Top 10 TV Shows

A break from sports for a post. But after last night’s season premiere of Mad Men followed by a season-changing episode of Entourage, I felt it would be a good idea to review my favorite shows currently on TV. The ranking is based on how good they are right now (24 may get top billing overall, but it’s gone down in quality from Season 1). And although I love reruns of shows like Seinfeld and Arrested Development, the show has to be non-cancelled (a summer hiatus is fine). Without further ado, the top 10 ranking with a comment afterwards:

 

1.       LOST – quite possibly one of the best shows ever. You have to watch from the beginning and you have to watch closely. But the final season should be amazing. I think that the best shows have a good combination of excellent writing and close attention to detail and this show excels at both. It has created a phenomenon that is talked about in message boards, on blogs, and around water coolers. I’ll be very, very sad when it’s gone. If you don’t watch yet, go rent the DVDs and get started because you have until January. I promise you won’t be upset that you did.

2.       Dexter – I was surprised how high I ranked this show, but it is truly excellent. Michael C. Hall should have brought home multiple Emmy’s at this point, but hopefully will stop being shut out. He’s brilliant and makes the show tick. I’m surprised by the lack of people who are into this show. It’s a little gory, yes, but once you get past that, it’s a lot of fun and actually really, sickly funny. I’m very curious to see how marriage and parenthood change Dexter this next season.

3.       Mad Men – I envisioned putting all the lead men of the television shows I watch in a room and although nowhere on the scale physically of a Jack Bauer or Dexter, or funny as Hank (from Californication) or Peter Griffin, I still would want to go walk over and hang out with Don Draper. Don’s character just exudes cool at every juncture. I posed this last night to a group: would Mad Men have the same appeal if it were on FOX or ABC? I feel like it would be altered and over-advertised in a way that would cheapen it. It has some sort of charm on a small network like AMC. And the show’s time era and unbelievable concern for detail is awesome. I want to open up a bar at my desk and sip a nice stiff drink while I puff on my Cuban cigars. Last night’s episode was a great opening: we have Don up to his old ways, an office showdown, Don being let in on another secret (and a GREAT conversation on the plane with Salvatore afterwards), and the conflicts between the British and American offices and styles. I can’t wait to see how Season 3 plays out.

4.       24 – I know, I’m a sucker for Jack. But I really couldn’t rank this show any lower. This past season was a huge bounce-back for a show that had been falling out of grace with a lot of fans after a bad season and a writer’s strike. Maybe I’m too far into the show to see that it has soured, but I like it. I like Jack and I like him having a new sidekick in Freckles. Chloe is great, as always. I just hope they end it after this next season in New York. There’s only so many new plot lines you can invent and I don’t want to have to deal with many more “moles in the government”. I’ll just take a lot more of Jack beating the crap out of people.

5.       Weeds – I had a really, really hard time ranking this show. I came up with this slot because I truly feel it deserves a top 5, despite the fact that the show needs a really, really big plot change. Is this the time Andy finally gives up on Nancy? Is this the time that Nancy finally starts caring for her family in the motherly way? Or is the charm in the show that the characters always fall back on their old selves? It’s a dark show that makes you laugh and cringe and, at times, want to strangle people. The success of this show will be in how it finishes up this season. Nancy and Andy both need some redemption. Will it come? I can only hope so.

6.       Big Love – I recently got to know this show and it’s one of my favorites. Like Dexter, some of the initial problems people have is it’s really different. But I think that’s what makes it wonderfully unique. Each wife brings a unique dynamic into the story and the older kids have really added to the story. Sarah’s relationship and pregnancy were a huge part of the last season and I’m curious to see where the relationship goes (if anyplace) from here. The episode last season where they all take the trip together and the pregnancy secret gets out is the best one yet. And the shocking death at the end leaves a lot of question marks up in the air. With that in mind, I’m excited for what’s left in store for next season.

7.       South Park – I know, this has to be too high for South Park, right? I don’t think so. The show had one of its best season (or at least start to a season) this past spring. Here were the episode themes: Jonas Brothers, “The Coon”, the economy, “Eat, Pray, Queef” (the weakest one of the season), Kanye West and fishsticks, Pinewood Derby, and Cartman becoming a Somali pirate. No show keeps as current as South Park and no show has a greater take on what’s going on. South Park’s take on the economy or Kanye West or the Somali pirates was dead-on, hilarious, and was talked about by everyone. I think that’s the mark of a really good show.

8.       The Office – It’s really good and mostly because it’s not just the main characters (Jim, Michael, Dwight and Pam) who are good. Everyone is funny. Creed is hysterical. Kevin is good for a few laughs an episode. And poor Toby is awesome. The show has a great combination of humor with a little drama. Michael Scott will make you cringe and laugh hysterically at the same time. They keep on coming up with new, fresh, current ideas. And with Jim and Pam set to be married/have a baby, there’s a lot in store. Will the show keep it up? I hope so…and that’s what she said.

9.       Law and Order/SVU – I put them both together, though they are two separate shows. They’re both still great, though the former misses Lenny Briscoe quite a bit. The cases are still compelling after all these years and I love the shows that are ripped straight from the headlines. A sign of a show’s success is how many times you can rewatch it and I can rewatch Law & Order or SVU reruns for days. I DVR entire TNT L&O marathons. It’s addicting. And amazing. Jack McCoy is very President Palmer in a lot of ways, a non-political, rightly-driven politician. Stabler and Benson are Mulder and Scully (even though I wasn’t an X-Files fan, they’ve reached that pinnacle). And B.D. Wong is just plain awesome.

10.   Entourage – It’s lost a little bit of its luster, but it’s still one of the most entertaining shows on television. Last night’s episode was a season-changer. What will happen to Johnny Drama? Will Eric take the job? Will Eric now go after Sloan again? Can Andrew get it together and stay employed for Ari (the man seems to be falling into a downward spiral, so it may not look good)? Will Lloyd becoming an agent? Will Turtle do well in college and keep his annoyingly hot girlfriend? The theme behind all those questions is that they don’t have to do with Vince which has been one of the keys to this season: it’s not all about Vinny Chase and his career. We’re not going up and down and up and down every episode. But I feel at some point, we’re arcing back to Vince and his career. And I can’t wait to see what happens now.

Just missed:

·         Family Guy – I love Family Guy, but really, if I miss an episode, it’s no big deal. I never check to see when new seasons begin and when seasons end. The show keeps me entertained, but I don’t need to run back and watch it. It has, however, kept me laughing for a long time

·         Californication – I do like this show a lot, but I can’t say I love it. Season 3 will be a big test for this show. Can easily supplant Entourage in the top 10 if it has a good season, especially with David Duchovny rocking it as Hank.

·         The Daily Show – One of my favorites but after the election, lost some of its luster. Still love to DVR this and watch him and his crew. Jon Stewart is hilarious but the other guys are what make this the best damn news show on television.

·         The Colbert Report – Again, post-election withdrawal after watching it non-stop, every night. But still love Colbert.

·         Eastbound and Down – Awesome start, let’s just see where they go from here. Seems like they used it all the first season, but if they have more left in the tank, I’m very excited to see it.

·         Cash Cab – Best game show on TV in my opinion. I really, really, really want to find that cab in NYC.

·         It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Just got into it and it’s rising up the list. But haven’t gotten to the point where it cracks the top 10.

·         Parks and Recreation – Really liked the first season, but can it separate itself from The Office?

·         The Simpsons – Always solid. Great longevity. Just never at the top. Like the Craig Biggio of television.

·         The Soup – I DVR it every week and I love Joel McHale. I’m just not into reality TV or talk shows so I may not get the full effect sometimes.

So, NYaT fans, what shows am I missing? Breaking Bad? Friday Night Lights? Damages? 30 Rock? How I Met Your Mother? True Blood? Let me know which ones rank on your top 10 list.