The 10 Best Geek TV Shows of 2012

Yesterday, my friend Gio (you can find his blog, Words from the Master, here; you should check it out, it's pretty great) posted a link to Topless Robot's Ten Best Geek Shows of 2012. I read the list, and while some of it is okay, I disagreed with most of the shows and pretty much all of the rankings. SO, I decided the only thing to do was post my own version of the list!

10. The Big Bang Theory

Topless Robot not only saw fit to leave this off the list, but they even took a shot at it while talking about Community. I'm sorry, but no show on television embraces geek culture the way this show does while simultaneously giving us enjoyable characters, fun stories, and a whole bunch of laughs every week. Most of the shows on either list are talked about on this show, and when they talk about Doctor Who, they talk about Doctor Who... Inspector Spacetime, my ass.

9. Merlin

Here's a show that gets very little love in the States as it comes from across the pond and isn't its more famous cousin, but it's a high quality show that I've already written about. The fifth and final season is only just starting on SyFy now, but having already seen it all... well, it's a hell of a ride.

8. Arrow

Here's another show I've already written about. In my initial review, I said it had some problems, but if it could fix them, it would be a great show. It's fixed them, and it's pretty great. In fact, it's shaping up to be a much better show than Smallville was; not saying much now, I grant you, but looking back at Smallville's first few seasons, that show was on point... and much like that, Arrow is right on target.

7. Spartacus: Vengeance

Topless Robot completely forgot about this gem of an action series. Maybe their memory doesn't stretch back to Winter 2012? Whatever the reason, leaving off this well-acted, well-plotted, and action-packed period piece pretty much shredded the credibility of their list completely.

6. Doctor Who

My list and Topless Robot's list have had nothing in common so far, and nowhere is that a more glaring error on their part than in their list's lack of the Doctor. Yes, the six episodes we had so far in Series 7 have been uneven... for my money, three were great and three were just alright... but, in the case of those good episodes, when Doctor Who is on top of its game, nothing can touch it.

5. True Blood

I'm the first to admit True Blood felt like it hit it's prime right out of the gate has declined lately, but season 5 really was a return to greatness for the show, especially once it cleared out a few of the weaker side story lines and left the last few episodes to focus on the biggest vampire arc its had in years, the Cult of Lilith, and its big surprise ending that was easily one of the best cliffhangers of the year.

4. The Vampire Diaries

For the first time, the two lists have a show in common. The Vampire Diaries gets a bad rap, I think being compared to Twilight all the time. But honestly, it is much more True Blood than Twilight, except with much more consistent quality. This show never disappoints, and it proved very early on that no character is safe. People die on this show all the time... and nothing says entertainment like never knowing when your favorite character might drop.

3. Fringe

Talk about the little show that could. Fringe escaped cancellation not once but twice, managing to come back for this final season that, like every other season, is only the same in that it's totally different from what came before. Episodes in this mini-season have been truly heart-breaking, edge-of-your-seat stuff. They've been describing this final season as a love letter to the fans, and, if that's the case, well, this is definitely a two-way love affair.

2. The Walking Dead

Everyone's favorite zombie show pulled in at #1 on Topless Robot's list, and yes, season 3 has been that damn good so far, with Michonne, Merle, and The Governor and enough deaths to shake a sword at. But, 2012 also includes the second half of season 2, which, with the exception of the last episode or two, wasn't very good. With that in mind, I couldn't justify giving it the top spot, especially when you consider the show that's left...

1. Game of Thrones

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Do I really need to say anymore? Okay, fine. Arya Stark. Daenerys Targaryen. Dragons. Blackwater. Fucking Joffrey. The defense rests, Your Honor.