However. The television year is winding down to a close, so it is time to give you my top eight (quality goes way down after that) shows of last year (with some cheating). Those of you who have cable, satellite, good taste, etc., are free to point out how prosaic my network-heavy list is. Thank you.
"Arrested Development," FOX. The best two-year stretch any television comedy has had since seasons 4 and 5 of "The Simpsons." I have never, never been this emotionally involved in the cancellation or non-cancellation of a television show. Please, all you FOX executives that read my blog, have pity on the Bluths.
"The Amazing Race," CBS. Simply logistically, I cannot imagine how this show gets made. It's still the only game-show-like reality show that's able to keep my interest beyond sheer novelty (see "Big Brother"; sorry, moM).
"Gilmore Girls," WB. A flawed season: Not enough Paris, her recent panhandling escapade excepted. Contained the worst episode in the history of the series ("The One Where Rory Reports on a Secret Soceity and Breaks Every Journalistic Rule in the Process.") Not enough Lorelai plus Rory (as has been the case since Rory left for Yale, of course). But still.
"King of the Hill," FOX. The most consistently good show on television: It's been somewhere between no. two and five for the past seven seasons.
"Cops," FOX. I don't want to hear it.
The first half-hour of "Late Show with David Letterman," CBS. I rarely make it to the guests, and even when I do, Dave's certainly no Tom Snyder or even Conan O'Brian. Still, in that pre-guest, post-monologue part of the show, it's clear that no one in the known universe can make as much something out of nothing than Dave.
"Monk," USA. (Projected, as I actually haven't seen the current season. But still, can any show with Tony Shalhoub finish lower than seventh? [Other than "Stark Raving Mad," of course, because c'mon.])
"The Simpsons," FOX. No, it still hasn't found the heart that it had a decade ago, but it's still funnier than any 15-year-old show has a right to be.
"Charlie Rose," PBS. Despite the penchant for double questions, there isn't any other interviewer who can that effortly talk with both Kofi Annan and Charlie Kaufman. I don't watch it enough, alas, as it runs into Dave.
"Boston Public," ABC. James Spader is so awesome.
--- History of the medium awards:
Best pre-voting-age actor in the history of the medium: Michael Cera, "Arrested Development"
Wackest scene in the history of the medium: Where apropos of nothing Elizabeth Röhm's character came out as a lesbian on "Law & Order"
Oh, and while we're at it, worst actress in the history of the medium: Elizabeth Röhm
Greatest dramatic actor in the history of the medium: Dennis Franz, "NYPD Blue" (which had a very good series finale, by the way, where some things change, but much still continues going on as it had been)
The most bipolarly great/horrible show in the history of the medium, often within the same 15 seconds: "Family Guy"
oh so lovingly written by
Matthew |
these are comments, absent.
i sincerely do not know what you are doing here. are you lost? were you
looking for your delicate calico cat, and did you follow her up two flights of stairs
to this room? she is not here. she was here, yes. we gave her a warm bowl of milk, we talked with her about campaign finance reform for a time, and then she bid us good day. i believe she was
going to the post office two blocks down, but i don't quite recall.
for surely you did
not find your way from prinsiana, the least traveled site on
the internet. if you did, though, perhaps you are looking for humor. perhaps you are looking for profundity. perhaps you are looking for answers.
i'm sorry, but you shall go naught-for-three.
