteriously evil guy is none other than – Tommy’s father! I did not see that coming, though I did recognize his voice before he took his fencing mask off. No wonder he had no qualms about coming right into the Queen house and letting Thea see him – their families have been friends for decades. Now I can only hope that the senior Merlyn is enough of a bad guy to be the comic book villain, while Tommy can be more of a redeemable character.

Thea is still being a very uneven character. I loved her telling Oliver about his lunch plans and him teasing her for being like their mother. But her anger at him for leaving Moira after the shooting to chase down the shooter felt forced. Yeah, it’s not what Thea would have done, but she should have understood her brother’s need to catch the person who did it. It did lead to a nice mother-daughter talk, and Thea apologized to Oliver later. I just wish Thea would settle on a role toward Oliver, staunch supporter or disappointed sister. Maybe the writers are figuring that the drugs and alcohol have given her violent mood swings?

This episode also showed Moira in a better light – more soft and vulnerable. Mr. Merlyn coming into her room like that when she was hurt was creepy. I’m so glad Walter’s back, though. And does that mean we’ll see more Felicity? I hope so.

We did get one unexpected visit from a reoccurring character this week – China White! Sounds like a war is brewing between the mob and the Triads. And Laurel’s dad visited Oliver to begrudgingly warn him about Helena – though if I were him, I’d still be a little suspicious about Oliver being at the same place where Arrow fought not much later. I felt bad for the restaurant owners – they seemed like a sweet couple – and I was glad both Arrow and the Huntress showed up to defend them (though of course, they got a little too preoccupied with fighting each other instead).

And Tahmoh Penikett was on this episode! Though he really needs to find a gig where he isn’t the villain, getting killed off within an episode or two. He was awesome as Paul Ballard on Dollhouse.

Oh, and bonus points? This episode exactly matched the 18-49 ratings from the premiere! I love that the viewership for this show is so solid – hopefully it will be around for many seasons!

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Doctor Who – Thoughts on Its 49th Anniversary

I just finished watching “The Girl in the Fireplace” and felt an overwhelming urge to write some thoughts on Doctor Who. Turns out, today is the 49th anniversary of the very first episode airing, so my timing is perfect! (Spoilers through that episode – S2E4 – below!)

I’ll admit that this show has taken a while to hook me, and that’s even after starting with the more modern series. I’d watch an episode, be unimpressed, and then wait months to try another. I finally decided to try a bit harder to get through season one in a timely manner (since I’d heard things got better in season two) around episode six, “Dalek.” That was a decent episode, and even though the Dalek didn’t inspire as much fear on my part as its powers seemed to warrant, it was a vast improvement on the cartoonish villains of early episodes. “The Long Game” had good moments and bad, but the preview for the next episode made me delay getting back to the show (I started Pushing Daisies, did a three-week marathon through The Vampire Diaries, and dealt with the onslaught of new and returning fall shows instead).

The preview was misleading, however – when I finally got around to it, “Father’s Day” became my favorite episode thus far on the show (I’m a sucker for messing-with-personal-history time travel) – until the double whammy of “The Empty Child” and “The Doctor Dances” trumped it. I’d say those were the episodes that hooked me on the show. I think it was a combination of the charismatic Jack Harkness, added humor, the WWII setting (which I adore), and especially the Doctor’s joy when he realized everyone would live. It could have been a cheesy moment, but in that moment, I got it. The countless death the Doctor wades through, trying to save the world. Losing fellow comrades-in-arms, friends, his entire race – gaining victories at terrible costs. And finally one day, when all hope is lost, there is a solution that cures EVERYONE. As awesome as heartbreaking moments of this show are, it was that moment of joy that won me over.

“Boom Town” was a bit of a let-down after that, especially since it signaled the return of one of my least favorite villains. But “Bad Wolf” and “The Parting of the Ways” were great. I knew that Rose “was” Bad Wolf going into the episode, and that the Doctor would regenerate at the end, so that was a bit spoiled for me (plus knowing that Rose wasn’t really dead). The rifts on reality and game shows were fun, even if the only one I’d seen was The Weakest Link. The Daleks still weren’t that scary – maybe if I’d seen them in the classic show?

“The Christmas Invasion” was an interesting return to the modern-day story, this time with a new Doctor in tow. I’m pretty surprised how much Jackie and Mickey have been a part of the show going forward from the first episode of the new series. I’d honestly expected not to see them again after “Rose,” except maybe for a brief cameo when she stopped being a companion (any other sci-fi fans also think of Inara from Firefly whenever that word is used?), but I’m glad they’ve stuck around. More people tend to form a Buffy-like Scooby gang instead of being “two good ol’ boys, behind the wheel, chasing down bad guys” a la Supernatural (bonus points if you knew that quote was from Leverage). This episode also had an interesting parallel to The Avengers – the whole “we know there are aliens out there now, so we have to create weapons using alien technology to protect ourselves” thing. A disappointing turn for Harriet Jones’ character, though.

“New Earth” and “Tooth and Claw” were okay episodes, but definitely not among my favorites. It’s cool how they parallel episodes 2 and 3 of the first season – “New Earth” taking place not long after “The End of the World” and including a common villain and mysterious friend, while “Tooth and Claw” matches “The Unquiet Dead” with famous 19th-century characters and seemingly common supernatural character which were really a form of alien. So now that we’ve had ghosts, zombies, and werewolves, where are the vampires?

“School Reunion” featured Anthony Stewart Head at a school, but sadly no Buffy references (also, IMDb says that no other BtVS actors have shown up in the new series to date). Fans of classic Doctor Who were probably overjoyed to see Sarah Jane again, but I had no previous connection to her, so what I mostly gained was a look at the Doctor’s history. I did enjoy Mickey’s role in this episode, especially his identification with K-9 The robotic dog did seem like it belonged to a younger show, and I’m guessing this episode helped set up the children’s spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. Unlike Jack Harkness with Torchwood, this episode gave me no inclination to watch the spin-off, and nary a push to watch the classic Doctor Who.

I don’t know how long it would have taken to get hooked on this show if I’d started with the first Doctor, as I tend not to enjoy older shows unless they’re ones I grew up watching. Terrible special effects, bland dialogue, and too-neatly wrapped storylines means I rarely watch any shows airing before the late 90s. While it isn’t exactly the same, I felt no need to watch the old Battlestar Galactica to enjoy the new one, no need to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie to enjoy the show, or the old V to enjoy the new V. I prefer the Addams Family movies to the show, and while the new Beauty and the Beast still makes me cringe too often, I couldn’t even make it through the pilot of the old show. I’m not saying newish is always better with shows and movies (I do love the older Star Wars more), but having done the bulk of my TV watching post 2007, I’ve come to expect a certain level of shiny, or I’m pulled out of the experience.

And now to talk about the episode that got me itching to write this post, “The Girl in the Fireplace.” As I mentioned before, I love episodes that play with time, and this one did it in such a cool way while also being a lovely standalone story. The preview for the episode was just awful, nothing that made me look forward to watching, but it was nice in a way since I was so pleasantly surprised. The idea of a spaceship riddled with portals to various times in one person’s life was so cool, as was Reinette falling in love with the Doctor over the course of her life, while to him it was only about one day. And walking around in each other’s memories created an instant connection that prevent this from being a simple one-episode crush. Plus drunk Doctor was hilarious.

The villains were just the right amount of creepy and logical and fascinating – I also loved the steampunk vibe. And although Rose was supposed to be mad at Mickey in this episode, I liked that they got along, even if their adventures on the ship paled in comparison to 18th century France. It was fun spotting Angel Coulby (Gwen on Merlin) in a scene, and apparently more actors from that show end up on other Who episodes. I knew very little about Madame de Pompadour before watching this episode, though I was proud that I understood Mickey’s reference to Camilla.

The ending of the episode was superb. I didn’t quite believe the Doctor would trap himself in France with no way out, but I think his emotions overruled his logic. (And what were Rose and Mickey supposed to do, stuck on the broke spaceship?) I think it would have been interesting to see what he’d do if he didn’t find the remaining portal right away. As it was, choosing to go back without her, just for a minute, seemed destined to go poorly. It should have been, at the most, several weeks (based on the previous times he’d used that portal, but the unevenness made me think of the Narnia time differences), but six years pass instead, and he arrives just in time to watch her coffin leave the palace. Her letter to him was so sweet and sad. My heart broke for him as he watched the fire burn out.

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Favorite TV Couples Ultimate Showdown

Back when we did our favorite TV couples polls (with realistic and speculative divisions) last spring, I promised that in the fall, we’d have the winners from those polls face each other in an ultimate showdown. Friends, that time is now. The top 20 couples in each of the two polls have joined together with 10 newbie wild card competitors to determine which couples are truly TV’s top 10!

Since this poll will take place over Thanksgiving (for us Americans), I’ll keep the poll open through the end of the month, giving you a full 15 days to get the word out for your favorite couples. You can vote for up to 10 couples, but choose carefully, as you only get to vote once! (Oh, and be sure to enter our Friends giveaway!)

Unlike most of our polls, you can’t nominate other couples, since this is based on the results of two previous polls. Even for our ten wild card additions, I only choose couples that did not appear in the previous polls. Some were overlooked, some are newer shows or newer couples, but I chose 5 from speculative shows and 5 from shows without speculative elements: Brad and Jane from Happy Endings, Nick and Jess from New Girl, Auggie and Annie from Covert Affairs, Troy and Britta from Community, Daniel and Kate from Perception, Oliver and Laurel from Arrow, John and Rachel from Alphas, Fargo and Holly from Eureka, Nathan and Audrey from Haven, and Adama and Roslin from Battlestar Galactica.

Fans have used Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, forums, Reddit, Pinterest, blogs, and chatboxes to get the word out about past polls. Our toolbar at the bottom of the page has lots of quick links to help you share this post, or you can mouse over the image above!

Without further ado, choose your favorite 10 out of the 50 couples below! Poll will close Friday night, November 30th.

Which is your favorite TV couple? (Choose up to 10!)

Castle and Beckett (Castle) (9%, 1,283 Votes)
Tony and Ziva (NCIS) (8%, 1,160 Votes)
Elena and Damon (The Vampire Diaries) (5%, 680 Votes)
Derek and Meredith (Grey's Anatomy) (4%, 621 Votes)
Arthur and Gwen (Merlin) (4%, 555 Votes)
Scully and Mulder (The X-Files) (4%, 517 Votes)
Booth and Brennan (Bones) (3%, 474 Votes)
The Doctor and Rose (Doctor Who) (3%, 462 Votes)
McGee and Abby (NCIS) (3%, 461 Votes)
Barney and Robin (How I Met Your Mother) (3%, 398 Votes)
Chandler and Monica (Friends) (3%, 389 Votes)
Kensi and Deeks (NCIS: Los Angeles) (3%, 387 Votes)
Luke and Lorelai (Gilmore Girls) (2%, 330 Votes)
Rachel and Ross (Friends) (2%, 311 Votes)
Charming and Snow (Once Upon a Time) (2%, 304 Votes)
Marshall and Lily (How I Met Your Mother) (2%, 276 Votes)
Hodgins and Angela (Bones) (2%, 273 Votes)
Buffy and Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (2%, 265 Votes)
Nick and Jess (New Girl) (2%, 262 Votes)
Leonard and Penny (The Big Bang Theory) (2%, 244 Votes)
Peter and Olivia (Fringe) (2%, 240 Votes)
Chuck and Sarah (Chuck) (2%, 238 Votes)
Wash and Zoe (Firefly) (2%, 232 Votes)
Peter and Elizabeth (White Collar) (2%, 231 Votes)
Mal and Inara (Firefly) (2%, 227 Votes)
Leo and Piper (Charmed) (2%, 223 Votes)
Rumpelstiltskin and Belle (Once Upon a Time) (2%, 217 Votes)
Auggie and Annie (Covert Affairs) (1%, 206 Votes)
Sheldon and Amy (The Big Bang Theory) (1%, 192 Votes)
Buffy and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (1%, 188 Votes)
Shawn and Juliet (Psych) (1%, 175 Votes)
Emma and Graham (Once Upon a Time) (1%, 170 Votes)
Michael and Fiona (Burn Notice) (1%, 169 Votes)
Adama and Roslin (Battlestar Galactica) (1%, 166 Votes)
Eric and Sookie (True Blood) (1%, 166 Votes)
Eric and Nell (NCIS: Los Angeles) (1%, 164 Votes)
Elena and Stefan (The Vampire Diaries) (1%, 163 Votes)
Simon and Kaylee (Firefly) (1%, 144 Votes)
Cole and Phoebe (Charmed) (1%, 138 Votes)
Willow and Oz (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (1%, 114 Votes)
John and Mary (Supernatural) (1%, 104 Votes)
Ned and Chuck (Pushing Daisies) (1%, 97 Votes)
Nathan and Audrey (Haven) (1%, 89 Votes)
Oliver and Laurel (Arrow) (1%, 85 Votes)
Ellie and Awesome (Chuck) (1%, 74 Votes)
Troy and Britta (Community) (0%, 53 Votes)
Brad and Jane (Happy Endings) (0%, 43 Votes)
Daniel and Kate (Perception) (0%, 27 Votes)
Fargo and Holly (Eureka) (0%, 26 Votes)
John and Rachel (Alphas) (0%, 18 Votes)

Total Voters: 4,413

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News: Beauty and the Beast, Chicago Fire Get Full Seasons, Haven Renewed, Episode Order Reduced for Family Tools

Still catching up on TV news after the resurrection of my computer. Both Beauty and the Beast and Chicago Fire were picked up for full seasons, and Syfy renewed Haven for a fourth season. I’m kinda meh about the Beauty and the Beast news – the show hasn’t really hooked me yet, though I’m still reluctantly watching. I was hoping Cult would claim the post-Vampire Diaries slot midseason to bring over the Matt Davis fans.

The midseason comedy The Family Tools has had its episode order reduced from 13 episodes to 10, due to scheduling issues. Also, Netflix is looking at working with AMC to renew The Killing.

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Community News: October 19th is February 7th, Show to Return to its Old 8PM Thursday Slot

NBC has finally revealed when Community will return – February 7! What I hate about this announcement is that the show will be going back to competing directly with ratings juggernaut The Big Bang Theory in the Thursdays at 8 time slot, as well as American Idol and the CW’s highest-rated drama, The Vampire Diaries.

The Thursday night comedy lineup for NBC will then be: Community, Parks and Rec, The Office, and new show 1600 Penn (30 Rock will have ended and Up All Night will be on hiatus). No word on when midseason comedy Save Me will make an appearance.

Other midseason NBC news:

New drama Deception (formerly Infamous) will take Revolution’s plum Mondays at 10 slot in January while the futuristic drama goes on hiatus. It will air after The Biggest Loser (Revolution and The Voice will return in late March).

Smash will start its second season on Tuesday, February 5th at 10 after Parenthood wraps up its season in January. This move actually makes me more likely to watch the show, as I usually don’t have any broadcast shows to watch in that time slot. I liked some things about the show during its first season, but hated others. The music, however, kept me watching.

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Supernatural – Asylum

Okay, when I was making the photo collage for this week’s poll (favorite scary show), I had no idea the random freaky-looking Supernatural image I grabbed would turn out to be from the very episode I ended up watching the same evening! And it was one of Supernatural’s more creepy episodes, which made me regret deciding to watch it so late at night. Ah, well, onto the review!

I bookended watching the episode with two other shows I’m having a hard time getting into (but people/buzz keep telling me I should like), Doctor Who and Arrested Development. I figured perhaps an iffy episode of Doctor Who would make Supernatural seem better by comparison, but I happened to watch one of the most heartfelt episodes – at least so far – of the British show (“Father’s Day”). So it didn’t do Supernatural any favors, but I still thought “Asylum” was pretty decent.

It’s a fairly simple “evil spirits, find the body, salt and burn” episode, set in a creepy asylum. Far too much of the episode seemed to be characters wandering around the place, waiting for ghosts to pop out of any corner (or having them dart around behind the characters’ backs). Both the two cops that visit the place at the beginning of the episode and the two teens caught inside with the brothers later on seemed pretty cardboard – though I did like that the girlfriend knew how to use a shotgun.

As usual, this show rests on the relationship between Dean and Sam, and I am seeing signs of improvement in that area. The scene where Dean pretends to be an annoying reporter, and Sam makes him leave so he can bond with the cop and get answers was humorous. I also liked that Dean knew not to give the spirit-addled Sam a loaded gun – no tearful “I knew you wouldn’t shoot me” moments here.

The good son/rebel son dynamic is getting a bit old, though. As is the tug-of-war between looking for their father and hunting creatures (especially since creatures always win). At least there seems to be some movement on the father end (now that we know he’s just avoiding them) with the phone call at the end of the episode.

Watching this right after an episode of Doctor Who really helped me see the parallels between the two shows and why I’m having trouble getting hooked on both of them. Both have two characters traveling around in a specific vehicle putting their lives in danger saving people from otherworldly attacks. Doctor Who has more reoccurring characters so far, though Supernatural will eventually have more. The visual effects are better on Supernatural, but the storylines are more varied on Doctor Who. I like Dean and Sam better (though only marginally) than the ninth Doctor and Rose, but I know the British dynamic will change in later seasons, while I’m “stuck” with Dean and Sam for the duration of the American show.

My favorite shows, however, tend to have five or more main characters and be set in the same location. Everything from Community to Buffy to How I Met Your Mother to NCIS to The Vampire Diaries fits that mold. Maybe that’s why I never really got into Tru Calling (not enough main characters) or Revolution (characters scattered and on the move).

Anyhow, this was a decent episode of Supernatural, one of the better ones I’ve seen so far. I just hope it doesn’t give me nightmares (remember to not watch future episodes late in the evening!).

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Favorite Scary Show (Poll)

It’s nearly Halloween, and while we’ve recently had a poll on favorite Halloween episodes, this week we’re going to look at scary shows! Whether the shows are all-out horror, or just have select creepy elements, you get to vote on which ones are your favorites, from the classic Twilight Zone to the brand new 666 Park Avenue!

You might have noticed we’re launching the poll on Tuesday instead of our normal Monday Madness slot. I’m doing this as an experiment. Since poll voting seems to go down on weekends, I thought it might be better for polls to end on Monday nights instead of Sunday nights, to give fans a final weekday to promote their show. We’ll see how that goes, and if you have any ideas for a catchy phrase to use for our polls if we decide to make that move permanent, please mention it in the comments!

This poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 10 of your favorite spooky shows! Be sure to spread the word so your favorites will make it into the top 10! Fans have used Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, forums, Reddit, blogs, and chatboxes to get the word out about past polls. Get creative!

I know there are shows missing from the list, so please nominate shows I’ve overlooked! I’m being pretty loose with the term “scary” in this poll, but everyone has different levels of tolerance for suspense, gore, creatures, and surprises. If you’re not sure a show would fit, nominate it anyway!

Want more of a say in which shows make it onto the poll each week? (Shows on the initial list do have better odds to make it into the top 10.) Be sure to follow me on Twitter or like TV Breakroom on Facebook, since I usually ask for nominations before the new poll. Please help out with nominations! There are only so many shows I can watch personally, so I’m counting on you to fill me in!

Without further ado, here’s the poll! Voting ends around 1AM October 30th.

Which is your favorite scary TV show? (Choose up to 10!)

Supernatural (17%, 99 Votes)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (7%, 44 Votes)
Grimm (6%, 38 Votes)
The Walking Dead (6%, 36 Votes)
Angel (5%, 31 Votes)
The X-Files (5%, 27 Votes)
The Vampire Diaries (5%, 27 Votes)
Dexter (4%, 25 Votes)
American Horror Story (4%, 24 Votes)
Fringe (4%, 23 Votes)
Doctor Who (4%, 23 Votes)
Charmed (4%, 23 Votes)
True Blood (4%, 21 Votes)
Twin Peaks (3%, 16 Votes)
The Twilight Zone (3%, 15 Votes)
Being Human (UK) (2%, 13 Votes)
Merlin (2%, 11 Votes)
American Gothic (2%, 11 Votes)
Tales from the Crypt (2%, 11 Votes)
Teen Wolf (2%, 10 Votes)
666 Park Avenue (2%, 9 Votes)
Criminal Minds (2%, 9 Votes)
The Outer Limits (2%, 9 Votes)
Carnivale (1%, 8 Votes)
Being Human (Syfy) (1%, 8 Votes)
Battlestar Galactica (1%, 8 Votes)
The Secret Circle (1%, 6 Votes)
The River (1%, 3 Votes)

Total Voters: 133

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Fall TV Verdicts – 2012

Just about all of broadcast TV’s new fall shows have aired at least two episodes now, so I think it’s time for a look at which ones soared, which ones got off to a rough start, and which ones nosedived. I’m dividing this list up into several groups so you can get an idea of what my preferences and interest levels were going in.

Shows I Haven’t Seen and Never Plan To:

Out of the 20 new shows that have debuted so far, the list of those I haven’t seen is pretty small: 7. I hate country music, so Nashville was out. The rest (Made In Jersey, The Mob Doctor, Partners, Emily Owens MD, Chicago Fire, and Vegas) I wasn’t interested in for one reason or another. One is already canceled, two more aren’t far behind, and none of the seven shows has been a breakout hit. I feel pretty happy with my choice not to watch them, and expect maybe 1-2 to reach a second season (not holding my breath, though).

Shows I Never Planned to Watch but Did See the Pilot:

For two shows, I checked out the pilots knowing I’d never commit to watching the show. It was easy to tell from the previews that 666 Park Avenue wasn’t my type of show, but I had a chance to watch the pilot early as a TV blogger, so I tried it out. It seemed well done, but I didn’t enjoy it. The New Normal I watched out of a morbid curiosity to see how awful it would be, and aside from one or two heartfelt moments, it was utterly terrible. I didn’t laugh once.

Comedies I Thought Would Be Awful but Didn’t Mind:

Another show I got a chance to watch early was The Neighbors, which wasn’t as terrible as the previews made it out to be. I’ve seen the first two episodes, and might watch more if I’m caught up on most of my other shows and in the mood for a comedy. Guys With Kids I didn’t intend to see, by my siblings said it was pretty good, so I watched a few episodes. Both shows are more family-oriented comedies, which usually bore me, and I don’t really laugh during them, but I like having extra comedy shows to watch on dreary days.

Comedies I Like but Wouldn’t Cry Over Their Cancellation:

Every new comedy not in the above lists fits in this section. Many of them are great, but I haven’t gotten attached to any comedies so far this season. That’s probably a good thing, as Animal Practice has already been canceled. Go On is probably the best of the lot, and I expect it will return for a second season, but The Mindy Project (my pilot review here) and Ben and Kate (pilot review here) are far from out of danger despite their full-season orders. These shows are heartwarming and humorous, but they’re not laugh out loud funny. Plus, none of the characters grip me in that “I would hate to see them go” way. It could come with time, and I’ll keep watching these shows until they get terrible or get canceled.

Dramas That Didn’t Wow Me In Their First Two Episodes:

Revolution was hyped to be awesome, Beauty and the Beast was critiqued to be terrible. I was disappointed by Revolution’s pilot, but enough was done right that I gave the show another episode. When Miles was still the only character I enjoyed watching, and the rest of the show failed to interest me, I decided to stop watching. It’s too bad, because from the premise it seemed like exactly the type of show I would enjoy.

I just watched the second episode of Beauty and the Beast, and really noticed the terrible, terrible dialogue people were complaining about in the pilot (my review of it here). I so want to love this show, but the writers are making it very hard. I’m still not sure if I’ll watch a third episode. I want it to pull a Vampire Diaries and start getting really good after a few episodes, but I don’t know if there is enough backstory for the mythology of the show to grow. Also, in the second episode, several procedural issues bugged me (Don’t uniforms clear buildings? Are detectives allowed to be present during the autopsy of someone they killed?), and Cat had a sister appear out of nowhere. The first episode got good ratings for the CW, but the second quickly dropped, so it might not get time to improve. Might be better to replace it with the midseason Cult, to bring over Matt Davis (Alaric) fans from The Vampire Diaries. (I know I had no plans to watch the show, but after marathoning through The Vampire Diaries, Matt Davis has become one of my favorite actors, so I definitely plan to give Cult a few episodes to impress me.)

As I was writing this, I kept thinking, I wonder what Revolution and Beauty and the Beast would have been like with Joss Whedon in charge? Can’t wait for S.H.I.E.L.D.!

Dramas I Love:

The three drama shows I was most looking forward to turned out to be the ones I loved most this season. My favorite pilot episode, Last Resort (my review here), hasn’t quite lived up to its potential in subsequent episodes, but it still keeps me glued to the screen almost every minute. Its low ratings don’t signal much hope for renewal, but ABC shows regularly do poorly in that timeslot. ABC did order 2 more scripts for the show, so it’s unlikely to get pulled from the schedule immediately (I was starting to worry about that), but that may be just to give the show some sort of resolution. All the same, I’ve tried to temper my attachment to the show and just enjoy it while it lasts.

Elementary (my review of the pilot here) has been just as awesome as I hoped. I’ve been completely won over to the idea of a female Watson, and it’s been nice watching their friendship slowly grow over the past few episodes. Both annoy each other like crazy, yet their respect and admiration for each other is beginning to build. The cases seem to have an extra twist compared to most crime drama shows, which fits well with the need to bring in a consultant. I’m really sorry for the people who have a hard time understanding Jonny Lee Miller’s brisk British accent, but I feel the speed helps convey Sherlock’s fast mental process. Oh, and the opening credits are amazing:

Last but not least, Arrow has been amazing so far. While the pilot (my review here) had a good deal of the plot revealed in preview clips and therefore wasn’t quite as engaging, the second episode (my review here) had everything I was looking for: great action sequences, insightful character moments, and hints at series-long mythology-building. The second episode got the exact same excellent rating as the first (double that of typical CW “steady performers”), so I’m looking forward to this show being around for a while.

Conclusion:

Three great dramas. Three good comedies. That’s my haul from broadcast TV’s new fall shows, and I managed to find a show I liked on every single network. I think 3, maybe 4, will stick around for a second season.

Which new shows will you keep watching?

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Grimm – Over My Dead Body

This Monroe-centered episode introduces a new enemy, gets rid of a past frenemy, and sends Rosalee out of town on a bus – for the character to visit an ailing relative, and for the actress to go on maternity leave (Bree Turner and her husband recently welcomed a baby boy, Dean, to their family).

Full review at: Billie Doux: Grimm: Over My Dead Body.

Continue reading Grimm – Over My Dead Body

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Arrow – Pilot

This isn’t going to be a full review – just some initial impressions and comments on one of the most anticipated premieres of the fall season – Arrow!

For starters, if the numbers hold, this is going to be the CW’s most watched airing of any show, on any night, in nearly three years, best rated telecast of any CW show in 2 years, and most watched premiere since The Vampire Diaries in 2009. It even gave Supernatural a ratings boost for its second episode (ratings tend to go down after a series/season premiere, with Arrow as a lead-in, Supernatural actually went up two tenths!). Update: the numbers did hold – 1.3 18-49 rating, 4.14 million viewers.

My expectations were high for this show. I enjoyed the pilot, but I wasn’t blown away. It’s partly because so much of the plot had been revealed in promos and sneak peeks. I’d seen most of the kidnapping scene (though I thought it was pretty neat that they’d hidden the fact that his friend Tommy, played by Colin Donnell, had been taken with him), and heard rumors about who was behind it. Similarly, Oliver Queen’s skills as Arrow and the plan to take down a corrupt businessman had been fully revealed by previews for the show.

I wasn’t expecting Tommy to be dating Oliver’s ex-girlfriend, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) – but I felt like I should have seen that coming. I wasn’t expecting Oliver’s father to sacrifice himself for his son in such a violent way. I wasn’t expecting Tommy to figure out things so quickly.

I liked the dynamic between Oliver and his new “bodyguard,” John Diggle (David Ramsey). One of my favorite scenes of the pilot was Oliver jumping out of the moving car and Dig being flummoxed at where he went. Oliver’s sister Thea (Willa Holland) being into drugs seemed a little cliché, but I think the show can do interesting things with it, especially with Oliver having to keep up his playboy persona – he can’t set a good example for little sis even though he wants to. I wish Quentin Lance (Laurel’s father and a police detective) got a little more screen time – Paul Blackthorne seems to fit the role very well.

In some comments on other sites, I’ve read some complaints that there isn’t much chemistry between Oliver and Laurel, but after seeing joint interviews with Stephen Amell and Katie Cassidy, I think that will be quickly remedied in future episodes.

Out of the drama pilots I’ve seen this fall, I rank Arrow third – not quite as good as Elementary, but far better than Revolution.

Did you watch Arrow? What do you think of it?

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Last Resort – Pilot

If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I’ve been rooting for Last Resort since pilot season. The premise was intriguing – a US sub disobeys orders to fire nuclear missiles and sets up its own government on a small tropical island – but the cast really got my attention. I especially looked forward to seeing Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse) and Autumn Reeser (No Ordinary Family) back on my TV screen.

An excellent promo only whet my appetite, so when ABC offered an online pilot preview, I dived right in. And was blown away.

Two reasons I enjoyed it much more than the other new high-concept ensemble drama I plan to watch (Revolution): it had many twists and turns the promo didn’t give away, and more potential/untold history with the characters.

Spoilers below!

The action starts immediately with the sub picking up a group of Navy SEALs (one of whom is badly injured) in hostile territory. There’s a bit of a breather then, where you get a glimpse at how the crew interacts – the mutual respect between Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) and his XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman), the difficulties Lieutenant Grace Shepard (Daisy Betts) faces as the daughter of an admiral, and some tension between the COB Joseph Prosser (Robert Patrick) and the other officers, as well as between the SEALs and the officers.

But just as the crew is celebrating crossing the equator, the ominous message comes in from a secondary command post (in Antarctica!): the Colorado is ordered to fire nuclear missiles at Pakistan. Chaplin and Kendal follow procedure until the last step, when they both acknowledge that something doesn’t feel right. The secondary post is only supposed to be used when Washington is under attack or similar circumstances, but according to D.C. television stations, everything’s fine. Chaplin calls in and asks to speak with someone whose authority he recognizes, or at least to receive the command via normal channels before he wipes out millions of people in a country the US isn’t even at war with.

He gets a call back and is relieved of his command. He passes the phone to Kendal, now acting captain, who also asks that the order come through normal channels. Shortly afterwards, an incoming missile is detected, and the sub dives, but is still hit and damaged before it crashes to the bottom of the ocean. There are several casualties, including one of the SEALs.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Kylie Sinclair (Autumn Reeser) shares techy details about the Colorado as she romances a senator’s aide, trying to get her device (which cloaks the Colorado’s unique signature) onto other subs with his senator’s help (all the geek-speak reminded me of Autumn’s role on No Ordinary Family, but Kylie acts more confidant and sexy than Katie did). A cryptic text sends her rushing to confront Admiral Shepard with what she figured out – the missile that hit the Colorado wasn’t from Pakistan, like the media claims. It was from another US submarine. “You killed your own daughter,” she accuses, but his shocked reaction convinces her he has no idea what’s really going on. Also, uniformed officers show up at the door of Kendal’s wife, Christine (played by Jessy Schram – Once Upon a Time’s Cinderella).

Chaplin, with Kendal’s support and despite open defiance from the COB and others, comes up with a plan. With some of their command equipment damaged, they head to a small nearly island with a NATO station and take it over. There they find out that the attack was from a US sub, and that someone else followed orders and fired nukes into Pakistan. Chaplin calls Admiral Shepard and gives the phone to Grace so she can assure her father that she’s alive, and Kendal is able to call his wife.

One of the SEALs, James King (Daniel Lissing), connects with island barkeep Tani Tumrenjack (Dichen Lachman, who gets little screen time in this episode, but I hope that will change!) as he requests storage for his fallen comrade’s body and alcohol to drink his sorrow away. He’s soon challenged by the self-proclaimed “mayor” of the island, Julian Serrat (Michael Sahr Ngaujah) and his goons. After stating in detail how he will kill each one of them if they don’t quit keeping him from his drink, they leave (don’t mess with Navy SEALs!). However, they only retreat to take a more aggressive approach toward these unwelcome “tourists,” later kidnapping two members of the crew.

Since now the US knows the Colorado survived (thanks to the phone calls and a betrayal from the COB and several crew who aligned with him – Lt. Shepard was forced to shoot one of them before he executed Kendal), two bombers head toward the island. Knowing they’ll bomb the island even if the sub dives to avoid the attack, Chaplin issues an ultimatum – turn them back or he fires a nuke at Washington. They retreat at the last minute, and the nuke lands in the Atlantic. Chaplin declares a 200-mile no man’s land around the island, and threatens to nuke anyone who breaches it.

And the final twist? The injured SEAL ranting about how they had the wrong intel, that they killed the wrong people, and the one at the bar, sobbing at the attack footage and saying all this is his fault. The latter scene had added shock because of how unflappable King had been until that moment.

It’s hard to think of something I didn’t like about this pilot episode. The action kept things moving, the actors fit their roles, for all the drama there were moments with the right touch of humor, and the whole episode felt as polished as a summer blockbuster.

But unlike most summer blockbusters (no matter how many unwanted sequels get made), what hit me most was the potential for future storytelling in these characters. You don’t get to spend much time with most of them, but just about every character leaves you wanting to know more about their story.

Since the initial setting is a Navy sub, it did have a bit of an NCIS feel, especially those episodes that have taken place on a ship/sub. Caplin reminded me a little of Battlestar Galactica’s Adama – protective, but not afraid to be ruthless.

If Last Resort keeps up this quality, I will be watching every episode of the show. It has a rough time slot at 8PM on Thursday, especially against The Big Bang Theory, The X Factor, 30 Rock, and The Vampire Diaries. ABC hasn’t had a new show succeed in that time slot since Ugly Betty. But Last Resort has the mettle to stick around, so I hope viewers will give it a chance. You’ll be glad you did.

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2012 TV Olympics Results

The results are in and the votes have been tallied! Tied for the most medals in our 2012 TV Olympics are Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, with 9 medals each! But since Supernatural got 6 gold medals to Buffy’s 4, Supernatural is the winner!

In all, 31 shows went home with medals! Bones received the most medals without taking home a gold, 6. Angel, NCIS, and Psych each took home 5 medals. Once Upon a Time earned 4 medals. The remaining 24 shows took home 3 or less medals, with 20 of those shows only garnering one medal. Castle and Doctor Who took home 3 medals, while NCIS: Los Angeles and Fringe earned 2 each.

See below for the final medal count per show and individual winners for each event, with links to each of our 21 completed mini-polls.

Medal Count

[table id=1 /]

Poll Medalists

Cutest Couple Name

Gold – Tiva (NCIS)

Silver – Densi (NCIS: Los Angeles)

Bronze – Caskett (Castle)

Best Married Couple

Gold – John and Mary Winchester (Supernatural)

Silver – Snow and Charming (Once Upon a Time)

Bronze – Angela and Hodgins (Bones)

Favorite Newborn to Five-Year-Old Character

Gold – Hope (Raising Hope)

Silver – Christine (Bones)

Bronze – Michael (Bones)

Favorite Elementary-Aged Character

Gold – Henry (Once Upon a Time)

Silver – Young Shawn (Psych)

Bronze – Young Gus (Psych)

Favorite Musical Episode

Gold – “Once More With Feeling” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Silver – “My Musical” (Scrubs)

Bronze – “Song Beneath the Song” (Grey’s Anatomy)

Favorite Animated/Alternate Media Episode

Gold – “Smile Time” (Angel)

Silver – “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide” (Fringe)

Bronze – “Digital Estate Planning” (Community)

Most Annoying Teen Character

Tied for Gold – Connor (Angel) and Dawn (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Bronze – Harmony (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Favorite Crossover Episode

Gold – Doctor Who (Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures) – The Stolen Earth and Journey’s End

Silver – NCIS: Los Angeles (NCIS) – Random on Purpose

Bronze – The Finder (Bones) – Little Green Men

Favorite Halloween Episode

Gold – It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester (Supernatural)

Silver – Code of Conduct (NCIS)

Bronze – Mummy in the Maze (Bones)

Favorite Thanksgiving Episode

Tied for Gold – Child’s Play (NCIS) and Pangs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Bronze – Slapsgiving (How I Met Your Mother)

Best Vampire Effects and Rules

Gold – Supernatural

Silver – Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel

Bronze – True Blood

Best Werewolf Effects and Rules

Gold – The Vampire Diaries

Silver – Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel

Bronze – Teen Wolf

Favorite Dual Role

Gold – Angel/Angelus (David Boreanaz) – Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel

Silver – Willow/Vampire Willow (Alyson Hannigan) – Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Bronze – Snow White/Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) – Once Upon a Time

Favorite Switched-Body Performance

Gold – Jared Padalecki as Lucifer – Supernatural

Silver – Matt Cohen as Michael – Supernatural

Bronze – Joanne Kelly as Pete and Eddie McClintock as Myka – Warehouse 13

Favorite TV Animal

Gold – Dragon (Merlin)

Silver – Satchmo (White Collar)

Bronze – Marcel (Friends)

Favorite Dad/Daughter Duo

Gold – Castle and Alexis (Castle)

Silver – Eli and Ziva (NCIS)

Bronze – Max and Temperance (Bones)

Favorite Mother/Son Duo

Gold – Martha and Castle (Castle)

Silver – Emma and Henry (Once Upon a Time)

Bronze – Madeline and Michael (Burn Notice)

Favorite Father/Son Duo/Trio

Gold – John and Dean/Sam (Supernatural)

Silver – Henry and Shawn (Psych)

Bronze – Walter and Peter (Fringe)

Favorite Mother/Daughter Duo

Gold – Ellen and Jo (Supernatural)

Silver – Jackie and Rose (Doctor Who)

Bronze – Amy and River (Doctor Who)

Favorite Hero/Villain on Different Shows

Gold – Timothy Omundson: Carlton Lassiter (hero) on Psych, Phil Constantino (villain) on Jericho

Silver – Jensen Ackles: Dean Winchester (hero) on Supernatural, Ben/X5-493 (villain) on Dark Angel

Bronze – Nathan Fillion: Malcolm Reynolds (hero) on Firefly, Caleb (villain) on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Favorite Cast-Performed Song

Gold – “Shout” sung by Shawn and Gus (Psych)

Silver – “Thinking of You” sung by Eliot (Leverage)

Bronze – “Dead or Alive” sung by Dean and Sam (Supernatural)

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TV Olympics: Favorite Dual Role

This round of the TV Olympics, we’re looking at dual roles in TV! Whether it’s distinct personae within the same being, or entirely different people, both are portrayed by the same actor for a number of episodes. Whether twins, clones, alternate dimensions, artificial memories, or hostile takeovers, these roles require excellent acting to pull off. Which are your favorites?

I know there are several great dual roles missing from this poll (seems to be a lack of space-set shows) – please let me know which ones in the comments! They should all be from live-action, scripted shows, and the dual role should be in at least several episodes. This shouldn’t be a temporary switched-body thing, where one actor plays a role typically portrayed by another actor – we’ll be doing that poll tomorrow!

This poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 3 options. Please spread the word so your favorites will win medals, and be sure to vote in all our current Olympic polls!

What's your favorite dual role? (Choose up to 3!)

Angel/Angelus (David Boreanaz) - Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel (18%, 50 Votes)
Willow/Vampire Willow (Alyson Hannigan) - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (12%, 34 Votes)
Snow White/Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) - Once Upon a Time (12%, 32 Votes)
Olivia/Fauxlivia (Anna Torv) - Fringe (11%, 31 Votes)
Fred/Illyria (Amy Acker) - Angel (11%, 30 Votes)
Elena/Katherine (Nina Dobrev) - The Vampire Diaries (8%, 21 Votes)
Buffy/Buffybot/The First (Sarah Michelle Gellar) - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (7%, 19 Votes)
Charming/David (Josh Dallas) - Once Upon a Time (6%, 17 Votes)
Bridget/Siobhan (Sarah Michelle Gellar) - Ringer (5%, 14 Votes)
Clark Kent/Kal-El (Tom Welling) - Smallville (5%, 13 Votes)
Mellie/November/Madeline (Miracle Laurie) - Dollhouse (4%, 10 Votes)
Tara/T/Buck/Alice/Gimme (Toni Collette) - United States of Tara (2%, 5 Votes)

Total Voters: 117

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TV Olympics: Best Werewolf Effects and Rules

For this round of TV Breakroom’s Olympic event, we’re going to look at all the different variations of werewolves on TV! This poll is not only about the visual effects – transformation and full wolf – but also the werewolf mythology and rules within each story world. Do werewolves change only on the full moon, on the nights surrounding it, or whenever they please? What happens if they try to suppress the change? Can a werewolf make a human into a werewolf with just a scratch, or does it have to be a bite? Do they have to be in wolf form to do so? Or are werewolves only hereditary? Will a werewolf killed in wolf form revert to a human? How can they be killed?

Side note – I’ve been pondering the above questions recently as I’m working on writing a novel that includes scientifically-created werewolves. I plan to share more about this story and its deep connection to TV shows with you in the near future!

If there are any TV werewolves that I missed (and they appear in more than one episode of the show), please feel free to nominate them in the comments. Poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 3 options.

Which show has the best werewolf effects and rules? (Choose up to 3!)

The Vampire Diaries (34%, 104 Votes)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel (15%, 45 Votes)
Teen Wolf (13%, 39 Votes)
Once Upon a Time (10%, 32 Votes)
True Blood (10%, 30 Votes)
Being Human (UK) (7%, 22 Votes)
Being Human (US) (6%, 18 Votes)
Sanctuary (4%, 11 Votes)
The Gates (1%, 4 Votes)

Total Voters: 189

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