The Best of TV in 2009 (A Top Fifteen)

So, it's a few days later than I wanted it to be, but here is my rundown of the 15 best TV shows from 2009. I had to make it 15 because narrowing it down to 10, like I had originally planned was way too difficult. If you know me at all, then you will probably be able to guess what number 1 will be. In the rundown, I'll focus on 2 specific episodes from this year. I think that's about it. Try to enjoy reading. I'll try to enjoy writing it.

15. THE OFFICE - Season 4 was something of a letdown after the masterpiece that was season 3, but seasons 5 and 6 have been a return to form for this great show. Late in the 5th, the norm was shaken up when Michael (and Pam) quit to form his own paper company. The result was shown in a multi-episode arc. "Michael Scott Paper Company" showed the beginnings of this short experiment, and office life for the new company staffed by Michael, Pam, and a newly returned Ryan (fresh off a stint from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS). Obviously Michael's business ideas ended up failing, and he returned to Dunder Mifflin, but the time away was a breath of fresh air into the series. Then, 3 episodes into the current season ("Niagara"), Pam and Jim finally got married, and it was pretty fantastic. There were things you wouldn't expect (Jim, instead of Michael, letting slip that Pam is pregnant in front of her super conservative gandmother) and things you should have expected (the office mates in attendance recreated the wedding dance down the aisle set to "Forever" by Chris Brown). The episode was sweet, and Jim and Pam got their dream wedding, and the one everyone else was at.

14. PARKS AND RECREATION - Talk about a surprise. The first season hadn't really found its legs, and I only watched the pilot back in the spring. But season 2 found its legs and it has run wonderfully. I missed the first couple episodes, but I jumped in on "Practice Date", which saw Amy Poehler's Leslie going on a practice date, so she doesn't ruin her first date with new beau, Louis CK. She gets drunk and antics ensue. Also a hilarious running joke (that resurfaced in "Christmas Scandal") about a politician caught in repeated, and increasingly ridiculous sex scandals. Then, in "Ron and Tammy", Ron must face terrible ex-wife Tammy (played by Megan Mullally), who appears to want to get back together with him, but really is just utilizing their intense sex life together to get what she wants in the government.

13. EASTBOUND AND DOWN - Danny McBride is perfect at playing awful men of little celebrity, who think they deserve respect, when in fact they need a severe beating. In EASTBOUND, McBride plays a former pro baseball player, forced to move in with his brother's family when he hits rock bottom. He takes a job as a substitute gym teacher. He is predictably awful to the students, and expects his engaged high school girlfriend to jump right back into bed with him. "Chapter 4" shows the beginnings of his success in getting her back (though he has something of an accident) and really allows Stevie, a high school chum who worships everything about Kenny (McBride), to really shine. The final scenes of the episode allow McBride to truly shine, in facing the humiliating wreck that has become his life. Then, the season finale shows Kenny getting an offer from a the major leagues, his goal from the start. Things don't go as planned, and luckily we get a second season.

12. PARTY DOWN - This other premium channel comedy from last spring came as quite the surprise. The phrase "Are we having fun yet?" could be used to call out fans of this great workplace comedy in a crowd. The first half of the season was fairly self contained, and didn't feature much in the way of a building story (save a budding romance between Henry and Casey). The back half got even better, and funnier, and delved somewhat more deeply into the story. "Celebrate Rick Sargulesh" was one of the season's best. The staff has to cater a some party, that turns out to be a celebration for a mobster getting off the hook for murder. They learn this when Roman, the resident writer (who does more hard sci fi) reads the screenplay confession. Hilarious tension ensues. Then, in "James Rolfe High School Twentieth Reunion", staff leader, Ron decides it will be a good idea to cater his own high school's reunion. As often typical in situations when we are reunited with old social crowds, Ron faced symptoms of revertigo, and became his drunken party boy self. This led to a relaps into his alcoholism. But in a good, funny way.

11. DEXTER - I would call the 4th season of Dexter the second best (only behind season 2). This year had the excellent John Lithgow assuming the role of the season's big bad. Soon after Dexter's discovery of Lithgow as the Trinity Killer, he decides that he will try to emulate Trinity's ability to both sustain a family and kill people horrifically. In "Hungry Man" we see the true greatness and terror of Lithgow as Trinity in a densely tense Thanksgiving dinner with Trinity's family. A choice line firmly cements Dexter (and the viewer both) just how bad Trinity is. Then in the season finale, Dexter finally comes to an important realization about himself as a person, and then he (and the viewer) is given one final parting gift, that we will never forget. Definitely one of the best closing scenes for a season ever.

10. GLEE - Here's a show I originally thought would be a guilty pleasure, and turned into oh so much more. I can often point to a specific scene or moment in a series' run that elevates my desire to watch from casual to must see. That came in "The Rhodes Not Taken", an episode that did away with some plot developments that had a pretty obvious conclusion. The final scene of the episode featured the Glee kids singing Queen's "Somebody to Love". The combination of the terrible day I had nearly finished, and the tone of hope in the face of hopelessness, but when they hit that first note I was nearly in tears. The series definitely picked up momentum from there (save that awful pregnancy plotline). The midseason finale definitely closed out the main push from those first 13 episodes in style, and set up some fun things for the future of the season (and hopefully the series). One thing can be said for sure about this show (and you better believe I am shamelessly stealing something other people have said here): this show 's greatest moments are exponentially greater than its weakest, and allow you to forgive and forget (no matter how ill-conceived that fake pregnancy was).

9. FRINGE - This is a show (like many these days) that requires patience through the first few episodes before it really gets going. I will be one of this first to point out the flaws with procedurals, but Fringe is a series the combines really cool situations to investigate with an overall mythology that has really captivated me. Season 1 picked up a whole lot of momentum in its second half, and the episode "Ability" brought some really awesome ideas to the table. Plus it focused on the enigmatic Mr. Jones (played as enigmatic as always by Jared Harris) and his riddles for Olivia in trying to help her realize her potential. The season was brought to a satisfying close in "There's More Than One of Everything". Even though I knew how it was going to end, seeing it unfold was immensely satisfying, and still provided a sense of mystery. Season 2 has seen the show evolve and flourish creatively, but Fox's track record with awesome shows could be cause for concern. Whatever happens, it's been a fun ride, and I'm glad I finally got around to taking it.

8. PUSHING DAISIES - When ABC killed this series ahead of its time, I was just getting into season 1. The episodes that aired this year were just the last 3 the network was burning off in the summer, but as has always been the case with this series, they were quite satisfying. The unfortunate, forced conclusion to the season/series was completely tacked on, and it really makes you wish the series could have gone on. Actually everything about the show makes you wish it could have gone on. At least there's 22 episodes on DVD, and hopefully a comic series on the way (which can be great if the series is handled as well as it was on TV, like with Buffy Season 8). Also, this show totally makes you fall for a dead girl, and it isn't weird at all.

7. IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA - Intervention! Intervention! You need to be watching this show! That is, if you aren't easily offended. Most of the television comedies that I watch demonstrate some sort of character growth or poignancy. This one is nothing like that. If nothing, this series shows the characters becoming more degenerate by the minute. And I wouldn't have it any other way. In one of this extremely strong season's best episodes the gang stages an intervention for Frank (played disgustingly by Danny Devito), not because he has a drinking problem or a drug problem (they actually love his idea of putting box wine in Diet Coke cans both for hiding what your drinking and its ability to let you make violent hand gestures without spilling wine everywhere). No, they're upset that he isn't hanging out with them anymore because he's trying to get into bed with his recently widowed, dead wife's sister (which isn't a problem for them either; his hooking up with "Gail the Snail" on the other hand is cause for disgust). The season also gave us more examples of how Frank and Charlie live in "Mac and Dennis Break Up", and reveals some interesting new details about Charlie in general (cats have just started following him around now).

6. MODERN FAMILY - The best new show of the 2009-2010 season is easily ABC's Modern Family. This show easily helps me forgive ABC for canceling Pushing Daisies prematurely. The pilot was one of the best I've seen in a while, and the closing scene where the characters come together is brilliantly choreographed, and it set a precedent for the makeup of the series as it has continued. One of the strengths of this show is when it brings it's families together, and it was running on full cylinders in "Fizbo", where the family throws an outrageous birthday party for Luke. It ends in disaster, and one could worry that it wouldn't be worth seeing what happened (since the after commercials, the family begins congregating in the waiting room at the hospital), but the payoff was totally worth it, even though the buildup made it seem like it couldn't match the anticipation.

5. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER - Have you met Ted? Well, neither has the titular mother. Well, actually she sort of has, but we don't know who she is, or when they will finally meet, but it doesn't really matter. This show is all about growing up and leaving childhood behind, while making a family for yourself. It is very appropriate for a generation whose friends are more family than their actual families. Season 4 ended with the teaser that the titular mother would be in the first class Ted taught in college. This was the biggest revelation the show has given about who she would be, and made the energy going into season 5 very high. Though there hasn't been much more given up to this point, there have been some great episodes. In a sequel to the much loved "Slapsgiving", Marshall doled out the 4th in a series of 5 slaps to Barney at Thanks-sorry Slapsgiving. The episode was all about how family is something that must be earned, and isn't necessarily a right, as is often believed. Considering each season of the show is only 20 dollars at Target, you should get together with 3 other friends, each buy a season, and watch it together. The show is awesome. It's, oh, what's a good way to put it, oh yeah, I know! It's legen-wait for it-dary! Legendary!

4. DOLLHOUSE - Most fans of this show would tell you it took until episode 6 of season 1 for it to really get good, but I would wager it was really good from the start. It just got awesome on the 6th episode. The unaired finale to season 1, "Epitaph 1" was one of the most interesting hours of television ever. It was just too bad that it never aired on TV. The structure provided a sense of the future this show could have had if Fox allowed it to go on. That future was revisited (sort of) in the season 2 episode "The Attic". In the episode, we finally saw what the dreaded Attic actually was, and it set up an exciting situation within the Dollhouse. The fact that is ending is only made more upsetting by how awesome the status quo was set up to be in the wake of this episode. This show seems to be at its best when it is at its most experimental. The second season was also highlighted by both Fran Kranz's Topher (a character many hated early in season 1, but was given some serious depth) and Enver Gjokaj's Victor (he is easily the best actor on this show, and one of the best on television). I've come to terms with this show's termination, but it is nice to see such a brazenly original tale on TV. Or on film, really.

3. THE VENTURE BROS. - It is a pretty good sign for a series when I want to rewatch episodes every single day. This is a series that is so dense with jokes and mythology, it's ridiculous. The series could best be described as a loving parody of Johnny Quest, but it is oh so much more. The show is at its heart about failure, and how our lives are never as great as we though they would be. It's also hilarious. One of its best traits is how it takes super villains and effectively clips their wings with bureaucracy and odd rules, as organized by the Guild of Calamitous Intent. This season's "Revenge Society" continued on a plot thread from season 3's ORB, and brought an old villain back after a season where he was mainly seen in flashback. The titular society was a hilarious gag as it unfolded, and is worth watching the episode just to see who its members are. The Revenge Society was the only real competition we have seen for the Guild, and in a show like this, it is nice to see some competition other than between Arches and their Heroes. The midseason finale "Pinstripes and Poltergeists" featured the return of a character severely missed for most of the season, but once again the pay off made it worth the wait. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. It has room to be outrageous and poignant in the same breath, and it nails every bit of it.

2. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - All of this has happened before and all of this will happen again. Well, not really. The second half of the final season for this brilliant series started off almost as bleak as Cormac McCarthy's The Road. The series became more dire by the minute, and the odds piled up against the old Battlestar called Galactica, and its crew we have grown to love or hate (I'm looking at you Tom Zarek). The series finale was 3 hours long, and though the final hour was very divisive, the first 2 were definitely incredible (and for the record, I liked how the last hour tied things up). After the embodiment of future life in the universe was stolen, and the Galactica was growing more and more crippled, a suicide mission was hatched (as so often is in stories like this). The second part detailed said suicide mission, and it was one of the coolest sequences this great show, with no shortage of cool sequences has ever had. My excitement was at an all time high as I watched humanity (and some Cylon allies) battle with the evil Cylons. Sure there was a sci fi exterior to this show, but the stories were very grounded in reality, and the resonance of the 9/11-like tragedy that set the series in motion still haunts those who would treat themselves with picking up this masterpiece of a series.

1. LOST - This show is the best on television. It changed the landscape of storytelling for TV and made it impossible for a new sci fi show to live up to its success. The pilot alone has been unmatched in setting up a story. It has been noted by many fans how the seasons have paralleled one another. Season 3 synced up nicely with season 4, and season 2 and season 5 shared a huge similarity: both were the most sci fi seasons of the series. Sure the other seasons had their elements of sci fi, but season 1 largely hid its sci fi cards. Season 5 of LOST was a huge achievement, though. It was easily the most mainstream telling of a time travel story since Back to the Future. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban doesn't count because that was fantasy. There's a difference! Get off my back! Anyway, as LOST has progressed, its seasons have only gotten better. Honestly, because the 2009 season flowed so well together, it would behard to discuss a single episode. It is good to mention that the 100th episode of the series aired with "The Variable", a Daniel Faraday centric episode that revealed some things we had guessed as true, and also had some great excitement and surprises. Also, the season finale changed the game for this series in a way I have never seen on TV before. The season 5 finale stacks right up there with ending season 1 with Jack and Locke looking into the Hatch, but not showing what's inside, but it's cool, because its all going to end with season 6, and it will be incredible. I feel like I'm rambling some here, and my excitement over this show just keeps building, so, I will stop here.


Here endeth the lesson. And 2009 in review.