TVGuide's Best TV of 2006

[shipperx]

And I even agree with most of their picks!

TVGuide's Best of 2006:

Battlestar Galactica 
Not only the best sci-fi drama on TV right now, but one of the best dramas period. It may be set primarily aboard a spaceship, but this show offers true human emotions and realistic reactions like nothing else out there.

The Sci Fi Channel's series took a big risk in its second season by jumping ahead a full year and ending on a huge cliff-hanger, with the Cylons taking over the human settlement on New Caprica. But the gamble paid off big-time — it was heart-wrenching to watch the torture of some characters, like Starbuck, while others on Galactica scrambled to find a way to safely retrieve their friends and loved ones. Even a reunion on board Galactica hasn't been smooth sailing, but it is an utterly captivating ride that seamlessly blends elements of war, ethics and religion as the humans and Cylons race to find Earth.

Friday Night Lights 
Are you ready for some football? Then you might want to look to ESPN, because this gridiron-focused series shows little of the on-field plays and instead delves deep into the personal lives of the coach, the players and the small community. This impressive freshman series follows the small town of Dillon, Texas, where the big game and the state championships mean everything. This show was instantly engaging, with its heartbreaking pilot that put star quarterback Jason Street (Scott Porter) in a wheelchair, and it has only intensified from there. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton bring so much life to the new coach and his wife that they have rapidly become one of the most honest and real couples on TV.

 
Heroes 
"Save the cheerleader, save the world." That catchy tagline helped this new superhero series skyrocket into the popular culture. But the snappy phrase isn't what keeps millions of viewers watching each week — it's the great story about ordinary people who have discovered that they have strange abilities. From the politician who can fly and the aforementioned cheerleader who is indestructible to the adorable Hiro who can manipulate time, these stories seem to offer an endlessly fascinating fount of interconnected characters who cope with either keeping their power a secret or using it for good or their own personal gain. While the cliff-hanger endings always leave fans with as many questions as answers, the fast-paced style is appealing and easy to catch on to, whether a newcomer or a dedicated fan.

Grey's Anatomy 
Seattle may be known for its damp and dreary weather, but inside Seattle Grace Hospital things are definitely hot. With doctors the likes of McDreamy, Burke, McSteamy and Addison running around the operating room, all of a sudden getting sick doesn't seem so bad. The skilled surgeons even cut right through the überpopular CSI with their move to a high-stakes Thursday-night time slot. Many still watch the steady procedural, but this medical drama's focus on interpersonal relationships is more addictive and definitely more fun to watch. Plus, it can pack an emotional wallup when you least expect it:

The death of the beloved Denny, the breakdown of the chief's marriage, or the clash of egos between Burke and Cristina. It is a rollicking, sweet, sexy and sublime ride.

Project Runway 
The one reality show that always stands head and shoulders above the rest. Even people who turn up their noses at Survivor religiously tune in to see whom Heidi Klum "aufs" next. Viewers can discuss the latest fashions with ease (thanks to Tim Gunn's savvy tips), making it totally accessible whether you buy your wardrobe at Target or in Paris. The most recent season was filled with sexy style thanks to the hot designs of Uli, Jeffrey, Laura and Michael.

Some may quibble that Jeffrey didn't deserve to win — after all, he was mean to Angela's mother, accused of cheating and involved in some of the best catfights — but that is hardly the point of this show. The final four were all deserving in some way, got to present their wares at New York Fashion Week and will most likely have successful careers, whether crowned champion of this Runway or not.

Veronica Mars 
It may not generate huge ratings, but this underdog series deserves high praise for its originality and clever writing. Last spring, it was shuffled around and repeatedly preempted in certain regions. But that didn't stop its loyal fans from finding it and watching with rapt attention as Veronica solved the mystery of the school-bus crash. Now Veronica is in college (and on the CW network), and the introduction of shorter mystery arcs means that within her first few months on campus she'd already cracked the case of

the college serial rapist. Add to that her studying criminology, making new friends and enemies, keeping her father in check, and juggling her sexy on-again, off-again relationship with Logan, and Veronica's got a lot to offer, if only more people would give her a chance.

The Office 
This comedy managed to surprise fans by taking a sweet turn in its season finale with a highly anticipated kiss between flirty coworkers Jim and Pam. But thankfully, while that moment was swoon-worthy, the show hasn't forgotten that it isn't all about the office romances. It is all about the funny, though with a great balance of inappropriate comments from Michael, bizarre facts from Dwight and an influx of new blood from the recently defunct Stamford branch, The Office is more entertaining than ever. This fall alone has been filled with instantly quotable lines and uncomfortable moments like no other comedy on TV. Even Office mastermind Ricky Gervais graced the show with his behind-the-scenes presence by penning a witty episode about a convicted felon at the Scranton branch. It was wickedly wonderful, and so is this show in general.

 
24
This show deserves extra credit for delivering a nonstop season that never let up, with twists and turns galore that all culminated in Jack Bauer's being kidnapped by

the Chinese government and shipped out to sea on a freighter.

Phew. This action series truly delivers, killing off beloved or hated characters left and right. No one is ever safe, and no one is ever to be trusted, as proved by

the nebbishy president (Gregory Itzin) who turned out to be a key figure in a terror plot. Thank goodness for his drugged but amazing wife (played by the incredible Jean Smart), whose presence kept things from getting much worse.

The only bad thing about this series is the long gap between seasons, but it is well worth the wait.

 
Lost
Admittedly, the first six episodes that aired this fall were too filled with torture and were not Lost at its best. But that doesn't discount last spring's revelation that

Penny Widmore is in the real world and actively searching for Desmond. And there were a few other shocking moments, like seeing the suburban neighborhood that the Others live in, discovering that there is a second island, and watching Michael shoot Ana Lucia and Libby.

Lost does twists and turns better than almost any other show on TV. Fans may quibble at the lack of information and answers, but trying to decipher the clues and figure out what the heck is going on is half the fun. Plus,

Elizabeth Mitchell (as the lovely and mysterious Juliet) and Michael Emerson (as the spine-tinglingly creepy Henry/Ben) have been welcome additions.

Deadwood
It is hard to write about this show without using some of its signature profanity, so for now, let's just call it darned good. Though the show is set in the Wild West, it's shockingly the most low-key program on this list — but for the occasional eye-gouging or gunfight. There is so much slow-burning tension, especially this season, with George Hearst's attempted takeover of the mining town. It is delightfully torturous and filled with dialogue that any Shakespeare student would drool over. It's a shame that this beautifully filmed and incredibly well-acted show signed off (save for a few promised TV-movies) so soon.

 

Comments

[madam-rptr.livejournal.com]

I don't see it in your links to the right, but do you watch The Office? If not, you definitely should. It's cringeworthy goodness and very, very smartly done. You'll laugh, you'll cry (from laughing) and you'll want to sometimes hide your eyes...it's made of pure awesome. I've gotten more than one person hooked on it and would be happy to send you S1 on DVD...(what? that's not inapproprate premature pimping, is it?)

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about the DVD. I have watched some of The Office, and I've been grateful that NBC now has Comedy Thursday as it makes it easier to leave the TV on for the entire comedy block. (Now, if only, there was something else to watch at 9pm other than ER or CSI...)