The TV Addict 

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.

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All week long theTVaddict.com has been posting some of your favorite moments from the year that was in television. Now it’s my turn.

The following, in no particular order, are 10 of the TV Addict’s favorite moments from 2007 — complete with links to YouTube. Seriously, what did we do before YouTube?

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: Barney’s Hot/Crazy Scale
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Street Coaches Saracen
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: All Along the Watchtower
UGLY BETTY: Amanda Sings “Milkshake”
GREY’S ANATOMY: Burke Practices Wedding Vows
30 ROCK: Jenna does Hardball
GILMORE GIRLS: Lorelai Sings “I Will Always Love You”
DEXTER: Dexter confronts Doakes
GOSSIP GIRL: Opening Theme + Kristen Bell = Bliss
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER: New Rules, The smartest 6 minutes on TV

Think I missed any. Post your YouTube links below.

So ONE TREE HILL will be back in a few weeks, and I find myself asking the age-old question: Am I so hard-up for new programs that I’ll give this monstrosity another try? I think we all know the answer. (Is there anybody out there actually excited about its return?) Could fast-forwarding the plot four years so that the 30something actors are now playing 20somethings instead of high school kids really work?

My housemates and I have decided that Bravo should do a new competition in which past contestants from PROJECT RUNWAY, TOP CHEF, TOP DESIGN and SHEER GENIUS compete against one another in a variety of competitions covered on their individual shows. The reality star who proves to be the best designer/chef/decorator/hairstylist will win, and we’ll call the show TOP, a title sure to appeal to the huge gay audience drawn in by Bravo’s competitions. (If you didn’t get that joke, you are so not among our dream show’s target audience.)

Forgive me, but I’m going on record as loving the crapfest known as CROWNED. It might help that I went into it with the lowest of low expectations, only to find myself laughing at — definitely not with — several of the mother/daughter duos competing for the prize. How can you not get a kick out of a show on which two women name their team Silent But Deadly without realizing that they’ve become a walking flatulence joke? And then there’s Patty and Laura, who define the word “insincere” with their every word, gesture and deed. Finally, there’s Angela, the kind of camera-ready drama queen whom you know spent the weeks before taping got under way figuring out the best way to make herself the center of attention. Her chosen course? Stirring up trouble at every turn. She’s a truly vile woman who represents the worst of what people often become on reality television. I’m not sure I really get the point of having the Cabana Boy around, but you know, I’ve never one to begrudge viewers pointless eye candy. (Although why you’d call him a Cabana Boy and not put him in a swim suit, I’m not sure. Then again, I don’t get why the guy isn’t 75 percent hotter.) It’s nice to see that Nick Verros (of PROJECT RUNWAY’s season 2) getting a little work, if only to show the would-be models that there is life after reality tv… if by “life” you mean landing a one-shot on another reality show. At this point, I’m hoping to see Hollis and Gina walk away with the crown since they’re the only ones who seem like truly decent people.

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Back in mid-December, we asked the readers of theTVaddict.com for their favorite TV Moments of 2007. Here’s another favorite moment, courtesy of reader Katie

Katie said: “On Brothers & Sisters, when all the Walkers, Rebecca, Robert and Holly jumped into the pool at the end. It was such a great scene, and the perfect way to wrap up an amazing season.”

Check back throughout the week to see if your moment is featured in the 2007 TV Year in Review.

Welcome to a new week for This Week on TV! What a crazy week last week was… Had a good trip to Des Moines, Iowa to visit the in-laws, although I am still sick with this blasted cold. Grrr. Lots of new stuff this week on tv, thank goodness! I’m going a bit stir crazy!

Sunday is a new episode of The Amazing Race on CBS at 8/7c. I could NOT believe that Don and whats-his-face took the fast forward last week and got tattoos! Kudos to them.

Also on tonight:

• *Season Finale* – Sunday Night Football: Tennessee at Indianapolis – NBC @ 8:15/7:15c
• *Sports* – Football Night in America – NBC @ 7/6c
• *New* – CW Now – CW @ 7/6c
• *New* – Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood – E! @ 10:30/9:30c
• *New* – The Amazing Race – CBS @ 8/7c
• *New* – The Girls Next Door – E! @ 10/9c

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Back in mid-December, we asked the readers of theTVaddict.com for their favorite TV Moments of 2007. Here’s another favorite moment, courtesy of reader Kelleh

Kelleh said: “Pam walks on hot coals and confesses her feelings in The Office then Jim asking her out in the finale.”

Check back throughout the week to see if your moment is featured in the 2007 TV Year in Review.

The TV Addict just received an official press release from Oceanic Airlines President Michael Orteig claiming that, “We are very eager to resume flying and apologize for any inconvenience our temporary closure may have caused our loyal customers. Oceanic Airlines is proud to be a top tier flight provider and looks forward to providing travelers with many more years of unparalleled service.”

Beginning December 31, Oceanic Airlines will resume “Taking You Places You Never Imagined.” Destinations include:

Los Angeles, CA
Tustin, CA
Ames, IA
Miami, FL
New York, NY
Portland, OR
Knoxville, TN
Seoul, South Korea
Sydney, Australia

Fellow LOST Addicts can call Oceanic Airlines Contact Georgia Cavanagh (818) 460-5520 for more information.

Back in mid-December, we asked the readers of theTVaddict.com for their favorite TV Moments of 2007. Here’s another favorite moment, courtesy of readers Josh Emerson and Stef

Josh Emerson said: The OC’s series finale. The whole thing, really. But if I had to, I’d say the moment when Summer left Seth at the bus stop, and then the flash forward sequence at the end.

Stef said: The OC series finale that ended just as it started… and with me, bawling my eyes out for hours afterwards (I was way too attached to that show).

Most baffling show on television:  So TWO AND A HALF MEN has filmed 100 episodes, is constantly nominated for awards and has devoted viewers who swear it’s the best thing since Skinemax. Seriously?

They cancelled EVERWOOD and now VERONICA MARS for this: Sadly, the list gets longer every year. CROWNED, LIFE IS WILD, REAPER. Yup, still bitter.

Why God invented the PVR: Thursday nights. UGLY BETTY, GREY’S ANATOMY, SUPERNATURAL, SMALLVILLE, 30 ROCK, THE OFFICE, SCRUBS. Thanks to TiVo and its imitators, we can make the good times last well into Friday night.

Why God invented the PVR, Part II: ACCORDING TO JIM… heheheh… just a little holiday humor from your slightly-drunk-on-egg-not TV Addict. Hic-cup.

Most anticipated showdown of 2008: Sarah Connor vs. Killer Terminator Robots.

Second most anticipated showdown of 2008: The ladies of CASHMERE MAFIA vs. those residing in the LIPSTICK JUNGLE. Our money’s on the mob.

One showdown we’re not looking forward to: WGA vs. AMPTP, Month 7.

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Back in mid-December, we asked the readers of theTVaddict.com for their favorite TV Moments of 2007. Here’s our first favorite moment, courtesy of reader cam3150

“The moment I realized that Kate and Jack were in the future — that stuck with me more than anything. I watched that finale a total of 5 times before finally deleting it off my DVR and was in a state of shock for days aftewards.”

Added frequent contributer Linda B. — “I feel the same way you do about your LOST moment (except I only watched the episode twice, eh, maybe 3 times).”

Check back throughout the week to see if your moment is featured in the 2007 TV Year in Review.