Top 10 TV Shows, Revisited

A list, for list's sake. My top 10 favorite TV show currently airing.

Top 10 Current TV Shows (in order, for the most part):

1. Mad Men - One of the things I like most about this show (besides the basic premise of seeing both specific events - Kennedy Assassination, Cuban Missile Crisis - and general 1960s life through the prism of advertising) is that, for the most part, entire seasons are meticulously laid out in advance. Similar to The Wire, if you see some plot thread opened up in episode 3, it's going to pay off at the end of the season. Seemingly insignificant details end up being tied to key plot developments, in ways both surprising and ingenious. Add to that extremely high production values, with regard to costumes, hair and makeup, set design, and cinematography, and you have my favorite show currently on TV.

2. Friday Night Lights - The most accurate portrayal of real life on TV. Though I'm from Wisconsin, and not high school football-obsessed Texas, I can relate almost too well to the ways in which characters deal with the obstacles thrown in their path through life. Watching Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) deal with the death of a loved one, or Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden) go through the college application process, may not seem like the most riveting storylines ever, but the show deals with them in very real ways. The production aesthetics only add to the realism, as actors often improvise lines, and camera shots are not necessarily predetermined, but are instead figured out on the fly, based on the direction a scene takes. It's hard to explain what about this show is so enjoyable, and it's certainly not a ratings juggernaut, but critics have long been fans, and it's finally getting some real recognition: leads Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton (Coach Eric Taylor and Tami Taylor, respectively) were recently nominated for best actor/actress Emmys, and deservedly so.

3. Community - Funniest show on TV, in my humble opinion. Whether it's paying homage to "Goodfellas" or putting a new twist on sexual tension, Community has managed to find a unique niche in a crowded TV landscape. Just watch "Modern Warfare", the show's parody/homage of action movies, and try not to laugh.

4. Dexter - I don't know what they can do to top this past season, in which John Lithgow provided Dexter's best adversary to date. The show chose to push the envelope creatively, with a shocking season finale twist, setting the stage for new and interesting character and plot developments. Just as the show was beginning to feel a little stale, the production team proved their willingness to adopt change in order to keep the show feeling fresh.

5. Treme - I watched this show purely because it was David Simon's new HBO show, and based on The Wire, I was expecting greatness. And it delivered. Though certainly not the same type of show as The Wire, the show utilizes Simon's tradition of realism (be it specific details of post-Katrina New Orleans life, or using real NOLA residents and musicians in the plot) to paint a rich, heartbreaking portrayal of New Orleans in the months after Katrina.

6. Modern Family - Great ensemble comedy, regarded by many as the savior of the family comedy genre. Five of the show's six adult regulars were recently nominated for best supporting actor/actress Emmys, which may seem like a lot, but in my opinion, is justified by the fact that each character is funny in different ways, with each actor bringing something unique to the table.

7. Survivor - I forgot how much I love this show. I watched the first 8 or 9 seasons, then just stopped, if for no other reason than I wasn't watching TV Thursday nights. I recently started watching again, starting with Samoa, uber-villain Russell Hantz's first season, and it reminded me why I like the show so much. The strategizing that goes into each episode is engaging and so, so intense. Season 20, Heroes vs. Villains, may have been one of the best yet, and I can't wait until season 21, Nicaragua.

8. The Office - Though it had a down season, I still really enjoy spending 30 minutes a week with these characters. If that's not the sign of a good show, down year or not, I don't know what is.

9. Parenthood - This one snuck up on me, but it's a surprisingly endearing, well-acted little dramedy. Well-cast, with emotionally resonant storylines. Not something I expected to like, but they hooked me with relatively true to life scenarios handled in relatively true to life ways.

10. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Possibly the most ridiculous show on TV right now. Two words: Kitten Mittens. Can't wait for the next season.

Notable Omissions: The Amazing Race, How I Met Your Mother, Weeds, Breaking Bad & Sons of Anarchy (both due to not having seen them yet)