Read Part One and Part Two of the 2014 Chaos Television Awards

Revitalization Award: Once Upon A Time
A lot of shows go through what is known as the sophomore slump — their first season was so good, that it is almost impossible for the second season to live up to the expectations, and on occasion, can never recapture that original inspiration (Heroes, I’m looking at you). This was certainly the case for Once Upon A Time, a stunning mix of surprise, heart and comic Gold that faltered when the creators decided to give the residents of Storybrooke their magic mojo back (and their memories to boot). Suddenly, the spark that made the show so good was diminished, and its future didn’t look bright at all. Then came Neverland (along with a conniving Peter Pan (Robbie Kay)) and voila — the magic was back. When they introduced the plot line for Henry’s (Jared Gilmore) kidnapping at the end of season 2, the whole thing just felt off somehow; as if the producers were grasping at straws. But setting that storyline up gave way to a marvelous arc over the course of the first half of the third season. Robbie Kay gave just the right amount of bite to Pan’s menacing persona and all of the story beats (introducing Tinkerbell (Rose McIver) and her connection to the fairies and Regina (Lana Parrilla), discovering that Pan is Rumpelstiltskin’s (Robert Carlyle) father, David’s (Josh Dallas) sacrifice, and the reason for kidnapping Henry) were all perfectly paced and developed. Though the second half of the season lost a step with its wicked storyline, overall, this season reminded us all why Once Upon A Time was appointment television. Let’s hope they can continue this energy into next season’s Frozen arc. See more Awards

Read Part 1 of the 2014 Chaos Television Awards.

Series that should have been better: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the show I was most excited about this past season. Because of how well-made the films all are (and how well-crafted all of DC’s television programs have been), I thought the producers (including The Avengers‘ director Joss Whedon) would do a terrific job continuing those big screen adventures into a weekly series. Somehow, even with the return of Coulson (Clark Gregg), the show lost its way early on, most likely because of the lack of intriguing characters and plots, and only started to find the right path halfway through the series. What rejuvenated the show was the injection of Coulson’s drive to learn everything he could about why he’s not dead, as well as letting Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘s plot line alter their main story threads. These aspects allowed the cast to finally find the chemistry that was lacking in the first half of the season, giving it a much needed boost of adrenaline and fun. Adding Bill Paxton was also a winning move, and turned the show into what I hoped it would be from the very beginning. They were lucky to get a second season — but is it still too little too late? See more Awards

The Emmy’s are just a few minutes away, which means it’s time for Chaos breeds Chaos to give out its annual awards for the best and worst of the 2013-2014 televisions season. But, instead of focusing on the tired categories of best actress in a comedy series and best TV miniseries or movie, this year, I’ve decided to create my own categories, some of which will appear every year going forward, and some that will vary based on the quality (or lack thereof) of shows during the current season. So, take a spin through what I consider the best and worst new shows and characters (parts two and three will be posted over the next two days), and when you’re done, if I somehow forgot to mention anything, or you completely disagree (or agree) with my choices, make your thoughts known in the comments section below. Check out the Awards