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Mark's Best of 2013

At first, I wanted to do something a little different this year. But I soon realised that that would require me to actually think of something different, so I ultimately decided against it. This is Christmas. It's not a time for thinking. It's a time for stuffing your face and saying "Thank you, it's just what I wanted" with absolute sincerity. So I ultimately settled for just doing the exact same thing I did last year.

Profitez de mes amis.

Oh, and beware the Spoiler Kitten if you don't watch any of the shows in the tags but might want to someday.

Most Stylish Serial Killer - Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal


No matter the situation, whether it's preparing a meal or "preparing a meal", the not so good doctor always looked immaculate.

Most Stylish Queen - Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time)


Even when trekking through the jungle on a seemingly endless quest to save her son, the Evil Queen always looks fantastic, despite losing the ability to button up her shirt.

The Prince Michael of Moldavia Award for Most Disastrous Wedding goes to... The Red Wedding (Game of Thrones)



What else was it going to be?

Best Show More People Need to Watch - Continuum


Now that Fringe has finished, this Canadian import is the best sci-fi series currently on the air. Like Fringe, hardly anyone is watching it. Unlike Fringe. hardly anyone is complaining about the fact hardly anyone is watching it.

Best TV Detective Who Has No Time For Your Bullshit - Stella Gibson (The Fall)


Detective Superintendent is too small a title for Stella. She should be proclaimed Queen Empress of Police.

Most Emotional Goodbye - Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie's Poirot)


We've lost a lot of TV characters this year. Serious, just look at this list and weep (or cheer). But the one that made me saddest of all was that of David Suchet's Poirot. Because I've known this funny little Belgian for pretty much my entire life, I've long since thought of him not as a TV character but more as an eccentric uncle, one who would pop by every so often to tell me stories of murderer and deceit. Losing him was like losing a member of the family.

Best Classic Show I Spent a Whole Week Watching From Beginning to End for the First Time in Years - Batman: The Animated Series


Many of the shows you loved as a kid don't hold up well when viewed with grown up eyes. Batman: The Animated Series, on the other hand, not only still looks fantastic twenty years later, but is actually better written than most modern dramas.

Best Surprise Comeback - The Eighth Doctor (Doctor Who)


Of the many treats the Moff has blessed us with this year, this was by far the one I appreciated the most.

Best Unsurprising Comeback - Alice Morgan (Luther)


Alice's return came as a surprise to no one. What was surprising was that she and John got to ride off into the sunset together. A happy ending on Luther? Wonders never cease.

The Tatiana Maslany Award for Being Tatiana Maslany goes to... Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black


A surprise winner this one. My money was on Tatiana Maslany.

Best Use of Johnny Cash to Emotionally Devastate an Already Fragile Fanbase - Person of Interest



Watch this and try not to break down. Go on, I dare you.

Best Preacher Who Isn't a Preacher – Boyd Crowder (Justified)


There is not a religious bone in my body (unless you count Whedonism as a religion), but I could honestly listen to Walton Goggins recite Bible verses all day long.

The “Holy Teen Wolf, Batman” Award for Show that Turned Out to Be Better Than Expected goes to… The Originals


After the mess that The Vampire Diaries became in season 4, I had absolutely zero intention of ever watching its spin-off. And yet somehow The Originals has become my favourite new show of the fall season. How the frak did that happen?

Best Reason to Keep Watching a Declining Show - Katherine Pierce (The Vampire Diaries)



Oh, Kitty Kat, why must you be so wonderful? I want to quit the show for good, but you just keep pulling me back.

Best Self Written Epitaph - Hank Schrader (Breaking Bad)


"My name is ASAC Schrader, and you can go fuck yourself."

The Castiel Award for Best Addition to an Already Great Cast goes to... Tamsin (Lost Girl)


To make use of an old cliche, it's impossible to imagine the show without Tammy Tam now.

Best Post-Bloodbath Musical Number - Puttin' on the Ritz (Being Human)


Hal has just fallen off the wagon and turned an entire pub full of punters into vampires. So what does he do next? Belt out some Irving Berlin of course.

11 comments:

  1. Mark, I'm so delighted to discover that you share the Continuum love! More people definitely need to watch this show. I guess we need to complain louder. :)

    And speaking of Canadian imports, I completely agree that Tamsin was a great addition to Lost Girl. I look forward to seeing more of her and the gang when Season 4 hits the States in about two weeks!

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  2. We do, Jess. I'm this close to loudly protesting outside people's homes and refusing to go away until they start watching.

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  3. I completely agree with you on the Johnny Cash song and scene. Probably the best four minutes of television all year.

    Great list!

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  4. You do know Katherine is just the lead VD actress with her hair teased, right? :op

    Personally I wish they'd kept Numidia (or whatever her name was) on the show for a while longer. It might be amusing to see if they could give Nina D. a nervous breakdown from trying to keep three different characters straight.

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  5. Such fun! Thanks Mark. I will start watching Continuum this minute!

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  6. So much agreement! Lots of good TV this year. Don't change your format, Mark. It's always a lot of fun to read.

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  7. Another Continuum fan, reporting in. The show just gets better all the time. I do tell people about it, and some do watch and enjoy it, but we really do need to get more people on board.

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  8. Yeah baby! Nice to see the Batman: The Animated Series get a shoutout.

    That show is still amazing to this day. I did a run-through as well a couple months agoand was just blown away by how well it holds up.

    Mark Hamill as the Joker can't be beat and Kevin Conroy is fantastic. And let's not forget, this is the show that gave us Harley Quinn!

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  9. Ah yes, before I forget. I'll be sad to see Poirot go. I love David Suchet's portrayal of him.

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  10. Really liked your Regina Mill's description. It made my day) Thanks for that.

    Also... You are totally right about Tamsin! It's difficult to imagine the show without her.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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