Best of the Aughts: TV (Triptych Cryptic Import)

A top ten for the first nine years of this decade and the last year of the last decade/century/millennium.

1. Firefly - It goes without saying.  This is one where we'll have to agree to disagree, if you disagree. But, can you, really?  I mean, we saw the same show, right?  
2. Deadwood - OMCFG this show rocked my world.  
3. The West Wing - I hoped Obama would be Bartlett.  He's not.  But he's probably the closest we'll see in our lifetime.
4. Veronica Mars - Really, for season one only.  I really grooved on season one.
5. Arrested Development - I'm teaching my kids the chicken dance, that's how much I love this show.
6. Curb Your Enthusiasm - The man in the cape makes me laugh out very loud.  
7. 30 Rock - I want to go to there. 
8. The Office - I like Jim.  The Office would be higher on this list if he didn't keep pulling that same face every time he looks at the camera.  It's funny nearly every time ... but there's a one-trick-pony effect holding the show back, in my mind.  Sometimes it feels a little like Frasier, I don't know if I can put the feeling into words, but sometimes you're just so embarrassed for a character it's not fun any more.
9. The Daily Show/The Colbert Report/Countdown/Rachel Maddow - It was either a four way tie or exclude comedy/news shows all together.  Couldn't have one without the others but didn't want to fill the list up with progressive news over scripted dramas and comedies.
10. Dollhouse - Yes, Dollhouse. Despite it's flaws, it's ahead of Gilmore Girls, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, & Chuck. So why does Dollhouse make it?  Alpha, mainly.  And Olivia Williams is pitch perfect as Adele.  Dushku as Echo didn't work for me until very near the end.  I can't say the series was particularly well structured but when it was brilliant, it was Whedonesquely brilliant.  I mentioned BSG even though I thought it was wildly overrated, not half the sci-fi epic Babylon 5 was. 

There are a bunch of highly acclaimed shows I haven't seen: Mad Men, The Wire*, The Sopranos*, Freaks and Geeks,  and Undeclared.   I keep hearing Freaks and Geeks and The Wire are not just best of the decade but best evah material; if I ever have time, I promise to do a dvd weekend marathon and see if I agree.

You may have noticed a glaring ommission: Doctor Who.  I was going strictly for US TV, here without really thinking about it.  If I include non-US shows, then DW comes in right after Firefly.  I'd also have to think about where the original The Office fits in, too. 

* Well, I saw one episode and didn't get hooked so I didn't give them much of a shake.