Not Your Average Year-End Wrap-Up
The return of Aaron Sorkin? Check. The separation of adult conjoined twins? Check. A love parallelogram on any given MTV reality show? Check, check, and check. As far as television is concerned, the year 2006 had it all. Now I present to you my personal take on what was good, what was bad, and what was so bad it was good this year on the boob tube.
Note: A lot of columnists and bloggers use categories like "Best Show" or "Worst Show", but I'm going to go a little deeper. Basically, here's a list of shows I want to talk about, in categories I made up to fit them.
Best New Show Everyone's Watching: Heroes
I know, I've gone on and on about the glory of Studio 60 but when it comes to new shows, no one can touch Heroes. Not only has it succeeded in the ratings, but it's also won a place in both my heart and my DVR. It has great characters, jaw-dropping plot twists, and some comic relief (mostly thanks to arguably the best new character this year, Hiro Nakamura, played by Masi Oka). If you're not watching this show, you should start, and here's the perfect opportunity to do so: NBC will have a marathon of all the episodes beginning on January 1st at 8 pm. Be prepared to get sucked in.
Best New Show Not Enough People Are Watching: 30 Rock
I am a lifelong member of the Tina Fey Fan Club, so I will support anything she lays a finger on, but trust me, 30 Rock is deserving of my loyalty and yours. It achieves something other comedies try very hard to convey: that it's not trying too hard. When watching this show, I find myself almost surprised when I burst out laughing. The humor comes off as an afterthought, which seems like a negative thing, but it's actually a winning tactic. 30 Rock is a single-camera comedy with no laugh track, but it's not as over-the-top as Scrubs and not as bizarre as Arrested Development, so I think it appeals to a broader audience. Plus, Tina's hair is awesome and Alec Baldwin is a delight (congrats on the Golden Globe nom, big guy). Make some time for this one; you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Show That Lost Its Mojo: America's Next Top Model
Maybe it was the writer's strike. Maybe it was the lack of a Jade or Lisa-type character. Maybe Tyra has officially gone off to the nut farm, but something was really off this cycle, the seventh in ANTM's history. I believe things got a little out of hand with Ms. Banks's attitude. Usually she has very constructive criticism and advice for the girls, but this cycle was filled with too much "I did that when I was 17, it's not that hard" type of showing off. Simply showing the girls that you can do something is not helpful instruction, Tyra. She also went a little crazy in the hair and makeup department; recently, VH1 showed a marathon of cycle 2 and Tyra looked so subdued and fresh that she almost blended in with the contestants. Speaking of the contestants, they were significantly less fierce than in past cycles and the challenges and photo shoots were way too out-there for the girls to really shine. How is a girl supposed to model with an elephant trunk attached to her face? My advice for the next cycle: Tone down Tyra, bring the shoots back to basics, and watch earlier cycles for inspiration. Of course, I'll still watch, no matter what you do. Guilty pleasure, anyone?
Show That Regained Its Mojo: Real World/Road Rules Challenge
When I first heard of this Fresh Meat idea last spring, I pulled out my best Whitney Houston impression and said, "Aw hellllll naw." They seriously wanted to bring in fans of the show to mix in with the veteran challengers? Like I'm going to be more interested in some fratboy from Indiana than I am in Mike "The Miz" or Brad and his motorcycle fetish. Well guess what? It worked. Switching up the formula on a series that was admittedly getting a little tired was the perfect strategy. I loved how the veterans freaked out when they found out they'd be paired with a Fresh Meat competitor, and I loved it even more when teammates bonded, like Coral and Evan, or fought like siblings, like Tina and Kenny. The producers continued their evolution of the show with this fall's The Duel by making the competition every man for himself. As long as there's still plenty of room for alliances, back-stabbing, and Kina's obnoxious blue eye shadow, I'll keep watching.
Show I Lost Track Of: The OC
I'm sad about this one. I stuck by this show last season, watching it spiral away into a cliched, soapy mess. I was very excited to hear that this fall's season would be the best since the first, but unfortunately that 9 pm Thursday timeslot is way too busy for me. Grey's Anatomy wins out and the NBC comedies get the DVR, so that leaves Ryan, Seth and Summer in the dust. I'm very sorry, guys. I miss you and I hope we can meet up again in another timeslot someday soon.
Sophomore Star: How I Met Your Mother
I love this show. I love it so much, even though there are so many reasons why I shouldn't. It has a laugh track, predictable storylines, and a guy that looks a little too much like Jimmy Fallon for his own good. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Jimmy Fallon (my friends can all attest to that one), but these are all signs of doom for half-hour comedies. But somehow, HIMYM works. I care about these characters and I laugh with them, not at them. When Marshall and Lily broke up last season, I was sad, but I had hope because we know eventually they get married. And even though we know that, I still want to watch. I can't put my finger on it, but this show definitely has that "it" factor. It must have something to do with Neil Patrick Harris, a strong overall plotline, and the guts to make one of its lead characters a former Debbie Gibson-esque mall pop star. Whatever it is, it's working for me, and I encourage you to pick this one up if you haven't already.
Show I Refuse to Shut Up About: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
If you've read any of my articles on Studio 60, you know I have a huge crush on this show. It has all the elements to be excellent: great concept, great cast, and Aaron Sorkin at the helm. It has faltered a little this season but I really think this show belongs on television. It is not afraid to make its viewers uncomfortable by bringing up issues like same-sex marriage or the Iraq war, but it still has those tried and true love stories that reel us all in. Plus, for TV geeks like me, it's a show about the making of a television show! What more can a girl ask for?
Show I'm Glad I Started Watching Even Though It's In Its Third Season: Veronica Mars
Seriously, this show is really good, and I'm watching a season that is allegedly not as good as the first two. I started watching Veronica Mars cold turkey this year, since I had heard so many good things about the writing, the characters, and Kristen Bell's performance. Well, all you folks out there on the internets were right after all. The writing is clever and quirky, the characters have depth, and Kristen Bell sure deserves that Emmy. I'm currently in the middle of the first season DVDs, thanks to Netflix, and I'm really excited to see how things got to where they are now. Give this one a try. It'll take a couple episodes to get into the mix, but once you're there, it's definitely worth it.
Shows I Haven't Mentioned Yet
There are a few more shows I never miss but was too lazy to think of categories for: Grey's Anatomy (consistently amazing), Laguna Beach (consistently irresistible), Gilmore Girls (consistently inconsistent, but I have faith you'll pull through), and Lost (consistently confusing but I'm not going anywhere).
There you have it: the year 2006 according to one TV-addicted girl. Here's to more crazy plot twists, love triangles, and quirky characters in 2007!
SoundOff to MediaVillage about the 2006 TV Season by clicking here.
To read more about this show and the other 2006 Fall Series, click here.
