TOP 10 TV SHOWS OF 2006!

10. HEROES
Sort of a poor man's "LOST." It's an interesting premise, but chooses style over substance. Molly loves it, I catch most of it here and there as I hurry to meet my deadlines for The Kansas City Star on Monday evenings. I think it's only gotten better since it's so-so season premere and certainly has a lot of promise, it just haven't got me "extremely excited" thus far.


9. COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN
Normally I wouldn't include daily shows like Letterman or The Daily Show, but this is too damn important to leave off the list. If you want your news with hard hitting commentary and a touch of humor (and tongue in cheek Fox News bashing) you really need to check it out nightly on MSNBC at 7pm.


8. 30 DAYS
Only six episodes a season and it still packs more of a punch than most televison shows could even hope to accomplish. Taking the idea of Super Size Me and changing your daily life for 30 entire days, Morgan Spurlock uses this series to put people from different ends of the spectrum and puts them in each other's shoes. He took a Minuteman (the guys who guard the border and hate illegal immigrants) and forced him to live with a family of illegals out in Southern California. Took an Atheist and made her live with a family of Born Again Christians. And, for the season finale, spent 30 days locked up in prison. It's one of the few shows on TV that enlightens and entertains at the exact same time.


7. EXTRAS
No, it's not as good as The Office, but dammit if it ain't just as bittersweet. Ricky Gervais nails both humor and lonely loveless fools in yet another amazing series. Season two starts in a couple of weeks on HBO...try not to miss it this time!


6. STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
Entertainment Weekly listed this as one of the WORST shows of 2006. There's plenty of other critics that are throwing in the towel and leaving this series before it's first season is even finished. Listen, I understand that the sketches aren't funny, it's a tad too "important" at times, but the last few episodes before it went on hiatus were absolutely brilliant. Especially the Christmas episode! I love the characters, the view of behind the scenes of a television show, and dare I say it, the writing! Screw the critics, this is going to become one of the best shows on TV by the end of it's run.


5. BIG LOVE
I'll be honest...I didn't expect to like this one. I gave it a couple of episodes and felt kind of "meh." But Molly really enjoyed it and about four episodes in, it "clicked." Big Love runs at a different pace than normal shows. It doesn't have huge "events" or "twists and turns" like a lot of other HBO series...but it's damn good. It'll grow on you...and if you're lucky, your wife will totally let you bring home two other girls "to help love the Lord!"


4. THE OFFICE
I've said it before and I'll say it again...this wasn't supposed to be that good! We all know what happens when America tries to take BBC shows and destroy them...but dammit, the writers and actors have turned one of my favorite TV series of all time into a strong, yet different US comedy! It came sooooooo close to being a shit-canned 6 episode failure...then NBC gave it another chance, iTunes began selling episodes at a lightning pace and now it's the best comedy on TV! (Earl? Who's that?!)


3. LOST
Say what you will about the first six episodes earlier this year, but last season was fucking television at it's finest! The introducton of "Henry Gale" was exactly what this show needed. And even if almost all of the "Tailies" lasted all of about ten episodes, I think the rest of season three has plenty of tricks up it's sleeve!


2. 24
Five seasons and each gets even better than the last. If you've never gotten into this fast-paced, back to back new episodes with absolutely no repeats, show where anything can and will happen...you have no idea how amazing network television can truly be. This show is the greatest thing to ever come out of a silly idea. "Real time? 24 episodes with each one being an hour long?" Who knew that it would be handled with such care and intensity. I can't wait for the movie to come along and fuck everything up...


1. THE WIRE
So many different friends and family members told me to check out this show...so when my Comcast Cable had the entire season four OnDemand, I figured I'd give it a shot. Truly intense, riveting characters and one of the realest views of everything that happens within an inner city...The Wire is seriously the ONE SHOW you cannot miss. Above all others on this list, go rent the DVDs and get your ass educated! Best part, since each seasons starts with a new direction, you can pretty much jump in anywhwere and follow along at your own pace.