Best and Worst TV of 2011

Damn, I watch a lot of television. I mean, I know it's a new "Golden Age" and all, but I need to set some limits. There are shows that I continue to give the benefit of the doubt, even though they're never going to get better. How did I end up watching every episode of The Killing? It can't just have been for Mireille Enos's fascinating face. It became apparent almost immediately that they were just going to stretch the thin murder mystery well beyond its breaking point, while throwing in a seemingly endless succession of red herrings. Homeland could have gone the same way because, in the end, either Brody is a terrorist, or he isn't. But the writers have managed to keep things jumping, while maintaining that primary mystery. They walk a tightrope every week, but never teeter over into the unforgivably ludicrous.

With a great drama, when the episode ends, you're already thinking about the next one. That's how I feel about Justified, and that ongoing dance between Raylan and Boyd. Boardwalk Empire killed off a major character, but I'm not worried about what will be missing next season; I'm fascinated to see where they go from there. And nothing else on TV right now compares with Walter White's meticulously detailed, headlong rush into hell on Breaking Bad.

With sitcoms, plot isn't as crucial. I don't really care whether or not Troy and Britta hook up, as long as the embattled Community remains true to those great characters, and, yes, keeps things weird. Same with 30 Rock--both of those shows maintain a balance between absurd humor and genuine human interest. That's the downfall of decent, but overpraised shows, like Parks and Recreation, which always puts the jokes ahead of character, and Modern Family, which sometimes errs on the side of wholesome and heartwarming (yes, those can be bad things in comedy). Then there's Louie, currently my favorite show, which finds the painful truth in every funny situation it brings up, like no other sitcom before it.

And if you're still watching Person of Interest, 2 Broke Girls, or Whitney, now might be a good time to consider moving on and getting hooked on Portlandia, New Girl, Treme, Enlightened, or Game of Thrones. If you're gonna watch too much TV, you might as well stick to the good stuff.