First off I need to acknowledge the terrible devastation caused by the tsunami in South Asia. Such a harrowing tragedy and who knows how many perished as a result of it. I just heard that the casualty estimate is 44,000 and rising. Unbelievable that such things could happen in this world.
And now to COMPLETELY shift gears, I’d like to present my Top 10 Television Shows of 2004. I watch lots of TV so I had plenty to choose from. Lots of good programs that I watch (or watched) regularly didn’t even make my Top 10, including "24", "The West Wing", "The Apprentice", "Sex and the City", and "Real Time with Bill Maher." I also just watched the pilot episode of "Desperate Housewives" on Sunday and though I haven’t seen enough of it to put it on the list, it does show a lot of promise. So here’s what I came up with...
1) "The Office" – the show aired last year on BBC America but I caught up with it this year on DVD. It’s "Christmas Special" then aired in October. It’s an amazing mockumentary about office life with great attention to subtle comedic detail. It’s funny, off-the-wall, disturbing, and heartwrenching all at the same time.
2) "Lost" – ABC finally has a hit and TV audiences are flocking to a show that is not about law enforcement or crime scenes. A plane crashes on a mysterious island, stranding its survivors, but something about the island is not quite right. The flashbacks about the characters lives before the plane crash gives the show more layers of significance.
3) "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" – In the insanity of the 2004 presidential election, Jon Stewart was the voice of reason – illustrating the absurdities of not only the campaigns but the media that covers it. As Bush continues pursuing his agenda and as Iraq grows ever more unstable, we’ll need Stewart’s wit and insight to get us through.
4) "Survivor : All Stars" – Take 18 of the most dynamic contestants in the first seven seasons of "Survivor", put them together on one show and you have instant entertainment! Richard, Rudy, Jerri, Ethan, Rupert, Lex, Susan and the others were all up to their old tricks but who would have thought that Boston Rob and Amber would fall in love as they dominated the game?
5) "The O.C." – I’ve never found a primetime soap opera to be so entertaining. Truly this is a guilty pleasure. From love triangles, to convoluted family trees, to fights that break out at pool parties, to Chrismukkah – you can’t turn away.
6) "The Simpsons" – Still a classic and still going strong. Even after all these years, I laugh out loud several times during each episode. "Happy Labor Day, Lenny!"
7) "The Sopranos" – The addition of Steve Buscemi, the whacking of Adrianna and the war between Tony’s family and Johnny Sack’s family made this season a must-see. After previous seasons focused on the Sopranos home problems, the emphasis shifted back to where it belongs - the family business.
8) "Da Ali G Show" – Did I say that "The O.C." was my guilty pleasure? Check that. This one is. Whether Sascha Cohen is playing Ali G – the white hip hop reporter who interviews unsuspecting guests, Borat – the immigrant from Kazakhstan, or Bruno – the gay fashionista, his segments shock and entertain.
9) "The Amazing Race" – The reality genre is filled with a lot of crap but this show shines. Eleven teams race around the globe, fighting to avoid being eliminated by being the last to arrive at certain checkpoints. The scenery is amazing and the twists and turns are compelling as teams struggle, fight among themselves and pass each other as they race to their destinations.
10) "Curb Your Enthusiasm" – Although not as funny as its previous seasons, it makes the list because of its deliberate setup, whose punchline is only revealed in the final episode. Mel Brooks casts Larry David to be the lead in "The Producers". All season long Larry struggles with rehearsals and everyone wonders why Mel would cast him. The reason? Because he was sick of the show and wanted it to close, hence casting an awful actor who would cause it to flop. Which exactly mirrors the plot of "The Producers." But just like the show, Larry excels and is lauded for his performance, hence ensuring the continuance of the show. Very clever.
