Todd's top 5 ("I hope you know how awful this is to submit without having seen whether the "Homeland" finale saves/tanks that show's whole season."):

1. "Mad Men" (AMC)
2. "Louie" (FX)
3. "Girls" (HBO)
4. "Homeland" (Showtime)
5. "Rev." (BBC)

Special Categories:

1. What was the show of the year? "Mad Men." The series of episodes in the middle of the season may be the best stretch of television in a long, long while and certainly since the glory days when HBO had "The Sopranos," "The Wire" and "Deadwood" all on the air.

2. What was the best scene? Carrie and Brody face down across the interrogation table in "Homeland's" "Q&A." It's rare to have two actors playing at this high a level on TV, but "Homeland's" endlessly watchable, intensely problematic, wildly entertaining second season wouldn't have worked without Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, and this scene shows why. (And "Homeland" even has one in the chamber with Mandy Patinkin. It's an embarrassment of riches, even when it's embarrassing.)

Continue Reading...