The TV Addict 

TWILIGHT: THE SERIES
Bella and Edward and Jacob… oh my. How can network suits resist the allure of eternally young teenagers… especially now that the ONE TREE HILL gang has been forcibly ejected from high school and into the “real” world.

AFTERLIFE
This GREY’S ANATOMY spin-off features the wacky adventures of Denny as he tries to help lost souls with the help of several hot, heavenly interns. Think of it as TOUCHED BY A HUNKY ANGEL.

AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MUPPET
Fuzz and furry creatures from around the globe compete for a guest-gig on SESAME STREET. Your host? Trash-talkin’ Oscar the Grouch.

SURVIVOR: MANHATTAN
You want a real challenge? Try emerging from the American Girl store on 5th Avenue with everything on a little girl’s wish list… two days before Christmas!

THE TUTORS
A sexy new series featuring former Playboy Bunnies who become high school teachers and bring history to life by dressing up as famous women in history. But not the ugly chicks like Janet Reno, just hot ones like those Boleyn babes.

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Direct from our newest correspondent Aleks Chan (or as we like to call him, our very own Ken Tucker in training) comes theTVaddict.com’s third and final Top 10 of 2008.

1. THE WIRE
Some say that David Simon’s Dickensian tale ended on a weaker note compared to season’s past. They’re dead wrong. A single episode of THE WIRE (about the drug wars, the cops investigating them, and the corrupted city government in Baltimore), even the worst one, is still better than everything TV had to offer in 2008. The final season centered on the local paper too inept too take notice of the overt tragedies before them. We saw the series’ most engrossing characters fall into the archetypes the failed city doomed them to fill, and we saw our antiheroes’ faces tighten into grimaces as their futures unfolded in an appreciated final goodbye. It wasn’t just a cop drama about good poh-lice and the gangsters they hunted, but a testament to the most tragic, serenely poetic, and tearfully funny tale of our time: us. THE WIREe wasn’t just TV, it was a masterpiece.

2. MAD MEN
Don Draper (Jon Hamm, stone-jawed poster-man for steely-eyed Great Performances), flailing in his age and failing to stay faithful, goes covorting by the sunny poolsides of California, far away from his Madison Ave office, where chaos is in full swing: Sterling Cooper, the ad agency where he works, has just been sold to a British firm. His ex-secretary has catapulted to the top of the steno pool, landing a junior copy writing job in a man’s world; his weaselly protege is unravelling like a ball of yarn thrown out the window. And his wife, peering into her refrigerator late at night, grabs a bottle of milk, and takes a swig. She just got back from her own extra-marital tryst, rendering her empowered, yet disgusted. MAD MEN’s second season unfolded with relishing zest, set at its own pace, tagging us along to the Bay of Pigs.

3. 30 ROCK
This spot should really be for Tina Fey, who’s celebrity went from “that sassy girl from SNL,” to “I can see Russia from my howse!” But her show 30 ROCK seemed to benefit just as well: its ratings are slightly up (though its no Two and a Half Men), and it’s as boldy creative as ever in its third season, anchored by Alec Baldwin’s game-changing performance as a whispery GE honcho. 30 ROCK is the true blood heir to the late ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT in that it is the embodiment of the best of TV’s past (think Mary Tyler Moore meets Seinfeld), under-appreciated for its smart, literate sense of humor. I bet Sarah Palin watches.

4. THE SHIELD
Now this is how you do a final season. Shawn Ryan’s tragic drama about a corrupt police squad came to the most arresting emotional breaking point in the series’ history as Vic Mackey’s (the astounding Michael Chiklis) seven years of a downward spiral finally thudded against the ground, leaving us in fits of tears, laughs, and pain. Walton Goggins, as Vic’s longtime partner and ultimately betrayer, deserves an Oscar. I don’t even care that it doesn’t make sense. THE SHIELD’s profound legacy doesn’t always either.

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1. NBC President Ben Silverman: Call us crazy, but we expected more from the man who brought UGLY BETTY and THE OFFICE to America.

2. HEROES: Somebody please be sure to let us know when Bryan Fuller’s first episode premieres.

3. 90210: You know you’re in trouble when the show pulls out the long-lost-crazy brother card a mere half way through the first season.

4. Jay Leno’s New Deal: Will either effectively put the final nail in NBC’s coffin, or completely change the landscape of primetime television forever. Either way, fans of quality scripted fare are pretty much screwed

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1. McDreamy & McSteamy (GREY’S ANATOMY)
2. JD & Turk (SCRUBS)
3. Bart & Milhouse (THE SIMPSONS)
4. Stewie & Brian (FAMILY GUY)
5. Barney & Ted (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER)
6. Sheldon & Leonard (THE BIG BANG THEORY)
7. Denny & Alan (BOSTON LEGAL)
8. House & Wilson (HOUSE)
9. Chuck & Morgan (CHUCK)
10. Sam & Dean (SUPERNATURAL)

Putting together my annual list of top 10 shows is never easy. Some years, it’s because there are just too darn many choices. Others, too few. So how did 2008 fare? Let’s just say that THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA made the list and leave it at that.
 
The problem isn’t necessarily that the season was necessarily bad so much as it was mediocre. Shows that have been fantastic in the past were average at best (GREY’S ANATOMY, UGLY BETTY) and nearly unwatchable at worst (HEROES). So this year, I’m going with the 10 shows that gave me the most bang for my buck. In some cases, they might not have been MENSA worthy, but they brought me a whole lot of pleasure. So while you won’t find MAD MEN on my list, it’s mainly because I haven’t seen it yet. (No, not even season one. Hey, I’m only now starting to watch BIG LOVE!) Without further ado — and while fully aware of the slings and arrows sure to be launched my way by the peanut gallery — I present to you, in no particular order, CT’s Top 10 Shows of 2008.
 
THE BIG BANG THEORY
Newsflash, folks: Comedy isn’t dead. And if it were, these guys would probably be able to reanimate it in their lab. Yes, everyone and their mother is heaping praise on Jim Parsons for his role as Sheldon, but take him out of the equation and this cast would still keep me coming back for more. In fact, they might wanna be careful not to become too Sheldon-centric. My hope? That in the coming year, we’ll see a whole lot more of supporting players Howard and Rajesh. 
 
TRUE BLOOD
I was tempted to lump this show and DEXTER together if only because they only give us 12 episodes a season. But each deserves separate recognition because of what they do best. With TRUE BLOOD, it’s a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. I’m not a particularly huge fan of the show’s supposed root-for couple, Sookie and Bill. But the secondary characters — especially Rutina Wesley’s heartbreaking Tara and Ryan Kwanten’s comically self-destructive Jason — are the true lifeblood of this seductive series.
 
DEXTER
Although this series is, in essence, a one-man show, the writers have done an amazing job of fleshing out the people in our anti-hero’s life. This season, Dexter’s efforts to achieve normalcy in both his relationship with Rita and his ill-fated-from-the-start “friendship” with Miguel allowed us to see not only much-needed growth on the part of our favorite serial killer, but also, in an ironic and tragic twist, just how difficult it will be for him to expand his universe.

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As we take a page from virtually every media outlet across the globe, this TV Addict thought we’d end off 2008 by deluging you with an endless string of utterly pointless yet mildly entertaining Top 10 Lists. Because as we mentioned yesterday, there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. (Just ask EW.com!)

1. Clarke Duke (Dale on GREEK)
2. Tina Fey (Liz Lemon on 30 ROCK)
3. Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh on BSG)
4.America Ferrera (Betty Suarez on UGLY BETTY)
5. Stephen Colbert (THE COLBERT REPORT)
6. Damon Lindelof (LOST showrunner)
7. John Hodgman (I’m a PC, THE DAILY SHOW)
8. Christian Clemenson (Jerry Espenson on BOSTON LEGAL)
9. Rich Sommer (Harry Crane on MAD MEN)
10. Michael Emerson (Benjamin Linus on LOST)

*Eye issues include glasses, eyepatches and in Benjamin Linus’ case — Bug eyes!

While they may not have been the year’s most critically acclaimed (WEEDS), or the country’s most popular (TERMINATOR THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES), the following shows made this TV Addict’s Top 10 of 2008 for the simple reason that week in and week out they left us wanting more. More laughter (30 ROCK, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER), more emotion (MAD MEN, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) and of course, more questions (LOST).

1. LOST
With a fourth season comprised of jaw-dropping twists, top-notch acting and addictive storytelling that, let’s face it, are now par for the course island, LOST has not only cemented itself among the pantheon of great television dramas, but raised the bar for serialized drama forever — essentially making the Lindeloff and Cuse masterpiece the television equivalent of Christopher Nolan’s DARK KNIGHT. (Either way, HEROES is kind of screwed!)

2. 30 ROCK
It’s a rare thing indeed when a television show lives up to the hype. Yet following what seemed like months of build up, nearly daily press releases about the latest A-lister to sign on for a cameo and the gift that kept on giving — Sarah Palin — Tina Fey and company returned to the airwaves and did just that, providing for the best mix of hijinx and hilarity since WILL & GRACE went off the air.

3. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
Thanks to one of television’s most likable casts, two of television’s sharpest showrunners (Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) and an endless supply of Barneyisms (”There are only two reasons to date a girl you’ve already dated: breast implants”), 2008 will be fondly remembered as the year audiences finally fell in love with our favorite MOTHER.

4. TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES
It so easily could have been a disaster of Judgment Day proportions. Instead, showrunner Josh Friedman deftly avoided the dreaded Terminator-of-the-week problem that plagued SMALLVILLE’s krypto-heavy first season by infusing Sarah’s chronicles with the perfect balance of adventure, mythology and Summer Glau. We can only hope that enough people tune in next year to ensure that you, know… she’ll be back.

5. WEEDS
To the critics who’ve been quick to proclaim WEEDS’ best seasons behind them, we’ve got one thing to say: What are you smoking? Jenji Kohan’s decision to move the Botwin clan to the fictional bordertown of Ren Mar was a masterstroke. Aside from THE SIMPSONS, no show on television deals with such serious issues as race, immigration, drugs and relationships in so consistently hilarious and poignant a manner. That, and you would not believe how many people stumble across theTVaddict.com by typing in the words… “Mary Louise Parker Nude.”

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If Tina Fey taught us anything this year, well, aside from the fact that “Bitch is the new Black,” it’s this… Between her Emmy award winning day job on 30 ROCK, her weekend gig putting the final nail in Sarah Palin’s political career on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and her brief foray into silver screen stardom with BABY MAMA, America’s newest sweetheart proved once again that there is no such thing as too much of a good thing.

Advice we at theTVaddict.com are taking to heart as we spend our final days of 2008 creating an endless barrage of “Top 10’s”. Because as much as you don’t want to admit it, everybody loves a list!

OUR TOP 10 TV “DAVIDS” OF 2008
1. David Zayas (Angel Batista on DEXTER)
2. David Shore (Creator of HOUSE)
3. David Cook (AMERICAN IDOL Winner)
4. David E. Kelley (Creator of BOSTON LEGAL)
5. David Eick (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Producer)
6. David Sutcliffe (Addison’s Ex on PRIVATE PRACTICE)
7. David Duchovny (CALIFORNICATION)
8. David Archuleta (IDOL contestant)
9. David Blue (Cliff St. Paul on UGLY BETTY)
10. Larry David (CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM)

Least interesting root-for couple: Sure, we’re supposed to be anxiously awaiting the reunion of GOSSIP GIRL’s Serena and Dan, but, um, yeah… we’re not. Every other couple on the show – Jenny and Nate, Rufus and Lily, heck, even Cyrus and Eleanor – rank higher on the list. And then, of course, there’s the devilishly delightful Chuck and Blair, who are their generation’s Sam and Diane.

Best twist, comedy: “Ugh, not another guest star!” we said of 30 ROCK’s appearance by Oprah… until it turned out Liz had actually been talking to a pre-teen Oprah wanna-be.

Biggest jawdropper, daytime: When THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Storm killed himself so sister Katie could have his heart, it was the kind of compelling drama serials rarely tackle today.

Trend most likely to help bring about the downfall of civilization: We have no doubt that execs thing they’re being wildly clever in naming shows things like DANCE YOUR ASS OFF or BITCH, but all they’re really doing is making it tougher for parents to keep their kids from being exposed to things they might prefer to shield them from.

Best performance on a God-awful show: Yes, DO NOT DISTURB was a gigantic waste of time… except for the moments when Molly Stanton was on screen as Nicole, a model whose anger was rooted in hunger.

Oddest decision: Why TRUE BLOOD sucked the suspense out of their season finale by revealing the killer’s identity a week earlier we’ll never know.
 
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Most discussed interview: For a few minutes there, Katie Couric became relevant again thanks to her endlessly mocked interview with would-be vice president Sarah Palin.

Best way to keep actor’s egos in line: Next time an actor says, “I wanna write an episode!” they should be forced to read the nasty message board comments inspired by Chad Michael Murray’s dreadful attempt at scripting a ONE TREE HILL episode.

Most compelling storyline, daytime: Fans were disgusted when ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Marty — suffering amnesia — slept with her rapist, Todd. But the repercussions of the story created the kind of psychologically complex, buzz-worthy tale that most shows wouldn’t even attempt, let alone manage to pull off successfully.

Worst trend, daytime: Grief sex. GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Sonny and Carly screwed in the back seat of his limo moments after putting their comatose son into permanent care; ALL MY CHILDREN’s Kendall slept with Aidan moments after they decided their supposedly significant others were dead; and AMC’s Krystal mourned her daughter by cheating on her husband with the dead girl’s father. Could someone tell the folks at ABC that grief isn’t an aphrodisiac?
 
Best revamp: DIRTY SEXY MONEY got it right during its second season. Unfortunately, nobody was around to see the show finally become primetime’s guiltiest pleasure.
 
Biggest flop: Any chance the variety show format had of making a comeback was massacred by ROSIE LIVE!

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