“Blair Witch”

WHAT: After uncovering new evidence that suggests his missing sister Heather may still be alive, James (James Allen McCune) and his friends venture into the Black Hills Forest – the site of her mysterious disappearance – and come face to face with the legendary Blair Witch.

WHY: When it was revealed that Adam Wingard’s latest movie, originally titled “The Woods,” was actually a direct sequel to the 1999 hit indie film, “The Blair Witch Project,” horror fans were excited to see if Wingard and frequent collaborator Simon Barrett (“The Guest,” “You’re Next”) could revive the would-be franchise. Unfortunately, it turns out that the best thing about “Blair Witch” was the secrecy of its production. The movie itself is pretty unspectacular, filled with many of the same beats as the original, albeit with a much larger budget. Though there are a handful of good moments scattered throughout (including a gruesome death scene involving the iconic stick figures), and it addresses a couple longstanding problems with the found footage genre, “Blair Witch” is unable to recapture the magic of its predecessor. Wingard and Barrett are clearly big fans of the first movie, but despite their attempts at expanding the mythology, the final product is almost as disappointing as the ill-conceived 2000 meta-sequel “Book of Shadows.”

EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary by director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett, there’s a six-part making-of featurette and a tour of the set.

FINAL VERDICT: SKIP

“Denial”

WHAT: When Emory University professor Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) is sued for libel by renowned Holocaust denier David Irving (Timothy Spall), she must defend herself and the historical truth of the Holocaust in British court.

WHY: As far as films about the Holocaust go, “Denial” isn’t exactly essential viewing. In fact, it’s a fairly by-the-numbers courtroom drama that could easily be mistaken for a made-for-TV movie. With that said, director Mick Jackson’s film feels incredibly relevant in today’s political landscape, which has become so rampant with fake news that the type of racist and ignorant lies that David Irving perpetuated are gradually becoming more commonplace. It’s just a shame that the movie plays things so safe, because although it’s propped up by a trio of solid performances from Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall, “Denial” lacks the emotional impact that its subject matter demands. This would have made for a more interesting TV miniseries à la “The People v. O.J. Simpson” than a feature-length film, as it would have allowed for a deeper dive into the trial and the people involved. Though “Denial” works just fine as a modest reenactment of the real-life events, it had the potential to be better.

EXTRAS: The Blu-ray release includes a making-of featurette.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Girls: The Complete Fifth Season”

WHAT: The further exploits of Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) and her group of twenty-something friends – Marnie (Allison Williams), Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) and Jessa (Jemima Kirke) – as they face new challenges in life and love.

WHY: The fifth season of “Girls” got off to a surprisingly strong start, buoyed by a pair of excellent storylines featuring the show’s most underused characters: Jessa and Shoshanna. The guilt-ridden romance between Jessa and Adam is so interesting to watch develop that it’s a wonder why it wasn’t explored sooner, while Shoshanna’s time in Japan is exactly the kind of fun detour that the series has been crying out for. Even Andrew Rannells’ Elijah is finally given something interesting to do beyond playing the snarky, gay best friend – a stereotype that, quite frankly, this show should be above. Unfortunately, the turnaround only lasts for so long (episode five, by my count) before it begins to fall back into bad habits, from Hannah’s annoyingly self-destructive tendencies to the Marnie-centric episode that attempts to hit the reset button on her awful character arc from the last few years. Although there are some good moments in the back half of the season as well, it’s evident that “Girls” still has a lot of growing up to do.

EXTRAS: There are some deleted and extended scenes, as well as the usual Inside the Episode featurettes.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Steve Jobs”

WHAT: An unconventional biopic that follows Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) backstage during three product launches – the Apple Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT “black box” in 1988, and the Apple iMac in 1998 – that helped shape his legacy.

WHY: For a movie about one of the most innovative people of the past century, it’s fitting that “Steve Jobs” is as risky and unique as the man himself. Aaron Sorkin was the perfect screenwriter to tackle this material, creating a sharp, funny and often unflattering look at Jobs that moves like a bullet train, despite the dense nature of its three-act structure. Director Danny Boyle stays out of the way for the most part, allowing Sorkin’s script to sing with few distractions, but he brings an electric immediacy to the story that’s reminiscent of live theater. Michael Fassbender is excellent as the title character, blurring the line between fiction and reality with his nuanced portrayal, while the rest of the cast shines in supporting roles. Though “Steve Jobs” will rub some people the wrong way with its prickly depiction of the Apple visionary, it’s an endlessly fascinating film that’s more respectful of its subject than it initially appears.

EXTRAS: There’s an audio commentary by director Danny Boyle, writer Aaron Sorkin and editor Elliot Graham, as well as a making-of featurette.

FINAL VERDICT: BUY

“Black Mass”

WHAT: When small-time criminal Jimmy “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) begins to make a name for himself in South Boston, he strikes a deal with childhood friend/FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) to help get rid of the local mob. But as John struggles to cover up Whitey’s growing criminal empire, he unknowingly places himself in the FBI’s crosshairs.

WHY: Much like director Scott Cooper’s first two films, “Black Mass” is a pretty slow burn, and although that comes with the territory of the crime genre, the movie doesn’t have anything new to say (or a new way to say it) that hasn’t been done in countless other gangster flicks. The true-life story is certainly compelling, but it never attains the greatness to match its ambition, despite Johnny Depp’s effectively chilling turn as the notorious Whitey Bulger. It’s not an overly showy piece of acting, servicing the story instead of his own self-indulgence for once. Unfortunately, the rest of Cooper’s top-notch cast (save for Joel Edgerton) is wasted in throwaway roles, which is not unlike the film itself, because for every outstanding setpiece, there are several scenes of tedious filler that grind the movie to a halt. Still, while it doesn’t do enough to earn a spot among the classics, “Black Mass” is a satisfying crime thriller that’s worth watching if only for Depp’s impressive return to form.

EXTRAS: In addition to a documentary about Whitey Bulger’s eventual capture, there’s a making-of featurette and a behind-the-scenes look at Johnny Depp’s transformation.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“The 33”

WHAT: The unbelievable true story of the 33 Chilean miners – including reluctant leader Mario Sepúlveda (Antonio Banderas) and shift foreman Luis “Don Lucho” Urzúa (Lou Diamond Phillips) – who were trapped underground for 69 days following a catastrophic mine collapse, only to be miraculously rescued.

WHY: It was never a question whether a movie would be made about the 2010 Copiapó mining accident, because it’s the kind of real-life story about courage and heroism that Hollywood loves. But for as extraordinary as the story may be, “The 33” recounts the events in such a disappointingly ordinary manner that it doesn’t really do it justice. Director Patricia Riggen does a good job of balancing all the different subplots, but there are so many characters fighting for screen time (from the miners, to their family members, to the government workers spearheading the rescue attempt) that none of them are very well developed. Antonio Banderas’ character is the only one who doesn’t feel like a thinly-sketched stereotype, while the decision to cast actors like Gabriel Byrne, Juliette Binoche and Bob Gunton in non-white roles is just plain insulting. There are a few great moments peppered throughout (like the climactic rescue sequence and the dream-like Last Supper scene), but “The 33” too often resorts to the same boring clichés.

EXTRAS: There’s a featurette on filming the mine collapse sequence, as well as a retrospective on the real-life events with news footage, interviews and more.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“The Kid”

WHAT: When a woman (Edna Purviance) abandons her newborn child on the street, a tramp (Charlie Chaplin) takes him in and raises the young boy (Jackie Coogan) as his own.

WHY: Charlie Chaplin’s first foray into feature-length filmmaking is undoubtedly one of his best works, even if the 1972 rerelease included on this Criterion edition is only 53 minutes long. Not many people have seen the original 1921 cut, which includes 15 minutes of additional footage, but it seems strange that Chaplin would remove so much from an already short movie when the one thing that “The Kid” is lacking is a richer narrative; it’s almost too simple for its own good. Though the film works really well as a showcase for Chaplin’s comedic genius, it lacks any real emotional depth apart from the sequence where the Tramp fights to retain custody of Jackie Coogan’s orphan boy. Chaplin is brilliant as always in the role of his famous Tramp character, and Coogan impresses as his young partner-in-crime, but while there’s a lot to love about “The Kid” (particularly the duo’s fantastic chemistry), it falls well short of its reputation as a cinematic masterpiece.

EXTRAS: There’s a new audio commentary by Chaplin historian Charles Maland, a video essay about Jackie Coogan, interviews with Coogan and Lita Grey Chaplin, deleted scenes, archival footage, the 1922 silent short “Nice and Friendly,” an essay by film scholar Tom Gunning and much more.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Girls: The Complete Fourth Season”

WHAT: The further misadventures of Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) and her group of twenty-something friends – Marnie (Allison Williams), Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) and Jessa (Jemima Kirke) – as they traverse the ups and downs of adulthood in New York City and beyond.

WHY: HBO’s “Girls” continues to be one of the best shows on television to hate-watch, so oblivious to the soap-operaish train wreck it’s become that it sometimes feels like creator/star Lena Dunham is punking us. While Season Four represents a slight improvement due to the main quartet’s efforts to finally grow up, even if they’re rarely successful, the rest of the show is business as usual. Hannah’s journey from graduate student to substitute grade-school teacher is laughable; Marnie’s awkward partnership with new boyfriend Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is even more groan-worthy than her past relationships; Jessa is still a complete waste of space; and Shoshanna (perhaps the most realistic of the group) is vastly underutilized. Zachary Quinto has a fun guest stint as the ultimate hipster asshole, but it’s Adam Driver and Alex Karpovsky who remain the show’s greatest assets. “Girls” simply wouldn’t be tolerable without them, which is why it’s in Dunham’s best interest to keep them around as long as possible.

EXTRAS: The two-disc set includes audio commentaries by the cast and crew on seven episodes, a making-of featurette, deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, and the previously released “Inside the Episode” mini-featurettes.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

When we published our first TV Power Rankings in 2005 listing the best shows on television, the revolution in TV viewing habits was well underway with cable shows like “The Sopranos” raising the bar for TV dramas. Meanwhile, DVDs and on-demand viewing started to change the way we watched our favorite programs and discovered new ones. Since then, the changes have only accelerated, and now many teenagers and people of all ages are addicted to streaming TV, watching everything by their own schedules. Many have even “cut the cord” and eliminated their cable TV subscriptions altogether. Water-cooler discussions about “must-see TV” have given way to shows aimed at niche audiences.

With these developments, the quality of the shows has improved dramatically. That may not be true for sitcoms and most of the stuff on network TV, but many have called this the new “golden era of television,” as the cable networks in particular have given talented writers and directors the freedom to create masterpieces like “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad.” Now with Netflix triumphantly entering the fray with the excellent “House of Cards,” the bar keeps getting raised even higher. I watch fewer movies these days as the quality rarely matches that of the best TV shows, which also have the advantage of developing characters over a much longer time period.

“Breaking Bad” has been one of our favorites for years, and it tops our list again as it completes its final season. When it’s all said and done, it will be part of every conversation of the best TV shows ever. Our list is dominated by cable TV dramas and we’ve left off reality shows. Some are entertaining, but none match the quality of the programs on our list.

We’ve kept spoilers to a minimum, but you might want to avoid some of the write-ups if you want to avoid learning about plot developments.

1. Breaking Bad

Expectations for the fifth season of Vince Gilligan’s “Breaking Bad” would’ve been running high anyway, given that Season 4 concluded with Walter White (Bryan Cranston) bringing an explosive end to Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) while also revealing just how far he was willing to sink to get things his way. It doesn’t get much lower than poisoning a child to trick your former partner into working for you again, but the knowledge that it truly was the beginning of the end (i.e. the final season) really amped up the adrenaline. With posters for Season 5 showing Walt surrounded by stacks of cash and emblazoned with the tagline “Hail to the King,” the question at hand was whether or not Mr. White would be able to keep his ego in check successfully enough to take over Gus’s meth empire. The answer: not entirely. Although Mike (Jonathan Banks) agreed to join the operation more out of an attempt to help keep Jesse (Aaron Paul) safe, he quickly grew frustrated and tried to bail out, only to end up in a terminal tussle with Walt. Meanwhile, the domestic situation in the White house has reached all new levels of tension, thanks to a power struggle of sorts between Walt and Skyler (Anna Gunn). As the first half of Season 5 wrapped up, however, the biggest reveal of all took place, with Walt’s DEA-agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), finally discovering that he’s the infamous Heisenberg. This show has yet to disappoint, and there’s no reason to think it’s going to start now. – Will Harris. Check out our “Breaking Bad” blog here and our Fan Hub page here.

2. Homeland

I’ve had my share of “binge TV” watching with all the new platforms at our disposal, and so I wasn’t surprised when I blew through the first season and a half of “Homeland” over a long weekend. I’d heard all the buzz but had missed out on Season 1, but like most viewers, I was hooked after the first episode. The power of the cliffhanger at the end of the first season was blunted a bit, however, as I quickly hit the button to start the first episode of Season 2. When you power your way through a series like this, sometimes the impact of a single episode isn’t felt as deeply, as you quickly move on to the resolution. On the other hand, immersing yourself in a show over a short period of time also has its rewards. With Season 2, we’re left with another mind-blowing finale after more twists and turns for Carrie’s unlikely relationship with Brodie. Some have argued that the events have gotten too unbelievable, but given the topic of terrorism and the CIA, little seems too far-fetched these days. With Carrie, Claire Danes has created a character that we’ll remember for a long time, and I suspect this show will be near the top of our list for years to come.

3. The Walking Dead

Fans of Robert Kirkman’s comic book series have been patiently awaiting the arrival of The Governor ever since it was announced that AMC was adapting “The Walking Dead” for TV, and if you were unfamiliar with the source material prior to Season Three, then you probably know by now why it was such a big deal. Though the new season has been plagued by many of the same problems as previous years (namely, dragging out subplots longer than necessary), the addition of David Morrissey as The Governor has made for some great television. And while you can’t say the same about Rick and Andrea’s respective character arcs, others have stepped up in their place, including Norman Reedus as fan favorite Daryl and Chandler Riggs as the rapidly maturing Carl. The zombie quota has also been increased exponentially, which is never a bad thing, and now that Danai Gurira has joined the cast as sword-carrying Michonne, the zombie kills have become more inventive by the week. It hasn’t quite lived up to its excellent debut season, but “The Walking Dead” is still one of the best things on TV. – Jason Zingale

4. Game of Thrones

Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom” may have been HBO’s best freshman series of last year, but “Game of Thrones” is still king of the premium channel. There’s nothing else quite like it on television, and though Season Two wasn’t as good as its debut season on a purely episode-to-episode basis, the payoff was arguably better, showing the full complexity and richness of the universe that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss inherited from George R.R. Martin. The third season expanded that scope even further, with several new characters quickly making their mark, and old ones (like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s Jamie Lannister) continuing to evolve within that moral gray area where “Game of Thrones” thrives. It also featured some of the most shocking story developments to date, perhaps none more so than Episode 9’s infamous Red Wedding, which made Ned Stark’s beheading look like child’s play in comparison and will likely go down as one of the biggest television events of the year. The audience reaction to that episode is very telling of the show’s pop cultural footprint, and when the writing and acting is this good, it’s no surprise why its popularity continues to grow. – JZ. Check out our “Games of Thrones” blog here.

5. The Newsroom

Along with “Girls,” this HBO drama probably received more negative criticism and mockery that any other show on our list. Anything produced by Aaron Sorkin will bring out plenty of haters given the political topics he often chooses, but many journalists weren’t too happy to have Sorkin shine a critical light on their industry. But we all know that cable news sucks with its emphasis on ratings and manufactured controversy, so Sorkin had a target worthy of his scorn. Anyone who is tired of the dumbing down of debate and those who make money exploiting the divisions in our country in the name of delivering the “news” will love the tone of “The Newsroom.” Yes, it’s preachy at times and many of the characters are oh so earnest, but you’ll find yourself rooting for them. Sorkin has created another set of fascinating but flawed characters, with Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) as the perfect vehicle to shake up the cable news business after his epic rant that goes viral, and MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) as his ex-girlfriend and producer who pushes him to take a stand. The romantic tension between them is very intense and it seems Sorkin will milk that for all its worth. The lovely Olivia Munn also shows she has some serious acting chops as the brilliant but socially awkward Sloan Sabbith.

6. House of Cards

Regardless of how you feel about Netflix’s decision to release the entire 13-episode first season of “House of Cards” all at once, it’s hard to deny that the company’s first real attempt at original programming (not counting the Norwegian co-production of “Lilyhammer”) has been nothing short of a homerun. Based on the 1990 BBC miniseries of the same name, “House of Cards” boasts the kind of top-shelf quality we’ve come to expect from networks like HBO and AMC, and in addition to being produced by David Fincher (who also directed the first two episodes), there’s not a single weak link in the cast. Kevin Spacey delivers his best performance since “American Beauty” as the calculating Democratic congressman and House Majority Whip, while Robin Wright is the perfect complement as his stone-cold marriage partner in crime. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the series is partly based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and “Richard III,” because there are so many political power plays in each episode that it has the Bard’s fingerprints all over it. If you still don’t have Netflix, it’s worth subscribing to for this enthralling and immensely addicting series alone. – JZ

7. Mad Men

As Season 6 wrapped up, Don Draper seemed to be ready to finally confront his past. He was up to his old tricks again with other women, but everything came crashing down at the end of the season. Whether he follows through in the seventh and final season is anyone’s guess. We were happy to see skinny Betty return this season, and the writers have smoothed some of the edges off this lovely ice queen. Her scene in the motel with Don was pretty revealing, and we’ll see if Don learns anything from it. Meanwhile, the smartly packaged and manicured world of the late ‘50s/early ‘60s from the early seasons of “Mad Men” has given way to the chaos of 1968, with growing menace of violence seeping into their lives along with groovier haircuts and funkier clothes for many of the characters. Of course, that doesn’t apply to Don, who seems as stuck on the more classic styles as his destructive behavior. “Mad Men” remains one of the best character dramas on television, so get your hands on Season 1 if you haven’t jumped on board yet.

8. The Americans

You know you’re getting older when a new period drama comes out and all of the music, clothes and cars seem familiar because you were 16 at that time. “The Americans” is set in 1981, just after Ronald Reagan is elected, and Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” is in the background during the first action sequence in the pilot. The show follows two KGB spies living in Washington D.C. as sleeper agents for the Soviet Union. They’ve trained for years for this mission and speak perfect English. But their arranged marriage is very complicated as Philip (Matthew Rhys) flirts with the idea of defecting, while Elizabeth (Keri Russell) remains blindly loyal to the homeland. They also have two kids who have been born in America, and an FBI counter-intelligence agent has just moved across the street. The stories are intense and the acting is brilliant, with everything revolving around the intense relationship between the two agents. If you haven’t seen it, catch up on Season 1 before it returns for a second season.

9. Justified

“Justified” is one of those shows that you wish more people watched; it’s that good. Though it started out as a more formulaic crime of the week-type drama, the series has evolved into something much more substantial over the years, and this season, creator Graham Yost has really turned it on its head. That’s not to say that U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (a role Timothy Olyphant was born to play) still hasn’t had his hands full with the usual rotating platter of backcountry criminals, but there’s been more of a noir-like detective feel to Season Four’s story as Givens worked to uncover the secret behind a decades-old mystery involving a man named Drew Thompson. Unfortunately, that’s resulted in less face time between Givens and his nemesis Boyd Crowder (an outstanding Walton Goggins), but the two men have been on similar paths all season, finally converging in the February 19th episode “Decoy,” which was not only one of the finest hours of “Justified” to date, but one of the best episodes of TV in recent memory. – JZ

10. The Big Bang Theory

With its seventh season about to begin, “The Big Bang Theory” continues to grow in popularity with the reruns on TBS introducing million of new viewers to Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj, Penny, Bernadette, and Amy. Howard is now married to Bernadette, and he began the latest season on the International Space Station, while Stuart joined the gang as a regular character and Raj’s new sidekick. This show has always been hilarious, and it stands out in an era where most sitcoms are terrible.

11. New Girl

If you like Zooey Deschanel, chances are you’ll love “New Girl.” The comedy series is so perfectly suited to the adorkable actress’ eccentric personality that it’s really fun watching her let loose with some of the zany stuff she’s asked to do. No matter how you feel about the recent will-they-won’t-they plotline between Jess and Nick, it’s hard to deny the fantastic chemistry between Deschanel and standout Jake Johnson, although all five main cast members form a pretty great team. Though the show hasn’t been quite as consistent in its sophomore season, it’s still one of the funniest comedies on TV, thanks to memorable bits like “Gave me cookie, got you cookie” and the return of the hilariously indecipherable True American drinking game. The show’s success relies more on these smaller moments than the episodes as a whole, and while that’s a dangerous tightrope to walk, there’s no point in changing a winning formula. – JZ

12. Parks and Recreation

There are a number of reasons why “Parks and Recreation” belongs on the Power Rankings, but at the top of that list is the cast, which is arguably the best comedy ensemble on TV. Amy Poehler has transformed Leslie Knope from a Michael Scott wannabe into an incredibly loveable and realistic character capable of making us laugh and breaking out hearts in the same episode, and the actress has delivered such consistently great work that it’s hard to believe she still hasn’t won an Emmy for the role. It’s also no surprise that the show started to really hit its groove once Adam Scott and Rob Lowe joined the cast, although the latter hasn’t been quite as entertaining this season. Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza’s quirky relationship continues to earn big laughs, and in Ron Swanson, Nick Offerman has created a truly hilarious, one-of-a-kind TV personality. Even glorified background players Retta and Jim O’Heir have been upping their game this year, and with this much talent at their disposal, the writers have been having an absolute field day. – JZ

13. Arrested Development

Throughout its all-too-brief three-season run on FOX, “Arrested Development” received more critical acclaim than any sitcom ought to be allowed to earn, but after sadly proving the theorem that rave reviews don’t always equal huge ratings, the series was given the heave-ho into oblivion. Except it wasn’t, as it turned out, since the show’s cast and creators desperately wanted to revisit the exceptionally dysfunctional Bluth family so badly that they managed to broker a deal with Netflix to produce a fourth season. While opinions have varied wildly between “it’s even better than before” and “it should’ve stayed dead,” we’re of the mind that, just as long as you keep your expectations realistic and remember that the only way to bring back the series was to adapt the show’s structure to accommodate the lower budget and insane scheduling of the different cast members, Season Four of “Arrested Development” has proven to be well worth the wait. There are countless callbacks to past episodes, lots of well-utilized guest stars, and at least as many laughs as before. Is it the same “Arrested Development” that you remember from FOX? Not completely. But it’s still pretty darned funny, and that’s all we really wanted, anyway. – WH

14. Sons of Anarchy

The fifth season of FX’s insanely popular motorcycle drama wasn’t the show’s best year, but it did deliver some of the most harrowing and gut-wrenching moments to date, including the fiery death of Tig’s youngest daughter, and of course, the death-by-pipe sacrifice of fan favorite Opie. We’d be lying if we said that Ryan Hurst’s absence didn’t leave a gaping hole for the remainder of the season, but that was sort of the point, as it played a pivotal role in the way that Charlie Hunnam’s Jax evolved in his new position as club president. The addition of Jimmy Smits to the cast also added a nice dynamic to the Teller-Morrow family drama, and though Damon Pope didn’t prove to be nearly as menacing as expected, it was interesting watching SAMCRO deal with a different kind of threat for once. We still can’t believe that Ron Perlman’s Clay managed to make it out of yet another season alive, but let’s be honest, “Sons of Anarchy” wouldn’t be nearly as captivating without him. – JZ

15. Dexter

Now in its eighth and final season, this unlikely drama about a “sympathetic” serial killer has been able to maintain its status as one of the best shows on television. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has always tried to channel his impulse to kill towards “deserving” victims, but now things are much more complicated, as people close to him learned about his secret, leading to real collateral damage. Fans will soon find out who survives the final season. This is a great example of a show that never would have seen the light of day on network television. If you haven’t given it a try yet, put it in your queue and you won’t be disappointed.

16. Californication

Hank Moody is the man. Sure, he’s an irresponsible drunk with a knack for finding trouble in crazy LA, but he knows how to enjoy himself, and it’s fun as hell going along for the ride. Every season brings another sexy love interest and a slew of hookups. This season featured Maggie Grace, while recent seasons featured Meagan Goode, Addison Timlin and Carla Cugino. Unfortunately, characters like wild rocker Atticus Fetch in Season 6 and rapper Samurai Apocalypse in Season 5 aren’t nearly as fun or interesting. After six seasons, the drama with Karen and his daughter is getting a little old, though in Season 6, we finally saw Becca becoming a little more interesting and a less annoying as she experimented with booze, drugs and a new, goofy boyfriend who looks like a troll. The storylines push the envelope of absurdity each year, but there are enough wildly entertaining scenes to keep us coming back for more.

17. Family Guy

We’ll never get tired of the Griffins or the sick and twisted humor of Seth MacFarlane as he continues to push the envelope of good taste. Like “The Simpsons” and “South Park,” “Family Guy” has had a great run, and it’s still one of the funniest shows on television. This past season included a spoof of “Twelve Angry Men” as Mayor West goes on trial for a murder that takes place in the mayor’s mansion.

18. The Daily Show/The Colbert Report

With the election over, many of us are sick of politics these days, yet there’s plenty of stupidity coming from politicians and the cable news outlets to keep Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert at the top of their games.

“The Daily Show” hasn’t missed a beat, even with John Oliver subbing in for Jon Stewart in recent months.

19. Shameless

When you give a brilliant character actor like William H. Macy a role as rich as that of drunkard Frank Gallagher, you’re definitely off to a good start in putting together a new TV show. Add in the beautiful and talented Emmy Rossum as his eldest daughter Fiona, and some impressive younger actors to play his children, and now you’re onto something. With the Gallaghers, we get a hilarious peek into the lives of Americans struggling at the lower rungs of the economic ladder in the poor areas of Chicago. I’m tempted to call them a dysfunctional family, but the resourceful kids function pretty well considering they were stuck with a drunk like Frank as their father.

20. Key and Peele

When done well, the sketch comedy format can be a real winner, as we’ve seen from the best years on “SNL” and shows like “In Living Color.” Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele combine filmed sketches and live stage segments on “Key & Peele.” The duo offers up an interesting perspective on many issues given their biracial heritage, which seems to give them license to make fun of everybody.

21. Hannibal

It’s always challenging to build a television show around an iconic movie character, but the creators of “Hannibal” seem to have succeeded. Gifted criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) enlists the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) to help him catch a twisted serial killer. Of course, he has no clue that Lecter is much more than just a brilliant psychiatrist, and that sets the stage for this psychological thriller.

22. Veep

It’s easy to make fun of politicians these days, but the writers and stars of this show are particularly good at it. The show captures the futility of the office of the Vice President with the nakedly ambitious and utterly incompetent Selina Meyer as the VP. She’s played brilliantly by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who easily belongs in the sitcom Hall of Fame (does one exist?). Selina is surrounded by an equally ambitious and incompetent staff that will do almost anything to curry favor and further their own careers.

23. Louie

Stand-up comedian Louis C.K.’s second stab at a television series has been more successful, with “Louie” receiving rave reviews from numerous critics. He stars as a fictionalized version of himself as a divorcee raising two daughters in New York City. The show isn’t very structured, consisting of short scenes and standup bits thrown together. Some are hilarious, while others will just make you feel uncomfortable.

24. Magic City

With the popularity of “Mad Men,” it was only a matter of time before we saw more shows set in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. “Magic City” is set in Miami Beach starting on the eve of 1959 and centers around Ike Evans and his Miramar Playa Hotel. There’s plenty of drama involving the mob and the local D.A., and there’s also plenty of eye candy (including Bond babe Olga Kurylenko) to go along with the great clothes and beautiful cars of the era, as well as the South Beach locations.

25. The League

Guys love mercilessly abusing their friends, and that’s all you need to know if you’ve ever pondered the popularity of fantasy football. For some guys, fantasy football also offers an outlet from a life filled with work, wives and kids, while for many, it’s a way to keep in touch with old friends. Many women don’t get it, as the fun goes well beyond the game itself. Now, ratchet up all the fun, competition, idiocy and juvenile behavior you’ve experienced in your own league and you have “The League” on FX. The show has been described as a “semi-improvised” comedy, and it follows a group of six goofball friends as they battle from draft day throughout the season and deal with their everyday lives. No topic is taboo on this show, so the audience gets an endless stream of silly but hilarious situations.

RANDOM NOTES

Orange is the New Black

Netflix has another hit with this new original series, and Taylor Schilling is excellent in the lead role as Taylor Schilling, a pretty New England blonde who finds herself going off to federal prison. The rest of the cast is excellent as well, with Jason Biggs and Laura Prepon in supporting roles. The show has some promise, but we’ll see if it’s ever good enough to crack the Power Rankings.

Girls

Opinions vary wildly on this show, but Jason Zingale’s recent review sums up our thoughts: “I had a very love-hate relationship with the first season of “Girls,” but Season Two is such a complete train wreck that it made me want to stop watching the show altogether. Dunham has created one of the most unlikable protagonists on TV (between her coke-fueled meltdown and the Patrick Wilson episode, she hits an all-time low), and Williams’ laughably insecure Marnie isn’t too far behind. In fact, the female characters have so few redeeming qualities – even Mamet’s lively Shoshanna resorts to some bad behavior this season – that it’s a wonder how the audience is supposed to keep rooting for them.”

Boardwalk Empire

This show began with so much promise, but everything stated to go downhill once they killed off Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) near the end of Season 2. Season 3 was a mess with new villain Gyp Rosetti, who comes across a clumsy caricature of a violent Italian mobster. Some characters, like the young Al Capone, are worth watching (can we get a spinoff?), and the show is still beautifully produced with the period costumes and music, but it no longer deserves to be on our list.

True Blood

The bar has been set very high for cable TV shows, and in its first several seasons, “True Blood” easily met that standard. Yet it’s hard to keep things compelling as the years go by, and “True Blood” has slipped a bit over the years as practically every kind of creature from werewolves, to shape shifters, to fairies and more have been introduced with every kind of magic imaginable. Viewers can’t be surprised anymore as something strange and bizarre emerges with every character. Some storylines are great, while others just take up time and keep some of the characters occupied. Fortunately, many of the characters remain compelling, and the show hasn’t lost its sense of humor or sex appeal.

The Killing

We jumped the gun several years ago when we put “The Killing” at the top of our Spring 2011 power rankings. By the end of Season 1, we were disappointed like everyone else when the killer wasn’t revealed as promised. Even worse, an annoying pattern had developed during that season with each episode implying that a different killer could have been responsible for Rosie Larson’s death. Still, Mireille Enos was brilliant as Detective Sarah Lindon, though the storyline about her son was a useless distraction. Season 2 played out the string on the Rosie Larson murder with mediocre results, and it looked like we’d seen the end of this show. But surprisingly, AMC brought it back with a new case for Lindon and her partner Stephen Holder. Season 3 was much better, but unfortunately, the ending wasn’t worth all the trouble.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

We’re hoping Larry David comes back for another season, and if he does, this show will easily make our list again.

“Ted”

Seth MacFarlane has already built a media empire that currently dominates Fox’s Sunday night line-up, but it was only a matter of time before he moved on to a bigger challenge, and though “Ted” represents the multi-hyphenate’s first foray into feature filmmaking, the movie is such a confident debut that you have to wonder why it took so long to make the jump in the first place. While the film can feel like a live-action version of “Family Guy” at times – featuring trademarks like cutaway gags, a knock-down-drag-out fight, and enough boundary-pushing humor to comfortably earn its R rating – you don’t have to be a fan of the show to enjoy “Ted.” It certainly wouldn’t hurt, but there are also things that MacFarlane is able to do here that can’t be done in animation, and it creates a more well-rounded movie as a result. Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis are both solid in their respective roles, but it’s MacFarlane who steals the show as the foul-mouthed teddy bear. His decision to perform the motion capture and provide the voice of Ted not only does wonders for the interactions between him and Wahlberg, but it makes him feel like a real, living, breathing thing, and that goes a long way in making the film such an incredibly funny buddy comedy.

Blu-ray Highlight: There’s a lot of great bonus material for fans to dive into – including an amusing audio commentary with Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg and co-writer Alec Sulkin – but the making-of featurette is the best of the bunch, focusing mainly on visual effects and MacFarlane’s decision to perform Ted live on the set during filming.

“The Bourne Legacy”

I was a little wary when Universal announced that they were continuing the Jason Bourne franchise without Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (or for that matter, the title character), but “The Bourne Legacy” proves that there’s still life to the series without them. One of the most important factors in its success was the decision to bring Tony Gilroy back to write and direct the fourth installment, because no one knows the Bourne series better than him, and it was likely his idea to design the story so that it runs parallel to the events in “The Bourne Ultimatum.” That way, there’s still some sort of connection between Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross and Damon’s Bourne, even though they never actually cross paths. If they do get around to making another film, that would be the next logical step, but for what’s essentially a spin-off, “The Bourne Legacy” is a lot better than it probably has the right to be. It’s still not as good as the original trilogy, but between its talented cast (which includes heavy hitters like Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton) and superb action sequences, there’s more than enough here to keep you invested in the Bourne saga.

Blu-ray Highlight: Though it’s a little disappointing that none of the film’s cast appears on the audio commentary, the track – which features director/co-writer Tony Gilroy with several of his crew members – is a great conversation about making the movie, with each participant getting the chance to discuss their contribution to the film in detail.

“Girls: The Complete First Season”

“Girls” is one of those shows that makes me question why I continue to tune in every week. Though it’s a big hit with a lot of critics, and there’s invariably something that makes me laugh out loud each episode, the HBO comedy’s quartet of leading ladies doesn’t make it easy to enjoy. Creator Lena Dunham’s Hannah is easily one of the most annoying characters on television; Allison Williams’ Marnie makes more bad decisions than a horror movie victim; Jemima Kirke’s Jessa fails to prove what makes her so alluring to men; and Zosia Mamet’s Shoshanna… well, I don’t actually have anything bad to say about her. That might make “Girls” sound like a pretty insufferable viewing experience (and it is at times), but even with such terrible characters, it manages to deliver some surprisingly biting commentary on this generation’s crop of entitled, self-centered twentysomethings. Still, if it weren’t for breakout star Adam Driver’s hilarious performance as Hannah’s weirdo on-again, off-again boyfriend, there’s a pretty good chance I would have tuned out a long time ago, because he single-handedly makes the show worth watching.

Blu-ray Highlight: HBO doesn’t normally include many extras on their Blu-rays, but the two-disc release of “Girls” is loaded with bonus material, and many of them are really good. In addition to a pair of roundtable-type conversations between Lena Dunham and her female co-stars, and Dunham and producer Judd Apatow, there’s also a cool making-of video diary that goes behind the scenes of several Season One episodes.