The Best TV Shows In 2008, Part One
10. Grey’s Anatomy (Season 5)
If you would have told me that I would include Grey’s Anatomy in my top 10 list a few months ago, I would have laughed in your face and sent you to a madhouse. Let’s face it - seasons three and four sucked big time. The only thing that was worth watching was Cristinas storyline with Burke. Actually, that’s about everything I remember from that time. All the other plots are a blur. A big, soapy, boring, uneventful blur. But now season five came along and I’m convinced that Grey’s Anatomy can go back to where it was - a medical drama with interesting stories to tell. Meredith and Derek are finally a couple and all the drama around them stopped, which made way for all the other cool characters of the show.
Especially Callie and Erica Hahn had a lot to add to the show’s soapy premise. Shonda Rhimes didn’t just make George’s ex-wife a lesbian and tossed her into dykeland, like it’s something that happens over night. No. She took time to develop the character and tried to make Callie’s struggle as realistic as possible. And it worked. Of course until they decided that there’s too much homosexuality on the show and fired Brooke Smith, which ended Hahn’s career at the hospital. That’s probably the main reason why Grey’s is not higher up on my list. The show takes some interesting ideas, starts working with them and then, when things get too hot or risky, they just make a cut and pretend like nothing ever happened.
09. Pushing Daisies (Season 2)
Honestly - do you know any other show that starts off a season with a story about a swarm of bees? You don’t? That’s what I figured. Pushing Daisies is unique. In every possible way I can think of. It’s charming, funny, exciting, original, witty and all those other nice words that are synonyms for awesome. As much as I loved the first season it doesn’t really compare to the second, which is a little bit more serialized. There’s so much going on right now, but the thing we most care about is Ned. His twin brothers, who are by the way probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen on television, the return of his father, the fact that he has to bring back Chuck’s dad to life to solve a ongoing mystery. All the waiting has paid off. Unfortunately, as most of you will know, Pushing Daisies has been canceled and will not return for a third season. I doubt the writers will have time to make a satisfying ending. One that will please the viewers in a way to make them feel like the story is done and it’s time to let go. Because, and I say that with all the sadness in my heart, I am definitely not ready do that just yet.
08. Skins (Season 2)
The people who have read my journal thoroughly the past few months will know that I was everything but delighted by the second season of Skins. The first half was so clumsy and half-baked, I started wondering if I was even watching the right show. The fact that they began the season with a boring character like Maxxie didn’t help either. It was getting better with 2x06 which was titled Tony. Then every episode was better thant he previous one. Skins was back and it kicked ass. The ninth episode featured Cassie’s point of view and was probably one of the best hours of television I have ever seen. Then the finale came along and it exceeded all my expectations. The writers did a hell of a job of capturing that feeling of insecurity and anticipation when school ends. Friends come and go, but they will always be an important part of one’s life. They shape you. I think that’s what Skins wanted to tell us and I am so glad that I stuck around long enough to receive the message.
07. Battlestar Galactica (Season 4)
What do you do with a show that showed signs of weakness in its third season? Exactly, you revolutionize the storytelling and decide to leave with a bang. That’s what Battlestar Galactica did. I was so disappointed with season three, I was about to cancel the show and move on to better things. Then “He That Believeth In Me” kicked of the fourth year and I was blown away by what was happening. I felt like my prayers had been answered. As a viewer, you immediately noticed that something was different. The pace of the show was quickened significantly. The writers have an endgame and I am sure that it will surprise the shit out of us. Just look at the finale of the first half of the season. Cylons and humans have finally decided to work together - peacefully. The find Earth. And what happens? It’s destroyed. A lot of fans have speculated about the possibility of a post-apocalyptic Earth on the show, but it was different to see it play out on the screen. Battlestar Galactica went on hiatus in June and it’s coming back in January. The writers knew exactly how they would make the waiting fot the second half of season four as unbearable as possible.
06. Weeds (Season 4)
When it comes to Weeds I am probably one of the most critical people ever. Just ask my friends. I am constantly trying to find things I don’t like about the show. And I’m always successful. Still, there is something about Nancy Botwin and her life that makes me watch the show over and over again. A lot of programs have problems with their third season. Weeds was no exception. It was boring. And by boring I mean boring. I can’t even really remember what it was about. The only thing that didn’t leave my mind was the amazing finale. Nancy had to move away and that’s what made the fourth season so unique. Everything was different. The location, the people, the stories. Suddenly, the show was not about a mother selling drugs in the suburbs. It’s as if Nancy got a promotion. She got involved with all those big-time criminals and it took a toll on her. She arrived at the point where she couldn’t ignore what was happening around her. The man she was in love with was a bad man. A really, really bad man. The scene in which Nancy talks to an unknown woman in the car was probably one of the best few minutes of television ever. All the hate for the character of Nancy Botwin had disappeared. Making her pregnant is a bold move. But that’s what I love about Weeds. It’s always risky and the stakes are raised constantly.
Part 2 is coming soon.
If you would have told me that I would include Grey’s Anatomy in my top 10 list a few months ago, I would have laughed in your face and sent you to a madhouse. Let’s face it - seasons three and four sucked big time. The only thing that was worth watching was Cristinas storyline with Burke. Actually, that’s about everything I remember from that time. All the other plots are a blur. A big, soapy, boring, uneventful blur. But now season five came along and I’m convinced that Grey’s Anatomy can go back to where it was - a medical drama with interesting stories to tell. Meredith and Derek are finally a couple and all the drama around them stopped, which made way for all the other cool characters of the show.
Especially Callie and Erica Hahn had a lot to add to the show’s soapy premise. Shonda Rhimes didn’t just make George’s ex-wife a lesbian and tossed her into dykeland, like it’s something that happens over night. No. She took time to develop the character and tried to make Callie’s struggle as realistic as possible. And it worked. Of course until they decided that there’s too much homosexuality on the show and fired Brooke Smith, which ended Hahn’s career at the hospital. That’s probably the main reason why Grey’s is not higher up on my list. The show takes some interesting ideas, starts working with them and then, when things get too hot or risky, they just make a cut and pretend like nothing ever happened.
09. Pushing Daisies (Season 2)
Honestly - do you know any other show that starts off a season with a story about a swarm of bees? You don’t? That’s what I figured. Pushing Daisies is unique. In every possible way I can think of. It’s charming, funny, exciting, original, witty and all those other nice words that are synonyms for awesome. As much as I loved the first season it doesn’t really compare to the second, which is a little bit more serialized. There’s so much going on right now, but the thing we most care about is Ned. His twin brothers, who are by the way probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen on television, the return of his father, the fact that he has to bring back Chuck’s dad to life to solve a ongoing mystery. All the waiting has paid off. Unfortunately, as most of you will know, Pushing Daisies has been canceled and will not return for a third season. I doubt the writers will have time to make a satisfying ending. One that will please the viewers in a way to make them feel like the story is done and it’s time to let go. Because, and I say that with all the sadness in my heart, I am definitely not ready do that just yet.
08. Skins (Season 2)
The people who have read my journal thoroughly the past few months will know that I was everything but delighted by the second season of Skins. The first half was so clumsy and half-baked, I started wondering if I was even watching the right show. The fact that they began the season with a boring character like Maxxie didn’t help either. It was getting better with 2x06 which was titled Tony. Then every episode was better thant he previous one. Skins was back and it kicked ass. The ninth episode featured Cassie’s point of view and was probably one of the best hours of television I have ever seen. Then the finale came along and it exceeded all my expectations. The writers did a hell of a job of capturing that feeling of insecurity and anticipation when school ends. Friends come and go, but they will always be an important part of one’s life. They shape you. I think that’s what Skins wanted to tell us and I am so glad that I stuck around long enough to receive the message.
07. Battlestar Galactica (Season 4)
What do you do with a show that showed signs of weakness in its third season? Exactly, you revolutionize the storytelling and decide to leave with a bang. That’s what Battlestar Galactica did. I was so disappointed with season three, I was about to cancel the show and move on to better things. Then “He That Believeth In Me” kicked of the fourth year and I was blown away by what was happening. I felt like my prayers had been answered. As a viewer, you immediately noticed that something was different. The pace of the show was quickened significantly. The writers have an endgame and I am sure that it will surprise the shit out of us. Just look at the finale of the first half of the season. Cylons and humans have finally decided to work together - peacefully. The find Earth. And what happens? It’s destroyed. A lot of fans have speculated about the possibility of a post-apocalyptic Earth on the show, but it was different to see it play out on the screen. Battlestar Galactica went on hiatus in June and it’s coming back in January. The writers knew exactly how they would make the waiting fot the second half of season four as unbearable as possible.
06. Weeds (Season 4)
When it comes to Weeds I am probably one of the most critical people ever. Just ask my friends. I am constantly trying to find things I don’t like about the show. And I’m always successful. Still, there is something about Nancy Botwin and her life that makes me watch the show over and over again. A lot of programs have problems with their third season. Weeds was no exception. It was boring. And by boring I mean boring. I can’t even really remember what it was about. The only thing that didn’t leave my mind was the amazing finale. Nancy had to move away and that’s what made the fourth season so unique. Everything was different. The location, the people, the stories. Suddenly, the show was not about a mother selling drugs in the suburbs. It’s as if Nancy got a promotion. She got involved with all those big-time criminals and it took a toll on her. She arrived at the point where she couldn’t ignore what was happening around her. The man she was in love with was a bad man. A really, really bad man. The scene in which Nancy talks to an unknown woman in the car was probably one of the best few minutes of television ever. All the hate for the character of Nancy Botwin had disappeared. Making her pregnant is a bold move. But that’s what I love about Weeds. It’s always risky and the stakes are raised constantly.
Part 2 is coming soon.