The 25 TV Shows We Are Most Thankful For in 2012

By The Pajiba TV Writers | Lists | November 25, 2012 |

By The Pajiba TV Writers | Lists | November 25, 2012 |

25.We are thankful for Shameless, and to Emmy Rossum for making below-the-poverty line look so sexy.

24. We are thankful to The Rachel Maddow Show for giving us a strong female news anchor, a reasonable liberal voice on the left, and someone who will fight for our right to alcohol.

23. We are thankful for The Newsroom, because even though Aaron Sorkin is mawkish and self-righteous and recycles his plots, he still knows how to knock down a straw man and deliver a satisfying sermon. Also, drunk Waterston.

22. We are thankful to The Good Wife for the best casting on television, and because Kalinda plays dirty.

21. We are thankful for Downton Abbey because of HATS and CORSETS and because Maggie Smith is a GODDAMN INTERNATIONAL TREASURE.

20. We are thankful to Veep because, fuckity-doo-dah, the Vice President knows the score.

19. We are thankful to American Horror Story because GOOD GOD, PEOPLE. NIPPLE LAMPS.

18. We are thankful for The League because of Rafi Bombs.

17. We are thankful to Boardwalk Empire because they are not afraid to kill off a beloved character damn near weekly. STOP IT, YOU’RE KILLING ME.

16. We are thankful for HBO’s Girls because the sidewalk scenes are THE BEST.

15. We are thankful to Community for so many timelines.

14. We are eternally grateful to Doctor Who for all the wibbly wobbly timey-wimey.

13. We are thankful to Parenthood for weekly heart smushies.

12. We are thankful to The Walking Dead for a much improved Season Three. However, if Daryl dies, we riot.

11. We are thankful to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report for making this election year bearable.

10. We are thankful to Homeland because that bitch is crazy, but she’s also right.

9. We are thankful to Justified because, if you have to ask, you’re f*cking blind.

8. We are thankful to New Girl because Nick never fails to make us happy.

7. We are thankful to Louie because it has originated the truly depressing, heartbreaking, and reflective television comedy.

6. We are thankful to Happy Endings because it’s the only ensemble sitcom where it’s impossible to pick a favorite character (although, we can rule out Dave).

5. We are thankful to Sherlock for making wearing a scarf look so bad ass.

4. We are thankful to Mad Men for giving us Hamm for Thanksgiving.

3. We are thankful to Parks & Recreation for Ron Swanson quotes, and for being the sweetest show on television.

2. We are thankful to Game of Thrones because Battle of Blackwater lived up to our expectations.

1. We are thankful to Breaking Bad because it is the best goddamn show on television.