MY PICK OF 2011's BEST TV DRAMAS

#1 Friday Night Lights: Because the emotions felt real, every step of the way. Because I cried with/for those people and loved them. Because I don't know when a piece of fiction has affected me so deeply, or when I've been as proud to admit it. I come from a small town, too, (on the other side of the world) but I get it. The sports thing. Who would have thought you could do a TV series about that and make it deep and meaningful and compelling? 10/10

#2 Breakout Kings: Because of the ingenious premise and fascinating group dynamics (the best since Prison Break). The relentless action/violence is a big plus, too. The heroes are bad-ass and the show is a rush. 10/10

#3 The Good Wife*: Because Julianna Margulies steals every scene (frequently without dialogue) just on the strength of her serene presence alone. And I love rooting for Alicia to win. The show's stories are genuinely clever and they offer a fresh take on legal shows, I love the moral ambiguity of it all and the characters/cast are constantly given strong scenes/stories. Everyone is given a chance to shine. And they do. 10/10

#4 Damages: Because I am eternally fascinated by the mind-games these two women play with each other. Every conversation between them is like watching two chess masters do their thing. And it's cool to see two strong, intelligent women like this. Also: this season had superb bad guys (again), the death toll was high and the cliffhanger was jaw-dropping. 10/10

#5 Homeland: Because I didn't know from week to week what was going to happen next. Because I adore Carrie and desperately want her to be right and save the day, and because Claire Danes' performance is the best we've seen on television in a long while. 9/10


#6 Flashpoint*: Because there's a perfect balance between action and emotion. Very few shows can push my buttons and bring a tear to the eye, the fact that this one can while also having lengthy and exciting action sequences never ceases to amaze me. 9/10

#7 Human Target*: Because the hero is cool, and the show is fun and clever. I love the cast. The stories were either interesting or told in a manner that was interesting. And the OTT actions scenes were a blast. (Chance barrelling down the lift-shaft upside down, guns blazing, is one of the coolest things I've ever seen a TV action hero do.) 9/10

#8 Breaking Bad*: Because the two guys are cool, the actors are fantastic, the story in unpredictable, the visuals are unique, and there have been a couple of times when I have been stunned by something that just happened. 9/10

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