2011-2012 Rank: 10 (-)
This past season Cougar Town enjoyed its first season on a new network. Thanks for the save TBS! The show may have even gotten better on the new network. The
move from ABC to basic cable allowed them to be slightly edgier with their comedy, which doesn’t happen too often with comedies (typically found on network television). Cougar Town remains a highly underrated show, but fortunately the devoted fan base and support from TBS has allowed it to be renewed for season 5.
2011-2012 Rank: 6 (-3)
It has been a glorious seven season run for 30 Rock. The show premiered in 2006
against another show about a behind-the-scenes look at television. Of course, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip only lasted one season while 30 Rock went seven. Though the
ratings struggled, 30 Rock was a critical gem. They earned a combined 57 Emmy nominations during their seven-season run while collecting 11 wins. Awards included Outstanding Writing (3), Guest Star (2-Elaine Stritch/Tim Conway), Lead Actress (1-Tina Fey), Lead Actor (2-Alec Baldwin) and Comedy Series (3). It was nice that 30 Rock chose their ending instead of being abruptly cancelled, much like their fellow
NBC Thursday night comedy The Office which just ended a nine season run.
2011-2012 Rank: 8 (+1)
I still find it incredible how much of a powerhouse Big Bang Theory has become. In a world where numerous singing and dancing shows dominate the ratings, Big Bang Theoryhas stood above the rest (besides NCIS) as a show watched by a large portion of the country. Big Bang had become a great representative of today’s culture and trends. Once regarded as negative by the general public, being a geek is now trendy. That comes with how much society now relies on technology and the internet. It is normal to be interested in these things. It also doesn’t hurt that the children of the 80’s who were the first to grow up with computers and video games are now contributing young adults contributing to pop culture and the advancement of technology.
2011-2012 Rank: 7 (-)
After eight seasons, there seems to be no line It’s Always Sunny is afraid to cross. More surprisingly, no matter how awful the line is they are crossing, the viewers continue to love it and want more. Sunny touches on so many topics that would be off limits to most shows and movies. Yet they continue their quest to make the viewers squirm, and of course laugh in the process.
2011-2012 Rank: 5 (-1)
Happy Endings continued to show that a comedy about adult friends living in a big city can still be fresh and fun. Every character on the show is funny and slightly absurd in their own ways. I’ve always really enjoyed how the six friends could be put together in any combination to create new and exciting storylines. It was even a
joke when two characters, Brad and his sister-in-law Alex, were left alone and realized they always struggle to have conversations by themselves. Of course they ended up finding common ground (romantic comedies). Much like the characters on It’s Always Sunny, their style of comedy is often very loud and aggressive. It always makes for good laughs though.
I must also mention the fact that there was an episode based on the group playing adult kickball...complete with WAKA branding! This is another great comedy I’ll be sad to see go.
2011-2012 Rank: 3 (-2)
There was big news on Raising Hope this past season as Jimmy and Sabrina got married. I feel like it all happened so fast, but it also seems right. Now going into a fourth season, there will be a new dynamic in which the newlyweds and daughter Hope have moved out of Jimmy’s parents’ house. There was always a lot of comedy
brought on from there be many people living in such a small space. Hopefully the move doesn’t take away from the quality of the show. My guess is it won’t.
2011-2012 Rank: 8 (+4)
I sort of surprised that I only have New Girl ranked 8th last year. This is a show I definitely look forward to every week. Unlike most of the comedies on here involving adult friends, the four main characters on this show all live together. So those close quarters can provide great opportunities for comedic storylines (much like Raising Hope). There will be some tension leading into season 4 as two of the roommates, Jess and Nick, have decided to start dating.
2011-2012 Rank: 4 (+1)
Many shows that are on for several seasons tend to lose quality as time goes on. I believe Parks and Rec is an exception to that rule. The show which had a very weak first season rebounded by changing things up and finding a formula that works. The ensemble cast is large, but every character is integral in one way or another (except maybe Ann). This upcoming season will see the departure of two characters, Chris Traeger and Ann Perkins. Not sure what the plans are but it will lit-er-al-ly be sad to see Chris go.
2011-2012 Rank: 1 (-1)
Though Community was put on the backburner with NBC's fall schedule, they returned in the Spring with an efficient, shortened season. In typical Community fashion, the show did episodes spoofing various genres and movies/shows, like using puppets of themselves to explain a difficult ordeal to Dean Pelton, a Hunger Games-like event to fill limited spots in an easy class about ice cream, a Shawshank Redemption-like narrated Thanksgiving and a body swap incident involving Troy and Abed. However with all the themes and gimmicks, Community still does a great job with realistic character storylines, like Jeff reuniting with his estranged father for the first time in many years, Abed struggling with Troy having a girlfriend and eventually Troy and Britta struggling to deal with the problems within their relationship. The season ends with Jeff graduating, which will lead to a new chapter in the groups' lives. Though I would have been satisfied with the last episode being a series finale, I am excited that Community was surprisingly renewed.
2011-2012 Rank: 2 (+1)
It has been a glorious run for How I Met Your Mother, and now they can finish the series on their terms. This upcoming season will be the final one. Last season began with the "Autumn of breakups," which apparently were all beginnings of the end for each characters' single lives. Barney/Quinn broke off their engagement due to trust issues, Victoria broke it off with Ted mainly because of his friendship with Robin (who he cheated on Victoria with many seasons ago) and Robin broke up with Nick after realizing he wasn't right for her. Barney later devised an eloborate scheme to basically help Robin realize she still loved him, then surprised her with a rooftop proposal that was easily the sweetest thing we've ever seen Barney do. Lily and Marshall dealth with being parents and ended the season with dream job opportunities in different places. And of course on the last scene of the season, the viewers laid eyes on a certain yellow umbrella-toting girl at a train station. Cue the final season!
11. Portlandia
12. The Office
13. House of Lies
14. Archer
15. Suburgatory