BEST DRAMA SERIES

Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mad Men

Who Will Win: Mad Men. This is there year to break through the Breaking Bad wall. Boardwalk has a strong chance as well, but I think the boys at SCDP are going to be happy come Emmy night.

Who Should Win: Friday Night Lights. The final season of FNL was not its best (season 1 or 4), but was still very good, and getting a symbolic win in its last season would be great to see. Don’t hold your breath though.

Who Was Snubbed: Justified. Seriously, how was this show forgotten?

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office
30 Rock
Parks and Recreation

Who Will Win: Too Close to Call. This is a really tight category, where any of these shows could take the statue, but…

Who Should Win: Parks and Recreation. Hands down the funniest show with the best cast. The show went nuts this year, with no weak episodes, and if it doesn’t win, I’ll go on a hunger strike (or probably just be mad for a few days).

Who Was Snubbed: Community. The show had a few brilliant episodes this season, including a few that were light on the wacky humor that helped build the shows fanbase, but heavy on tremendously done storytelling. A shame it didn’t get a nod.

BEST DRAMA ACTOR

Timothy Olyphant, Justified
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House

Who Will Win: Jon Hamm. It’s his year to hold the statue before Cranston comes back. And honestly, if you saw the episode “The Suitcase,” you’ll have no problem agreeing with me.

Who Should Win: Kyle Chandler. Like FNL in the Drama Series category, this would be symbolic, though Chandler was pitch perfect in his final season as Coach Taylor, and deserves it outright.

Who Was Snubbed: This category is surprisingly tight. Not much you can argue here.

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Mariska Hargitay, SVU
Mirelle Enos, The Killing
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Who Will Win: Elisabeth Moss. If you saw Hamm in “The Suitcase,” you know Moss deserves an Emmy for her work too. She’s past due, and this will be her year.

Who Should Win: Connie Britton. If I had a vote, I’d vote for Moss, but Britton spent five years doing phenomenal work as Tammy Taylor, and it’s sad to see her come away from it all empty handed.

Who Was Snubbed: January Jones, Mad Men. I’m not the biggest January Jones fan, and Betty didn’t have much to do this season, but when she was on screen, the whole mood of the scene changed. Betty was fascinating to watch this year, thanks in large part to Jones.

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

Who Will Win: Amy Poehler. Tina Fey might surprise, but I think this is Poehler’s year. She was very good all season, and I think that will be hard to ignore.

Who Should Win: Amy Poehler. Seriously. She was great.

Who Was Snubbed: Alison Brie, Community. Annie is one of the sweeter, more fun characters on TV right now. Just watch her try and be someone else in the bar night episode, you’ll see what I mean.

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Steve Carell, The Office
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Louie C.K., Louie

Who Will Win: Steve Carell. He hasn’t won an Emmy yet for playing his most iconic roll, and this is the last chance. Voters won’t forget that.

Who Should Win: Louie C.K. It seems like an odd nomination, but it’s sort of Louie‘s consolation prize.

Who Was Snubbed: Joel McHale, Community. The longer he’s on Community, the better he’s getting.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY
Chris Colfer, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Who Will Win: Ty Burrell. It’s gotta be someone from Modern Family, and it might as well be the most consistently funny.

Who Should Win: If not Burrell, Eric Stonestreet. After Phil, Cam is among the funniest characters on TV.

Who Was Snubbed: A long list here, including Danny Pudi, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Rainn Wilson, all of whom did fantastic work this season on shows that were not Modern Family.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Walton Goggins, Justified
John Slattery, Mad Men
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age

Who Will Win: John Slattery. Like I said, it’s Mad Men’s year to break through the Breaking Bad wall.

Who Should Win: Walter Goggins or Peter Dinklage. Both were fantastic, but will certainly be forgotten come voting time.

Who Was Snubbed: Not to bring in more Mad Men, but the more the show has gone on the more I like Vincent Kartheiser as Pete, who has yet to get a nomination.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY
Jane Lynch, Glee
Betty White, Hot in Cleveland
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

Who Will Win: Kristen Wiig. This will be her anointment into stardom, much the same way Tina Fey (and hopefully Amy Pohler) got her first Emmy en route to a successful movie career. She deserves it too.

Who Should Win: Julie Bowen. Claire isn’t a likable character without her.

Who Was Snubbed: Rashida Jones, Parks and Recreation. Poor, beautiful Anne.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Margo Martindale, Justified
Michelle Forbes, The Killing
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Who Will Win: Christina Hendricks. This is a really tight category full of deserving actresses, but she’ll have the Mad Men luck behind her.

Who Should Win: Margo Martindale. If you’ve watched Justified, you know why.

Who Was Snubbed: No one here. Fantastic group of actresses.

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey
The Kennedys
Mildred Pierce
The Pillars of the Earth
Too Big to Fail

BEST VARIETY SERIES
The Colbert Report
Conan
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM
Antiques Roadshow
Undercover Boss

OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION
The Amazing Race
American Idol
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef

Micmacs

It’s that time of year folks! Jonah and Michael have spent the last couple weeks debating the best of 2010, and this week, we’ll unveil our picks! We start today with our personal Honorable Mentions, the ones that didn’t make our master lists, but our personal ones. Stay tuned the rest of the week for our official picks!

Jonah’s Picks:

Film: Micmacs

Jeunet’s latest film is inspired by everything from Buster Keaton to Pixar, blending it with an Ocean’s 11 style heist into a movie that is whimsical and fun and just a little sad. If you found Amelie too precious, Micmacs won’t change your mind, but if you’re already on board with Jeunet, you should hunt down Micmacs immediately.

Film Performances: Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Unfortunately, we had to make these lists without seeing all the 2010 releases that are still making their way around the country. So consider this a placeholder a nod towards a film that we’re both eagerly anticipating.

TV Show: Justified

Few new TV characters crackled to life in 2010 the way Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder did. The fish-out-of-water premise and early case of the week structure were a little frustrating, but by the time the show moved to its season ending masterplot, the elements blended together to make the most compelling cop show on TV right now.

Album: The Books, The Way Out

On their first album in five years, The Books pushed their aesthetic in bold new directions, layering electronic, funk, and even hip-hop to make the catchiest sound collage record of all time. Stand-out tracks like “A Cold Freezin’ Night” and “I Am Who Am I” make for an aggressive counterweight to gentler stuff like “Thirty Incoming.”

Song: Caribou, “Odessa”

“Odessa,” the most accessible song off of Swim, is also a perfect tone-setter for the record that follows. “Odessa” establishes a mournful atmosphere, layered in disco and pop, as it depicts a breakup in oblique terms.

Michael’s Picks:

Film: Rabbit Hole

The more I thought about John Cameron Mitchell’s latest film, the more I found that I liked it. It’s a brooding film, one in which its characters are always on the verge of meltdown, but for a film about a couple dealing with the loss of their child, it doesn’t drop into melodrama like so many other similar films. It’s a gorgeously filmed and phenomenally acted film that may not get the attention it deserves, but is well worth your time.

Film Performance: Mia Wasikowska, The Kids Are All Right

While her higher profile co-stars stole the show, Wasikowska delivered a great performance as a girl just trying to figure out who she is at a time of great change in her life. There’s a naturalism in her performance, a sense that for a young actress, she’s incredibly comfortable in front of the camera, announcing her as a next great talent.

TV Show: Friday Night Lights

Long critically adored, Friday Night Lights goes into its final season riding high. There are few shows on TV that are as good at moving characters in and out of its plot as effectively as FNL, and even less that draw out such terrific performances from such young actors. I’ll be said to see Coach and Tammy go, but at least they’re going out with another strong season.

Album: Broken Social Scene, Forgiveness Rock Record

Call them a sentimental pick, but I thought BSS delivered a fantastic fourth record. It may not be as high up there as some of their previous albums, but Forgiveness Rock Record shows a significant amount of growth for a band that has been so fractured and constantly moving as BSS. If nothing else, it has some damn catchy songs.

Song: Titus Andronicus, “A More Perfect Union”

If there was one song this year that didn’t make our list that I kept listening to over and over again, it was this epic track that kicked off The Monitor. It’s songs like this that make it easy to argue that Titus Andronicus, like Ted Leo before them, are the indie punk descendents of Bruce Springsteen.

Winners

The biggest winner of the night was ABC’s breakout Modern Family, who won big and easily won the media created battle between it and Glee, pulling in awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy (Eric Stonestreet, well deserved for the episode “Fizbo”), Comedy Writing, and the big one, Best Comedy Series. Glee got a big win though from their most recognizable star, Jane Lynch, who got a long deserved award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Like Glee or not, Lynch is a terrific comedienne that has worked her way up the ladder the last 10 years, so it was great to see her win. Also pulling out a surprise win was Aaron Paul, who finally got his Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Emmy for Breaking Bad. Neil Patrick Harris also got his Emmy breakthrough, though for for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy for Glee, losing out on Supporting Actor for How I Met Your Mother yet again. The biggest winner on the night though? Host Jimmy Fallon, who was in his element and hopefully won over some of those people who thought he laughed too much on SNL.

Surprises

This year’s Emmy’s had  a few tricks up their sleeves, among them being Edie Falco’s win for Best Actress in a Comedy, beating out several heavy hitters. Falco herself seemed surprised, proclaiming, “I’m not funny!” from the podium. The other big surprise was The Good Wife’s Archie Panjabi’s win for Best Supporting Actress in a drama, upsetting favorites Elizabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks, both from Mad Men. Jim Parson’s of The Big Bang Theory also had a smaller surprise win for Best Actor in a Comedy, beating out Alec Baldwin, Steve Carrell, and Larry David, though Big Bang has had the adoration of viewers and critics to make it less of a left field choice.

Losers

After doing so well in the Golden Globes, Glee lost out, taking home Best Comedy Writing alongside Lynch’s win. Another big show, Breaking Bad, only took home awards in teh acting categories for Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, losing to network pal Mad Men in the Best Drama category. Many thought this would be Breaking Bad‘s year, but evidently, they’ll have to wait a little bit longer. The final season of Lost failed to take home any Emmys, though they were up against stiff competition in every category. After getting nominations for Coach and Mrs. Coach, Friday Night Lights was predictably shut out once more from Emmy glory. A couple of comedy surprises led to loses for Amy Pohler in Parks and Recreation‘s sole nomination and Steve Carell, who has yet to win for his iconic role of Michael Scott with just one year left to go.

Outstanding Drama
Lost
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Mad Men
True Blood
The Good Wife

Who Should Win: Breaking Bad. That show can’t get any better.
Who Will Win: Tough to say really, but I wouldn’t put too much thought into Dexter or True Blood. Lost has a chance because the Emmy’s like to honor shows that have ended, but I think the safe bet is between Breaking Bad and Mad Men.
Who Was Snubbed: Friday Night Lights. Not a big shock, but another great season goes unrewarded.

Outstanding Comedy

Glee
Modern Family
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Nurse Jackie
30 Rock
The Office

Who Should Win: Modern Family. A terrific debut season that made the sentimental family comedy hilarious again.
Who Will Win: Glee or Modern Family. I wouldn’t count out The Office or 30 Rock, since both were nominated for weak seasons, but I think the rookie shows have the edge.
Who Was Snubbed: I’d say Party Down if it had a bigger audience, but I’m going to go with Parks and Recreation. The show turned it around big time and largely got shut out. I’d trade it with The Office in a heartbeat.
Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Mariska Hargitay (Special Victims Unit)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
January Jones (Mad Men)
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)

Who Should Win: Connie Britton. Finally nominated for her incredible work on FNL, Tammy Taylor deserves an Emmy.
Who Will Win: I think this one is going to go to either Julianna Margulies or Glenn Close, one for her high profile show and the later for her high profile status.
Who Was Snubbed: Katey Sagel. Sons of Anarchy doesn’t scream “Emmy,” largely because it’s on FX, but Sagel is easily the best part of the show.

Outstanding Actor in a Drama
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Hugh Laurie (House M.D.)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Matthew Fox (Lost)

Who Should Win: Bryan Cranston. It’s great to see Kyle Chandler get a nod, but Cranston again cannot be topped.
Who Will Win: Cranston. Michael C. Hall won the Golden Globe, but I can’t see Cranston losing the Emmy.
Who Was Snubbed: Bill Paxton, for Big Love. In a season in which Big Love struggled and Bill became less likable, Paxton sold it for all it was worth.

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Lea Michele (Glee)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Toni Collette (The United States of Tara)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine)
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Who Should Win: Amy Poehler. She was the heart and soul of the revived Parks and Rec, transforming a character in just a season’s time. Definitely would have my vote.
Who Will Win: Tina Fey. The Emmy’s still think 30 Rock is the great show it was in its first two seasons, so I think she’ll take home another statue.
Who Was Snubbed: Lizzie Caplan, for Party Down. Casey got 100x funner in season two, but again, no one watched.

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Matthew Morrison (Glee)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)

Who Should Win: Have to go with Larry David. Curb did it again.
Who Will Win: Really anyone. LD has the best chance, but this category seems wide open.
Who Was Snubbed: Joel McHale for Community. Jeff Winger could have been a boring character without McHale, who more than ably led that show.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Chris Colfer (Glee)
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)
Jon Cryer (Two and A Half Men)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

Who Should Win: Oh man. Three Modern Family nods, all deserving, plus NPH, who has yet to win, it’s a tough one to pick!
Who Will Win: NPH. I think this is his year. I wouldn’t be shocked to see anyone win though.
Who Was Snubbed: Chris Pratt for Parks and Rec. Andy is such a moron, but he produced some of the biggest laughs for me, all season long.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Jane Lynch (Glee)
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
Holland Taylor (Two and A Half Men)

Who Should Win: I loved the Modern Family actresses, but I think Jane Lynch deserves, not just based on Glee, but her many years struggling in relative obscurity.
Who Will Win: Lynch. Everyone loves her, I think she’s a lock.
Who Was Snubbed: Alison Brie, for Community. Brie earned big laughs as bubbly Annie Edison, the former pill addict who somehow is still incredibly naive.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
Martin Short (Damages)
Terry O’Quinn (Lost)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
John Slattery (Mad Men)
Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age)

Who Should Win: O’Quinn or Emerson. They were both too good not win. I could also see this as the big category Lost wins.
Who Will Win: Paul has a big chance, but I think the Lost actors are going to get their last hurrah here.
Who Was Snubbed: I know picking another Lost actor seems like overkill, but Jorge Garcia and Nestor Carbonell both turned in some incredibly great performances this season.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Sharon Gless (Burn Notice)
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Rose Byrne (Damages)
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

Who Should Win: Elisabeth Moss. A fantastic season for Peggy, that saw her start to come in on her own a little bit more.
Who Will Win: Moss, Hendricks, or Byrne. It’s a three woman race.
Who Was Snubbed: Chloe Sevigny for Big Love. Like Bill Paxton, a great performance in a season with such a weak story.

Reality Competition program
American Idol
Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Saturday Night Live
Real Time With Bill Maher
Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

Who Should Win: Conan. Just because.
Who Will Win: Conan. Just because.
Who Was Snubbed: Letterman. He had a mini resurgence with Jay gone, but alas, Bill Maher gets his spot instead.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Mike O’Malley (Glee)
Eli Wallach (Nurse Jackie)
Neil Patrick Harris (Glee)
Fred Willard (Modern Family)
Jon Hamm (30 Rock)
Will Arnett (30 Rock)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristen Chenoweth (Glee)
Jane Lynce (Two and a Half Men)
Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory)
Elaine Stritch (30 Rock)
Tina Fey (SNL)
Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)
Betty White (SNL)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Robert Morse (Mad Men)
John Lithgow (Dexter)
Gregory Itzin (24)
Beau Bridges (The Closer)
Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)
Ted Danson (Damagaes)
Dylan Baker (The Good Wife)

Who Was Snubbed: Zach Gilford for Friday Night Lights. Even if you’ve never seen the show before, watch the episode “The Son” and then tell me you didn’t cry.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Mary Kay Place (Big Love)
Sissy Spacek (Big Love)
Ann-Margret (Law & Order: SVU)
Lilly Tomlin (Damages)
Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost)
Shirley Jones (The Cleaner)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
The Office (Niagara)
Glee (Pilot)
Modern Family (Pilot)
30 Rock (Anna Howard Shaw Day)
30 Rock (Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter)

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
The Good Wife (Pilot)
Mad Men (Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency)
Mad Men (Shut the Door. Have a Seat.)
Friday Night Lights (The Son)
Lost (The End)

Individual achievement in drama:
Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad,” AMC)
John Lithgow (“Dexter,” Showtime)
Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife,” CBS)
Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad,” AMC)
Katey Sagal (“Sons of Anarchy,” FX)

A bit of a wide open category. Lithgow and Cranston are the defending champs in the Emmy Best Dramatic Actor category, and I’d think that Cranston has a slight edge given the adoration over this season of Breaking Bad. Julianna Marguiles is probably the dark horse here, given that her show is on a network and too has been loved by critics. Smart money’s on Cranston though.

Individual achievement in comedy:
Ty Burrell (“Modern Family,” ABC)
Jane Lynch (“Glee,” Fox)
Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation,” NBC)
Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory,” CBS)
Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family,” ABC)

Another wide open race in a great category. I’m not the biggest Glee fan, but Jane Lynch has lifetime support from me, and Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet are equally deserving. If I had to pick, I’d pick Ron Fucking Swanson, to win, but that has a lot to do with my undying love of Parks and Rec more than anything else. Jim Parsons’ character on The Big Bang Theory is the most annoying of them to me, but critics seem to love that show, so don’t count him out at all.

Outstanding achievement in news & information:
“30 for 30” (ESPN)
“America: The Story of Us” (History Channel)
“Life” (Discovery Channel)
“The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
“The Rachel Maddow Show” (MSNBC)

While it’s hard to root against the Daily Show, the ESPN 30 for 30 series has been consistently great each time. Maddow gets the sole news entry here. Suck it Glen Beck!

Outstanding achievement in youth programming:
“Dinosaur Train” (PBS)
“iCarly” (Nickelodeon)
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (Cartoon Network)
“Word Girl” (PBS)
“Yo Gabba Gabba” (Nick Jr.)

I’m rooting for the show called Dinosaur Train because that sounds AWESOME.

Outstanding new program:
“Glee” (Fox)
“Justified” (FX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Parenthood” (NBC)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)

I think this is really a showdown between the two hottest new shows in the land, Modern Family and Glee, but I wouldn’t discount The Good Wife, which got higher critical acclaim than I would have expected. Really for the last year however, it’s been all about Glee and Modern Family, and I’d be surprised if one of the two didn’t win (Ed. Note: Hopefully Modern Family. I understand the appeal of Glee, but it doesn’t really do it for me).

Outstanding achievement in movies, miniseries and specials:
“Life” (Discovery Channel)
“Temple Grandin” (HBO)
“The Pacific” (HBO)
“Torchwood: Children of Earth” (BBC America)
“You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)

HBO seems primed to take home an award for…something. All three of their nominees here are about on the same plane, and since HBO never loses in this category, I think it will be one of those three.
Outstanding achievement in drama:
“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“Sons of Anarchy” (FX)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)

An interesting set of shows for sure. Lost is probably out of the running because its end infuriated so many, and Sons of Anarchy doesn’t seem like it would take the cake. The Good Wife has an outsider’s chance, but my money is on Breaking Bad. While Mad Men too has a really great shot, Breaking Bad has reached a point where nearly every new review calls it the best episode the show has ever done. If they’re going to overtake they’re slightly older sibling, this is the year.

Outstanding achievement in comedy:
“Glee” (Fox)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
“Party Down” (Starz)
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)

First and foremost, I’m thrilled to see Party Down get nominated, and included in such a strong group. That being said, I think this is the category where the loser of the Best New Show category gets their win. The Big Bang Theory is hugely popular, but from the TV Critics Association stand point, they’d be fairly hypocritical not to give it to one of their two most adored shows. I’d vote for Parks and Rec, and I have a feeling its in play, but I think this really again boils down to Glee and Modern Family.

Career achievement:
James Garner
Bill Moyers
Sherwood Schwartz
William Shatner
Dick Wolf

It’s a career achievement award for a reason. Anyone’s game.

Heritage award:
“24”
“M*A*S*H”
“Law & Order”
“Lost”
“Twin Peaks”

I’m surprised to see both Lost and 24 mixed in with M*A*S*H and Law & Order (either of which will win), but Twin Peaks stands out too as the odd duck here.

Program of the year:
“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Friday Night Lights” (DirecTV/NBC)
“Glee” (Fox)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Modern Family” (ABC)

No Mad Men?! Sacrilege! But in all seriousness, I see Breaking Bad or Modern Family as front runners, with Breaking Bad having the edge. Glee has a shot, but I think the other two had a bit more substance to them as far as overall program of the year. Lost will again encounter the problem of having so many people angry at their finale, but it has a shot if more voters loved it than hated it. Friday Night Lights was tremendous this season, but the fact that this is its sole nomination says to me that the voters are concentrated on the other shows in the category. I think the folks at Breaking Bad will be going home happy.

Let us know your thoughts! Who should win?

Hey everyone! Sorry for the slow posting, things in the media world have slowed down in the gap between Christmas and New Years. not to fear though, TUIW is going to help a little with some previews of 2010. We start with a schedule of the mid-season premieres for some of the shows we follow here. Undoubtedly, the one we’re most excited for is Lost, although Big Love ought to be a good one too. For more, check out our source here.

Wednesday, Jan. 6
Modern Family returns (ABC), 9 PM
Friday Night Lights returns (DirecTV 101), 9 PM

Sunday, Jan. 10
New season of Big Love premieres (HBO), 10 PM

Monday, Jan. 11
How I Met Your Mother returns (CBS), 8 PM

Thursday, Jan. 14
Community returns (NBC), 8 PM
Parks and Recreation returns (NBC), 8:30 PM
30 Rock returns with back-to-back episodes (NBC), 9 PM

Sunday, Jan. 17
24 four-hour, two-night premiere part 1 (FOX), 9 PM

Monday, Jan. 18
24 four-hour, two-night premiere part 2 (FOX), 8 PM

Thursday, Jan. 21
The Office returns (NBC), 9 PM
Burn Notice returns (USA), 10 PM

Monday, Jan. 25
Damages returns (FX), 10 PM

Wednesday, Jan. 27
Psych returns (USA), 10 PM

Tuesday, Feb. 2
Final season of Lost premieres (ABC), 9 PM

Monday, March 1
Parenthood premieres (NBC), 9 PM

Special Events
The Simpsons 20^th Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice! (FOX), Jan. 10. at 8:30 PM
The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC), on Jan. 17
Dollhouse series finale (FOX), Jan. 22 at 9 PM
16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TNT/TBS), Jan. 23
Winter Olympics (NBC), Feb. 12-28

10. 30 Rock
A lot of people have been ragging on 30 Rock for declining in quality, and yes, its third season was not its best, but it remained one of the funniest shows on TV. The third season had some gems, such as a fake trip to space for Tracy, Alec Baldwin playing a Spanish telenovela star, and Steve Martin’s hilarious turn as a disgraced corporate executive. Perhaps the backlash has come because the bar was set so high, but still, put 30 Rock next to most comedies on TV and you’ll see just how good it is. (M)

9. Friday Night Lights
By virtue of an unorthodox distribution agreement, Friday Night Lights is no longer in immediate danger of being cancelled, so we can just focus on how great this show is and how gracefully it recovered from its season two stumbling blocks. Whether you caught up with season three on NBC in the spring, or are already keeping up with season four through Direct TV now, you’ve seen a show that rediscovered its groove as a rich, naturalistic look at life in small town America, without condescension or bombast. Boasting some of the finest performances and writing on television, it’s a load off our minds to know that Friday Night Lights isn’t going anywhere.

8. Better Off Ted
What could have been a really conventional show about a wacky company quickly worked it’s charm and quietly became one of the best shows on TV. Better Off Ted is one part corporate satire and one part modern screwball, a combination that works well even in the show’s weaker episodes. The show wears its absurdity on its sleeve, making the most ridiculous parts (motion sensors that can’t see black people, a medieval fight club, the entire character of Veronica) completely normal within the boundaries of the world it lives in. A lovably wacky show, hopefully Ted can pick up a bigger audience here in its second season. (M)

7. Modern Family
Modern Family instantly got comparisons to Arrested Development upon its arrival, due mostly to it’s hand-held camera and quirky family plot, but the show quickly differentiated itself with a sweetness that isn’t found much on TV these days. The show never fails to deliver big laughs, and in just half a season, the characters have endeared themselves greatly to fans. How it will hold up as it goes on remains to be seen, but Modern Family has stood out thus far as delightfully funny show that isn’t afraid to show it has a little heart. (M)

6. Lost
When Lost got an end date, it suddenly became a focused show with a goal in mind, and it’s action-packed fifth season delivered big time. The world of Lost was already a dense one, but with time travel added to the mix, the show about people being stranded in a weird place became a show about destiny and the decisions we make in life. By this point, Lost is a show for dedicated fans only, but for those fans, it was an absolute treat to watch. (M)

5. Parks and Recreation
It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Parks and Recreation would find its groove this season since its parent show, The Office, experienced similar growing pains. However, I don’t think anyone anticipated just how good it would get. In its second season, the show found a way to make Amy Poehler’s lead character funny without seeming pathetic or delusional, while strengthening the support around her (particularly Nic Offerman’s Ron F-ing Swanson and Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford). Over the course of this year, Parks and Recreation has shaped itself into a potent comic force with the potential to lead NBC’s comic block as The Office ages more and more. (J)

4. Big Love

It didn’t take Big Love too long to transcend its hacky-stand-up-comedian (you think having one wife is hard, try three!), but the jump in quality in the show’s third season was still pretty incredible. Big Love navigated the rocky emotional territory of Bill’s three marriages (and attempt at a fourth) with the shocking trial of Roman, child abduction, family secrets, and it still found time to take a road trip out east. The ensemble was typically strong, but the year’s standout may have been Ginnifer Goodwin, who finally got some juicy storylines to go with her top-notch comic instincts. (J)

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm
From the very start of Curb Your Enthusiasm, it seemed we were inevitably headed for a Seinfeld reunion, the centerpiece of this past season of TV’s most cringe-worthy show. Larry David and Company played it all perfectly, tying in the reunion to Larry’s divorce for Cheryl and the idiosyncrasies that have made the character Larry David so fun (and painful) to watch. Everything built so perfectly to the moment we’d all been waiting for: the character Larry David acting as George, who was based on real life Larry David. Curb seemed destined for a sweet ending this season, but instead it ended with a question we’ll be pondering until the show returns: Do you respect wood? (M)

2. Breaking Bad
In its second season, Breaking Bad took the box it seemed to be fitting into to (desperate man turns to life of crime, has series of misadventures) and blew it up. Breaking Bad has become many things – a gritty, ground-level look at meth dealing in the southwest, a fascinating character study, a Greek tragedy, a dark comedy – but it remains grounded in the stunning performances by its ensemble, especially Bryan Cranston’s mesmerizing performance of the deeply flawed Walter White. It started as a small underdog, but Breaking Bad has become every bit the equal of its AMC neighbor and combined with Mad Men to make a stunning 1-2 punch unlike any other on TV. (J)

1. Mad Men
Even by Matt Weiner’s leisurely standards, the third season of Mad Men felt excruciatingly deliberate, especially in the slow early part of the season. But, as always, those who trusted the show were rewarded with a season as rich and compelling as the first two. Big changes hit the Sterling-Cooper crew, appropriate for a season set against the backdrop of the impending Kennedy Assassination, but, as always, the changes felt grounded in the show’s human element. While some episodes were extremely painful to watch (“The Gypsy and the Hobo,” “Seven Twenty Three,” and “Wee Small Hours” come to mind), they were necessary steps to the exciting future promised in the brilliant season finale. (J)

“Racial Sensitivity” – Better Off Ted
Sometimes, all it takes is one great episode for a decent show to jump to must-see, and that’s exactly what Better Off Ted did with “Racial Sensitivity,” an inspired bit of corporate satire that combined all the show’s best elements for 30 exhilarating minutes. Like “Slap Bet” before it, “Racial Sensitivity” announced the arrival of a show with a truly unique comic point of view.

“Come Ye Saints” – Big Love
Big Love started as something of a novelty, a story about a guy with three wives. By the time the show hit “Come Ye Saints” in its third season, all of that was more or less in the past. After Anna divorces Bill, he takes his family on a trip across the country, visiting important Mormon sites. The trip turns into a disaster, most notably after Sarah’s pregnancy comes to light when she has a miscarriage. Not only is the family intensely fractured, but Bill himself questions his faith and decisions more than ever. It’s a powerful episode of a show that was as good, if not better, than the other big dramas in its third season.

“ABQ” – Breaking Bad
You could basically choose from any of the 13 episodes in Breaking Bad’s engrossing second season, but we settled on the finale, which ties up the recurring images of the pink bear and body bags with Aristotlean flair. Walter White’s descent to hell completes itself in showy, fiery fashion, putting an exclamation mark at the end of one of the best seasons of television ever.

“Bad Breaks” – Burn Notice
“Bad Breaks” trucks along for its first ten minutes like every other episode of Burn Notice. Michael Weston starts investigating a case while also working on his larger mission of figuring out who burned him. But then the bank Michael is in gets robbed and, from there, its off to the races. Loaded with cool spy tricks and breakneck pacing, “Bad Breaks” was one of the most exciting and frothy hours of the year.

“Debate 109″ – Community
Community has quickly endeared itself to its fans in a lot of ways, and “Debate 109″ showcases the goofy charm the show has. Jeff gets roped into doing the debate team with Annie where he quickly finds his “lawyer skills” will be of no use. Fueled by an obnoxious rival and the promise of a parking space, Jeff and Annie get tough, and awkward together, and beat rival City College. Meanwhile, Pierce tries hypnotherapy to help Britta quit smoking and Troy and Shirley freak out over Abed’s films that predict the future. When it all comes together, it’s easy to see the quirky sweetness that has made Community one of the best new comedies of the season.

“Seinfeld” – Curb Your Enthusiasm
Larry David folded the comic universe in on itself at the climax of Curb Your Enthusiasm’s seventh season, when he threw on a sweater vest and portrayed George Costanza, the fictionalized version of Larry David from Seinfeld. The series of events that got us there, involving Mocha Joe, a pamphlet sized book on acting (without acting), and respect for wood was as hilarious as the show has ever been.

“Unnatural Love” – Flight of the Conchords
Americans might not fully grasp the never-ending feud between New Zealanders and Australians, but Flight of the Conchords made it one of their central jokes in their two season run. “Unnatural Love” finds Jemaine falling in love with an Australian after a night on the town goes a awry, much to the chagrin of Brett and Murray. Nearly all the jokes in the episode are about Australia, but told through the subtle humor of the show, it’s absolutely hysterical. The episode also features one of the band’s best songs, “Carol Brown.” Though maybe not their funniest or most memorable, it is a really terrific, catchy song with probably the coolest looking sequence the show’s done.

“The Son” – Friday Night Lights
[WARNING: This is an episode that has only aired on DirecTV. If you're waiting to watch on NBC in the spring, do not read further!] “The Son” might be the best episode the show has ever done. Matt Saracen emerged in the first season of FNL as an unlikely hero, a second string quarterback who was never supposed to play or get the girl. Matt was perpetually in an uphill battle, with a grandmother with dementia, a mother that left him, and a father who’d rather fight in Iraq than be at home. The latter comes to a head when Matt’s father is killed in Iraq, sending Matt into a downward spiral he seemed destined to have. Zach Gilford delivers an Emmy-worthy performance in an episode of FNL that will put a lump in the throat of even the most passive viewer. Television writing really doesn’t get much better than this.

“Benefits” – How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother once again showed its ability to take a pretty typical sitcom premise and add some life to it. Here, Ted and Robin become friends-with-benefits to ease the tension of their roommate situation, much to the chagrin of a lovesick Barney. The nimbleness with which the show deals with it, especially during the sequence that goes through the entire sequence of events in about two minutes, makes for another top-notch episode.

“The Incident” – Lost
Lost’s finales aren’t always their strongest episodes, but those looking for resolution from “The Incident” were left with their heads spinning. After a season of mindbending, time-travel weirdness, Lost raised the ante even further, raising questions of fate and predetermination while building to the most painful cliffhanger in the show’s history. Add in our first intriguing glimpses of Jacob (in a series of some of the show’s finest flashbacks ever), the Locke payoff, and the tragic end to the Juliet-Sawyer relationship, and you’ve got a bang-up finale.

“Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency” – Mad Men
There are plenty of memorable moments in television history, but there are few as horrifying as the lawn mower scene Mad Men used in their terrific third season. But really, the shocking scene is only one part of a terrific episode changed the gang at Sterling-Cooper tremendously. Don is teased, first by Cooper’s suggestion that he might be promoted to work in London, and then by the prospect of working for Conrad Hilton. Joan’s departure from Sterling-Coop is hampered when her husband doesn’t get the chief residence position. Betty stays a bad mother. Lane get’s transferred to Bombay, then gets to keep his job. Oh yeah, and Lois ran over a guy’s foot with a riding lawn mower. For a show that likes to keep it’s plot moving slowly, this was an episode that put into action the events that would define the end of another season of Mad Men.

“Fizbo” – Modern Family
Modern Family has been fairly consistently hilarious, but “Fizbo” is super-extra-double hilarious. Featuring a story line that finds a fleet way to make use of the entire ensemble, an interesting structure, and the sight of Cam threatening someone in a clown suit, the episode is an inspired bit of work, as showed by the meticulously built Rube Goldberg device that leads to the episode’s climactic injury.

“The Hunting Trip” – Parks and Recreation
If there’s any episode to show just how much Parks and Rec improved between its first and second season, it would be “The Hunting Trip.” Leslie maneuvers herself, Tom, Donna, and Anne onto a hunting trip previously reserved for Ron, Jerry, and Mark, trying to prove herself to be one of the boys. This would probably have only played out as a decent half hour of television, but when Ron get’s shot in the head, it becomes fantastic. Ron’s instant reaction to take 8 pain pills and down scotch, Tom’s suggestion that the Predator was hunting them, Donna’s distress over her car, and Leslie’s reasons for why being a woman caused her to shoot Ron are priceless. If you didn’t believe in Parks and Rec after its first season, watch this episode right away.

“Kerplunk” – Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daises met it’s too soon demise with “Kerplunk,” an episode not intended to be a finale, but one that functions fairly well as one. The episode finds Ned and Olive working for the Darling Mermaid Darlings on their comeback tour to solve the mystery of who sent a shark after one of their rivals. the mystery wasn’t the best the show did, but it was done with such gusto and with an attempt to tie up loose ends before the show’s end, that the episode is more bittersweet than any others. The brief epilogue tacked on at the end to wrap up the show may have been a bit too quick, but it’s a fitting end to a show that went too soon.

“Blood of the Father, Heart of Steel” – The Venture Bros.
Cartoon Network shows are nothing if not user-friendly. Beyond the show’s basic set-up, you usually don’t need to know too much going in and don’t need to watch that closely to get what’s going on. The Venture Bros’ fourth season premiere, however, tossed all that aside, wallowing in its dense continuity and crafting an episode that made no concessions to linear storytelling, creating as exhilarating and captivating a half hour as Adult Swim has ever aired.

25. House
One of the more popular shows of the decade, House combined ER, CSI, and Scrubs into a consistently satisfying show that produced one of the best TV personalities in its title character. Hugh Laurie’s portrayal of the sarcastic genius Dr. House is worth tuning in for on a regular basis, but the show always manages to keep the tension rising for the full hour before reaching its conclusion. Perhaps the best part of house is that you don’t need an extensive background on the show to watch it, making it easy to enjoy each time you turn it on. (M)

24. Dexter
As time goes on, Dexter has kind of flown off the rails (let’s just not talk about this season’s unfortunate repositioning of Dexter as America’s Favorite Serial Killer: how will he adjust to life in Suburbia?) but even at its most ridiculous, Michael C. Hall is there to ground the show. Hall isn’t afraid to embrace Dexter’s nasty, dark side, but he’s at his best when playing Dexter as an alien thrust into human society; squirming and struggling to pass for normal when surrounded by constant threats. (J)

23. Extras
Ricky Gervais took the cringe comedy he perfected on the The Office and brought it to Hollywood with his fantastic Extras. The premise of the show is simple, Gervais plays an extra who strives for more, while having wacky run ins with celebrities playing themselves. Each episode was essentially a set up for an awkward moment with a celebrity and for Andy, and it usually was incredibly cringe inducing while gut-bustingly funny. Standouts include a graphic Kate Winslet, a childish Daniel Ratcliff, a stoic Ian McKellen, and of course, an perverted Patrick Stewart. (M)

22. The Venture Bros.
The Venture Bros. isn’t really a parody, even though a quick plot summary reads as such. But parodies are generally a loosely strung-together series of one liners and jokes (see pretty much everything else on Adult Swim), whereas The Venture Bros. manages to balance together some extremely intricate mythology, legitimate character development, cultural criticism, and, yes, a very long and very funny series of one-liners and jokes. In episodes like “The Doctor is Sin” the show is at its best, turning the hero-villain dynamic on its head and showing that even superscientists and arch-villains in butterfly suits have feelings too. (J)

21. Scrubs
Though it veered off course towards the end of its run (we’re counting this new season as a spin-off), the first few years of Scrubs were fantastic television. The show never hesitated to add the crushing aspects of working in a hospital, but also never relied on gimmicks seen in hospital dramas. Instead, Scrubs always featured a high degree of goofy humor while highlighting the actual ups and downs of working in a hospital. The characters were all lovable, especially the constantly grumpy Dr. Cox, played to perfection by John C. McGinley. The popularity of the show has grown since it went into syndication, and rightfully so, as it was one of the better, unique comedies of the 2000s. (M)

20. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia‘s genius lies in how harmless it can seem at first. “A group of friends who hang out in a bar and get into schenanigans? I’ve seen this show before.” But Sunny takes its schlocky tropes in such wrong directions, and with such deranged glee, that it quickly becomes obvious that this isn’t like other sitcoms. Like a 2000s Seinfeld, Sunny stretches the limit of what is acceptable behavior within a sitcom until there are no limits left. (J)

19. Firefly
People forget that there was a time when Joss Whedon was a successful television wunderkind with a JJ Abrams-level ceiling. But that was before Firefly, his difficult, heady sci-fi western about a future that looks a lot more like our past. Whedon cleverly inverts the utopic social order of Star Trek, turning the Federation (actually called the Alliance, but its the same general idea) into the bad guys, making a show celebrating ingenuity and individualism, while avoiding any sort of heavy-handed sermonizing. Plus he recurited a stellar cast, led with Han Solo swagger by Nathan Fillion (who deserves to be a much, much bigger star thanks to this role). Sadly Firefly only lasted one season, but what a season it was. (J)

18. Friday Night Lights
Perhaps the most naturalistic show ever on television, Friday Night Lights quickly grew past its premise of a town obsessed with high school football. In addition to the drama you’d expect, the show has touched on a father in Iraq, racism, class difference, paraplegics, and the enormous expectations placed on high school stars. Rather than just keep the same cast, even after some have graduated, the show hasn’t been afraid to keep its cast revolving, consistently bringing in well thought out characters. As a result, FNL is not just a show for football fans, but for fans of great TV. (M)

17. Big Love
What started as a show with a gimmicky concept, a Mormon man with three wives, evolved to become a family drama about faith and convictions, which has gotten better and better as it has gone on. The show is driven by a terrific cast, most notably the three wives played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, and Ginnifer Goodwin. While it’s not a show you can just pick up and watch at any point, Big Love is a unique drama that puts the pedal to the floor for every episode and is a pleasure to watch each week. (M)

16. Pushing Daisies
Cheerful whimsy is a hard tone to carry through a 13-hour season, but Pushing Daisies pulled it off by weighting down its twee elements with a genuine sadness. Constructed like a fairy tale and set in a world that looks like a Tim Burton-directed Amelie, Pushing Daisies was an hour of happiness beamed directly into your living room, buoyed by an amazing ensemble without a single weak link or overwhelming personality (although, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Chi McBride). One of the great tragedies of the strike is that it sabotaged the burdgeoning success on one of TV’s most unique shows. (J)

15. How I Met Your Mother
The only show on our list with a laugh track, How I Met Your Mother started as a sitcom with a clever premise and expanded to become one of the most inventive and hip shows on TV. While the performance of Neil Patrick Harris as ultimate ladies man Barney has drawn the most praise, the rest of the cast is equally as fantastic in their less over the top roles, especially Cobie Smulders as Canadian newswoman Robin. If you remain unconvinced, check out the Season 2 episode “Slap Bet.” There are few episodes of TV in the last 10 years better than that. (M)

14. Flight of the Conchords
Blending deadpan silliness with genuinely catchy songs, Flight of the Conchords turned into a minor phenomenon, as word of mouth spread about just how hilarious the show was. Even as the quality of the music teetered off a little bit in the second season, the show’s hilarious writing and talented supporting cast (including two of the decade’s funniest creations: Rhys Darby’s clueless manager/New Zealand consulate drone Murray and Kristen Schaal’s creepily obsessed superfan Mel) carried it through. (J)

13. The Office (US)
After a lackluster first season, the American version of The Office looked like a flop. But with the Season 2 opener “The Dundies,” The Office started having its own identity and it paid off big time. Rather than stay focused on just a few characters, the show expanded through the offices of Dunder-Mifflin, giving a whole new set of options to the show. It still goes for the cringe humor of it’s British heritage (more on that in a bit), but it has also relied on a deeper emotional depth for its cast of characters, providing more than just laughs to a great show.(M)

12. Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica had giant “Stay Away” signs posted all over it – like the fact that it was remake, appearing on a channel not exactly known for quality original productions. But Ronald D. Moore and David Eick beat the odds and made a show that, during some of our most turbulent years, directly engaged the political situation with more sophistaction than any other show on TV (inlcuding cable news or, for that matter, most films). While Moore didn’t quite stick the landing, he still made an immensely thoughtful show, packed with characters who transcended their pulpy roots to become genuinely fascinating and empathy-enducing figures. (J)

11. Veronica Mars
The first season of Veronica Mars is an intricately plotted masterpiece that serves as compelling evidence of what television is capable of on a storytelling level, balancing a tightly-wound mystery that would give Sam Spade pause with a fascinating depiction of class warfare in a California high school. While the next two seasons didn’t quite live up to that first one, they were still excellent and all three gave us a chance to see the brilliant work Kristen Bell did in the title role. Balancing a world-weary, sardonic edge with a measure of innocence and idealism, Bell played the most realistic teenager to appear on television since Sunnydale High School’s destruction. (J)

10. Breaking Bad
When it started, Breaking Bad‘s premise sounded awfully familar. But, over the course of two brief seasons, it morphed into a pitch black look at male anxiety, drug trade in the Southwest, and one man’s transformation from an upstanding chemistry teacher into a monster. Giving one of the best performances of the decade, Bryan Cranston guides that transformation by showing that those traits had always existed inside Walter White, it just took something like cancer to bring them out. There have been many antiheroes on TV this decade, but none started seeming as docile only to become as horrifying (in such a convincing way) as Walter. (J)

9. 30 Rock
When 30 Rock debuted, no one had any doubt that Aaron Sorkin’s dramedy Studio 60, also about a sketch comedy show, would be much better. Now, in it’s fourth season, 30 Rock has had 3 more seasons and Emmy’s for Best Comedy than it’s former counterpart. A zainy show that combines the in jokes of Arrested Development with the absurd parts of the The Simpsons, Tina Fey’s show is a weekly laugh fest, even when it’s not at its best. 30 Rock stands out from other sitcoms for it’s joke first, plot later structure. Above all, 30 Rock has proved it’s okay to pander comedy to smart people, and has become a show that doesn’t take its viewer for granted. (M)

8. Curb Your Enthusiasm
No one, not even Larry David, acts like “Larry David,” the main character of Curb Your Enthusiasm. But part of the fun of the show is picturing what it would be like if, just once, you could verbally abuse the people who take too many samples or eat a couple of your shrimp after taking the wrong takeout box. Free of the conventions and restraints imposed by Seinfeld, Larry David was able to run wild and make a show that is so painfully, terrifyingly awkward that you can’t help but laugh. (J)

7. The Daily Show/The Colbert Report
Sticking out from the other shows on this list and forever being tied together, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report were perhaps the most important shows for late night TV since Johnny Carson. Taking aim at not only politicians, but the media and hypocrisies everywhere, both shows became more and more important as the second half of the decade went on. In the 2008 election, both Daily Show host Jon Stewart and the Stephen Colbert took Republican candidate John McCain to task for his remarks about the economy, and the media followed suit. Both shows stood at the intersection between comedy and politics while managing to play both sides. How long they can last remains to be seen, but in the 2000s, they were incredible. (M)

6. Mad Men
There was a recent study that watching TV shows regularly and following the characters has the same effect on your brain as forming actual friendships. While I don’t know this for sure, I suspect that vast majority of participants in the study were Mad Men viewers. Sure the show’s period trappings are beautifully realized, and the central concept of an ad man who is so committed to his craft of building consumerist fantasies that he has sold himself on his lies is compelling and rich, but its Mad Men‘s characters and the humanity with which it treats them that makes it so hypnotically compelling. Mad Men is a collection of little moments that build a larger picture of alienation, depression, and things we do to try to fight them off. (J)

5. Lost
No other show has ever captured the curiosity of its fans while demanding so much attention as Lost. A combination of mystery, adventure, and sci-fi, Lost was a cultural phenomenon upon its arrival, and those that have stuck around have been treated to a show that has grown strongly over time, making its mythology deeper and deeper. Many imitators have tried to steal Lost‘s formula, but to no avail. When the show returns this spring for it’s final season, one of the great TV mysteries will come to its conclusion, but our fascination with it may never end. (M)

4. The Wire
What’s left to be said about The Wire, David Simon’s depressingly realistic portrayal of how the system rewards sloth, greed, and inaction? There are no good or bad guys in The Wire, just people trying to do what they can to get by. Simon’s multi-layered, intellectually taxing storytelling takes a while to acclimate to, but before you realize, you’re sucked into a world spiraling further and further towards bleak, bureaucratic dystopia; and then you turn off the show and realize you were already living in it. (J)

3. The Office (UK)
Before there was Michael Scott, there was David Brent and his band of weary office workers who were perpetually terrorized by the antics of their boss. The original version of The Office really brought together the cringe comedy of Larry David with Sam and Diane, while at the same time presenting the dull drums of the workplace. David Brent is right up there with Ralph Cramden, Lucy, and Archie Bunker in the TV comedy hall of fame. His very presence on screen will make you cringe. Without The Office, who knows what would have happened to sitcoms in the 2000s. (M)

2. The West Wing
While Aaron Sorkin was at the helm, The West Wing Was a show unequaled in quality. Before Sorkin left the show following the fourth season, the show was as much a human drama as it was a political one, thanks in large part to the quality of a cast that made their characters impossible to dislike. Perhaps the most overlooked part of the Sorkin Years was that the show was often hilarious, breaking the seriousness up, and really making for four seasons without a bad episode. When the show changed hands for its final three seasons, it suffered at first, and improved towards the end, but seasons 1-4 remain some of the best television you’ll ever see. (M)

1. Arrested Development
Without a doubt the best comedy of the decade, and possibly ever, Arrested Development is a masterpiece of comic writing and execution. Whether you’re watching an episode for the first time or the tenth time, you’ll always laugh as the jokes pile up. With countless running gags and jokes (Franklin, “Her?”, Mr. F) that continued to pay off as the show went on, Arrested Development is a show that rewarded its small, loyal fan base, and easily won over more after its cancellation. If  you haven’t met the Bluths yet, you have no idea what you’re missing. (M)

There are few shows, let alone comedies, that are still as impactful the 80th time you watch them as they were the first. But Arrested Development actually gets better with repeat viewings, allowing you to fully drink in the world that Mitch Hurwitz created. The vividly realized, slightly askew universe of Arrested Development most closely resembles a real-life Springfield, with grotesquely wealthy privilege replacing middle-class ennui, but Arrested Development succeeds by packing it with characters who have beating hearts underneath their cartoonish exterior. Under appreciated in its time, Arrested Development’s cancellation had one positive: it guaranteed that the show’s run ended without a single bad episode. (J)