TV show of the Year

So, in all seriousness, my TV Show of the Year (2011). Tough one this as I watch a LOT of TV, so decided to settle on a top three. 


Honourable mentions go to Season 4 of Burn Notice for being great fun, Life's Too Short for being incredibly funny and tragic at the same time, Season 3 of Fringe for being brilliant Sci-Fi and In Treatment for just being brilliant.


So, my top three (in very particular order):


3) Boardwalk Empire. Steve Buscemi is outstanding as Nucky Thompson in this prohibition-era drama. Michael Pitt is also ace and Gretchen Moll is the definition of yummy (and slightly too possessive) mummy. Michael Shannon (soon to be Zod) steals every scene he's in, and Kelly MacDonald provides the heart to this gangster crime drama. What else could you want? Al Capone? Good, as he's in it too.


2) The Walking Dead. A zombie show that isn't really about zombies. Firstly, who knew Andrew Lincoln could do a convincing American accent? Secondly, who knew Frank Darabont would get involved in TV. This was consistently gripping and had me hooked from start to finish. Alternating between gloriously slow character development and intense yet understated horror (does anyone remember the deserted streets of Atlanta?) this would have been number one if not for...


1) Game of Thrones. Yes, I was into the TV show before the books. No, I really didn't see the end of the penultimate episode coming. Truly magnificent television, which captured all the epicness of Lord of the Rings, with the grit and grime of the Sopranos.  Loved watching the Starks and the Lannisters plot against each other, even if you did get the sense that they weren't really the ones playing the titular game. Sean Bean was brilliant although Peter Dinklage as Tyrion quickly became my (and clearly everyone's) favourite character. Well plotted, well scripted, well filmed. Everything about this was television at it's best and has become the new yard-stick for other shows to measure themselves against.