By and large, numbered list are useful only for entertainment purposes. Without standard criteria, lists reflect authors' personal feelings and tastes. And even if there were a checklist for television show attributes, this is still television where everything is widely varied. My mindset is that lists are immensely fun to read and write. It allows for reflection on the past which is sometimes necessary when episodes continue to be produced and watched. I didn't feel like writing much at the end of the year, but I typed some random lists--no criteria, no quantification, just whatever came to mind (and trying to avoid overlaps).
Best shows
1) Breaking Bad
2) Mad Men
3) Community
4) The Good Wife
5) Rubicon
6) Supernatural
7) Terriers
8) Boardwalk Empire
9) Lost
10) Chuck
Best mindless pleasure shows
1) NCIS
2) Nikita
3) Psych
4) Bones (strictly when it's not a Booth-Brennan episode)
5) Leverage
Most memorable scenes
1) Epic fight between Hank and the cousins on Breaking Bad
2) Every second of the Community paintball episode
3) Final Lost scene, a big WTF
4) Don completely blows up on Peggy in Mad Men
5) Jack Bauer's final goodbye on 24
Most disappointing shows
1) Undercovers
2) No Ordinary Family
3) Big Love
4) Human Target
5) True Blood
Most surprising shows in terms of quality (both good and bad, mostly good)
1) Parks and Recreation
2) Sanctuary
3) The Mentalist
4) Big Love
5) Weeds
