TOP 30 TV Shows of 2014 (In Alphabetical Order – so #1 does not mean we think it was the best show!)
#30 The 100
While this show may not win any awards, it’s great fun with good acting and engaging stories. It’s Battlestar Galactica meets Lost and The Hunger Games.
#29 Arrow
Arrow is a series that deserves way more recognition than it gets with fabulous stunt choreography, witty dialogue and memorable characters. Season three has had a few hiccups here and there but overall this series is fantastic! The season 2 finale was everything that makes a great superhero series. Plus, the Felicity and Oliver dynamic includes some of the best chemistry on TV out there. In short, this is the best superhero TV show on the air right now.
#28 Being Human
The series ended going out with a redemptive bang. With its perfect finale, no doubt this series deserves to be on the list. It kind of makes up for that Davis Bloome travesty a few years back.
#27 Call the Midwife
This heartwarming period drama about midwives in the 1950s has some of the best writing and acting on TV right now. This is a show that deserves some major awards for acting and writing. If you haven’t seen it yet, good news the first few seasons are on Netflix!
#26 Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a favorite here at The Silver Petticoat Review. And while we haven’t loved the show as much as the Russell T. Davies era, it’s still on our list of the best on TV. This season introduced a new Doctor (Peter Capaldi), gave some much-needed characterization to Clara and gave us all the entertaining return of the Master!
#25 Downton Abbey
Season four returned after the heartbreaking end to series three and surprisingly returned on its feet. The writing continues to be great with witty one liners from the Dowager, new love interests for Mary and more!
#24 The Flash
A spinoff of Arrow, The Flash is just as good but much more light-hearted. If you’re looking for a Smallville fix this show is definitely worth checking out. With the best ratings on the CW for years, this breakout hit should be on the air for years to come. Plus, the touching father/son type relationship between Barry and Detective Joe West steals the show!
#23 The Good Wife
The Good Wife has the best writing on television right now with witty dialogue and quirky, memorable characters. This show isn’t afraid to take risks and even now in season 6 the quality hasn’t dropped one bit.
#22 Gracepoint
This small town murder mystery is a retelling of the British version of the series Broadchurch and while it may not have been as dynamic as the original it still had great writing, acting and characterization. Plus, it starred David Tennant and Anna Gunn who both shined in their roles.
#21 Grand Hotel
Seasons 1-2 premiered on Netflix this year and if you haven’t seen it yet then you need to check out this lesser known Spanish series right away. If you love romantic period drama, a well written “soap” with memorable characters then this is the show to watch. It may, in fact, be one of the most addicting shows ever. However, be warned, season 3 hasn’t been added yet and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Grand Hotel is Downton Abbey meets Titanic and Dallas. We can’t recommend it enough!
#20 Grimm
This dark fairy-tale series only continues to get better and better! And if you haven’t checked it out yet, earlier seasons are available on Amazon Prime.
#19 Hannibal
This dark, almost fantasy like interpretation of Hannibal is pure artistry.
#18 Haven
While this isn’t the best show ever created, it’s certainly fun and entertaining. Plus, this latest season has had some surprise twists with some great one liners. Not to mention it finally paid off to be a Nathan and Audrey fan!!
#17 Helix
This show took us by surprise as it is much more interesting than the previews made it look. There were a few surprise twists that made Helix VERY interesting, but we won’t give them away!
#16 Jane the Virgin
This is probably the best new show of the year with clever writing, funny plot twists and a breakout performance from Gina Rodriguez as Jane who deservedly received a Golden Globe nomination. This show could pave the way for the CW to be taken more seriously.
#15 The Killing
The final short season of The Killing proved to be one of its best. Plus, the show deserves to be on this list for its perfect, and yes, romantic ending.
#14 Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
This gem of an Australian series may have been a blink and you miss it, but season 2 is now available on Netflix. With wit, romance and a lot of heart it is one of the best TV Shows out there. Plus, it certainly has the best costumes!
#13 The Missing
While a few were unhappy with the season’s ending, this show still had some of the best acting this TV year with some of the most gripping scenes.
#12 Mr. Selfridge
While this show took a few episodes to really hook us, once it did we were all in! And season 2 was even better than the first season. For anyone who loves good period drama, this show is a must see.
#11 The Musketeers
This British series was swashbuckling good fun. Not to mention the perfect casting of Santiago Cabrera as Aramis.
#10 The Originals
This underrated series is quickly growing to be one of the best vampire shows of all time. With clever dialogue, Byronic Heroes running rampant, forbidden romance and an influence steeped in dark fairy tales and folklore, this is a must watch series for all fans of supernatural storytelling.
#9 Orphan Black
The second season proved to be just as good as the first with a fantastic performance from Tatiana Maslany who continues to play more and more characters in one show. And besides being critically acclaimed, Orphan Black is also really entertaining and addictive.
#8 Outlander
Based on the acclaimed book series and coming from the creative mind of Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica), this show was sure to be fantastic.
#7 The Paradise
Unfortunately, this season was its last as this charming period drama with underrated performances was prematurely canceled. But season 2 was definitely worth watching and the series had a perfect end for shop girl Denise.
#6 Penny Dreadful
What was refreshing about this supernatural series was the writer’s obvious understanding and love of classic literature. Not to mention the level of research and detail behind every episode. While the series was a bit gratuitous at times, the writing and acting were superb.
#5 Reign
This series is pure fun to watch, even if it is completely historically inaccurate. But with beautiful costumes, great female characters (who doesn’t love Megan Follows as Catherine?) and the sexy villain Narcisse played by Craig Parker, what’s not to love? This show is definitely worth a watch! Just don’t take it too seriously…
#4 Selfie
This show was canceled before it really had a chance to gain an audience. Selfie is the perfect example of what happens when we judge something from one episode and that’s it. While the first episode was cute, the episodes that followed proved to be clever, romantic and incredibly funny making it one of the best shows of the year. With critics now on board, it was too little too late. It’s a real pity because this show became a true romantic comedy gem. It was more about old-fashioned romance than the inappropriate title suggested…
#3 Sherlock
There were a few twists that we didn’t love this past season, but still, the team of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are a winning combo and make for excellent TV viewing.
#2 Velvet
Season one became available for the U.S. on Netflix in 2014. It’s a lesser known Spanish series, but if you love romance and entertaining period drama then you should check out this series about star-crossed lovers in the fashion world of the 1950s.
#1 Witches of East End
With one of the more annoying cancellations in recent history (season 2 ending with numerous cliffhangers), this show definitely ended before its time. A show that celebrated women while also being super entertaining was never boring to watch. Plus, who doesn’t love James Marsters running around as an obsessive Byronic Hero?
What are your top TV Show picks of 2014? Did we miss your favorites? Share with us in the comments below!
ARE YOU A ROMANCE FAN? FOLLOW THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW:
Our romance-themed entertainment site is on a mission to help you find the best period dramas, romance movies, TV shows, and books. Other topics include Jane Austen, Classic Hollywood, TV Couples, Fairy Tales, Romantic Living, Romanticism, and more. We’re damsels not in distress fighting for the all-new optimistic Romantic Revolution. Join us and subscribe. For more information, see our About, Old-Fashioned Romance 101, Modern Romanticism 101, and Romantic Living 101.
Fabulous list! I caught up on ‘Jane the Virgin’ over its break and it is really quite good. Some of the early episodes were a bit rocky and I had a lot of mixed feelings about it. But, it’s seem to find its footing now and I’m hooked. Great thoughts! 🙂
Thank you. And I completely hooked to Jane the Virgin. I liked the earlier episodes, but they really hit their stride later on for sure.
Great list. I personally would have put Hannibal, Jane the Virgin and Outlander up higher but I loved the list in general. Some great shows.
Thanks. They’re not higher only because the list is alphabetical! We just decided not to put them in order because three of us were choosing rather than one.
Just Haven for me
I absolutely adore Jane the Virgin, Outlander, and Selfie. I will definitely check out some of the other shows on this list. I too was very disappointed by Selfie’s cancellation. Intelligence was another show I enjoyed immensely that was also cancelled. I completely recommend the first season of Intelligence! The chemistry between the leads is awesome! It stars Josh Holloway (Sawyer, LOST) and Meghan Ory (Red Riding Hood/Ruby, Once Upon A Time). Another great show from 2014 is When Calls the Heart. It is a period drama about a school teacher who moves to a mining town. It is very heart-warming and inspiring. PLUS it has a very nice romance. GREAT LIST!
I highly recommend that you try Turn:Washington’s Spies! It’s really brilliant~ it’s a lovely period drama, talented actors, and such a riveting plot!!!