Jon's Top 5 TV Shows of 2010

2010 has been a big year for television. With many shows continuing excellent runs, running into their final seasons, and coming to unexpected ends, the landscape for what to expect from this mainstream media has been constantly changing. Despite ever-flowing tidal forces in the industry, some shows have handily floated to the top. Without further ado, here are my top five television shows that have personally led to my most active watching schedule in recent years.

Fringe

J.J. Abrams can practically do no wrong in my book. From the first season, Fringe has impressed me on multiple levels. The creativity from one episode to the next compelled me at the beginning, as each week's scenario managed to pique my curiosity and differentiate from the past week. The second season introduced a more captivating overarching narrative, capitalizing on the episodic nature of the series. The most recent season, however, has added the most important aspect a story-focused show could ask for - stakes. The very first episode picked up on a cliffhanger from season two that could have driven the show off the rails, instead proposing a storytelling format that kept the pace rolling throughout the past months. Not only that, but the parallel plots that take place in different "realities" tie into each other in truly novel ways. With all of these things and more, Fringe lands the spot as my favorite show of the last year.

The Walking Dead

So much hinges on a show's pilot episode. Not only is it a pitch to the studio for them to buy it, but it can make all the difference in capturing an audience that'll be willing to stick with it from the very beginning. The Walking Dead premiere was probably the best example of a well executed pilot that I can remember, due mostly to the fact that it's one of the best episodes of television to ever grace the screens of millions of viewers. Being set in a zombie-filled universe successfully is one thing, but being able to inject real human stories throughout is truly remarkable. If you haven't checked out the six-episode first season of The Walking Dead, do yourself a favor and queue up your DVR to AMC.

Stargate Universe

After diving into the depths of Netflix Instant View's catalog of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, I was left wanting more. The first season of Stargate Universe sated my appetite, but very few of the characters stuck with me in the same way as did those in the previous two series did. Also, the serious turn of the franchise's tone left me questioning whether or not it paid off as far as the plot was concerned. The second season has thus far made serious ground on both of these issues, widening my investment in the primary characters and setting up compelling, dark scenarios that could only take place in SGU's sphere. Not only that, but Universe has managed to branch off from SG-1 and Atlantis in such a way as to make it accessible and entertaining to newcomers as well as pleasing to franchise veterans who can sniff out the subtle hints at underlying plots.

Mad Men

AMC's stable of original television shows managed to catch a lot of spotlight this year, starting off with the success of the fourth season of Mad Men. With the staff of the newly founded Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce on their toes searching for new clients and opportunities whenever possible, the show's latest turn has kept things moving at a breakneck pace. While the show has mostly revolved around the company's creative director Don Draper, it seems to focus more on both the other characters and the world surrounding the office much more than usual. Societal questions of civil rights, the War in Vietnam, rising thoughts surrounding drug use all add more dynamics that the show pivots on, making this the most diverse, experimental seasons in the Mad Men's tenure.

Lost

Shows that aired earlier in the year are easy to forget in a medium as diverse and broad as television, but Lost is a difficult show to leave out of the mix. While the controversial finale might dominate the mindshare of fans, the impact of Lost's final season shouldn't be discounted. Many of the prominent questions from the beginning of the show were finally answered, despite how fulfilling the answers might be at this late in the game. Most importantly, closure was finally brought to the characters fans both loved and loved to hate. Lost will be remembered for a lot of things and hopefully the last season will be one of the better things that stick in viewers' reminiscing minds.