Teri Bauer - Worst in Action

The Teri Bauer Award for the Character you love to hate in an Action
2009: Olivia Taylor (24)
2010: Skyler White (Breaking Bad)
2011: Sarah Linden (The Killing)
2012: Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
2013: Skyler White (Breaking Bad)
2014: Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy)

2015 Results

10. Harvey Bullock (Gotham) 5 points
4th by Jack, Tippy

9. Michonne (The Walking Dead) 5 points
3rd by Brady

8. Paige Jennings (The Americans) 8 points
1st by Cecil

7. Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead) 8 points
3rd by Loose, Jack

6. Aayan Ibrahim (Homeland) 10 points
2nd by Bonz

5. Foggy Nelson (Daredevil) 11 points
2nd by Jaydon, Mags

4. Abby Donovan (Ray Donovan) 19 points
1st by Bonz

3. Ramsay Bolton (Game of Thrones) 24 points
1st by T-time, Mags, Marsh

2. Jackson Teller (Sons of Anarchy) 26 points
1st by Loose, Jack, Larry, Jaydon

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy) 30 points
1st by Tyson, Tippy, Brady, Lenny

This is Gemma's second straight year earning the right to be called the worst in action, becoming the second multiple winner in the category after Breaking Bad's Skyler White.  It is the fifth win overall at the Poolies for Sons of Anarchy, as its run came to an end this fall.

Winner's Breakdown
1st: Tyson, Tippy, Brady, Lenny
2nd: Jack, Larry, Cecil
3rd: Jaydon
5th: Loose
No Vote: T-time, Mags, Rizzo, Bonz, Marsh

Heroes Award - Worst Season

The Heroes Award for the Worst Season
2010: Heroes (NBC)
2011: Eastbound and Down (HBO)
2012: Terra Nova (FOX)
2013: Kroll Show (Comedy Central)
2014: Sons of Anarchy (FX)

2015 Results

10. Cougar Town (TBS) 2 points
4th by T-time

9. Archer (FX) 3 points
3rd by Rizzo, Brady

8. Transparent (Amazon) 5 points
1st by Loose

7. Nashville (ABC) 6 points
2nd by Larry, Tyson

6. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix) 6 points
1st by T-time

5. Mulaney (FOX) 7 points
2nd by Jack

4. Gotham (FOX) 9 points
2nd by Jaydon, Cecil, Tippy

3. The League (FXX) 17 points
1st by Mags, Lenny

2. Modern Family (ABC) 21 points
1st by Jack, Tyson, Rizzo, Bonz

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Sons of Anarchy (FX) 28 points
1st by Larry, Jaydon, Cecil, Tippy, Brady

This is the second straight win - or loss - for Sons of Anarchy in this category.  The series has four overall trophies at the Poolies, having won for best opening sequence back in 2010 and Gemma Teller picking up character you love to hate in an action honors last season.

Winner's Breakdown
1st: Larry, Jaydon, Cecil, Tippy, Brady
2nd: Loose, T-time, Lenny
3rd: Mags, Tyson
5th: Jack
No Vote: Rizzo, Bonz, Marsh

Teri Bauer Award - Worst in Action

Named For: Teri Bauer (24)
Awarded To: The character you love to hate in an action series
2009: Olivia Taylor (24)
2010: Skyler White (Breaking Bad)
2011: Sarah Linden (The Killing)
2012: Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
2013: Skyler White (Breaking Bad)

Here are this year's honorees...

10th - Aaron Pittman (Revolution) 5 points
1st by T-time

9th - Jim Renny (Under the Dome) 5 points
2nd by Lar

8th - Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad) 5 points
3rd by Bonz; 3rd by me

7th - Emma Hill (The Following) 9 points
1st by Ty; 4th by me

6th - Carrie Mathison (Homeland) 12 points
2nd by Bonz; 1st by me

5th - Jackson Teller (Sons of Anarchy) 14 points
3rd by Jaydon; 2nd by me

4th - Theon Greyjoy (Game of Thrones) 19 points
1st by Jaydon, Mags

3rd - Carol Pelletier (The Walking Dead) 19 points
1st by Braids, Lenny

2nd - Skyler White (Breaking Bad) 23 points
1st by Rizzo, Bonz, Marsh

and the Poolie goes to...

1st - Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy) 33 points
1st by Jack, Lar, Cecil; 5th by me

This is Gemma Teller's first win at the Poolies.  She finished as the runner-up in this category last year.

Heroes Award - Worst Season

Named For: Heroes (NBC) 2006-10
Awarded To: The series with the worst season of the year
2010: Heroes (NBC)
2011: Eastbound and Down (HBO)
2012: Terra Nova (FOX)
2013: Kroll Show (Comedy Central)

Here are this year's honorees...

5th. Siberia (NBC) 1 points
3rd by T-time

4th. Under the Dome (CBS) 3 points
2nd by Jack

3rd. Parks and Recreation (NBC) 9 points
2nd by T-time, Ty, Bonz, Braids; 3rd by me

2nd. Homeland (Showtime) 12 points
1st by Lar, Bonz; 2nd by me

and the Poolie goes to...

1st. Sons of Anarchy (FX) 20 points
1st by T-time, Jack, Ty, Cecil, Braids; 1st by me

This is is Sons first win at the Poolies. For the last four years the show was nominated for The Wire Award and finished as high as fourth.

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.

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.

Weekly Roundup- Clay Nation

So I am going to continue posting my weekly comedy rankings on this new Weekly Roundup post, but I am going to add at least one other ranking to it, so I thought a name change was appropriate. I try as much as I can to watch all of the comedies for Friday so that I can keep up with Jaydon, Jack and T-time on the Twitter #WeeklyComedyRankings, but I can't watch everything that I attempt to keep current with in a week's time. Some dramas and actions I watch take a back seat if I don't find the need to watch them by a certain time, so obviously said shows won't make it into my Top Five of the Week, but if I'm not trying hard to watch them then they probably aren't good enough to make it anyway.

So here is this week's edition of the Weekly Comedy Rankings...

1. It's Always Sunny
2. Community
3. Bored to Death
4. The Office
5. The League
6. Rules of Engagement
7. Parks and Rec
8. Last Man Standing
9. Wizards
10. Big Bang Theory
11. Family Guy
12. New Girl
13. South Park
14. ANT Farm

Always Sunny and Community continue to rack up firsts and seconds as the season goes on, and while Jaydon and the Forcella brothers continue to disagree on the quality of The Office and Parks and Rec, we all seem to be on the same page regarding the top two comedies of the fall season.

My MVP of the week was Mac from Sunny, but any of the three guys could have earned the accolades in this hilarious episode. If Charlie had asked for a chip one more time, he might have been named my MVP. Funniest moment, and the main reason why Bored to Death jumped all the way to #3, was the grocery story mission. George sneaking up to the PC Guy in a lab coat and sunglasses, and then putting away paper towels in the meat section was the hardest I laughed all week.

Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention at the time, but I didn't get South Park this week. It seems to be a bit hit or miss for me in general, but going from third last week to 13th this time around is kinda crazy.

My LVP was Ben Wyatt, who continues to be an absolute waste of Adam Scott's talent on Parks and Rec. The least funny moment was just the constant yelling and screaming that took place on New Girl this week. Call me hypocritical if you like, because there is always yelling on Sunny, but it just seems different to me.

Top Five of the Week

Here is where I will rank the five best episodes of the week...not including comedies. With all of my episodic reviewing for TV Fanatic, I need another outlet to let the people know what's what.

1. Sons of Anarchy
2. Homeland
3. Parenthood
4. The Vampire Diaries
5. Chuck

Sons has had a fantastic bounce back season as far as I'm concerned. Clay going full blown heel was a great move for the show, and I can only hope this season ends in his death. As much as I've come around on the old man as a character, there is no way this show can function properly if he sticks around.

Homeland continues to be the best new show on tv, and those Lie Detector scenes were unbelievably good this week. Parenthood, without a doubt, gets a tear from my eye at least every other episode. It happened again this week. Haters gonna hate, but no show brings as much excitement and thrills as The Vampire Diaries, and this week's midseason finale was great. Even though I kind of tore it apart in my review, I still had a heck of a time watching Morgan be a jerk on this week's Chuck.

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.

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.

Sons of Anarchy 313 Review- The Short Con

Jax (to Gemma)- "I'd never turn on my club, or my family. I'm not my father."

While it in no way makes up for the struggles of the first two-thirds of the season, the final stretch of Sons of Anarchy has been absolutely fantastic. The third season finale, "NS," had excitement, drama, surprises, and left me asking questions about what would happen next.

For the final 30 minutes I was on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, as well as any other cliche you'd like to use to explain how riveting the final chapter of this season was.

To read the rest of my review on last night's season finale of Sons of Anarchy, head over to TV Fanatic.

Sons of Anarchy 313 - "NS"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Sons of Anarchy 312 Review- Stop Stahl-ing!

Clay- "Jacob Hale becomes mayor...Charming turns into suburban Disneyland."

What are two things that the second season finale of Sons of Anarchy and this week's penultimate episode of season three have in common? Well, both "Na Triobloidi" and "June Wedding" were fantastic hours of television, and not coincidentally they both featured Agent June Stahl going absolutely crazy.

After a wild and crazy journey to Ireland, the Sons returned to Charming this week, and things felt a little more familiar. The first half of the episode progressed slowly as most were getting their bearings on what was currently happening in the States.

To read the rest of my review of last night's episode of Sons of Anarchy, head over to TV Fanatic.

Sons of Anarchy 312 - "June Wedding"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Sons of Anarchy 311 Review- Changing His Legacy

Gemma- "Now you are gonna tell us where our grandson is or I swear to God I will cut this baby in half."

One of my favorite aspects of early Sons of Anarchy was that Jackson Teller, this young, brash outlaw gang member, was struggling with whether or not to attempt to lead a more noble life. Those days reading his father's manuscript, pondering about legitimizing SAMCRO, quitting gun-running, and cutting out violence from his family's life, were some of the show's best.

The combination of Clay wanting him to become the ruthless future leader the club needed, and his son getting kidnapped, forced Jax into a state of all out bad-ass-ity in which he never once blinked at torturing or killing someone in cold blood. In this week's episode, "Bainne," Jax returned to his pondering nature, slowly weighing the options of stealing back his own son, or allowing him to remain in the arms of a loving couple.

Check out the rest of my review of last night's Sons of Anarchy over at TV Fanatic.

Sons of Anarchy 311 - "Bainne"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Sons of Anarchy 310 Review- Trader McGee

Ashby (to Jax): Your father knew the patch was a mistake, and so do you. Look at the violence in the last three days alone. Is that the life you want for your child. If you love him, give him more.

Just like I predicted in my post on Sons of Anarchy yesterday. Last night's ep was a big improvement. I can see the ending of this season being really good, which won't make up for the less than stellar first two-thirds of it, but will still be nice to see. Last night's ep had a lot of action, a lot of reveals, and some crucial moments that change things going forward. Let me know what you thought of it, or go over to TV Fanatic and read my full review on "Fírinne".

Sons of Anarchy 310 - "Fírinne"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Sons of Anarchy- My Thoughts on Sutter's Thoughts

As you know, I review one of my favorite shows, Sons of Anarchy, over at TV Fanatic. In doing so, I have become even more invested in the series, and hence have spent some time reading what others have thought of this third season.

This morning Mo Ryan of AOL's TV Squad posted a piece on the use of a Hell's Angel near the end of this season, and show-runner Kurt's Sutter's thoughts on the state of the series. After reading the post, and some of the interview with Sutter, I got so riled up that I needed to react to some of the comments by the SoA creator.

I feel like this is one of the negatives of writing and reading about one of your favorite shows. Sometimes you get so close that it is easy to find the problems with it. At times I think that if I just casually watched Sons, I would be enjoying it much more, but then I talk to casual viewers like T-time and Jaydon, and they agree with my stance so I don't feel so bad.

Kurt Sutter and Sonny Barger

Below are some of Ryan's piece and the thoughts of Kurt Sutter. The entire article and transcribed interview can be found in full here. TV Squad - EXCLUSIVE: Hells Angel Sonny Barger to Guest on 'Sons of Anarchy' and Creator Kurt Sutter on the Season So Far, by Maureen Ryan.

The decision to expand the show's universe came from a desire not to simply repeat season 2, Sutter said, and he also thought it was time to delve deeper into the show's mythology and for Jax to learn more about his dead father, John Teller.

First off, no one needs a repeat of season two. It was a truly great season of television, and I probably wouldn't be complaining if season three was almost identical to it, but I'd still be complaining. There are ways to not copy yourself and still make the next season much more entertaining. Just because many critics are noting that this season is way worse than the previous installment, it doesn't mean we wanted a repeat in format. Just a repeat in quality.

I am all for more John Teller back story, and for Jax to find out more about his dead father, but that just isn't happening. There was a good bit about it in the season premiere, which I loved, and now I feel more of it coming on as we get into the Belfast stuff, but there was a good old chunk of episodes there (seven or eight maybe) of very little John Teller information.

"The point of this season, or some of the point for me, was the idea that these guys, when they get to Belfast, they're no longer in Charming. You know what I mean? They are they're little fish in a big pond and they're completely out of their depth," Sutter added. "The point of 'Turas' with that explosion was like, 'Holy [expletive] ... This is the level of violence we're stepping into. This is the world that we're living in now. We're not in Charming. We're not in control.'"

Again it's a great idea, and I understand where Sutter wanted to go with this idea about Belfast being so different than what the Sons were used to in California, but I don't think it has worked thus far. The bomb blowing up the truck wasn't any more disastrous than many of the things that happened in Charming. Just this season Hale had his head ran over by a drive-by truck. Last year Sack was murdered and there were white supremacists wreaking havoc all over the place. A little truck bomb that failed to kill any of the Charming members? The stakes are not all that much greater in Ireland.

As for the season as a whole, "I think it's all going someplace and whether or not it will be satisfying or enough, I don't know, but again, it's really all landing on the mythology this year, so hopefully that will pay off," he added.

I get it. If you are telling a long story in which you can see what the ending will be, you need some type of build up to make the finale that much better. You need time to get to know the characters more, and a lot mythology helps that as well. Whether that has been happening this season, I'm not sure. And yeah the payoff in season four or five may be fantastic, and doing the third season this way might have been necessary, but that doesn't mean this third season has been enjoyable in its own right. If it's just a means to an end, I understand that, but don't also claim that this season has been as good as season two. It just isn't.

"I really have to think in terms of, OK, where are we at and what have we earned and what kind of ride do we want to take them on?" Sutter said in his interview. "Hopefully people will stick around for the ride. My experience so far is that I think perhaps the casual viewer is struggling with this season. The viewer that may be tuned in every three or four episodes in the past might be struggling with it because it is a different environment and people are at a different place."

The fact that Sons of Anarchy has casual viewers that jump in every third or fourth episode is appalling. How could you ever do that? Even if that is true, I don't think they're any more upset than many of the die-hard viewers. It is these people that are so invested, and fell so in love with this show throughout the first two seasons, that have lost a bit of faith. Heading into this season, I had all of the expectations of moving Sons into the top spot in my Power Rankings, but that hasn't happened.

I still love Sons of Anarchy, and I hope that the final four episodes of the season come through in a big way (and since I've trashed it so much in this post, I'm sure tonight's ep will be awesome), but this season has been disappointing to many of us die-hards. You're not going to throw a perfect game every time out to the mound Kurt. Let this one go and wow us in season four.

My review of tonight's Sons of Anarchy will be live over at TV Fanatic tomorrow morning. You can follow me on Twitter as @quietpool. Mo Ryan of AOL's TV Squad is on as @moryan and Sons show-runner Kurt Sutter is on as @sutterink.