Like everyone else on the planet, I feel the need to prepare for 2008 by taking one last look at the year gone by. And since I know your deepest, darkest, desire is to take a glimpse into my personal thoughts as to what shows rocked in 2007, here they are (in no particular order).
After all, I’m sure those of who who swing by regularly (and, by the way, thanks for that!) haven’t a clue as to my likes and dislikes since I’m so tight-lipped about them!
30 ROCK
Rather than wax poetically about the brilliance of writer/actor/creator/Goddess Tina Fey and one of television’s finest comedic ensembles since the gang from FRIENDS went to that big coffee house in the sky, I’ll simply say this: 30 ROCK delivers the one thing I expect of a comedy: laughs. Call me crazy, but I’m tired of sitcoms that are all situation and no comedy. 30 ROCK delivers both in equal measures. Following a rocky start in its first season, this TV Addict is ready to proclaim 30 ROCK the heir apparent to SEINFELD and worthy of the NBC marketing mantra must see TV comedy night done right.
DAMAGES
Reason #9,434 to curse the Canadian networks: None were smart enough to pick up this brilliant legal thriller featuring a performance from Glenn Close so dazzling that come Emmy night, other Lead Actress nominees shouldn’t fret about their acceptance speeches. (Then again, how often does the Academy actually get these things right?) How great is this show? Let’s put it this way: I didn’t begrudge iTunes the $1.99 a week I handed over in order to watch. No other show offered such truly unpredictible plot twists, let alone a chance to hiss at Ted Danson, who was so vile as Arthur Frobisher that he may finally have washed away those memories of CHEERS barkeep Sam Malone which have clung to him like the smell of stale beer and cigarettes. Our only quibble? Why did they have to kill conflicted legal eagle Ray Fiske (played with such poignancy by Zelijko Ivanek)?
DEXTER
Televisions most unusual police procedural could easily have taken the easy way out in season two by simply offering up a repeat of what had worked so well during its freshman season. Instead, however, our favorite serial killer went through a major identity crisis as the lives he’d previously struggled to keep compartmentalized came crashing together. Suddenly, his secret identity was on the verge of being exposed, his personal life was a mess and the very belief system upon which he’d based his existence was yanked out from under him. Before the season was over, Dexter and his nemesis, Doakes, were caught up in the greatest confrontation since the days of Sydney vs. Mama Irina.
BATTLESTAR GALACTIACA
Leave it to show-runner Ronald D. Moore to top GALACTICA’s jaw-dropping second season “one year later” by offering up not one, or two, but THREE shocking moments to cap off the phenomenal third season. The final five Cylons revealed! The return of Starbuck! The path to earth revealed! I’m perched on the edge of my seat awaiting this show’s return… and dreading the fact that the fourth season will be its last.