Science Fiction/Fantasy: My favorite new entry was the Fox's Sleepy Hollow, a show that seemed like a dumb idea. I gave it a chance and found it was a fun and well-played tale with sufficient dry wit to keep you guessing about which episodes of American history may have been a cover up for something more important (you know, like that diversion called the "Tea Party"). Other fun new shows included Defiance, The Dome, Davinci's Demons, Atlantis, and Almost Human.
History: My favorite in this genre was History's Vikings. This retelling of a well-known story of Ragnar Lodbrok and his brother was captivating throughout and showed again that the History Channel is a serious contender in TV drama (though the earlier Hatfields & McCoys mini-series was the real eye-opener). Other good dramas included The White Queen and Reign (yes, it is a sappy teen drama in many ways, yet it may also introduce young adults to a bit of history without it being retold by a vampire).
Family Shows: Far and way, ABC Family's The Fosters was the break-out hit in this genre, with two lesbian moms raising natural and adopted children. It was a risky move for a "family" network, yet it was also a simple family drama with a little twist (as was The Brady Bunch years back when two divorced parents raised a new family together - yes, that was very controversial in its day). Other favorites were the now-cancelled Camp and A&E's Bates Motel (okay, its an odd family).
Comedy: I have only one favorite in this category, Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I was not sure if Andy Samberg was ready to carry his own show, but he is great as is the supporting actors. My favorite is police Captain Ray Holt, played by Andre Braugher. When he and Samberg get together the show is at its best.
Political Drama: On the top of my list is NBC's The Blacklist, followed by House of Cards and Alpha House. We have plenty of FBI and terrorist-related shows on TV these days, but The Blacklist has James Spader, which makes all the difference.
Update: Brooklyn Nine-Nine and House of Cards were both award-winners at the Golden Globes ceremony over the weekend. Ray Donovan and Top of the Lake, other new series in 2013, also took away awards. In fact, the vast majority of the TV awards went shows that premiered in 2013. Go here for the complete list.
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