Best TV Shows of 2013

The year 2013 brought out a lot of good TV. For sure more eyes were glued on the television to feast on shows that entertain, amuse, educate or inform. But what I am about to do now is tell you the best of the best on Philippine cable television, which regularly broadcasts American TV shows.

The year that was made me realize that we don’t need a lot of TV. I always knew that, but because I’m a hardcore TV fan, I have stacked up on shows that were deemed good. However, because I have far more important things to do (Not that I’m telling watching TV is not important. Hey, why am I writing this one right now, right?), I was only able to watch a select few in my spare time. I am narrowing down the Best of TV list into 5 (or 6 as you would know why in a while). Did your favorite make the cut?

 Best TV Shows of 2013

TOP 5- MASTERS OF SEX and GAME OF THRONES

Masters of Sex is the best new American series to debut in the fall season. In addition to very compelling performances from its lead and supporting actors, the series boasts itself with really smart writing and great production values. One might think that this show is too hot for TV just basing on the title. It really is, but the sensual scenes are done in good taste. Moreover, what the show imparts is more than the skin. It looks into the human physiology of sex, and it dwells in the thin line work and relationships and how sex could work for or against it.

Game of Thrones reached a new height this year by surprising everyone (aside from the readers of the books where the series is based) during its The Rains of Castamere episode. That episode alone should be given commendation for being a good display of directing, acting and production skills. Moreover, I think the series is getting better and better one season after another.

TOP 4- AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

The top TV show last year still made it to the list of the best this year. Touching the topic of witchcraft, the series remains as campy yet as delightful as ever. The current season may be predictable at times, but it seems like the show’s creators never seem to run out of ideas that would surprise the audience with shocking or jaw-dropping scenes week after week. Not convinced? Watch it.

TOP 3- HANNIBAL

The best new American series to debut last year is Hannibal (it debuted during the first half of the year). Creator Bryan Singer made sure this show sets itself apart from popular versions of the Hannibal Lecter story in both TV and movies. The reimagining he did with Hannibal creates a league on its own: dark, affecting and very beautiful. The powerful performances of the cast and the great directing cap the brilliant production values the series offers.

TOP 2- THE BIG BANG THEORY

Even on its 7^th season, this comedy series never ever fails to make the audiences laugh with its witty dialogues and smart storylines (I’m looking at you, Modern Family). The characters being portrayed by both lead and supporting cast are still as entertaining as ever.

TOP 1- BREAKING BAD

If the year 2013 will be remembered for one television show (yes, one television show only), then it will be remembered because of Breaking Bad, the best among the best this year (or probably the best ever). Ending the series with the final eight episodes of season 5, the team behind the show made it the most suspenseful, the most compelling, the most gripping episodes for the past year. Thanks to the brilliant acting of the cast, the great directing from its roster of directors, the beautiful cinematography, the great and smart writing and good over-all production values, Breaking Bad is the best TV show of 2013.

***

P.S. Three of my favorite reality shows really did great this year. The Voice continues its dominance as the best singing show to grace the golden screen because of the still surprising and entertaining rounds (Audition Round, Battle Round, Knockout Round and Live Shows), great hosting being done by Carson Daly and of course, the great chemistry among its coaches. Survivor has never been as compelling as its last season for a very long time. All the contestants are a hit. Meanwhile, The Amazing Race has never produced a great season for a long time as well and the last season satisfied the fans’ hunger for a great reality racing with its awesome travel destinations and very entertaining contestants.

Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo?

Combining hilarity and wit and showing relevance while still being conventional, Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo? may just be the most significant commercial movie yet for the youth this year. Based on the popular romance guide book by the comedian-writer Ramon Bautista, the movie displayed issues of love, romance and sex in both funny and serious ways.

The movie is about Sandy (played by Kim Chiu), a girl who may be touted as pangit mag-ayos ng hitsura and baduy magdamit. After being used and abandoned by her boyfriend, she gets axed in her work by Alex (played by Xian Lim), the new president of the recording company where she’s working. However, when Alex comes to know about Sandy’s importance in the company, he proposes for her to come back and promises  to help her be the girl that guys would fall in love with. Would Sandy agree to be changed in order to find her true love? You’ll find it out in this film.

Kim Chiu takes the cake for being the best artist in this movie. She attacked her role seriously without pushing herself to the point that would make her performance over-acting. Meanwhile, Xian Lim is a revelation. I didn’t know he could pass as a formidable leading man to Kim until watching the film. They sure had lots of kilig moments, and you could see in their eyes that they might actually be in love even in real life. Meanwhile, their tandem has been provided with a good supporting cast, most notably Freddie Webb as Xian’s grandfather and Ramon Bautista as himself, giving love advice that’s basically taken out of his book where the movie is based.

Romantic comedies usually have contrived plots and this one is not an exemption. You’d know even before watching the film how it would end. But what sets the movie apart from the others is the transformation of the lead character, Sandy, from being such a hopeless and hapless romantic to an ideal girlfriend. Along this transformation, though, she remains who she truly is: a girl with a principle. (Oops, that was a spoiler. Sorry!)

The movie has a couple of great scenes: the LOL moment when Sandy sang “Bakit Pa” with Tangerine (played by Angeline Quinto, whose character was brokenhearted like Sandy), the goodnight kissing scene of Sandy and Alex in front of the Sandy’s house and the whole harana sequence. I highly doubt anyone won’t get to laugh or feel in love while watching the said scenes.

The movie should also be commended because of its cinematography and directing. Many of the scenes were shot in ways that would augment the beauty of the setting. Meanwhile, the way Joyce Bernal, the director, handled the scenes was laudable as the story-telling was smooth from start to end. The songs used were also good. What I didn’t like though was the audio error in a few scenes wherein the characters’ dialogues seemed morphed for some reason.

Funny, relevant yet serious about love issues, Bakit Di Ka Crush ng Crush Mo? is a must-see for teenagers and young adults with or without a love life.

Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 4 out of 5

Bliss Just Follows

It’s been more than six (6) years since I’ve started writing about my thoughts on movies that I watch. I wrote them all on a website called Multiply. In case you’re not familiar with it, Multiply is a social networking site that aimed people to blog, post their pictures, share music and videos and write reviews. It gained popularity before the two biggest social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter, gained fame. So I don’t blame you for not knowing it.

Even when blog sites such as WordPress and Blogspot became popular, I didn’t stop writing blogs and reviews (basically, of movies) in Multiply. Why? Just because it’s so hard to leave the first blog site that I used. Even though I don’t blog that much there anymore (because I already have one and now, two, here in WP), post pictures since more than two years ago (I do this now in FB, thank you) and share other media contents, I continued to write reviews of the movies that I watch just because I want to. When I started writing movie reviews (right about 2nd year in college), I didn’t know it would become a habit, especially after college graduation. But I just thought of it as one way to relax. Of course, I enjoy doing what I do at work but there are also other things that I enjoy, and two of them are watching movies (let’s also add TV shows) and writing. When I put them together, it feels like bliss just follows.

Later on, I’m going to put some of the reviews that I did in Multiply here in my newest WP blog. Don’t worry, I won’t be sharing my very first movie reviews because they were not that good, not that I’m telling you my reviews now are really, really good! Hehe. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoying the reviews that I would be posting!