best, tv

critic’s picks – top tv of 2010

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Well it’s that time again, the time to reflect on the best of the year that’s passed. A tv season doesn’t quite follow the annual flow but I’ll go with it and note what critics are touting as the best of the year.

Abbreviations follow the alphabetical listing and links to posted lists are at the end.

Stay tuned to see what made my personal top ten list.

  • 30 Rock (NBC) – EN, AFI, TG, KT, GG, Sat
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – AS, DF
  • Archer (Fx) – TGBetter Off Ted (ABC) – MR
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, GG
  • The Big C (Show) – AFI, GG, Sat
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – SK, MR, EN, JP, AFI, JL, TG, AS, TVG, GG, Sat, DF
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – SK, MR, JP, AFI, TG, AS, TVG, KT, Sat, DF
  • The Choir (BBCA) – TVG
  • Chuck (NBC) – E
  • Community (NBC) – EN, E, JL, AS, KT, DF
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – MR
  • Damages (Fx) – SK
  • Dexter (Show) – SK, E, GG, Sat
  • The Event (NBC) – SK
  • Friday Night Lights (DirTV) – SK, E, JL, KT, Sat, DF
  • Fringe (Fox) – MR, E, JL, KT
  • Glee (Fox) – E, AFI, TVG, GG, Sat
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – MR, EN, JP, JL, TVG, KT, GG, Sat
  • Great Migrations (NatGeo) – TG
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – E
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • The InBetweeners (BBCA) – TG
  • In Treatment (HBO) – EN
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – JL, TVG, KT
  • Life (Disc) – TG
  • The Life and Times of Tim (HBO) – TG
  • Lost (ABC) – MR, E, TG, TVG
  • Louie (Fx) – EN, JP, E, TG, AS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – MR, EN, JP, E, AFI, JL, TG, AS, TVG, KT, GG, Sat, DF
  • Men of a Certain Age (TNT) – TG, KT
  • Modern Family (ABC) – MR, E, AFI, JL, TG, TVG, KT, GG, Sat
  • Morning Joe (MSNBC) – SK
  • Nurse Jackie (Show) – GG, Sat
  • The Pacific (HBO) – JP, AFI, TG , AS, TVG, DF
  • Parks & Recreation (NBC) – MR, JP, E, JL, TG, AS, KT, DF
  • Party Down (Starz) – MR, JP, E
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – E, Sat
  • Rubicon (AMC) – MR, JP
  • Sherlock (PBS) – TVG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – SK, E, TG
  • Spartacus (Starz) – MR
  • SpongeBob SquarePants (Nick) – SK
  • Terriers (Fx) – MR, EN, JP, JL, TG, AS, TVG, DF
  • Treme (HBO) – EN, TG, AS
  • True Blood (HBO) – E
  • The Tudors (Show) – Sat
  • United States of Tara (Show) – EN, Sat
  • Vampire Diaries (CW) – E, DF
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – SK, E, AFI, TG, TVG, GG
  • Work of Art: The Next Great Artist (Brav) – KT

AFI – American Film Institute, DF – Daniel Feinberg for Hitfix,  SK – Entertainment Weekly, MR – Maureen Ryan for TV Squad, EN – Emily Nussbaum for NYMag, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, E – Dramas and Comedies, GG – Golden Globe Nominations, JL – Jace Lacob for the Daily Beast, KT – Ken Tucker for EW, TG – Tim Goodman for Hollywood Reporter, Sat – Satellite Awards, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, TVG – Matt Roush for TVGuide

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/3-1/9

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New year brings some new shows…

Monday

  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Good antiques, bad antiques.
  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – For those of you who follow this, make your own judgments on the return of previously failed (or successful) bachelor Brad Womack.
  • Pretty Little Liars/Greek (ABCFam, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Happy to have these better of the fluffy shows return for more teen intrigue and the final season of the will they last college season.
  • Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Vegan to sausage.
  • Disappeared (ID, 10pm) Season Premiere – Looks at folks who disappeared.
  • In The Bedroom with Dr Laura Berman (Own, 10pm) Series Premiere – She talks about sex.
  • The Opener (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Renowned chef helps folks open restaurants.

Tuesday

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Another run with couples.
  • Live to Dance (CBS, 8pm) Series Premiere – I can’t remember why Paula Abdul said she was leaving Idol but here’s where she ended up.
  • V (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – I never quite got on board.
  • Dangerous Encounters (NatGeo, 8/9pm) Series Premiere – Pumas, gators, other dangerous things to encounter.
  • Chopped (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Chefs use goats brains…
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – Its move to TNT was an appreciated salvation, and now they’re getting to actual new episodes.
  • Permanent Mark (Spike, 11pm) Series Premiere – Apparently this is the name of the tattoo artist we follow in this series.

Wednesday

  • Ghost Hunters (Syfy, 6pm) Season Premiere – Drumming ghosts.
  • I Shouldn’t Be Alive (AnPl, 7pm) Season Premiere – Capsized boat, no supplies…
  • Mystery Diagnosis/Miracle Detectives (Own, 8/10pm) Season Premiere – More intrigue potentially solved.
  • People’s Choice Awards (CBS, 9pm) – I just never quite agree with the people.
  • Are We There Yet? (TBS, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – Season two begins.

Thursday

  • Wipeout (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – More falling.
  • Ace of Cakes (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – A tennis cake for the US Open!
  • Jersey Shore (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – The return to Jersey with the addition of another cast member.
  • Nightmare Next Door (ID, 10pm) Series Premiere – A look at murder cases in small town America.

Friday

  • Oprah Behind the Scenes/Your Own Show (Own, 8/9pm) Series Premieres – Oprah shows a look behind her show and then a look at who might be the next host extraordinaire.
  • Say Yes to the Dress/Four Weddings (TLC, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Weddings and what you wear to them.
  • Merlin (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Camelot returns.
  • Twisted (ID, 10pm) Season Premiere – Starting with a look at Ted Bundy.

Saturday

  • It’s Me or the Dog (AnPl, 5pm) Season Premiere – If the dogs were better behaved this answer would be more simple.

Sunday

  • Food Network Challenge (Food, 8pm) Season Premiere – Big bug cakes start the challenge.
  • Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – The latest animation addition.
  • Alaska State Troopers (NGC, 9pm) Season Premiere – This week sees troopers keeping party goers at the Arctic Man Fest in line.
  • Californication/Episodes/Shameless (Show, 9/9:30/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Without getting Showtime I’ve never quite caught on to Duchovney’s show but Matt LeBlanc’s Episodes is supposed to be a good one so may as well stay tuned in for Shameless.
  • The Cape (NBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – A disgraced cop starts fighting crime in costume, and the help of Summer Glau (Firefly) makes me a little interested in checking this out.
  • Kimora (Style, 9pm) Season Premiere – Life in the fab lane shows her 8 year old’s birthday party.
  • Masterpiece (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – The four-part Downtown Abby kicks off.
  • The Wild Within (Trav, 9pm) Series Premiere – Outdoorsy dude hunts and gathers like folks used to do.
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new and noteworthy tv: 12/27-1/2

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As the New Year approaches it’s not really time for new television, yet…

Monday

  • Disappeared (ID, 7pm) Season Premiere – Looking at folks who…
  • Bait Car/All Worked Up (Tru, 8/10pm) Season Premieres – Tracking cars that are too good not to steal and folks who deliver bad news.

Tuesday

  • Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (ABC, 8pm) – The claymation continues.
  • Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9pm) – Honorers and honorees.
  • Hardcore Pawn (Tru, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – More pawn action.

Wednesday

  • My Strange Addiction/Toddlers & Tiaras (TLC, 9/10pm) Series/Season Premieres – Folks who do weird things and folks who make their kids do weird things.
  • I Used to Be Fat (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – I guess people who used to be fat.

Thursday

  • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Even Charlie Brown deserves a good year.

Friday

  • New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin on CNN (8pm), Daryl Hall on WGN (8pm), Fox News (8pm), New York Philharmonic on PBS (9pm), Dick Clark on ABC (10pm), Carson Daly on NBC (10pm), MTV (10:30), Andy on Brav (10:30pm), Fox (11pm).

Saturday

  • Tournament of Roses Parade (Various, 8am) – The floats, the flowers, the somewhat famous…
  • Oprah’s Guide to OWN (OWN, 12pm) Network Premiere – So Oprah’s taking on the new network with original programming that she intends to be teaching and inspiring including many of her show’s favorite personalities.
  • Cash & Cari/Selling New York/Candice Tells All/Dear Genevieve (8/8:30pm) Season Premieres – Something about houses and/or decorating.
  • V (ABC, 8pm) – In case you missed it and cared they’re replaying these starting with the pilot at 8.
  • Primeval (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Something about time and the Cretaceous period.

Sunday

  • Iron Chef America/Worst Cooks in America (Food, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – Good cooks, bad cooks.
  • My Fair Wedding/Rich Bride, Poor Bride (WE, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Wedding and wedding and…
  • What Chilli Wants (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is Chilli’s biological clock ticking?
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new and noteworthy tv: 12/20-12/26

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‘Tis the season for tv repeats…

Monday

  • Million Dollar Money Drop (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – We all felt like we were missing another nonsensical game show.
  • Perfect Couples (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – This latest sitcom brings couples who are probably quirky in hopes of hilarity.

Tuesday

  • A Very Gilly Christmas (NBC, 9pm) – For those of you who just can’t get enough Gilly.

Wednesday

  • A Home for the Holidays (CBS, 8pm) – Performances to raise awareness of adoption.
  • Throwdown with Bobby Flay (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Beef empanadas.
  • Country Christmas (ABC, 9:30pm) – Holiday traditions and country tunes.

Thursday

  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – First the animated version and then Jim Carrey

Friday

  • Disney Prep & Landing/Phineas and Ferb (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – What Christmas Eve is complete without animated shows I’ve never heard of.

Saturday

  • TVs Funniest Holiday Moments (Fox, 8pm) – Someone came up with 30 funnies for Jane Lynch to introduce.
  • Yule Log (Kofy, 10pm) – So this is the bay area station where the flames and tunes can be found.

Sunday

  • Running Wilde (Fox, 9:30pm) – Ok so maybe this is the actual time that they start burning these off.
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new and noteworthy tv: 12/13-12/19

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Not a ton new happening until after the holidays, I suppose it’s time to start catching the end of year movie releases.

Monday

  • Phowned (Spike, 7pm) Series Premiere – Prank calls.
  • Howe & Howe Tech (Disc, 7pm) Season Premiere – The gents look into some metal stuff.
  • Mariah Carey (ABC, 9pm) – And she sings…
  • Intervention (A&E, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is it time to battle the addiction?
  • Swamp Men (NatGeo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Gator, raccoon, and snakes oh my.

Tuesday

  • I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Don’t we all want a dog for Christmas?

Wednesday

  • 24/7 (HBO), 10pm) Season Premiere – A look at the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals may explain what a capital is.

Thursday

  • Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – First the dog, now what?

Friday

  • Yes, Virginia/Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/I Get That A Lot (CBS, 9:30pm) – Holiday fun and then Heidi Klum, I think I would never recognize a celebrity in real life.

Saturday

  • WWE Tribute to the Troops (NBC, 9pm) – Do the troops really want to see wrestlers?

Sunday

  • Running Wilde (Fox, 7pm) – Never a good sign when they move new episodes of a show to Sunday at 7.
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new and noteworthy tv: 12/6-12/12

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TNT is bringing back some good stuff before we hit the new year, did I say new year?

Monday

  • American Country Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Trace Adkins hosts the country kids.
  • The Sing-Off (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I actually kind of enjoyed this a capella glee-esque reality competition.
  • The Closer/Men of a Certain Age (TNT, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Will Brenda’s business change with a new chief and how will the men fare in business and in pleasure?
  • Next Great Baker (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Pastry chefs compete.
  • Tabatha’s Salon Takeover (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Hairy business.
  • True Life/The Vice Guide to Everything (MTV, 10/11/11:30pm) Season/Series Premieres – A look at ladies without sex and then lots of sex.

Tuesday

  • Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Good grief.
  • Minute to Win It (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – More weird tasks for money.
  • Cupcake Wars (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Cakes, small but with wow.
  • Eureka/Warehouse 13 (Syfy, 9/10pm) – Holiday specials syfy style.
  • Ramsay’s Best Restaurant (BBCA, 9pm) Series Premiere – Because we need more Gordon Ramsay.
  • Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – Reality with a gals and gays grouping.

Wednesday

  • Fashion Forward (CW, 9pm) – Fashion, designers, celebrities…
  • MANswers (Spike, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Random dude stuff.

Thursday

  • Shrek the Halls/Prep & Landing/Barbara Walter’s Specials (ABC, 9/10pm) – Animation, Oprah, and… the 10 most fascinating people

Friday

  • Tom Brokaw Presents Bridging the Divide (USA, 7pm) – Civil rights, the economy, technology…

Saturday

  • Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/The Flight Before Christmas (CBS, 8/8:30/9pm) – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
  • Video Game Awards (Spike, 8pm) – Get your joysticks ready.

Sunday

  • Ax Men (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – Alaska logging at its finest.
  • Basketball Wives (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Will someone offend someone else?
  • Leverage (TNT, 9pm) Season Premiere – Let’s get our con on.
  • Midseason Preview (NBC, 9:30pm) – What, more television?
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new and noteworthy tv: 11/29-12/5

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Thanksgiving is over and time to officially start Christmas programming…

Monday

  • CMA Country Christmas (ABC, 9:30pm) – Holiday performances and traditions, country-style.

Tuesday

  • Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NBC, 8pm) – Natalie Morales and Al Roker host the celebs and the flipping of the switch.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (CBS, 8/10pm) – Fun for the whole family.
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Shrek the Halls (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – Good green fun. 
  • Strange Days with Bob Saget (A&E, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Saget joins in subcultures to entertain with bikers and bigfoot.

Wednesday

  • The Grammy Nominations Concert Live (CBS, 10pm) – LL Cool J hosts noms and performances.
  • Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) Season Premiere – I can’t resist the draw of the greatest train wreck show of all, but glad to say Dr Drew really is trying to help them.
  • Storage Wars (A&E, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – What happens when you stop paying for your storage unit?
  • Top Chef (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – The all-stars edition brings back contestants.

Thursday

  • Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (ABC, 8pm) – He sees you when you’re sleeping…
  • Brad Meltzer’s Decoded (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – A ten-part series on conspiracies that may or may not be decoded.

Friday

  • Gold Rush (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who doesn’t think looking for gold in Alaska is a good idea in this latest reality?

Saturday

  • The Shield (Spike, 3am) – Reairing the pilot of this series that I never caught the first time around.

Sunday

  • Gene Simmons Family Jewels/The Hasselhoffs (A&E, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – More family reality fare.
  • Bama Belles (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Will it dispel clichés about Southern gals or reinforce them.
  • I Survived… (BIO, 10pm) Season Premiere – People survive yucky things.
  • Brandy & Ray J (VH1, 11pm) Season Premiere – I’m sure something happens.
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new and noteworthy tv: 11/22-11/28

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Monday

  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – What’s valuable?
  • Skating with the Stars (ABC, 9:11pm) Season Premiere – Contestants include… some people you have maybe heard of.
  • Fabulous Cakes (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Even bad cake isn’t so bad.

Tuesday

  • Start Thanksgiving planning early.

Wednesday

  • Merry Madagascar/Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (NBC, 8/8:30pm) – Can we hold the Christmas/Winter specials for another two days?

Thursday

  • Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (CBS, 9am) – Where there’s turkey there’s a parade.
  • Punkin Chunkin (Disc, 8pm) – Launch those punkins.
  • Taylor Swift/People of the Year (NBC, 8/9pm) – Blah, blah, blah.
  • Charlie Brown Thanksgiving/Beyonce (ABC, 8/9:30pm) – Wa wa wah wa wa.
  • Cold Diggers (Sci, 10pm) Series Premiere – Digging in the cold.

Friday

  • TV’s Funniest Holiday Moments (Fox, 8pm) – Hilarity.

Saturday

  • Merry Madagascar/Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (NBC, 8/8:30pm) – Was that so hard… after Thanksgiving.

Sunday

  • Kate Plus 8 (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – And the reality continues.
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new and noteworthy tv: 11/15-11/21

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Monday

  • 1 vs. 100 (GSN, 7pm) Season Premiere – One person competes against one hundred in trivia.

Tuesday

  • Glory Daze (TBS, 10pm) Series Premiere – Four guys try to join fraternity life when heading off to college, though I enjoy a youngster frolic and an 80s show this doesn’t look good. 

Wednesday

  • Human Target (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – I almost liked this spy guy for hire show last season, and will give it another shot to see how they tweaked.
  • 25 Years of Sexy (ABC, 10pm) – Kim Kardashian hosts this look at People Magazine’s sexiest man alive past and present.

Thursday

  • Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (ABC, 8pm) – What’s Snoopy cooking up?
  • Pawn Queens (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – The ladies cater to the ladies in matters of pawn.

Friday

  • Homemade Millionaire (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Kelly Ripa hosts some ladies trying to get their inventions selling on HSN.

Saturday

  • College Football?

Sunday

  • 2010 American Music Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Current artists and The Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block.
  • Brew Masters (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – What goes into a craft brew?
  • Jilted? (WE, 10pm) Series Premiere – What happens when the ladies give an ultimatum?
  • Top Gear (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – Vehicle reviews.
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new and noteworthy tv: 11/8-11/14

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Monday

  • Decision Points (NBC, 8pm) – Matt Lauer has a conversation with George W. Bush about his book and his time in office.
  • Strike Force (NatGeo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Week one, is cageless underwater shark feeding good for tourists or sharks?
  • Conan (TBS, 11pm) – He’s back… so catch Coco, Andy, and Jimmy Vivino hosting the house band.

Tuesday

  • Auction Hunters (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – Auction show #478…
  • The Fashion Show (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Since Runway moved to Lifetime here’s a different crew of designers with Iman.

Wednesday

  • CMA Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and a country tune or two.
  • Psych (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – The fake psychic and his sidekick keep detecting.

Thursday

  • Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – This generation’s MacGyver tries to prevent a bombing…

Friday

  • Avalon High/Wizards of Waverly Place (Dis, 8/9:30pm) Season Premiere – First a flick about high school Camelot and then the wizards are back and going public.

Saturday

  • Back From Hell (Com, 10pm) – Clips and comedians in a tribute to Sam Kinison.
  • Tracy Morgan (HBO, 10pm) – Performing his Black and Blue standup.

Sunday

  • Sarah Palin’s Alaska (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Seeing the sights of Alaska through Palin’s eyes, take that however you will.
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