The Top 20 Shows Of 2012 (#10-1)

2. Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Considering it was the best show of 2011, it’ll probably save some time if I just list off the qualities that still make Parks and Recreation the most enjoyable comedy of recent memory, because none of those things have changed. It’s still got the best ensemble of any network or genre (led by the adorable Amy Poehler, and incomparable Nick Offerman), it’s still the flat-out funniest show currently airing, and it’s still one of the most emotionally well-realized, and affecting comedies ever made.

The sheer glee and happiness that radiates out of Pawnee every week is inescapably infectious, whether it comes from something as silly as Leslie and friends slip-sliding across an ice rink to the tune of Gloria Estefan’s, “Get on Your Feet,” or the way that each week’s little nuggets of character development always feed into the big moments, like the first legitimately surprising, and moving wedding proposal any sitcom has had in years. Optimistic without ever becoming cloying, and drenched in a goofy enthusiasm that rarely goes too far, there’s no other show that makes you feel quite as good about television, comedy, or pretty much life in general, as Parks and Recreation.

• Best Episodes: “Win, Lose or Draw,” “Halloween Surprise”

1. Breaking Bad (AMC)

In the wake of its game-changing fourth season finale, which saw Walter White become the heir apparent to Albuquerque’s meth trade, Breaking Bad could have let things slow down, and settled for making the eight episodes in 2012 mere appetizers for the final eight in 2013. Instead, creator Vince Gilligan, and his superb writing team, reached for the throttle, and rarely let up, throwing a barrage of dire situations, and risky opportunities at Walter each week, such that it was understandable his ego would grow just as quickly as his empire.

Along the way, Bryan Cranston had a fifth straight year of being television’s best actor, but the entirety of the cast was simply fantastic, with smaller, yet vital performances coming from Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, and Jonathan Banks, to name a few. Even without any period piece decor to lean on, it was still the best looking program on television, and the first half of the final season had some fiendishly taut setpieces that will rank among the very best the show has ever done.

Some would argue that eight episodes wasn’t enough time to fully capture every step of Walter’s ascent to (and relinquishment of) the title of kingpin, but decay has always been more important to Breaking Bad than buildup. With Walt’s moment in the sun over, all that remains to be seen is how his kingdom of glass finally falls apart. If history is any indicator, it’ll make for unforgettable television, and give Breaking Bad a strong chance at being the best show of the year, two years running.

• Best Episodes: “Dead Freight,” “Say My Name”

For more, check out the video version of our top 10 below:

We hope you enjoyed our Top 20 list, and all our TV writing here at We Got This Covered in 2012, but now’s your chance to let us know what you thought was the best show of the year. Be sure to leave a comment, and let your voice be heard. See you all in 2013.