Frank Pembleton Award - Lead in Action

Named For: Frank Pembleton (Homicide)
Awarded To: The best lead character in an action series
2009: James 'Sawyer' Ford (Lost)
2010: Jack Shephard (Lost)
2011: Raylan Givens (Justified)
2012: Raylan Givens (Justified)
2013: Walter White (Breaking Bad)

Here are this year's honorees...

10th - Lucas Hood (Banshee) 0 points

9th - Oliver Queen (Arrow) 2 points
5th by Jack; 5th by me

8th - Marco Ruiz (The Bridge) 3 points
3rd by T-time

7th - Joe Carroll (The Following) 5 points
2nd by Jack

6th - Phillip Jennings (The Americans) 7 points
2nd by Jaydon, Marsh

5th - John Watson (Sherlock) 8 points
4th by Braids; 4th by me

4th - Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock) 18 points
2nd by Lar; 3rd by me

3rd - Raylan Givens (Justified) 22 points
1st by Mags

2nd - Rust Cohle (True Detective) 44 points
1st by Jaydon, Ty, Cecil, Bonz, Braids; 1st by me

and the Poolie goes to...

1st - Walter White (Breaking Bad) 48 points
1st by T-time, Jack, Lar, Rizzo, Lenny, Marsh; 2nd by me

This is Walter White's second straight win at the Poolies.  He is now tied with Raylan Givens for most victories in the category.

The Wire Award - Action Series

Named For: The Wire (HBO)
Awarded To: The best action series of the season
2009: Chuck (NBC)
2010: Lost (ABC)
2011: Justified (FX)
2012: Breaking Bad (AMC)
2013: Breaking Bad (AMC)

Here are this year's honorees...

10th. Arrow (The CW) 3 points
3rd by me

9th. The Bridge (FX) 4 points
3rd by T-time, 5th by me

8th. The Following (FOX) 5 points
1st by Jack

7th. Boardwalk Empire (HBO) 5 points
4th by Mags

6th. Orphan Black (BBC America) 8 points
3rd by Jack, Rizzo

5th. The Americans (FX) 12 points
1st by Jaydon

4th. Justified (FX) 17 points
2nd by Lenny

3rd. Game of Thrones (HBO) 31 points
1st by Ty, Marsh; 2nd by me

2nd. True Detective (HBO) 35 points
1st by Cecil; 4th by me

and the Poolie goes to...

1st. Breaking Bad (AMC) 49 points
1st by T-time, Lar, Mags, Rizzo, Bonz, Braids, Lenny; 1st by me

This is Breaking Bad's third straight victory in the category. No other show has won more than once in the six years of The Wire Award.

"Through the Looking Glass" Award - Action Episode

Named For: "Through the Looking Glass" (Lost, 322)
Awarded To: The best action episode of the season
2010: "The End" (Lost, 616)
2011: "Full Measure" (Breaking Bad, 313)
2012: "Blackwater" (Game of Thrones, 209)
2013: "Say My Name" (Breaking Bad, 507)

Here are this year's honorees...

10th - "Take the Ride, Pay the Toll" (The Bridge, 111) 0 points

9th - "Streets of Fire" (Arrow, 222) 3 points
3rd by me

8th - "Bullets and Tears" (Banshee, 210) 4 points
4th by T-time; 4th by me

7th - "A Murder of Crowes" (Justified, 501) 5 points
3rd by Jack

6th - "The Laws of Gods and Men" (Game of Thrones, 406) 17 points
1st by Ty, Marsh

5th - "The Sign of Three" (Sherlock, 302) 17 points
1st by T-time; 2nd by me

4th - "The Secret Fate of All Life" (True Detective, 105) 20 points
2nd by Lar, Ty

3rd - "Blood Money" (Breaking Bad, 509) 27 points
1st by Bonz

2nd - "Who Goes There" (True Detective, 104) 33 points
1st by Mags, Cecil, Braids; 5th by me

and the Poolie goes to...

1st - "Ozymandius" (Breaking Bad, 514) 45 points
1st by Jack, Lar, Jaydon, Rizzo, Lenny; 1st by me

This is Breaking Bad's third episode to win the Poolie in this category.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

Although it has been three months since the last installment of The Quiet Pool Perspective Power Rankings, they will keep the Bi-Monthly moniker, because I am simply shifting everything back one month.  August, October, December, February, April, and June works better anyway.  There's that, and there's the fact that I was way too busy moving and starting a new job to post anything at the start of July.  I still don't have time to say a lot, but I do have some new rankings for y'all so take a look...

Rank. Show (Last Time, Highest Ranking) green=moving up, red=moving down

10. Fringe (10, 10) Fridays on FOX
They get one final season to wrap things up in a pretty little bow.  I have no doubt that half the viewers will love the ending, and half will hate it.

9. Sons of Anarchy (9, 3) Tuesdays on FX
Last season was an improvement on season three's hiccup, but not a huge one.  It seems they may never return to the greatness of season two.

8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (5, 1) Sundays on HBO
The former number one takes a big dip after the most recent lackluster season had some time to settle in.  With no new season in the near future, it should stay here for a while.

7. Game of Thrones (4, 2) Sundays on HBO
There was just a lot of clunky story telling in season two.  They need to cut characters and storylines, or add episodes.  There was much too much glancing over arcs.

6. Happy Endings (8, 6) Tuesdays on ABC
The best comedy you aren't watching.  The male actors are hilarious but that's to be expected.  It's the fact that there are three funny ladies in the main cast that sets it apart from the rest.

5. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (7, 5) Thursdays on FX
It's going to be tough to compete with its most recent season, but I have a feeling these guys are just in a bit of a zone.  How will they make Mac being skinny again funny?

4. Breaking Bad (6, 2) Sundays on AMC
The start to this season has probably been the best ever.  With a ton of Walt/Jesse action, we have been lucky.  Hopefully they can continue the excitement throughout the eight eps.

3. Homeland (3, 3) Sundays on Showtime
I have the season two premiered queued up on my computer, and I couldn't be more excited about it.  Bring on the suspense!

2. Community (2, 2) Thursdays on NBC
It's probably going to go downhill fast without Dan Harmon at the helm, but with the cast that they have, I have no doubt it will still be funny.

1. Justified (1, 1) Tuesdays on FX
It's been a while now since Justified hasn't been the best show on television.  Somewhere in the middle of season two Justified became the gold standard.

The Sopranos Award- Action Series

Named For: The Sopranos (HBO)
Awarded To: The best action series of the season
2009 Winner: Chuck (NBC)
2010 Winner: Lost (ABC)
2011 Winner: Justified (FX)

10. The River (ABC) 0 points

9. Sherlock (PBS) 1 point
5th by Matt

8. Chuck (NBC) 3 points
3rd by Jack

7. Boardwalk Empire (HBO) 8 points
2nd by Jaydon

6. Fringe (FOX) 9 points
2nd by Jack, 4th by Me

5. Sons of Anarchy (FX) 14 points
3rd by Tyson, Rizzo, Larry, and Matt

4. Game of Thrones (HBO) 26 points
1st by Tyson, Cecil, and Larry

3. Homeland (Showtime) 29 points
1st by Mags, 2nd by Me

2. Justified (FX) 29 points
1st by T-time and Jack, 1st by Me

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Breaking Bad (AMC) 34 points
1st by Jaydon, Rizzo, Matt, and Bonz, 3rd by Me

This is Breaking Bad's third overall nomination, second for best action series, and first ever win.  Here with a discussion on why the show is so great is Poolie voter Jaydon.

__________________

Breaking Bad is the story of one man’s journey from milquetoast beta male to amoral, pathologically self-serving demon. It tells this story through a series of increasingly narrow escapes from increasingly perilous webs of entanglement. One of the reasons it’s in the pantheon of great shows is that the escapes always lead to deeper, more insurmountably suffocating situations to be navigated. At the end of season 3, Gale had learned how to prepare Walt’s premium meth, rendering Walt and Jesse expendable. Walt makes Jesse kill Gale which keeps them alive but sets Walt and Gus at odds and sends Jesse into existential crisis. It also largely severs the partnership between Walt and Jesse, giving Gus an opening to foster a relationship with the lost soul.

Season 4 can be seen as the main event matchup between the long reigning champion drug lord and the wild and scrappy upstart. It’s an incredible showdown because both men are highly intelligent and evenly matched.

Gus is depicted as an indestructible genius. He reinstates his position of power over Walt and Jesse by brutally slicing the throat of an enforcer dumb enough to have been seen at the scene of Gale’s murder by eye-witnesses. This shows us two things: that Gus is capable of direct murder, and that he’ll unflinchingly end problems with immediacy. This action is a statement, “I own you until you prove no longer useful at which point you’re dead”. There’s the great moment when Gus walks determinedly into cartel gunfire and throws up his hands in a godlike gesture of infallibility. We see an avenging Gus seize power in an incredibly risky but brilliant poison plot that wipes out cartel boss Don Eladio and his men. Gus is calculating, ballsy and seemingly perfect.

Walt doesn’t buy it. In a memorable showcase of his turgid ego, Walt lets a newly ride or die Skyler know that he is the “one who knocks”. He puts his play in motion by encouraging Jesse to poison Gus with ricin hidden in a cigarette. Jesse balks, unsure of where his allegiance lies in the face of Walt’s continued under-appreciation and disrespect and Gus’s savvy self-esteem building efforts. The long boiling animosity between Walt and Jesse comes to a head in a sad fight that apparently cements the end of their partnership and derails Walt’s strategy.

The implied threat of the box cutter incident seems to kick in when Gus fires Walt. Jesse has learned the meth formula well enough to render Walt unnecessary, sending Walt into a mad scramble of attempted escape. This leads to my favorite scene of the entire show where Walt discovers that his money has been seriously depleted by Skyler paying off Ted’s IRS tab. The soundtrack thumps like a heartbeat as Walt lets out an animalistic shriek of desperation. He starts laughing maniacally and the camera eventually pans up evoking a grave to the sound of disturbing distortion. This encapsulates perfectly the idea of Walt as an unstable dead man walking who happens to be perversely enjoying the downfall of his world. It’s humbling to behold.

Walt’s laughter in that grave signified his final transition to the underworld. The move he pulls to get out of this mess crosses any person’s threshold of acceptable anti-hero activity into certain villainy. He poisons Jesse’s lady friend’s kid and convinces him when confronted that Gus is to blame. In doing so he gets Jesse back on his side and collaborates with him to lure Gus into a vehicle equipped with explosives. Gus’s supernatural drug lord senses lead him to evade the trap at the last moment.

Walt finally vanquishes his most formidable opponent by exploiting Gus’s well-earned hubris. Walt convinces Hector “Tio” Salamanca to gain revenge against Gus for his eradication of the cartel and grandson. They make it appear as if Tio is snitching to the DEA in order to get Gus to kill him at the nursing home. When Gus is about to give Tio a lethal injection, Tio lets loose one of his trademark sneers of disgust and rings his communicative bell furiously for the last time. The bell triggers a bomb that gives us one of the coolest death scenesin TV history. We see Gus walk out post explosion seeming for a second to be actually unkillable. He straightens his tie and the camera pans to the right so that we can see all of his face, half of which no longer exists. He collapses.

Walt and Jesse destroy the lab and have a talk later at the hospital garage. Jesse lets Walt know that the poisoned kid will make it and that it wasn’t ricin but Lily of the Valley that was used. Walt calls Skyler telling her “I won”. It’s here that we learn that Walt was behind the poisoning of the child as the camera pans to the Lily of the Valley plant in Walt’s garden. It’s a final shock that resonates deeply.

Walt has won but what has he won and at what cost? He has won the spot of drug lord and he’ll presumably become the new Gus.  He’s lost his soul completely and will likely continue on an evil path that will claim more victims. Will Jesse, Hank, Skyler, Walt Jr or his baby die? Will Walt kill Jesse? Will Jesse kill Walt? As we approach the final (unfortunately split into two) season, it seems like Walt’s made his finale escape. Walt overcame his greatest enemy and will now transition into becoming an even greater evil. It seems his destiny is to become the new force from which others must escape.

The Poolie Action category is consistently the most competitive. There were some very good and some great seasons put forth by competing nominees. It’s my position that Breaking Bad blew them away like Tio.

by Jonathan Stuart

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

It is that time again, and with the Fourth Annual Poolies only a month away, the most recent installment of the Quiet Pool Bi-Monthly Television Power Rankings could not be any more relevant.  As always, these rankings take into account current success or failure, as well as those achievements or defeats that occurred far in the past.  We now move onto those ranked 10 through 1.

Rank. Show (Last Time, Highest Ranking) green=moving up, red=moving down

10. Fringe (12, 10) Fridays on FOX
The show may have lost a bit of steam with the story starting season four, but things have more than picked up as of late, including a fantastic guest performance by Henry Ian Cusick a couple weeks ago.  The fact that Fringe got picked up for a fifth and final season next year makes me very excited that they are going to be able to end things the way they want to.

9. Sons of Anarchy (8, 3) Tuesdays on FX
The gang won't return until this fall, but the news that Jimmy Smits is going to be on as a guest star only has me more excited than usual for Sons of Anarchy to come back.  Smits was fantastic in his run on Dexter, so I have no doubt he will bring some major entertainment to this FX staple.

8. Happy Endings (9, 8) Wednesdays on ABC
Now that the gang has finished up their second season, I can't stress enough the fact that you need to catch up on Happy Endings.  It seriously has something for everyone, and for me, every single one of those somethings is gold.

Come get some with Jane, Max, and Brad on Happy Endings

7. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (7, 7) Thursdays on FX
The more I think back on this past season of It's Always Sunny, the more I realize how great it was.  All three of the main dudes had fantastic years, and even Dee, who I normally don't enjoy all that much, had some great moments in her.  The finale alone kept this show in the top ten.

6. Breaking Bad (6, 2) Sundays on AMC
How much longer can this series go on?  It has to be coming to an end sooner rather than later, and I can't wait to see how they decide to carve out the finality of this epic tale.  Will there be a new big bad in the mix, or will the Walt/Hank showdown finally come to the forefront?

5. Curb Your Enthusiasm (5, 1) Sundays on HBO
A sub-par season overall, with a number of fantastic individual efforts, Curb stays put based on its great legacy in the comedy world.  When will LD decide to make another season?  And will it compare to the best that this series has had to offer?

4. Game of Thrones (2, 2) Sundays on HBO
Thrones takes a slight dip, because unlike what I heard about the beginning of season two, this is starting slower than season one did.  I honestly think that this show would greatly benefit from a 14-17 episode season.  Sometimes it feels like they are just glancing over moments instead of digging deep.  Why not take advantage of the source material, and make each book two seasons of 10 episodes even?

3. Homeland (3, 3) Sundays on Showtime
September 30, that is when Homeland returns, and we can't wait.  The trailer is out, and it has me all excited.  How will Carrie get things done after all that happened at the end of the first season?  What about Brody?  Nazir?  The mole?  There are a lot of questions to be answered.

2. Community (4, 2) Thursdays on NBC
The NBC comedy jumps up to its highest ranking ever at the Quiet Pool.  A number of great episodes in a row will do that for a series, and between the war ep, the Blade ep, the Law & Order ep, and more, Community has had that in spades.

1. Justified (1, 1) Tuesdays on FX
The champ remains.  Justified has been number one for a long time now, and a season that backed up its stellar sophomore campaign should keep it here for a good while longer.  The question now becomes, "can they do it again?"  And "will they ever run out of steam?"

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

It's time for the March Power Rankings Top 10...

Place. Show (Last Time) red=moving down, green=moving up

10. Mad Men (9) Sundays on AMC
The long wait is almost over.  Mad Men returns in March.

9. Happy Endings (11) Wednesdays on ABC
If this show keeps climbing the way it has, Happy Endings might find its way into the top five by the end of the year.

8. Sons of Anarchy (8) Tuesdays on FX
Kurt Sutter is announcing new characters.  I wish one of them was replacing a dead Clay Morrow. Oh well.

7. It's Always Sunny (7) Thursdays on FX
Can the next season compete with the genius they put forth this fall?

6. Breaking Bad (5) Sundays on AMC
If you only count the second half of the season, Breaking Bad would be a top three show.  Don't forget the boring first half of the season.

5. Curb Your Enthusiasm (3) Sundays on HBO
The weaker episodes of the season are starting to make their way into my memory.

4. Community (6) Thursdays on NBC
Who's excited to see Troy and Abed back togetherrrrrrr?

3. Homeland (4) Sundays on Showtime
Will season two be able to build on the greatness of the first?

2. Game of Thrones (2) Sundays on HBO
Less than a month away until Game of Thrones is back!  Winter is still coming!  It's always coming!

1. Justified (1) Tuesdays on FX
Has this season disappointed?  Nope.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

I recently finished listing all of my favorite shows of the year, but what about now? What shows that are still on the air are the series you all should be watching? Well that's what the Quiet Pool Bi-Monthly Power Rankings are for. In the first rankings of 2012, we will recognize the shows that have been succeeding as of late, and some that will be returning to our screens for the first time in a while this winter. Next up are spots 10 through one on my list.

Rank. Show (Last Time) green=moving up, red=moving down

10. Chuck (10) Fridays on NBC
After a hilarious start to the finale season with Intersect Morgan stealing the show, Chuck has had a couple of episodes of late that have been less funny but epic in scale. The most recent chapter with Sarah and her mom was one of my favorite, emotionally, of the series. If they continue to hit on all of these cylinders down the stretch, we should be in for a nice ride.

9. Mad Men (7) Sundays on AMC
Is this show ever going to come back? The longer the hiatus, the further and further down the power rankings it goes. Mad Men needs to be on the air to hang on to its elite status for me. It doesn't leave the same last impression that something like Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad does.

8. Sons of Anarchy (5) Tuesdays on FX
Sons drops a few spots after leaving such a sour taste in my mouth with that season finale. As good as the entire season was, they almost ruined it all at the end. All of the action, the turmoil, and the consequences the characters were facing leading up to the finale seemed to mean nothing as the final reveal wiped the slate clean. It didn't feel organic at all. Combining the facts that Clay lived, Jax stayed put, and Juice got out of trouble, made it all feel contrived.

7. It's Always Sunny (8) Thursdays on FX
It was a truly fantastic season for Always Sunny this year. Like Seinfeld before it, these characters have been on a momentous transformation from strange to effing out of their minds. The more I watched the season finale (which is now in the double digits), the more I laughed at almost every single line of dialogue.

6. Community (6) Thursdays on NBC
Community has hit on so many of its risks as of late that it's almost too easy to forget how risky some of those decisions are. Will people find this multiple timeline episode funny? Who cares? We're doing it because it's funny to us. And it was to me as well. One of the funniest episodes on television this year.

5. Breaking Bad (4) Sundays on AMC
As great as Breaking Bad is - see me ranking it at number five here - it is still frustratingly slow at times. The first half of this past season was excruciatingly so at times. The end was great though, and as we are all usually prisoners of the moment, Breaking Bad remains at the top of everyone's list.

4. Homeland (16) Sundays on Showtime
This is a gigantic leap, but Homeland was my second favorite show for all of 2011, so I have to give it some love up at the top. Through 12 episodes I have complete faith in the writers to keep telling good story, while there is no doubt that Claire Danes and Damian Lewis will make sure that there is something interesting on screen during almost every second of air time.

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2) Sundays on HBO
This past year wasn't one of Curb's finer seasons, but its track record allows the show to stay up near the top for the time being. If it has another less than stellar sample next time around, and Always Sunny brings the heat again, we may have a change at the top of the comedy hierarchy.

2. Game of Thrones (3) Sundays on HBO
Winter is coming back, but we still don't have a premiere date. Game of Thrones should return in April, and I am as excited as can be. If Justified had my favorite season of 2011, Game of Thrones is my most anticipated season of 2012. I can't wait to see where this story goes.

1. Justified (1) Tuesdays on FX
Returning in just a couple of weeks, Justified has topped a number of my lists as of late. I'm hoping that the show can match the magical season two it put forth last year, unlike its FX partner Sons of Anarchy, which followed a fantastic season two with a horrid third installment.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

It's that time again. The Quiet Pool Perspective's Bi-Monthly Power Rankings are back, and a lot has happened since early September here at the Pool. The Weekly Comedy Rankings have been working so well at helping gauge what shows are doing well on a week by week basis, that I might try to start doing the same thing with the other categories. For now, here are the November Power Rankings. Remember these take into account past and present performances, and the Honorable Mentions are not necessarily numbers 21 through 30 on my list. Enjoy.

Rank. Show (Last) red=moving down, green=moving up

10. Chuck (10) Fridays on NBC
Chuck premiered its final season last Friday, and it was pretty good. If you like Chuck, which obviously I do, then this last season is going to be fun. It's fun, it's funny, and it's easy to watch. If you've never gotten Chuck, then I just feel bad for you. That just means there's plenty more Morgan Grimes to go around for the rest of us.

9. Dexter (9) Sundays on Showtime
Some people are hating on this season of Dexter, but to me it's about the same as every other season thus far. It's just a solid show. No longer revolutionary...if I was doing power rankings immediately following its first season, Dexter would probably a Top Three show, but it still bring the thrills on a weekly basis. The religious theme of the season hasn't been a selling point for me, but hasn't really detracted from the series either.

8. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (13) Thursdays on FX
Compared to the other comedies that are airing this fall, It's Always Sunny is having a fantastic season. Is it as great as some of the early Sunny seasons? Maybe not, but I think it's a big improvement over last year. With gems like "The Gang Goes to Jersey Shore" and "Frank Reynolds' Little Beauties" this has turned out to be a great season of laughs so far.

7. Mad Men (8) Sundays on AMC
It's been a while since we left Don Draper and company, and we still have a while to go before we drop in on the crew from the 1960s. The ad men better watch their back because some of these other series are creeping up behind them.

6. Community (5) Thursdays on NBC
Community got out to a lackluster start to begin the third season this fall, but back to back classics in the alternate timeline episode and last week's Halloween episode have brought it back in the game. As long as they continue to put out hilarious eps like those every couple of weeks, Community's place in the Top Ten should be set in stone.

5. Sons of Anarchy (7) Tuesdays on FX
What a great bounce back season for the Sons. They stalled a bit in stretching out the John Teller story line over the first few weeks on the season, but the action and importance of every scene has stepped up dramatically over the past few episodes. Clay is on a rampage and I am loving every minute of it. I wouldn't be surprised if he started calling himself Hollywood Morrow and starting a new gang of bikers called the New World Order.

4. Breaking Bad (6) Sundays on AMC
For as slow and boring as the first half of the fourth season of Breaking Bad was, the second half was just as thrilling and exciting. It was basically showstopper after showstopper to end the season, finishing with a pair of absolutely fantastic episodes. As a whole it wasn't at the level of seasons two or three, but that back half of the order was as good as anything Breaking Bad has done.

3. Game of Thrones (3) Sundays on HBO
We're still waiting for the return of the Starks, Lannisters and company. I honestly don't think I can't wait that much longer.

2. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2) Sundays on HBO
Curb's most recent season wasn't its best, but it sure was good enough to keep it as the top comedy currently on television.

1. Justified (1) Wednesdays on FX
Justified is going to have a tough time competing with itself after putting forth one of the best seasons in television history last year, but I sure can't wait to see them give it their all.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

Whoah buddy! The fall tv season is upon us, and so are the September Power Rankings here at the Quiet Pool Perspective. Here is your look at what you should be watching, or catching up on if you have missed the boat.

Rank. Show (Last Week) red=moving down, green=moving up

10. Chuck (11) Fridays on NBC
One final go around with the Buy More crew. Let's hope they bring it. This past season was just as weird and funny as ever, but the story lines left something to be desired. Morgan as the intersect? Chuck running his own spy organization? Shaping up to be a great ending.

9. Dexter (9) Sundays on Showtime
I keep hearing that this past season of Dexter was the worst yet, and by a good margin, but how was it any worse than two, three, four and five? Well maybe since it didn't have Jimmy Smits, it wasn't as good as three, but that's about it. This next season still won't measure up with the first one, but it will continue to be exciting.

8. Mad Men (6) Sundays on AMC
As good as Mad Men is, the longer it is off the air, the more I remember it for being boring and the less I recall that fantastic acting and writing. It's going to be hard to compete with the drunken ways of Don Draper from a year ago.

7. Sons of Anarchy (8) Tuesdays on FX
The season four premiere is tonight, and I've heard good things. I can't wait to see what Jax, Clay and company have in store for us this year. I'm mostly pumped for Jackson's new haircut...nothing like a fresh cut.

6. Breaking Bad (3) Sundays on AMC
I was looking forward to writing about how boring this season of Breaking Bad has been, but the past two episodes have pulled the season out of its own downward spiral. Walt has been fantastic throughout, Jesse was great in "Problem Dog" and Gus did the thing this past Sunday. Still, this has been as boring of a season as an all-time great show can have.

5. Community (7) Thursdays on NBC
Michael K Williams. John Goodman. Let's get it started in here!

4. The Office (4) Thursdays on NBC
I enjoyed James Spader in last year's finale as much as anyone, but I don't know how he will do as a leading man on this show. Is his character too weird? We shall see. I'm hoping Jim and Dwight pick it up and become more of the leading men, as long as Jim steps his game up.

3. Game of Thrones (5) Sundays on HBO
Season two is way too far away. I am so jealous of those who have read the books and know exactly what is going to happen when we return. I just wanna see some dragons!

2. Curb Your Enthusiasm (1) Sundays on HBO
Yes, it has been a lackluster season of Curb, so it drops out of the one spot for the first time in a while. Even this most recent episode wasn't an all-time classic, although it was one of the funnier of the year. One ep remaining to redeem itself as the best comedy on tv.

1. Justified (2) Wednesdays on FX
The new champ is here. Justified had one of the best seasons in television history this past spring, and is now the well-deserved best show on television. Will season three be able to compare? Probably not, but I have faith it won't fall like some others have.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

It is a sad day when the Poolie Awards are all over, but look at the bright side, there are always the Bi-Monthly Power Rankings to look forward to! The July edition is here to tell you what shows currently on the air you should be tuning in to see. Take a look and then turn on your tv.

Place. Show (Last Time) red = moving down, green = moving up

10. The Walking Dead (9) Sundays on AMC
It's only had six episodes to prove itself, but I still can't wait for the zombies to return.

Jax studdin' it up with his sis on Sons

9. Dexter (10) Sundays on Showtime
Everyone I know has either recently caught up or currently catching up on this serial killer drama. It's about time people!

8. Sons of Anarchy (7) Tuesdays on FX
After re-watching bits and pieces of season three, it came together as a whole a lot better than it was episode by episode. It just dragged, and it took too long to get to Ireland. But as an entire story, it worked. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sons jump back up to the top this winter.

7. Community (6) Thursdays on NBC
The paintball episodes ended things with a bang, but it is the numerous amount of hilarious characters that continue to keep this show in the top ten.

6. Mad Men (4) Sundays on AMC
Is the wait making things worse? With the action packed shows that killed this spring, Mad Men is looking more and more boring in hind sight.

5. Game of Thrones (HM) Sundays on HBO

A studlier dwarf there hasn't been

What an entrance! Game of Thrones was awesome in its first season, but I really have some issues with those that have read the books. How can you watch a show with the same interest when you know all of the events that are going to take place? When I knew the ending to Dexter season four, the finale was a nice walk in the park. If I had had no idea, I would have been blown away. Game of Thrones has to be better for those who have not read the books, and hence, is just another reason why reading is dumb.

4. The Office (5) Thursdays on NBC
Just hang on guys...stay up here as long as you can until the lack of Steve Carell starts to catch up with you. Rumors are out there that James Spader is in for next season, but I also heard whispers of James Gandolfini. Really? Tony Soprano as the head of Dunder Mifflin? That could be interesting.

3. Breaking Bad (2) Sundays on AMC
A drop only because Justified was so darn good. Get pumped for season four. I've heard it's going to be great.

2. Justified (3) Wednesdays on FX
This is as high as you can currently get until Curb comes back, and it's not very likely to top the HBO comedy after that, so be proud Justified, be proud.

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm (1) Sundays on HBO
In hindsight, the season seven finale was much funnier than "The Table Read." Oh well on last year's Poolies, but on the bright side, I am now super psyched for the new season to start after watching a few eps on dvd recently. Curb has held the number one spot since November, and unless this season takes a big step backward, I can see it staying on top for a while longer.

The "Through the Looking Glass" Award- Action Episode

Named For: "Through the Looking Glass" (Lost, 322)
Awarded To: The best episode in an Action Series
2010 Winner: "The End" (Lost)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. "A Study In Pink" (Sherlock, 101) 1 point (3rd)

4. "Winter Is Coming" (Game of Thrones, 101) 5 points

3. "Days Gone By" (The Walking Dead, 101) 9 points

2. "Brother's Keeper" (Justified, 209) 13 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. "Full Measure" (Breaking Bad, 313) 14 points (2nd)

This is Breaking Bad's second Poolie nomination and first win for best episode in an action series.  The show has also been nominated for best action series a year ago, and for some reason best drama in 2009.

It really is nice to see Breaking Bad win an award in this year's Poolies, even though only two episodes aired during the season.  "Full Measure" was a fantastic end to the third season, and it became better and better after garbage upon garbage began gracing our screen in the fall.  Albeit some gems started to come out in the winter and spring, but apparently none measure up to this stunning finish of Breaking Bad's third season.  I can't wait for the fourth installment to start up in July.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

If you haven't noticed already, I have been extremely busy in the months of April and May. With the end of the baseball season, the end of the spring semester, and a couple of week-long pop-ins at my place, I have been beyond slow on the blog at times. That is no excuse to not put out a Bi-Monthly Power Rankings, though, so without further ado, here are the Quiet Pool Perspective Television Power Rankings for the month of May.

Rank. Show- (last time)...red= moving down, green= moving up

10. Dexter- (11) Sundays on Showtime
Sooner or later they're going to have to make a big move on this show, but for the time being, I'm enjoying the ride.

The Walking Dead

9. The Walking Dead- (10) Sundays on AMC
It's such a long time to wait for season two of The Walking Dead, especially since the first run was only six episodes long.

8. Chuck- (5) Mondays on NBC
Not only are the ratings slipping and a cancellation seems probable, but Chuck also continues to slip in the Power Rankings. I still enjoy Chuck, Morgan, and company, but whatever they're doing doesn't seem as important anymore.

7. Sons of Anarchy- (8) Tuesdays on FX
I wonder if this next season of Sons is going to only appeal to women again? Wink, wink.

6. Community- (4) Thursdays on NBC
They should really end every season with a paint ball themed episode. This last one was once again fantastic, and I can't wait for next week's finale.

5. The Office- (6) Thursdays on NBC
Hating on The Office has become the cool thing to do, so be different and watch it subjectively. This season has been unbelievably good.

Mad Men

4. Mad Men- (3) Sundays on AMC
Why would you make me wait this long for more Mad Men? Sally Draper is going to be 20 by the time it comes back.

3. Justified- (7) Wednesdays on FX
A bold move you might think? No. Justified proved itself to be one of the best shows on tv this season.

2. Breaking Bad- (2) Sundays on AMC
No reason to move the top two from their respective pedestals. Breaking Bad returns soon, and who isn't excited?

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm- (1) Sundays on HBO
If I'm excited for Breaking Bad to return, I'm giddy for the NYC based return of Curb. Ricky Gervais joining for an arc, and Larry being Larry. Doesn't get much better.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

There has been a lot of tv going on as of late, and since I am as busy as ever, I am extremely far behind on plenty of shows. To be specific, as I write this intro on Saturday, I am 48 episodes behind on shows that I am currently watching. I have also quit on more than a couple shows in the past month, which if you know me, you realize is a difficult task in itself. At the beginning of February, I skipped the regularly scheduled Poolies Watch, but nothing was going to stop me from putting the Bi-Monthly Power Rankings into the Pool for the 10th straight edition. As always, the Quiet Pool Perspective Power Rankings take into account both current and past performance. The honorable mentions are not necessarily my next ten favorite shows, but rather those that deserve mentioning at this time. So without further ado, here are the March Bi-Monthly Power Rankings. Enjoy.

Rank. Show- (last time)...red=moving down, green=moving up

10. The Walking Dead- (9) Sundays on AMC
This could still be a one year - or six ep - wonder, but for the time being it remains in the top ten due to a fantastic first six eps.

9. Big Brother- (10) Summers on CBS
Survivor continues to be a watered down version of Big Brother, and I can't wait for my three ep a week fix from the CBS reality competition.

8. Sons of Anarchy- (7) Tuesdays on FX
Kurt Sutter went off on critics yet again last month. I worried about Sons because of Sutter once I started reading his blog, and after the disaster that was season three, my worries were necessary. I still am unsure if he can bring this show back to the greatness that was seasons one and two.

7. Justified- (13) Wednesdays on FX
If you've been reading my reviews at TV Fanatic, you know that I am loving the second season of Justified. It climbs an astonishing six spots to number seven this month, and I don't see it leaving the top ten any time soon. Timothy Olyphant is an absolute stud, and my favorite for the Frank Pembleton Award come Poolies Season.

6. The Office- (8) Thursdays on NBC
Don't let the critics and fan followers fool you, The Office has been as hilarious as ever this season. Between Classy, Christmas, Ultimatum, Threat Level Midnight and others, there have been some absolute classics. Michael Scott is one of the funniest characters in television history and Steve Carrell is set to go out on top in a couple weeks.

5. Chuck- (4) Mondays on NBC
As much as I love the main characters of Chuck, this show needs another interesting bad guy like whoah. I can never get enough of Morgan, Chuck and the gang, but since the demise of Volkoff things have been kinda stale in Burbank.

4. Community- (5) Thursdays on NBC
If I marked notches on my table every time Community made me laugh out loud, well there would be a lot of notches. Troy Barnes and Pierce Hawthorne are quite possibly the funniest one-two punch on television right now. Add Jeff Winger and Abed to the mix and you have a recipe for success. And to top things off, Britta has actually been enjoyable this season. Now if they could only get Chang back to wear he was at the start of the series. He's kinda letting me down as of late.

3. Mad Men- (3) Sundays on AMC
While you wait for the greatness of Mad Men to return to tv, explain to someone that "That's what the money is for!!!!"

2. Breaking Bad- (2) Sundays on AMC
It's too bad the previous season of Curb was so fantastically funny, because otherwise Breaking Bad would play a fantastic number one.

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm- (1) Sundays on HBO
And until Larry David and the gang come back and prove to be less funny than usual, Curb Your Enthusiasm will hang onto the number one spot in the rankings.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

Even though most prime time television has been on hold for the holidays, and I've been watching The Santa Clause 2 for most of December, that doesn't mean things don't change in the Quiet Pool Perspective's Bi-Monthly Power Rankings. My first ever post on this blog was the Pre-Season TV Power Rankings in September of 2007. Three series from the top ten on that list are currently in the top ten as we begin 2011. As always, the January edition of the Pool's Power Rankings take into account both past and current performance. I am not a prisoner of the moment, but I do take the current state of a series into account. Enjoy and feel free to disagree with me, as I know most of you do.

Rank. Show- (last time)...red=moving down, green=moving up

10. Big Brother- (9) Summers on CBS
Nothing to see here. Big Brother remains the best stop for stupid arguments, exciting challenges, and strategic voting.  Big Brother returns in the Summer of 2011.

9. The Walking Dead- (-) Sundays on AMC

Getting crazy on Walking Dead

This zombie thriller was easily in my top two or three from the fall season, but with only six episodes to its name, I couldn't put it higher than its nine spot.  I'm really curious to see how they will move forward and if any of the characters become all that likable.  The scientist from the Truman Show was the only dude I was digging and he was only in one episode.  The Walking Dead most likely returns in the fall of 2011.

8. The Office- (10) Thursdays on NBC
We're getting down to the final stretch of Steve Carrell on The Office. You don't want to miss out on this, even if the critics claim it isn't funny anymore.  Well I got news for you people, it is still as hilarious as ever.  And if Amy Ryan is in any more episodes this year, that will be a fantastic bonus.  The Office returns on Thursday, January 20 at 9:00 PM.

7. Sons of Anarchy- (3) Tuesdays on FX
I could not keep it at the top after trashing on this past season so much.  And just like Myles McNutt, I didn't jump on any bandwagon of disliking season three.  It just wasn't good.  Critics and regular viewers alike were unsatisfied with the run and there's nothing Kurt Sutter can do about it to change that now.  Sons of Anarchy returns in the fall of 2011.

6. Friday Night Lights- (5) Wednesdays on DirecTV

Luke Cafferty of FNL

Although I can't stand Julie Taylor's Brenda Walsh-esque story line at college, this season of Friday Night Lights has continued its previous excellence.  Sure there are moments when I'm scratching my head at the storytelling, but the characters more than make up for it.  Do I wish Riggins, Landry and Saracen were back in Dillon? Of course, but I'm learning to love Becky, Vince and even maybe Luke (no, not Jess).  Friday Night Lights continues on Wednesday, January 5 at 9:00 PM.

5. Community- (6) Thursdays on NBC
I don't know how Community moved up in the rankings.  I haven't been all that impressed with the most recent eps of the show.  The thing about Community is that even in the episodes that don't come together completely, there are still a boat load of hilarious moments.  With characters like Troy and Pierce on your show, you're guaranteed a good amount of laughs on a week to week basis.  Community returns on Thursday, January 20 at 8:00 PM.

4. Chuck- (2) Mondays on NBC
Chuck takes a bit of a dip for the first time in a while.  The start to this season just hasn't been compelling.  There have been some really good episodes here and there, but nothing really to sink your teeth into.  Morgan has been on his game, but there really hasn't been enough Jeff and Lester, and Awesome is really a shell of what he used to be.  I miss the Awesome that was just a complete caricature of himself.  Chuck returns on Monday, January 17 at 8:00 PM.

3. Mad Men- (7) Sundays on AMC

Donny Draper gets engaged

How does this happen?  With everything else pretty much stinking up the joint, the quality of Mad Men is that much more noticeable.  This past season may have been the show's best yet, even though it finally got me to not like Betty Draper.  Mad Men will most likely return in the late summer or early fall of 2011.

2. Breaking Bad- (4) Sundays on AMC
Was I romanticizing some of my other favorite shows?  Or were season two of Sons and season three of Chuck just that much better than the stuff they are currently airing?  Because I would have said you were crazy if you told me I'd have Breaking Bad as my top drama at the start of 2011.  And maybe my short memory has me forgetting the lackluster episodes that BB put out this past spring, but with gut wrenching moments like those in One Minute, I See You, Half Measures, and Full Measure, I can't imagine it not being here at the top.

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm- (1) Sundays on HBO
It's a sad state of affairs when my current number one is a show that hasn't been on the air since November of 2009!  Don't get me wrong, I love Larry David like a father, but it is still a very strange prospect.  With the return of Curb unknown at this point, I'm certain it will stay on top for at least a few more power rankings.  Curb Your Enthusiasm will most likely return in the spring or summer of 2011.