Well I've reached the end of my TV season for this year. The season finales have come and gone. I've cried. I've laughed. I've questioned. I've yelled at my TV. So there is only one thing left to do. JULIA'S YEARLY ROUND UP OF HER PERSONAL ALL STARS.
This year I'm gonna do something a little different. I'm going to add some new categories to make it spicier. So we won't only be focusing on all the random characters I've had a special love for – but dwell a little deeper.
TOP 3 FAVORITE CHARACTERS
Obviously I can't repeat my faves such as Ron Swanson, Troy Barnes, Nate Archibald and my king Ken Cosgrove, but they still had some stand out moments this year.
Ron Swanson
But on to this year!
NUMBER 3 – Jake Armstrong from The Secret Circle
Oh Secret Circle, so much potential. Sexy high school students who are witches being chased by demons while dealing with teenage problems like who to take to prom? Sign Julia up. So sad this was canceled just when shit started getting real, but that's life on the CW. Jake Armstrong came in late to the season after his brother was killed by a demon and took his place. At first he was just pretty to look (but bland), but when he started putting Cassie in her place finally ("I'M CASSIE I DO WHAT I WANT EVEN THOUGH IT FUCKS EVERYONE UP"), I got intrigued. His partnership with Cassie was interesting, they were actually producing results and moving story lines forward, and their chemistry helped as well. But when he teamed up with Cassie's father when no one else wanted to, and even agreed to protect Cassie in secret (after she rejected him no less, silly girl), a sort of bad-ass came out in him. It was sincere and interesting. All his motivations started making sense and small parts of his character started coming out. I would have loved a second season to explore his character more, but I guess I will have to live in my memories of him trolling Cassie and Adam's melodramatic relationship and being the most bad ass on the show.
NUMBER 2 – Fiona Gallagher from Shameless
Oh Fiona, the girl who can't catch a break. Emmy Rossum stepped up her game this year portraying this complicated character. It was a tremendous season for Shameless, and the last few episodes were truly heartbreaking, yet uplifting in the sense that no matter how bad life gets, family and friends can make it worthwhile. You truly are never alone. Which is the biggest struggle with Fiona, she thinks/wants to always do it alone, but she really can't. The greatest moments are when her siblings step up for her, but it's always devastating when eventually someone fucks up and lets her down and she's back to carrying the weight for everyone. Her on again/off again boyfriend on the show Steve is always amazing to remind her she doesn't have to do it. That eventually people have to figure it out for themselves. The few moments he gets through to her resonate through your heart. What's great about Fiona is she's selfless and rarely feels sorry for herself. She could moan and whine about her situation (taking care of her 5 siblings with no help from fucked up mom and dad), but she takes pride in it. Get Emmy Rossum some nominations, it's time.
THIS FUCKING SCENE. WATCH IT. (ugh no embedding)
NUMBER 1 – Nick Miller from New Girl
Where to begin with Nick Miller. Holy moly. New Girl made its debut this year (more on that below), and the initial character that got everyone talking was Schmidt. But somewhere along when Nick and Jess almost had a threesome with their landlord, Jake M. Johnson stepped it up a billion notches and took Nick Miller to a whole new comedic level. Stand out episodes include when Nick thought he had cancer and the gang got mega drunk due to thinking he was going to die. It was the first episode where we got an inside look to what makes Nick so grumpy and insecure. Once we understood that, all his moments became a hundred times more hilarious. I can not praise Jake M. Johnson enough. The delivery of his lines, his facial expressions, the small subtle choices he makes has put his Nick Miller to the number one spot for me. I love him so much. Most of my laughs come from him. How to even pick a favourite moment? I literally can not sum it up, you just have to do yourself a favour and start watching the show.
MOST BAD ASS PEOPLE ON ONE SHOW – The Borgias
The first season of this show got me hooked with its over the top EVERYTHING, and the second season is not disappointing. Especially since everyone got a little more malicious. Whether it's Cesare murdering people left and right with his trusty assassin, Lucrezia trolling her older brother and killing the chick he's having sex with WHILE THEY ARE HAVING SEX (by dropping a chandelier on them), the Pope's mistress starting a threesome to keep him interested, and of course the Pope himself Jeremy Irons demanding an army of hawks to take out pigeons. This show. So ridiculous.
FAVE CAST – Parks and Recreation
This show just can't fail at this point. It's in its own corner of TV land and no one can touch it. The balance of pure comedy, sweetness, romance and physical comedy are perfectly balanced. This season the cast was thrust even more together to help Amy Poehler's character win the election. It only made them realize that they are certainly more than co-workers, they have become friends, whether they like it or not. Leslie, Jerry, Donna, Tom, Anne, Ben, April, Andy, Ron and yes, even Chris are all a perfect blend of characters that work fantastically as a group. Amazing work from the actors, and great chemistry together. One second I'll be crying, the next they have me laughing. To them coming out at one of Leslie's first rallies to "Get on Your Feet" only to fall as a group every 5 seconds or organizing an ill-fated surprise party for Jerry, the gang never has a dull moment.
CHARACTER THAT EVERYONE HATES BUT THAT I LOVE – Dave Rose from Happy Endings
To be fair, not everyone hates Dave, but in such a strong cast of amazing comedic actors who have taken this little show to a new level, one might say he is the weakest. But for some reason Dave is always cracking me up. Something about the way Zachary Knighton chooses to deliver certain lines that could be total throwaways make me appreciate him.
** honorable mention to the lady above with Dave, Alex Kerkovich, whose character went from bland to hilarious in one season. Her Ellen imitation was a comedic highlight from all comedies this season.
SHOW THAT NEEDS TO DIE – Gossip Girl
Oh GG, we've been lovers since the beginning, but you are truly starting to test my patience. The way you introduce new story lines and wrap them up in 40 minutes is leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Everyone is a caricature of themselves and not at all the same people you initially created. At this point I only tune in to catch a glimpse of my Prince Nate Archibald doing what he does best – showing up randomly for 5 minutes per episode to remind us he's on the show and being generally confused. NATEFUSED. IT'S A THING.
PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE MAKING OUT BUT AREN'T
Jason and Aria on Pretty Little Liars
Why was this story line dropped? It lasted like 5 episodes and it was amazing. Lucy Hale and dream boat Drew Van Acker (be still my heart DIOS MIOS) have amazing chemistry, and it finally spiced up Aria's story line. Her moping about her secret relationship with Ezra is starting to grow stale. There is still a part of my that enjoys the two, and I know the writers will keep them as THE couple, but throwing obstacles like Jason (who is a great character) keeps it fresh and exciting. BRING THEM BACK.
Jess and Nick from New Girl
Ay caramba these two! Clearly we are in the long haul with them, this could become a Ross and Rachel situation, but the trip so far has been a blast. With Jess living with 3 boys, of course one of them is going to become her love interest. And the path has been set for her to eventually realize she is mad crushing on Nick Miller! It took Nick awhile to even admit he liked having her around as a roommate, but by the end of the season one thing was clear: these two deeply care for each other. Both spent the first half of the season getting over terrible break ups and psyching themselves up to try dating. Both had multiple significant others through the course of the season, and their fights in between about said people revealed a lot. But at the end of the day both grew up a little and learned some lessons, and became very close friends. In the season finale, in a moment of truth when Nick revealed that he thought Jess couldn't handle being without him (he was planning to move out of the apartment), she did what we always do when we genuinely care about someone, we let them go. And in the sweetest moment of the season, she said she would be fine alone "because I met you". Nick never did move out, and their smiles at each other in the last few seconds of the episode when he comes back clearly hints that eventually their friendship will grow into something more. No matter how long it will take to get there, fans are hooked thanks to Jake M. Johnson and Zooey Deschanel's great chemistry.
*** honourable mention – Emma Swan and Jefferson from Once Upon A Time. Please make this happen. Now.
FAVE FRIENDSHIP – Ken Cosgrove and Peggy Olson from Mad Men
There have been some great friendships this year, from Mary Margaret and Emma Swan on Once Upon a Time, Abed and Troy from Community, the entire group of Happy Endings, and the threesome that was Faye, Melissa and Diana on Secret Circle, but somehow I'm putting out a friendship that we barely see. Peggy and Ken have barely had any scenes together this season, but the few we've had speak volumes about their mutual respect for each other. It was revealed that if either Ken or Peggy move to another agency or start their own, they are taking each other with them. Their own secret pact. For some reason, I love, love this. I love their secret friendship.
*** keeping with Mad Men friendships, any scenes with Joan and Don together are ace. Same with Joan and Lane. They are all adorable together.
BEST NEW SHOW – New Girl
With my gushing about Nick Miller, it's quite obvious I'm a huge fan of this show. It was a rough start, but by episode 3 a vibe between the cast and a better understanding of how to write Zooey Deschanel's character helped bring it to a new level. And by mid-season the cast was cruising along with an amazing comedic chemistry, and the writers were punching out unforgettable one liners. Between the douche bag jar, Schmidt's OCDness, Winston's secret love for musicals and Jess's quirks, this show has brought the whole "hey we're in our late twenties and thirties and confused about life" genre to a refreshing level. So many stand out moments in each episode. Below are some episode previews to give a very small taste. Just get all of season 1 and marathon that shit. Straight up.
*** honourable mention – Veep. Anything that has Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Hale AND bonus Reid Scott back on my screen is a winner. Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the Vice-President is absolutely hilarious. She is killing it.
BIGGEST TROLL – John Blackwell from The Secret Circle
Try to get all my friends to turn to black magic and then get everyone killed while I escape? Check.
Abandon my daughter? Check.
Come back 10 years later and try to gather all teenagers that are actually my illegitimate children to make an army of black magic? Check.
Ruin my daughter's relationship with her ~one true love~ by creating fake curse? Check.
And the list keeps going.
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ALL RIGHT. That's it. Thank you for reading this ridiculous entry. And don't forget to keep watching Community. Always watch Community.
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