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Best (and Worst?) TV of 2006 (1 Viewer)

Brad Porter

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 8, 1999
Messages
1,757
Here's this annual thread again. Now that it's over, list your top 10 shows from 1/1/2006 to 12/31/2006. If you wish, you can list the worst shows as well, but hopefully you didn't actually watch any of those.

For past reference,
Here's the 2003 thread:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=156681

My 2003 list:
1. Gilmore Girls (WB)
2. South Park (Comedy Central)
3. Arrested Development (Fox)
4: 24 (Fox)
5. Ed (NBC)
6. Futurama (Fox)
7. Coupling (Seasons 1-3) (BBC America)
8: Alias (ABC)
9. Dead Like Me (Showtime)
10. Survivor: Pearl Islands (CBS)

Here's the 2004 thread:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=200323

My 2004 list:
1. Arrested Development (Fox)
2. Deadwood (HBO)
3. The Sopranos (HBO)
4. Gilmore Girls (WB)
5. Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (Showtime)
6. The Amazing Race 5 (CBS)
7. The Wire (HBO)
8. The Venture Brothers (The Cartoon Network)
9. Rescue Me (FX)
10. Lost (ABC)

Here's the 2005 thread:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=227168

My 2005 list:
1. Arrested Development (Fox)
2. Deadwood (HBO)
3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
4. The Office (NBC)
5. My Name Is Earl (NBC)
6. Scrubs - (NBC)
7. Gilmore Girls (WB)
8. The Closer (TNT)
9. South Park (Comedy Central)
10. Miscellaneous: Mythbusters (Discovery), Survivor (CBS), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), 24 (Fox), Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (Showtime), Family Guy (Fox), Rescue Me (FX), Robot Chicken (Cartoon Network), Grey's Anatomy (ABC), Monk (USA), NUMB3RS (CBS), Eyes (ABC), Rome (HBO), Curb Your Entusiasm (HBO)

Although Arrested Development only aired 5 episodes this past year, I'm keeping it on the list anyway. I'm sad to say that Gilmore Girls continues to slide, falling out of my top 10. Some past favorites returned to the list and some newer shows climbed in.

2006

1. Deadwood - even in a strange season where old characters seemed to be settling in and new characters weren't bringing much to the table but confusion, this show still shines above all others. As has been said many, many times - Fuck HBO for not renewing it outright.

2. The Office - Although I think the first half of Season 3 has been more tumultuous around the office than it needed to be, this show still consistently delivers the laughs. All that Pam/Jim drama must pay off some time in 2007, right?

3. The Venture Bros. - Why aren't you watching this show? You are? Then put it on your list. It's freaking brilliant. Go buy the Season 1 DVD set while you're at it.

4. Arrested Development - OK, only 5 episodes, but they were good.

5. The Wire - I'll be honest. I haven't even watched the season yet. I just know it's going in this list somewhere based upon prior performance. I don't know why I'm waiting to watch it - maybe residual HBO anger.

6. My Name is Earl - Basically the same spot as I had it last year, since it has been consistently good throughout the year.

7. The Closer - It's good. It's well made. It's even funny. And above all else, it isn't as easily predictable as all of the other detective shows.

8, 24 - This show can annoy me as much as it entertains me, but I've never been bored. I'd like there to be fewer incompetent bureaucrats in the upcoming season if they can work that in to the gaps in Jack's latest killing spree.

9. The Unit - The family drama stuff can be way too preachy, but the action and the political intrigue is really well done, in spite of a few throwaway episodes.

10. South Park - I had 11 shows about equally ranked (the other 10 are listed below), but I decided to give this last spot to South Park based upon the strength of episodes like "Smug Alert!" and "Make Love, Not Warcraft".

The next 10:
Rescue Me - it got a little weird this season
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - didn't need Devito as a regular
How I Met Your Mother - that mall episode was inspired
Survivor - the hidden immunity idol finally payed off
Gilmore Girls - I probably won't really be happy until Lorelei marries me
The West Wing - The show finished strong
The Sopranos - I love you, Johnny Cakes.
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! - Some much weaker episodes and arguments this season
Psych - This show was much more entertaining than I expected. It out-monked Monk!
30 Rock - It keeps getting better.

I don't have a worst shows list, but it probably would have had Freddie on it.

What did you like about 2006 on the small screen?

Brad
 

AnthonyC

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Messages
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I haven't watched too many shows regularly either, and the majority are reality shows, but...

1. The Office - Best show ever, and easily the most consistently funny show since Seinfeld.
2. Survivor: Panama - The spring season was easily the best since Pearl Islands (and coincidentally, in the same location).
3. Big Brother All Stars - BB is one of those shows that I enjoy watching when it starts because there's usually a month-long draught before it premieres, but this was the best installment since BB2.
4. The Contender 2 - Not as good as the first season but still one of the finest shows out there.
5. The Amazing Race 10 - Great season even though it had a terrible end result.
6. My Name is Earl - There's definitely been a sophmore slump but when your first season was so excellent, it's almost impossible for there not to be. Still always worth tuning in.
7. 30 Rock - The premiere was absolutely awful, but it's been great ever since. Overrated but still a great show.
8. The Amazing Race 9 - Two-person teams again, woo! And my favorite winners ever.
9. Survivor: Cook Islands - Race twist amounted to nothing besides a ton of boring episodes, and three or four absolutely fantastic ones.
10. Treasure Hunters - Ok, there were better shows than it that didn't make the list, but I liked it and figured it deserves a mention.
 

Elizabeth S

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Messages
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Elizabeth S
Just a rough list off the top of my head of my favorites this past year:

1. 24
2. Rescue Me
3. What About Brian
4. Brothers & Sisters
5. Heroes
6. Nip/Tuck
7. The Closer
8. Lost
9. L&O: SVU
10. Medium

A fond goodbye to "Alias", which had better seasons but I will miss.

And I enjoyed "Rockstar Supernova" very much (though they have terrible taste in picking a lead singer).
 

Rob P S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
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Messages
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Real Name
rob
Best:
24
Lost
Friday Night Lights
King of the Hill
Daily Show
Keith Olbermann

Worst:
Nancy Grace
Bill O'Reilly
Glenn Beck
Hannity & Colmes
Dr. Phil
Judge Judy
American Idol
According to Jim
Zack & Cody
Deal or No Deal
 

Jason Harbaugh

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2001
Messages
2,968
Each has their own strengths so this is in no particular order.

Best Shows of 2006:

24 S5
Prison Break S1/S2
Lost S2
Ugly Betty
My Name is Earl S1/S2
Heroes
Surface
Entourage S3
South Park S9/S10
Mythbusters
Daily Show
Colbert Report
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
 

Brent M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2001
Messages
4,486
My favorite shows:

24
The Shield
The Office
Entourage
The Sopranos(even though it was a very weak season IMHO)
My Name is Earl
The Amazing Race
 

RickER

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Deceased Member
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Messages
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Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Rick
The only shows i watch on TV...and they are favorites that why i have them on TiVo...and i am willing to put up with pop ups and ads every 5 minutes.
OK the shows i watch: Battlestar Glactica, Doctor Who, My Name is Earl, and Dirty Jobs.
Everything else i like is 30 years old and would rather just watch on DVD.
 

Charlie Campisi

Screenwriter
Joined
Aug 20, 2004
Messages
1,645
Best:

Deadwood
Battlestar Galactica
Entourage
Friday Night Lights
Heroes

Good, but a letdown:

Sopranos
Lost

BIG letdown:

24, after the 2 night 4 hour premiere. Unlike Brad, this was the first season I actually was bored. I cleaned fish tanks while watching it many nights instead of being on the edge of my seat the first few seasons.

Surprisingly better than expected:

Blade (Spike)
Day Break (FU ABC)

My contribution to the shows you may not know about:

High Stakes Poker on GSN. If you watch poker at all, you need to see this show. Pros and wealthy people playing with their own money. Big time cash game. There is not a better way to learn how the pros really play when not in a tournament because they show you more than just "all in" hands. AJ Benza knows zippy about poker, but Gabe Kaplan makes up for it.
 

Chris

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Messages
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Best (in no particular order)

* Dexter - Showtimes breakout serial-killer as good guy show became must see TV after the first episode. Michael Hall was great as the lead, and the show itself had a natural flow. Secondary characters were incredibly well done and not cardboard cutouts. The writing on this show is on par with anything I have seen.

* Sopranos - I know, a lot of people dismissed this season. But I felt as though the Sopranos continues to stay true to the reality of things as they would be rather then go for the over-the-top shootin's people want. I felt it was the best season since S2.

* Heroes - I didn't expect to care for this show nearly as much as I do. There are some things about it that grate on me (take a guess, as most here seem to concur) but the show as a whole is fun.

* The 4400 - This one will get dismissed by a lot of people on the lists because they didn't see it. But the 4400 this year began to live up to it's concept. Some great through line drama this year and you can see where the train is heading.. and wonder how the heck they can stop it. The last few episodes this year were great TV.

* Arrested Development - only 5 episodes. But funnier in those five that aired this season then most comedies all year.

* How I Met Your Mother - not always as good as it could be, but just for the Mall episode.. it is rare to have a sitcom make me laugh out loud. The moment people started slapping each other.. damn. Great writing in that one ep.

* BSG - Battlestar continues to be one of the deepest programs on TV. Read into it what you will, interpret it in modern events as you will. But as it sits on it's own, it's effective storytelling.

* Mythbusters. Still one of those shows you can laugh at and still learn something. And it's great to watch with the kids.

* Weeds - Showtime's Comedy ended it's season on a real cliffhanger. But there were some great laughs along the way.

* Entourage - damn. I just want a show only about Ari. Screw everyone else. Just give me tons of Ari.
 

Jason Harbaugh

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Joined
Jul 30, 2001
Messages
2,968

I forgot about Blade. I enjoyed that too. Disappointed that it isn't coming back...as far as I know. :frowning:
 

Yee-Ming

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"on a little street in Singapore"
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Yee Ming Lim
Broadcast TV here is about a season behind, but stuff I have watched from, ahem, alternative sources, IMHO the best of 2006, would include Battlestar Galactica and Dexter. I really liked West Wing S7, 24 S5, Studio 60 and 30 Rock, but not having seen most of the "class of 2006", I am not certain if these would be amongst the very best (although I am sure about BSG and Dexter).
 

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