This was originally meant to be an end of the year reflection of televisions best (according to me) but its publication got delayed. So I guess now, it's just a list of my Top 10 television shows.
10. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Unfortunately, I just started watching this quirky, sometimes raw sitcom this year, in its 9th season. It follows a group of unconventional bar owners, who usually end up in some scheme to get ahead and since none of them have much brainpower it all goes spiraling out of control. Hence, it being a comedy. The best bar based series since ‘Cheers.’
9. Bob’s Burgers - Much like his burgers, the jokes served at ‘Bob’s’ won’t appeal to everyone’s tastes, but I think they are satisfying. Then again, I’ll eat or watch most anything. While ’The Simpsons’ and ’Family Guy’ get all the attention, this animated series that’s sandwiched in between is filled with just as many laughs. It revolves around Bob, his wife, and their three weird kids, who all work at the family owned diner, but don’t have much of a mind for business.
8. Gordon Ramsay - The ‘Master Chef’ deserves his own spot for his collection of shows. I don’t know how he has time to cook anymore because he’s always on TV. His menu of shows include Hells Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Master Chef and Hotel Hell. The shows are pretty much all the same, he degrades the cooking (hotel service) of others and cusses them out in his English accent. Then right when it looks like there’s no hope for a cure, he solves all their problems and creates a five star eatery. Despite all the repetition, I can’t pull myself away from the table..err television when Chef Ramsay is on.
7. Monday Night RAW - Before you criticize for the inclusion of professional wrestling (Yes, I know it’s fake), let me give you some facts. RAW, which began in 1993, is the longest running weekly episodic series in history with over 1,000 episodes. I’ve seen all but a few. It’s been a staple in my life, and will continue to be, at least until I get married.
6. The Simpsons - In its 24th season, ‘The Simpsons’ continues to reach high levels of comedic genius. I know several people who refuse to watch it, claiming its immoral, which I never really understood. Why? Because, Bart sometimes says ‘Eat my shorts’? They are missing out on one of the all time great family sitcoms. The Simpsons are also one of the few television families who are shown attending church. Through the years there have been several faith based episodes, including at least one so far this season. If you’ve been avoiding it like the plague..D’oh, you’ve been missing out.
5. Modern Family - A terrific cast, including the kids, and captures all the parts of a family, and then some. I really think the first couple of seasons were the best, but its still among the elite. What I really appreciate about ‘Modern Family’ is how at the end the multiple storylines are somehow all tied together for a type of sweet, sentimental ending. It manages to find a good balance of humor and heart…I know, you thought I was going to say I liked it for Sofia Vergara.
4. Survivor - After all the reality shows that have been spawned off of ‘Survivor,’ none rank as high as the original. It’s amazing how new ways of backstabbing keeps being discovered. I’m not very fond of the trend of having former players return, but once all the conniving begins, my annoyances are forgotten. The game remains the same, but just enough new wrinkles are added to keep it fresh.
3. Honey Boo Boo - You better Redneckognize! From the sneezing mother to the six year old beauty pageant contestant with plenty of sass, ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ is a case study in how not to behave. While I don’t want to be them, I do enjoy watching them. Some refer to the show as a sign of society’s destruction, (largely the same who won’t watch ‘The Simpsons) but they need to get a sense of humor and realize there’s always and always will be crazy people so we might as well just laugh at them. If nothing else, its given me the recipe for Sketti, provided a new to answer to where babies come from, and made me more thankful for the family I have. If you need any of those things, and really, who doesn’t? Check out Honey Boo Boo.
2. Big Bang Theory - While for different reasons, Honey Boo Boo and The Big Bang Theory both make me feel more intelligent after watching them. Sadly, I’m probably more relatable to Honey Boo Boo than Sheldon, but they are both highly entertaining. Nobody ever told me how funny ‘Big Bang’ is until this year, but fortunately it seems to be on at most every hour on some channel so have gotten caught up pretty easily. Nerds can enjoy the show for all the intelligent insider references, but there is still plenty for all the common folk to take from.
1. Parks & Rec - It used to be that show that came on after ‘The Office’ but now its that show that I can’t miss. Every episode of the comedy series about the parks department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana is filled with several laugh at loud moments. It’s gotten better each of the last few years, and this season has been top notch so far. Amy Poehler is superb in the lead role, and the entire cast is excellent. My personal favorite is Andy who proves to be more stupid each week.
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