It's official: the 2005-2006 television season is history.
All in all, it was a pretty good year for television. Oh, sure - there were some bad shows; does anyone remember
Sex, Love, and Secrets? How about
Inconceivable?
Three Wishes? No, I didn't think so. Of course, let's not forget that we had to endure yet another season of
American Idol. It's not that
Idol is a horrible show. But, if
Idol is not the most overhyped show in the history of television, then I don't know what is.
But for the most part, there was an overabundance of good programming. The drama genre was especially strong this season, and the launch of several good new half-hour comedies gives us hope that the sitcom will live to see another season.
Personally, I was watching more television this past season than I have in the past few seasons; programming-wise, it was a wealth of riches. So, without further ado, here is what I consider to be the ten (okay, maybe eleven) best shows of the 2005-06 television season:
10.
My Name is Earl (NBC) and
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) (tie)
One's a single-camera comedy, the other a traditional sitcom. Both, however, breathed new life into the half-hour format. Both shows were very atypical for their respecitve networks: NBC's
Earl was NOT a show about a group of young, single professionals in New York City; conversely, CBS's
Mother was. Lesson to the networks: take a chance and break out of your formulas - it might just pay off.
9.
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
A imperfect show with an incredibly-appealing lead,
Old Christine appears to be one plot-element and/or one supporting-character away from becoming a classic.
8.
Commander in Chief (ABC)
President Allen, we hardly knew ye. For an administration that started out so strongly,
Commander in Chief vanished from the airwaves in an unexpectedly rapid fashion. But it's ABC that should be impeached for its outrageous mishandling of this once-promising series.
7.
The Simpsons (Fox)
With 17 seasons under their belt, may
The Simpsons live forever.
6.
The West Wing (NBC)
A couple of seasons ago, I had given this show up for dead. Pull the plug on it NBC, I said... it's over. What a difference a season makes.
Wing enjoyed a creative resurgence this past season that has me (and a lot of other people) wishing that it were coming back for another year. The presidential-election arc was fascinating, and I'd love to see the show come back for another year to follow the trials and tribulations of the newly-installed Santos administration. Now, if only we could have this kind of enthusiasm for our REAL LIFE president...
5.
Flavor of Love (VH1)
This show is the very definition of "guilty pleasure:" tacky, tasteless, and totally addictive. In the sweepstakes of so-bad-it's-good television,
Flavor of Love takes win, place, AND show.
4.
Arrested Development (Fox)
Television's best comedy this year, it was simply a show that was too smart for the room. Kudos to Fox for sticking with it for three seasons.
3.
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Bill Maher is today's pre-eminent politcal comedian, and
Real Time is true must-see TV for those who enjoy their political commentary with a little (actually, a lot of) bite. Politically incorrect? Indeed.
2.
The Sopranos (HBO)
Okay, okay - I know what you're going to say: this past season of
The Sopranos was not its best. And you're correct in making that statement. David Chase did get a little too self-indulgent with his overuse of dream sequences, imagery, and symbolism this year. That being said... even a weaker-than-usual season of
The Sopranos is better than 98% of what else is on television. The show is just THAT good.
1.
Lost (ABC)
Just when you thought that it couldn't get any better... it did. Season two of
Lost packed a punch from it opening episode, which took us for the first time inside the mysterious hatch... to the final episode of the season which, while answering several questions that we fans have been waiting a long time to have answered (
why did the plane crash? were they entering the numbers for an actual purpose?), managed to set-up a very-different perspective for season three.
For a show whose premise screams out "sparse" (the story of a small group of people stranded on a deserted island),
Lost packs a greater density of material into one hour than most other prime-time dramas do over the course of an entire season.
Outrageously-addictive and mind-numbingly complex,
Lost truly is the best of the best.
