Best of 2015 — TV Series

We've reached the end of another year, and as such it's time for my yearly countdown of my favorite TV shows, episodes, performances, and movies of the year. This is the first of two posts on TV. It was a banner year for scripted series, and a crowded one. More than 400 scripted series aired seasons in 2015. That's a lot. And there were some great shows, great episodes, and great performances. Below are my 10 favorite series and five least favorite series of 2015.

Top TV Series:
No. 10 — Silicon Valley, Season 2 (HBO)
About: I liked this series from Mike Judge about tech wannabes going through highs and lows in the Silicon Valley when it debuted in 2014. But the series came into its own during the second season. The jokes were sharper, the satire worked well, and the stories were fascinating. This was part of the best night of TV this year, Sundays this Spring for HBO. And the second season was strong enough for it to move ahead of "VEEP," another comedy that just missed this list.

No. 9 — Narcos, Season 1 (Netflix)
About: It was a huge year for Netflix, which seemingly doubled its amount of original programming. There were a lot of high profile shows and casts for Netflix, so it's understandable that this one flew a bit under the radar. But the story of DEA agents working with the Columbian government to bring down Pablo Escobar in the 1970s and 1980s was one of the year's best. I liked the cast, the pacing, production, and the story telling.

No. 8 — Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Season 2 (HBO)
About: John Oliver rightly took his place as the best satire host on TV in his second full season with his own weekly series on HBO. No one tackled tougher topics with a better blend of humor and insight than John Oliver. His episodes were engrossing and informative, which is a rare feat.

No. 7 — Broadchurch, Season 2 (BBC America)
About: There was nothing more devastating than the first season of "Broadchurch." It was a near perfect season with an incredibly compelling ending. In fact, it was so perfect I didn't think there should be any more. I couldn't see how it would work. Well season two came, and it worked great. The season was compelling, fascinating and devastating in its own way. And better yet, it paved the way for what is to come next.

No. 6 — Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Season 1 (Netflix)
About: NBC developed this show from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock but decided to dump it. Netflix was waiting and pounced. The result was a delightful show that I think had the best season of any comedy on TV. Ellie Kemper was a revelation in the lead role, and the show was incredible and incredibly binge worthy. NBC's loss was Netflix, and our, gain!

No. 5 — The Leftovers, Season 2 (HBO)
About: No show underwent a more incredible makeover than "The Leftovers." I enjoyed and was fascinated by the first season, but I was in the minority. But for its second season, Damon Lindelof broke free from the first season mold — which was constructed around the novel — and found a new level of creative excellence. Thanks to a great cast — led by Regina King, Justin Theroux, and Carrie Coon — "The Leftovers" was the most compelling addition to the fall lineup.

No. 4 — Jessica Jones, Season 1 (Netflix)
About: Superhero shows are all the rage, and Netflix got into the act through a partnership with Marvel. The first to debut was "Daredevil," a brutally fascinating take on the genre. But the second Marvel show to bow was "Jessica Jones," and it's the better of the two. A lot was made about the need for a strong female hero on TV when "Supergirl" debuted. The argument is accurate, I just think the hero we need is "Jessica Jones."

No. 3 — The Americans, Season 3 (FX)
About: This series about Russian spies posing as Americans in the 1980s has been a critical darling for all of its three seasons. I've always liked the show, but I think it hit its stride with a breath-taking season three. The stories were tight, the performances were great, and the drama was intense. All of it coalesced to create something compelling and vibrant on screen.

No. 2 — Fargo, Season 2 (FX)
About: "True Detective" may have ushered in the anthology crime series craze, but it's "Fargo" that nailed the formula perfectly. For as great as the first season was, "Fargo" reached new creative heights in its second season. The performances were great, as was the storytelling style. "Fargo" delivered an incredible follow up for its second season creating one of the best hours of the year on TV.

No. 1 — Game of Thrones, Season 5 (HBO)
About: TV's best series is also its most ambitious. "Game of Thrones" is blessed by some rich source material, but creators David Benioff and DB Weiss have begun to blaze their own trail. Season five was the most action packed and delivered some of the most iconic storytelling of the series. The pieces are all moving into place, but this is a show that's as much about the journey as the destination. It remains the best series on TV.

Worst Series:
5. — Olympus (SyFy)
About: I'm still not sure what this show was about. It was a CGI nightmare and it had the least comprehensible story of any series I saw this year.

4. — Scream Queens (FOX)
About: This high profile horror comedy from Ryan Murphy was supposed to be one of the shows of the fall. Instead, it was a hot mess. It wasn't funny but it was offensive and dry.

3. — Donny! (USA)
About: USA is moving away from sitcoms, and if you watch "Donny!" you can see why. It show was a hot mess.

2. — The Bastard Executioner (FX)
About: This was supposed to be the next great drama from Kurt Sutter, who created "Sons of Anarchy." It was plenty crass and violent, but it wasn't compelling. It has since been cancelled.

1. — The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (Lifetime)
About: This horror/action/comedy starring Christina Ricci was based on a true story. But facts, storytelling, and quality never enter into the equation here. This was the most WTF show I saw all year, and the most confounding.