This title is not The Event

Ok. I admit it. I am excited for The Event. It is a burning need to find out what ‘the event’ is. I don’t even really understand the trailers, or the tv spots, or even the ads. The plot gives me a bit of an insight, but really I am still lost. The Event is pulling me like my constant need to see where the final season of Lost was going. It wasn’t a great season. Really the only episode that I significantly enjoyed was “Happily Ever After”, but I needed to see what the season was going to bring just like I need to see what ‘the event’ is.

I know, I know. This show is being marketed like Lost. It is a long form drama where every episode builds off the previous. You hope that at the end of the episode, or season, or series you are going to have all of your questions answered. I watched Lost for six seasons and never really got the answers I wanted. So Why do I want to see it when I know that The Event isn’t going to tell me what ‘the event’ is in the first couple episodes, let alone the first season?

It’s the pull. The desire to be attracted to another television universe complete with new mythology, history, characters, and stories. That is how I see The Event. I am not drawn to it because of its advertising gimmicks or it lack of information. I am drawn to it just like I am drawn to every other dramatic television series. Being excited for The Event is why I love television; because it means I get to ignore my mundane life and be introduced to something new and possibly exciting.

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

Top 10 Dramas

In my continuation of the Emmy's Top Ten Best ... Lists, I will now dwell on the chosen dramas. Oh television drama; filling my life with pointless plots, depthless characters, and terrible writing. I still love it all. This list is well...eclectic...:

Top 10 Dramas:
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey's Anatomy
Mad Men
House
Lost
The Tudors
The Wire

Unlike my last rant, I will start with what I like to call "you better recognize these great, but underrated shows". First, Friday Night Lights. This show is amazing. As someone who doesn't like sports, it doesn't matter. For someone who does like sports, it might be a bit artsy for you. The acting is great, the writing is amazing, the film editing is ingenious. The viewership, is quite lackluster. For the ATAS to recognize this show is an example of how America doesn't watch good television, they watch shit, like Grey's Anatomy, but I will come to that later. I will hold on to you Friday Night Lights for as long as possible, just like I did with Firefly, Freaks and Geeks, and Veronica Mars.

Speaking of others shows that need to be given their worth, and ATAS is helping them out here: The Wire. Even if most people aren't even aware of its existence, you should be because it is a great show. The Tudors, another good choice ATAS. I do enjoy watching King Henry shag everyone in sight. Another thumbs up to you for Dexter. This show is finally being recognized for its great... uh everything. I was getting tired of worn out cop shows like CSI and Law and Order, but then Showtime gave us the other side; the serial killers side. I have been happy ever since. Finally Mad Men, I love this show and you should too.

I am, I guess you could say, ambivalent about the sudden obsession with law dramas. Boston Legal and Damages are very good shows. They entertain me... sometimes. Actually, I can't stand Denny Crane and anything with Glenn Close in it. But they are both better than The Practice and Ally McBeal (yea go cry about menopause with that stupid dancing baby).


Now to my rant about Grey's Anatomy. Why is this a great show. The first season was entertaining, the second season kept me intrigued, ever since the show has been terrible. Yes Katherine "I'm a Bitch" Heigel. I agree with you! This show has no right to be on this list. What was great about this season: nothing. Nothing has been great about this show for two years. Emmy's, stop holding on to this show. It is giving us nothing anymore. Seriously, how many times can Meridith and McDreamy get back together? Ross and Rachel blew that fuse 7 years ago.

Snubs: uh, Battlestar Galactica? Just because it is on SciFi doesn't mean it isn't a great show. The writing is amazing and the characters actually have depth, unlike McDreamy, McSteamy, McFlurry, Mc Griddle, and what ever effing nicknames they have on that show. Please recognize this show next year. It is all it has. Big Love also a snub. Breaking Bad was also a great show that the writers' strike effed over. Well at least Desperate Housewives is not on anything. God that show is annoying.