Thirty-Day Television Meme | Day Four
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever.
This was a tough question. At first I was thinking The West Wing, but S5 pretty well disqualifies it. Then I thought maybe Sports Night, which remained a contender for awhile, despite it only being two seasons. Community was considered, but I decided no on that since it's so new, and besides, it's still in progress; can't have any decent overview that way. That is also the reason I excluded Burn Notice. M*A*S*H was a frontrunner for awhile, until I realized that when I say "M*A*S*H" I really mean "M*A*S*H minus the first three seasons". So that led me to my choice.
Boston Legal
ABC
2004-2008
I love Boston Legal, and not only that, I love all of Boston Legal. There are a few not-as-amazing episodes sprinkled in here and there, but I'm never like, "Oh, yeah, season X was a real low point." It's just good. Consistently good.
It's silly, it's serious, it's surreal, it's too real, it's off the rails, it's painfully straight-laced, it's fun, it's depressing, it makes you happy, it makes you sad, it makes you laugh, it makes you tear up, and more-often all within the same episode. That's why I love it.
The basic premise is such: a bunch of lawyers at a Boston law firm work together and take on cases that are almost as odd as they are. Really, though, it's so much more than that. Yes, the cases are often awesome (if unrealistic), and David E. Kelley's unabashed liberalism is a nice bonus if you happen to agree with him, but it's not a necessity that you do. (This show was recommended to me by Mr. Palmer, after all, and he is certainly not a liberal.) Some of the best episodes involve the firm representing the side you, if you're a liberal, really don't want to win-like the episode where Alan defends torture. I really think it had the perfect timespan, though; the fact that it ran throughout Bush's second term definitely gave it the leeway to develop as it did, certainly through dejectedness and frustration.
In addition to the amazing plots, this show has some seriously excellent characters. Alan Shore is probably one of the most interesting characters ever created. He embodies the same paradox that the show does. He is both a good person and a bad person at the same time. He's both nice and nasty, both painfully open and tightly walled off. Shirley Schmidt is one of the best-written female characters of all time. So rarely do you find women over a certain age who are still allowed to be-and perceived as, by others-sexy and sensual beings. So rarely do you find women who are confident and in charge and not portrayed as power-happy or nagging or "bitchy". Denny Crane is at once a parody of himself and still a surprisingly relatable, sympathetic character, and his friendship with Alan is probably one of the sweetest, healthiest male friendships portrayed on television. They don't feel shame in telling one another they love each other, and I adore them for it.
Truly, it's an excellent show, and I can't recommend it enough.
Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled.
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching.
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season).
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever.
Day 05 - A show you hate.
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show.
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show.
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch.
Day 09 - Best scene ever.
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving.
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you.
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times.
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show.
Day 14 - Favorite male character.
Day 15 - Favorite female character.
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show.
Day 17 - Favorite mini series.
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence.
Day 19 - Best TV show cast.
Day 20 - Favorite kiss.
Day 21 - Favorite ship.
Day 22 - Favorite series finale.
Day 23 - Most annoying character.
Day 24 - Best quote.
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new).
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale.
Day 27 - Best pilot episode.
Day 28 - First TV show obsession.
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession.
Day 30 - Saddest character death.
This was a tough question. At first I was thinking The West Wing, but S5 pretty well disqualifies it. Then I thought maybe Sports Night, which remained a contender for awhile, despite it only being two seasons. Community was considered, but I decided no on that since it's so new, and besides, it's still in progress; can't have any decent overview that way. That is also the reason I excluded Burn Notice. M*A*S*H was a frontrunner for awhile, until I realized that when I say "M*A*S*H" I really mean "M*A*S*H minus the first three seasons". So that led me to my choice.
Boston Legal
ABC
2004-2008
I love Boston Legal, and not only that, I love all of Boston Legal. There are a few not-as-amazing episodes sprinkled in here and there, but I'm never like, "Oh, yeah, season X was a real low point." It's just good. Consistently good.
It's silly, it's serious, it's surreal, it's too real, it's off the rails, it's painfully straight-laced, it's fun, it's depressing, it makes you happy, it makes you sad, it makes you laugh, it makes you tear up, and more-often all within the same episode. That's why I love it.
The basic premise is such: a bunch of lawyers at a Boston law firm work together and take on cases that are almost as odd as they are. Really, though, it's so much more than that. Yes, the cases are often awesome (if unrealistic), and David E. Kelley's unabashed liberalism is a nice bonus if you happen to agree with him, but it's not a necessity that you do. (This show was recommended to me by Mr. Palmer, after all, and he is certainly not a liberal.) Some of the best episodes involve the firm representing the side you, if you're a liberal, really don't want to win-like the episode where Alan defends torture. I really think it had the perfect timespan, though; the fact that it ran throughout Bush's second term definitely gave it the leeway to develop as it did, certainly through dejectedness and frustration.
In addition to the amazing plots, this show has some seriously excellent characters. Alan Shore is probably one of the most interesting characters ever created. He embodies the same paradox that the show does. He is both a good person and a bad person at the same time. He's both nice and nasty, both painfully open and tightly walled off. Shirley Schmidt is one of the best-written female characters of all time. So rarely do you find women over a certain age who are still allowed to be-and perceived as, by others-sexy and sensual beings. So rarely do you find women who are confident and in charge and not portrayed as power-happy or nagging or "bitchy". Denny Crane is at once a parody of himself and still a surprisingly relatable, sympathetic character, and his friendship with Alan is probably one of the sweetest, healthiest male friendships portrayed on television. They don't feel shame in telling one another they love each other, and I adore them for it.
Truly, it's an excellent show, and I can't recommend it enough.
Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled.
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching.
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season).
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever.
Day 05 - A show you hate.
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show.
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show.
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch.
Day 09 - Best scene ever.
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving.
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you.
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times.
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show.
Day 14 - Favorite male character.
Day 15 - Favorite female character.
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show.
Day 17 - Favorite mini series.
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence.
Day 19 - Best TV show cast.
Day 20 - Favorite kiss.
Day 21 - Favorite ship.
Day 22 - Favorite series finale.
Day 23 - Most annoying character.
Day 24 - Best quote.
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new).
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale.
Day 27 - Best pilot episode.
Day 28 - First TV show obsession.
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession.
Day 30 - Saddest character death.