What TVLine Is Thankful For: Juliette Barnes, Hot Sex, Black Magic, A Community Encore And More

Arrow

Matt Mitovich Is Thankful For... THOSE THAT DARE TO GO THERE Love happens, emotions happen. And feelings should be acted on, on TV, as often as they are in real life. So kudos to the likes of NCIS (Tony and Ziva's warm goodbye), Arrow (Oliver's tacit admission to Felicity) and NCIS: LA (Deeks inviting Kensi for "not tacos") for acknowledging what's right in front of them, if even to a small degree.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Michael Slezak Is Thankful For... A SUDDEN SURGE OF NETWORK PATIENCE In an era where networks are crazy-quick to pull the plug on shows that don't deliver huge out-of-the-box numbers, it's been refreshing to watch ABC, CBS and Fox respectively grant full-season pickups to the charming ensemble Trophy Wife, the bawdy-but-heartfelt Mom and the hilariously zany Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Is it possible programming execs are remembering that this exact kind of long-term commitment and nurturing led to eventual juggernauts like Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond?

Community

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful For… DAN HARMON'S RETURN TO COMMUNITY I know what you're thinking: "How can you be thankful for something you haven't even seen yet?" Valid question. But the truth is, even if Season 5 (bowing Jan. 2) doesn't match the quality of Harmon's work in Seasons 1-3, I will still be grateful that NBC's underdog comedy rode off into the sunset on his watch. 'Cause, in the TV world, "What Ifs" suck. What if Amy Sherman-Palladino had returned for the last season of Gilmore Girls? What if Jeff Freilich -- the mastermind behind Falcon Crest's acclaimed 6th and 7th seasons -- had been around to salvage the show's abysmal 8th and 9th? What if Roseanne Barr hadn't fired all the best writers on Roseanne in its final year, rendering the show unwatchable? What if Bridget and Jerome Dobson -- or even their incredibly capable, Emmy-winning successor, Jill Farren Phelps -- remained a part of Santa Barbara until the end? I will never know. And it still drives me mad.

The Fosters

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful For... ABC FAMILY'S WB-LIKE MONDAYS The cable net isn't just home to liars and schemers. On Monday nights this past summer, two sweet, almost nostalgic shows -- the underrated Switched at Birth and promising newcomer The Fosters -- flourished, bringing back memories of The WB's warmhearted family dramas. And sometimes, you just need a show that gives you hope in today's world of TV anti-heroes and relentless grittiness.

Grimm

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful For... GRIMM'S CLUED-IN SCOOBY Thank goodness Juliette is finally a fully in-the-know member of the supernatural drama's central gang. Now that Nick's lady no longer must be kept in the dark, the group has really solidified -- and her scientific knowledge has already proven a useful tool. Dare we hope Wu will be next?

Mindy Project

Meg Masters Is Thankful For... MINDY'S MASTER CLASS IN COMEDY Heading into the second half of its sophomore run, The Mindy Project has never been better. The jokes arrive rapid-fire, the throwaway lines enhance each episode, the ensemble is as strong as any other comedy on TV today and, oh…Danny and Mindy! The chemistry between the rom-com's lead duo is undeniable, and whether the series ever "goes there" with the two (Spoiler Alert: They will-ish...), I'm along for the ride and loving every second of it.

American Horror Story: Coven

Andy Patrick Is Thankful For... COVEN’S WITCHES OF A CERTAIN AGE No wonder 65-year-old Stevie Nicks agreed to guest-star in this latest American Horror Story. The way Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have jam-packed their FX creepshow with mature divas -- and then given them a warehouse's worth of scenery on which to chew! -- there can be no doubt that they know how to treat a grand dame.

Outlander 2014

Matt Mitovich Is Thankful For... ORIGINAL-ISH THINKING Right now, the assorted networks have about a half-dozen remakes/reboots in the pipeline -- including new takes on Charmed, Murder She Wrote and Remington Steele -- and roughly 29 riffs on The Wizard of Oz. So I offer my props to anyone aiming to bring something remotely fresh to TV, and that includes adaptations such as Starz's Outlander, FX's The Strain and AMC's (rumored) Preacher.

Hello Ladies

Misha Solomon Is Thankful For... SAYING HELLO TO CHRISTINE WOODS Woods has been a great team player in quickly cancelled series such as FlashForward and Perfect Couples, but Hello Ladies has finally given her a chance to really shine. Woods has made me retreat to the fetal position every week (in the best way possible!), either from unfathomable awkwardness (see: her tap dance routine in the middle of a dinner party) or unexpected emotion (see: her finale heartbreak when her big break gets recast). She's given one of fall's powerhouse performances and has elevated her cringe-humor show in the process.

Hannibal

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful For... BRYAN FULLER'S TWISTED MIND Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Cancellation. Because when one of the Pushing Daisies creator's shows leaves us before its time, he just comes up with something even more brilliant. NBC's Hannibal is Fuller's darkest TV project yet -- sometimes, disturbingly so -- but also his most complex, rich and smartest series. Like a feast for the senses, every element of the production, from the writing to the sound mixing to the costuming, is delivered with the same precision as one of Dr. Lecter's meals.

Grey's Anatomy

Andy Patrick Is Thankful For... 10 SEASONS OF SANDRA OH Is it a bummer that the Golden Globe winner decided to hang up Cristina’s stethoscope and leave Grey’s Anatomy? Of course it is. But, considering how versatile she is -- and how acclaimed she is -- we’re probably lucky that the MVP stuck around Seattle Grace/Grey+Sloan for as long as she did.

Burning Love

Meg Masters Is Thankful For... E!'S LOVE-LY NEW ADDITION Having burned (pun intended) through all three seasons of Erica Oyama's Bachelor-spoofing web series Burning Love in a matter of days, I can confidently say that it was love at first sight. (Not unlike many Bachelor contestants, come to think of it...) So, imagine my excitement when earlier this year E! announced plans to broadcast the comedy. Now in its second televised season, June Diane Raphael -- along with an array of A-List funnymen -- is stealing the show and making my weekly television lineup funnier than its ever been.

The Killing

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful for... THE KILLING'S SAVIOR I thought AMC's whodunit was dead and buried for real this time. I had already mourned its passing, made peace with the lack of closure, and bid farewell to Holder and Linden -- the best investigative duo since Mulder and Scully. But then, like an angel on a mission from God, Netflix swooped in at the 11th hour and ordered a six-episode fourth and final season. To which I say, "Amen!"

Mad Men

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful For... DON'S JUST DESSERTS Bravo, Mad Men, for having the courage to boot your lead character -- who'd been acting pretty terribly for a few seasons now -- right outta the agency he created. Don Draper at rock bottom? That's something we can't wait to see when Season 7 bows next year.

Mistresses

Michael Slezak Is Thankful For... LUXURY SOAPS With Lifetime's frothy Devious Maids and mystical Witches of East End -- and especially ABC's campy-addictive Mistresses -- all scoring second-season pickups, there'll be plenty of romantic intrigue, over-the-top story arcs, glamorous sets and costumes and witty female bonding on the tube for the foreseeable future. Now if someone could make sure that both Yunjin Kim's hilariously hapless Karen and Penelope Ann Miller's ice-maiden Elizabeth survive Mistresses' Season 1 cliffhanger gunshot, I'll officially declare it Christmas in November.

Justified

Meg Masters Is Thankful For... WALTON GOGGINS' ON-SCREEN ALLURE For this TVLiner, no one on television today delivers performances half as enthralling as those courtesy of Goggins. Whether it's kicking backwoods butt as Justified outlaw Boyd Crowder or bringing heart and humor to Sons of Anarchy as transgendered Venus Van Dam, Goggins' alter egos are always unique and never boring thanks to his nuanced approach to acting. I can't wait to see the comedic chops he'll no doubt bring to Community early next year.

Bob's Burgers

Andy Patrick Is Thankful For... THE BIRDS AND BEES OF BOB’S BURGERS Sure, the emerging sexuality of the Belcher kids is played for laughs -- sometimes even cheap ones. (Hey, the show isn’t called Bob’s Filet Mignon!) But beneath Tina’s G-rated fixation with butts and zombies, and Gene’s tacit gayness, there’s a surprising sweetness that’ll melt your heart like a slice of gouda.

Masters of Sex

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful For... SEX-Y SHENANIGANS Is Masters of Sex a historical drama about two pioneering scientists? A riveting study of gender roles in the 1950s? A portrait of marriages in crisis? An amazing vehicle for leads Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen? An excuse for some after-10 pm nudity? Yes -- to all of the above -- and that's why I get Ulysses-like feelings when I think about Showtime's latest hit.

The Mentalist

Matt Mitovich Is Thankful For... GIVING RED JOHN THE BIRD Finally face-to-face with Red John, The Mentalist's Patrick Jane had one very cooooo-ool and premeditated trick up his sleeve, playing upon McAllister's fear of birds by producing a (hungry, probably pissy) pigeon to gain the upper hand on his elusive foe.

Nashville

Michael Slezak Is Thankful For... TV'S MOST DELECTABLE BAD GIRL Nashville's fiery, glamorous Rayna James is everything you'd want in the reigning queen of country music, but it's hard to build a network drama based on one character alone. Which is why we're so thankful for the tart, bracing counterbalance of Hayden Panettiere's Juliette Barnes. In Season 2 alone, Rayna's self-absorbed, hard-charging label-mate has used her rival's car accident as a PR op; repeatedly dismissed and insulted an Eve Harrington-esque upstart; and embarked on a torrid affair with a married mogul (kicked off on the occasion of his wedding anniversary!). Oh, sure, Juliette can move us to tears on the rare occasions she allows us a peek at her hardscrabble past and deep vulnerabilities, but as she so hilariously put it in a recent episode, "I guess nice just ain't my color!"

True Blood

Michael Ausiello is Thankful For... BLOOD PRESSURE HBO's early confirmation that True Blood's upcoming seventh season will be its last should give showrunner Brian Buckner more than enough time to craft a tightly-plotted, emotionally satisfying 10-episode farewell arc. And after two creatively uneven seasons, the once-great vampire drama really needs to go out with a bang.

New Girl

Misha Solomon Is Thankful For... THE NEWEST ROOMMATE No, not Coach (although he's great too). I'm talking about Winston's pilfered pet cat, Ferguson. New Girl's gotten some flack this season for Winston's underdevelopment, but his zany interactions with the Exotic Shorthair reduce me to hysterics every time they're on screen. Who needs a love interest when you've got a furry friend who'll even shower with you?

Once Upon a Time

Matt Mitovich Is Thankful For... ONCE'S ISLAND FEVER Coming off a hit-and-miss Season 2 that oft splintered the ensemble and pitted them against meh meanies (RIP, Greg and Tamara), Once Upon a Time's trip to Neverland, to battle a terrifically cast Peter Pan and his Lost Boys, made for a more focused storyline and greater, specific stakes. (Emma's choice in practical, guns-showing jungle attire? Mere icing on the cake.)

Orphan Black

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful For... MY NEW OBSESSION: ORPHAN BLACK The clone thriller's smartly written and brilliantly acted Season 1 came out of nowhere and reminded me what it's like to be swept off your feet by a TV show. From the feeling of falling in love with a story to the wonder of discovering a new talent (Tatiana Maslany: Wow) to the buzz of a truly watercooler moment (tails!), Orphan Black was like a weekly memo, proclaiming, "This is why you love TV!" Plus, the show gave me something I've been craving for a while: A truly science-fiction series that is based in the real, very near world. (This was goosebump-inducing -- and came just weeks after the season finale aired!)

Property Brothers

Revenge

Kimberly Roots Is Thankful For... MO'LAN! Who's better than Revenge's Nolan? Nobody! So it's fantastic that the snarky tech whiz is nabbing tons of screen time back in his rightful place: as Emily's right-hand man, bestie and conscience (when needed).

Person of Interest

Matt Mitovich Is Thankful For... GREAT INTEREST Entering Season 3, Person of Interest evolved into a fantastically rich and compelling animal, repeatedly raising questions of morality, fortifying its ranks on both sides of the fight as it fleshed out its cast, and giving Arrow a run as TV's closest thing to Batman. And while Carter's death was devastating, it demonstrated -- much as [spoiler]'s murder in 24's Season 1 finale -- that even our most formidable heroes can fall.

Sleepy Hollow

Michael Ausiello Is Thankful For... SHORTENED EPISODE ORDERS FOR BROADCAST DRAMAS Given Sleepy Hollow's success, many assumed Fox would backtrack on its initial promise of a 13-episode rookie season by giving its Monday-night hit a back-nine order. So imagine our surprise when the network resisted the temptation to do just that -- a move that would no doubt have resulted in middling, filler episodes -- and instead ordered a 13-episode second season. Cable's quality-over-quantity strategy is finally catching on at the broadcast nets -- better late than never!

The Voice

Michael Slezak Is Thankful For... ADDICTIVE NEW VOICES There's no denying the joys of The Voice -- NBC's ratings juggernaut boasts a deep bench of undiscovered (or, in some cases, semi-discovered) vocalists; a positive, encouraging judges' panel; and a nifty, talent-first, looks-second gimmick. But being a fan also means you get a bonus every week: high quality studio recordings produced by the show's contestants -- purchases of which count toward their overall vote tallies. So, whether or not your favorites roll to victory or get prematurely ousted in the Battle Rounds, you'll have their moments of glory on your iTunes forever. And that's a benefit worth singing about.

The Americans_Orphan Black

Vlada Gelman Is Thankful For... AMAZING COIFS Of course, you need a good actor to bring a character to life. But the wigs, 'staches and dreadlocks on TV this year in shows like The Americans, Game of Thrones -– Dany isn't so golden-hued in real life -– and Orphan Black proved that the hair and make-up departments are just as important in transporting viewers (and in keeping those appliques on during Americans sex scenes).

JA'MIE KING

Misha Solomon Is Thankful For... THE RETURN OF JA'MIE KING It's been five long years since Ja'mie King -- philanthropist, model, private school girl -- last graced our screens. Those lucky Aussies have gotten to see Chris Lilley completely inhabit his privileged and prissy alter ego for the past few weeks, but Ja'mie finally returns stateside on Nov. 24 on HBO. Life has been completely povvo without her.

The Middle

Andy Patrick Is Thankful For... THE MIDDLE’S ETERNAL OPTIMIST The television landscape is so littered with loudmouths, cynics and anti-heroes that the indefatigably peppy Sue Heck isn’t just a breath of fresh air, she’s oxygen to the suffocating! She may not be able to make being good look “cool,” but at the very least, she makes it look worthwhile.