2016 Golden Globes: Why ‘Outlander,’ ‘Halt and Catch Fire,’ ‘Hannibal’ deserve Drama Series nods

On December 10, the nominees for the 2016 Golden Globes are going to by announced by the Hollywood Foreign Press, and the buildup to this show, other than the Emmys, is maybe our favorite of the year. Sometimes, we even prefer the Globes since they tend to be more open to recognizing shows that are either new to the table, or of a variety of different genres.

Over the course of the coming weeks, we’re going to be letting you know what our ballot would be for all of the TV categories if we were a member of the HFPA, and we’ll be having you do the same. Much like we did with the Emmy series this summer, we’ll announce the reader picks the day before the nominations. (In this case, we’ll announce them on December 9.)

Today, we’re kicking things off by focusing on the Outstanding Drama Series category.

“Halt and Catch Fire” (AMC) – One of the most-improved series of year, “Halt and Catch Fire” succeeded in its second season by focusing on innovation, character development, and surprising twists. With “Mad Men” now gone, Lee Pace, Kerry Bishe, and the rest of the cast are making a strong case for AMC’s best show.

“Hannibal” (NBC) – Gone but not forgotten, this show remains a visual achievement from Bryan Fuller. When it tugged at your heartstrings like it did with the Hugh Dancy – Mads Mikkelsen scenes in “Digestivo,” few programs needed the tissue box. You could argue that maybe its biggest flaw was simply being ahead of its time when it comes to what network viewers have an appetite for.

“The Leftovers” (HBO) – Probably the most improved series of the year. Through season one, we found this to be perennially depressing, devastating, and at times even frustrating to get through. Now, Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta have found freedom away from the source material and created an arresting character study, and a story about what faith means to different people and how much they strive for redemption in a world where it is sometimes impossible.

“Mad Men” (AMC) – Before we say goodbye to it for good, how about one final nod for one of the greatest shows ever made? “Mad Men” said farewell with a brilliant final seven episodes, which gave us a sense as to how some characters changed, some didn’t, and how at least temporarily, maybe Don Draper found a little bit of peace within himself.

“Outlander” (Starz) – It’s a little bit fantasy, a little bit historical drama, and throughout fantastically compelling entertainment. Anchored by Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan’s powerful and at-times gut-wrenching performances, this story not only adapted the work of Diana Gabaldon beautifully, but it also created a legion of dedicated fans and gave Starz greater relevancy as a network with pop-culture aspirations.

Honorable mentions – “Better Call Saul” (AMC), “Daredevil” (Netflix), “Hell on Wheels” (AMC), “Penny Dreadful” (Showtime), “Vikings” (History).

What is your pick?