Thanksgiving 2013: What Television-Related Things I’m Thankful For

It’s that time of year when we take a moment (or two) out of our busy lives to acknowledge what we’re thankful for. And this year, we have a lot to be thankful for, TV-wise.

Here are a few of the things I’m giving thanks for this year…

1. SLEEPY HOLLOW. The premise sounded crazy. Like, insanely so. And then I saw the pilot and fell in love. But even with that love, there was a concern about how they’d be able to maintain the balance of telling a story and embracing the crazy-pants crazy aspect of the show without stumbling into it being a hot mess. But the show has pulled it off (spectacularly) and solidified itself as one of the best new shows this season.
2. ABC may be holding SUBURGATORY until January, but I’m happy we’re getting more of our Chatswin gang. I’ve missed them.
3. BREAKING BAD. Oh man, am I giving thanks for BREAKING BAD. It took me years to finally catch up, but it is something I don’t regret for a second. One of the best shows ever created, and I’m so glad the finale lived up to the rest of the run of the show.
4. FRINGE’s Walter Bishop = still my very favorite thing.
5. The 20th anniversary of X-FILES sure led to a whole lot of opportunities for me (and much cooler people than me) to talk about the show. That was absolutely one of the highlights of the year for me.
6. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE and THE GOLDBERGS are my comedy highlights of the year so far. Both have incredible heart, are massively funny, and were self-assured of what the shows were from the start.
7. When did PERSON OF INTEREST get so darn good? It’s a half-serious question, because the show has always done what it does well, but I realized over the past couple of weeks that it’s become arguably the best procedural out there. No other show is willing to take the risks POI is taking, and while they may be absolutely brutal to watch play out, they’re earned. And it’s awesome.
8. Similarly, I’m thankful ARROW has been kicking so much butt in season 2. The show was always a lot of fun, but the death of Tommy and adding the Black Canary (AKA Sara Lance) has upped the stakes and amplified everything that worked for a great sophomore season so far.
9. GLEE was faced with the absolutely unenviable task of having to write off Cory Monteith’s Finn, and I’m so thankful the show was respectful of Monteith’s real death and delivered arguably the best hour the show has ever done. It was heartbreaking and absolutely painful to watch the all-too-real grief that everyone on the cast was experiencing, but it was a beautiful hour.
10. FRIENDS may have been off the air for nine years, but I’m thankful some of those reruns can still make me laugh as hard as I did the first time I saw the episodes. (And I’m thankful for EPISODES finally returning to my TV soon. It only seems fitting those share a spot on the list.)
11. Thankful that Karine Rosenthal came back to write the BONES wedding.
12. Okay, one of these days I’ll accept GO ON is gone. I’m not totally there yet, but I’m thankful the show gave us an amazing season.
13. As always, I’m thankful for you guys. (And Sarah Curtis. Sarah is just the freaking best.) Without you here to nerd out with me over television’s awesome (and ridiculously stupid) moves, this would be significantly less fun. It’s the best job ever, and I’m always thankful to be able to do what I love so much.

Okay, I’m going to stop because I could keep going. What are you most thankful for this year?

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