TV's Top 10 of 2008

Without too much thought put into it, here's my Top 10 list of TV shows from 2008.

AMERICAN IDOL - Love it. Not as good as in years past, but improvements are coming in 2009.

LOST - Now that the producers know when the series will end, the filler episodes are gone and this show is flying at warp speed.

BREAKING BAD - Love Bryan Cranston. Love him. He is a fearless actor - just look at the risks he took during the run of MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE. Aaron Paul's performance as Jesse is equal to Cranston's - which is saying something.

MAD MEN - Love the languid, yet taught pace, the attention to detail. This year it became clear that the nuclear family the advertising geniuses are pushing on the public is even more foreign to them than it is to us. You know you're a hot property when THE SIMPSONS send up your show intro.


PUSHING DAISIES - The abbreviated first season was far superior to the second. Brilliant art direction and a self-contained universe free of modern technology made this an instant favorite. As the show progressed, that self-contained universe began to fray a bit at the edges and the second season saw a darker, less whimsical texture but this one will be missed. Three episodes remain unaired, then it's done.

HOUSE - Same story week in and week out - but I don't care.

LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON - His monologues are a different creature from anything else on TV. Craig isn't afraid to talk about his demons or his pride in being a naturalized American citizen. His show that followed the passing of his mother was heart-breaking, personal and brave. He will no doubt benefit from the 2009 late night re-rack over at NBC.

SUPERNATURAL - You can tell a lot of X-FILES veterans are involved in this show (Kim Manners rocks!). It has the same gritty, creepy flavor that helped every episode of THE X-FILES look like a mini-movie. The Winchester brothers have never been better.

SMALLVILLE - What? Really? Smallville? Yep. This show is so much better than it was three years ago. As someone who someday hopes to create a TV series it pains me to say that this show has vastly improved with the departure of its original show runners. Maybe it's luck, but their departure, along with the loss of Lex Luthor and Lana Lang and Clark's relocation to metropolis have all combined to make this show more grown up, much more palatable and better written.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - This is THE dance competition to watch. Great summer programming, filled with folks who have danced all their lives. It's amazing stuff.

What's on your list? (There are very few wrong answers.) Show you list, defend your choices!

Burning Off the Summer, Part 1

My schedule's been a bit cramped of late, but Mrs. Kimosabe & I worked hard this weekend cleaning out the TiVo of some of the summer stuff we couldn't quite get to over the last few weeks. The fall premieres are a comin' and that means there's lots of TV watching to squeeze into two weeks' time.

I'm three episodes into MAD MEN and have every intention of finishing the run. Kudos to AMC for enhancing the environment for this advertising based drama with trivia bumpers that run in between all of their commercials.

Orkin started advertising on TV in 1954... followed by an Orkin spot.

The number one night for movie advertising is Thursday... followed by a spot for a movie.

The Paramount logo is the oldest movie studio logo still in use... followed by a spot for Paramount film.

Smart stuff - and a very clever way to fight back against TiVo hopping.

Also - a big shout out to SUPERNATURAL. Got all caught up on the Winchester brothers' adventures tonight. The show has an X-FILES feel - and it should, Kim Manners was deeply involved in both. It's a tight show, too. The main story always seems to be wrapped up in 45 minutes, followed by a little bit more of the ongoing mythology. Nice.

SUPERNATURAL started the season head to head against THE O.C. - and choices had to be made. Come October 4th, Sam & Dean will get their season pass back.