Top Ten TV Shows of 2006 – Part Two

Features, Shows

After all of the votes was counted, there ended up being 11 shows that stood out above the rest. These 11 shows were on at least 3 lists, but most of them were on more than that. Two shows ended up being tied for #10 on our overall list. And instead of flipping a coin or breaking the tie, I decided to include both shows on the list. So our “Top Ten” is actually made of 11 quality shows from various networks. Here we go…

#10.B. – Friday Night Lights (NBC)

I believe that Friday Night Lights is the best new show on television. Yes, I rank it above Heroes.

I think that the show is innovative and while that sounds absurd considering the program is based on the movie, I believe that it has a unique way of mixing traditional aspects of TV with new camera angles and a unique voice.

While I rank it above NBC’s other new hit, Heroes, I think that Friday Night Lights is successful because it incorporates traditional heroes. The stand-up coach. The underdog quarterback.

In addition, it also uses traditional storylines. A love triangle where the head cheerleader is in love with the star quarterback… until he is paralyzed and she starts an affair with his best friend (who happens to be another player on the team).

For all of its emphasis on old methods of storytelling, the camera angles on the show are fresh. It really captures the smalltown culture of highschool football and how so many people are obsessed with it.

I originally thought that this show would be a bottom-feeder when I saw it during the Upfronts. I can now admit that I was totally wrong and that this is probably the best show on television right now.

– Murtz Jaffer

#10.A.- The O.C. (FOX)

This show is how I got my job with Inside Pulse. I began recapping this show back in 2005 for the third season. I was big fan of the first two seasons when I did finally get around to watching them. The show closely resembled my life that I fell right in and they wouldn’t let me out.

The funny thing is that once I got the job here at Inside Pulse, I had to watch more TV shows. That’s when my eyes were fully open to all shows outside of Southern California. So one year later I’m liking a bunch of shows. That and my life has changed a little since I first started watching this show. It still closely resembles my life, but my tastes have grown and I can appreciate other shows. In fact, I find that my life is everywhere on television. Hence, why it dropped on my list.

Even though I was digging season three last year, I was about the only one on the staff who admitted to liking the show. That doesn’t surprise me as the third had some pretty bad moments in the middle. It really overshadowed the good moments. That was mostly due to Marissa and all of her problems. So is any surprise that the show is so much better in the first part of season four without her? Apparently, others on the staff agree with me. Creatively this season has been as good as the first one. There was just enough people on the staff to agree with me to put The O.C. on our top ten list.

As far as this being the final season, I’ll sum it like this. It’s better to go out on top than to continue on and become a parody of your former self.

– Josh Clinton

#9- Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)

I’m actually surprised Grey’s Anatomy didn’t score higher on our top ten list this year.

The doctor drama that’s turned medical into melodrama deserves definite kudos for its stellar writing, acting and general all around McSteaminess.

Grey’s banks off Hollywood’s obsession with multi-genre hits–its a sudsy dramedy, that snags ratings because it reaches audiences of all kinds: the take-charge authority types, the heartless overachievers, frisky 20-somethings, and gorgeous middle-aged hunks stealing sexy back from the days when Clooney ruled the ER.

But it’s not all about eye-candy, the show’s theme-of-the-week scripts give it the kind of poetic oomph often lost on programs concerned with the doctor-laywer-police-officer routines in prime-time. The life issues they deal with–death, betrayal, forgiveness are wrapped into circular stories that are hyperbolized by the quirky patients at their overall quirky hospital.

So yes, to the casual viewer there have been some typical prime-time toughies this year: Burke and Christina’s surgical charade, Izzy’s grief over Denny and George’s Dad’s health issues, but the subtle stories of trust, generousity and adversity are what hit it home for Grey’s; that, and the fact that they do it all while staying pretty.

It’s a McWinner, and no – that prefix will never get old.

– Farah Syed

#8 – Prison Break (FOX)

I think that Prison Break defines everything that is good in television. It’s fast-paced storylines, brilliant acting and phenomenal plot development aside, it is its breathtaking and heart-stopping endings which make it can’t miss television.

Prison Break was originally thought to be a one-trick pony. The argument that I kept hearing was what the convicts were going to do after they escaped. Prison Break answered this by intelligently changing the focus of the show to the only thing that is harder than breaking out of prison and that is staying out of prison. The show is written brilliantly and has the freedom to kill anyone at anytime. That is the recipe for success and supplies a freshness that has been missing from Lost for quite some time.

– Murtz Jaffer

Slowly but surely, the sophomore drama has proven there is life beyond the
prison walls. So maybe it does have legs: I would have never bet on 24 lasting six seasons, either…

– Craig Russell

#7 – Veronica Mars (THE CW)

Veronica Mars is probably the best show no one knows about, well this is assuming people know about Battlestar Gallactica and The Wire. Like those two great shows Mars suffers from the public stereotyping it to a degree and assuming that because it’s a show that centres around teenagers that it must be only for teenagers. Where The O.C. failed, and man did it fail, to stay realistic and relevant, Mars thrives.

The drama at times can border soapy and cheesy, but it never losses its intellegence or sense of humour. Besides being adorably cute Kristen Bell does a great job in getting into the nuances of Veronica. She is backed by a very solid cast of supporting figures including: Jason Dohring’s Logan, who has only gotten better and better, Percy Daggs III’s Wallace, whose character is perhaps the most realistic on the show, Enrico Colantoni’s Keith Mars, the heart of the show, and Francis Capra’s Weevil, who while seemingly neutered this season I still can’t get enough of and love every scene he is featured in. For all those reason and a 100 more Veronica Mars deserves to be on everyone’s Top 10 list.

– Matthew Romanada

#6 – 24 (FOX)

Let’s get one thing out of the way first. I think that 24 should have finished a couple of spots higher than it did, or at least ahead of one show that I felt suffered a serious drop in quality in 2006.

With that out of the way, I need to explain why 24 is here in our little top ten list. Simple – Romo threatened to bludgeon us with a Cubs mug unless we put it in our Top Ten. OK, that’s not the real reason – I don’t think Matt owns a Cubs mug. What we’ve got with this show is a “true” action drama, where the producers try to give us a 24 episode adrenaline rush, where L.A. traffic is never an issue, where major characters could die at any time (but most likely within 10 minutes of the top/bottom of the hour), and where a 5’4″ man is the baddest man on the planet. In 2006, season 5 was perhaps not as exciting as previous years, but it seemed to have a better idea of where it was going along the way. We started with David Palmer getting assasinated and ended with Jack on a slow boat to China. In between, we saw how high up a conspiracy could go, we said goodbye to some favourites, Jack beat up and/or tortured and/or killed some people, and viewers stayed glued to their seats.

So congrats to you, 24 for being one of PTP’s Top Ten shows of 2006.

– Kevin Wong

#5 – Battlestar Galactica (SCI-FI)

There have been many occasions in TV’s past where an inherently interesting and mysterious character or group ended up retroactively being made far less interesting once we started to learn about their background/motives/etc. Starting with the Cylon presence Caprica, followed by the occupation of New Caprica and now with Gauis on a Basestar, we have learned a whole lot more about the Cylons this past year. But this has only served to make the Cylons (who are evolving more and more as individuals), and by extension BSG, more interesting.

I must say, with the way the second season ended, I was pretty worried about how season three was going to turn out. But the occupation of New Caprica, which wrapped up far more quickly than I expected it to, only served to enhance the series and provide some great character development (especially in Colonel Tigh’s case). Of course, the occupation did indirectly lead to a couple of low budget, money saving episodes, but those episodes were still pretty good. Even if you’re not a big fan of science fiction, I highly recommend checking this one out if you haven’t already.

– Trevor MacKay

#4 – The Office (NBC)

The Office is like bringing “Office Space” to us each week. Who knew paper was so funny? Even the name is funny. Dunder-Mifflin. A boss that’s the self proclaimed “King of Forwarding Emails” is where I want to work because with all of the forwarding, he can’t possibly micromanage. The unintentional humor and the improv styled reality set up is what makes the show so brilliant. We’re not talking Chevy Chase falling down slapstick.

Steve Carrell is nothing short of stellar as the “I take credit if it went well, if not, I had nothing to do with it” boss Michael. Dwight, Pam, Jim, Ryan and the rest of the co-workers at Dunder-Mifflin are hilariously thrown into the motley bunch and you can’t imagine anyone else playing the role. And it’s no wonder, with the reception it’s been getting from peers in Hollywood they better make room for more Emmys for the mantle or cubicle. That’s what she said.

– DeeDee Dalton

#3 – The Wire (HBO)

The Wire is great television. Watching a season of The Wire unfold is like reading a novel; while some characters live on, there is a definitive conclusion. A tale has been told and there are no cliffhangers to be tidied up. At the end of a season there’s a feeling of satisfaction that no other show on television offers. The anticipation of that “next episode” comes out of desire to see those characters again.

This fourth season of The Wire has been heralded as it’s finest yet, which is odd considering that very little police work was done. In fact most of the season focused on political (a bid for City Hall) and academic (the struggles of four middle school students) situations more than it did on traditional “good guys” and “bad guys.” Of course one of the trademarks of The Wire is that there aren’t really “good guys” or “bad guys”; one of the most despicable characters this season was a cop and the season’s most heartbreaking death was a drug dealer. The entire show is one great big swath of gray, just like real life.

But another truism about The Wire is that it’s not really a “cop show” it’s a show about Baltimore, that happens to feature cops. The school system and politics in Baltimore are every bit as engaging as the life on the streets, as we found out this season. This season also gave us Randy, who put a face on the “Stop Snitching” campaign, Namond, who provided hope that vicious cycles can be broken and Michael, a victim who becomes a predator for fear of being victimized again. (Of course Duquan gets left out because that what he does best.)

The Wire may not have catchphrases or a mythology wrapped in mysteries, and it’s not a very sexy show in any regard. But it is the best-written, best-acted program on television and you owe it to yourself to either start from the first season or the fourth season and see why this show is nearly universally praised.

– Mathan Erhardt

#2 – Lost (ABC)

No show on television today is so simultaneously tantalizing and frustrating as Lost. Every mystery that’s solved unearths yet another one. It’s like pulling on a ball of string, trying to get to the center. 2006 saw the introduction of the Tailies, a series of new characters who were systematically killed as the second season ended and the third season began. We were introduced to “Henry Gale”, one of the Others held prisoner by Sayid and Jack. We saw Michael betray Jack, Sawyer, and Kate in order to rescue his son Walt. We saw the apparent destruction of the hatch. We saw Desmond develop precognitive powers. We met the Others. We finally saw Sawyer and Kate hook up. And we saw Jack back in the OR, with “Henry”, AKA Ben Linus, with his back split open, bleeding to death, as Jack demanded that Kate and Sawyer be let go else he let Ben die.

One can only speculate just how good 2007’ll be.

– Michaelangelo McCullar

#1 – Heroes (NBC)

So, you think you have superpowers, eh?

Welcome to a world where just about everyone does.

When calculating just why NBC’s drama Heroes took to the sky and hit our number one this season, it’s important to consider the humanity of it all. The superheroics are just a front – everyone dreams of flying, or being able to read minds, but deep down all anyone really wants is to stand out. You know, be that ‘special’ case in a sea of washed out same-bodys.

Heroes takes that want, and whooshes it to a new level. It gives everyone who ever doubted finding a true purpose – the forgotten sibling in the shadow of a big successful brother, a wavering teenager, and a worn out single mom, the literal power to rise above their uncertainty. Corporate desk job has you dreaming of something more? Don’t worry, you’ll soon discover you’re a star player in an intricate plan to save the world.

Or you know, your co-workers. Or your friends. Maybe the oldest tree in town that’s about to be cut down. Hey, maybe even your cat.

If there’s one thing the show should be celebrated for, one thing beyond its perfectly-placed escapist qualities, beyond the mythic narration or its underlying connective plotting – it’s the humanity. For all the gush about superheroics and extreme powers, the show’s biggest selling point is the belief that deep down, all of us regular-folk have something special. Cheesy, as it sounds.

So, you think you have superpowers, eh?

Move over, just about everyone does.

– Farah Syed

This was a surprisingly easy decision. I had high hopes for the show just based on the ads and previews I had seen, and despite a somewhat slow premiere, I was immediately drawn in. Since then, the show has managed to maintain its high with mysterious the “Save the cheerleader, save the world” tagline, while also slowly but surely revealing how the central characters are connected to one another. So far, we’ve seen several characters realize their abilities and that they’re meant for something bigger (Peter, Hiro, and, arguably, Claire), we’ve seen characters who resist their abilities (Nathan), we’ve seen characters who use their powers to improve their lives and the lives around them (Matt and, again arguably, Claire), and also characters who don’t quite understand what they can do or what is happening to them (Nikki). We still have the grand mystery of who exactly Claire’s father is, while still wondering how they will stop Sylar and save the world from its apparent explosion. I am definitely psyched to find out what the new year has in store for us when it comes to this show.

– Matt Basilo

Heroes has only been on the air half of the year, but yet it jumped to #1 on our list. It did so mainly because it was on 9 individual lists. That’s all but 2 lists. That’s crazy. It even ended up beating out Lost, a show that many compare Heroes too. So congrats to Heroes.

What I also found interesting was The Wire. It was only on 4 lists. But on all 4 of those lists, it was the #1 show. So basically, if you have HBO and have seen the show, you consider it to be the best show on television. If you don’t, well you obviously don’t watch it. I have seen the last season on DVD and it’s great show, but I couldn’t put it on my list this year because I don’t have HBO. It’s definitely a all or nothing type of show.

What also stood out to me was that 3 shows from our top ten ten list came from both NBC and FOX. ABC had 2 shows, and The CW, HBO, and SCI-FI each had a show. See a major network missing? Yep, CBS, which is the #1 network by far didn’t have 1 show on our top ten list. In my opinion, CBS skews to a mass audience. Not really for the 18-49 demographic. They are consistent, but most of their shows run together and can’t be singled out. An interesting side-note there, though.

In the end, I think Heroes was the most advertised new show out there. NBC promoted the heck out of that show and it shows. It’s a quality program that is well-written. I don’t know how long the show will last, but it’s here for at least 1 full season and probably next year as well. Will it maintain momentum and end up #1 in 2007? You’ll just have to stay tuned…

I'm not embarrassed to say that my favorite television show of all-time is The O.C. I live by the motto "you can't fight fate!" More importantly, I watch WAY too much television, but I do so for the benefit of everyone reading this now. So to my mom and my wife, I say thanks for reading! To everyone else that might stumble across this, remember TiVo should be your best friend!