What TVLine Is Thankful For This TV Season 2015

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful for...

Once the graveyard for cancelled series or surefire bombs, the Dog Days are now a breeding ground for TV's next big hits. Summer '15's impressive rookie crop included Fear the Walking Dead, Mr. Robot, UnREAL, Humans and Killjoys, as well as returning faves like Penny Dreadful, Suits, The Strain and Teen Wolf. Yeah, yeah, we were also saddled with duds like The Whispers and the final season of Under the Dome, but the good stuff totally outweighed the bad.

Matt Webb Mitovich Is Thankful for...

On the heels of a so-so season that dialed the B613 elements up to (ugh) "11," the ABC drama's current run has crackled by actually and improbably going there with a First Divorce, followed by the First Mistress moving into the White House. Never one to leave money on the table, Shonda Rhimes then upped the ante a last time before the winter break, by blowing up "Olitz" (after having Liv get an abortion).

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful for...

After making us wait several seasons for Rayna Jaymes and Deacon Claybourne to reunite, the ABC drama has finally given us what we want: sweet, sustained lovin' for the First Lady of Country Music and her man. Whether they're cuddling in bed or figuring out how to handle daughter Maddie's teenage mood swings, they're doing it together. And that unity — combined with a sultry "babe" here and there — is surely something to sing about.

Andy Swift Is Thankful for...

For teen dramas, life after high school can be scary, but as Pretty Little Liars is demonstrating, it can also be very exciting. From what we've seen, the ABC Family/soon-to-be Freeform drama is getting a major creative boost by jumping five years into the future, following the long-awaited reveal of 'A.' Speaking of which, I'm also thankful that the show's über villain has finally been revealed. At the rate the show was going, I wasn't sure my grandchildren would even live to see that day.

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful for...

A musical comedy called Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? The title alone is so risky, you have to give The CW props for snatching up the developed-for-Showtime series. In fact, for several seasons now, the so-called netlet has delivered some of broadcast TV's most unique, daring and ambitious shows. Craving quotable, lively dialogue? Turn on iZombie. Want ethical dilemmas mined to their darkest depths, check out The 100. And if you're looking to smile, there's no better heroine for the job than Jane the Virgin. It's time to stop thinking of The CW as the Big Four's little cousin.

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful for...

Instead of just pulling the plug on low-rated dramedies Getting On and Looking, the premium cabler renewed both series for truncated final seasons, ensuring that fans would get a satisfying return on their investment. Here's hoping HBO execs apply the same user-friendly philosophy to another modestly-rated favorite of mine: The Leftovers.

Matt Webb Mitovich Is Thankful for...

CBS' freshman series could have simply made its titular hero extremely super and left it at that, its contribution to the "female empowerment" discussion done. Instead, both Kara's sister Alex (brainy! kickass!) and her boss Cat Grant (savvy! insightful!) are formidable females with more than a bit of fight in 'em.

Michael Slezak Is Thankful for...

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis-Ross receive plenty of critical acclaim — and rightly so — for their portrayal of black-ish's Dre and Bo. But as Dre's religious (but wickedly funny) mother Ruby, TV vet Jenifer Lewis shines bright like a diamond. Whether styling the family Christmas card as an ode to the elegance of timeslot rival Empire, brutally mocking her daughter-in-law's cooking or invoking "Black Jesus" to intervene when her son and his wife stray from her idea of what's right, Lewis' Ruby scores more laughs per minute of screentime than perhaps any other TV character.

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful for...

Sure, Mad Men's Don finished the series' run by coming up with an iconic Coke ad, but you just know he's still knocking back too many Manhattans and forgetting to call Sally at school. But Peggy Olson ended the show with a killer job; the love of a good, bearded man; and the knowledge that she rollerskated through Sterling Cooper & Partners' abandoned hallways and lived to tell the tale. Even better, she's stronger than ever, strolling into her new digs like a sunglass-wearing boss — speaking of which, Pegs is totally gonna be in charge in a few years. So suck it, Ferg.

Andy Swift Is Thankful for...

Sammy the Wonder Dog — exact age unknown, but I'm pretty sure his doggy driver's license would have just said "timeless" — was always the true star of Revenge, so imagine my joy when newlyweds Jack and Amanda were gifted with a brand-new puppy (Sammy 2.0!) in the series finale. Where's that spinoff?

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful for...

After How I Met Your Mother's end and the quick demise of A to Z and Manhattan Love Story, rom-coms have become an endangered television genre. Thankfully, Amazon Prime imported this delightful, hilarious U.K. comedy about an American businessman who finds out that his one-week stand with a London-based school teacher resulted in an unexpected pregnancy. Creators/stars Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney are so charming and refreshingly real as an onscreen couple that the six-episode freshman run flies by like you've been lovestruck. (Season 2 is on its way, phew!)

Rebecca Iannucci Is Thankful for...

When I say "new look," I'm not just talking about Elizabeth Keen's platinum 'do. I'm talking about the much-needed reinvention that series creator Jon Bokenkamp & Co. brought to the NBC drama's third season. After a sophomore run that got bogged down in the procedural format (plus very few legitimate answers about Liz's past), Season 3 has been a welcome breath of fresh air. Liz and Red's fugitive lifestyle, as well as their ongoing tug-of-war with the FBI task force, has once again made the series compelling — and better yet, fun — to watch.

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful for...

Shakespeare is alive and well and taking the form of Penny Dreadful creator John Logan. The auteur's Season 2 scripts were so elegant and artful that it often felt like I was listening to poetry — albeit some really dark poetry.

Michael Slezak Is Thankful for...

After the record ratings of its freshman run, Season 2 of Empire has cooled just a bit. But the same cannot be said of costume designer Paolo Nieddu, who's been absolutely en fuego — particularly when it comes to dressing the mercurial Cookie Lyon. Rosie the Riveter head scarves? Moschino color-blocked suits in black and pink and seafoam green? Jackets that look like a dozen Elmos were harmed in their making? Blouses emblazoned with colorful wildcats? We're saying "Yasss!" to the dressing of Taraji P. Henson's alter ego — each and every Wednesday.

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful for...

Even if you have no interest in foreign policy, D.C. politics or the messy inner workings of the national government, Madam Secretary's Elizabeth and Henry McCord still make the CBS drama a worthwhile watch. The on-screen relationship that Téa Leoni and Tim Daly have developed over the past two seasons is an example of how long-married characters can give off not just warmth but heat. (They're damn sexy, is what I'm saying.) Watching those two talk Russian spies and American exiles as they canoodle all over that gorgeous Georgetown brownstone? It's a geopolitical aphrodisiac, for sure.

Andy Swift Is Thankful for...

Few shows get better as they head into their 19th season — hell, few shows even last that long — but South Park's current crop of episodes proves that age really is nothing but a number. Only this long-running Comedy Central gem could weave ISIS, political correctness, Whole Foods, Caitlyn Jenner and the ever-increasing annoyance of Internet advertising into a cohesive, season-long tale of conspiracies and cover-ups.

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful for...

Like many, I doubted the CW series' ability to survive after the exit of its leading lady Nina Dobrev. But not only has the show managed to move on without Elena Gilbert, it's actually thrived creatively. Seven seasons in, the storytelling feels refreshed with an intriguing flash-forward concept, a stronger focus on neglected characters like Bonnie, and a snarkier-than-ever Damon. Heck, even the Heretics, whose arrival I dreaded, have turned out to be hellish fun.

Rebecca Iannucci Is Thankful for...

Flip the channel to just about any news program, and you'll likely see an endless cycle of stories about (a) the 2016 presidential election or (b) the Kardashians. Not on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. In his 35-episode second season, Oliver put a spotlight on topics both hard-hitting (mental illness, sex education) and obscure (North Dakota!). He's managed to strike a balance between comedy and much-needed social commentary — and, thanks to HBO, he can drop a few F-bombs in the process.

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful for...

In a tip of the hat to the show's real love story, Justified ended its six-season run last April with a simple, quiet, immensely moving scene between longtime frenemies Raylan and Boyd that served as the perfect bookend to the series. And as far as final lines of dialogue go, "We dug coal together" will be the standard by which all other swan songs will be measured.

Matt Webb Mitovich Is Thankful for...

As a father to twin boys, I'm home more Friday nights than I should perhaps admit. But as the kids get in their final rounds of Minecraft before bed, I'm glad I now have this plucky, bubbly, live comedy to kick back with. Between what you see on screen and what they share on The Twitter, it's obvious the cast is having a blast — and that mood is infectious.

Michael Slezak Is Thankful for...

Aziz Ansari's Master of None is as funny as you'd expect — with its scathing observations about love and race and malfunctioning contraception. But Netflix's buzzy comedy is also smart, sly and sentimental in ways you might not have expected from the standup comic/Parks and Recreation alum. Each episode plays out like a cinematic vignette — contributing to a larger meditation on what happiness looks like for a thirtysomething singleton living in an urban world with seemingly endless options.

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful for...

After the lamentable Hawley Incident of 2014-2015, Sleepyheads weren't exactly primed to welcome another new, lone male into Crane and Abbie's inner circle. But thanks to Zach Appelman's easy manner — and the writers knowing what to do with him — he's easily become a full-fledged member of the Apocalypse Brigade. He's good with medicine, weaponry and strategy, and seeing as how he was a wendigo not that long ago, he's not easily spooked by the occasional berserker and such. He's a love interest for Miss Jenny (mrow), a badly needed bro for Crane (aw) and the best thing to happen to the Fox drama this season.

Andy Swift Is Thankful for...

Some TV cancellations feel like a direct hit to the gut, and in 2015, I can't think of a better example than ABC Family's Chasing Life. But rather than dwell on the negative, I'm choosing to remain thankful that we got even two seasons of such an important, relevant and emotionally exhausting series. And because there's always a silver lining, the short-lived drama also introduced the world to Italia Ricci, a talent I hope to see on either screen — big or small — for decades to come.

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful for...

This summer, Lifetime proved it ain't your mother's channel anymore with the razor-sharp, brutally honest UnREAL, while USA shed those blue skies for Mr. Robot's stormier iClouds. The daring and innovative dramas reinvented their cable homes while garnering critical raves and awards buzz for the previously ailing networks. And in the process, viewers were treated to two of the best shows to come along in any season.

Rebecca Iannucci Is Thankful for...

Saving The Mindy Project from the MIA Network would have been reason enough to give thanks for Hulu this year. (After all, with more creative freedom and a super-sized episode count, Season 4 has arguably been the show's strongest.) But the streaming service also proved it's a major player in the original content game, with such sharp, clever comedies as Difficult People and Casual. In a year where broadcast shows have failed to inspire much excitement, it's been oh-so-nice to actually look forward to upcoming projects like the James Franco starrer 11/22/63 and Jason Katims' The Path.