5 Shows You Should Most Definitely Watch in 2013

We're all back into the swing of things after the holidays and most of my favourite shows are back on TV—what better time to share the best ones and help you beef up your must-watch list for this year? Here we go. Okay. Let's do this.

I love TV. I shamelessly devour it and I want you to, too. If you're like me, keeping up with dozens of shows across every genre is no trouble at all, a fun challenge made better every time you find a new show to learn every fact about. If you're not like me (that's probably for the best), this list* is here to help you add some excellent television to your repertoire this year and hopefully replace some old, mediocre stand-bys.
*This is by no means a definitive list of my ultimate favourites, but rather a round-up of shows I think are of stellar quality and am most excited about for the coming year. Also, taste in TV is very subjective, so take these suggestions with however many grains of salt as you need.

1. GIRLS

I'll say it right now: I am head over heels for this show. It is so refreshing in every way and is stomach-achingly funny while maintaining just the right amount of hopelessness. If you haven't heard of it, allow me to quote this great NY Times article: "Girls is a dark and deadpan comedy about four young women in Brooklyn who don’t own cool apartments or have glamorous careers, eligible suitors, expensive clothes or even, sometimes, paying jobs." It's honest and witty and not everyone is likeable all the time; they fight, they're poor and they have no idea what they're doing with their lives. In other words, it's perfect and even though they're so dysfunctional I wish they were all my friends—especially Shoshanna. Did I mention it's hysterical? You're going to love it.

(P.S. Guys love it too. Just saying.)

2. GAME OF THRONES

You've heard the accolades—one of the most highly anticipated television series ever, HBO's third most-watched show in history, nominee and winner of multitudes of Emmy and Golden Globe awards, "that show with knights and nudity and incest", and, most recently, the most pirated show of 2012. Game of Thrones is a force to be reckoned with, and it's successful for a reason. The production value is exceptionally high, the cinematography is beautiful, the characters are as varied as they are numerous and someone is always stabbing someone else in the back. Essentially every character possesses ambiguous morals, which makes it near impossible to work out who's good and who's bad, but when a character rears their big, ugly, evil head, you know, and you can't help but loathe them with everything you've got.

I've never seen anything quite like it. Frankly, I love it. It frustrates me like no other show but it's worth it to be a part of something so epic. Season 3 starts in March and I've heard that this one is the whole reason the creators started the show in the first place, so keep your ear to the ground and make sure it's on your list come March!

3. HAPPY ENDINGS

It seems that, though it keeps getting renewed, nobody knows about this show and that is baffling to me. It's safe to say that while Community has (regrettably) been out of the running with its dramas and postponements, Happy Endings has snuck in and taken its place as my Favourite Ridiculous Sitcom. This show is seriously funny. I mean it, you guys. If that isn't enough, it also features the single best married couple I've ever seen on television. If THAT isn't enough, the group is excellently diverse, featuring a black guy, a gay guy, sisters, and a previously engaged couple that still attempt to be friends. Also it's set in Chicago, which is a fun switch-up. It's like Friends, Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother and Seinfeld all wrapped up into a super-excellent 2000s-friendly package.

Get past the pilot and first couple episodes (they're misleading) and the slightly euphemistic, deceptive name and I am almost positive you'll be deeply in love with Max, Penny, Dave, Alex, Brad and Jane, too.

4. LUTHER

I'm only just getting into this one, but I can't wait to watch more. It's a psychological crime drama series with Idris Elba as its title character, and since it's British, I'm more than willing to take a leap of faith and recommend it. Most crime shows follow a similar pattern every episode so viewers can start anywhere, but Luther is an exception to that rule. I've heard that it's seriously addictive, and it's on Netflix, so there's no excuse not to give it a try. Season 3 is underway but we don't yet have a premiere date.

5. BREAKING BAD

I'm going to be honest about this one: I know almost nothing about it, except that I'm hesitant to start watching because everyone I know is addicted to it. This is comforting, of course, because it must really be a great show. I'm going to start it this year, just in time for the last half of its final season to air in July. Perhaps you'll join me? 

What are some of your must-watch shows of the new year? Old favourites? I'd love to hear!