First rule of buying a new TV is to ignore everything everyone on the internet tells you. Find a shop with loads in and go and see for yourself which looks the best picture for you, and go from there. Test your favourite BD on it, and if you're into gaming do that too. Once you're happy, go home and search the interweb for the best deal.
I prefer LED backlit screens to plasma, and I don't give a stuff what all the reviews and gods on the AV Forum say. It looks better to my eyes with the stuff I use it for, and that's all that matters really as it's my money I'm spending. I hate 3D and Smart TVs hold absolutely zero interest for me too, I just want a great screen with zero faffing. My Sammy 8 series is three years old now, and it's still up there with the better LED backlit screens that are out today. Even though I want a bigger screen now (55" just ain't enough these days!), the extra leap in quality just isn't there to justify spending another few grand on a new one.