The year is almost over and "Best of" lists are starting to come out so I thought I'd get a head start on mine. Obviously, I still don't know about a lot of the albums and movies that are going to come out but the TV season is basically set and no new shows will be coming out any time soon (or I don't think any are premiering before the year is out) so I thought I'd toss out my five favorite shows of the new year. I don't like to say "Best" because it's all subjective. For instance, I wouldn't argue against someone putting "Raising Hope" on the list but it just wasn't my kind of show.

So without further ado, here's the list.

Honorable Mention - Hawaii 5-0: Do I like Hawaii 5-0? Not really. I watched a few episodes and had no second thoughts about deleting it from my queue. That being said, after watching the train wreck that was Law & Order: LA, I have to give the creators of 5-0 some credit. Yes, the show is basically NCIS: Hawaii and offers nothing new but they handle the old formula well and have delivered a watchable show. This hasn't been a very good year for new shows so I think we do need to give some credit for simple competence. It's harder than it looks and they made a show that resonates with a large audience so kudos to them even if I have no interest in the program.

The other honorable mention is Law & Order: UK. They took 13 episodes from the old American Law & Order and remade them. It's a solid show (a bit too drab for its own good) and I have to confess that I get an ignorant American giggle out of watching a tense scene with the legal team and then see them putting on their robes and wigs before they walk out to try the case. (If you're interested in checking it out, there's a marathon of it on Thanksgiving on BBC America, so set your DVRs)

5. Dead Set: This is kind of cheating because it's basically a mini-series but I'm still going to count it. I've mentioned it before: London is taken over by zombies and the cast and some of the crew of Big Brother are trapped inside the Big Bro house. The show isn't a comedic as you'd expect although it does have some great moments that satire the reality TV existence. It's also a pretty damn good entry in the zombie genre although its timing isn't great since "Walking Dead" premiered this year. Then again, with Walking Dead doing so well, I wouldn't be stunned to see an American remake of this, even just as a TV movie next Halloween.

4. Boardwalk Empire: Admittedly, the first episodes of this were a chore to watch and I'm starting to side with the people who question whether Steve Buscemi was the best choice for the lead character but it's gaining momentum and is delivering some standout moments and top notch performances. It's definitely not a show for everyone and I'd be absolutely stunned if it made it past season 2 but it's good enough to earn a spot on the list.

3. Luther: Another BBC series that IMO benefits from short season (only six episodes). Admittedly, I've only seen the last few episodes but it's a top notch crime drama. The first part of episode 1 is posted in a post below and the season is available at Amazon or on Netflix. I definitely recommend this show that rivals Justified as my favorite new police drama of the last few years.

2. The Walking Dead: Not to belabor the point but this is another short season show that takes advantage off being able to have a more focused story and not have to water things down in order to make a 22 episode order. This show features some of the best zombie makeup I've ever seen and there are some genuine surprises. This also gets points for making the old slow walking zombies scary again.

1. Terriers: This show gets better every week. Twists and turns and interwoven stories. Great character arcs. Interesting and fresh cases for the PI's to track. This show really has it all. What it also has is a grimy, drab, beaten down feel to it that makes it one of those shows that most average people probably won't want to sit down to after a long day of work. Also, the show didn't really find itself until the third or fourth episode, when it started to become more like a Shawn Ryan (The Shield) type show and less like a Ted Griffin (Ocean's 11) production. He's flying under the radar but Michael Raymond-James should be in discussions for an Emmy or Golden Globe. The entire cast is amazing and should definitely get some award for best ensemble. Walking Dead is great but if I could sacrifice it for a second season of "Terriers", I'd do it in a heartbeat.

If this show does get cancelled, Tim Minear could be taking the grown as Mr. Brilliant But Cancelled. Not that I loved all of these shows but the critics consistently rave about the projects he's linked to as an Executive Producer: Terriers, Firefly, Wonderfalls, Drive, Standoff, etc.