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 Arthur Spooner Award- Supporting in Comedy

Named For: Arthur Spooner (King of Queens)
Awarded To: The best supporting character in a comedy series
2009 Winner: Kevin Malone (The Office)
2010 Winner: Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
2011 Winner: Troy Barnes (Community)

10. Pierce Hawthorne (Community) 4 points
3rd by Jack, 5th by Me

9. Craig Pelton (Community) 7 points
2nd by T-time, 3rd by Me

8. Kevin Malone (The Office) 9 points
3rd by Matt

7. Tracy Jordan (30 Rock) 13 points
3rd by Bonz

6. Abed Nadir (Community) 13 points
1st by Matt, 4th by Me

5. Taco MacArthur (The League) 15 points
2nd by Cecil, Larry, and Mags

4. Max Blum (Happy Endings) 18 points
1st by T-time, 1st by Me

3. Luke Dunphy (Modern Family) 20 points
1st by Tyson and Cecil

2. Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm) 25 points
1st by Larry, Mags, and Bonz

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Troy Barnes (Community) 32 points
1st by Jaydon, Rizzo, and Jack, 2nd by Me

This is Troy Barnes's second nomination and second straight win for best supporting character in a comedy series.  Here to discuss why Troy is such a great character is Poolie voter Jaydon.

_____________________________

With the axing of showrunner Dan Harmon and the exodus of many other core writers, season three will likely be considered the final “real” season of Community. Luckily, in fear of cancellation, the show ended on a note that could have worked as a series finale. Troy was one of the characters that felt as if he had completed his arc by season’s end.

This season Troy moved in with Abed, feuded and made up with him and sacrificed his life at Greendale for the good of his friends. While Abed threatened to slip deeper into a disturbing fantasy life, Troy matured while maintaining his whimsical side. In the much loved Remedial Chaos Theory, it’s Troy’s absence that brings about the dark timeline, suggesting his role as the heart of the study group.

Perhaps more importantly, Troy continued to be Community’s funniest character with moments like eating the candy cigarette, acting “normal” with Abed for Shirley’s wedding, employing a Southern accent to represent the European country of Georgia, his $60 windfall, transitioning from Inspector Spacetime roleplaying to spitting at a damsel, bubbe/boobie confusion, “all-terrain, dummy”, the pen pal call, bad copping and manly karate adventures.

This is two Poolies in a row for Troy but it’ll be a miracle if he gets the threepeat with new writers. However, Donald Glover is talented enough to keep it in the realm of possibility.

by Jonathan Stuart

The Phoebe Buffay Award- Female in Comedy

Named For: Phoebe Buffay (Friends)
Awarded To: The best female character in a comedy series
2009 Winner: Liz Lemon (30 Rock)
2010 Winner: Erin Hannon (The Office)
2011 Winner: Erin Hannon (The Office)

10. Jenna Maroney (30 Rock) 4 points
4th by Jaydon and Matt

9. Penny Hartz (Happy Endings) 5 points
2nd by Bonz, 5th by Me

8. Jane Williams (Happy Endings) 7 points
4th by T-time, Larry, and Jack

7. Annie Edison (Community) 9 points
1st by Matt

6. Jess Day (New Girl) 12 points
2nd by Matt, 3rd by Me

5. April Ludgate (Parks and Rec) 13 points
1st by Cecil

4. Carly Shay (iCarly) 13 points
1st by Jack, 2nd by Me

3. Dee Reynolds (It's Always Sunny) 16 points
1st by Larry

2. Alex Kerkovich (Happy Endings) 17 points
1st by Bonz, 1st by Me

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Britta Perry (Community) 18 points
1st by Jaydon and T-time, 4th by Me

This is Britta Perry's first nomination and win for best female character in a comedy series.  In 2010, Britta was nominated for the character you most love to hate in a comedy.  Here to explain her rise to prominence, is Poolie voter, T-time.

___________________________________________________

As so often with Community, the things viewers are thinking wind up in the mouths of the characters. Never was this more apparent than when everyone from the study group to the priest that presided over Shirley’s wedding started calling Britta “the worst.” Until of course, the moment late this season when Troy let Britta in on the secret that we had all realized months ago. “You’re not the worst,” he told her in all sincerity. “You’re the best.”

It was true. Somewhere along the line of Community’s embrace of how awful a character Britta Perry was, she had become the best character on television. Part of this has to be credited to the writers. Realizing that they had written a character that was tough to like, they resolved to write her as annoying as possible. This was evident as early as the D&D episode of last year, where the group collectively groaned at Britta’s predictable outrage at the condition of gnomes in a made-up universe. But the more she became a parody of someone that would be absolutely insufferable in real life, the more she became an absolute joy to watch on the silver screen.

Much more of the credit has to go to Gillian Jacobs and her willingness to commit to the character. From the Me So Hungy dance (and its quasi call-back in the Me So Christmas dance) to deadpanning every line about being a psych major, Jacobs has executed her lines with comedic  timing that has verged on inconceivable. The pride in her voice when she announces that she can alter the crime scene photo to wild west colors.  The honest inquiry when she asks if Abed’s plan has to do with regionals. The comedy on Community usually requires a precise inflection. Whatever was asked for this year, Jacobs delivered.

And like the aforementioned dance, it hasn’t just been the dialogue that has set Britta apart this season. The awkward hug she exchanges with Troy while filming the dean’s commercial was fantastic. The constant peering over the shoulder of the psychiatrist while taking notes was one of the funnier moments of this season or any. I could go on mentioning moments indefinitely but we all saw this season of Community. It wouldn't be tough to argue that over the course of the year, Britta Perry gave us more than any other character on TV.

by Tim Forcella

Community 321 Review- A Plan Changs Together

Abed- "Which wire do I cut?"

Troy- "There's only one."

Abed- "God, I hope I'm right."

After a long season of reviewing The Office and 30 Rock here at TV Fanatic, giving both middling grades at best, it was a breath of fresh air when the boss asked me to help out with one of this week's trio of Community episodes.

Unlike its elder Comedy Night Done Right brothers, which in one way or another are shells of their former selves, Community is in the midst of one of the best two-season sitcom runs of all-time. It may be getting banished to Friday nights next season, but right now our favorite Human Beings are still the funniest people on television.

"The First Chang Dynasty" did not let me down in that regard. The penultimate episode of Community's third season had a nearly perfect combination of parody, physical comedy, sight gags, puns, characterization, heart and plot development. I know, that's a lot, but I don't get to review Community very often, so I need to stress how fantastic it truly is.

As a huge fan of Ocean's Eleven, I absolutely loved the Greendale Seven's parody of it. My favorite moment might have been the description of just how difficult the plan was going to be. There is no way they’re going to be able to get past Joshua, or figure out the code that is changed... once a day!

To read the rest of my review of last night's second of three episodes of Community, head over to TV Fanatic.

Community 321 - "The First Chang Dynasty"
Review
Recap
Quotes

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.

Troy and Abed For TV's Most Dynamic Duo

Troy and Abed are the most dynamic duo on television, but I'm definitely not shocked that they're currently behind in the poll. Only three million people are watching the show each Thursday, and NBC recently Britta'd its midseason schedule by somehow NOT including this sitcom on it.

Because there are still a number of you out there who haven't witnessed the genius of Community, and specifically this fine pair, I'm here to help.

When the series first started, Danny Pudi's Abed was a bit of a budding star, while Donald Glover's Troy lurked in the background waiting for his time to shine. As the second season came into development, the two characters began to hang out more, became fast friends and the rest is hilarious history.

Troy Barnes has become one of the funniest characters on television, and while Abed has dipped a bit since his novelty factor wore out, he still has his moments... most of which come when these two are together.

To read the rest of my commentary on Community's Troy and Abed, and to vote on TV's Most Dynamic Duo, head over to TV Fanatic.

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.

Weekly Comedy Rankings- Level One Wine

I had a couple of lengthy conversations about the current television front-runners over Twitter today. Before getting into those, let's take a look at which shows I thought were the best this week...

1. Community
2. It's Always Sunny
3. Happy Endings
4. Rules of Engagement
5. Bored to Death
6. Parks and Rec
7. The Office
8. Suburgatory
9. South Park
10. Last Man Standing
11. The League
12. Wizards of Waverly

As you can see, Community topped my list for the second straight week. It also was at the top of Jaydon's, T-time's, and I assume Jack's if he would ever get his done before Saturday. I found it funny when Rizzo claimed that he and the rest of the NYC squad found the last two Community's unwatchable. Both Jaydon and I were dumbfounded for responses, and he concluded with "Don't know how you can like Community and not love the last two." I completely agree. I understand not enjoying Community on the whole. It's a different breed. It's comedy is not for everyone, but if you like the show, I don't get not liking the last two. This week's had the best and most material for its funniest players (Troy, Abed, Pierce), which has me wondering what the problem was for those guys.

I had It's Always Sunny in the second spot, continuing what I have thought to be a very good season thus far, and Dennis Reynolds for my MVP of the week. All of the Sunny guys performed well, and I've always been a Dennis guy, so he comes up smelling like roses in this ridiculous episode about a made up board game. Charlie definitely had a couple of great moments, especially when he remembered why he wrote down "because Dennis is a bastard man."

My funniest moment was from this week's South Park. While the episode on the whole wasn't all that great for me, it was responsible for my single loudest laugh of the week. The episode, like the play within the show written by Randy, was a bit too up front. But after the theme of men taking their wives to the theater for the sole purpose of being treated well in the bedroom ran long enough, they executed things perfectly when an older gentleman complained to Randy that he was trying to enjoy watching Wicked with his granddaughter. The entire build up was worth it for Randy's "You f*ckin' pervert!"

It's awesome that Jaydon, and now T-time and Jack have kept going with this Weekly Comedy Rankings, but I'd love to see more people get involved. Marsh, Rizzo, anybody else who wants to get in on this is more than welcome.

Weekly Comedy Rankings- The New Apahtment

Jeff- "Oh look! Indiana Jones and the Apartment of Perpetual Virginity."

Troy- "Chops busted fellow adult, chops busted."

One thing was constant throughout the participants in the Weekly Comedy Rankings this Friday. Community was not only the best episode of the week, but the best of the season so far.

1. Community
2. The Office
3. It's Always Sunny
4. Parks and Rec
5. Suburgatory
6. Happy Endings
7. Modern Family
8. Bored to Death
9. The League
10. South Park
11. Last Man Standing
12. Wizards of Waverly
13. Up All Night
14. Good Luck Charlie
15. Two and a Half Men

MVP for me was Dwight Schrute, although I like Jack's call of MVP for George Altman of Surburgatory (even though it took me 10 minutes to figure out who that actually was). Everyone was so good on Community that it was hard to give anyone the MVP.

Funniest moment for me was the gang's reactions to Frank's story on It's Always Sunny, but after re-watching Community, I would change that. Now I would have to go with Troy breaking out a cigarette out of its classy metal case, only to eat it when Britta went to light it. Brilliant.

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 Arthur Spooner Award- Supporting in Comedy

Named For: Arthur Spooner (King of Queens)
Awarded To: The best supporting character in a comedy series
2009 Winner: Kevin Malone (The Office)
2010 Winner: Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Adam Rhodes (Rules of Engagement) 1 point (5th)

9. Ryan Howard (The Office) 6 points

8. Tracy Jordan (30 Rock) 7 points (3rd)

7. Kevin Malone (The Office) 8 points

6. Frank Reynolds (It's Always Sunny) 10 points

5. Taco McArthur (The League) 12 points

4. Pierce Hawthorne (Community) 13 points (4th)

3. Luke Dunphy (Modern Family) 15 points

2. Chris Traeger (Parks and Recreation) 15 points (2nd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Troy Barnes (Community) 34 points (1st)

This is Troy Barnes first nomination and first ever win for the Arthur Spooner Award.  Earlier this season, Troy won the Louis and Twitty Award for Best Buds along with Abed Nadir.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter Jaydon, who has some very nice things to say about Troy Barnes, Donald Glover, and the people of Community.

                                                                                                                                                                  

Community is a show that responds to itself and makes choices based on how well things work. Probably the best example of this so far has been incorporating the disdain fans felt for Britta and her shallow, moralistic bent into how the characters feel about her. Not only did they address the issue, they made Britta aware of her nature and let her struggle with it. This made her a more likable character without changing who she is. A more controversial example is positioning Pierce as an antagonist to the study group over the course of season two. They could have embraced the doddering old fool in him but went with his mean-spirited core since there are plenty of other foolish options and no other true foils to pit the group against. Some felt that Pierce had displayed unforgivable behavior and his continued inclusion in the group seemed at the least, a little off (These kind of analytical fans probably attend conventions and write horrifying homo-erotic slash fiction).

What does this have to do with Troy Barnes? Troy was a star quarterback in high school. Troy was prom king. Troy started the series wearing his letterman jacket. This season Troy curled up in a ball of whimpering terror and sang the theme song to Reading Rainbow after contracting spontaneous lockjaw upon meeting LeVar Burton.  He's best buds with Abed with good reason. He's really, really strange.  The show has done a good job of letting his oddness develop in a freak friendly environment. But Troy isn't Abed. Weirdness aside, they're complimentary opposites. Where Abed's Aspy disconnection from reality and humanity allows for much of the more off the wall aspects of the show, Troy is the most emotional character. This allows for moments of bug-eyed banshee wailing, of which Donald Glover is an expert, as well as sincere moments like Troy's 21st birthday anti-celebration.

There's a popular misreading of Community that considers the show merely a cartoonish pop culture reference fest. The character work they've done reveals an attention to structure and internal coherency that can be lost amidst the themed episode chaos. This is a show where the ensemble gels so well together that the less likable characters feel somehow essential. It makes likable, funny characters like Troy an absolute delight. He's a sexy Dracula and he's got a monkey named Annie's Boobs. Kiss the ring.

~ Written by Jonathan Stuart

The Cheers Award- Opening Credits/Theme

Named For: Cheers (NBC) 1982-93
Awarded To: Best opening credits/theme song
2010 Winner: Sons of Anarchy (FX)

Place. Show (Network) Points (My Vote)

10. Parenthood (NBC) 1 point

9. Saturday Night Live (NBC) 3 points

8. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) 6 points

7. Sons of Anarchy (FX) 6 points

6. Terriers (FX) 7 points (4th)

5. Treme (HBO) 12 points (1st)

4. Game of Thrones (HBO) 14 points (5th)

3. Jonas (Disney) 15 points (3rd)

2. Friday Night Lights (The 101/NBC) 18 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Community (NBC) 19 points (2nd)

This is Community's second Poolie nomination for the Cheers Award, and first win for best opening credits/theme song.  The series has also been nominated for the Seinfeld Award in each of its first two seasons.

It's strange that after winning this award last year, Sons of Anarchy can only muster up a seventh place showing this time around.  The opening credits didn't change people, but I guess the quality of the season hurt its chances.  Community's opening theme has been great since its premiere last September, but in the second season it took things to a new level.  There were a number of special opening, including the Dungeons and Dragons, Christmas, and Western themed episodes.  Fantastic stuff.

The Louis and Twitty Award- Best Buds

Named For: Louis Stevens and Alan Twitty (Even Stevens)
Awarded To: The Best Buds on television
No Previous Winners

Place. Nominee (Show) Points (My Vote)

10. Hank and Charlie (Californication) 4 points

9. Hank and Britt (Terriers) 6 points

8. Steve and Danny (Hawaii Five-0) 6 points (5th)

7. Tracy and Kenneth (30 Rock) 7 points

6. Vance and Dave (Perfect Couples) 7 points (4th)

5. Chuck and Morgan (Chuck) 10 points (3rd)

4. Eric and Buddy (Friday Night Lights) 13 points

3. House and Wilson (House, MD) 15 points

2. Mac and Dennis (It's Always Sunny) 21 points (2nd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Troy and Abed (Community) 32 points (1st)

This is Troy and Abed's first Poolie nomination as a team, and first win for the best buds on television.  Abed Nadir has one other nomination, placing third for best supporting character in 2010, while Troy Barnes has been nominated for that same award this season.

While I have fallen out of love with Abed this season, I have fallen in love with both Troy and the combination of these two.  There may not have been a better moment this year than when during the paintball war, Troy came out of the trash can with guns 'a blazing and found the time to put on a winning smile and shout out "Abed! I thought you were dead!"

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.

Seventh Day of TV Christmas- Seven Kids a Studying

In a new tradition here at the Pool, as both a way of summing up the year in television and celebrating the holidays, we will be releasing the first Twelve Days of TV Christmas series leading up to the day where I hope to receive multiple DVD box sets of my favorite shows. Whereas the Poolies celebrate the best television of the season by a number of voters, the Twelve Days of Christmas is my attempt at giving credit to the top series of the year by me and only me. Having said that, a couple of my favorite shows have been left off the list for a multitude of reasons. In the case of Chuck and Justified, it's mostly because I couldn't fit them into a numbered slot as well as some others. With Sons or Always Sunny, I just wasn't as happy with their respective seasons in 2010. So without further ado, here is the Seventh Day of TV Christmas. Feel free to sing along.

On the seventh day of Christmas my tv gave to me...seven kids a studying, six deads a walking, five deeeaaad rapiiiiists, four ad partners, three Jo Bros, two Terriers, and a paper boss in Scranton, PA.

All I want for my seventh day of Christmas is Jeffrey, Troy, Pierce, Annie, Abed, Britta...and even Shirley; the seven kids from our favorite Greendale Community College study group. Community is the next series to earn the recognition for its performance in 2010. Although the start to its second season has been a bit disappointing, you can't argue that the second half of last year's first season was absolutely fantastic. All of these community collegers, besides Shirley at times, has been awesome. Between the mafia/chicken strips episode and the paint ball episode, they concocted two of the funniest half hours on television in 2010. While they have pretty much failed to recreate these epic moments with attempts like the astronaut and zombie eps, they still make me laugh on a regular basis, and that's all I can ask for.