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 well in the past. We now move onto those ranked 20 through 11.
Rank. Show (Last Time, Highest Ranking) green=moving up, red=moving down
20. Top Chef (-, 18) Wednesdays on Bravo
It wasn't the best season that Top Chef recently finished, but you can never go wrong with sitting down to a nice and easy episode of this cooking classic. If the unbelievably annoying Sarah hadn't made it to the final three, this reality competition might have made its way even further up the rankings.
19. Wilfred (16, 16) Thursdays on FX
This strange comedy returns to television screens in less than two months, premiering its second season on June 28. Jason Gann and Elijah Wood were terrific in the first season, with the former putting forth one of my favorite individual performances of the year.
18. The River (HM, 18) Tuesdays on ABC
In all likelihood, with the below average ratings it continually brought in, The River was probably a single season endeavor. It was a pretty good season though. The eight episode run made it possible to keep things tight and not bore the audience at all, while the mystery always kept me guessing.
17. Survivor (14, 14) Wednesdays on CBS
While I still find it as the top reality show in the game, Survivor takes a bit of a drop due to the severe lack of talent on this year's cast. Thanks to the fact that the women have taken control of the game, we are probably in for a mediocre end to the season, especially since the lone entertaining dude - Troyzan - is out the door.
16. Shameless (18, 16) Sundays on Showtime
Even though the show found a way to ruin my favorite first season character - Lip - Frank and Kevin made such great strides in season two that Shameless continues to climb up the Power Rankings. Now that I'm thinking of it, Frank's ex, his mom, Sheila, and Ian all were absolutely worthless as well. Maybe I didn't like this season as much as I thought I did.
15. Parenthood (15, 13) Tuesdays on NBC
I feel like it has been forever since Parenthood has been on the air, and I've wanted to slap Jabbar across the face. Do I just have too much hate built up right now? There ARE characters on these shows that I enjoy. Adam, Max, and Joel are a fantastic trio on Parenthood. If they could find a way to get Sam Jaeger more screen time, this show could be in contention of the Top Ten.
14. 30 Rock (17, 2) Thursdays on NBC
Maybe I am still on a high from the great live show last week, which introduced us all to this instant classic - "Alfie and Abner" - but I think 30 Rock is having itself a fine season. If Tina Fey could only figure out to write her own character in a way that didn't make me want to throw up so much, this comedy could make it back to the top of the heap.
13. Boardwalk Empire (13, 12) Sundays on HBO
Nothing much to see here as Boardwalk won't return again until this fall. The HBO drama concluded its season in fine fashion, not unlike the similarly loved Breaking Bad. It's just too bad that neither can figure out a way to start its seasons the way they end them.
12. Mad Men (10, 3) Sundays on AMC
Mad Men is great and all, but a conversation I had with T-Time recently helped me understand why it will never be in the same league as the top dramas on television. The stakes are just never as high, and nothing ever seems as important as what goes on during an episode of Justified or Game of Thrones. That's not to say that you need murders to make a show fascinating, but it is just the scope of everything that is happening just seems a bit trivial.
11. The Vampire Diaries (11, 11) Thursdays on The CW
The CW's lone hit has continued its success this season. To go along with non-stop action, unlimited twists and turns, and some great romance among its characters, The Vampire Diaries benefits from what I have discovered is the best looking cast on television. Top to Bottom, male and female, TVD's cast is the best looking, and I'm not sure how close it is.
It wasn't the best season that Top Chef recently finished, but you can never go wrong with sitting down to a nice and easy episode of this cooking classic. If the unbelievably annoying Sarah hadn't made it to the final three, this reality competition might have made its way even further up the rankings.
19. Wilfred (16, 16) Thursdays on FX
This strange comedy returns to television screens in less than two months, premiering its second season on June 28. Jason Gann and Elijah Wood were terrific in the first season, with the former putting forth one of my favorite individual performances of the year.
18. The River (HM, 18) Tuesdays on ABC
In all likelihood, with the below average ratings it continually brought in, The River was probably a single season endeavor. It was a pretty good season though. The eight episode run made it possible to keep things tight and not bore the audience at all, while the mystery always kept me guessing.
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| How long could this mockumentary go on with The River? |
17. Survivor (14, 14) Wednesdays on CBS
While I still find it as the top reality show in the game, Survivor takes a bit of a drop due to the severe lack of talent on this year's cast. Thanks to the fact that the women have taken control of the game, we are probably in for a mediocre end to the season, especially since the lone entertaining dude - Troyzan - is out the door.
16. Shameless (18, 16) Sundays on Showtime
Even though the show found a way to ruin my favorite first season character - Lip - Frank and Kevin made such great strides in season two that Shameless continues to climb up the Power Rankings. Now that I'm thinking of it, Frank's ex, his mom, Sheila, and Ian all were absolutely worthless as well. Maybe I didn't like this season as much as I thought I did.
15. Parenthood (15, 13) Tuesdays on NBC
I feel like it has been forever since Parenthood has been on the air, and I've wanted to slap Jabbar across the face. Do I just have too much hate built up right now? There ARE characters on these shows that I enjoy. Adam, Max, and Joel are a fantastic trio on Parenthood. If they could find a way to get Sam Jaeger more screen time, this show could be in contention of the Top Ten.
14. 30 Rock (17, 2) Thursdays on NBC
Maybe I am still on a high from the great live show last week, which introduced us all to this instant classic - "Alfie and Abner" - but I think 30 Rock is having itself a fine season. If Tina Fey could only figure out to write her own character in a way that didn't make me want to throw up so much, this comedy could make it back to the top of the heap.
13. Boardwalk Empire (13, 12) Sundays on HBO
Nothing much to see here as Boardwalk won't return again until this fall. The HBO drama concluded its season in fine fashion, not unlike the similarly loved Breaking Bad. It's just too bad that neither can figure out a way to start its seasons the way they end them.
12. Mad Men (10, 3) Sundays on AMC
Mad Men is great and all, but a conversation I had with T-Time recently helped me understand why it will never be in the same league as the top dramas on television. The stakes are just never as high, and nothing ever seems as important as what goes on during an episode of Justified or Game of Thrones. That's not to say that you need murders to make a show fascinating, but it is just the scope of everything that is happening just seems a bit trivial.
11. The Vampire Diaries (11, 11) Thursdays on The CW
The CW's lone hit has continued its success this season. To go along with non-stop action, unlimited twists and turns, and some great romance among its characters, The Vampire Diaries benefits from what I have discovered is the best looking cast on television. Top to Bottom, male and female, TVD's cast is the best looking, and I'm not sure how close it is.
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