My top 10 of 2008

so i forgot that in my '08 recap i didn't do my list of top 10 shows of the year, so here goes:

1.Dexter. Easily the best show this year. Reinventing itself but continuing with the same "Dexter" feeling. (see review)

2.30 Rock. Bring on the funny. Well deserved Emmy award for an excellent comeback after that dreaded writers' strike.

3.Battlestar Galactica. They found Earth! and it's all post-apocalyptic! But who's the final cylon???

4.LOST. Talk about a comeback! running straight made season 4 the best since the first one. 'The Constant' their best episode to date!

5.Chuck. It only made a small appearance early in '08, but season 2 has not disappointed. I'd love to have that bunch work at my local "Buy More"!

6.The Big Bang Theory. This is definitely the comedy genius of 2008. Makes me laugh out loud every single episode! Brilliant! (puns intended, of course)

7.Gossip Girl. 90210? what 90210? THIS is the ultimate teen-drama that all should look up to. No softmore slump for these upper-Eastsiders.

8.Mad Men. Season 1 was way better, but this one still delivered great drama and suspense for its second outting.

9.Top Chef. The only reality in my list, season 4 back in the spring was amazing, with the best, most lovable chef (Stephanie) winning the competition, while season 5 (underway now) continues cooking up great tv.

10.The Office. Making the list only because it has really bounced back in this new season, being very funny once again. Season 4 was a little let down.

with special mention to How I Met Your Mother, even though they made us believe we had met the mother and then breaking Ted and our hearts. This is still one of the best, funny comedies out there!

Do you take Dexter Morgan?

I Do!

oh, man, was this a great season of dexter or what! gripping, exciting, edge of your seat enjoyment all around! i still find it amazing how this show can make you love a serial killer. and year after year they never disappoint.

i have to admit, the first batch of dexter episodes in its first season made me somewhat uncomfortable, but as time went by, and the season got more and more complex, it made me identify myself with Dexter Morgan, feel him, understand him. And now, in it's third year, it makes you hate anyone that stands in his way of happiness and freedom.

This season took a turn, making Dexter more vulnerable to human emotions. Having someone know his secret, share his secret, made him more human, but also more aware of his surroundings. Miguel Prado was a fantastic character, his turn from hero to villain in the course of 12 episodes was astounding, making you believe every second of it. His ultimate demise was inevitable, expected, and, at the end, relieving. And wrapping the whole story around the "skinner" case was brilliant, separating it from previous seasons and making this year a very good stand-alone season.

So now we leave this season with Dexter married to his true love, Rita, Debra with her detective shield and back in a relationship, Angel as sergeant, Masuka with a girlfriend, new cast member Quinn was never a bad guy (which is good, too predictable), and all of us looking forward to the greatness of at least 2 more seasons.

Season 3 grade: A-

heroes = xmen, the bad clone

so i just saw the "volume finale" of heroes vol.3, and well... i noticed that this show is somewhat more enjoyable watching back-to-back. got caught up with the last 5 episodes in the weekend and well, you kind of forgive them their huge flaws when you know you have another episode to hope it gets better right afterwards and not a week later. but flaws they are, and HUGE ones...

i pinpointed the main problem with heroes this season, they completely DON'T CARE about the audience and think we're complete morons! characters talk about things they never found out about like if they knew from the get-go, or do things that don't make any sense at all. take Hiro for instance, papa Petrelli takes powers away, but why does he only erase Hiro's memory making him think he's 10? why not take his time-traveling power away, that should've done the trick!, but noooo.... the writers were thinking ahead... but in a nonsensical way! they knew they needed Hiro to go back in time and give the "catalyst" to papa Petrelli in the past... then why even take his memory away, why even capture Hiro at all!, then Hiro when he's "10 years old" he doesn't know English, Claire tells him stuff he doesn't understand, but when he gets his memory back he suddenly knows all of what she told him? And she knows things he told her in japanese? remember, writers... the characters can't see the subtitles!

anyways, this is just one of the loads of character flaws that the writers think they can get away with... like... Claire knows she's the catalyst out of nowhere? Nathan switches sides out of nowhere? Sylar has new parents out of nowhere? Claire's bio-mom appears for the finale out of nowhere?(contract & big explosion deal?) i'm beginning to see a trend here...

Anyways, the "villains" volume was a total letdown, it had the potential of being great, and it started out to be, but it crashed and burned really fast! And the beginning of the "fugitives" volume is not a big incentive to come back... it's gonna be X-Men 2 in tv series form... been there, done that...

Volume 3 grade: D+

So it's the end of '08

Wow, again, like with the other blog... no post since 2007! and this one since January 07! damn! almost 2 years... anyways... there's been lots of great things to come by in movies & tv these past 2 tv seasons, series come and go, writers strike, newbies fall flat and old favorites rejuvenate.

Again, like before, I won't be doing a full-on recap of the past 22 months, that'd be silly... what I'll do is categorize the good, the bad, the good that was bad, the bad that was good, and the great new discoveries of the last 2 seasons of tv. (I'll do movies later)

The ones that are still good? there are several, but the main one has to be 30 Rock. This show has consistently been on top of tv comedy, and currently in its 3rd. season it's thriving. The same goes to Dexter, also in its 3rd year, this show has proven that it can recreate itself year after year and still be as great as the first episode. Special mentions have to go to Battlestar Galactica, for making its final season extremely intense; How I Met Your Mother, for consistently being a delight; Brothers & Sisters, the heir to the 'Everwood' go-to family drama throne; House, the medical go-to drama; and the always dependable Survivor and The Amazing Race.

The ones that went bad? there are so many it's sad, really. Some more than others went bad, but the 2 that jump out are Heroes and 24. The former suffered from too many characters, too many plot holes, and becoming an overall mess; the latter suffered from bad writing, crazy plot points, and overall exhaustion of the franchise (hope the 1 season break it took helps it out this time around). Other notable duds that were good before, but not that big a deal for now: Grey's Anatomy (sleeping with dead people, crazy interns, idiotic cast additions), Ugly Betty (it's still watchable, but not as must-see as before), Entourage (which has gone down the crapper, though this year it sort of redeemed itself) and Weeds (it's not the suburban satire that i loved anymore, it's something else that is still better than most out there, but not as good as before).

The ones that got better? 2 jump out in an instant too, LOST and Desperate Housewives. Lost suffered from something most shows desire, a creative uprising. Setting an end-date was the best thing that they could've done, and the story has just gotten better and better, with one of season 4's episodes, "The Constant", being what I consider their best. And 'Housewives' did a time jump in between season's 4 & 5 that brought new life into the show, something it was lacking since it's debut season. And as a special mention comes The Office.

And probably what is the greatest strength in tv these past 22 months are the shows i've discovered or are newer than those almost 2 years...

The great discoveries? so many it's ridiculous! hahaha. Here's a list of my great discoveries: Gossip Girl, The Big Bang Theory, Damages, Mad Men, Top Chef, Samantha Who?, Chuck, Reaper; and the ones that came and are surely gone soon, Eli Stone and Pushing Daisies.

Again, like I always say, I'll try to come back regularly now and update on what I think of the season, comments on certain series or particular episodes and such.