Want to know what the people think? Don’t give ’em lists… just ask ’em. At least that’s what I did yesterday (29/12/12) when I asked people to tell me what they thought was the best and worst TV in 2012.
What I got was LOTS of opinions, and lots of people that can’t make up their mind to decide on just one show. I KNOW there was a lot of good and bad TV in 2012, but everyone expects me to come up with just one list/choice/show. Not so easy now the shoe is on the other foot, is it?!
The collated results as a Top 10 are listed below (from over 150 responses). I have not influenced or altered the results (as much as I might have wanted to – My 2012 year in review is out as usual on the last day of the year). The results are also very likely indicative of the demographics of my followers (which are, at best, varied).
THE PEOPLE OF TWITTER HAVE SPOKEN.
The Worst TV in 2012
TIED 10. A Current Affair/Today Tonight/Anger Management/Tricky Business
Haters gonna hate, and the public affairs shows are easy targets (as is anything by Charlie Sheen). Tricky Business just didn’t fire for Ch9, and raised the ire of some.
09. The Big Bang Theory
I guess there’s only so many episodes you can repeat before the people turn on you.
08. Everybody Dance Now
Everybody Don’t Now.
07. Ten Breakfast
Ten tried and failed… and in the process broke their news service and The Circle (which was on its last legs anyway).
06. Channel 10
An interesting recommendation by the people – acknowledging that so much of what the network tried just didn’t connect with the viewing audience.
05. 2 Broke Girls
It tried to make us laugh. It tried too hard.
TIED 03. Brynne: My Bedazzled Life/Big Brother
Brynne no surprise as the Ob-Doc reality series all year didn’t strike a chord with audiences. As for BB, perhaps going PG wasn’t such a good idea for Nine?
TIED 01. Being Lara Bingle/The Shire
Impossible to separate (and so far in front it’s not funny). The Bingle Bungle did nothing to enhance her or the network’s image, while The Shire proved if you’re going to have a swing at a “dramality” program, best leaving either the “drama” or “reality” out of it. Both were high-quality manufacturing fails.
The Best TV in 2012
TIED 10. Puberty Blues/Game Of Thrones
Puberty Blues brought to life an iconic book with a stellar cast and superb adaptation – ditto Game of Thrones, but in an entirely separate genre. If you’ve not seen either make sure you grab the DVD sets over summer and catch up – PB has a second season coming in 2013 and GOT is leading into season three.
09. My Kitchen Rules
Superb casting meant no matter what twists you threw at the teams, there was always someone at the side with a snide comment passing judgement (usually a task reserved for the viewers).
08. Redfern Now
Proof that we’ve been ignoring indigenous actors, directors, writers and production teams for too long – an eminently watchable series.
07. Problems
Written, filmed, edited and produced in but weeks, Sam Simmons’s eclectic and eccentric world came to life in the weirdest and best way.
TIED 05. Rake/House Husbands
Cleaver Greene somehow got into funkier stuff than even the audience thought was possible, while Nine succeeded in delivering a new drama everyone could relate to and an awful lot feel in love with (not for the lack of trying).
04. A Moody Christmas
The JungleBoys struck a chord just in time for Christmas with audiences who saw the Moodys as an extension (or even mirror) of their own family’s dysfunction.
03. Howzat: Kerry Packer’s War
Lachie Hulme stood tall in Nine’s love story to its cricketing past, and it was everything good nostalgic drama should be – indulgent, gentle on the truth, and mesmerising.
02. Offspring
Nina settled down somewhat but still found time to live amidst the relationship chaos she creates and that around her, even once she found out she wasn’t actually a Proudman. Aussie drama that got better with subsequent series.
01. Homeland
Ten correctly kept the episodes coming for season two once the ratings period ended, showing viewers it is actually trying to give them quality programming. It top and tailed the year as standout drama with some of the best twists we’ve seen ever on the small screen.