The Best Shows of 2013

Huh, I suppose it’s time to do one of those obligatory “best of the year” lists. 2013 saw me further delve into my second favorite medium of entertainment via some amazing shows. I branched out into new genres and gained a much deeper appreciation for anime, amongst other foreign entertainment. In other words, I sat on my ass for a wider variety of reasons and watched plenty of new things.

So here are my top five shows of 2013. I don’t go into great detail, so fear not the deadly spoiler.

5. Arrested Development- Netflix has a done a wonderful thing. Thanks to their new initiative of creating “Netflix Originals,” there has been an influx of worthy dramas and comedies. Particularly the return of the short lived- but well received- Arrested Development.

True to form the Bluth family is back and stirring up all sorts of hilarious debauchery. Seeing the entire core cast return and practically not miss a single beat is a thing of chuckle-worthy beauty. What made the previous three seasons succeed is the ever-witty combination of crass humor and the more well thought out jokes.  No boundary is too far, as the writers know when to even make fun of themselves, which there is plenty of.

The biggest change is in the presentation. While Michael (Jason Bateman) is still the main focus, each episode tells the season’s story from a different character’s perspective. What this allows for is a culmination of laughter every time paths are crossed and doubly so in the finale.

While it takes a couple episodes to fully get back into the swing of things. Season four of Arrested Development is another welcomed addition to the best comedy out there.

4. Flowers of Evil (Aku no Hana)- Ignore the whiners who complain about the change of art style from the manga, Flowers of Evil is disturbingly delicious.

Masquerading as a simple slice-of-life comedy about high school boy- Kasuga- stealing his crushes’ gym uniform, Flowers of Evil quickly turns into a psychological fuck-house. As a witness to his “sin” classmate, Sawa, blackmails and tortures Kasuga to the brink. Each episode ramps up the tension as he is manipulated further and further into madness as the thought of social ridicule looms over his guilty conscious.

In a mere 13 episodes the arcs are profoundly significant. You may be wondering how high could the stakes possibly be when the biggest offense is a stolen gym uniform, but damn are there some catastrophic moments which put the human psyche on display.

As far as cliche sayings going, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” is an excellent descriptor for Flowers of Evil. Backed by one the most unsettling ending themes, and a incredible tease of the second season, you’d be a damn fool to miss out on this gem. At first you’ll be saying “what the hell am I watching,” but by the end you’ll question “why the hell haven’t I been watching?”

3. Game of Thrones- Is anyone honestly surprised by the fact that Game of Thrones continues to be stellar? Each season seems to electrify the not-so-cheery happenings of Westeros, and season three is no different.

Few shows could continue to add more characters and plots while managing to weave such a compelling narrative. Veteran faces such as Jaime and Arya have started forging their own paths- just as enjoyable as those before- while newbies like Berric and Lady Olenna solidify the foundations.

You can’t talk about season three without mentioning the now infamous Red Wedding. I’ll avoid spoilers, but this is scene is arguably more memorable than the execution in “Balor” of season one. Such gut-wrenching has surely caused more than a few to turn away from sheer fear of being subjected to any more pain.

While not ending on as great of a high-note as season two- splitting a book will do that- Game of Thrones continues to give good reason why it’s not only one of my favorite shows, but a cultural phenomena.

2. Breaking Bad- The end of a brilliant journey. Breaking Bad may not be my favorite show, but I can’t deny it’s holistically the most well put together I’ve seen. Every aspect is a showcasing of masterful talent and season five lights the final powder-keg , exploding into almost everything I had hoped for.

Walter and Jesse continue to be the best duo on television while their worlds come crashing down around them. What Breaking Bad gets that most other shows fail to truly understand is the art of storytelling. Pacing, misdirection, deep character arcs, and beautiful cinematography have always been a mainstay of the series and the second half of season five rises to the top.

Shows typically increase the tension in each successive episode- it’s a natural tactic- but the final half of season five excels in this manner. Being able to wait for Sunday to roll around for eight straight weeks has to be cause for some sort of accolade. Not a moment is wasted on letting the viewer breath while forging on to the conclusion.

Here’s where I tend to disagree with people though. While I enjoy the final episode, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. Don’t misunderstand me. It’s a good ending, but not the ending I expected after five amazing seasons. So yeah.That’s my biggest complaint about the final eight episodes of Breaking Bad, and the only reason it isn’t number one.

1. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)- Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! How could anything possibly top both Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. By being Attack on Titan, that’s how.

Attack on Titan does to the shonen genre what Evangelion and Madoka Magica did to each of their respective homes. A strong will, courage, and friendship will not win the day: they’ll get you killed. While traditional stories are often told through exposition and dialogue, AoT imparts its tale through the action and the intense atmosphere surrounding it. In a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction due to the little understood man-eating humanoids known as titans, there is not a whole lot of hope and cheer.

Game of Thrones is notorious for killing off its cast no matter if they’re despised or fan favorites, and AoT -in many regards- makes GoT feel like a Disney fairytale in comparison. The oppressive world never lets up and when death arrives it’s not this played up event Hollywood has made mainstream. It’s often swift, brutal, embarrassing, and emotionally devastating. Imagine having to watch Red Wedding-like episodes several times in the matter of 26 outings, and potentially more considering a second season seems guaranteed at this point.

It should come as no surprise that AoT took the anime industry by storm this past year. Tetsuro Araki (Death Note) is a highly talented director who had a lot to work with in manga author Hajime Isayama’s work. Paired with one of the best composers in the business, Hiroyuki Sawano, who created a soundtrack with few equals, and each and every second of AoT is a tension filled nightmare.

If you’re an anime fan, you’ve more than likely made the logical choice of watching or intending to watch Attack on Titan. If you’re not an anime fan and you have some sort of aversion towards the genre, STOP! You’re only cheating yourself out of the best show of 2013.

Honorable mentions:

Oreimo- A comedy anime about otaku culture and the more socially unacceptable sides of it.

Kill la Kill- A farcical, parody/satire anime that’s off-the-walls and into your face with everything that’s missing from American action shows.

House of Cards- Game of Thrones’ political machinations sans the fantasy and mass violence, and full of “Netflix Original” and Kevin Spacey.

I Watch Things Too: Viggo Mortensen is Satan!

Samurai Champloo- As the second brainchild of Cowboy Bebop director, Shinichiro Watanabe, it’s safe to say my expectations for Samurai Champloo were through the roof. As far as I’m concerned, Bebop is a near perfect testament as to what anime can achieve. Samurai Champloo is, well it’s not as good, but it’s still a fantastic piece of entertainment.

Japan’s Edo period is no stranger to anime, but the great thing about Wanatabe’s work is the oozing of soul. Pre-industrial revolution Japan melds with the hip-hop themes at play in a charming fashion.  It’s mature, yet playful in its brazenly stylized action, but never forgets to drizzle in the proper amount of levity.

Much like in Bebop, most episodes are loosely tied to the main plot. They’re by no means filler, but it’s the double episodes archs which really progress the story. As a result, some episodes lack a sense of impact no matter how enjoyable they are. For example, one episode has the three protagonists- Mugen, Jin, and Fuu,-  experience a psychedelic trip, with no ramifications to the overarching narrative.

As far as characters go, it’s a very inclusive cast. Mugen, Jin, and Fuu play off each other extremely well. They each rely on the “secret past” cliche but how they develop along the way is what really matters. For example, Mugen, my favorite of the bunch, is an all-around cocky asshole. He epitomizes the anti-hero early on, but eventually peels back his crass exterior, revealing a sympathetic sob-story.  

But what is an anime critique without a discussion of the animation itself? Several phrases and terms come to mind, those being stunning, eye-candy, visual ecstasy, and ocular bliss. Each and every character has a unique sense of fluidity and the color palettes make the environments leap out and slap you with the caressing and supple hand of art. Tor bring up Mugen again, oh good lord does is his spastic fighting style an utter joy to watch. In fact, other than Fuu, most character don’t adhere to the typical anime art-style.

Much like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo is an all-around refreshing experience. It’s always clear when your watching Watanabe's handy-work, thanks to the shear individuality and high level of craftsmanship to it, and Champloo is a prime example.

The Evil Dead &  Evil Dead 2: Dead Before Dawn- The other day while playing some Poker Night at the Inventory 2, I had knocked Ash Williams off the table and realized something. Army of Darkness is a thing, and thing that I have not seen in years. So I booted up Netflix , but to my disappointment they didn’t have it. They did however have the first two movies of The Evil Dead trilogy.

After watching the films I was reminded how batshit crazy it is. The first movie is remarkable bit of horror. It’s a blood bath, but not in the same sense we receive them today. The Evil Dead’s horror initially starts off as the more traditional physical threat, eventually mixing in some physiological debauchery for good measure.

Evil Dead 2: Dead Before Dawn on the other hand, well that movie is fucking bonkers. The Camp-O-Meter is cranked up to full-blast as Ash, the protagonist, even dukes it out with his own possessed hand while dishing out one-liners and catch phrases like “Grooooooooovy!” The first 20 minutes even contradict the events of the previous film. It’s a drastic departure, but still rather enjoyable when approached with the right mindset. I’ve  chalked up the differences to Ash’s descent into becoming a blithering lunatic, but maybe that’s more work than necessary on the viewer's part.

All in all, they’re entertaining movies. The first is certainly more grounded and therefore approachable. The second seems to almost go out of it’s way to piss-off fans of the first while being too incoherent to to be enjoyed by newcomers. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a creative coupling of horror, set your peepers upon The Evil Dead.

The Prophecy- You know those movies that are so bad they’re almost good. Well this isn’t one of them. The Prophecy is simply bad and I knew that going into it. So why did I bother? Well, I was told Viggo Mortensen plays an excellent Satan. Truth be told, he does. The sad thing is he doesn't show up until the final 30 minutes.

The story goes along the lines of a war between angles. Although this war seems to be more low key and between Gabriel (Christopher Walken), one other dull-as-dirt angel, and a few inconsequential mortals.  There really is nothing redeemable or the least bit captivating.

Back to good ol’ Viggo though.  The reason for his involvement is just...well so apropos of Satan. He wants nothing more than to remain the only embodiment of evil and Gabriel’s rebellion threatens that. So he comes, fucks shit up, cuts a deal with the humans, and leaves.

You know what, let me save you the trouble of watching the whole film for a single scene. To the YouTubes!

Into the Wild- Chances are at one point in your life you’ve had the urge to drop everything and go off the grid. For most of us, this is a passing desire. For Chris McCandless, this is exactly what he did 1990 after graduating college.

Into the Wild is based on the novel of the same name which in turn based on the true events of McCandless’ life as wanderer. As a college student  it’s a very endearing and sympathetic tale. Society really can be a drag, and every now and then I want nothing more than to forgo all the rules and travel the world. While the Alaskan wilderness is beyond me, I still fully understand the sentiment. So much of Into the Wild is handled with the utmost care. The acting, cinematography, and retelling of McCandless’ story are remarkable. My only gripe would have to be the pacing. At times certain chapters can drag on. It’s a minor slip in an otherwise enjoyable experience.

I’d elaborate further, but this is a film best begun blindly. Just know it’s worth your time.

Sons of Anarchy- For four and a half seasons I’ve watched Sons of Anarchy and in all that time I’ve been mildly entertained. It’s goes back and forth between just about everything. Attempting to straddle the line between a rough and tumble bro-drama and a serious piece of entertainment shooting for the Emmy’s. The problem is, the machismo never really lets up enough to allow a whole lot of character or plot progression. By the fifth season you’re pleading to have Clay and Jax finally stop their dance. For fives seasons you wonder why no gets fed up with Gemma’s constant shitty attitude and troublemaking.  Consistency is important, but too much will drown the audience in boredom.

It’s not all bad though. Jax, Opie, and a few others are able to carry the action longer than the inconsistent acting deserves. Jax is especially sympathetic as he’s one of the few who realizes the biker gang life isn’t all that grand. His constant struggle to keep his friends happy while finding a way out and do what’s best for his family manages to keep a palpable level of tension.

Sons of Anarchy’s biggest problem is pretty darn obvious. It’s okay to try and straddle the line between mindless action and a well written story, but when you do such a humdrum job on either front, nothing becomes particularly memorable. The action is cheesy and the writing meddles in the putrescent waters of mediocrity.  

Oreimo- I’m a sucker for analyzation and subversion. Oreimo is no Attack on Titan or Evangelion, but as far as slice-of-life comedies go, it’s shockingly good. Albeit a bit odd, even for anime standards. Okay, maybe it actually gets really odd by the end, but that’s part of the magic. 

When high schooler Kyosuke Kousaka finds out his little sister’s, Kirino, humiliating secret there cold-war relationship goes by the wayside as the two become close friends. Of course Kirino's secret isn't all that typical. She’s not only an otaku, but a fierce fan of eroge. For most of the duration of Oreimo, the story plays second fiddle to the characters. It’s a colorful cast who each possess a number of flaws but never fail to bring a smile to my face with their goofy antics.

Cliches and idiotic episode systems be damned! Oreimo's playing-up of anime tropes ends up working in it's favor in tongue-in-cheek sort of way. I don't want to pretend it's all clever, but it's laugh-worthy, and isn't that the point?

I usually avoid spoiler territory, but you’ll have no such luck from here on out. So if you’ve not finished all of Oreimo, steer clear.

That ending. So after a series of clever reveals, Kirino and Kyosuke act on their taboo feelings and see each other in secret. Seeing such a thing was cold slap across the face. I also began contemplating one matter in particular.

By all accounts society views such things as strictly forbidden. I’d wager that more than a few would be disgusted by the content in Oreimo, especially the positive light in which it’s shown. But in comparison to how poorly some entertainment handles far more heinous material, is Oreimo really all that bad? Shows like the aforementioned Sons of Anarchy casualty glorifies gun/drug trafficking, patriarchy, and the killing of our fellow man. All three of those things have been undeniably more cancerous to our society. Yes, relationships between family members instantly comes of as strange within our culture, but consider this. They’re not harming anyone, and it’s bringing happiness two consenting adults, fully aware of the ramifications of their actions. It may not be my cup of tea, but I’m willing to take a live and let live approach.