My favorite shows of 2012 are

GAME OF THRONES- HBO needs to make the show available on more avenues sooner given it is one of the most pirated shows of 2012.

FRINGE- too bad the show is ending on 1-18-2013 after five seasons.

HOMELAND deserves the awards and reviews it gets. The season one set is wonderful and I like what I have seen of season 2 so far.

BOSS is a strong drama and too bad STARZ has cancelled it after two seasons.

THE WALKING DEAD improved at the end of season 2 with a very strong season 3. I do think the human drama clicks and the second season was drawn out at the farm for too long. REVOLUTION is trying to be THE WALKING DEAD without zombies, but the writing doesn't click and hum like THE WALKING DEAD.

ONCE UPON A TIME is a show that I finally loved when I watch the first season on Blu-ray and the second season continues to draw me in.

TRON UPRISING is one of the best animated series I have watched this year.   Too bad Disney XD can't find a good place for it on their network as they keep moving it round the schedule and pulling it twice from the schedule.  I hope a release on DVD and Blu-ray is coming soon sicne I want to catch up on the episodes I missed due to Disney XD's insane scheduling of the show.   I wish it would get a second season, but I think a third TRON film is more likely than another season for this animated prequel to TRON: LEGACY which has some great animation and god scripts.

Once good shows that are disappointing this year-

REVENGE had a strong and addicting first season while the bizarre writing of season two is making me wanting to drop it.

HELL ON WHEELS had a strong first season where the second season is a shadow of the first season's quality. The episodes still have some strong elements, but the season two finale has taken the series to being almost a "Jump the Shark" type of series with killing off one of the best characters and letting one of the best bad guys outplay his use as a character (and letting him live).

Shows that continue to disappoint me are FALLING SKIES and MERLIN.  They both drag on and don't push the story along enough.  It was good to see Arthur become king and get married to his true love.   ALPHAS is a mixed bag for me and I was sad to see SyFy cancel SANCTUARY.  I do enjoy their reality shows HOLLYWOOD TREASURE and FACE OFF.   CASTLE continues to just be casual viewer watching despite the excellent chemistry of the actors and the quirk nature of crime author Richard Castle (as played by Nathan Fillion).

Shows I wish would receive a better time slot are

NIKITA and the recently cancelled LAST RESORT.

The pilot I wish was better was MOCKINGBIRD LANE which NBC decided not to go to series with this remake of THE MUNSTERS from Bryan Fuller who created such wonderful series like PUSHING DAISIES, WONDERFALLS, and DEAD LIKE ME.   I was willing to give the series a try and the pilot had some good things going for it.  Catch the pilot on NBC's web site while you can.

this article is (c)1-4-2012 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com