Best TV Shows of 2012

The year's best series on the small screen.

Don't Sleep - Movies are good, but great television shows are even better. Audiences get treated to the best comedies, drama, dramedies and actors all while in the comforts of their own homes. Here are BET.com's list of the year's best shows.  Former CNN anchor T.J. Holmes injected what the news and political commentary show world sorely needed: wit, humor and a Black perspective. Holmes digs into the current events deepest discussions and brings along special guests like Issa Rae, Montel Williams, Fat Joe, Rain Pryor and Rosie Perez for the fun and informative ride. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

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Don't Sleep - Movies are good, but great television shows are even better. Audiences get treated to the best comedies, drama, dramedies and actors all while in the comforts of their own homes. Here are BET.com's list of the year's best shows.  Former CNN anchor T.J. Holmes injected what the news and political commentary show world sorely needed: wit, humor and a Black perspective. Holmes digs into the current events deepest discussions and brings along special guests like Issa Rae, Montel Williams, Fat Joe, Rain Pryor and Rosie Perez for the fun and informative ride. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Keyshia & Daniel: Family First - Keyshia Cole was slightly upstaged by her mom and sister in her first reality show BET’s Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is. But on Keyshia & Daniel: Family First the “Never” singer who is wife to Cleveland Cavalier star Daniel Gibson and mom of Daniel Jr. shows off another side to her personality: superwoman. (Photo: Stephanie Diani/BET)

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Keyshia & Daniel: Family First - Keyshia Cole was slightly upstaged by her mom and sister in her first reality show BET’s Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is. But on Keyshia & Daniel: Family First the “Never” singer who is wife to Cleveland Cavalier star Daniel Gibson and mom of Daniel Jr. shows off another side to her personality: superwoman. (Photo: Stephanie Diani/BET)

Photo By Photo: Stephanie Diani/BET

Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope - There are many great Black characters on TV.  For Black History Month, BET.com had to give them the spotlight in a sequel (see part 1 here).  As Scandal's designer clothes-clad crisis manager Olivia Pope, Kerry Washington cleans up Washington's most gasp-worthy messes. Also, her character's sizzling affair with the hit drama's fictional POTUS always steams up our TV sets. Washington made small screen history by becoming the second Black woman to lead a network television drama (after Diahann Carroll's Julia), and she now personifies must-see primetime TV. (Photo: ABC)

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Scandal - Kerry Washington stars as the fast-talking ultimate spin-doctor Olivia Pope. Based on real life crisis fixer Judy Smith, Scandal is an addictive political drama that keeps audiences glued to their TVs for an inside view of Washington D.C.’s fictional dirt and the palpable sexual tension between Olivia and her onscreen married POTUS (Tony Goldwyn). (Photo: ABC)

The Soul Man - Cedric the Entertainer’s Hot In Cleveland spinoff The Soul Man debuted to high ratings on TV Land. Now, thanks to the wonderful onscreen family chemistry of Niecy Nash, Wesley Jonathan, Jazz Raycole and John Beasley, TV audiences will be seeing a lot more of the Ballentine clan. The series was renewed for a second season. (Photo: TV LAND)

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The Soul Man - Cedric the Entertainer’s Hot In Cleveland spinoff The Soul Man debuted to high ratings on TV Land. Now, thanks to the wonderful onscreen family chemistry of Niecy Nash, Wesley Jonathan, Jazz Raycole and John Beasley, TV audiences will be seeing a lot more of the Ballentine clan. The series was renewed for a second season. (Photo: TV LAND)

House of Lies - The Academy Award nominated actor, Don Cheadle, stars in House of Lies. As a management consultant Marty Kaan must also parent his cross dressing young son, Roscoe (Donis Leonard, Jr.). Watching Cheadle balance Marty's professional and personal makes this show a modern day classic.(Photo: Showtime)

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House of Lies - The Academy Award nominated actor, Don Cheadle, stars in House of Lies. As a management consultant Marty Kaan must also parent his cross dressing young son, Roscoe (Donis Leonard, Jr.). Watching Cheadle balance Marty's professional and personal makes this show a modern day classic.(Photo: Showtime)

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Sunday Best - The gospel music genre crossed with a singing reality TV competition is definitely must see TV, but who knew it would also include such entertaining and funny drama? Sunday Best host Kirk Franklin holds court over the gospel star wannabees, but judge Yolanda Adams really reigns and rules as Queen of this series.  (Photo: Darnel Williams Photography)

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Sunday Best - The gospel music genre crossed with a singing reality TV competition is definitely must see TV, but who knew it would also include such entertaining and funny drama? Sunday Best host Kirk Franklin holds court over the gospel star wannabees, but judge Yolanda Adams really reigns and rules as Queen of this series.  (Photo: Darnel Williams Photography)

Photo By Photo: Darnel Williams Photography

The New Normal - The New Normal has emerged as a newer Modern Family cranked up to the next notch. This unconventional family of a gay couple, their surrogate, her daughter plus her racist and homophobic mom is endlessly funny. Scene stealing star NeNe Leakes as assistant Rocky avoids clichés and stereotypes — plus, she's a pretty darn good actress. (Photo: NBC)

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The New Normal - The New Normal has emerged as a newer Modern Family cranked up to the next notch. This unconventional family of a gay couple, their surrogate, her daughter plus her racist and homophobic mom is endlessly funny. Scene stealing star NeNe Leakes as assistant Rocky avoids clichés and stereotypes — plus, she's a pretty darn good actress. (Photo: NBC)

Boardwalk Empire - Period mobster drama never felt so good, and former Sopranos scribe and Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter keeps it exhiliarating.  Michael Kenneth Williams stars as the understated performance artist Albert Chalky White. (Photo: HBO)

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Boardwalk Empire - Period mobster drama never felt so good, and former Sopranos scribe and Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter keeps it exhiliarating.  Michael Kenneth Williams stars as the understated performance artist Albert Chalky White. (Photo: HBO)

RuPaul's Drag Race - Ru rules!  But the most colorful and fiercest competitors on TV sometimes upstage he host and mentor of RuPaul's Drag Race. Jiggly Caliente, Latrice Royale and Phi Phi O’Hara were just three reasons to tune in this year, but Drag Race gives you loads more each season. (Photo: Logo TV)

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RuPaul's Drag Race - Ru rules!  But the most colorful and fiercest competitors on TV sometimes upstage he host and mentor of RuPaul's Drag Race. Jiggly Caliente, Latrice Royale and Phi Phi O’Hara were just three reasons to tune in this year, but Drag Race gives you loads more each season. (Photo: Logo TV)

Let's Stay Together - TV audiences love staying together with Charles (Bert Belasco), Stacy (Nadine Ellis), Jamal (RonReaco Lee), Tasha (Joyful Drake) and Kita (Erica Hubbard). That's because the Queen Latifah produced Let’s Stay Together intelligently and humorously pulls back the complicated layers of love, romance, marriage and family. (Photo: BET)

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Let's Stay Together - TV audiences love staying together with Charles (Bert Belasco), Stacy (Nadine Ellis), Jamal (RonReaco Lee), Tasha (Joyful Drake) and Kita (Erica Hubbard). That's because the Queen Latifah produced Let’s Stay Together intelligently and humorously pulls back the complicated layers of love, romance, marriage and family. (Photo: BET)

The Game - TV audiences just can’t get enough of The Game. The dramedy of Melanie, Derwin, Tasha, Malik, Jason and new cast member Brandy keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Cast members Tia Mowry and Pooch Hall have departed the series in season six, but trust that this game will still be played. (Photo: Paul Abell/PictureGroup)

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The Game - TV audiences just can’t get enough of The Game. The dramedy of Melanie, Derwin, Tasha, Malik, Jason and new cast member Brandy keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Cast members Tia Mowry and Pooch Hall have departed the series in season six, but trust that this game will still be played. (Photo: Paul Abell/PictureGroup)