Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know this was my pick last year. Both as a cancellation prize and a nod to the fact that Pushing Daisies was even better this year, it's my pick again. DVR be damned, it was the only television program I scheduled around. Bryan Fuller created a vibrant, colorful, quirky world populated with wonderful characters and engaging stories.
The cast of Pushing Daisies brings such warmth and depth to their characters. Lee Pace and Anna Friel continued to do standout work. And Kristen Chenoweth, who tended to annoy me at times last season (though I've always been hopelessly devoted to her), became the most compelling character at the Pie Hole. I will miss this show after its final three episodes air later this month. It shows the heights to which network television can soar.
But wait there's more....
In this year of extraordinary politics, we can forget the terrific work of MSNBC and particularly Rachel Maddow. Maddow was fantastic as a frequent guest and sub for Keith Olberman, but she came into her own as the host of the The Rachel Maddow Show. She is thoughtful, pointed and so, so bright.
But wait there's even more....
The Closer was very strong this year, as was Season 2 of Torchwood. Among the late arrivals, Fringe has been good, but I'm expecting more. Leverage has caught my interest, as well.
1 comment:
I think the crazy thing about TV this year (the worst of TV perhaps) was just how muddled all the schedules got. It's not just writer's strike stuff, but this endless futzing with schedules and mini-runs that makes it impossible to know what's running when. Everything starting at different times, etc. When does Californication start? what about the final capper to Battlestar? What happened to Journeyman? Etc, etc. When are the new episodes of Heroes coming in?
This might have not been such a big deal when TV was primarily an episodic medium. But in a world where most of the interest in shows exists in seasonal story arcs, it's increasingly impossible to watch TV this way. Jim Rockford could wander off into reruns for months if he wanted, and when he came back I'd need to know nothing except he was Jim Rockford. You can't do that with Pushing Daises or Weeds.
Anyway, TV is dead, and TV Shows are stronger and better than ever. And if TV wants to squeeze a few more years out of the broadcast format, they best realize that it's time they started serving the interest of the shows, rather than forcing shows to serve their interest. Dexter is on Showtime this month, but Nicole and I are spending our time watching Earth 2 and Jeremiah on the Xbox, b/c I don't trust Showtime to give it to me in a straight shot. If I was a TV exec, I'd see that as a huge problem.
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