2007-08 Season in Review

An abbreviated disaster of a television season is receiving an abbreviated disaster of a blog post from me, due mostly to the fact that there was basically one good prime time show on television and a bunch of massive disappointments.  The writer's strike was obviously a factor and most of the returning shows -- really, all except one -- did not return to anything close to their previous heights.  The Office was probably the biggest disappointment for me.  After shooting from nowhere to my #1 favorite series in last year's season review, the show seemed to be decidedly less funny, with decidedly less memorable lines than last year.  It was still my #2 favorite show of the year, which kind of gives you an idea of how disappointing the season was overall.  But I guess it is what it is.  Read on to see the full list.  And believe me, a top 10 was a difficult number to reach.  Even with a 50" plasma screen television.

#1.  Lost (ABC, last season #2)

• What can I say?  This show has gone from #4 to #2 to #1 now in its 4th season (I didn't watch its 1st season).  I have to begrudgingly admit that it is now the best show on television.  The shortened season (14 hours total) ended up working to its advantage I think, as storylines got streamlined and the action was nonstop and furious.  The murder of Ben's daughter was a turning point, I think, ratcheting up the entire arc of the series - especially Ben's character arc - by a significant factor, and the flash forwards have been so much better than the laborious flashbacks that filled much of the last two seasons, it's not even funny.  I've grown to love so many characters at this point -- Sawyer, Desmond, Sayid, Hurley, and even Ben.  Even Jack has not been as unbearably annoying as he was during most of Season 3.  Kate -- well, she's still annoying.  The season finale is still a week away, so I guess theoretically this rating is premature, but even if it's the worst episode in the history of the series, this is still the best show on television right now.  Bravo.  And F Lenny.

#2.   The Office (NBC, last season #1)

• It hasn't been horrible by any means, but there was too much Michael in bizarro-dominating-annoying character instead of the oddly endearing Michael Scott of previous seasons.  They turned Ryan into a ridiculous caricature.  Andy was underused.  Kelly was criminally underused.  And a happy Jim and Pam was nice to see, but Jim was a lot less funny with things going so well (and with him "trying" at work).  It was better in the fall than in the very abbreviated spring session, so maybe the strike was just too damaging, but it's still in the top 2, so it's not all bad.  I just don't know if the Season 4 DVD will be joining the other 3 seasons on my DVD shelf (probably not).  F Lenny.

#3.  Weeds (Showtime, last season n/a)

• I didn't watch season 2 until it came out on DVD and I loved it so much that I immediately re-ordered Showtime to watch season 3... and then quickly canceled it once the show had ended.  Lenny kept telling me to watch Dexter but I never found the time, and now it's on CBS so I can't support the sellout.  But as for Weeds, this season happened so long ago (last fall) that I don't really remember it and I'm sure I'm not rating it accurately, but I think I liked it.  I know that Nancy became a crazy drug lord and ended up torching the entire town in the final episode (inadvertently) and I didn't like how the writers boxed her into such a dangerous corner, but it was interesting I guess.  And I think it was funny.  It's still the best acted show on television and the writers definitely go for broke.  I'm hoping for big things next year.  And with Direct TV, I have Showtime again!  I still haven't watched Dexter though.  As always, F Lenny.

#4.  It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (F/X, last season n/a)

• A funny, fucked up masterpiece throughout season 2, the show dropped off significantly from those dizzying heights in season 3, but like Weeds above, the season was so long ago that I kind of think I liked it.  This is also the only show on television whose characters are so despicable that they make the drug dealers of Weeds look like model citizens.  Some really funny shit when it hits its mark.

#5.  The Hills (MTV, last season n/a)

• Just be glad I didn't put it higher than this.  It's a horrible show.  It's not even "reality", since many of the scenes are clearly scripted and re-shot and the "acting" is horrendous, particularly by Audrina and Heidi/Spencer.  Both Heidi and Spencer are despicable, both on the show and in real life, and they clearly faked a break up all season just to get camera time.  And yet, like a bad train wreck or an ugly hot mess, I can't not watch it.  And I can't not look forward to every episode more than any show below it on this list.  I still love Lauren and Whitney and the addition of the snarky Lo as a more regular character (after she moved in with Lauren) was a great touch.  I know it's sad.  I know only 13 year olds and women watch it.  At least I don't watch American Idol like the rest of you losers in this country.  F Lenny.

#6.  South Park (Comedy Central, last season #6)

• Shaky at best this season.  They had a memorable 3-parter in the fall with all the cartoon characters and the end of the world as we know it, but this spring season had 1 good episode ("Cheesing") and a bunch of mediocre crap.  They've definitely lost their fastball.  But it was a great, superb, incredible long run of consistent excellence.  I'm sad it seems to be over.
  

#7.  Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, last season n/a)

• I actually had to do research to find out that this show had new episodes this season, as I'd completely forgotten, which is not a good sign.  It's here mostly because it was once one of the funniest programs on television.  I'm sure there were a few flashes of that in what was apparently season 6, but I don't really remember any.  Sorry, Larry (David, not Gerber).

#8.  The Amazing Race (CBS, last season #5)

• This show has dropped since 2005 from #1 to 3 to 5 to 8, and even though it was just on in January, I don't remember who won the race, or really, any of the contestants or what they did.  I think it's still the best reality show on television (my bizarre obsession with the horrible Hills notwithstanding), but it is a little long in the tooth at this point.  I stopped watching Survivor a couple years ago.  Will I still watch TAR when it returns this fall?  We'll see.

#9.  The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet III (MTV, last season #8)

• This season signaled the end of the "old school" dominance of favorite Challenge veterans like Coral and Katie and saw the emergence of a new brand of famewhore who forgot how to be funny in between shooting themselves up with steroids and having sex with every guy in the cast (and that goes for both sexes).  The reunion show was actually quite brilliant, as Coral lit into Evelyn for almost 60 straight minutes, showing the great wit that was once a staple of the program, even if, sadly, that time has passed.  Perhaps like Coral, I'm getting a little too old for the show.  A sad day for all.

#10.  30 Rock (NBC, last season #9)

• I actually watched this show pretty regularly this season, especially since it was relocated after The Office, and it's very popular on the blogs and among critics and I think Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are great.  And the incredible Will Arnett appeared in at least a couple episodes.  Yet I can't help but shake the feeling that it's just not very funny.  Wacky?  Yes.  Crazy, insane plotlines?  Check.  Well acted?  Of course.  Funny?  Eh.  Maybe I just don't get it.  I've definitely tried.  It's not horrible.  But it's just not that funny to me.  Sorry, Tina.  And of course, F Lenny.

That's it.  See you next season!

Comments

[LegFuJohnson]

Just get Dexter on DVD and watch it already. It's your type of dry humor mixed it. Complicated characters, it's good.

It's on CBS cause of the strike. It's not like CBS is airing new episodes.

And while you are getting DVD's of TV shows, get House and Season 1 of 24 (just don't get this past season of 24).

You can thank me later.

And Weeds was good.

[Kelly]

It's criminal (pardon the pun) to not watch Dexter. I don't subscribe to the "sellout" theory behind Dexter at all. The writers' strike created a need for less mainstream filler shows and Dexter was glad to fill in. Other than that I think this is a very good ranking of the shows. I knew we had the same taste in music but I can see that translates elsewhere.

Oh BTW, has anyone seen "Lucy Daughter of the Devil" on Adult Swim/Cartoon Network? It's also availible on iTunes. I have been meaning to write a post on this terrific show that nobody seems to know about. Cheers.

[Bill]

I was kidding about the sellout thing. My friend has been telling me for years to watch Dexter, but I never have, for no good reason.

I've never seen that Cartoon Network show either. Definitely write a post to entice me.

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