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!
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.
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)?
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.
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.
Kids, let me tell you a story about a little sitcom on CBS that really came into its own this year. It revolves around this guy Ted, his four friends and the incredibly complicated, flashback-laden story about how he met his wife. Fortunately for us, the path to true love involves slap bets, Canadian lore, 80’s nostalgia, a one-hit wonder named Robin Sparkles and a career-redefining role for Neil “I’m not just Doogie any more” Patrick Harris. We’re still not sure exactly how Ted met your mother, kids, but when the journey’s this fun, why rush to your destination?
Maddening lack of answers aside, LOST will go down in history as one of the most addictive and fascinating experiments on prime-time television. Serious credit goes to ABC for not only allowing LOSTerminds (and yes, I’m going to continue using that term until it becomes an international catch-phrase) Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse to think outside the box, but to encourage them to burn the box, scatter its ashes and then convince us there’d never been a box to begin with. I’m not thrilled with the remaining episodes being spread out over three years, but when it comes to one of the most thrilling shows on television, I’ll take what I can get when I can get it. (Especially if “it” invovles answers to some of the million or so lingering questions!)
Spotted: Television’s next big thing. In the grand tradition of BEVERLY HILLS 90210, DAWSON’S CREEK and THE OC, the cast of GOSSIP GIRL is on the brink. All season long, the buzz has been growing. Will V come between S and D? Can B keep C from telling N about their tryst? Here’s hoping the never-ending writers strike doesn’t turn the show that everyone’s talking about into the one nobody remembers.
Ending Sunday nights with the Walker clan ranks right up there with finding the perfect wine to go along with a meal. (Of course, you’d best hope that bottle was hidden, or Kitty and company will have drained that puppy.) This dysfunctional clan’s soapy, sappy, sip-happy saga has made them this TV Addict’s favorite fictional family, with the Suarez’ of UGLY BETTY coming in at a close second.
Since this Top 10 stuff is hard work, I’m going to take a page from Betty and steal a few sentences from TVGuide’s Michael Ausiello: “Line-for-line, the most uproariously funny series on the air. Think I’m exaggerating? Consider this little slice of heaven that Wilhelmina lobbed to Betty after she caught her cheating with her bodyguard: ‘Come on, girl. I’m black. You’re Mexican. Let’s not talk around it like a couple of dull white people.’ Throw in some dazzling directing and one of TV’s finest ensembles and you’ve got the fifth best show of ’07!”
Truth be told, HOUSE was never this TV Addict’s cup of tea. While I respected the brilliance that is Hugh Laurie and the overall quality of the show, I’ve never been a fan of the procedural aspect. I mean how many times can this domineering doc correctly diagnose a baffling medical mystery in the final five minutes of the show? That said, this season, everything changed. Not only was the introduction of 40 or so new interns a stroke of genius on behalf of the show’s creative team, it hooked this TV Addict and millions of others on the show. Most shows are losing steam and getting desperate by their fourth season, but this manic medical drama proved it’s only getting better with age. All that’s left to do now is to bring back Anne Dudek’s Cutthroat Bitch.
Honorable Mentions:
Best Newcomer: DIRTY SEXY MONEY
Two Reasons to keep HBO: BIG LOVE and ENTOURAGE
Best reasons to stay home on Friday: MOONLIGHT and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Tastiest treat: PUSHING DAISIES
Most Missed: Even with the whole Christopher mess, we can’t help feeling lonely without our GILMORE GIRLS
Still mourning: VERONICA MARS
Best British import: EXTRAS
Best Cable Series not on FX: MAD MEN