by Jesus Ibarra

It’s once again a new year, a time when we look back and lists are made about the good and bad in 2010, here I present the Best top 10 in television. Note there are spoilers.

10. The Vampire Diaries– Beginning with ten making my way down to number 1, is the Vampire Diaries. This probably would have been higher on my list, but I recently just got caught up and I’m hooked. I think of this as a tamer version of True Blood, granted it’s still super sexy and violent, its fast-paced storylines and plot twist go beyond the Salvatore brother’s fighting for Elena’s love, which is why I’m hooked, and you should be too. (Check out the KRL review of Vampire Diaries)
 
9. Bones-This show gets a very low spot on my list even though it is one of my favorite shows with some of my favorite actors (Emily Deschenal and David Boreanez); only because of the direction it’s going. I put the blame on the showrunner, Hart Hanson, who has pulled on my emotional strings one too many times with the will they or wont they routine, which I can live with; as it provided the basis for most of the season as Booth and Brennan developed, it was fun to watch and their deep connection was also gratifying. My problem now is since Booth’s proclamation of love to Brennan early this year and her rejection of him, then splitting off the team, giving Booth a girlfriend that everybody loves to try to force down our throats, and finally watching Brennan over the course of this season painfully realize she made a mistake to finally proclaim it ten episodes in, I’m just so drained. Mind you Emily Deschenal has given her best performance to date as Brennan, but the show has lost that dynamic and frankly either they get it back by putting Booth and Brennan together or just close the door on the relationship and get back to the cases because frankly it’s gotten painful to watch. The upside to this is that the supporting cast gets to shine more, which has really become the reason why I watch the show anymore, here’s hoping it gets better in the New Year.
 
8. House-House has always been one of my favorites but I was worried when he got sober and into therapy, and even more shocking finally hooked up with Cuddy, would our favorite cranky, mean doctor change? Not entirely but in its seventh season they went back to what made the show great: how House deals with the world and to all the naysayers of House getting with Cuddy, so what! It’s been handled great and frankly it’s about time.
 
7. The Walking Dead-Zombies and the end of the world, encompass this gory horror show. I didn’t think a show about zombies would work out, but it does because this show focuses on the human characters dealing with the apocalypse having to make gut wrenching choices. More importantly, it makes me believe it, which makes it even better. I’m very excited that we get to see Rick Grimes and company come back next year with season 2.
 
6. Doctor Who the End of Time Special-This gets a spot on my list even though it goes back all the way to Jan. 1 2010, because it was David Tennant’s final episode as the tenth doctor in the revived series over in the U.K. To me he was the best doctor and it was heartbreaking to see him go, especially with the final lines that were David Tennant at his best.
 
5. Being Human- This supernatural show about a werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost living together trying to be human, is one of the best shows to come out of the U.K. Season 2 brought our characters to the dark side of humanity and introduced a new villain with fanaticism that threatened all their lives, ending on a cliffhanger to be resolved when the show returns this January in the U.K.
 
4. Spartacus: Blood and Sand- Past the graphic sex, violence, and language, there is an amazing story of the slave Spartacus forced to compete as a gladiator in ancient Rome fighting for freedom and somehow inspires a revolution. This is not a show for a sensitive people as it also pulled no punches, everything was pushed to its limits, and that was what got you interested, but what made viewers stay is the incredible writing and storytelling this show offered of ancient Rome, and the story of Spartacus, which is dense layered in dramatic events.
 
3. Dexter- Coming off a shocking finale that essentially set the reset button for Dexter, the show aimed to top the ultimate villain: the Trinity Killer played by John Lithgow, with multiple villains that in my opinion surpassed the Trinity Killer’s evil. To me it was a low-key season but as such, I think it was appropriate as Dexter mourned the loss of Rita, and really this was Debra’s season as she came the closest to discovering her brother’s extracurricular activities, which we love to watch.
 
2. True Blood- Vampires, sex, violence, and southern mystery, all which are beautifully crafted and acted by the ensemble cast (which if do say so myself is just too good-looking to be normal), this summer obsession pulled no punches. Season 3 provided payoffs and mysteries with the introduction of werewolves, fairies, and vampire politics that also had us asking just what Sookie was. Ultimately, this southern tale gave an amazing season that had us all, or what felt like all, of us glued to our televisions. (check out the KRL review of True Blood)
 
1. Fringe-To end my list with number 1, Fringe
wins here by a landslide. It is the best drama and sci-fi show since the X-files and frankly anything on TV right now. Never has a show beautifully crafted and balanced mythology and character development as this show has done, especially in the last year. Riding a creative high from an explosive season 2 finale, we watched as this show became two shows in one with alternating episodes in the alternate universe and the prime universe. We watched as the duplicitous Fauxlivia fooled our team and lured Peter into a relationship, and rooted for our Olivia trapped on the other side fight her way home, culminating in a world shattering homecoming for Olivia which has repercussions that will continue till next year; as she picks up the pieces with the knowledge that no one knew that she was trapped on the other side leaving her to reevaluate her place in this universe. (check out the KRL review of Fringe)
 
There are some honorable mentions this year:
 
Castle- This would be 11 if I could, Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic give us great chemistry as Richard Castle and Kate Beckett solving cases while playing the will they or won’t they routine, heres hoping they won’t pull a Bones. (check out the KRL review of Castle)
 
The Glades- This procedural has an awesome lead actor who plays a quirky Florida cop with a knack for solving cases with not so normal tactics.
 
Rizzoli & Isles-Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander play a tough as nails cop and a nerdy medical examiner with a knack for fashion that complement each other solving cases in Boston, really it’s the cast chemistry that keeps this show going.
 
Smallville-Its final season after ten years Clark Kent will finally become the man of steel!
 

Jesus Ibarra is 18 years old and an ongoing contributor to our Teen Talk section; with a love of all media, he’s always on the lookout for the best finds.