Best Television of '07

Remember the days when you could turn on the TV and there would be NEW shows on. Yes, it was a wonderful time. Although we’re currently in quite the TV drought, I watched a lot of the tube this year, like some people are always playing online bingo or computer games, I’m always watching TV. For some reason or another I decided to list out my favorite shows of 2007. If you’ve kept up with my TV-related posts there won’t be any surprises here (lots of comedy, zero reality), but here it is anyway. Leave the shows you think I missed in the comments. Have a great New Year guys and gals!

10. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

I actually haven’t watched but 5 or 6 episodes of this show but I’ve laughed my face off nearly every time. It’s kindof like Arrested Development if it took place in a bar and every character was GOB.

9. Saturday Night Live

Yes, the show isn’t what it was 20 years ago or even 10 years ago, but i think it’s on the right track with the new cast. Bill Hader, Will Forte, and Andy Samberg all do a great job and I give the show major props for getting artists like Spoon, Feist, and The Arcade Fire to perform.

8. The Colbert Report

Stephen Colbert is perhaps the wittiest, quickest comedic minds on television. Whether it’s his “threat downs” with robots, bears, and ROBOT BEARS, wrist strong bracelets, his brilliant interviews, or the Doritos-sponsored presidential campaign, Colbert kept our eyes glued all year.

7. 30 Rock

30 Rock is quite easily one of the funniest shows on network TV and a fine choice for the Best Comedy Emmy. It has tons of variety in it’s humor whether it be of the dry wit or slapstick variety, some great character interaction, and wonderful performances by Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, and (most especially) Alec Baldwin.

6. Human Giant

I’ve been a fan of Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel from their VH1 days and after seeing Aziz Ansari at Pitchfork Fest ’06 I became a quick fan of his as well. In some stroke of genius, the three decided to make a sketch show together and Human Giant has provided some of the funniest moments on TV this year. It’s not always a slam dunk, but when it’s good, it’s really really good. Sketches like “Shutterbugs”, “Illusionaters”, “Catching a Predator” and “Escalating Interview” had me rolling on the floor.

5. Heroes

This could have been higher had the second season not completely sucked (for the most part). Still though, the first season was absolutely gripping and the episode “Company Man” is one of the best hours of television I’ve ever experienced. Lets’ hope that Heroes can pull a 180 this season and blow us away again.

4. Frisky Dingo

This Adult Swim cartoon is, in my opinion, the most under-recognized show on television. For those who watch it, it’s a completely incredible send-up of superheroes, corporations, marketing schemes, and politics. It’s developed a huge array of colorful characters and catch-phrases (“I like to call it lost wages”, “We can never go back to Arizona”, “Boosh!” ) and the hilarity of the situations Killface and Awesome X face is enough to have you laughing till your blue in the face. The amount of meta-references on the show put it at a similar level as Arrested Development. If you’re not on board with Frisky Dingo, you seriously don’t know what you’re missing.

3. Flight of the Conchords

Ever since I saw Brett and Jemaine singing about “the distant future” and “business time” on youtube, I’ve had Conchord Fever. As hilarious as the New Zealander’s stand-up act is, their television show where where they play fish-out-of-water band-mates in NYC that break out into exceptionally clever songs is even funnier. The uniquely witty circular logic type of dialogue that’s used in the show really is what makes it special. And since the most the episodes boil down to one of them trying to leave the band or girl problems it’s the ridiculous interactions and over-the-top musical numbers that will keep you coming back to more (in the same line of Seinfeld, FOTC is truly a show where nothing really happens). Even secondary characters like the bumbling band manager, Murray, and the band’s single fan, Mel, provide one exceptional comedic moment after another.

2. The Office

The Office is undoubtedly the best comedy on TV. It’s the kind of show that makes you repeat lines with your friends for weeks after the episode runs and inspires you to make “Team Pam” t-shirts. Over three seasons the writing crew has become experts at creating awkward and hilarious situations and the character development is as good as ever and there’s a nice balance between the outlandish and the believable. With Jim and Pam dating, Ryan up at corporate, and Dwight and Angela on the outs, The Office is still at the top of it’s game and it’s current hiatus is by far the biggest causality of the writer’s strike.

1. LOST

Dude. What can I say about this show other than while it’s on it encapsulates about 90% of my life. It’s at a point of obsession people, I need help! But who can blame me? Even though Season 3 started out a bit slow, the run it made this spring proved beyond shadow of a doubt that it’s the best show on television. The season finale was by far the most mesmerizing, action-packed, thrilling two hours of television of the year, and the ongoing battle of wits between Locke and Ben is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on TV. The new flash-forward dynamic of the show is going to change everything and I couldn’t be any more excited for season 4.