It's the end of a long, shitty year, so what better way to finish it out than with a few posts of top ten lists?

Yesterday: Top Ten Movies of 2007

Today:

Avitable's Top Ten Television Shows of 2007

(in no particular order)

Once again, these are only shows that I actually watched. No, I don't watch Grey's Anatomy or House or Entourage, so I don't have those to consider. My criteria for choosing these shows is always the writing. If it's a comedy, does it avoid the pitfalls of sitcom stupidity? If it's a drama, is it compelling? Is it something that I could watch again? Am I embarrassed to admit that I like it? Would I follow the writer or showrunner to a new show? Ad nauseam. Oh, and I'm not doing links to them. Google it if you don't know it.

1. Pushing Daisies – By far, my favorite new show of the season. It's just amazing, and I love every aspect of it. I drink in the scenes and the deft wordplay, and the music and everything. I love all of the characters and I have absolutely zero complaints about this show. It even makes up for the early cancellation of the brilliant "Dead Like Me", because without the cancellation, who knows if this one would have ever gotten made.
2. Veronica Mars – Being cancelled was a heartbreak last spring. The third season shined, even with the restrictions and fuckery that the CW imposed, and the glimpse of season 4 at the FBI that was on the DVD was not enough for me. I only wish there could be more! On the plus side, Rob Thomas may be working on a brand-new Cupid series, so that might be a bittersweet victory.
3. Doctor Who – Martha Jones was an excellent companion in this year's series. I didn't think anyone could replace Eccleston, but Tennant did. I didn't think Rose could be supplanted to easily, but Dr. Jones was just wonderful. I just wish it wasn't a year behind the UK!
4. Scrubs – Sometimes it goes for the cheap laughs, but when it goes for the heartstrings, it really tugs! The friendship between JD and Turk feels real, and Sarah Chalke is, as always, gorgeous on screen. I think it's a good year for the show to finally end, so it can end on its terms, but I can rewatch the seasons I have on DVD over and over again and enjoy them just as much as the first time.
5. The Office – What can I say that everybody else hasn't? Michael Scott is a vast improvement from Ricky Gervais's oily weasel boss, and the show continues to draw me in with a very rich and developed group of supporting actors. Some of the best-written parts get left on the cutting-room floor, and watching the hours and hours of extras on the DVDs only extends the viewing experience in the best possible way.
6. Ghost Hunters – This show is the only "reality" television that I'll watch, and it's the only paranomal show that I'd even consider watching. On every other ghost show out there, psychics and "sensitive" people walk into a room and say "Oh, there are ghosts here. I can sense them." It's theatrical and stupid. On Ghost Hunters, watching Rhode Island plumbers Jason and Grant go about trying to debunk every claim they find is an enjoyable experience. These are normal guys who go around, setting up infrared cameras, recording equipment, and employing only scientific methods to determine if something unexplained has happened. If they can't explain it, and if they caught it on video, only then, and only maybe then, will they even admit that there's something wonky about the place. This is a show I look forward to every week.
7. Supernatural – It's just fun. It's not as smartly written as Buffy, the dialogue isn't as sharp as Gilmore Girls, but it has a good sense of humor, explores some interesting corners of the US, and is a fun show to watch. It's gotten even better now, in its third year, so if you checked it out before this fall, give it another chance.
8. 30 Rock – Best comedy on television. Tina Fey is a genius. Alec Baldwin is perfect. Tracy Morgan is crazy, and the supporting staff manages to avoid most of the cliches that you'd expect. I can't say enough good things about this show, and I wish everyone could appreciate the subtlety of some of the humor that fills every scene. As long as it gets renewed, though, I'll be happy.
9. My Name is Earl – Jason Lee's moustache rocks, but it's Jamie Pressly's Joy that steals every scene for me. She's so delightfully white trash that you can't help but laugh. This show also has a supporting cast that rivals The Simpsons in scope, and each character has their own hilarious nuances that clearly defines them so that you remember them each time they show up. I hope that Greg Garcia can keep the momentum going.
10. Psych – This show has finally dispensed with the need for the mystery to be the focus of the movie and has started writing for the well-developed characters instead. It's another fun show to watch – you might not have too much invested in it, but it keeps you laughing and you get the feeling that the actors are having fun doing something they love.

And a couple of Honorable Mentions:

Monk – I love Traylor Howard in this. She's even better than Bitty Schram.
Gilmore Girls – The last season was pretty bad, but the whole series was an amazing journey.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia – This was a tough call. Such a great show, but I think the last season wasn't quite as great as the ones past. Let's call this one #11.
Law and Order – Not SVU, Not CI. Just the original. I love Sam Watterston's Jack McCoy, and the female cop that was in last season was excellent. It's such a great show, but it's so consistently good that I rely on it to always be awesome. It's beyond my top ten. It transcends it.

And a few that I'd never consider:

Lost – What a hack of a show
Desperate Housewives – Should just stick to the daytime like all the other soaps
Prison Break – really?
Heroes – it's not well-written or plotted at all. It's cool to watch superpowers on TV, but the show itself is bad.
Sopranos – hasn't been a good show since the fourth season.
Family Guy – It was only funny before it got cancelled. Now it's tired and played out.