Decadeworthy - Television of the Decade

Here's my picks for the Best in Television of the Decade. Yes, it was the golden age of television. Where shows were able to further blossom, delve deeper, run archs that created emotionally satisfying stories that took advantage of using the longer format. Or, the opposite, where crime procedurals flourished.

And yes, while it may seem like I watch every show out there, I actually do not. Sadly, I had real jobs to do. So no, I still haven't started The Wire or Battlestar Galactica or Big Love yet, and while I petered out on Six Feet Under and The Sopranos, I never got back into them when they apparently resurged in quality.

So I've limited to picking the shows with their best season in this decade (so thus, The Sopranos S1 was 1999 and thus ineligible, as was S2 of Sex and the City. 1999 was a good year for HBO wasn't it?), and it can't have already been mentioned on my Decadeworthy: Best of Television 1 Season Wonders List.

I also started listing them in order but kept switching the orders for days that I almost went back to alphabetical, but decided to leave the ranking, but you can probably argue a different order especially from 11+ and I could agree. So don't put too much attention to the exact order.

So here's my Decadeworthy List for Television of the Decade:


1. Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC) - Season 3 (2008)

Right from the get go, Season 1 grips you into the lives of the residents living in Dillon, TX, but Season 3 is when the emotional culmination comes to full fruition in deeply moving stories that continue on in Season 4 as more characters are giving satisfying sendoffs while new players are rolled in, all with the central core of Tami and Coach Eric Taylor staying strong at its heart.


2. Lost (ABC) - Season 4 (2008)
Best Episode: "Through The Looking Glass" (Ep. 322)

The 3rd Season finale changed the game but also confirmed Lost was in fact, not completely lost, with Season 4 continuing the build on everything since the terrific first season, mixing the mystery and lore with deep looks into Oceanic 815 survivor's lives and their destiny.


3. Coupling (BBC2) - Season 3 (2002)
Best Episode: "Remember This" (Ep. 304)

A British version of Friends with Sex and the City thrown in, the show is cute and builds to comic perfection in Season 2, but Season 3 tops that with some genius devices including the "Split" and "Remember This". I would say 5 of the 7 episodes in the season are perfect and cannot be touched.


4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TheWB/UPN) - Season 5 (2000-2001)
Best Episode: "The Body" (Ep. 516)

Before the decade had begun, the show had already perfected the use of high school/college as allegory for bigger, more devilish themes, with a funny Scooby crew fighting off demons and vampires, but everything seemed to gather to an emotional and urgent climax to fight Gloria, as well as the incredibly moving and non-supernatural death of Buffy's mom.


5. Everwood (TheWB) - Season 4 (2005-2006)
Best Episode: "Foreverwood Parts 1 & 2" (Eps. 421 & 422)

Every season deepened the family drama about a successful surgeon and his two kids that he tries to know better after moving to the small town of Everwood, CO. Everwood managed to balance both a light and fun tone with deeper and more emotionally dark issues, all with characters we learned to love, and managed to cobble together one of the most satisfying finales despite having the show cancelled unceremoniously at the last minute.


6. Pushing Daisies (ABC) - Season 1 (2007)
Best Episode: "Pielette (Ep. 101)

A deliriously delicious romantic murder mystery that sort of defied genres. Part romantic comedy, part crime procedural, part fantasy, part gay wonderland, and all wonderful.


7. Veronica Mars (TheWB) - Season 1 (2004-2005)

A mystery film noir done for the high school set but was not for the high schooler, with the dark cases and witty repartees, Kristen Bell led a terrific cast in a sleuth show that constantly surprised with twists and turns that were both fun and actually puzzling.


8. Gavin & Stacey (BBC3) - Season 1 (2007)
Best Episode: "Episode One" (Ep. 101)

A great romantic comedy television show that wasn't schmaltzy or cliched and pushed forward in a dizzying pace with harsh realities without ever losing the dream romance at its core.


9. Arrested Development (FOX) - Season 1 (2003-2004)

O that zany Bluth family. There's no words to describe the hilarity or to make sense of it all.


10. Gilmore Girls (TheWB) - Season 2 (2001-2002)

Comfort TV at it's finest, and fastest with the witty banter between the close mother and daughter relationship of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, but the power in the Gilmore Girls was that it was really a 3-generations relationship with grandmother Emily. The quirky townsfolk of Stars Hollow just romanticized small town living to its finest.


11. Friends (NBC) - Season 9 (2002-2003)

Some said Friends went downhill in the later seasons, but while it had its up and downs, I thought things started picking up again once Chandler and Monica started having their secret affair post Ross' London wedding, and got back into a great groove near the end when Rachel had her baby, Joey had his crush, and things started to set up for the end in the following year. The comic timing between the tight cast were down to perfection by that point, and the writing got sharper again, using the years of character history to construct new comedy gold.


12. Mad Men (AMC) - Season 1 (2007)
Best Episode: "The Wheel" (Ep. 113)

I haven't seen the latest season yet, but the series is a fun and addictive look at the 60's lifestyle of these Madison Avenue men, but the heart of the show is still its women (Peggy, Betty, Joan). The show slowly draws you into the darker underlying tones that hide under the well tailored suits and flower patterned dresses.


13. Modern Family (ABC) - Season 1 (2009)

Welcome to the new age of the family sitcom!


14. 30 Rock (NBC) - Season 2 (2007-2008)

While the overall story arcs are sometimes left at the wayside for the side-splitting insanity within each episode, but when it's that insanely funny, what's really the problem with that?


15. Glee (FOX) - Season 1 (2009)
Best Episode: "Pilot" (Ep. 101)

Do I need to explain my love for this high school musical with a black humour streak? Just don't stop believin'!


16. Desperate Housewives (ABC) - Season 1 (2004-2005)
Best Episode: "Pilot" (Ep. 101)

At it's best, the show, and especially the pilot, was a great dark satirical soap opera on the suburban lives of these desperate housewives and while it had some hiccups, the five year flashforward reinvigorated the show. Still, the first season, with the 1st mystery arc and the dark humour, worked great together.


17. The Office (NBC) - Season 3 (2006-2007)

For once, I thought the Americanized version of a show actually bettered the original UK version. I know purists will disagree but the original was TOO painful and awkward. Fascinating yes, but painful. The American version really got into its own groove in the second season mixing painfully awkward humour with a more powerful emotional impact by making it easier to relate to the office drones. By season 3, the balance had been perfected and the show really became its own entity.


18. Grey's Anatomy (ABC) - Season 2 (2005-2006)

When it was great, it was melodrama at its best.


19. Alias (ABC) - Season 1 (2001-2002)
Best Episode: "Truth Be Told (Ep. 101)

Things could not be more complicated for Sydney Bristow (a star making turn by Jennifer Garner) and the pilot episode was a wealth of information and twists and turns into her world as a secret spy living as a grad student by day. In comes spy daddy (the terrific Victor Garber) who may or may not be on her side, plus a cast of great characters in her spy world and at home, and it was the beginning of a totally wild and action packed series that eventually fell off the tracks, but boy was it fun while it was still hot.

20. The Amazing Race (CBS) - Season 2 (2002)
Best Episode: "Help Me, I'm American" (Ep. 202)

First season was brand new, but they perfected the race in the 2nd season with a perfect mix of racers including Tara and the Weasel Will, Cute brother and sister team Blake and Paige, the fabulous Danny and Oswald (who actually stopped racing to go shopping in Hong Kong AND still beat the others to the airplane), and the hunky Boston boys. Plus it's where the racers played it boldly, including the first time a team was brave enough to ask strangers for help and when the race still ended in a footrace that ended with teams so close together that it went down to the wire. Exciting and hilarious.

21. Ugly Betty (ABC) - Season 1 (2006-2007)

22. Once and Again (ABC) - Season 2 (2000-2001)

23. Entourage (HBO) - Season 2 (2005)

24. Weeds (Showtime) - Season 1 (2005)

25. Nurse Jackie (Showtime) - Season 1 (2009)

26. So You Think You Can Dance (FOX) - Season 2 (2006)

27. The OC (FOX) - Season 4 (2006-2007)

28. Better Off Ted (ABC) - Season 1 (2009)

29. The United States of Tara (Showtime) - Season 1 (2009)

30. Damages (FX) - Season 1 (2007)

31. Supernatural (TheCW) - Season 1 (2005-2006)

32. Burn Notice (USA) - Season 1 (2007)

33. Angel (TheWB) - Season 4 (2002- 2003)

34. Survivor (CBS) - Season 1

35. Bones (FOX) - Season 4 (2008-2009)

36. American Idol (FOX) - Season 1 (2002)

37. Top Chef (Bravo) - Season 6 (2009)

38. Project Runway (Bravo) - Season 4 (2007-2008)

39. Chuck - Season 1 (2007-2008)

40. Six Feet Under (HBO) - Season 1 (2001)

41. Southland (NBC/TNT) - Season 1 (2009)

42. Scrubs (NBC/ABC) - Season 2 (2002-2003)

43. Ed (NBC) - Season 1 (2000-2001)

44. Gossip Girl (TheCW) - Season 1 (2007-2008)

45. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX) - Season 1 (2005)

46. 24 (FOX) - Season 1 (2001)

47. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - Season 2 (2008-2009)

48. How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - Season 2 (2006-2007)

49. Without a Trace (CBS) - Season 1 (2002-2003)

50. Men In Trees (ABC) - Season 1 (2006-2007)


Best Shows I Started Watching But Am Only Finished or Partway Through the First Season So I Didn't Feel I Watched Enough to Properly Place A Ranking For It But They Are So Awesome I Need to Acknowledge Them Somehow:

Breaking Bad (AMC) - Season 1 (2008)

Dexter (Showtime) - Season 1

Fringe (FOX) - Season 1

The Secret Diary of a Call Girl (SHOWTIME/ITV2) - Season 1

Shows I Know Are Good But Have Yet To See and Still on my Pile of Shows to Watch:
Big Love
BattleStar Galactica
The Wire


______________________________________

Decadeworthy - The Best of 2000-2009 Lists:
SYTYCDworthy (w/ Videos) - List Format
Theatre of the Decade
Best Films of the Decade
Favorite Films of the Decade
Television of the Decade
Television of the Decade - 1 Season Wonders

Best of 2009 Lists: Coming soon
Best of Music 2009
Best of Television 2009
Best of Stage 2009
Best of Movies 2009

Previous Best-of Lists:
Best of 2008 Lists:
Best of Music 2008
Best of Television 2008
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Movies 2008
Best of Television Fall '07 - Winter '08 List

Best of 2007 Lists:
Best of Music 2007
Best of Television 2007
Best of Movies 2007
Best of Stage 2007
Best of 2007 (The Final Wrap Up)
Best of Television Fall '06 - Winter '07 List

Best of 2006 Lists:
Best of Music 2006
Best of Television 2006
Best of Movies 2006
Best of 2006
Best of Television Fall '05 - Winter '06 List

Best of 2005 Lists:
Best of Television 2005
Best of Movies 2005



Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Oh Happiness!

It still brings a huge smile to my face...
sigh...





Actually, oh sadness now that it's ended. It still gets me misty eyed just thinking about it.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Tapeworthy 2000

It's my 2000th post!!!

So in the 3 years and 3 months that it's taken me to write 2000 posts, I've watched a LOT of stuff (as you may have noticed), and while the blog has expanded from its initial TV talk and as I lost my co-blogger (she found a boyfriend, moved to New Zealand and lived happily ever after. Bitch! (You know I still love ya "highbrow")), I've carried on ranting and raving about all the shows I've loved.

Since I basically write this blog just to put out my Best of Lists, I thought I'd take a look back at the shows that made it to #1 on my Best of TV lists. I however only just realized that only 3 shows have gotten that coveted spot since 2005.

Best of TV 2008
Best of TV 2007 - 2008 TV Season
Best of TV 2007
Best of TV 2006 - 2007 TV Season
Best of TV 2006
Best of TV 2005 - 2006 TV Season
Best of TV 2005

So here are the most Tapeworthy shows that were #1 on my Best of Lists since I've started the blog (in order from oldest to newest, though if you follow my blog, they're kinda obvious):

Everwood

Season 2 is FINALLY coming out June 16, 2009, 5 years after the first season DVD was released. You can watch on TheWB online in the states, or catch up on abcFamily. While the first season is a solid start, and the second season is enjoyable, it's really during the 3rd and the 4th and final season that Everwood becomes rock solid, and one of the best family dramas. And it topped my TV list during the end of its run, just as I had started this blog.

Lost

From the very first episode, and all through the first season, we were blown away as we got sucked into the lives of the surviving passengers of Oceanic 815. We discovered The Others in season 2, and while it may have gotten a little muddled around season 2 and 3, the third season finale made it all worth it and the show continued to confuse us and enthrall us during season 4. And of course, we just ended season 5, and I'm as confused as ever, and I cannot wait for more!!!

Friday Night Lights

I'm still amazed this amazingly honest and heartbreaking show still manages to be on NBC after 3 seasons (with 2 more seasons to come!). Thanks to a DirecTV partnership, the brutally realistic lives of an average Texan town are laid bare for all of us to watch, as we become as emotionally connected with the characters as they would in the townsfolks themselves.

Here are noteworthy shows that I've loved, but that just missed the top spot through the years:

Veronica Mars

I never actually put this at the top of my list but it always came mightily close in its short 3 season run. And if I had my blog a year earlier, it probably would have landed on top with its stunning first season. The second season only got deeper and richer and I'm not sure why I didn't rank it higher, because repeat viewings have not soften the gritty and witty edges of this show.

Pushing Daisies

Always a bridesmaid, the colourful show about death and life and life again never got the respect and time for growth it deserved, and had it ran longer, was probably going to top the list at some point, but alas, the show (which still has 3 episodes left to air on ABC starting later this spring, yet has aired everywhere else in the world) couldn't manage to stay alive to develop the twists and romantic turns on this mystery show.

So You Think You Can Dance

There was a lot of brilliance in this reality-tv competition and while I couldn't get into the first season, the second season sucked me in and I've never let go. From the entertaining and informative judges, the variety of thrilling choreography, and the numerous lovable dancers to root for as they get put through the choreography grind, makes the show such a fun summer watch.

The Office

While the show has faltered and risen again, the show was a splendid, superbly taut and sublime comedy especially when they managed to make their own US version its own against an already cult British original (especially during seasons 2 and 3). It always came SOOO close to topping my chart.


And here are shows that topped my list in the recent years before this blog Tapeworthy was born:

Gilmore Girls

Like a heartwarming yet sarcastic feelgood play on TV every week, and the first 6 seasons was the smartest comfort food TV since the other GG girls (The Golden Girls) were on the air. I have all the DVD's and can still watch them anytime, and I still watch it whenever I see a repeat.

Alias

Sydney Bristow kicks ass and she had an amazing team behinds her. And some great friends in her real world as spy lives, daddy issues and the blur between the good guys and the bad are blended here in an exciting and twisted first 4 seasons. It ended out messily but lets just erase that from our minds and focus on the great stuff.

Roswell

Aliens in high school but it was such an allegory for so much more, and between the emo music and the dreamy cast (I still dream of Jason Behr), the first season was beautifully written and emotionally enthralling. The following seasons lost track of its initial beauty and meaningful scripts but for the first season alone, it was all worth it.

The Amazing Race

Oh Phil! The travel porn show is always fun and exciting even during the bad seasons, but when it was great, especially when all of it was new and unknown, it was GREAT TELEVISION (especially the 2nd season).


And there are still many many many more that I haven't listed (Buffy! Arrested Development! Coupling (UK)!), some I'm still getting through (finally catching up with Dexter) but alas, that's why I've had 2000 posts to talk about them all and I'll continue to yammer away at more worthiness! Plus you can always check the sidebars including the DVDworthy section or the TVworthy sections and of course, the Tapeworthy sections for the best current shows worthy to be watched!


Best of 2008 Lists:
Best of Music 2008
Best of Television 2008
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Movies 2008
Best of Television Fall '07 - Winter '08 List

Best of 2007 Lists:
Best of Music 2007
Best of Television 2007
Best of Movies 2007
Best of Stage 2007
Best of 2007 (The Final Wrap Up)
Best of Television Fall '06 - Winter '07 List

Best of 2006 Lists:
Best of Music 2006
Best of Television 2006
Best of Movies 2006
Best of 2006
Best of Television Fall '05 - Winter '06 List

Best of 2005 Lists:
Best of Television 2005
Best of Movies 2005

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

The Casting Couch - Aaron Tveit and Chris Pratt

Aaron Tveit is going to be Nate Archibald's cousin Tripp Vanderbilt! Aaron is having a good day! Having been nominated last night for a Helen Hayes Theatre Award for Next to Normal and now a 2 episode arc on Gossip Girl! As I've noted before, the guy is going to be a star (and still rumoured to be the lead in the upcoming Catch Me If You Can musical). Too bad he can't sing on Gossip Girl. His voice is phenomenal.

Say what you want about Gossip Girl, but at least it's been pretty good at casting talent from the theatre world. (Word is Matt Doyle's role of Eric's boyfriend will get slightly bigger in an upcoming ep.)

AND!

Chris Pratt is joining Parks and Recreation! (The new Amy Poehler/Rashida Jones show from The Office people!)

LOVE Chris Pratt. Ever since Everwood (one of my favorite shows of all time btw), the guy has managed to grow beyond the initial dumb jock vibe and has been comic gold. His two scenes in Wanted are hilarious, and even managed to lighten up The OC (as a hippie dippie tree hugger). Pratt will play Rashida Jones unemployed musician boyfriend!

On one of my side tangent notes, I'm noticing that Pratt, from my #1 show of 2006, is now joining the new show from the creators of my #2 show of 2006!

I never got around to posting this and since then, everyone's already posted it, but whatever, here it is again, the Super Bowl teaser commercial for Parks and Recreation! Can't wait! Though no word on an air date yet:



Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Showorthy

Broadway's Xanadu is closing. Go see it before it does.

It lasted way longer than I thought it would but still. Cheyenne's thunder thighs are worth the price of admission alone.

Also, very few people are watching [title of show]. [GO!]. Then tell 9 people.

And a reminder to all of you to go get tickets to Black Watch at St. Ann's Warehouse for their return engagement to New York (well, Brooklyn) this fall (in Oct and Nov). GO. It's the best play I've seen. EVER. Period.

Okay, that's it for now.

Actually, on a TV on DVD note, Everwood season 2 will FINALLY come out in 2009. About time. Now where is Season 3 and Season 4 (which put me to tears way more often than I would like to admit)?

So is it Showorthy or Showworthy? Or Show-worthy?

More After the Jump...

Brothers & Sisters - EverAlias

Love is Difficult

Okay. Can the casting get ANY BETTER?

Alias' Fake-Sloan and Sloan (Ron Rifkin) back on the same show! Joel Grey (Cabaret) guest stars as the therapist Joe and Sarah seek for help in their rocky marriage.

Tom Skerritt is back as William Walker in flashbacks that explains Thomas' bitterness towards Sarah running the show at Ojai. Thomas decides to go into business with Holly. All which kinda bores the rest of the wonderful mood the show has set itself with (Justin and Kitty calling each other "stupid", the family dinners), however, this time, it is all forgiven, because it was all to introduce us, and Thomas by accident, to Rebecca, the half-sister, and daughter of Holly.

Rebecca, is of course played by Emily Vancamp, who us fans have been gunning for the role since the role was introduced. Except, as excited as I was about her casting, I didn't realise it was a PERMANENT CAST MEMBER. WOOHOO!!! Now I REALLY REALLY REALLY AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS SHOW!!! This brings Emily back together with her Everwood creator Greg Berlanti.

Alias cast reunions (Guest Joel Grey, Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig, Balthazar Getty), Everwood reunions (Producer Greg Berlanti, Emily Vancamp, re-occurring character Treat Williams). It's like a great theatre troupe that added on some major star wattage to their show (Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Calista Flockhart, Rob Lowe).

More After the Jump...

Can the Brothers & Sisters Cast Get Any Better?

Emily Van Camp (Amy Abbott on Everwood) is REBECCA on Brothers & Sisters! She starts work Friday! WOOHOO!!!

More After the Jump...

Best of 2006

Welcome to 2007! I'm going to be depressed the more I think about it but anyways...

Here were the 12 Best in Entertainment of 2006 for me in alphabetical order, taken from all my lists of the 12 things that I thought defined my favorites of the year and I could not have imagined the year of 2006 without. (More theatre than normal but it was a very good year, less film, more TV).

A Chorus Line - Musical Theatre - Curran Theater, San Francisco, Schoenfeld Theater, New York City (where is currently resides)

Casino Royale - Film

Company - Musical Theatre - Barrymore Theatre, New York City

Everwood - Television Program - The WB

Friday Night Lights - Television Program - NBC

Grey's Anatomy - Television Program - ABC

High School Musical - Television Movie and Soundtrack

The History Boys - Theatre Play and Film

The Office - Television Program - NBC

So You Think You Can Dance - Television Program - FOX, and Live Show Tour

Spring Awakening - Musical Theatre - Eugene O'Neill Theater, New York City, and Cast Recording

United 93 - Film

Here's my lists for:
Best of Movies 2006 and everything else
Best of TV 2006
Best of Music 2006
Best New People

More After the Jump...

Best of TV 2006

So, it's the end of the year and here are my picks for the Best of TV of 2006 (and yes, that includes ALL of 2006). I thought it was a great year, so I had to up my usual top 10 to a top 20, and some good shows that had potential to be on, were sadly cut short (Love Monkey, Smith, The Nine) so never really given the time to grow into a possible great show.

So here is my list, compiled from a mix of what I think had the best quality, was my favorites to watch, the ones I look forward to most, and which entertained, thrilled, made me laugh, and moved me the most. My first three picks have made me cry (whether from laughter or emotional involvement), and to be honest, from 4-8 could all be mixed around in any order, and I would be okay with it, and again from 9-15.

1. Everwood - Like I said back in June, it combined comedic and dramatic heartfelt family drama into one powerful and realistic hour every week in Everwood, Colorado. By year 4, we had grown to love all the warmful joys and irritating realities of the Brown and Abbott's in what is one of, if not the, best family drama's ever. Never boring or panders, never simplistic but always hilarious, and all with a pitch perfect cast.

2. The Office - Hilarity ensues in the Dundler Mifflin Paper Supplies Office with all the absurdities of the daily grind, all while we get emotionally involved in Pam and Jim's relationships and even idiot boss Michael's life. From Dwight to Toby to Oscar, Angela, Stanley, Phyllis, Ryan, Kelly, Kevin, Creed, Meredith and now add in Karen and Andy from the new office and it was a very great year for us voyeurs.


3. Friday Night Lights - More than just about football, it's about life around a high school in small town America. It's about family, friendships, loyalty and growing up, and Friday Night Lights looks at it all in an unflinching manner. Gritty and real, it's almost too painful to watch yet somehow it elicits such joys in the little great moments of life, that it moves me to tears so far in every episode.


4. Grey's Anatomy - Yes, Meredith was annoying at times, Izzie's love for Denny and her decision to cut the cord was idiotic, and Burke and Christina's conspiracy to hide his shaky hand was just plain dumb, but nothing on TV made us want to yell at the TV, scream at the characters, laugh at the lines, and enjoy all the melodrama within the halls of Seattle Grace. In essence, the great smart soap opera that intelligently goes beyond justifying itself as a guilty pleasure so that there no longer has any guilt involved.


5. Veronica Mars - Smart and sassy Veronica Mars lives in the dark and twisted town of Neptune and helps solve cases as a detective, be it in high school or at college. From solving the case of a school bus crash, to a series of rapes at Hearst College, Veronica is our woman for the job!


6. Lost - Infuriating and frustrating, yes, but always fascinating and compelling. Still gives me the shivers in every episode, and we get frustrated because they make us care so much about the Losties as we discover who they really are. The show is a huge cryptic puzzle and while we have no idea if we may ever get an answer, its basically a breakdown of regular people (we think) dealing with an impossible situation. An arthouse drama in serial format, with a bit of mystery thrown in.


7. Arrested Development - The final episode alone should be enough to place this show onto any classic TV shows list, but the story of the Bluth family came to a (sadly early) conclusion but never without gigantic laughs.


8. Weeds - Mary Louise Parker's fierce and funny performance as Nancy Botwin is only matched by her amazing ensemble (Elizabeth Perkins as her ferocious friend Celia, Martin Donovan as the calmly FBI Drug Enforcement Office who marries Nancy, Justin Kirk as her lovable id brother-in-law Andy, Kevin Nealon as the lazy politician Doug, Tonye Patano as the mother of all weed distributor Heylia and Romany Malco as Nancy's new partner Conrad), as we follow Nancy as she opens up her own operation growing weed herself (with partners Conrad, Doug and Andy) and gets herself entangled with the law, or so to speak, all while dealing with two kids and a blackmailing nanny.

9. Ugly Betty - Who would think that at the beginning of the year, we would be watching and loving an ugly Betty on Thursdays at 8pm? A perfect balance of campy gay fashion fun, heartwarming moments and some nice dramatic twists, all with characters that move beyond their initial stereotypes in story arch's that always takes a nice twist of oddity from the normal Hollywood plots (that eventual makeover for Betty? Hilarious!). With quotable comedic lines spat out from every characters mouths, all who have some sort of charm and lovability (in what other show would you fall in love with nasty Marc or Becky, or heck, even Wilhelmina?) and the relationship between Betty and her boss Daniel is special and has stayed away from creepiness. They make no apologies (Justin would not exist in another show, or done poorly at least) and Ugly Betty, the show, and the character are proud of exactly what they are and that is just fantastic!


10. How I Met Your Mother - From Barney's lines to Lily and Marshall's painful breakup and roller coaster relationship to avoiding the usually inevitable boring and tedious relationship when the main characters finally get together (Robin and Ted), this show has grown more and more enjoyable every week. Will the words Slap Bet or Let's Go To the Mall every be the same? Legendary!


11. Heroes - At parts frustrating because some of the clunky dialogue and cheesy moments stall the usually zippy show. Dark (though at times too dark) and light, its popcorn fun at its best with some great characters about regular people discovery their new talents and forced to become heroes (and note, not superheroes) to save the world.

12. Scrubs - Consistently balancing absurd slapstick humour with emotionally human moments, it can always be reliable for saving our heart and soul.

13. The Loop - New college graduate gets a real grown-up person's job at an airline company only to realise the corporate world is even crazier than living with his idiot brother and 2 other young and naive roommates. Fiercely funny particularly at work and Bret Harrison is a great central foil for the zaniness that surrounds him.


14. Project Runway - Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum lead a pack of designers as they fight their way to New York Fashion Week. Bitchy, plotting, sewing, and frocks, the design world comes alive as we watch amateurs try to become professionals all under the insightful but biting eyes of the judges (Nina Garcia, Michael Kors and Heidi). Reminds me of my days back in architecture school in the studio. Who knew fashion could be so much fun?


15. Entourage - The boys were back but Ari, up to his usual antics finally pushes Vince and co. to the breaking point as the boys each try to forward their own careers (Turtle as music producer to Saigon, Drama as always to get his own agent, and Vince and Eric making their way through e politics of Hollywood as Vince wants to make a movie for passion while under a deal for Aquaman 2. Not as great as season 2 but boy have we grown to love this overgrown boys bunch.


16. So You Think You Can Dance - So I dismissed this show at first because the first season never really kept my attention, but by the time the auditions were through, we knew we had a very special bunch of dancers this year and I was hooked. Travis, Benji, Heidi, Martha, Donyelle, Allison, Dimitri, Ryan, Natalie and Ivan danced to routines from choreographers Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson and more and gave us some joyous and sexy moments (like the Sexy Back routine, Hide and Seek, Calling You, Sexy Love, Ramalama etc. etc) that thrilled us and made watching these amateurs perfect their talent such a hoot to watch.


17. The New Adventures of Old Christine - Finally a traditional family sitcom that is funny, modern and relevant.


18. Brothers and Sisters - Not perfect yet but the Walker clan is definitely fun to watch amongst all the messiness within the funny family drama, in part due to Everwood's Greg Berlanti addition as showrunner partway through this first season, and one to watch for.


19. My Name is Earl - Always funny and surprisingly heartwarming with some of the best guest appearances around (who knew Roseanne would be such a welcome sight again?). Plus, any show that shows Jaime Pressly as funny as she is as Joy deserves recognition.


20. Bones - A procedural yes, but one that really makes us care about the characters and doesn't just become a case-of-the-week show. Plus its very funny which helps the mood.

Consistently good shows left off the list:

Everybody Hates Chris

The Amazing Race

House

Men in Trees

Help Me Help You

ER

Shows presumed dead or almost dead that have improved vastly in the second half of 2006:

The OC - Seriously, how did this show resurrect itself from practically dead to fabulously wonderful again in its 4th season. Ironically all initiated with the death of a main character. Who would have thunk Taylor Townsend (Autumn Reeser) would be the saviour for the show, even making Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) funny and changing the show from the Seth and Summer show to the Taylor and Ryan show? Bonus points for Melinda Clarke's emotional performance of the damaged Julie Cooper.

Desperate Housewives - What a horrible sophomore slump but as the housewives have done time and time again in their lives, the show is slowly clawing its way back to its first seasons' excellency.

Survivor: Cook Islands - Finally someone smart wins for controlling the game based on a numbers game, after being in the underdogs tribe we rooted for, plus add a double backstabber in Jonathan, a lovelorn kook in Billy and some genuinely smart strategic moves (finally, a hidden immunity idol used properly).

Questionable but entertaining shows nonetheless:

Boston Legal

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Gilmore Girls

Alias

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

30 Rock

Shows I hear/know are great but haven't had the chance to see the whole season this year yet so are left off my list.

Big Love

Rome

Battlestar Galactica

24

Life on Mars

The Wire

Dexter

Here is my Best of TV list from June 2006 for the 2005/2006 TV Season

Here is the list of Best of TV 2005 when Everwood first shot to the top of the list.

More After the Jump...