2015 TV Wrap-Up – Dramas Part 2

Season 1
Who would have thought my summer guilty pleasure about the world of reality television would turn into such a complex little creation? The great thing about Unreal is that there are no straight-up heroes or villains. Every single character is capable of utterly despicable acts, and yet you still end up rooting for the lot of them (particularly Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer who are just astounding). It’s a testament to the show’s writing that all the various manipulations end up being so expertly rooted in character development and backstory. Beware: the pilot is kind of weak, but the show slowly gains traction and ultimately morphs into highly addictive television. Also, the final shot of the season is flawless.
Nad Rating
B+

Season 1
I was optimistic that Wayward Pines would prove to be a worthwhile summer diversion. Sadly the show opened with an okay pilot and gradually dismantled its half-baked premise. Ultimately, Pines managed to produce only one truly groundbreaking hour (the fifth episode with all its game-changing answers), and eventually lost a whole lot of momentum culminating with an underwhelming finale. I do hope FOX teaches the show a lesson and doesn’t renew it for a second season. Not every show deserves to live past its limited-series aspirations.
Nad Rating
C

Season 1
I really wanted to love How To Get Away With Murder. Shonda Rhimes is the mastermind behind Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy, and I was more than ready for her third creation to be just as spectacular. Sadly, I found the legal thriller to be a total bore. The show has two primary problems as far as I’m concerned: 1) The cast is severely unlikeable. Apart from Annalise, I have zero attachment to anyone else and their personal journeys and that’s a REAL problem. 2) The show’s central mystery was needlessly dragged out across 14 episodes in highly uncreative ways. Sure the show picked up some steam towards the end, but it was too little too late. I’ll give the show a shot next season, but I’m just not optimistic about this one. Kudos to Viola Davis though; she’s a true powerhouse.
Nad rating
C

Season 1
When The Flash first debuted, I was unimpressed by its cheesy pilot. However, I stuck with the show and was pleasantly surprised by the improved writing and the evolution of its group dynamics. Moreover, the CGI was always on point, and the show stepped into truly great territory when Wells embraced his villainy and Grodd came on to the scene. To top it all off? The finale was wonderfully satisfying and moving, with Grant Gustin knocking it out of the park with a range of emotional scenes culminating with some jaw dropping CGI. Here’s hoping the superhero show continues to zip past our expectations in season two.
Nad Rating
B+

Season 1
Gotham started out with such promise. The pilot was everything I wanted it to be: ambitious, creative, and with just the right amount of Batman nods. But then the second episode happened, and along with Jada Pinkett Smith’s absurd performance, it all went downhill from there. I actually stuck with the show out of pure Bat-Loyalty, and I was nowhere near rewarded for my dedication. The show’s first season was an utter and total disaster: half-baked storylines, atrocious dialogue, and cliche twists. Everything apart from Bruce Wayne (played to perfection by David Mazouz) was horrendous. Sadly, I WILL continue to watch the show next season with the twisted hope that it will one day find its footing (doubtful).
Nad Rating
D 

Season 1
The year’s biggest guilty pleasure. I never expected to like Empire, but it proved shockingly addictive and surprisingly well acted. The show owns its tone, and its 13 episode first season was pure fun from start to finish. In fact, I dare you to find two TV characters as memorable as Cookie and Luscious Lyon – the dynamic duo headlining the show. If you’re in need of something light and enjoyable, look no further.
Nad Rating
B+

Season 1
Although there’s a ton of superhero material out for public consumption, nothing comes close to the heights that Daredevil managed to achieve in its outstanding 13 episode first season. Headlined by Charlie Cox, this was dark, compelling TV with top-notch production values, thrilling action, and first-rate performances. As hard as I try, I can barely find flaws in this almost-perfect debut season. As far as I’m concerned, season two of the Marvel series can’t come soon enough.
Nad Rating
A

Season 1
Not many people heard about American Crime this year, but ABC’s new anthology series (which resets its premise and cast every year), was a gritty and powerful viewing experience. It told a complete story over the course of 11 episodes, and while it left a lot of storylines on an ambiguous note (such is life after all), it did so through multi-dimensional characters and raw storytelling. If you haven’t given this show a chance, now’s the time to do so. Also, the cinematography with its extreme closeups and voyeuristic framing is stunning to behold; you’ve never seen a show filmed like this.
Nad Rating
A

Season 1
One of my favorite discoveries in a long time, this psychological drama blended nuanced storytelling and gut-wrenching performances by its two stars (Dominc West and Ruth Wilson). And thanks to an equally-skilled supporting cast, The Affair was able to sustain its engrossing story over the course of ten deeply-layered episodes. Fingers crossed that the show manages to avoid a sophomore slump and continue to engage us with its dual narratives for many years to come.
Nad Rating
A

Season 1
The great thing about Marvel’s second foray into television (after Agents of Shield) is that it’s only eight episodes long. That’s a very small time investment on your part as a viewer, and ample time to fall in love with Hayley Attwell who plays a spy in the 1940’s (quite the achievement back then). But Agent Carter doesn’t just boast a ridiculously lovable lead, it’s got the period-piece elegance of Mad Men, mixed with the spy hijinks of Alias. The action is wildly creative, the plotting is tight, and the production design is out of this world. Furthermore, the show does a solid job of amplifying and raising the stakes all the way through to the finale. Bring on season two!
Nad Rating
A-

Season 1
I want to commend Sense8 for being so ambitious, but this is an extremely-flawed show that should have been much more impressive. Nothing ever really happens for long stretches of time, and I genuinely found myself dreading having to endure yet another episode. It’s a pity really because the premise and production values have so much potential, and yet the show wastes all its promise every chance it gets. I want to hope for a better season two, but I doubt I’ll even be there to see how it turns out. Horrible.
Nad Rating
D