It's the law that you have to do one of these things, and I want to make sure I'm in full compliance. I can't be bothered to rank anything, and I'm not feeling arrogant enough (today) to call the stuff I liked the Best Of, so here's some stuff I liked in 2007.
TV
The Closer. The Mary Tyler Moore Show with murders continues to be a great hour of TV.
Dirt: Courteney Cox as hardass editor and oodles of sordid goings on: celebs who leak their own sex tapes! Secretly gay action stars! Hardass editors stalked by their own brothers! Creepy dad pimping out his kids for cover shots on celebrity mags! Dead cheerleader discovered to have been pregnant by her minister father! O, the list goes on. A celebration of the seamy underbelly of Hollywood, and, I suppose, America. Can't wait to wallow in season 2.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The bastard child of Seinfeld and Arrested Development delivers more laughs per half hour than anything else on TV. Watch with glee as truly repulsive people do horrible things. The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby was probably the best episode, but they're all great.
Flight of the Conchords: Sad sack novelty musicians from New Zealand not really trying very hard to make it big in New York. It's difficult to explain what makes this show so funny and charming--is it the musical numbers? Possibly, as they provide the biggest laughs of the show. The supporting cast is great, the writing is top-notch--it's a delightful half hour of TV and single-handedly justified my adding HBO to the already exhorbitant TV bill.
Project Runway. I suppose in defense of my heterosexuality I should try to say that it's Heidi's teutonic dominatrix act that keeps me coming back. I do enjoy the teutonic dominatrix act, but I like the competition, the backbiting, rating the outfits, Michael Kors' fake tan, Nina Garcia's bitchiness, and the warmth and wit of Tim Gunn too.
Law and Order: Criminal Intent. The black sheep of the Law and Order family got sent back to the farm team: the USA network, and responded with better shows than they've had in years. They've dared to step outside their beloved formula and make better shows. They've finally given Eames something to do besides shake her head at Goren, Goren appears to be headed for a total breakdown, and Logan gets to play the seasoned older hand to his hot, hothead partner. I know it's kinda square--no Law and Order show is ever going to be cool in the way that It's Always Sunny is cool, but I really like this one.
Numb3rs. Oh how I hate that three in the name. Anyway, speaking of square, this FBI thriller is square as hell and I really like it. Rob Morrow gets to play tough and taciturn while his brother David Krumholtz helps the FBI with his math ability. Also Peter MacNicol is on hand as Charlie's incresingly out there mentor, Judd Hirsch is the dad, and the workplace family is full of likeable characters. I missed the first episode, so I didn't quite get how Colby is back on the job after ending last season arrested for being a spy for the Chinese, but I don't really care.
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School. Yeah, it started as a goof for me, just watching to see trashy women with low self esteem fighting and making asses of themselves and getting reprimanded by Mo'Nique, (The episode where Brooke got kicked off for acting impossibly slutty and Mo'Nique held forth on the dangers of "that dark liquor" was classic), but it ended up being genuinely touching and kind of uplifiting. Go figure.
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide-- The consistently funny, somewhat bizarre sitcom about middle school was among the best-written shows on TV and was certainly the best-acted show on Nickelodeon. It went out with a very funny, very satisfying final episode as middle school ends with a big field trip in which Ned loses his clothes and is mistaken for the subject of a famous painting, Cookie foils an art theft as his alter ego, the Steel Eagle, and Ned and Moze get together at last! I'm glad it was on Nickelodeon because I was forced to watch it by the kids and wouldn't have tuned in otherwise, but it's also kind of a shame it was on Nickelodeon, because this was one of the best comedies on TV and people who don't have kids ages 8-12 probably never heard of it.
I have to acknowledge the 24 episode of the Simpsons, which was the best episode they've done in years. The one with Kent Brockman getting fired was also really good. The new season, though, has been subpar. No, actually, it's been, as Comic Book Guy would say, the worst. season. ever.
