At the end of every year, an old friend of mine sends me two emails: one is listing the top 10 TV shows of the year, and the other is listing the top 10 episodes of the year (whether or not they made the top shows list is irrelevant). I’m supposed to respond with my list, but I never do. His is so detailed that it’s a little overwhelming. However, there’s been a lot of good TV this year, so I will try to list the top 10 shows here, explaining my reasons why.
10. Fringe. This show surprised me. I really didn’t expect to like it and yet I had no idea what to expect from it. What we got was a cross between CSI and X-Files. Pacey, I mean Joshua Jackson, is back to his cocky, sarcastic, witty best as the ultimate under achiever who has to babysit his father while trying to solve bizarre mysteries that date back to his father’s research decades past. Newcomer Anna Torv as Agent Olivia Dunham is compelling, but it has taken a while for her to grow on me. What makes this show worth it is Dr. Walter Bishop, the kookie scientist who has spent a lot of time in a mental hospital and still has the remnants of a crazy person. All his experiments could end in certain death and yet you trust the old man.
9. House. The hubby gave up on this show a couple of years ago because of the predictability. In every episode, someone could die unless they save them. Well, it’s set in a hospital, so you can’t be too surprised by that. What makes this show unique is the way House handles the patients and his staff. He’s cantankerous, sarcastic, unforgiving, and smart as hell. He has one “friend” and that’s Wilson, but even that isn’t a friendship. It’s one-sided and House does nothing to help maintain the friendship. If anything, he sets out in every episode to destroy it. Yet, here’s a brilliant man who is completely alone and you know that Wilson will never leave him; although, you did question that at the beginning of this season. They’ve started hinting at a romance building between Cuddy and House and if that plays out, House might end up being at the top of the list next year.
8. Chuck. Yes, the show has a predictable formula: Chuck flashes on something, there’s a chase, Chuck gets in trouble, Sarah and Casey save him, and Chuck says something witty about the whole thing. It sounds cliche and boring. Yet, why do we tune in every Monday night and laugh at least 10 times during the episode? Could it be because of his faithful sidekick and best friend Morgan? Could it be for the chemistry between Chuck and Sarah? Could it be because Chuck says things like, “Unleash the Casey”? Yes, all of the above. Chuck is incredibly charming and it’s a show you can watch while sewing together some stockings or playing a game. It’s light and fun, which is needed when you’ve got it before Heroes.
7. The Tudors. This season explored Henry’s marriage to Ann Boleyn. What started off as a tumultuous affair that helped end his marriage to Katherine, quickly dissolved into a power struggle between the two. Ann gave birth to a daughter and then miscarried what might have been his son. She lied to him, tried to manipulate him, and it ended up biting her in the end. Her father was exposed as a complete asshole who abandoned his ousted family as soon as he was able. The final two episodes when Ann learned her fate were the best of the season.
6. Brothers and Sisters. This used to be a show that if I missed it, I was alright. Now, I can’t wait to watch it! For someone who has a fervent desire for a big family, the Walkers are my perfect substitution. Five siblings who are all completely different: the Republican woman married to the senator, the jobless divorcee with 2 kids and alimony, the Democrat homosexual brother who lost his job in the family business and now works for the Republican senator married to his sister, the brother who still works in the family business but is having a hard time adjusting to his father’s mistress’s way of doing things, and the recovering alcoholic who is dating the girl he once thought was his sister. All of this and the matriarch who meddles in everyone’s business, but doles out the love without condition. I tear up at least once in every episode and it makes my desire for more children that much greater.
5. True Blood. This was one show we could not miss on Sunday nights. A show about vampires who are “out of the coffin” and in the open in a small town in Louisiana. Vampires who drink a synthetic drink called “Tru Blood” instead of feeding off humans. A town with so many vibrant characters, it’s tough to know where to start! There’s Bill, one of the only vampires who truly WANTS to fit into normal society. Sookie, the waitress who can hear everyone’s thoughts. Her brother Jason who has sex with everyone. Lafayette, the homosexual who sells “V” (vampire blood) on the side. Tara, Sookie’s feisty friend who doesn’t know when to shut up. And Sam, the bar owner who can turn into a dog. It’s absolutely ridiculous and over-the-top, but you can’t get enough of it.
4. Desperate Housewives. How brilliant was it of them to flash forward 5 years?! I stopped watching this show during the 2nd season because it lost all its appeal it had from the season prior. After that, I would catch it from time to time, but I really didn’t care if I missed an episode. I heard that on the finale last season, they flashed forward 5 years and I managed to catch a repeat over the summer. Susan and Mike divorced, Brie on the verge of celebrity, Lynette stuck with a family of misfits, Edie back with a creepy husband, and Gabriella with two fat kids and a blind husband who she has to support. I couldn’t help but tune in for the season premiere and I was so glad I did! The show has risen to a whole new level that even surpasses season 1.
3. 30 Rock. Tina Fey is my hero. Alec Baldwin is my other hero. And Tracey Morgan is my third. These 3 make up one of the best casts in television. I started watching this show when it first premiered and we dropped it quickly. However, critics were hailing it as one of the best and it started winning awards. We decided to give it another try. Thank God we did! This show is brilliantly written, perfectly cast, and one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen in my life. And yes, I’m including things like I Love Lucy and Seinfeld. 30 Rock is original and unique. And please let Elaine Stritch be a regular as Jack’s mom.
2. The Office. This will always be near #1. I know that people who were hard core fans of the British version will never fully accept the American version. I get it. But I also know that the American version has broken so far away from the British version that it’s really unfair to compare the two – especially when the American version is in it’s 5th season. The writer’s strike affected the first half of 2008, but The Office did bounce back with the best episode of the series “Dinner Party.” This episode alone made up for the entire strike and it also helped to shut up all the British supporters. Since that episode, there have been stand out scenes and moments in each episode following.
1. Dexter. I’ve said it all season – this show is the best there is on television. Normally, when shows hit season 3, they fizzle out. This show, however, proved to be just as creative and compelling as it was the first two seasons. After being disappointed in his father during season 2, Dexter emerged this season as a new man, one who was forced to break his own code. Jimmy Smits did the guest stint and was one of the greatest villains on television. You felt for him, but more importantly, you felt for Dexter when he learned of his betrayal. It was amazing to see Dexter open up and find a real friend, only to have that taken away. This show was a master class in acting.
As far as the episodes go, I couldn’t even begin to list them for the year. Now, if you wanted me to rate the top 10 Office episodes, well, of course I could do that. In fact, I might work on that post for a rainy day…
