Five Favorite New TV Shows of 2014

Posted On December 24, 2014

I have not had a chance to check out all the new television shows that debuted this past year, but there were a few of them that I believe flew under the radar for most people that I really loved. Some of these you might have been aware existed, but I imagine a couple of them, you might not have a clue were even on the air. I encourage you to check them out if you haven’t. It happens that four of them are comedies, so that works out if you are in the mood to laugh. I also seem to be a big fan of Comedy Central and FX shows.

Review

Channel: Comedy Central

Cast: Andrew Daly, Jessica St. Clair, Megan Stevenson

Returns: 2015

This show had a tiny bit of promotion when it aired on Comedy Central earlier this year. It turns out it was sitting on the shelf for a year before they finally aired it. I heard about it from a tv podcast and I’m so glad I did. It is about a guy who decides to review life so he takes audience suggestions about what he should do, like stealing or making a sex tape,  and then reviews it. It takes a couple of episodes to get warmed up and see how committed he is to reviewing things, and not telling his wife that he is doing these activities for his show. By the third episode, it becomes hilarious and starts the downward spiral that leads to the end of the season. It also leads to the funniest line I have ever heard uttered about pancakes. It has been renewed for a second season. I’m not sure how it will happen, but I can’t wait to watch more of it.

Broad City

Channel: Comedy Central

Cast: Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, John Gemberling, Hannibal Buress

Returns: January 14, 2015

Amy Poehler is an executive producer for this show about two twenty-something friends living in New York and doing more realistic things than anyone on Girls. Neither one of them has a great job or anything that would lead to a career, but just something that barely pays the bills while they hang out, date, and get into trouble when they get locked out or try to make it to a destination wedding outside the city. Ilana has a casual relationship with a dentist played by Hannibal Buress that wishes it was more serious while Abbi deals with a roommate that is never home, but her boyfriend who doesn’t pay rent is always there and always eating her food or sitting around pantsless. It is hilarious. Hijinks do ensue!

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Bojack Horseman

Channel: Netflix

Cast: Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Aaron Paul, Paul F. Tompkins

Returns: 2015

We stumbled across this when we started up Netflix one day. It is an animated series where animals talk and dress like people among other people and it is all normal. Bojack is a horse that starred in a ’90s sitcom as a single horse raising three kids. He hasn’t done anything since and decides he needs to write a book to cash in on some fame while he still can. It starts out funny and then gets pretty dark and poignant along the way. I actually enjoyed it more, the further into the series we got, even though one of my favorite scenes is in an early episode where one chicken gets so surprised by something that she drops an egg on the spot.

You’re the Worst

Channel: FX

Cast: Chris Geere, Aya Cash, Desmin Borges, Kether Donohue, Janet Varney, Allan McLeod

Returns: July 2015

Two toxic people have a one-night stand and tell each other all their deepest, darkest secrets because they never expect to see each other again, end up dating or hanging out or whatever they might try to call it. They have been burned by relationships, and neither one wants one, but they end up being drawn to each other, even though they keep trying to not be a couple. It is pretty awesome and funny. The two leads are great and so is the rest of the cast. By the end of the season, it was not looking good for a renewal since no one was watching it, so I was thrilled when it was announced that it was coming back.

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Fargo

Channel: FX

Cast: Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thorton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Keith Carradine, Russell Harvard, Adam Goldberg, Glenn Howerton, Oliver Platt, Kate Walsh, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele

Returns: 2015

When I heard there would be a television version that wasn’t a remake of the excellent Coen Brothers movie, but more of a companion piece, I was skeptical. When the Coen Brothers said they approved of it happening and I saw the cast, I had to check it out. The show is violent, dark, twisted and awesome all the way through. Martin Freeman is perfect as Lester Nygaard as the guy who does a very bad thing and ends up mixed up in Billy Bob Thorton’s hitman who is cruising through town. Colin Hanks can annoy me at times in other shows, but he actually made me like him here. The major stand out was Allison Tolman as Molly. She is fantastic and I want to see her in more shows, movies, etc. The season told an entire story and the second season will be a different story told in a different time period. I don’t believe it will feature any of the same actors like American Horror Story, but will just keep the title and possibly the same vibe. This was on a lot of critics best tv show list of the year, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, please do!