Paul & AJ’s Top 10 New & Returning TV Series of 2013

Last week, we brought you our favorite movies of last year (finally saw Inside Llewyn Davis, by the way, and yes, it would have made the cut). This week, we change channels to focus on TV. We’re doing things a little differently this time out, with separate top 10 lists for new shows and returning favorites. Though there were a lot of new shows I enjoyed over the past year, I’ll admit I couldn’t stretch them to 10; instead, I’ve got 8, while Paul’s just crazy enough to have a full 10.

As always, there are shows we couldn’t get around to: I haven’t seen Rectify, Top of the Lake, Broadchurch, or The Wrong Mans, all of which I’d hoped to see in time for this list. Oh, and to absolve him of all guilt, I should mention that Paul has never seen Breaking Bad. Wait, I don’t think that absolves him.

NEW SERIES

PAUL: 10. HANNIBAL (NBC)

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I wasn’t particularly interested in a television adaptation of the Thomas Harris characters. But names like Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, and Bryan Fuller pulled me in. It’s one of the most visually stunning and hauntingly…haunting shows ever to make it to network television. It’s also one of the most shockingly violent and grotesque. All positives in my book. But I can’t put it any higher on my list because it’s crushingly depressing.

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Read AJ’s Review of ‘Smashed’ in the New Issue of ‘The Ann Arbor Review of Books’

aarb2

I am a terrible self-promoter and forgot to link to the first issue of The Ann Arbor Review of Books, wherein I wrote about this year’s Oscars telecast and red carpet coverage, but I won’t make the same mistake twice! The new issue of Ann Arbor is available right here for all Kindle-enabled devices (click here if you’re in the UK, or here if you’re in Canada). That’s $2.99 not only for my review of the film Smashed starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul, but also for takes on Zero Dark ThirtyEnlightened, upcoming Gobbledygeek guest Wesley Mead’s piece about the new They Might Be Giants album Nanobots, and more. Please support independent publishing and check it out!

Listen to Episode 132, “Bang & Twang (feat. Rench from Gangstagrass)”

Rench from Gangstagrass

Gobbledygeek episode 132, “Bang & Twang (feat. Rench from Gangstagrass),” is available for listening or download right here, and on iTunes here.

Hip hop? Bluegrass? The two genres might not be as different as you think, which Paul and AJ learn this week by talkng to Gangstagrass mastermind Rench. Rench discusses his attempt to bridge the gap and of how the fusion came about. Along the way, there’s talk of Whedon, Axe Cop, and of course, Justified. Plus, AJ raves about Enlightened, Paul chats about the new comic Helheim, and there’s more (yes, really!) Americans talk.

Next: the boys are joined by Jason Tabrys of The BastardCast.

(Show notes for “Bang & Twang.”)