Top Ten of 2008 - Best in Show

#1 - Pushing Daisies -
Being chosen as my number one show is bittersweet and ironic as the show has not been renewed and it will soon join the realm of other Brilliant but Cancelled shows. This modern day fairy tale is simply so different and quirky than anything else out there, it had to be at the top of the list for it's sheer genius. Each episode looks and feels so magical and has such a quick and brilliant wit about it. The playful banter between the actors that is punctuated by different surprises such as music or magic that I am in complete awe each episode. It is a shame that there is not a network that is willing to broadcast the rest of the series, and I still feel cheated by having a stunted season last year due to the strike and then cancellation this year. In all, we get the equivalent of one season and I feel ripped off. Bryan Fuller has promised to continue and end the story, even if it means going into another medium such as comic books, so I feel content that I can say how things develop but feel cheated at the same time. Such is the fate of shows that are out of the box and willing to be more creative... I long for a time when something well written and well produced can be shown just for the pleasure of sharing it's creativity -- unfortunately this is TV and it's the almighty dollar that makes the choices.

#2 - Lost - Even with a short season last year, the writers' have created such an enthralling tale that I can't wait to see what might/has/will happens next. No other show has such a story filled with such complexities and managed to keep us all guessing with a combination of flashback and flash forward sequences. I am still completely hooked and want to see more of what happened with the Oceanic Six, the disappearance of the Island, the mysterious Ben and even stranger Jacob.This show doesn't get the credit it deserves and I can hardly wait to see how things will be this season. It's great that they like to run the season so that there are no interruptions, but I hate having to wait so long to know how the story is going to develop ... with only 34 episodes left there is a lot going on and I know that there will be more twists and turns along the trail, and I can hardly wait.

#3 - Supernatural - The chemistry between the Winchester boys is what makes the series and the combination of dark humor and gripping story lines has made every episode a must see event at home. The guys are just too funny and sexy even with everything going to Hell around them, and the current storyline with Dean being pulled back to Earth out of Hell by Angels and Sammy playing on the dark side with Ruby reads like a Shakespearean epic. The big story of battling Lilith who is trying to destroy the Seals that keep Satan in Hell is astounding and the big battle with Archangels and demons has been off the charts. They have even being throwing out special treats to the viewers this season with Dean's hilarious air guitar sequence to Eye of the Tiger. Solid writing, sexy guys and good acting make for a good series and this one has not been disappointing.

#4 - Doctor Who - This past season was fantastic with Catherine Tate joining the fold as the new companion and impressed me with her dramatic acting skills. I loved the Donna Noble character and her development and ultimate loss over the season. Russell T Davies wrote a hell of a season finale that crossed over into the whole Who universe ( The Children of Time) and it was astounding to see the Doctor with Rose, Martha, along with Captain Jack, Gwen and Ianto from Torchwood and Sarah Jane, K-9 and Luke. They managed to throw in tons of other characters from the past couple of years and have a huge universe shattering ending. Since BBC TV doesn't have to be written with a conventional happy ending, things ended with Donna losing her memories of her time as a companion (as well as her personal evolution) and she can never have the memories back with risking certain death. It was a hard lesson and harsh ending to a character, and I curious to see if the issue will ever be addressed again. The writing and stories were astounding and refreshing, and although this upcoming season will be short I will relish every moment.

#5 - Torchwood - The story lines this year were very adult and things started off with a huge Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and the introduction of James Marsters as Captain John Hart, Captain Jack's former colleague and lover. The stories delved more into Jack's life and his brother Gray, and we had the treat of seeing Martha Jones of Doctor Who fame make a guest appearance for a few episodes.The status quo changed around at Torchwood, and poor Owen was killed, but stayed on as a living corpse before being finally killed off (again?) in the season finale. Toshiko met her end in the final episode of the season, leaving only Jack, Ianto and Gwen at Torchwood. The new season will only be a 5 episode arc, but is better than no Torchwood at all. At least I got some more John Barrowman during this past springs How do you solve a problem like Maria? reality show that aired here in Canada but would love to see more. It will be a rough year with a reduced amount of Who Universe characters.

#6 - Battlestar Galactica -Things were put on hold since June and they will be airing the final episodes (finally) starting this January, and I am itching with excitement and very eager to see how things will be played out. The final Cylon model will be revealed (I just hope that it isn't the President -- that would be the biggest irony of all) and it will be interesting to see how things will change now that they have discovered Earth -- or is that really Earth or some other distraction? The acting and the writing has been phenomenal, the biggest complaint about the series has been the long wait time in between episodes and how Sci Fi seems to be milking it for all it's worth. It's still one of the best things on the tube and hopefully the spin off prequel series Caprica will be as interesting and engrossing as this one. It is still a definite not to be missed series and I can hardly wait to see how things finish off.

#7 - Bones - The show fumbled a bit this season with the separation of Hodgkins and Angela and the team was still reeling from the loss of Zack, but the show managed to hold on to it's core and even if things felt off a tad, they have churned out some great stuff so far this year. I don't think that breaking up our couple worked (I did like the tension when Angela's ex showed up) but I prefer it when the sexual tension is between Booth and Bones. Our reluctant lovers are still butting heads, but there are more and more moments that they seem to fit so well together that are unfortunately punctuated by Bone's lack of tact or just by her having no comprehension of the facts. I still find it humorous that a writer (Bones) who seems to not know much about popular culture is a popular author. It is just another endearing quality of Brennan. David has been killing this season with his very cocky Boothe strutting his stuff (I love the belt buckle) and his sly and subtle sense of humor has been creeping back in.I liked the idea of rotating interns (it reminds me of the good old days and the never ending stream of secretaries on Murphy Brown), but now that we are to the point of seeing some of the interns come back again, I am liking the idea less. The team is starting to feel like they are getting back in sync, but I am still convinced that Sweets is too good to be true and linked with the Gormogon. There are lots of unanswered questions and I am pretty sure that Sweets has the answers, it's just too convenient that he came into the picture at just the right time and has had some peripheral implication in pretty much all of the situations that involved the killer. I bet you he is the new Master and Daisy is going to be his new apprentice.

#8 - Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles - Even with Fox bumping this show on and off of the schedule, the stories have been solid and the acting is tremendous. I absolutely love Lena Heady as Sarah Connor, and she is totally believable as the character. It is rare to find an actress that can embody a well established character, and she has really taken the torch from Linda Hamilton and made Sarah her own. She certainly knows her mission, and I really like how they have been adding new depth to the character, now that they have changed time and managed to skip over that pesky death by cancer. The addition of Uncle Derek was another brilliant move that has added more of a human element and created a bigger sense of family, and Cameron is a great choice as the enhanced Terminator sent back to protect John. Shirley Manson has been disturbing as the T-1001 that is working against our heroes, and it has been a great storyline this season. Hopefully all the time shifts and schedule changes won't get this one cancelled, it's a great addition to the mythos.

#9 - Smallville - I have loved and hated this series since it started, but this year I can honestly say that I have been enjoying the stories and have been really liking the development of things between Lois and Clark. Erica Durance is becoming my favorite representation of Lois to date, having the right balance of toughness and sensitivity, and she has such a commanding presence that you can't help but notice her. If she wasn't calling Clark Smallville all the time I don't even think that they could keep the title of the show as all the action has been taking place at Metropolis and at the Daily Planet. I have been not entirely happy with the storyline with Chloe (the part of her no longer being a reporter), but I like her in Control Tower mode (reminding me more of the Oracle character from Birds of Prey) and find it a good balance for the character. The season started off great with an appearance of the Justice League and the regular appearances of Green Arrow and the Martian Manhunter have added a new dynamic to the show. The Brainiac/Doomsday storyline that is currently running has been playing out well and I am looking forward to seeing how things play out over the next few episodes. I think it is time to dish the no tights/no flights rule of the show and for Clark to start playing dress up like the rest of his hero friends.

#10 -The Big Bang Theory - This is the only comedy that made it all the way up the list, and every episode this season has had me laughing on my ass. Not only is this one of the best written comedies on the air, but it has some of the funniest characters created for a sitcom ever. The character of Sheldon is sheer brilliance on every level and his Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock variation was another example of the mindset of the character. It should be noted that the concept was not the writer's idea but an homage to Sam Kass who developed the concept in 2005. I really like how they have been developing the relationships between the characters as well as fleshing out our gang of geeks and getting to know more about what makes them tick. Brilliant minds make for great writing and this show is always worth the watch.

Almost made the List: Chuck, Samantha Who?, The Sarah Jane Adventures

Fallen from Grace: Burn Notice, Heroes

Biggest Flop: Knight Rider, Fringe, 90210

Doctor Who - Journey's End

All I can say is ...

H O L Y C R A P ! !

I am still in a state of shock after the 2 part season finale of Doctor Who, and it's taken me a couple of weeks to digest all of it. I was literally on pins and needles for the week following part 1 -- I kept wondering how they would get around that whole regeneration thing and it was interesting to see "the hand" come into use for a very special purpose. I (like most of the fans) were really hoping for David to hang around as the Doctor, and I was ecstatic there was an exit strategy for that problem. It was heartbreaking to see the Doctor and Rose almost reunited and then torn apart like that again.

As for the rest -- yup, absolutely loved seeing all the different "Children of Time" that helped out ( but was shocked that there was no sign of the Doctor's Daughter as I really did expect her to pop up at some time) with the great story. No -- make that a Big story, big effects, big stars and a hell of a big ending to the season. There were lots of story lines that were tied up -- and although I loved the part of the story with the 2 Doctors and Donna as the Doctor-Donna, I was saddened with the ending of the story. Donna Noble was a great companion, and it was hard to see her return to her previous self indulgent and "unimportant" self after she had matured and developed as a character over the season. I love Catherine Tate, and she really showed off her acting chops over the past season, as she really managed to make Donna Noble in to a character that I wanted around, and I am curious as to whether or not they will revisit her character at some point. I am seriously in grief over this loss, and I find this one even more difficult than dealing with the loss of Rose. Rose was still alive in an alternate universe, while poor Donna has had her mind stripped of all memory of the Doctor and all the amazing things that she has seen and done. The universe remembers her and she can't remember any it for even a second or she will burn up. A Time lord/human mix doesn't work that well.

Speaking of Rose, I did appreciate that they finished off that story and that she is off in the alternate universe with the human-Time lord Doctor. At least that version of the Doctor was not afraid of speaking of things such as love,and will grow old with Rose and they can have a happy life together. It was very convenient... but appreciated none the less and a nice finish for those 2.

The apparent changes at Torchwood will have to be seen next season as it looks like Martha and Mickey (really?) are joining up with Jack and crew. That could be an interesting pairing up, and as we have seen, crew seem very disposable on Torchwood, so if the public doesn't buy it they can just bump off the unpopular characters. I can almost bet that James Marsters will be back again, he is too much of a delicious bastard to keep away for too long. Besides, he brings some interesting chemistry and tension to the show.

I am looking forward to the Christmas Special with the Doctor, as things ended up with him alone and feeling guilty for being the destroyer of worlds and lives, and I want to see where things go next. He never seems to travel alone for long.

Weekend Rant - Just one of those Best Weeks Ever

This week turned into one of the best ever on the tube. Not only was there brilliant and funny all week long, but playing catch up this weekend I saw some pretty fun stuff, the first being the final and deciding episode of Farmer wants a wife, and Matt decided to take Brooke to be his girl. After seeing his house more closely (and that weird hallway of dead deer looking at you) I changed my mind and although I was originally hoping for Christa, I thought Brooke was a better match. Matt sure made it seem like he as more interested in Christa, but I think he wants more of a puppy dog to follow him around so he made a good choice (and I think Krista dodged one here). If they do another round I could be sucked in to watch if the Farmer is really hot.

Celebrity Circus is a demanding as ever, and I am really impressed by the difficulty of the various routines the celebrities are performing. I was almost surprised that Wee Man was still around this week after his challenges last week but not that surprised that our Olympic athlete Janet got the boot.Yes she is physically capable but is not graceful enough. I did think it was a little ridiculous to have the elimination between her and Antonio Sabato Jr ( seriously, the guy is the hottest thing on the show and always gets high scores) and to keep it hanging until the end. It's a weird formula and this show has a strange pace sometimes. Stacey Dash won some respect and applause from me this week once I realized that the woman is over 40 (I honestly thought she was much younger) but it's pretty much a no-brainer that it will go down to her and Antonio for the win. Rachel did a good job on the tightrope (and kudos to the guys that carried her in that dangerous pyramid stunt), Christopher Knight was okay with his challenge but Wee Man just pointed out to me that penguins are not meant to fly with his routine and he must be the next to go... sorry Wee Man.

Flipping Out is as manic as ever -- and I am in awe of Jeff. This man is the poster child of OCD

and I can not get over his ability to centre his existence on one detail. The sandwich dilemma was funny enough (meatball or pepperoni?) but I hit the roof with the whole drapes drama. When Jeff started obsessing about " The drapes ... The drapes ... The drapes" I almost completely lost it. You better start treating Zola better though man because she deserves it and the whole portrait thing was just poor taste. Give the woman a break -- she has to deal with you Jeff and I can not imagine that she is getting adequately compensated for that. At least Jeff has gotten a taste of his own medicine with his psycho client and might learn the error of his ways eventually.

Doctor Who- The Stolen Earth is way up there on the list of Best Episodes EVER. Not only did we get the appearance of all of the more recent companions but it's a fantastically great story that ties together all of the clues that they have been leaving all season (and probably from earlier as well). I just love the way all of the spin off shows and their characters were tied in to this storyline so seamlessly, and better yet, managed to keep the same continuity that is/was happening in those shows. Torchwood is only the 3 remaining characters (Jack,Gwen and Ianto) who were there at the end of the season. Martha is still with the Unit as we last saw her, as Sarah Jane is doing her thing. The interaction between Jack and Sarah Jane is interesting and I am hoping to see more crossover stuff between the series, even though they are intended for different audiences. I am really loving Catherine Tate as Donna and she makes a great companion to the Doctor and complements well the others while being new and different.

The episode was so jam packed full of fun stuff that I'll list a few of my faves:

- alien bees -- I just knew it....

- Exterminate! (love those Daleks)

- The Shadow Proclamation

- Harriet Jones: Former Prime Minister and the subwave network

- the whole conference call thing with the gang calling the Doctor

- Paintball guns

- Project Indigo

- Rose and her big ass gun

- Captain Jack (and I love how Ianto gets jealous and how everyone finds Jack hot)

I was feeling so sorry for Rose being left out of the call to the Doctor (she was only an observer) but you could feel her heart calling out to him, the level of emoting in this series is astounding. You could feel the terror from the characters dealing with the Daleks, it was all very palpable.

I am still completely freaked out by the ending of the episode and all the cliffhangers .... you knew that it was too good to be true to see Rose and the Doctor reunite, and it was very bittersweet with the Doctor getting zapped by a Dalek and in a sense, dying in her arms.

Is the Doctor really regenerating in to another version? Will there be a faithful companion that will make the ultimate sacrifice (my money is on Rose for that one) ... I am seeing a possible exit and I think it may have to do with Donna and that weird Time Beetle thing from the previous episode Left Turn. When they were at the Shadow Proclamation, one of the attendants commented to Donna about something being on her back, and I wonder if Time Beetles have anything to do with Time Lords or the fact that the Earth is out of synch in the Medusa Cascade. I can hardly wait until next Saturday... like I said, BEST EPISODE EVER.

And on a final note, I checked out the GLAAD Media Awards on Bravo and was impressed with the entire presentation. Great work, and it's nice to see people like Kathy Griffin, Janet Jackson and Herb Ritts celebrated for their positive work with the gay community. I was in awe of some of the celebrities that participated and the subject matter was very serious for the televised portion. We go to see some of the other events as there were awards in several cities. I do have to say that Barbara Walters was humble and articulate in her acceptance of her award, and it was even more humbling to see Judy Shepard accept the Excellence in Media Award. She made it very clear that she was not celebrating her award and would trade it in a second to have her son back. We have made some steps but there is still a long way to go for equality and general acceptance in society, and as long as there is hatred, intolerance and violence towards the LGBT community there is still work to be done.

Weekend Rant: It`s a mad mad mad world

Survivor Micronesia (aka Fans vs Favorites) continued it's great season with an all out chaotic episode this week. Not only do we get the merge (which seemed a tad bit early to me), but we could some funny play with the phony baloney Immunity Idol, some fierce competition in the Immunity Challenge and some hilarious game moves by some of the players. We actually saw more of the other players this week than we have at any other time.

The sudden merge, the interesting feast ( bats? yuck..) and the choosing of the name was all insane. I loved how Erik made up a word (Dabu) and it became the name for the merged tribe. This season is going in so many different directions compared to previous ones. The jealous looks and tension that is starting to pop up because of Alexis and her interest in Ozzy (I think everyone is infatuated with him) and of course, Amanda and her big interest in Ozzy and her sudden bad feelings towards Alexis seems to speak volumes.... Pavarti and her ability to make a deal with everyone is going to end up screwing her and probably a few people around her...

Jason is trying to prove his mettle against Ozzy (it seems all the Fan boys have a man-crush on our uber-player) and they go for broke in their endurance Challenge. Although Jason wins, his attitude makes him a poor winner, and he has already promised his buddy Eliza the " Hidden Immunity Idol " that he found on Exile Island (aka the fake placed there by Ozzy), and once he shows her the Idol, Eliza is pretty convinced that it's a fake (very perceptive) but decided to go for broke and plays it anyways.

An interesting move.... and Ozzy almost lost it big time at Tribal Council when Eliza pulled that out of her bag and tried to avoid being ousted..... the gang seems to be getting a little uppity with Ozzy and I am beginning to worry for him... we'll see what happens with all of that over the next few weeks. My biggest concern at the moment is still Cirie.... I just don't trust her...

Battlestar Galactica continues it's mind blowing final season with a huge episode on Ethics (amongst the Cylons and how some of the factions want to keep the Raiders lobotomized as they are beginning to evolve... and that won't do for some of them), and a ton of development with Starbuck's story and about Trust. Her sudden appearance makes many of them think that she is a Cylon and they don't trust her judgement (or story for that matter) and after a great confrontation with the President (and comparing Trust/Faith issues) we learn that Starbuck is going insane as they move farther and farther away from Earth... and that she might lose her contact with Earth if they keep moving away. Holy frack.... the stories, characterizations and acting that this series brings blows my mind. Katee Sackoff kicks major butt in her freak out scenes and I can not believe what they pack into one hour.

Step it up & Dance had a not bad second episode.... I liked the visit to see L'effleur des Sens and then learning more about the Apache style of dance. The competition was interesting.... I do like seeing the dancers divided into the "Winning" and "Elimination" groups after their initial audition. I'll still give it a couple of weeks to see how it grows on me but it hasn't become essential viewing nor is it trashy enough (yet) to warrant being given "Guilty Pleasure" status.

I still haven't completely recovered from the jaw dropping season finale of Torchwood to really say anything except " holey crap..."

Doctor Who has played 2 great episodes this far on the BBC, and this week's Pompeii Episode was just terrific. I love Catherine Tate and her Donna Noble character has been adding an interesting dimension with the Doctor. She has me in hysterics last week when they finally met up again in "Partners in Crime" and she pleasantly surprised in this week's Time Travel episode. I still get the occasional hint of some of her more noted characters when she gets going, but she is doing some nice dramatic work here. The Doctor keeps things as cheeky as usual.

The show is as well produced as ever and all the makeup, costumes, decor and sets were phenomenal this time around ( I hear they used the sets of Rome for this episode) and each episode has been leaving me giddy. I can hardly wait until next week... the Ood are back and that is never a good thing!

Torchwood - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Saying that Season 2 started off with a bang is an understatement. The Brits knocked my socks off with the return of Torchwood and special guest star James Marsters (bad boy Spike) as the uber sexual and very naughty Captain John Hart. Yup it's another bad boy character for James (and another with a British accent) but no worries as he pulls it off with great ease....

The Team has been "making due" since Captain Jack Harkness disappeared last season and we catch up with them chasing down (believe it or not).... a Blow fish in a stolen sports car. This isn't you everyday run of the mill blow fish, but one of those wacky alien beings that populate the Doctor Who universe.

Captain Jack Harkness appears just in time to save the day, and before we know it the gang is back at Torchwood HQ and trying to figure out what the hell happened over the past few month while another rift opens and our friend Captain John Hart appears. With in minutes of arriving, he kills a criminal and then zips off to a local bar, where he frightens off the customers and waits for Jack.


Jack gets a holo message from John ( both of them are rogue Time Agents it appears) that ends with a hilarious " Help me Obi-wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." quote that is another major geek moment and Jack zips off to meet with his old chum. He leaves the gang behind, something that they are most unhappy about and track him down. Jack meets John at the bar and after a long awkward pause we get some hot lip lock (that probably imploded the American censor's heads) and one of those rough fight/make out scenes that are usually reserved for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. It's all very good stuff, and gets even more hilarious when the rest of Torchwood shows up and discover Jack and his former partner (in every sense).

This just adds more fuel to the fire that is known as Captain Jack, the team is still fascinated with this walking mystery that everyone wants yet no one knows anything about. Jack manages to blow over most of the fascination and once John explains that he is there because of promise to " a woman he loved that died" and he needs to find some wayward containers... so the team is mobilised to search them down. Jack knows that John is completely untrustworthy and warns the team, yet he says he wants to play along so he can end that chapter of his life and to move on.

There is some great scenes with naughty Captain John Hart and the rest of the gang and some great chemistry and joking with Captain Jack. Their chemistry reminded me a bit of the Spike/Angel chemistry and I loved the " Mine is bigger than his" jokes and the whole who's in charge/ on top bit. The best part is when Captain John takes them out one by one. He kisses Gwen and paralyzes her with some poisonous lip gloss (I guess that Jack is immune), knocks Toshiko out and then shoots Owen to keep them busy, and then sets his sights on Jack and Ianto.

I knew that Jack was kinda flirty with different characters (men, women or alien no difference) but was still a little surprised that he was asking Ianto out on a date. It was charming the way they cautiously agreed to go out, and I was in hysterics when John showed up and kept calling Ianto " Eye Candy" before sending him off to save his friends. John was the master manipulator, setting all the players up to pick up his pieces, and taking them out one by one. Jack fares no better and ends up getting pushed off the building and ends up sprawled all over a statue in the promenade and John is off with his treasure.

It appears that John killed the woman he loved for a diamond, and that you need the 3 pieces to make the key to get to the diamond. Our gang at Torchwood re-group (thanks to Ianto) and once Jack re-animates (the guy just can't die), they catch up to John as he opens up the treasure. Surprise... it's no treasure and John gets a nice little bomb that is attuned to the DNA of the killer attached to him. He takes Gwen hostage and there is a mad scramble to find a way to disarm the bomb before it detonates and they only have 10 minutes. The gang steps up and save the day just before they have to sacrifice Gwen.

All is well that ends well.... there is some more joking about John joining the team before he is sent off on his way via the rift but not before leaving what seemed to be an ominous message with Jack... I guess Captain John will be back again this season and I can hardly wait... damn those sexy Time Agents....

Top 10 of 2007 - Best in Show

#1 - Lost - Even after 3 seasons, this show has still held me in it's spell and hasn't lost any of it's punch. Lots of mystery, amazing characters and actors and some much that is unexpected. I wait with much anticipation for the next few episodes and quietly curse the writer's strike that is cutting my Lost experience short this year.

#2 - Pushing Daisies - Simply so different and quirky than anything else out there, it had to be near the top of the list for it's sheer genius. This modern fairy tale looks and feels so magical and has such brilliant banter and actors that I am in awe each episode. Bryan Fuller is one of my favorite writers and I am a huge fan of his work.

#3 - Battlestar Galactica - This show has stepped out of the bound of any conventional sci-fi show that is out there, and is simply one of the best written shows on the tube. The reinvention of the series has far exceeded any expectation, and the characters are so complex that I can hardly believe that I am watching a sci-fi show... simply incredible.

#4 - Heroes - The show may have slumped a bit at the beginning of the second season, but managed to come back for a good ending to it's second chapter. The concepts and characters are still interesting, and it appeals to the my inner geek and has even added Kristin Bell to it's roster this year. Good entertaining TV and some very interesting characters, they don't get much more complex than HRG.

#5 - Doctor Who - BBC shows us that TV doesn't have to be written with a conventional happy ending to be a good show. The actors are great, the characters are fascinating, the writing is good and I love the special effects. It's opened up a whole new universe of sci-fi for me and I love the Doctor for it.

#6 - Torchwood - With Captain Jack at the helm, this spin off of Doctor Who is cheekier and sexier than the regular series and just as well written. BBC has managed to make their sci-fi universe infinitely more interesting and real than the regular dribble that we are fed and it doesn't hurt that Captain Jack is damn sexy... and openly gay. This is the kind of stuff that probably makes some American's heads spin....

#7 - Burn Notice - A first person narration about the perils of a spy who was recently given a Burn Notice by the CIA made for a very witty and fun show this past summer. Jeffrey Donovan shone as the spy, and his supporting cast of ex girlfriend and old buddy (with his overbearing mother thrown in for good measure) made for some very funny TV moments. His narration was over the top, and his inventiveness for getting out of a jam was some of the best moments that we have seen since MacGyver.

#8 - Supernatural - The chemistry between the Winchester brothers is great, and they are really one of the best duos on TV at the moment. I love the witty sense of humor, the inside jokes and one liners, and the whole good cop/bad cop vibe that these two have perfected. The stories are solid, the special effects have been great and the boys are so cute how could you not love the show?

#9 - Chuck - One of the few new shows that made it on to the list, Chuck has been a nerd's delight with a great premise and some great actors. Computer downloaded into the brain? Check. Parody of well know tech assistance? Check. Geeky sidekicks in a dead end job? Check. CIA handler that happens to be a real hot chick? Check. Government agent that is the best straight man? Check. Hell there is even a character called Captain Awesome... you can't get much better than that, except each episode is always Chuck versus something, and that in my books is very awesome.

#10 - Bones - This show has the best unrequited chemistry between characters ( Bones and Booth) and also has great supporting characters. The main character is so brilliant yet so not smart about the regular world, the FBI agent is tough yet sexy... there is so much to love in this series and I love the humor. There is not much else out there that makes me snicker as much as this show, and all of the characters are fascinating. Pretty close to the best ensemble cast that I have seen.