Power Rankings

Rank. Show (Last time, Highest ranking) green = up, red = down

Honorable Mentions

Banshee (-, HM) Fridays on Cinemax

Bates Motel (17, 16) Mondays on A&E

The Following (-, 18) Mondays on FOX

Masters of Sex (-, HM) Sundays on Showtime

New Girl (14, 6) Tuesdays on FOX

The Originals (19, 19)  Tuesdays on The CW

Review (-, -) Thursdays on Comedy Central

Shameless (-, 16) Sundays on Showtime

Suburgatory (16, 16) Wednesdays on ABC

Veep (18, 18) Sundays on HBO

Top 20

20. Hello Ladies (20, 20) Sundays on HBO

19. Boardwalk Empire (12, 12) Sundays on HBO

18. The Vampire Diaries (6, 6) Thursdays on The CW

17. Arrow (-, 17) Wednesdays on The CW

16. The Mindy Project (-, 16) Tuesdays on FOX

15. Hart of Dixie (13, 13) Mondays on The CW

14. Orange is the New Black (15, 14) Netflix

13. The Goldbergs (-, 13) Wednesdays on ABC

12. Sherlock (-, 12) Sundays on PBS

11. Mad Men (11, 3) Sundays on AMC

10. Big Brother (10, 7) Summers on CBS

9. The Bridge (9, 9) Wednesdays on FX

8. True Detective (-, 8) Sundays on HBO

7. Game of Thrones (8, 2) Sundays on HBO

6. Survivor (7, 6) Wednesdays on CBS

5. Justified (2, 2) Tuesdays on FX

4. Curb Your Enthusiasm (4, 1) Sundays on HBO

3. Orphan Black (5, 3) Saturdays on BBC America

2. Wilfred (3, 2) Thursdays on FX

1. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (1, 1) Thursdays on FXX

TV Power Rankings

Rank. Show (Last time, Highest ranking) green = up, red = down

Honorable Mentions

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (-, -) Tuesdays on FOX

Crazy Ones (-, -) Thursdays on CBS

Eastbound and Down (-, -) Sundays on HBO

The Goldbergs (-, -) Tuesdays on ABC

House of Cards (HM, -) Netflix

Masters of Sex (-, -) Sundays on Showtime

Parenthood (17, 13) Thursdays on NBC

Rectify (HM, -) Mondays on Sundance

Revolution (-, -) Wednesdays on NBC

Vikings (HM, -) Sundays on History

Top 20

20. Hello Ladies (-, 20) Sundays on HBO

19. The Originals (-, 19) Tuesdays on The CW

18. Veep (20, 18) Sundays on HBO

17. Bates Motel (16, 16) Mondays on A&E

16. Suburgatory (18, 16) Wednesdays on ABC

15. Orange is the New Black (-, 15) Netflix

14. New Girl (6, 6) Tuesdays on FOX

13. Hart of Dixie (HM, 13) Mondays on The CW

12. Boardwalk Empire (13, 12) Sundays on HBO

11. Mad Men (14, 3) Sundays on AMC

10. Big Brother (9, 7) Summers on CBS

9. The Bridge (-, 9) Wednesdays on FX

8. Game of Thrones (10, 2) Sundays on HBO

7. Survivor (12, 7) Wednesdays on CBS

6. The Vampire Diaries (7, 6) Thursdays on The CW

5. Orphan Black (8, 5) Saturdays on BBC America

4. Curb Your Enthusiasm (4, 1) Sundays on HBO

3. Wilfred (5, 3) Thursdays on FX

2. Justified (2, 2) Tuesdays on FX

1. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (3, 1) Thursdays on FXX

Fallen Out: Breaking Bad (1, 1), Dexter (11, 9), Homeland (15, 3), Sons of Anarchy (19, 3)

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings

Rank. Show (Last time, Highest ranking) green = up, red = down

Honorable Mentions

Arrested Development (-, -) Netflix

Arrow (-, -) Wednesdays on The CW

Bob's Burgers (HM, -) Sundays on FOX

Community (8, 2) Thursdays on NBC

Cougar Town (19, 19) Tuesdays on TBS

The Following (18, 18) Mondays on FOX

Hart of Dixie (20, 20) Mondays on The CW

House of Cards (-, -) Netflix

Rectify (-, -) Mondays on Sundance

Vikings (-, -) Sundays on History

Top 20

20. Veep (-, 20) Sundays on HBO

19. Sons of Anarchy (17, 3) Tuesdays on FX

18. Suburgatory (HM, 18) Wednesdays on ABC

17. Parenthood (16, 13) Tuesdays on NBC

16. Bates Motel (-, 16) Mondays on A&E

15. Homeland (14, 3) Sundays on Showtime

14. Mad Men (15, 3) Sundays on AMC

13. Boardwalk Empire (-, 12) Sundays on HBO

12. Survivor (13, 12) Wednesdays on CBS

11. Dexter (12, 9) Sundays on Showtime

10. Game of Thrones (4, 2) Sundays on HBO

9. Big Brother (11, 7) Summers on CBS

8. Orphan Black (-, 8) Saturdays on BBC America

7. The Vampire Diaries (6, 6) Thursdays on The CW

6. New Girl (10, 6) Tuesdays on FOX

5. Wilfred (7, 5) Thursdays on FX

4. Curb Your Enthusiasm (5, 1) Sundays on HBO

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (3, 3) Thursdays on FX

2. Justified (2, 2) Tuesdays on FX

1. Breaking Bad (1, 1) Sundays on AMC

Fallen Out: Happy Endings (9, 6) Cancelled

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings

Rank. Show (Last time, Highest ranking) green = up, red = down

Honorable Mentions

1600 Penn (-, -) Thursdays on NBC

American Idol (-, 10) Wednesdays on FOX

Banshee (-, -) Fridays on Cinemax

Bates Motel (-, -) Mondays on A&E

Bob's Burgers (HM, -) Sundays on FOX

Nashville (HM, -) Wednesdays on ABC

Revolution (-, -) Mondays on NBC

Shameless (HM, 16) Sundays on Showtime

Sherlock (18, 17) Sundays on PBS

Suburgatory (HM, -) Wednesdays on ABC

Top 20

20. Hart of Dixie (20, 20) Mondays on The CW

19. Cougar Town (19, 19) Tuesdays on TBS

18. The Following (HM, 18) Mondays on FOX

17. Sons of Anarchy (16, 3) Tuesdays on FX

16. Parenthood (15, 13) Tuesdays on NBC

15. Mad Men (16, 3) Sundays on AMC

14. Homeland (11, 3) Sundays on Showtime

13. Survivor (17, 13) Wednesdays on CBS

12. Dexter (12, 9) Sundays on Showtime

11. Big Brother (10, 7) Summers on CBS

10. New Girl (13, 10) Tuesdays on FOX

9. Happy Endings (9, 6) Tuesdays on ABC

8. Community (3, 2) Thursdays on NBC

7. Wilfred (7, 7) Thursdays on FX

6. The Vampire Diaries (8, 6) Thursdays on The CW

5. Curb Your Enthusiasm (6, 1) Sundays on HBO

4. Game of Thrones (5, 2) Sundays on HBO

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (4, 3) Thursdays on FX

2. Justified (1, 1) Tuesdays on FX

1. Breaking Bad (2, 1) Sundays on AMC

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings

Rank. Show (Last time, Highest ranking) green = up, red = down

Honorable Mentions

The Americans (-, -) Wednesdays on FX

Arrow (HM, -) Wednesdays on The CW

Bob's Burgers (-, -) Sundays on FOX

Californication (-, 17) Sundays on Showtime

The Following (-, -) Mondays on FOX

The Joe Schmo Show (-, -) Tuesdays on Spike

Nashville (HM, -) Wednesdays on ABC

Shameless (HM, 16) Sundays on Showtime

Spartacus (-, -) Fridays on Starz

Suburgatory (-, -) Wednesdays on ABC

Top 20

20. Hart of Dixie (HM, 20) Mondays on The CW

19. Cougar Town (HM, 19) Tuesdays on TBS

18. Sherlock (19, 17) Sundays on PBS

17. Survivor (15, 14) Wednesdays on CBS

16. Sons of Anarchy (13, 3) Tuesdays on FX

15. Parenthood (16, 13) Tuesdays on NBC

14. Mad Men (17, 3) Sundays on AMC

13. New Girl (20, 13) Tuesdays on FOX

12. Dexter (14, 9) Sundays on Showtime

11. Homeland (4, 3) Sundays on Showtime

10. Big Brother (12, 7) Summers on CBS

9. Happy Endings (9, 6) Tuesdays on ABC

8. The Vampire Diaries (10, 8) Thursdays on The CW

7. Wilfred (8, 7) Thursdays on FX

6. Curb Your Enthusiasm (7, 1) Sundays on HBO

5. Game of Thrones (6, 2) Sundays on HBO

4. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (5, 4) Thursdays on FX

3. Community (3, 2) Thursdays on NBC

2. Breaking Bad (2, 2) Sundays on AMC

1. Justified (1, 1) Tuesdays on FX

* Fallen out: Fringe (series completed), Ben and Kate (cancelled)

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings

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

Honorable Mentions

30 Rock (HM, 2) Thursdays on NBC

Arrow (-, -) Wednesdays on The CW

Cougar Town (19, 19) Tuesdays on TBS

Don't Trust the B (-, -) Tuesdays on ABC

Hart of Dixie (-, -) Tuesdays on The CW

Nashville (HM, -) Wednesdays on ABC

Next Iron Chef (-, -) Sundays on Food Network

Revolution (-, -) Mondays on NBC

Shameless (20, 16) Sundays on Showtime

Wedding Band (-, -) Saturdays on TBS

Top 20

20. New Girl (-, -) Tuesdays on FOX

19. Sherlock (18, 17) Sundays on PBS

18. Ben and Kate (-, -) Tuesdays on FOX

17. Mad Men (15, 3) Sundays on AMC

16. Parenthood (14, 13) Tuesdays on NBC

15. Survivor (17, 14) Wednesdays on CBS

14. Dexter (16, 9) Sundays on Showtime

13. Sons of Anarchy (9, 3) Tuesdays on FX

12. Big Brother (13, 7) Summers on CBS

11. Fringe (11, 10) Fridays on FOX

10. The Vampire Diaries (12, 10) Thursdays on The CW

9. Happy Endings (6, 6) Tuesdays on ABC

8. Wilfred (10, 8) Thursdays on FX

7. Curb Your Enthusiasm (8, 1) Sundays on HBO

6. Game of Thrones (7, 2) Sundays on HBO

5. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (5, 5) Thursdays on FX

4. Homeland (4, 3) Sundays on Showtime

3. Community (2, 2) Fridays on NBC

2. Breaking Bad (2, 2) Sundays on AMC

1. Justified (1, 1) Tuesdays on FX

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings

This is really half-assed, but the rankings have to come out...

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

Honorable Mentions

30 Rock (16, 2) Thursdays on NBC

Ben and Kate (-, -) Tuesdays on FOX

Boardwalk Empire (14, 12) Sundays on HBO

Go On (-, -) Tuesdays on NBC

Key and Peele (-, -) Wednesdays on Comedy Central

The L.A. Complex (-, -) Mondays on The CW

Last Resort (-, -) Thursday on ABC

Nashville (-, -) Wednesdays on ABC

New Girl (-, -) Tuesdays on FOX

The Voice (-, -) Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC

Top 20

20. Shameless (18, 16) Sundays on Showtime

19. Cougar Town (20, 19) Unknown on TBS

18. Sherlock (17, 17) Sundays on PBS

17. Survivor (19, 14) Wednesdays on CBS

16. Dexter (-, 9) Sundays on Showtime

15. Mad Men (13, 3) Sundays on AMC

14. Parenthood (15, 13) Tuesdays on NBC

13. Big Brother (-, 7) Summers on CBS

12. The Vampire Diaries (11, 11) Thursdays on The CW

11. Fringe (10, 10) Fridays on FOX

10. Wilfred (12, 10) Thursdays on FX

9. Sons of Anarchy (9, 3) Tuesdays on FX

8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (8, 1) Sundays on HBO

7. Game of Thrones (7, 2) Sundays on HBO

6. Happy Endings (6, 6) Tuesdays on ABC

5. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (5, 5) Thursdays on FX

4. Homeland (3, 3) Sundays on Showtime

3. Community (2, 2) Fridays on NBC

2. Breaking Bad (4, 2) Sundays on AMC

1. Justified (1, 1) Tuesdays on FX

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- 20 Through 11

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

20. Cougar Town (-, -) Unknown on TBS
Jules and crew have really come into their own after a dreadful start to the series.  This show is worth it for the Bobby/Andy bromance alone.

19. Survivor (17, 14) Wednesdays on CBS
It's still the most watchable and interesting reality competition out there.  If they could just find more successful ways of tweaking it every season.

18. Shameless (16, 16) Sundays on Showtime
I continue to be surprised at how much I enjoy Shameless given how many characters I absolutely detest on screen.

17. Sherlock (-, -) Sundays on PBS
If this series kept its quality while changing the episode style to 12 eps of an hour, it would be one of my favorites on television.

16. 30 Rock (14, 2) Thursdays on NBC
Wait really?  30 Rock is still this high?  It hasn't had a bad season yet, which means it's getting by on decent years with at least some laughs in every episode.

15. Parenthood (15, 13) Tuesdays on NBC
There probably isn't much time left in Parenthood's lifetime, so we better enjoy it while we have it.  Maybe if they got rid of Jabbar more people would tune in.

14. Boardwalk Empire (13, 12) Sundays on HBO
A fantastic finale leaves me excited for the story to be told in season three.  The issue is that they killed off one of the most intriguing characters.

13. Mad Men (12, 3) Sundays on AMC
The most recent season wasn't bad at all, but it kept feeling like nothing was happening.  Slowly but surely, things happened, but it didn't feel that way while watching.

12. Wilfred (19, 12) Thursdays on FX
Easily the best comedy of the summer, Wilfred stepped up in a big way this second season.  They continue to come up with hilarious situation after hilarious situation.

11. The Vampire Diaries (11, 11) Thursdays on The CW
Unfortunately it seems my favorite version of Klaus won't be with us in the near future, which has me worried.  On the other hand, there's always Damon Salvatore.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

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...

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

Around the World in 80 Plates (-, -) Wednesdays on Bravo
A mix of Top Chef, The Amazing Race, and Survivor?  I'll take it.  It was still mostly Top Chef on the run, but definitely worthy of an easy watch in the summer.

Dallas (-, -) Wednesdays on TNT
This has been a very good guilty pleasure.  I never saw the original, but this new version has had more twists and back stabs than anything else on tv this year.  I'll take that.

Franklin and Bash (-, -) Tuesdays on TNT
Zack Morris as a lawyer is fun every week.  There's not much meat on the bones, but I continue to watch.

The Glass House (-, -) Mondays on ABC
This is on the list simply because it has been so memorably bad.  It is an early favorite for the Heroes Award, as this has been terrible to watch, but I also haven't looked away yet.

The League (-, 12) Thursdays on FX
The third season was a disappointment after a fantastic second year.  I'm hoping for big things from the comedy this fall.

Love in the Wild (-, -) Tuesdays on NBC
Jenny McCarthy was God awful as the host, but the second season had Ben, who was one of my favorite reality contestants in a while.

Men at Work (-, -) Thursdays on TBS
Not in contention for a Poolie come next June, but this was certainly one of the best comedies of the summer.  Hyde, Mike Cannon, and that one dude from a few eps of The O.C., made for a good trio.

The Newsroom (-, -) Sundays on HBO
Most people either love or hate The Newsroom.  I'm not one of those people, as it's been okay thus far.  I'm not outraged, and I'm not cheering.

Political Animals (-, -) Sundays on USA
Ho hum, nothing to see here.  The pilot was very interesting, but it hasn't gone much of anywhere since then.

True Blood (-, 8) Sundays on HBO
It's not what it used to be, but True Blood is also a far cry from the disaster that was season three.  It's been fun this summer.

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- 20 Through 11

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.

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.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

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 taken into account current success or failure, as well as those achievements or defeats that occurred in the past.  We begin once again with the Honorable Mentions, not necessarily the shows just missing the cut, but rather the series I feel like mentioning at this time.

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

Awake (-) Thursdays on NBC
What was once the most promising pilot of the 2011-12 season has turned into a police procedural with the occasional interesting idea floating around.  Thankfully the acting performances by Malfoy's dad and Jack Shephard's son have been extremely good, or this would be painful to watch at times.

Lucious Malfoy as Detective Britten on Awake

Big Brother (19) Summers on CBS

The summer reality series made its way back into the Top 20 back in March thanks to a weak crop of shows currently on the air, but some new additions knock Big Brother back out of the rankings.  Sometimes a horrible cast ruins the season for everybody.

The Borgias (-) Sundays on Showtime
This Showtime series has gotten out to a fantastic start to its second season.  It has been action packed, full of twists, and has created a few great relationships on screen.  If you are into historical series in any way, this is one you should definitely give a try.

Dexter (20) Sundays on Showtime
The carousel of showrunners has finally seemed to catch up with Dexter.  This season was the worst yet, but there is definitely still hope for the serial killer and company to turn things around.  With the big reveal at the end of the season, I wouldn't be surprised by a bounce back in 2013, followed by no critics admitting that it's good again.

Girls (-) Sundays on HBO
I wish I had more time to write about how much I hate this show.  I hate this show so much that, like I have done with Louie, I am going to watch every episode just make sure that it remains awful.  For a comedy it is not funny at all. There are no dramatic moments that can even compare with any good drama on television.  And all of the characters are either completely uninteresting or unbelievably detestable.  Why are critics pretending to like this show?

Magic City (-) Fridays on Starz
Not a bad start to this period drama.  Ike Evans is a protagonist that I already find myself rooting for, and Ben Diamond is among the most evil villains currently on tv.  This is an interesting take on the 50s/60s, and if NYC and advertising don't do it for you with Mad Men, how does Miami Beach and the mob sound?

New Girl (-) Tuesdays on FOX
The FOX comedy has been on a good run this spring, which is thanks in large part to the major character change in Nick Miller.  He was God awful at the start of New Girl's run, and recently, he's been carrying the series on his back.  Schmidt and Jess are staples, but Nick has been the reason it has excelled as of late.

Once Upon a Time (-) Sundays on ABC
This most recent episode showcasing August was the reason I tuned into this fairy tale series to begin with.  It had heart, it had excitement, and it revealed some secrets while providing even more questions for the audience to ask.  The more Once Upon a Time serializes itself, and the less it does random one-off episodes of new characters, the better off the show will be.

Scandal (-) Thursdays on ABC
I have been seriously surprised at how good Scandal has been through its first four episodes.  I have long since tired of Grey's Anatomy, and never quite got into Private Practice or Off the Map, so I didn't have high expectations for this Shonda Rhimes series.  There has to be someone else running the show, because this intense legal thriller has been interesting from the word go.  Like the best in the business, Scandal does a great job of weaving episodic stories with the overarching plot dealing with the President.

Veep (-) Sundays on HBO
I have yet to watch this week's second episode of the series, but after one viewing I am definitely on board.  Julia and Tony Hale won me over, and I look forward to seeing if it sticks with me or dies out slowly.

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- 20 Through 11

For my 81st post of the day, here are shows 20 through 11 of the March Power Rankings.

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

20. Dexter (17) Sundays on Showtime
I'm still holding out hope that this awful season, and the anticlimactic reveal at the end of it, haven't ruined the series completely.

19. Big Brother (-) Summers on CBS
I've missed this summer series so much that it makes its way back into the top 20.  As annoyed as I get by its contestants, it's still more interesting than most of the competitions on tv.

18. Shameless (-) Sundays on Showtime
The increased role for Steve Howey as Kevin has me thoroughly enjoying season two.

17. 30 Rock (-) Thursdays on NBC
It's been a long time since this laugher has made the power rankings, but a back-to-form sixth season will do that for you.  Jenna Maroney has been on point this year.

16. Wilfred (16) Thursdays on FX
The second season premiere date of June 28 already has me excited to watch my favorite man in a dog suit this summer.

15. Parenthood (13) Tuesdays on NBC
It hasn't gotten me as emotional as of late, but I always enjoy sitting down to watch the Bravermans.  I nice guest appearance by Kadeem Hardison a couple weeks ago didn't hurt either.

14. Survivor (15) Wednesdays on CBS
This season looks to be as good as ever, with a bunch of dudes taking out the chicks one-by-one...well except for the women winning this week.

13. Boardwalk Empire (14) Sundays on HBO
It won't return for a while, and with that finale, it's going to be tough to wait.

12. Fringe (HM) Fridays on FOX
I am still angry that I gave up on this show after seven episodes in season one.  I'm glad that I made my way back though.  It's been a fun ride, and I really hope it doesn't get cancelled this year.

11. The Vampire Diaries (12) Thursdays on The CW
The only bad thing about this underrated show is the fact that it takes such long breaks sometimes.  I wish all shows would use the cable formula of running straight through a season with no breaks.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

I am so sick right now that I can't move, but the Quiet Pool Bi-Monthly Power Rankings wait for no man's health.  So without further ado, here are March's Honorable Mentions.

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

Alcatraz (-) Mondays on FOX
I'm a few episodes behind on Alcatraz, which probably isn't a good sign.  They have yet to really grab me, but I'm hoping things pick up before the end of season one.

Hart of Dixie (-) Mondays on The CW
Summer Roberts and company have me enjoying myself every Monday in Bluebell.  It's really not all that exciting, but it's fun.

House of Lies (-) Sundays on Showtime
I still don't know what to think about the Don Cheadle dramedy.  It's really not all that funny, and the drama is not anything special.

Luck (-) Sundays on HBO
I am really enjoying Luck thus far. Nothing has been as good as the premiere, but it's all solid.

The Office (19) Thursdays on NBC
It hasn't been as bad as of late, thanks to the super group down in Tallahassee, but it's still a shell of its former self with Andy Bernard at the helm.

One Tree Hill (-) Wednesdays on The CW
They were having the best season since the fourth before the past few episodes basically stood still.  The return of Chad Michael Murray could have been so much more than it was.

Revenge (18) Wednesdays on ABC
These guys really lost me with that complete fake out with Daniel a couple weeks ago.  It's one thing to surprise the audience, and it is a whole other to do it the way they did.

The River (-) Tuesdays on ABC
I'm digging The River so far, and Joe Alexander is getting way too criticized, but it's not a blockbuster.  I like that they're only doing an eight-episode first season, because it won't allow them to get boring with their stories.

Smash (-) Mondays on NBC
Bringing Little Nicky Jonas on your show is only going to make it better.  For them it's just a shame he isn't a main character.  I've been liking Smash so far, but some of the dialogue is on a level with Terra Nova.

The Walking Dead (20) Sundays on AMC
While things have gotten a bit better over the past couple weeks, this has still been an extremely boring second season.

Quiet Poolcast- Fringe and Justified

In hopes of turning this into a weekly thing over at TV Fanatic, I got together with T-Time to practice a podcast this weekend. We discussed the recent happenings on Fringe and Justified, before delving into a few other shows with The Name Game and The Power Rankings.

Here's a timeline of the podcast so that you can skip by shows you don't watch.

Fringe: 0:00 - 12:00
Justified: 12:10 - 20:30
The Name Game
Chuck: 21:20 - 22:50
Suburgatory: 22:50 - 24:30
Once Upon a Time: 24:35 - 25:45
Treme: 25:45 - 27:10
The Office: 27:15 - 28:00
The Power Rankings
Game of Thrones: 29:20 - 31:05

Listen Here

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Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Top Ten

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- 20 Through 11

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 20 through 11 on my list.

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

20. The Walking Dead (11) Sundays on AMC
I had a difficult time keeping The Walking Dead inside the Top 20 after its horrendous fall run. They aired seven episodes of action that easily could have been done in three. This, of course, led to an extremely slow pace, and not a lot of interesting material. Also, I still haven't found a character that I enjoy.

19. The Office (12) Thursdays on NBC
The Office has not been good in its first season without Steve Carell, but it also hasn't been all that bad. Even though most write it off as awful while touting the much worse Parks and Recreation, it has been much better than expected this year. If they can figure out how to work Ed Helms out of the starring role, The Office has a chance to stay in the Top 20.

18. Revenge (HM) Wednesdays on ABC
It's so very soapy, but Revenge has been extremely fun to start the year. It's refreshing not seeing Emily Van Camp complaining every second after those last few years on Brothers and Sisters. The back half of this first season is going to have to go somewhere interesting to keep Revenge in the running for a top spot.

17. Dexter (9) Sundays on Showtime
I don't know what was worse, the terrible imaginary killer story line in which the imaginary character did non-imaginary things, the terrible Deb story line in which she seemingly fell in love with her brother, or the terrible moment to end the season when they wasted an epic moment in the series with an absolutely non-dramatic scene. I have faith that next season will be interesting though.

16. Wilfred (18) Thursdays on FX
Since June, very few have recorded comedic acting performances like Jason Gann had over the first 12 episodes of Wilfred. As long as series like The Office and Modern Family keep heading in the wrong direction, Wilfred's first season looks more and more like one of the best comedies of the year.

15. Survivor (20) Wednesdays on CBS
This move up in the rankings is more of a reflection on its competitors than on Survivor itself. This season was very good, but so many series (Dexter, Walking Dead) took nose dives that this reality giant moves up by default. With any luck the next season of Survivor will not feature Redemption Island, and will not feature a Hantz showdown.

14. Boardwalk Empire (17) Sundays on HBO
As slow-moving as the second season was for a majority of the time, it did feature one of my favorite episodes of the year. The season finale was so rewarding that it made up for some lackluster moments early on. They really went for it, and the story they decided to tell in year two was brilliant.

13. Parenthood (15) Tuesdays on NBC
The family drama never stops for the Bravermans. At this point I'm really curious what they're going to do with some of these child actors as they begin to grow up. It is already becoming glaringly obvious that Jabar is ridiculously obnoxious. He was fine as a tiny kid, but as an older one, he's brutal. Less screen time for him would be preferable.

12. The Vampire Diaries (13) Thursdays on The CW
Nobody does the cliff hanger like Vampire Diaries. Well nobody does it as often. After marathon-ing my way through the first two seasons, the third has gotten off to a quality start with Joseph Morgan stealing the show thus far.

11. Happy Endings (14) Wednesdays on ABC
This ABC comedy has become a must watch on Wednesday nights. This gang has gelled in ways that not many casts do. Adam Pally is excellent, and it has three funny females, a feat almost never achieved. Who would have thought that The Girl Next Door would be one of the funniest women on tv?

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

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. First up are the honorable mentions, which are not necessarily ranked 21-30 on my list.

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

American Horror Story (HM) Wednesdays on FX
I wasn't the biggest fan of the first season of American Horror Story, but it was definitely interesting, and I can't complain about what they decided to do in the future. I said throughout the first season that there was really nowhere this story could go following the events that were occurring. Making it an anthology, almost a la The Twilight Zone, gives it enough legs to stay on the air for a number of seasons. It was surprising, though, that they didn't try to keep stars McDermott and Britton on for the entire ride.

Boss (-) Fridays on Starz
Kelsey Grammer was fantastic in the leading role of Boss. The series was extremely well made, but lacked a bit in holding my interest overall. It did help that there were only eight episodes in the first season. Also, I will watch anything with Kathleen Robertson.

Fringe (-) Fridays on FOX
I don't even want to say much here, because I am speeding through this series so quickly at this point. Starting with the pilot about 11 days ago, I am now midway through the second season. If given time, I hope to write an entire post about how much I am loving Fringe. I highly recommend catching up on this sci-fi series if you have yet to watch it.

The Good Wife (-) Sundays on CBS
After watching five episodes of the last season before the Emmys, I was impressed by The Good Wife. Now that I've seen the first half of this season, I'm much less impressed. At times I have been bored out of my mind, and there haven't been nearly enough highs to make up for those lows.

Hell on Wheels (-) Sundays on AMC
This AMC series hasn't yet turned the corner of must watch television, but Hell on Wheels has definitely been one of the better new shows of the fall. Cullen Bohannon is a fun lead character, and Common has been a surprisingly strong number two as Elam the slave.

The League (HM) Thursdays on FX
It's had its moments this season, but there is no arguing that The League was a major step down from season two this fall. It came on strong down the stretch, mostly thanks to Kevin going insane over his need to win a championship, but most of the time it missed on a lot of jokes. Sometimes it just became to crude for its own good.

Modern Family (19) Wednesdays on ABC
This is the first time Modern Family has been out of the Top 20 since November of 2009. It has been on a long and slow journey downhill since bursting onto the scene. This year has just been extremely lackluster, and I can't help but not laugh while watching it these days. Phil continues to be the highlight, but other than him and the one sentence Luke gets each week, Modern Family just isn't all that funny.

New Girl (HM) Tuesdays on FOX
Zooey Deschanel has been terrific as Jess on the New Girl, and the show is worth it just to watch her light up the screen, but the rest of the cast is really dragging it down. Schmidt is off and on, Winston has given nothing, and Nick is just the absolute worst. Just make it all Jess all the time.

Once Upon a Time (HM) Sundays on ABC
If you can look past the absolutely awful special effects, Once Upon a Time has a great start to its first season. The story telling is fun. The characters are likable. Most importantly, I can't wait to figure out the inner workings of this universe. That's something that can make a show work so well.

Next Iron Chef (-) Sundays on Food Network
If you enjoy Top Chef, you really should start watching this cooking competition. On this most recent season, the contestants were all ridiculously talented and famous. You don't get all of the terrible food that some of the awful cooks on Top Chef put on the plate, but instead, you get fantastic food by fantastic chefs that you know. And as a bonus, the winner becomes an Iron Chef and joins the pantheon of greats in America.