PODCAST: How to Make a Year-End ‘Best Of 2015’ List
Lists, by and large, are relatively easy to make. You identify a trend, commonality or loose connective tissue between your selected medium (film, TV, music, etc.), make your picks and write about how and why they earned a spot on your list. For year-end lists, the hardest part is done for you. Everything is grouped by release date, making anything debuting between January 1 and December 31 fair game. Sure, you can hone these lists to more specific categories — new TV shows, first-time directors, dramas, comedies, shows that start with “L” (there are a lot) — but if you’re just trying to make a list of the best TV shows or movies of 2015, how hard can it be?
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Honestly, pretty darn hard. There are certain publications and authors who have different motivations, but here at Indiewire we’re constantly striving to turn subjective love and adoration into objective reason and understanding. As much as Indiewire TV Critic Ben Travers may want to make a Top 10 list exclusively consisting of “The Leftovers,” he knows it’s his responsibility as a critic to pay respect to as many great television programs as possible because these lists do matter.
So how does one go about doing this? How do you judge favorite shows versus the “best” shows? Is credence given to new shows in need of exposure, or should the list be reserved strictly for the best? How does one narrow down more than 250 eligible scripted series to 10? What other lists are important to make, read and consider? These questions and more are tackled by your very own Indiewire TV Team, with TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller and the aforementioned Mr. Travers.
Don’t forget to subscribe to Very Good TV Podcast via Soundcloud or iTunes. Follow Indiewire on Twitter and Facebook for all your pertinent TV news — as well as the latest reviews and analysis on all the best television shows out this fall, not just “The Leftovers” — plus check out Liz and Ben’s Twitter feeds for more, more, more. Plus, don’t forget to listen to Indiewire’s other podcasts, Screen Talk with Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson, as well as Indiewire Influencers, hosted by Editor in Chief Dana Harris and featuring various guests relevant to anyone tracking independent film or entertainment in general.
Related News and Articles:
– Check out Liz’s mega list of TV shows released in 2015, and use it to make your own Top 10 list.
– Ben got to speak with “The Leftovers” co-creator (and author) Tom Perrotta about the possibility of Season 3 and where things stand heading into the season finale.
– Liz is doing a deep dive with “The Expanse,” and you should really, really join her.
– Got a TV fan in your life? Find them the perfect present with Indiewire’s Holiday Gift Guide for TV.
READ MORE: 7 New Netflix Shows to Binge Watch in December 2015 (And the Best Episodes of Each)
