When Nurse Jackie returns, Jackie is back to using following her relapse in the fifth season finale, a relapse that took place on the one-year anniversary of her becoming sober in the first place. While there’s a chance that she’ll see the error of her ways and make her move toward sobriety, Jackie was still a decades-long addict, someone who learned how to lie very effectively and very persuasively, so it’ll take a lot for someone to A) notice that she’s using again and B) convince her that giving sobriety another shot is the best thing for her and the kids.

Meanwhile, on the final season of Californication, Hank has given up a world tour with Atticus and Faith to give his relationship with Karen another chance, but when he settles into his new job in the writers’ room of the Santa Monica Cop television adaptation, he’ll come face to face with the life of routine and comfort that he’s ran away from for decades. Is this the moment when the great Hank Moody finally packs it in for a life of domestic bliss?

Produced by James Cameron, Years of Living Dangerously takes a look at the hot button topic of climate change, as correspondents (film and television actors, news journalists) travel the globe to showcase the effects of climate change and talk to those who have been impacted by the global phenomenon. The series will also delve into possible solutions for climate change and whether Earth has reached the point of no return in terms of habitability.

You can check out the trailer for Years of Living Dangerously, as well as a new teaser released today, below.

Will you be watching Nurse Jackie this season after the relapse in the fifth season finale? Do you think that Hank will finally end up with Karen on Californication? What do you expect to learn from Years of Living Dangerously?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeO68-e-Glg

The post Showtime Announces Premiere Dates for Nurse Jackie, Californication, and Years of Living Dangerously appeared first on TVHackr.

“With its unique blend of lyricism and excess, Californication has been one of our groundbreaking signature series,” said Showtime entertainment president David Nevins. “We will always be indebted to Tom Kapinos for leading the creative charge on this memorable comedy, and to David Duchovny for making us root for an unapologetic hedonist like Hank Moody.” As for how things will end for Hank, Nevins would not drop clues but assured that “Tom has carefully planned the final chapter of Hank’s journey and has brought it to a beautiful and satisfying conclusion for new and long-time fans alike.”

When we last left Hank Moody and company, Hank decided against going on the road with Faith and Atticus in favor of returning home to give his on-off relationship with Karen another shot, while Charlie and Marcy remarried following a seasons-long separation and divorce. Season seven picks up with Hank working on the television adaptation of Santa Monica Cop, the never-released film he worked on (and was fired from) during season five, and Charlie and Marcy navigating life as a couple after years of being apart in that capacity. In addition to the new digs, Hank will have to deal with old-school executive producer Rick Rath, a writing team whose sensibilities might not necessarily match his, and the reappearance of an old friend who could destroy what chance he had at reuniting with Karen for good.

The final season of Californication is set to premiere April 2014, along with the sixth season of Nurse Jackie.

Will you be watching the final season of Californication? Do you think that Hank will end up back together with Karen? Should he?

The post Californication to End with Season 7 This Spring appeared first on TVHackr.

This week on TVHackr, we talked about Meredith Viera getting a daytime talk show, Cult reaching its series finale, and additions to FX”s The Strain, while the internet mentioned international television, the decline of Oval Office addresses, and Asperger”s.

Family Tree Season Finale Sneak Peeks: Tom’s Time in California Comes to an End
Tom”s trip to California comes to an end, but not before he learns more about Tumbleweed Tim, uncovers a startling revelation about Al, and has to make a difficult decision about the fate of his relationship with Ally.

The Fosters Recap: Cutting the Childhood Monsters Down to Size
While Callie ends up at Wyatt”s foreclosure party with Mariana, Jesus and Lexi face the proverbial firing squad when Lena and Stef have dinner with the Riveras – as well as Frank, Stef”s dad.

Starz’s Outlander Names Sam Heughan as Lead
The adaptation of the beloved novel series has found its Jamie Fraser in Scottish actor Sam Heughan. The show will begin production later this year for a spring 2014 debut.

Californication: Rob Lowe to Guest Star in Season 7
Eddie Nero will be popping up for one episode next season on Californication, as he”s set to guest star on the television project Hank”s working on.

News Roundup: Meredith Viera Gets a Talk Show, Person of Interest Key Cards, and Defiance Guest Stars
Among recent TV headlines are Meredith Viera getting a daytime talk show, Syfy offering a way to guest star on the second season of Defiance, and R&B girl group SWV earning a WE tv reality show about their comeback.

Cult Series Finale Spoilers: Jeff and Skye Remain in Hiding
Coming up on Cult, Nate tells Jeff to close the investigation out, while the inside show prepares to film a pivotal live scene and Skye continues looking for information about the disappearance of her father.

Mistresses Full Season-to-Date Available Online until July 22nd
ABC has made the full season-to-date of Mistresses available on WatchABC.com and the Watch ABC app through July 22nd. Six episodes have aired to this point.

Rectify Marathon to Air July 14th on AMC
AMC will be airing the entire first season of Sundance”s Rectify on Sunday, July 14th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The show will return for a second season in 2014.

The Fosters Spoilers: Lena and Stef Learn Secrets About the Kids
Coming up on The Fosters, one member of the family ends up in the hospital, Jesus has a confrontation with his birth mother, and Callie educates Brandon on life as a foster kid.

Mistresses 1.07 Preview: Harry and Dom Face Off Over Savi
On the next episode of Mistresses, Harry and Dom come to blows over Savi, Joss moves in with April, and Anthony visits Karen once again – but Elizabeth Grey isn”t on his mind.

The Fosters 1.07 Sneak Peeks: Will Mariana Give Ana More Money?
On the next episode of The Fosters, Callie opens up to Brandon like never before, while Ana has a request that Mariana might not be able to help with and Jude looks to impress his new friend Connor.

Twisted 1.06 Sneak Peeks: The Investigation Points Toward Connecticut
On the next episode of Twisted, the investigation into the letter that Regina received points Danny, Jo, and Lacey toward a Connecticut apartment, but how will Kyle react when he finds out that his daughter snuck off to another state with a convicted murderer?

Face Off Season 5 to Feature Contestants From Past Seasons
Which former contestants will Face Off be bringing back to compete for the title? At least half of the veterans placed in the top four of their respective season.

Baby Daddy Season 2 Spoilers: Danny Attempts to Set Riley Up
Coming up on Baby Daddy, Riley undergoes a personal tragedy, Tucker”s girlfriend gets a job at Ben”s bar, and one of Danny”s teammates has his eye on Bonnie.

The Strain Adds Robert Maillet, Sean Astin, and Francis Capra
FX drama pilot The Strain has added three members to its expanding cast. Principal photography on the pilot begins in September.

The White Queen: An Overview of the Upcoming Starz Period Drama
What is Starz”s upcoming period drama The White Queen about? Find out everything you need to know here.

News Roundup: Glee, Castle, and Arrow Add Cast Members
Who will be joining the casts of Glee, Castle, and Arrow this fall?

Bates Motel Adds Three Characters for Season 2
A&E”s hit drama has added three characters for its upcoming second season, all of whom have some connection to Norma. Just who will we be seeing cross her path?

Hit the Floor 1.08 Sneak Peeks: German and Ahsha Clash Over the Punch
While Ahsha might be in trouble over what German did to Derek, Sloane learns something about the Devils organization that could put her daughter in serious danger.

Revenge: Justin Hartley Joins Season 3
The Smallville alum will be joining the third-year soap for a major multi-episode arc. But who will he be playing?

Netflix Is Making Both Cable and Internet Television Better (The Atlantic Wire)
The Atlantic Wire argues that Netflix”s recent slew of acquisitions and original series isn”t something that the television industry should fear, since it leads to higher quality programming and has helped change the way television gets made.

Your ability to focus: Why 3D television can’t take off (San Francisco Chronicle)
The San Francisco Chronicle discusses why 3D television has yet to make a dent in the marketplace, including quotes from renowned sound editor Walter Munch.

The future of television (U Weekly)
U Weekly talks about recent issues in the television industry, including the changing face of media consumption, the impact of streaming services on viewing habits, and the burden of anticipation and commercials.

5 Great International Shows That Should Be Streaming (Vulture)
Vulture rounds up five international shows that, while not available for streaming in the United States, should be.

Live From the Oval Office: A Backdrop of History Fades From TV (New York Times)
The New York Times looks at the recent drop in the number of presidential addresses from inside the Oval Office and why the venue has been used as sparingly as it has been during the past decade.

The Latest Trend On TV: Characters With Asperger”s (The Huffington Post)
The Huffington Post delves into one of the more prominent trends in television today: the character with Asperger”s, citing Parenthood, The Bridge, Hannibal, The Big Bang Theory, and Community as examples.

 (Hitfix)
Hitfix looks at The Big Bang Theory”s writers-only panel, the reemergence of Dan Harmon, and a potential Seth MacFarlane appearance at 2013 San Diego Comic-Con.

The post The Week in Television Wrap July 6-12 appeared first on TVHackr.

But that’s not all, as Hank’s personal life has begun to unravel once again. Last season ended with him eschewing a life on the road with Faith for another shot at being with Karen, but that attempt at domestic bliss might not survive the arrival of Julia (Heather Graham), a former friend who threatens to tear down everything Hank and Karen have built recently. Charlie and Marcy, meanwhile, are still together after reuniting in the sixth season finale, only now they’re facing an offer from Stu that could change everything.

This will be Lowe’s sixth episode portraying Nero, dating back to 2011’s “Suicide Solution” and including this year’s “Mad Dogs and Englishmen”, where Eddie partied with Hank at Atticus’s drug-fueled soiree and took a shine to Karen. He currently stars on NBC’s Parks and Recreation as small-town bureaucrat Chris Traeger, having previously been a regular on the likes of The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters, and The Lyon’s Den.

The seventh season of Californication, which will also feature guest appearances from the likes of Brandon T. Jackson and Mercedes Masohn, is currently shooting in Los Angeles and will debut in January 2014 on Showtime.

Will you be watching Californication next season? How do you think Hank will handle Eddie Nero being on his show? Is there a chance that Hank manages to keep things together with Karen and adapt well to working in television?

The post Californication: Rob Lowe to Guest Star in Season 7 appeared first on TVHackr.

New feature alert! We here at TVHackr want to give you a weekly recap of our activity, as well as a few choice links from around the web of TV blogging. Every Friday, we’ll be posting a roundup of everything we published during the past seven days and selecting a handful of interesting links from various websites. Hope you enjoy.

Family Tree 1.03 Sneak Peeks: Tom Looks Into the Life of His Grandfather
Tom continues his look into his family history by tracking down information on his grandfather, a boxer who competed in the 1948 Austerity Games.

The Killing Season 3 Sneak Peeks: Sarah Linden’s Blast from the Past
Though she thought she was out of the force for good, a case that Holder works brings Sarah Linden back into the fold. Just how much of a connection does an old case she thought was closed have to his current dilemma?

Dominic West To Star in Showtime’s The Affair
The show follows two married couples and one affair that has major reverberations for all involved.

We’ll Be Live from the ATX Festival Later This Week! Arrested Development Featured Opening Night
TVHackr will be at Austin’s ATX Festival and provide you content, including pictures and articles about panels we attend.

Episodes: Chris Diamantopoulos To Guest Star in Season 3
The Office alum is set to play the new head of the network, meaning that Merc doesn’t get rehired and Carol refuses the opportunity.

Critics’ Choice TV Awards Name Most Exciting New Series
The honorees include Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Fosters Series Premiere Recap: You’re Not Worthless
What happened during the first episode of ABC Family’s The Fosters?

The Secret Life of the American Teenager Takes an Awkward Bow Out
The ABC Family drama aired its series finale this past Monday.

Mistresses Series Premiere Recap: All I Wanted to Do Was Hold Him
During the first episode of the ABC soap, someone cheated, someone died, there was an illegitimate child, and someone thought about hooking up with the same gender.

The CW Releases Full Trailers for The Originals, Reign, The 100, and The Tomorrow People
Two weeks after its upfront presentation, the network released extended previews for four of its five upcoming dramas.

Magic City: Watch the First 5 Minutes of Season 2 Here
The second season of Magic City premieres Friday, June 14th at 9:00 on Starz.

Devious Maids: Lifetime to Release the Series Premiere Early
This marks the first time that a series premiere has been released early in two different languages.

America’s Next Top Model Cycle 20 to Premiere August 2nd on The CW
The 20th cycle will feature both male and female models for the first time.

NBC Renames The Family Guide to Growing Up Fisher
Growing Up Fisher will premiere sometime this midseason.

J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot to Develop Rod Serling’s Final Screenplay Into Miniseries
The Stops Along the Way has yet to have any details released about its plot or characters.

Magic City Redband Trailer: You’ve Got One Move Left
At the end of this season of Magic City, will Ben Diamond or Ike Evans be the King of Miami?

The Borgias To End After This Season
The series finale of the period drama will air Sunday, June 16th.

Californication: Mercedes Masohn to Guest Star in Season 7
The actress, who recently starred in ABC’s canceled supernatural soap 666 Park Avenue, will play a TV actress who puts Hank in an uncomfortable position.

Hit the Floor 1.03 Sneak Peeks: Sloane Thinks Pete Told Ahsha Her Secret
Now that Ahsha knows who her father is, how will she handle herself?

The Fosters 1.02 Sneak Peeks: Jesus Covers for Mariana
While Jesus may be doing the honorable thing in protecting his sister from a likely severe punishment, what will not taking his pills mean for his health?

Twisted Series Premiere Sneak Peeks: Natural Born Killer?
Danny Desai’s past comes back to haunt him when he’s accused of a crime that he didn’t commit. Or did he?

Orange Is the New Black Trailer: Netflix Goes to Prison
Netflix released the first trailer for comedic drama Orange Is the New Black, adapted by Weeds showrunner Jenji Kohan.

Nurse Jackie Renewed for Season 6 by Showtime
The dramedy will return for a sixth season in 2014, with production beginning in New York this fall.

Twisted: Spoilers for the First Three Episodes
What is supposed to happen during the first three episodes of ABC Family’s Twisted?

HBO Announces Premiere Dates for Boardwalk Empire, Eastbound & Down, and Hello Ladies
While Boardwalk Empire’s fourth season premieres September 8th, it won’t be joined by two comedies until September 29th.

FXX Picks Up First Original Series in Animated Comedy Chozen
The show tells the story of a gay white rapper who emerges from prison with newfound motivation to do good in his life.

Family Tree 1.04 Sneak Peeks: Tom Goes to a Derbyshire Farm
Tom, Bea, Pete, Keith, and Luba go to the Chadwick alpaca farm in Derbyshire and family truths are revealed in the process.

Mistresses 1.02 Preview: Savi Looks for Guidance from Karen and April
How should Savi proceed after what happened with Dominic? Karen and April have two very different opinions of what she should do.

ABC Gives Straight-to-Series Order to Bryan Singer’s The Black Box
The series, written by Mystic Pizza‘s Amy Holden Jones, follows a neuroscientist who struggles with mental illness – and the secret’s she’s keeping from her family.

NBC Releases Official Siberia Trailer
Premiering July 1st, Siberia centers on a reality show taping gone horribly wrong.

The Best of Streaming: What You Should Watch on Netflix, Hulu, and Other Sites (Vulture)
Bored online? Here are suggestions of what you could be watching.

Government’s data-mining was anticipated by TV dramas (Hitfix)
Television forewarned about events like the recent NSA controversy.

Embrace the mystery: Is repeat viewing the best way to approach complex TV? (The A.V. Club)
The A.V. Club talks complex television and which manner of watching is most conducive to understanding, appreciating, and enjoying it.

4 Shows from Norway’s crazy, successful slow TV experiment (The Week)
Among the highlights of Norway’s unusual TV craze are programs about a single interview and a sea cruise.

The post The Week in Television Wrap June 1-7 appeared first on TVHackr.

According to TVLine, Californication is adding Mercedes Masohn (666 Park Avenue) for its upcoming seventh season. The actress is set to play Amy Taylor Walsh, a TV star with ties to Sasha Bingham who puts Hank in a compromising position. There’s been no further details released about her character or how long her stint on the show will be, however.

Masohn’s casting isn’t the first to indicate that Hank Moody will be moving from the Broadway path he took last season to a role in the TV industry, likely shepherding his own project through development. Sopranos alum Michael Imperioli will play an old-fashioned TV producer named Rick Rath, while Mary Lynn Rajskub has signed on to play a neurotic writer that works with Hank and Oliver Cooper will be portraying Levon, a young writer looking to emulate Hank’s life. Also guest starring next season is Heather Graham as a woman from Hank’s past who returns to his life while he works on his next project.

Last season, Californication left off with Hank ditching the idea of going on the road with Atticus and Faith to give a life with Karen one more shot. Perhaps getting into the world of TV is his way of showing her that he wants to have a stable job with a good income, something his Bukowskian lifestyle acts directly against. Granted, television work still has the same temptations that have derailed past attempts at getting their family back together, but after Hank realized that he wants to give this a real shot, that may not matter. Is Hank ready to grow up and become the man that Karen always wanted him to be?

In addition to her role as Louise Leonard on the now-canceled ABC supernatural soap, Masohn has appeared on the likes of The Finder, Chuck, and Three Rivers.

The seventh season of Californication will premiere in early 2014 on Showtime, along with the next seasons of House of Lies and Shameless.

Will you be watching Californication next season? How do you feel about Hank moving into TV after going through movies, Broadway, and novels? Should season 7 be the final go-around for Californication?

The post Californication: Mercedes Masohn to Guest Star in Season 7 appeared first on TVHackr.

In creating my list of the top TV episodes of the calendar year, I decided to institute a one-episode-per-show cap. Doing so would allow for a better variety of programs to be given recognition and frankly, it’s boring seeing the same small group of shows mixed and matched on a list like this.

10. Archer S03E08 “Lo Scandalo” (FX)
Air Date: February 16th
Episode Description: Malory turns to Archer and Lana for help when she finds herself in a compromising situation with the Italian prime minister.
Why?: Archer has managed to successfully lampoon and pay tribute to the spy genre for three seasons, but it was a dip into the world of the closed-room murder mystery that was even more impressive. Taking a cue from Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, “Lo Scandalo” finds Malory alone in her apartment with the body of the Italian Prime Minister, who had been shot to death. The only thing is that there were no signs of a break-in and Malory had the only gun in the place, a gun that she said she fired at three intruders before getting hit herself. Although piecing together what happened provided great framework for the episode, it more importantly got every character together in one location and allowed them to bounce their crazy off of one another, climaxing in a wonderfully Archer-ian dinner party and a shrug of an ending is all the funnier for its apathy.

9. Treme S03E10 “Tipitina” (HBO)
Air Date: November 25th
Episode Description: In the Season 3 finale, Janette clashes with Tim over an unauthorized benefit for a local institution. Meanwhile, Davis orchestrates his exit from the music business, but not before one more gig with an old friend; Delmond reconsiders his participation in the jazz center’s plans; Terry vents his frustration over his colleagues’ ostracism; Toni sees a chance for justice in an important case; and Annie’s album gets released.
Why?: The third season finale of Treme could have made for a moving, enormously satisfying series finale. Many of the characters had their stories tied off through departures (Sofia going to college), new beginnings (Sonny getting married), or answers that they had been chasing all season long (Toni and the murder case), and there was enough emotional closure to things like LaDonna’s trial to where it felt like The End. However, on a show like Treme, there’s never really an end; nothing gets wrapped up neatly and tidily, nor will there be any fairy tale conclusions to speak of. Rather, Treme is a story about picking up the pieces following a disaster and surviving, something that will continue no matter how far in the rearview mirror Katrina appears to be.

8. Suburgatory S02E05 “The Wishbone” (ABC)
Air Date: November 14th
Episode Description: Tessa wants to spend Thanksgiving in New York City with her mother, who’s en route from Berlin, and her grandmother, though the holiday doesn’t turn out like she planned. Meanwhile, Dallas recruits George to prepare a feast, but he’s going to need help from a professional.
Why?: Suburgatory has problems deciding if it wants to be a day-glo cartoon satire of the suburban experience or a fairly mellow look at what it means to be an outsider. Its tonal inconsistency can be equally frustrating and exciting, in that you don’t know what shade of the show you’re going to get that week, particularly as it has all the bones to be truly great. The fifth episode of the season was the closest the show’s gotten to greatness and to do so, it had to strip away some of the sheen and amp up the earnestness. While not the funniest episode of the show to date, “The Wishbone” thoughtfully, carefully, and lovingly showcased the first meeting between Tessa and her birth mother, paying mind to the reaction of her father and all the conflicting emotions running in her head. It was sweet, it allowed the supporting cast to feel as real as they’ve ever been (particularly Dallas, whose heart is as big as her closet), and it used the “family holiday” to explore what it means for a family to change shape unexpectedly.

7. Awake S01E01 “Pilot” (NBC)
Air Date: March 1st
Episode Description: In the premiere of this drama, a detective awakens after his family’s car accident to discover he’s living in two parallel worlds. In one, his wife survived the crash and his son perished. In the other, his son continues to live but his wife was killed. While trying to regain footing in his complex double lives, he continues his efforts to crack cases in both worlds.
Why?: The pilot for Awake managed to make a complex premise and the use of two different realities digestible, immediately compelling, and devastatingly beautiful. Through the use of subtle stylistic choices (notably color, but also editing and wardrobe), the episode made both realities distinct places for Detective Michael Britten to try and navigate. The dual therapists, the crossover of tidbits from one world into the next, the grief that Britten has to overcome in order to figure out what’s real – it all should have been convoluted and overly melancholy, but it works outstandingly well in the Awake pilot and made it one of the more exciting shows to debut in 2012. The series as a whole leaned too hard on the cop-drama elements at times, though the cinematic, meditative first episode was as good of a start as they could have hoped for.

6. Californication S05E06 “Love Song” (Showtime)
Air Date: February 12th
Episode Description: Samurai comes down with a case of songwriter’s block and seeks Hank’s help in getting unblocked. So Hank teams with Kali to compose a tune, which harkens back to his first sojourn to Los Angeles with Karen and other happier times with Charlie and Marcy.
Why?: Californication is known for being rude, crude, and unapologetically lewd, a comedy dripping in machismo and reeking of beer and lost opportunity. It can be equal parts offensive and awesome, powerful and pungent, but no episode from the entire run matches “Love Song,” a romantic flashback-heavy installment that actually fleshed out the Karen/Hank dynamic while letting Hank be creative. We’re told that he’s this brilliant writer and that multiple industries (music, film, book) all want to work with the mad scientist, though “Love Song” is one of the few times where the hype and the results have matched one another. Hank is someone who is always capital-O On and doesn’t let down his guard that easily, making the choice to frame a songwriting session bent on producing a love song with the happier times of his marriage all the more poignant.

5. Veep S01E08 “Tears” (HBO)
Air Date: June 10th
Episode Description: In the Season 1 finale, a Ohio gubernatorial candidate balks at Selina’s endorsement due to her current unpopularity, but Mike and Amy try to make the best of the vice president’s emotions during their meeting. Meanwhile, Dan can’t shake the clean-jobs bill debacle, especially when it could be the subject of a Congressional hearing.
Why?: Throughout the cynical first season of Veep, VP Selina Meyer dealt with an onslaught of bad press and poor professional breaks that led her to become frustrated with the position. It’s a wonder that, after going so long without an unqualified win and seeing any political clout she had in this country vanish, she didn’t cry sooner, really. “Tears”, darkly acidic and cleverly plotted, finds the Veep on the campaign trail once again and attempting to turn a bad event into something she can use to her advantage, which shockingly works – for a while, at least. If there’s one lesson to learn from Veep, it’s that nothing ever changes in politics; all people like Selina, Dan, and Amy are faceless cogs in the machine that serve their purpose before being replaced by a newer, fresher model. If Selina can’t halt the inquiry into the Macauley amendment next season, her replacement will be coming sooner rather than later.

4. Justified S03E10 “Guy Walks into a Bar” (FX)
Air Date: March 20th
Episode Description: Raylan struggles to keep Dickie Bennett in prison while also contending with the increasingly violent and unpredictable Quarles. Meanwhile, Boyd’s election in Harlan is approaching.
Why?: No other Justified villain will ever match up to the presence of Mags Bennett, but Robert Quarles was a damn good replacement nonetheless. His friendly persona among the Harlan residents masked a troubled man inside, a man who continued to struggle in moving on from childhood trauma and a man who would stop at nothing to fill the hole within himself with power, land, and money. In addition to a chillingly acted, impressively directed altercation between Quarles and Raylan at a local bar, the episode featured an unpacking of the man Robert Quarles is and the type of demons he had to fight to get this far. It made the man sympathetic for the first time by revealing how disturbed he was, which also raised the stakes for the rest of the season; once you knew what Quarles was capable of, he became more of a threat to Raylan and someone who needed to be put down before he got anyone else hurt.

3. Boardwalk Empire S03E11 “Two Impostors” (HBO)
Air Date: November 25th
Episode Description: Nucky and Eddie hide out with Chalky when Gyp descends on Atlantic City, where his band of thugs takes over the Artemis Club, forcing Gillian to reconsider her business model. Meanwhile, Luciano makes a risky move; and Richard suffers a setback.
Why?: For the past two seasons, Boardwalk Empire has managed to take its dangling plot threads and weave them together seamlessly during the final episodes, bringing enemies crashing against one another and paying off long-standing tension. Like the sublime “Under God’s Power She Flourishes”, “Two Impostors” was a highlight of its respective season, managing to make enthralling action (Nucky escaping his residence with Mr. Kessler after having to gun down three of Masseria’s men), political chess (Eli striking a deal with Capone and Torrio, Chalky backing Nucky rather than defecting to Gyp), and an impending sense of dread (Gillian being boxed in by Gyp, Owen’s ill-fated trip to the baths) coalesce into the sprawling, deeply satisfying hour of television.

2. Homeland S02E04 “Q&A” (Showtime)
Air Date: October 28th
Episode Description: Brody finds himself imprisoned again, only this time it’s in the United States. Meanwhile, Carrie’s rash judgment call at the hotel results in Estes trying to keep Jessica off their trail; and Dana’s relationship with Finn heats up as their date night takes an unexpected turn.
Why?: Once Carrie pulled the trigger on bringing Brody in for interrogation, I figured that Homeland would take a breath and feel out the next move it would make; the show had already executed several major plot twists in a row by this point and, in the interest of not burning through too much story, it seemed likely that they would slow down before revving up again. Not so. While the car accident was jarring and felt out-of-place at the time, it eventually tied in thematically with the rest of the season, casting Walden as a victim and pulling Dana farther from her father, and the nearly 15-minute uninterrupted interrogation of Brody by Carrie might’ve contained the best acting you’ll see in any episode of television from 2012.

1. Spartacus: Vengeance S03E05 “Libertus” (Starz)
Air Date: February 24th
Episode Description: Spartacus undertakes a mission to rescue Crixus from the Romans, but a famous gladiator from the House of Atiatus interferes with the plan; Ilithyia’s scheming begins to affect her marriage to Glaber.
Why?: The arena was the centerpiece of the Spartacus world, the culmination of the gladiators’ training and a source of entertainment to the bored Capuan masses. So much of the drama either took place in the arena or was focused on the different Houses jockeying for position that it seemed likely that it would be a part of the show’s DNA until the series finale, but in one breathtaking sequence Spartacus and his men destroyed the place they once felt most at home in. It was the final symbol of the season-long rebellion, it stirred the pot with Glaber, and it was only the fifth episode of the season.

The Next 10:
11. Childrens Hospital S04E07 “British Hospital”
12. Scandal S01E06 “The Trail”
13. Nashville S01E01 “Pilot”
14. Damages S05E10 “But You Don’t Do That Anymore”
15. The Borgias S02E09 “World of Wonders”
16. The League S04E02 “The Hoodie”
17. Cougar Town S03E05 “A One Story Town”
18. Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 S01E02 “Daddy’s Girl”
19. Parks and Recreation S04E22 “Win, Lose, or Draw”
20. Bob’s Burgers S02E02 “Bob Day Afternoon”

The post Top 10 TV Episodes of 2012 appeared first on TVHackr.