Some Bests From 2007 - The Boob Tube/Chattering Cyclops Awards

Yep, the Lists they are coming early this year. No New Year's in Athens for me (for the first time 2002-2003) and no New Year's in the state of GA for the first time--I think ever--for me.

Best New Show of 2007:
Pushing Daises. Probably the only thing on TV that can be described as "dark whimsy," this hourlong dramedy is probably the closest thing to an English-langueage Jenuet-Caro (the folks behind Amelie) TV series we'll ever get. The easy contrast to make is the emotional resonance the show gets from a simple hand-holding vs. any number of largely emotional rolls-in-the-hay on any number of other shows. But that's a contrast that erroneously puts the show in Seventh Heaven territory simply because no one gets laid on the show (well, yet...and excluding dream sequences.) After all, the show's about a man who can bring the dead back to life, but if he touches them again--*poof*--back to dead they go, permanently. And the love of his life just happens to be one of those "not dead" folks Ned can never touch.
But cool visuals and the Zooey Deschanel-like hotness of Anna Friel aside, what really won me over was the writing and dialogue. It reminds me of old Bogart movies, where the witticisms were actually witty, and coming at you faster than Gilmore Girls on yayo. Sort of. Here are a few choice quotes, compiled from Television Without Pity:

Ned: Do you know you have a "tell" when you lie?
Olive: Do I?
Ned: You answer questions with questions.
Olive: Maybe I know I have a tell and I know you know I have a tell and maybe I'm doing it now to confuse you because you don't know what tell I'm telling.
Ned: But why would you go through the trouble of answering questions with questions and pretending to lie if you really don't know where she is?
Olive: Can you tell me?

Ned: No! You let your anger win and you engage the crazy person and you're no different than they are. People say, "Hey, look at those two crazy people, fighting. I will not engage.
Emerson: Yeah, but if you don't engage, pretty soon people will start saying, "Hey, look at that crazy person eatin' that guy just sitting there doing nothing.

Olive: Yesterday, a farrier named Lucas Shoemaker was found dead. Trampled.
Emerson: Why should I care about a dude that sells fur coats?
Olive: Not a furrier. Ar.
Emerson: Faaaarier?
Olive: FARRIER. It's a blacksmith. Puts shoes on horses?
Emerson: Don't try to act like that's a word everybody knows.

Chuck to Ned: "You love secrets. You wanna marry secrets and have half-human/half-secret babies."

So yes...it's great stuff and I'd say when you can tune in to watch reruns and all...but ABC has decided trotting out horrible crap like Wife Swap (which part of me thinks is a way of not having to pay residuals to writers) is a better move. Worst-case scenario, keep an eye out for the Abridged First Season DVD, or see if you have any luck over at ABC.com (though to keep from screwing the writers who get no money from online rebroadcast, don't buy anything they try and sell you.)

Runner Up
Yep, back when I was complaining about the horribly titled Dirty Sexy Money, and the drek that was Private Practice, I never imagined this season would give me more than one new show to spend an hour of my life watching (and my still unfinished novel hates Josh Schwartz for this). But damnit, Chuck is good tv. Imagine Seth Cohen from the OC semi-grown up and working at branch electronics store...only he has government superspy files implanted into his brain, so some guy from the X-Files and a girl possibly hotter than Mischa Barton hang out with him, foiling various 007-lite plots against California. It's the televisual equivalent of really really good junk food. There's potential though, for the series to take it's reluctant hero motif to semi-Buffyesque territory, only covering post-collegiate life and traumas instead of High School and college.

My Old Favorites List
The shows that aren't new, but that I hate I don't get a full season of (or new seasons at all in some cases):
Entourage
LOST (8 episodes starting at the end of January, originally planned for 16).
Family Guy
The Simpsons (both are good, but have gotten to the point that I don't mind if I miss them.)
House
Californication
30 Rock
Scrubs
Weeds
Flight Of the Conchords


Show I Should Watch Because Numerous People Say It's Great But I Haven't Gotten Around To It Yet
Heroes - Supposedly well-written, well acted, well-shot, hot cast...and it's not like I was watching Monday Night Football all that much. Just haven't gotten around to it. Netflix, here I come in 2008 though.

Show I Think Is Probably Still Good But Quit Watching Because I Was Single And It Brought Up Too Many (Good and Bad) Memories:
Desperate Housewives - (Though from catching the previews of a "tornado"-centric episode, I am nervous. But without someone to watch it with me, it's not on the watch list.)

Reality Shows I Shouldn't Have Enjoyed As Much As I Did:
Brett Michaels - Rock Of Love
America's Most Smartest Model

The Only Things Keeping Me From Not Turning On A TV At All This Spring:
1. The Half-Season of LOST
2. Second Season of Rock of Love
3. March Madness