Now that we've got that out of the way, let's start the list, shall we:
10) Lost
It's hard for me to judge Lost only based on the sixth and final season because I started watching the show last January. In some ways I wish I had been watching since the beginning but it was helpful to following the storyline to skip the long hiatuses that accompany most major shows. The first two seasons of Lost are as interesting and compelling as just about any program you will ever see on network television. The final season tried to explain many unanswered questions and even though I personally felt the final reveal to be a bit of a cop-out it was still an interesting and worthwhile season.
9) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Even though the ratings for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia have never been higher than they were during the sixth season, it seemed as if the show had lost some of its luster. That was at least for the first half of the season but six episodes of the season were some of the funniest since the second season. The final two episodes in particular, which including guest appearances from Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Tom Sizemore, had me wishing the season wouldn't end.
8) Mad Men
This is season of Mad Men was filled with highs and lows. The episodes "The Suitcase" and "The Summer Man" aired consecutively and were one of the best and worst episodes of the series. The season gave expanded roles to Lane Price and Sally Draper who each had very interesting storylines. The finale ended the season on an unexpected but very high note.
7) The League
To say that The League is about fantasy football is akin to saying that Cheers was a show about a bar. The world of fantasy football only serves as a backdrop to some of the most crude and hilarious comedy currently on television. The cast of hilarious comedians who improvise most of their lines (a la Curb Your Enthusiasm) do a great job of coming up with ridiculous dialogue.
6) Parks and Recreation
Following in the footsteps of The Office, the cast and writers behind Parks and Recreation made a huge leap in quality during its second season. A similar mockumentary approach is used with a camera following the mundane tasks of the Parks and Recreation department in the fictional city of Pawnee, Indiana and serious hilarity ensues. The ensemble of employees comprised of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt and Aziz Ansari compliment each other perfectly. The third season will begin airing on January 20, 2011 and if you're not watching then you'll be missing out.
5) Friday Night Lights
I feel like twenty years from now people will look back at Friday Night Lights and be completely dumbfounded by the lack of success the show has received. This is a series that has received virtually universal critical acclaim including being called "what may be the best dramatic series in the history of television" by The Los Angeles Times. In 2010, the fourth season aired on NBC and featured some fantastic episodes including "The Son" which had one of the best scenes you're likely to see. The fifth and final season is currently airing on DIRECTV and will air later in this year on NBC. Some of the stars from earlier seasons are gone and while the new crop of students aren't quite as entertaining as those who came before them, but Coach Eric Taylor, played brilliantly by Kyle Chandler helps carry the load.
4) 30 Rock
There's a reason that 30 Rock and its cast continues to pile up awards- because it is the wittiest comedy on network television. The jokes comes so fast during the show that if you're not paying attention you'll miss some of them. In what would normally be a gimmick of a struggling show that had run out of ideas, 30 Rock aired a live episode in October that was performed twice (once for each coast) and hilarious both times. For some reason I get the feeling that 30 Rock will be appreciated later when it starts to air in syndication but for as for myself, I'll enjoy every Thursday night.
3) The Life & Times of Tim
HBO is responsible for some of the most creative and hilarious comedy that has been produced over the past decade. The Life and Times of Tim was not just the funniest animated series of 2010, but the funniest show of the year. Apparently I wasn't the only one who was impressed with the comedy as guest stars Aziz Ansari, Paul F. Tomkins, Elliott Gould, Bonnie Hunt, Phillip Baker Hall and others all lined up for a role on the crudely animated series. There were just twelve episodes that were fifteen minutes long but I didn't laugh harder or more at any show this year.
2) The Walking Dead
Created by Frank Darabont and based on a graphic novel by Robert Kirkman of the same name The Walking Dead was AMC's newest hit series. It starts right as a zombie outbreak begins with the primary character Rick Grimes is a sheriff's deputy from Georgia waking from a hospital and having to piece together what has happened. It is a truly compelling series with excellent characters and it's no wonder the popularity of the show spread like- well, a zombie infection.
1) Boardwalk Empire
The first season of Boardwalk Empire was perhaps the most audacious debut for any television show I have ever seen. It was reported that the pilot episode directed by Martin Scorsese cost $18 million to produce and while watching it appears completely within reason. The cast headlined by character actor extraordinaire Steve Buscemi is a remarkable ensemble and if it give the series a chance you'll get a chance to see my two favorite characters Chalky White and Richard Harrow. Buscemi plays Enoch Thompson who is loosely based on the real life criminal and Republican political boss Enoch L. Johnson. Boardwalk Empire gives a glimpse in the bootlegging crime syndicate that surrounded Atlantic City in 1920s. It was my favorite television program of 2010 and I can't wait to see how it develops in the second season this fall.
Honorable mention goes to the following terrific programs:
Bored to Death
Community
Dexter
Eastbound and Down
Modern Family
The Office
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