Best of the 2000s: or how I learned to stop worrying and love televison

Since we are in the final day of the decade, I figured I couldn't let it end without some recognition of the period of time that made me love the medium of television. The 2000s weren't just a year of doctors, lawyers, and cops, but a decade of imagination and creativity. Ignoring the likes of Survivor, American Idol, and the other reality shows that have blinded much of culture from acknowledging the greatness of television in the decade, the 2000s reminded us that television can be as good as the films that are being produced and as inventive as it hadn't been before. Science Fiction was no longer bravados of machismo environments. Comedy evolved to no longer needing a laugh track to inform viewers that what they were watching they should be laughing at. With the prevalence of viewing television at your own pace and at your own time, with DVRs and internet streaming, long serial dramas were able to become something that they had never been before. This is my list of the best tv shows of the decade.

10. Dexter
Early in the oughts CSI ruled the screen with plot twists and intriguing scientists like we had never seen before, but the show never seemed to pierce the surface and attain the mindset of a serial killer like "Dexter" did. Showtime presented "Dexter" as a show about a serial killer who is also a crime scene investigator. Being on Showtime, "Dexter" was able to delve deeper into a character than FCC regulations would forbid any network station. We learned about why Dexter killed and what made him kill, something CSI never came close to.

9. The Sopranos
The 90s were filled with family dramas and comedies about the typical domestic life of suburban America. "The Sopranos" did that too, but this time that suburban life included organized crime. "The Sopranos" allowed the viewer to learn about a mob boss, his family, and how they don't live much different from the rest of America. Yea at the end of the day, my father doesn't kill anybody, but Tony went to a psychiatrist.

8. West Wing
In a decade of terrorism, conservative politics, and antagonistic attitudes, "The West Wing" created a utopia of a presidential office. The perfect presidents meets the imperfect world. At times President Bartlett seemed a little too quick witted, intelligent, and well perfect, but this allowed the series to focus on the staff that dealt weekly with the same issues that the viewer saw on the news.

7. 30 Rock
I was debating between "The Office" and "30 Rock" as to which one should be on this list. I do like both a lot. "The Office" was one of the first successful at creating single-camera non-laugh track series, but it's concept wasn't original. "30 Rock" creativity and ingenuity is great. It is hilarious and brings the viewer into the not so glamorous world of television sketch comedy show writing. Also, it doesn't hurt that pretty much every week a new A-list celebrity is guest starring and doing an amazing job at it too.

6. Veronica Mars
Teen dramas need a twist. Something that separates them from "The OC"s and the "One Tree Hills"s. "Veronica Mars" separates itself from the rest of its WB friends with an excellent film noir style and its intelligent witty script. You didn't tune in every week to see whether Veronica was finally going to get back together with Duncan, but you tuned in to see whether Veronica was going to solve Lily, her best friend's murder.

5. Firefly
Space Western. What? Space Western. Science Fiction can do that and with Joss Whedon it did it well. With "Firefly", Whedon created interesting characters and an amazing universe that wasn't beyond the viewer to understand. Yes, maybe because it was advertised as a space western was the reason for its single season, but it's popularity, cult status, and even feature film signifies that it was one of the best tv shows of the decade.

4. Lost
Creativity is what has kept Lost going for so long. Character driven plots of usually made shows fail. Network science fiction shows typically fail. Long story arc plots especially on network television fail. Lost didn't. It came at a time where viewers could by DVDs of tv show seasons, watch missed episodes online, and record past episodes to view again later. Lost would not have made it in the 90s. The plot is too intricate and its universe too deep, but online streaming, DVR, and other mediums have allowed Lost to stay alive and remain an amazing and thrilling experience.

3. Arrested Development
Oh yea, single-camera non-laugh track series, "Arrested Development was the forerunner. Yea it ran for only three seasons (which was only because of it's critical acclaim and awards success and not its ratings), but its originally is what makes it the best comedy of the decade. It broke from the Seinfeld sitcom model and created a new model that "The Office" and "30 Rock" used to create their present success.

2. The Wire
Long, plot driven, character driven, subject driven, intense writing. That is how you would describe the monumental, but mostly overlooked amazing series that was "The Wire". Each season delved into a different area of Baltimore life. From the school system, to the media, "The Wire" proved that television doesn't need to adapt to their viewers, but that viewers should evolve to accept great material like "The Wire". Even though it wasn't successful like its brother shows on HBO, it is superior in its ingenuity, creativity, and brilliant writing.

1. Battlestar Galactica
What is one show that made science fiction a cheap thrill and corny? Well that would be the original "Battlestar Galactica", but the revision of that show is amazing. It is the perfect example of viewers evolving to understand that science fiction isn't just cheap thrills, but allegories for our lives. "Battlestar Galactica" dealt with issues from genocide and racism, to understanding the mindset of someone in positions of power. It didn't shy from making you hate your favorite character or dislike a plot line. It had a purpose and even at the end, it had a goal to make sure viewers saw something more in science fiction television.

Honorable Mentions:
Friday Night Lights, Big Love, Six Feet Under, How I Met Your Mother

So it is October and I haven't been on in a while so I thought I would bring back the Halloween theme profile and enjoy the month. New entries to come that will be awesomely Halloween themed.

Suit It up for St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Ted and Barney!

So you say it's Halloween TV time

Yes, it is that time of year again. The time where television shows try to amuse us with Halloween themed episodes and scary antics by our favorite television characters. It happens every year, but do you remember your most fond and cherished Halloween themed episodes, because I sure do. Here are my top ten. Enjoy!

10. "The Middle Earth Paradigm"- The Big Bang Theory

How do you make a group of geeks feel awkward? Invite them to a party. How do you make them feel even more awkward? Make it a Halloween costume party. In everyone else, Halloween is a holiday in which, as said in Mean Girls said, girls dress up as sluts with some sort animals ears, and others wear some sort of generic costume. In Geek world, parties don't have dancing, but they must require costumes, themes for those costumes, and then prizes for the best of those costumes. The show would not be complete without a fight for who gets to be Frodo.

9. "Halloween"- The Office

The Office wouldn't be complete without the dreaded office Halloween party in which everyone feels it is necessary to wear costumes and forget that they are working as adults and not 10 year olds in their 4th grade classroom. While everyone is having fun on Halloween, Michael tries to figure out a way to fire someone, while Pam and Jim attempt to get Dwight a position with another company. The best part of this episode is the interactions amongst the people working. It just reasserts that Halloween should not enter the workplace.

8. "Tricks and Treats"- Freaks and Geeks

Oh to go back to the days when you couldn't figure out if it was cool to go trick-or-treating or go bash mailboxes with your friends. The great dichotomy of everyone episode is comparing the activities of the geeks to the activities of the freaks. Sam goes trick-or-treating with Bill and Neal, while Lindsey decides to go hang out with the "freaks" drive about town causing havoc. Even though the series takes place in 1980, it is the most true to the actual life as a teenager, especially when deciding if you are young enough to still go trick-or-treating which i maintain I am still young enough to do.

7. "Escape from Witch Island"- Dawson's Creek

In an effort to add excitement to a dull school project, Dawson decides to make a documentary, with the help of Joey, Pacey and Jen. The gang head to a small island near Capeside, rumoured to be haunted by the ghosts of some 18th century girls, killed after being accused to witchcraft. Joey finds similarities between her own life and that of one of the dead girls. After some exploratory conversations, Jen and Pacey make the decision to become more than just good friends, albeit on a casual basis causing awkwardness and Pacey's slow realization that he is in love with Joey.

6. "The Slutty Pumpkin"- How I Met Your Mother

Ahh, the Slutty Pumpkin episode. Essentially the same as The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, except, the great pumpkin is a girl dressed as a pumpkin who Ted learned studies penguins and combines Kaluha and root beer to make a drink known as the Tootsie Roll because it tastes like an alcoholic Tootsie Roll whom Ted met at a Halloween Party in 2001. Ted waits around every year because he forgot to give his phone number to this girl, thus causing him to go to the same Halloween party every year awaiting the "Slutty Pumpkin".

5. "And then there was Shawn"- Boy Meets World

Talk about nostalgia. When I think of halloween episodes I always think of this. Even though it didn't air as the halloween episode, it is still one of the greats from a tv series that allowed my uneventful friday nights as a young pre-teen bareable. Pretty much the entire episode is mocking typical halloween-type horror films and uses many of the themes in horror films to carry the plot of the episode. Even Jennifer Love Hewitt makes an appearance as the unforgettable Jennifer Love Fefferman.

4. "Haunted"- Dead Like Me

A crazed serial killer strikes on Halloween, and the reapers must pick up all the souls of the victims. The busy workday cuts into George and Mason's trick-or-treating, while back at home, Joy must casole Reggie into the Halloween spirit following a session with a psychologist. Can't give too much away about this episode because it is the series finale, but isn't that perfect. The halloween episode is the final episode of a tv show about reepers...awesome.

3. "Treehouse of Horror V"- The Simpsons

The Simpsons annual Treehouse of Horror is a look forward to even come Halloween season, but the glory days of the Treehouse of Horror came last century, circa 1994. Treehouse of Horror V told three stories: The Shinning, Time and Punishment, and Nightmare Cafeteria. The most well known story from this episode would of course have to be The Shinning. Pretty much the Simpsons become caretakers of Mr Burns mansion, Homer becomes insane (Jack is a dull boy style) because there isn't a television, tries to murder his entire family, but everything is put back to normal once Homer finds a television. Moral of the story: lack of tv watching may lead to murder.

2. "Spookyfish"- South Park

South Park is always known for their holiday episodes, from Timmy's retarded turkey to the Christmas poo, but when you think about great South Park Halloween episodes, yes many come to mind, but everyone remembers Spookyfish. Pretty much the plot was a bunch of beings from an alternate universe (the 'other' South Park) show up in the real South Park (very Doctor Who style) and cause havoc. The "spookyvision" of the episode really did increase the scare-factor of the show, I know Barbra Streisand scares me constantly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSlzrR5iBIA&feature=related
(I couldn't embed this, so go watch it there)

1. "Halloween"- Buffy the Vampire Slayer

My all time favorite Halloween episode has to be Halloween from the second season of Buffy. It is a running joke from the series that Halloween is the safest day of the year for the slayer because Vampires think of Halloween as a day of rest and don't hunt of Halloween, but every other year Buffy had a Halloween themed episode. This episode is great because it questions they what if scenario of what if someone cast a spell on everyone to make them into the costume they are wearing. This would mean small children would turn into witches and goblins, but most importantly, adults would turn into military soldiers (Xander), Damsel in distress (Buffy), and a slutty ghost (Willow).Happy Halloween television watching!

"It's going to be legendary!"

"Don't say that! You're too liberal with the word "legendary". "

..."We're building an igloo in Central Park!
It's going to be legendary!
Snow-suit up! "

Emmy Nominations are out and I am sort of pissed...but not suprised

well here are the major catagories...I will remark about them at a later date:

Outstanding Comedy Series:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Drama Series:
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House MD
Lost
Mad Men

Made for Television Movie:
Bernard and Doris
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
A Raisin in the Sun
Recount

Outstanding Mini-series:
The Andromeda Strain
Cranford
John Adams
Tin Man

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Jon Hamm (Man Men)
Hugh Laurie (House MD)
James Spader (Boston Legal)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tiny Fey (30 Rock)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures for Old Christine)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Glenn Close (Damages)
Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters)
Mariska Hargitay (L&O: SVU)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)
Kevin Dillon (Entourage)
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Rainn Wilson (The Office)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Ted Danson (Damages)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
Zeljko Ivanek (Damages)
William Shatner (Boston Legal)
John Slattery (Mad Men)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies)
Amy Poehler (SNL)
Jean Smart (Samantha Who?)
Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Candice Bergen (Boston Legal)
Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters)
Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)
Dianne West (In Treatment)
Chandra Wilson (Grey's Anatomy)

I left out Reality Shows and Miniseries for now, but I am happy the Tin Man was recognized.

Top Ten Comedies...Thus said Emmy

Ok, I know the Emmy noms came out yesterday and this entry is like...3 weeks late, but I have been busy and I need to complain about the choices that the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences made for their top ten lists for dramas and comedies. To begin this little adventure, we shall start with the much loved and sometimes unexplainable comedies.

Top 10 Finalists for Best Comedy:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

To begin this rant I will start with the one show I never really understood why it has been a success since its induction into the CBS comedy hour (or is it two hours?). Why the hell do people like Two and a Half Men. Ok, I will admit when it first came on I might have let out a yelp seeing my beloved 1980's New Wave cool dude Duckie, but then I was put in my place when I then realized that Duckie had become a chiropractor. What would Andie say?

The show has its moments like other annoying shows such as scenes with Joey in them from friends and that dog on Fraiser. Other than that, the show is annoying, deals with the same issues constantly (that kid doesnt do his homework, Charlie Sheen sleeps with a lot of women, and Jon Cryer has no life). ATAS, get over this Two and a Half Men obsession and recognize good shows like Flight of the Conchords (good job, no really I am quite suprised), 30 Rock (again great decision), and It's Always Sunny in Philadeplia (I will forgive you this year).

There are even better shows in that CBS Monday line up that deserve that position more than Two and a Half Men, like The Big Bang Theory. Gotta love those theoretical physicist nerds. Or even better, How I Met Your Mother. Neil Patrick Harris is great on that show, along with Willow and Nick Andopolis, I mean Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segal. Charlie Sheen is not funny, Duckie is a sell out, and that kid (does anyone actually know his name?) I think may be getting fatter as the series continues, which I think think might take away the halfness of his manness (?).
The rest of the shows are ok, I guess. Ugly Betty stills annoys me, but its second season is nothing like its first. I wasn't expecting much though. Gotta love marijuana dealing moms on Weeds. But come on, Family Guy? Are you trying to make a statement that cartoons can be great comedies too? I mean, I don't disagree, but you chose Family Guy. Curb Your Enthusiasm is still on the air? Oh yeah! Entourage is still pulling in audiences with mediocre writing, but I still love to watch the show. Turtle makes me chuckle. Good job with Pushing Daises too. Who doesn't love pie, pie shops, and bringin' back people from the dead?