With the Fall season of television finally upon us, we Misfits wants to take one last long back at the season that was. A season filled with as many highs as lows for you sci-fi fans out there. So what we're going to do over the next week is provide you, dear readers, with our personal choices for the best and worst of the last year of television.
The Misfits asked me to go first. I can't tell if it's because of my excellent taste in television, or I was the last one to say "not it" during our meeting. I'm praying for the former, counting on the latter. Without further ado, here are my choices for the most memorable moments of the past year of sci-fi television. (When applicable/available, I offered up my runner up as well.)
Best Series Lost. After shedding its skin in the mind-bending Season 3 finale, Lost embraced its inner hardcore sci-fi geek, introducing us to time-traveling bunnies, frozen donkey wheels, and an ever-expanding plot that just might involve the survival of the human race.
Runner-Up: Chuck. My surprise show of the year. While certain shows stormed out of the gates only to run ragged by season's end, Chuck aged like a fine wine. A fine wine that had been injected with the government's most dangerous secrets. Zachary Levi could play broad comedy and heavy drama with equal ease, but the show's secret weapon is Adam Baldwin, who injects what seems on paper as a cliched heavy with humor as well as heart.
Best New Series
Chuck. Although stumbling a bit after the fantastic pilot, it found its footing with the reintroduction of Bryce Larkin and the ever-impending construction of Intersect. Couple that with the largest and most varied cast of background players this side of The Office and you have a winner.
Runner-Up: Reaper. While a bit too heavily reliant on "Soul of the Week" plotlines, it featured Ray Wise as a Devil you can believe in. That is, until he owns your soul. Oops, he did it again.
Most Improved Series
Lost. With the end-date firmly in place, the show rocketed through plotlines and revelations that had fans long begging for narrative advancement suddenly struggling to keep up with the newest twist and turns.
Doctor Who. It's all about Stephen Moffat. The new show runner proved his mettle with consistently amazing episodes, boding well for the future of this already entertaining show.
Favorite Character
Benjamin Linus, Lost. In some ways, this character resembles that of Mercutio: he so dominates the show that he threatens to overshadow everything else. Luckily, you can be sure that the producers of Lost will not kill him off preemptively. All the better for us, as every moment he's onscreen is truly Must See TV.
Runner-Up: Satan, Reaper. He's not a devil with a blue dress on; he's a devil in a three-piece suit. As played by Ray Wise, he's almost more terrifying while smiling than frowning. Yet, beneath it all, his relationship with Sam grounds him in a way that makes him far more than a one-dimensional Prince of Darkness.
Most Improved Character
Tory Parker, Battlestar: Galactica. She embraced her inner Cylon with relish, transforming a character that was once a wallflower into a sexually powerful, psychologically manipulative woman who feels every action she performs is ordained by God, therefore divine. While the first half of this show's final season sputtered towards its midseason hiatus, Tory always shone.
Runner-Up: Matt Parkman, Heroes. While I have plenty of issues with Heroes' God-awful second season, the ever-darkening Parkman is certainly not on that list. Season 1's "Five Years Later" hinted at his corruptible soul, and his ever-expanding powers should only grease the slope from hero to villain in Season 3.
Least Improved Character
Peter Petrelli, Heroes. Ugh, where do we start? The most powerful entity in the world gets amnesia, betrays all his friends, and inadvertently almost kills the majority of the planet by blindly following Adam Monroe. Personally, I blame the haircut. He should be called Samson Petrelli.
Gauis Baltar, Battlestar: Galactia. From spastic scientist to...well, Jesus. The show seemingly couldn't decide if he truly believed a word he said or just used his newfound status to form his own harem. In either case, we hope the last series of episodes returns this character to his previously iconic status.
Character Most Deserving of A Spin-Off
Sayid Jarrad, Lost. His off-Island activities are a mix of the televised version of The Incredible Hulk mixed with the high-espionage of Mission: Impossible, with the emotional angst of an Paul Thomas Anderson film. Throw in Ben Linus as the Higgins to Sayid's Magnum P.I. and you have yourself a show.
Runner-Up: Chloe Sullivan, Smallville. I don't care what she does; we have to get her off this sinking ship of a show before Doomsday the Bartender gets his claws into her.
Best Hero
Lee Bill Adama, Battlestar: Galactica. Admiral. Father. Lover. This guy can do it all, and do it in a way that keeps the ragtag remainder of humanity intact. Very few characters on television command the respect he does, and he does it all while finding time to read President Roslin excerpts her favorite book. That's change we can believe in, people.
Runner-Up: James "Sawyer" Ford, Lost. Performed the most heroic act of Season 4, and essentially assumed leadership of those left behind alongside Juliet. Can't wait to see these two in action come Season 5.
Best Villain Satan, Reaper. A mix of Frank Sinatra and Ted Bundy, all wrapped up in impeccably tailored suits and devilishly clever traps for both our protagonist and the souls he tasks Sam with finding. His backstory with Sam should provide an interesting backbone when Season 2 arrives.
Runner-Up: Christian Shephard, Lost. This is tricky, since we're only referring to the one inside Jacob's cabin. Which isn't the one that calls out to Future Jack in the clinic. It's all very confusing. It's all very Lost.
Fight We'd Most Like To See
John Casey (Chuck) vs. Cameron (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Not only can these two deal out a tremendous amount of punishment, but they always inject their fights with droll humor as well. It's the perfect mashup of uppercuts and quick quips.
Runner-Up: Benjamin Linus (Lost) vs. Clark Kent (Smallville). Just wanna see how Ben would beat him. I'm pretty sure he could out-Lex Lex and actually take down the Man of Steel. After all, he's undoubtedly already studied the Last Son of Krypton's files front to back.
Show Most Deserving of Wrap-Up Movie
Smallville. Yes, I know it was renewed, but Lord almighty, we need to take this show to the back of the shed and shoot it. Or, more accurately, shoot a two-hour finale that sends Clark to Metropolis for good, firmly established the Justice League, and allows these characters to grow into their iconic statures.
With the Fall season of television finally upon us, we Misfits wants to take one last long back at the season that was. A season filled with as many highs as lows for you sci-fi fans out there. So what we're going to do over the next week is provide you, dear readers, with our personal choices for the best and worst of the last year of television.
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