When the end of the year rolls around, we all like to make our lists. The Top 10 list is the traditional method for this sort of thing, but I like to go that extra mile. I watch a lot of TV after all, and I feel like I’m going to hurt somebody’s feelings if I limit myself to ten. Besides, I feel like doubling up on my TV list makes up for the fact that I can’t do a Top 10 list for this year’s albums, since the only thing I bought was Elvis Costello’s Momofuku. Also, five of my Top 10 movies would probably be Dark Knight.
But let me tell you, I sweat over getting the TV list down to twenty entries. I had to cheat. I had to search my soul. I even had to take reality shows out of consideration. This, I think is actually justified. With reality TV, it’s a fine line between legitimately good (The Amazing Race, Project Runway), so-bad-it’s-good (The Pick-Up Artist), and so-bad-it’s-awesome (50 Cent: The Money and the Power). Thus, I’m sticking with scripted television for my list.
