Top 10 New TV Shows of 2013

Looking for the best new TV shows 2013 had to offer? Here's my list of what I've found to be really good in 2013.

I like TV series that have a decent plot line and have fully developed characters. Although I am not the biggest fan of cop or detective dramas there were a number of these last year. Some were good and others failed to hit the mark.

A lot of new shows aired in 2013. Many of these were cancelled very quickly as audiences failed to be grabbed by them and there are others that viewers are waiting patiently to return next year. I know there are a few on this list that I am eagerly waiting to see what they do with the second season as they finished the first season with a nail biter!

I think there's nothing worse than watching a show you think is going to be great, only to find out it sucks badly. If an episode makes me bored, fall asleep or wish I'd gone to bed then I feel like I have wasted my time. I know some people like to zone out in front of the television and not think. If you are one of those people then this list probably isn't for you, as I prefer shows that are exciting, thought provoking and interesting. For these reasons, you won't see any reality TV shows on this list or any soaps. Instead, you will find what I think were the most enjoyable viewing experiences of the year.

My Favorite TV Show of 2013 so far

Yes I am a huge sci-fi and fantasy fan, but this TV show blew me away. From watching the first episode I was hooked. The drama keeps you on the edge of your seat and the characters are really amazing.

The lead character is a young woman played by Tatiana Maslany. I'd never heard of her before, but when you watch this show you won't forget her. In Orphan Black she plays the role of Sarah Manning, a fraudster on the run from her boyfriend after she steals his drugs to sell in the hopes of raising enough money to get her daughter back and start a new life somewhere else. However, everything is turned on it's head and Sarah's life is changed forever when she see's a girl at the train station.

This girl looks exactly like her. Before Sarah can talk to her the girl jumps in front of an incoming train. Sarah grabs the girls bag off the platform and starts looking for answers. In the bag she finds the dead girls purse. She thinks this girl probably has a better life than her so decides to try to impersonate her and see how much she can get.

Sarah is an orphan and thinks Beth Childs may have been her twin sister. Unfortunately, Sarah never takes a second to wonder why Beth killed herself, or why her potential sister has two cell phones. When she starts finding the answers to these questions she finds herself in the middle of a police investigation. She finds others that look like her from around the world and that she is in danger of being killed, not just as Beth Childs but also as Sarah Manning.

I wish I could tell you more, but then I'd give the whole story away. What I can tell you is this show was hilarious at times with a number of laugh out loud moments I wanted to replay as well as sad, exciting, full of drama and at many times unexpected. This is top of my list of what I can't wait to return in 2014. And the good news is it's already been renewed and will return in 2014!

And for non sci-fi fans don't worry. It's set in America in today's world but with an underground secret. It's not too far out there for people who prefer real life but gripping dramas.

My Favorite Cop/FBI and Every Secret Law Enforcement Organization You Can Imagine TV Show

Maybe I am biased... but James Spader is one of my favorite characters of all time on TV. I loved him in the Star Gate movie, in Boston Legal and I was eagerly awaiting Blacklist to air on NBC. I really didn't want to be disappointed and I am glad to say I loved this show in 2013!

James Spader plays an ex-military man turned criminal and is fourth on the top 10 list of fugitives America would love to catch. However, everything changes when Reddington surrenders himself to the FBI and has the condition that he will only speak with Elizabeth Keen.

Who's Elizabeth Keen you might ask and why is she so important to this criminal? Well that's kind the whole point in the show. Liz has literally just started with the FBI and has to deal with this new complication in her life.

Reddington will reveal secrets about her life and hide other facts from her. Clearly there is a personal connection between the two but Liz also has a checkered history and has no idea who her biological father is. Could it be this dangerous man? Has he shown himself as he realizes she's in danger? Could someone be trying to get to him through her?

I don't think it's a coincidence that Red has decided to show himself at this precise moment. You'll constantly be asking yourself these kind of questions as you watch this series including was Reddington really a criminal or was he always supposed to go under cover to find out the truth about how corrupt these "Special Agencies" really are in the USA?

How long till we get answers? You'll have to watch it to find out.

Something Weird About the Sheriff

I first watched Banshee because I was bored and there wasn't anything else to watch. I was lucky to have found it as it is such a good show.

The pilot starts with a good looking convict being released from prison after serving a fifteen year sentence. His last job was as a thief for a Ukrainian mob boss called Rabbit. In the process of stealing the diamonds, with his then girlfriend Anna, he is caught while she escapes. However, the story becomes more complicated when you find out they were going to steal the diamonds for themselves and cut Rabbit out of the profits.

The first thing he does is use his contacts to find his girlfriend. She's renamed herself Carrie and is living in an Amish part of America, married with two children. She has no interest in rekindling with her long lost love and is more worried that Rabbit will follow him to her safe haven. It is decided he will leave town and never look for her again.

On the way out of town, he stops at a quiet bar for a drink. A newcomer sits down for dinner and a drink. Two idiots walk in to rob the bar when the new comer decides to be a hero and gets himself killed, along with the two would be gangsters.

The bar owner recognizes the dead robbers as belonging to Proctors gang and knows he's in a whole heap of trouble. Things get worse as they realize the would be dead hero is none other than the new Sheriff, due to start working in Banshee in the morning.

To cover their tracks, the dead bodies are buried. The convict about to leave town takes on the identity of Sheriff Lucas Hood and befriends the barkeeper. Carrie's life gets way more complicated.

If you watched the first season of this show and liked it as much as I did then you'll be really happy to hear that the second season has already started and is just as exciting as the first!

The Vikings TV show was a bit of a surprise for me. I always thought the History channel was more of a documentary type channel, but this show turned that on it's head for me.

Instead, this TV series takes liberties with the historical knowledge we have of the Vikings and weaves it into an interesting and varied story of how they lived, loved, fought and suffered losses. The show is also tied in with their beliefs in the old gods and how they were superstitious and believed in omens.

Viewers quickly begin to support the young challenger Ragnar Lothbrooke. He's bored of the status quo but his leader won't listen to him. He doesn't want to go and attack the usual tribe over the hills. He wants to go across the seas and conquer new lands with the potential for richer spoils.

When Ragnar finds a new way to navigate that will allow him to cross the sea he secretly builds a new boat. He takes a group of Vikings he trusts, as well as his brother, to discover these new lands. This leads to strife and danger for his family while he is away.

Expect fighting, romance, loyalty, betrayal and politics. There's something for everyone here and of course it's a historical drama. I think this is one of the best TV shows of 2013.

Don't Watch While Eating

When I first heard they were going to make a Hannibal Lecter TV show I was the first person to groan. I couldn't imagine it being any good, but I have to eat my words (no pun intended) as it's really gripping and addictive viewing. Although I would have to warn against eating while watching this show. It turned my stomach a few times and I can only imagine how much I would vomit if I was eating meat while watching this show.

This new 2013 TV show actually reminds me a lot of Dexter. However, instead of the killer being a blood spatter analyst he's a psychiatrist instead.

Will Graham is an fbi specialist called in to help the FBI solve crimes undertaken by serial murderers. However, as he's able to sympathize and think like the killers he's not always mentally stable. His boss decides to use another psychiatrist to monitor him and make sure he doesn't reach breaking point. Ironically he has unknowingly chosen a cannibal and mass murderer to do this, in the form of Dr Hannibal Lecter.

The show is different from the movie, but it's very compelling viewing. Every week Hannibal directs Will and manipulates him and the FBI, while finding and serving his own variety of food to his unsuspecting guests.

Although I am not usually a fan of police procedurals, I am really enjoying this show. There are also some great guests to the show that you'll recognize including Eddie Izzard and Gillian Anderson.

Period Drama Set in Florence

I'm a huge fan of drama's based on historical events. If you love The Borgais, then you'll love this new 2013 TV series called Da Vinci's Demons.

The show is mainly based in Florence, Italy when Leonardo Da Vinci was beginning to invent things. However, this show would be boring if it was just about some mad cap inventor that sat in a room all day drawing. So instead, the show concentrates on Italian politics and the struggle between Florence and Rome. Da Vinci's role is to invent things that help these men influence their people and build weapons for a potential war. All the while hiding his true agenda.

The Medici's govern Florence and are at odds with the Pope of Rome. Although Da Vinci cares about his hometown of Florence he finds himself embroiled in a far more complex story. He is the bastard son of a diplomat and can't remember his mothers face. She left when he was a baby and he finds clues that might lead him to her again. However, nothing is straight forward and his friends could very quickly become his enemies.

Expect romantic entanglements, swordplay, secrets, cool inventions, betrayal and the ability of an agile mind.

When I heard that Kevin Bacon was going to be the lead character in a TV show I was over the moon. When I then heard that James Purefoy would be the bad guy to his good guy I was super excited to watch The Following on Fox in 2013. However, I was slightly brought back to Earth when I found out it would be about a cult. Not really my favorite type of show as you tend to be back to a kind of police procedural etc.

Anyway, for me The Following had good and bad points. Yes it had some great characters and actors. Unfortunately, each week became more and more unbelievable for me, which led to the point where I really couldn't watch it anymore. It started off with such promise but the further I got in, the more I found myself rebelling.

Each week became a kind of lesson in how smart the baddies are and how stupid the goodies are. I realize the show would end pretty quickly if Bacon;s character caught the villains, but it became tedious.

Every week was almost like lets chase one person from the cult and neutralize them or get out asses kicked. More often they failed and people continued to die.

I realize this has been renewed for a second season, but I don't know if it's something I could continue to watch. If they change the second season and make it better then I would be willing to give it another shot. However, in comparison to the other law enforcement or shows that involved murders this wasn't the bet of the bunch.

Looking for more to watch? Try these suggestions below.

1. The Witches of East End (Lifetime)-If you like Charmed mixed with The Secret Circle then you'll really like this magical TV show. Of course everyone's good looking, but they probably have spells for that or something right?

   However,there's something wicked going on too at the same time and there are elements of danger. These ladies have enemies and those past deeds have come to bite them on their rear ends. Will they figure it out in time before they lose their powers and their lives? And what's behind the secret door?

2. The Tomorrow People (CW)- This was a lot like Heroes and Alpha's, as it's about the next step in human evolution and they fight evil. I liked both those shows so gave this one a chance. However, it comes across as being targeted at teens rather than an adult show.

   It's also a little slow and almost follows a kind of procedure of trying to capture a new Tomorrow person each week, while we delve into the history of the existing Tomorrow People. Some of these background stories are really good, but it gets a little predictable and it feels like it should have moved a lot further forward than where it is now.

   I'm kinda hoping that maybe it will speed up now that the scene has been set and people get what the show is about...

3. Reign (CW)- Another period drama that has the same kind of intrigue and drama as the Borgias, but this time it's about Mary Queen of Scots trying to swim in French waters.

   I'm really enjoying this new 2013 TV show and I love the costumes. Of course, there's a love triangle that involves Mary and a set of brothers and there's lots of intrigue at court and Mary's position is very precarious at times. Fortunately, you find yourself rooting for Mary, wondering what mischief her ladies in waiting are finding themselves in and what's the thing that keeps itself hidden in the secret tunnels?