JustTV: The Best of 2000
(in my opinion. My opinion may not match yours. In such an event, my opinion will prevail)
Some
people might say that putting this show on the top of my list would
make
me as crazy as Charity. But if you know who Charity actually is, you've
just proved my point.
I know I shouldn't watch this show. It is perhaps the slowest paced show in the history of television. Soap opera "days" usually last a few broadcast days, but on this show one day can be stretched out over weeks. On particular day, on the event of a boat sinking involving a prom, lasted over a month.
But yet I watch.
The plots on Passions range
from the melodramatic to downright ridiculous. Timmy and Tabitha,
a 
witch
and the doll she created, are now being harassed by Hecuba, another
witch
has hidden underground for 300 years. Another plot borders on incest.
One
character named Chad came to Harmony last fall looking for his parents.
He has fallen in love with Whitney, who we are lead to believe is his
long-lost
sister.
But yet I watch.
The fact is, I just can't
stop watching. The creators have crafted this series in a way that
breaking
from it is near impossible. That may explain why it is the only soap to
show significant ratings growth over last year, about 20%. On top of
that,
it's the most visible soap on the net, it's popped up on everything
from
"The West Wing" to "Buffy" to "Popular," "Rolling Stone" named it tv's
hottest guilty pleasure and TV Guide just named it the best soap of the
year. So now I don't feel so bad for watching. At least I'm in very
good
company.
Sure
it's easy to discredit this show as hokey reality drivel, but those
detractors
are just bitter that they weren't in on this show from the beginning.
Over
12 weeks last summer, 28 million of us were enthralled with the
politics
of Rich, Sue, Kelly et al. When all was said and done, 51 million tuned
into to watch the finale, almost double the number that watched the
penultimate
installment. That alone testifies to the impact of this series. It was
the pop culture phenomenon of the season.
Third Watch: Why
is this show so ignored? It never gets mentioned, but it's one of the
most
gripping
series on tv. The new format of focusing on one character every week
insures
an unexhaustable amount of stories, especially with the cast topping 9
members now. But most poignant episode of the season? The one in which
Faith lies to everybody about having an abortion. If you were watching
the insufferable Family Law, you should be smacked.
This
fall Frankie Muniz and co. have went even further to prove that last
spring
was not a fluke. Malcolm's voice may be a little deeper and Dewey
may be a little taller, but I hardly noticed. It's the best
post-Simpsons
treat since "King of The Hill" 4 seasons ago.
Felicity:
After being ignored for it's
second season, this series got hype and hope for it's third. A move to
Wednesdays brought more people to the show, and people were once again
talking about it. On of the best moves by this series were the pairing
of the two most off-beat characters, Sean and Megan. It brought them
back
into the fold of the series and added an enitre new dimension. As for
the
cliffhanger- it should leave people drooling until April- and assure
Felicity's
renewal through next season.
The West Wing: No,
I don't watch this series, but I feel guilty every week that I don't.
And
isn't that what's really important?
Late Show with David Letterman:
I didn't realize how good this
talker was until I started flipping between it and NBC's imitator with
Jay Leno. Unlike Leno, Letterman is actually good. He shows a certain
nervousness
around his guests, which is much more enjoyable
than Leno's annoying ass-kissing.
Adding even more freshness to the show was Letterman's heart problems.
It almost made you wonder if the episode you were watching would be his
last.
The
Simpsons: This past
season has been a bit wobbly, yes, but this show belongs on everybody's
top 10 lists for the shear fact that it's been pumping out home-runs
for
12 seasons now. Time has already named it the best tv series ever, and
it shows no signs of stopping. And as far as I'm concerned, that's
definitely
a good thing.
The Drew Carey Show/Whose Line Is It Anyway?
As these two shows
increasingly integrate
themselves into each other (all the "Whose Line?"
stars have been on DC numerous times), the
comedy just keeps getting better. "Whose Line?" specializes in frenetic
comedy, this kind that will leave you in giggles for hours after they
read
the credits aloud. And "Carey," after a few off seasons, has finally
gotten
itself back on track. Mimi has finally been giving a human side with
her
pregnancy, and the odd Drew/Kate match-up has been anulled. After
giving
up on the show last season, I am drawn back weekly now for some of the
funniest stuff on tv.