wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

I try to watch:
--The War. I hadn't expected it to be so compelling--a global trainwreck you can't take your eyes off, a brilliant fusion of the macro and the personal.
--Daily & Colbert shows
--Book TV can be great, tho it has a preponderance of weird & tiny right wing events (nothing more thrilling than watching a Cato "scholar" give a talk to his pals).
--Mad Men. The latest show, "Shoot," deliciously fulfilled its promise--lush, loving attention to period milieu combined with great plot & surprising characters. The Sopranos crossed with Twin Peaks.
--30 Rock
--PBS has consistently great shows, "Capitol Crimes" on Abramoff comes immediately to mind.

There are a number of shows I recognize as quality, but that I have to forgo out of concern that I may get nothing else done in life:

--Gray's Anatomy--schmaltz, sure, but pretty well done schmaltz.
--Boston Legal
--The Simpsons
--The Office

And others. I agree, we are in a Golden Age of TV programming right now.

I lived for a year without a TV recently. Didn't know much about what was going on in the world, but boy! did I get a lot of work done!

As if TV watching needed any more advocacy to convince us to watch TV shows!

THE WAR is just incredible, you just can't turn away, a global train wreck. Brilliant combo of the personal and the macro.

MAD MEN reached its peak in last week's "Shoot," a combo of high style, rich appreaciation of the period, and--finally-- plot and character twists worthy of The Sopranos/Twin Peaks.

BOOK TV, tho it tends to have some really weird right-wing guests/events.

DAILY/COLBERT SHOWS are a high point in satire--and often do a better job disentangling issues than the MSM.

PBS, of course, regularly has great material. Moyers' "Capitol Crimes" on Abramoff comes immediately to mind.

My guilty pleasure: KATHY GRIFFIN.

These take up a huge amount of time. In 2004-2005, I lived without a TV, and I got SO much work done. I didn't know much about what was going on in the world, but boy, did I get work done!

recent great shows (some over, some current, some to maybe return)

(a pretty short list actually)

oz (the early shows)
sopranos (obviously)
arrested development
the office (american version)
simpsons (still funny at times)
the wire
30 rock (sometimes)
mad men
flight of the conchords (hit and miss but good)
battlestar galactica (kind of interesting!)
curb your enthusiasm (still funny)
the daily show (amusing and occasionally brilliant)
front line
POV
charlie rose (sometimes)

that's all i can think of.....reality TV must end!!!! also all the law and order + spin offs are DONE. enough. also 99% of sitcoms.

My best shows are:
The Office
30 Rock (i'm one of the 12)
My Name Is Earl (silly, fun)
The Closer
Rescue Me

Shows I wish were still on:
Arrested Development (great show - too bad it didn't last!)
Deadwood (HBO)

Good point about PBS:

Frontline is consistently good as is Bill Moyer's Journal

also I enjoy a lot of History Channel documentaries when they aren't doing stupid things like UFO files or Ice Road truckers

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Dexter -- fascinating show, very well written and the performances are amazing. I'm surpised at how much I'm looking forward to the season 2 premiere.

BBC America has some of the best shows:

MI5
Babylon
Murphy's Law
Jeckyl
Waking the Dead
Silent Witness

also USA's Monk and Psych are great shows.

Stopped watching TV ... 'cause! I got rid of it..
Listen to radio a lot and U'r show.. volume there!

Watch clips of shows on the net two or three days later

It is interesting how so many great PBS programs are omitted from the Best Shows.
It is one thing to list most popular as Gary mentions it is another thing to rate the shows being best for other than being popular.
Maybe being a Time magazine writer Mr. Poniewozik, he is forced to have a biased view of what to count as being Best.

I LOVED HBO's Rome and am so sad it has been cancelled.

The first two seasons of the new updated version of Battlestar Galactica was really groundbreaking in terms of sci-fi and excellent but unfortunately underestimaed by people due to people associating it to the cheesy 70's original.

I watch TV shows so I can communicate with tweens and teens I'm volunteering to help (anything on Disney Channel, American Idol). For myself I mostly watch the Food Network, PBS, and Brothers and Sisters on ABC.

Best shows on television

Grey's Anatomy
The Office
My Name is Earl
30 Rock
Boston Legal!!!

The Wire...

Absoutely the best show on television. Real, gritty, dramatic and terrific.

Stopped watching TV...

I prefer to see the clips on the Net two or three days later!

I wish Arrested Development was still on. That was a GREAT show!

Mad Men is great. I feel like I am getting a window into the world my parents grew up in. I am also excited for House and Law & Order: SVU. And despite all I still love Weeds. I also have to mention the hilarious Flight of the Conchords, which just ended.

I watch one comedy show CNN's The Situation Room; two news program, Democracy Now and The Daily Show; two social/political Commentary programs, Countdown with Keith Olbermann and South Park. I also enjoy History programs.

Mr. Poniewozik,

Your "best-of" list is really a popularity list. "Popularity" does not equal "Best". Having "American Idol," "Beavis and Butthead" and "The Monkees" proves my point. Some notable--and unforgivable--omissions:

- "The Charlie Rose Show"
- HBO's "Oz"
- Showtime's "Brotherhood"
- PBS's "FRONTLINE" and "American Experience"
- "The Benny Hill Show" (just kidding)

Gary