I'm back from Scranton and ready to get back to blog work. For those who won't get to hear my massive countdown on New Years Eve, I will be sharing the songs in backwards order here with you. I will do this in two parts, with the final 50 songs being listed here on New Years Day. I will also include a short snippet to explain how a song got to that spot (if nothing is written, it just means I like the song!). Here's #'s 102-51:
102. Fergie- Clumsy
101. Creed- Rain
100. Splendor- I Think God Can Explain
99. Puddle Of Mudd- Blurry
98. Linkin Park- In The End
97. Lee Ann Womack- I Hope You Dance (1st song a woman dedicated to me)
96. Foo Fighters- Long Road To Ruin
95. Twista, Kanye, Jamie Foxx- Slow Jamz
94. Five For Fighting- Superman (It's Not Easy)
93. Alicia Keys- Fallin'
92. Eminem- We Made You
91. Velvet Revolver- Fall To Pieces
90. Sheryl Crow- Out Of Our Heads (reminds me of Sheryl concert in MD)
89. Staind- Right Here
88. Chad Kroeger- Hero
87. Black Eyed Peas- Don't Phunk With My Heart
86. Green Day- 21 Guns
85. Stone Temple Pilots- Sour Girl
84. Jason Mraz- The Remedy
83. Def Leppard- Now
82. Rihanna & Jay-Z- Umbrella
81. Train- Drops of Jupiter (trip to Tampa with Mel)
80. Switchfoot- Dare You To Move
79. Maroon 5- Sunday Morning
78. U2- Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (an early bump in Staci & my relationship)
77. Chris Brown- Forever
76. Plain White T's- Hey There Delilah (1st season with the P-Nats)
75. Fat Joe- Lean Back
74. Kanye West- Heard Em Say
73. Billy Joel- 2000 Years
72. Outkast- I Like The Way You Move
71. Daughtry- Home (return to Myrtle in '07)
70. Jay-Z, Kanye & Rihanna- Run This Town
69. Fall Out Boy- This Ain't a Scene..
68. Faith Hill- There You'll Be (Mary & I sis-bro dance)
67. DMX- Party Up
66. Ben Folds- Landed
65. Shinedown- 45
64. Green Day- Boulevard of Broken Dreams
63. Lil Jon- Get Low (my infamous St Pats 04 dance)
62. Rob Thomas- Someday
61. Def Leppard- No Matter What
60. Kelly Clarkson- Because of You (theme to my former mother)
59. Ludacris- Welcome To Atlanta (one of my ATL songs)
58. Miley Cyrus- The Climb
57. Beyonce & Jay-Z- Crazy In Love
56. Train- When I Look To The Sky
55. Puddle Of Mudd- Control
54. Vertical Horizon- Best I Ever Had (the end of Lynn & I)
53. The Fray- You Found Me
52. Don Henley- Taking You Home (mine & Staci's wedding song)
51. Boys Like Girls- The Great Escape (move to Q-Town)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Decade Maifesto
So here we stand at the precipice of another..decade? Holy crap, how does time fly by so quickly? Was it not just yesterday that I was watching the Atlanta Peach drop and looking excitedly towards life in my still-new city? No, 3653 days have passed since that moment. And life has taken many interesting turns since that night. In my writings from 12/31/99, I looked hopefully towards the next adventure, to pursuing Lynn and finding my path in life. Optimism- so unlike me, even then. But I wasn't far off, though it would take some time to get there. The love of my life was still 4 years away at that point, and I would go through no less than 3 careers before finding my rightful place in sports.
So what differentiated the 00's from the 90's? A sense of finally starting to find take the right path. Turmoil and uncertainty marked the previous decade, and while that did not completely disappear (for example, what area are we going to finally settle down for good??), the angst has disappeared.
And I can thank Staci for much of that. Most certainly the best thing that has happened to me in ANY decade, my beautiful wife is my rock. Moving to DC was certainly a mixed bag, but while I am certain we would have found each other anywhere, meeting in a Kingstowne bar was perfection.
It has been a joy watching the little people grow up, none more than my 2 wonderful daughters. Abby is a pure joy to see as she approaches teen-dom. She is a beautiful, intelligent, and talented young woman. My brothers, sisters & nephews have also become young adults, which makes me feel old and young simultaneously. And to all my family, esp. my Dad and Mary, who have been through more with me than anyone on the planet.
Close friends, as was the case ten years ago, remain the anchor of my life. I'm so thankful for the people who have been there for the good and bad, who have been a part of my life since I was young. And the many more friends that I have met these last ten years who have become integral to my life. And Facebook has brought so many lost friends back to the fold. "No man is a failure who has friends!"
So there it is- 10 years in a tiny snapshot. Ten years from now, where will my life be? Wherever it is, I hope it's with the same wonderful people. Happy New Year to all!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Oughts In Review- 2009
We've arrived at the last year of the decade in review. Hope it's been as much fun for you as it has been for me.
News:
Sully saves hundreds while crash landing in the Hudson. Obama gets inaugurated. Celebrity deaths seem to happen every day this year, including Michael Jackson. And to put a cherry on top of the decade, Staci & I found out we're having a baby!
Sports:
The Dodgers rush out of the gate, survive a 50 game suspension for Manny, and win their most games (95) in 25 years. And then they lose in the playoffs again. Cowboys are 8-5 currently with 3 games remaining. My guess is I won't have anything good to put here in a few weeks, which will make the first decade of my life where neither of my two main teams wins a championship. I return to my baseball roots and work for the P-Nats in '09.
New MLB Stadium Seen: 2 (New Mets, Milwaukee)
TV/Movies:
The Middle, Community, Modern Family, Flash Forward
The Hangover, I Love You Man, Capitalism: A Love Story
Music:
3 Doors Down- Let Me Be Myself
3OH!3- Don't Trust Me
Black Eyed Peas- Boom Boom Pow
Black Eyed Peas- I Gotta Feeling
Cobra Starship- Good Girls Go Bad
Creed- Rain
Daughtry- No Surprise
David Cook- Come Back To Me
Eminem- We Made You
Foo Fighters- Wheels
Green Day- Know Your Enemy
Jamie Foxx- Blame It
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z, Kanye & Rhianna- Run This Town
Kelly Clarkson- Already Gone
Kelly Clarkson- My Life Would Suck Without You
Keri Hilson- Knock You Down
Kings Of Leon- Use Somebody
Miley Cyrus- The Climb
Muse- Uprising
Nickelback- If Today Was Your Last Day
Norah Jones- Chasing Pirates
Pink- Please Don't Leave Me
Plain White T's- 1,2,3,4
Rob Thomas- Someday
Seether- Careless Whisper
Shinedown- Second Chance
The Fray- You Found Me
TI & Justin Timberlake- Dead & Gone
News:
Sully saves hundreds while crash landing in the Hudson. Obama gets inaugurated. Celebrity deaths seem to happen every day this year, including Michael Jackson. And to put a cherry on top of the decade, Staci & I found out we're having a baby!
Sports:
The Dodgers rush out of the gate, survive a 50 game suspension for Manny, and win their most games (95) in 25 years. And then they lose in the playoffs again. Cowboys are 8-5 currently with 3 games remaining. My guess is I won't have anything good to put here in a few weeks, which will make the first decade of my life where neither of my two main teams wins a championship. I return to my baseball roots and work for the P-Nats in '09.
New MLB Stadium Seen: 2 (New Mets, Milwaukee)
TV/Movies:
The Middle, Community, Modern Family, Flash Forward
The Hangover, I Love You Man, Capitalism: A Love Story
Music:
3 Doors Down- Let Me Be Myself
3OH!3- Don't Trust Me
Black Eyed Peas- Boom Boom Pow
Black Eyed Peas- I Gotta Feeling
Cobra Starship- Good Girls Go Bad
Creed- Rain
Daughtry- No Surprise
David Cook- Come Back To Me
Eminem- We Made You
Foo Fighters- Wheels
Green Day- Know Your Enemy
Jamie Foxx- Blame It
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z, Kanye & Rhianna- Run This Town
Kelly Clarkson- Already Gone
Kelly Clarkson- My Life Would Suck Without You
Keri Hilson- Knock You Down
Kings Of Leon- Use Somebody
Miley Cyrus- The Climb
Muse- Uprising
Nickelback- If Today Was Your Last Day
Norah Jones- Chasing Pirates
Pink- Please Don't Leave Me
Plain White T's- 1,2,3,4
Rob Thomas- Someday
Seether- Careless Whisper
Shinedown- Second Chance
The Fray- You Found Me
TI & Justin Timberlake- Dead & Gone
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Oh Girl!
As anyone who is my Facebook friend knows, Staci & I have announced the impending arrival of our first child together. And yesterday we found out the exciting news that we are having a girl. This makes me 3-for-3 in the daughter department, which is fine by me. I readily admit that when I found out about Abby and Alexis, I was rooting for a boy both times. This time I was quietly rooting for a girl, even if it means tougher teen years and no real shot of a kid in Major League Baseball. That doesn't she can't be Jenny Finch, though! I'm not sure what's changed my thinking over the last dozen years, but I think Staci & I both got what we wanted. More importantly, everything looks healthy on the baby, though we won't know for sure till Friday's doctor appointment.
A note on the Ultrasound itself. How far technology has come in 12 years! I don't why I'm surprised when look at the progression of other "electronics" (computers, video cameras, computers, etc). The best pictures we saw back in the 90's were grainy and limited to certain angles. Flash forward to 2009, our nurse was able to get every angle of the kid, including split-screen and 4-D (that's live-action 3-D. I didn't know either). And the pictures were as clear as a bell, as you can see from the picture above. It was like watching an embryonic version of "24."
So Addison Brooklyn will join us sometime in May. So we're now onto the fun stuff- like planning the theme and clothes (Staci) and figuring out which baseball game will be little Addy's first (me). Should be a blast!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Down To 150...
The Decade Countdown is starting to get down to the semifinals, down to the best 150 songs. This process has gone fairly quickly for me. A friend was asking me about my criteria for the countdown. I've basically followed the same rules since I started doing this in 1986 (!). My "rules":
1) I have to like the song. It is my countdown, after all. So no "Moulin Rouge," country, Jonas Bros, etc, etc, no matter how popular the idiotic public might have found it.
2) My favorite artists get some special treatment, but not alot. There will be more Sheryl Crow or Foo Fighters than someone else might have, but I try to limit each artist to 5 songs in a countdown. How much fun would a top 100 be if I had 35 Sheryl songs?
3) The song should have some lasting power. As much as I might have liked a Chingy song back in 2003, do I cringe hearing it now? That said, music changes so much in 10 years, so it's important to accurately represent the entire decade. Which leads to #4..
4) Every year gets equal play, at least until the semi-finals. This is similar to sports, where every conference gets so many teams in a tourney, then whatever happens, happens. I certainly have my favorite years of music (2004 and 2007 were particularly good), but it's not a fair assessment of the whole body of work.
5) Perhaps most importantly, the songs that form the tapestry of my decade will be much higher in the countdown. Songs that "take me back" to my beloved Atlanta, meeting my wife, starting in baseball, friendships, road trips, lost loved ones, etc, make the soundtrack of my life. Why wouldn't they get the honor being played closer to midnight on New Years? This is a small but significant factor that can break ties between songs and bump a song into the top 20, or 10.
So there it is. The next step? I will be listening to all 150 songs over the next few days to find the top 100. Then the ranking will begin, which is the most difficult part, but also the most fun!
1) I have to like the song. It is my countdown, after all. So no "Moulin Rouge," country, Jonas Bros, etc, etc, no matter how popular the idiotic public might have found it.
2) My favorite artists get some special treatment, but not alot. There will be more Sheryl Crow or Foo Fighters than someone else might have, but I try to limit each artist to 5 songs in a countdown. How much fun would a top 100 be if I had 35 Sheryl songs?
3) The song should have some lasting power. As much as I might have liked a Chingy song back in 2003, do I cringe hearing it now? That said, music changes so much in 10 years, so it's important to accurately represent the entire decade. Which leads to #4..
4) Every year gets equal play, at least until the semi-finals. This is similar to sports, where every conference gets so many teams in a tourney, then whatever happens, happens. I certainly have my favorite years of music (2004 and 2007 were particularly good), but it's not a fair assessment of the whole body of work.
5) Perhaps most importantly, the songs that form the tapestry of my decade will be much higher in the countdown. Songs that "take me back" to my beloved Atlanta, meeting my wife, starting in baseball, friendships, road trips, lost loved ones, etc, make the soundtrack of my life. Why wouldn't they get the honor being played closer to midnight on New Years? This is a small but significant factor that can break ties between songs and bump a song into the top 20, or 10.
So there it is. The next step? I will be listening to all 150 songs over the next few days to find the top 100. Then the ranking will begin, which is the most difficult part, but also the most fun!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Are Nickelback The Atlanta Braves Of Music?
As I work on my paring my massive list of top songs of the decade from 312 to a more manageable 100-150, I noticed a very interesting trend. In 8 of the last 9 years (2008 being the only exception), there has been a Nickelback song in my top 40. Consider:
2001- How You Remind Me, Too Bad
2002- Never Again
2003- Someday
2004- Figured You Out, Feeling Too Damn Good, Paperback Novel
2005- Photograph
2006- Far Away
2007- Rockstar
2009- If Today Was Your Last Day
Yet, as I started cutting songs, many Nickelback tunes were the first to go. Why is that? I find their music pleasant enough, but so many of their songs are interchangeable. They are just one of those bands that doesn't take much time off, so you're constantly hearing a new song, but when it comes to distinguishing one from the other, you'll find yourself at a loss. So, sorry, Nickelback, you had a great decade, but very little will be represented in the BK's Oughts Countdown.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Cure For The Wintertime Blues
The older you get, the more depressing winter becomes. Even Christmas isn't what it used to be, so the "blahs" start earlier. So what I do to get through that? I start planning our baseball roadtrips for the following year. The steps are easy:
1) Figure out when and where we want to try and go next year. Adding the minors to my list a few years ago has made this especially fun.
2) Picking 2-3 new MLB cities to go to. The MLB parks left to see is dwindling, but in some ways more difficult (ie expensive).
3) Scanning through dozens of minor league teams' schedules. Trying to make sure as many teams as possible are at home in a certain radius is the key. My Christmas comes as a team I've been waiting to release their schedule finally does.
4) Looking at giveaways. This is not really that huge to me, the only thing I tend to care about is a hat giveaway, with an occasional bobblehead thrown in. The other problem is teams tend to release that schedule right before the season, long after the choices for us have been made. It's fun to see what other teams are doing, however.
So the rough outline for 2010 has been established. Here's the possibilities:
MLB Parks: With only 6 left, we are not going crazy in this department next year. The new Yankee Stadium is on the docket after my one-year ban. This will probably include a stop by one of the minor league parks I haven't gotten yet, the candidates being Long Island, Newark and Sussex. There will most likely be only one other MLB park for '10, with either Seattle or Minnesota as the choice. It will come down to which plane ticket is cheaper. Plenty of good MiLB to hit in either region with the St Paul Saints in Minnesota and Tacoma and Yakima in Seattle.
Local/regional trip: One of the good things about the DC area is the choice in baseball in a fairly close proximity. No less than 10 teams in a 2-3 hour drive. The 2nd annual P-Nats tour will occur the first weekend in June, with a stop in 3 states and DC, 4 different Nats affiliates, and 1 Flying Squirrel. Richmond, Hagerstown, Wilmington and DC, here we come!
Longer road trips: In some ways, these have become my favorite aspect of the baseball season, as they are fairly inexpensive and you get to see so much of the surrounding areas. Last year's North Carolina and Midwest trips were huge amounts of fun while continually clicking off more ballparks. For 2010, I have a New England trip planned as we go to visit Staci's parents in Maine. So many teams to choose from on the 750 mile journey, including Lowell, Pawtucket, and Portland. We will also be looking at an Upstate New York trip as well, as this is a quick 6-hour drive to dozens of teams, including Binghamton, Oneonta, and Tri-Cities.
2010 is going to be a great year in many ways, and plotting the baseball season is one small but important aspect of that.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Oughts In Review- 2008
News:
The completely dominant story was the race for President. Obama v. Hillary, McCain & Palin, all ending in an historic election. Something I was very proud to volunteer and be a tiny part of.
Sports:
The Dodgers finish 84-78, but win the division and their first playoff series in 20 years. Get crushed by the Phils in the NLCS, but it was a fun ride. Cowboys fade again down the stretch, going 9-7 and narrowly missing the playoffs. I work for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, getting a taste of the playoffs, though we are quickly eliminated by my former team the Potomac Nationals.
New MLB Stadiums Seen: 4 (New DC, Toronto, St Louis, Kansas City)
TV/Movies:
Sons of Anarchy, Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother
Dark Knight, Step Brothers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express
Music:
All American Rejects- Gives You Hell
Britney Spears- Womanizer
Chris Brown- Forever
Colbie Callait- Realize
Coldplay- Viva La Vida
Daughtry- What About Now
Estelle- American Boy
FloRida- Low
Foo Fighters- Long Road to Ruin
Gavin Rossdale- Love Remains the Same
Jason Mraz- I'm Yours
Kanye West- Love Lockdown
Kardinal Offishall & Akon- Dangerous
Katy Perry- I Kissed a Girl
Kings Of Leon- Sex on Fire
Lifehouse- Whatever It Takes
Lupe Fiasco- Superstar
Madonna & Justin Timberlake- 4 Minutes
Mariah Carey- Touch My Body
Metro Station- Shake It
NeYo- Closer
Pink- So What
Sheryl Crow- Love Is Free
Sheryl Crow- Out Of Our Heads
Staind- Believe
TI & Rhianna- Live Your Life
TI- Whatever You Like
Three Days Grace- Never Too Late
Usher & Young Jeezy- Love In This Club
3 Doors Down- It's Not My Time
The completely dominant story was the race for President. Obama v. Hillary, McCain & Palin, all ending in an historic election. Something I was very proud to volunteer and be a tiny part of.
Sports:
The Dodgers finish 84-78, but win the division and their first playoff series in 20 years. Get crushed by the Phils in the NLCS, but it was a fun ride. Cowboys fade again down the stretch, going 9-7 and narrowly missing the playoffs. I work for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, getting a taste of the playoffs, though we are quickly eliminated by my former team the Potomac Nationals.
New MLB Stadiums Seen: 4 (New DC, Toronto, St Louis, Kansas City)
TV/Movies:
Sons of Anarchy, Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother
Dark Knight, Step Brothers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express
Music:
All American Rejects- Gives You Hell
Britney Spears- Womanizer
Chris Brown- Forever
Colbie Callait- Realize
Coldplay- Viva La Vida
Daughtry- What About Now
Estelle- American Boy
FloRida- Low
Foo Fighters- Long Road to Ruin
Gavin Rossdale- Love Remains the Same
Jason Mraz- I'm Yours
Kanye West- Love Lockdown
Kardinal Offishall & Akon- Dangerous
Katy Perry- I Kissed a Girl
Kings Of Leon- Sex on Fire
Lifehouse- Whatever It Takes
Lupe Fiasco- Superstar
Madonna & Justin Timberlake- 4 Minutes
Mariah Carey- Touch My Body
Metro Station- Shake It
NeYo- Closer
Pink- So What
Sheryl Crow- Love Is Free
Sheryl Crow- Out Of Our Heads
Staind- Believe
TI & Rhianna- Live Your Life
TI- Whatever You Like
Three Days Grace- Never Too Late
Usher & Young Jeezy- Love In This Club
3 Doors Down- It's Not My Time
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Oughts In Review- 2007
News:
Scooter Libby goes to jail. The Mitchell report rocks baseball. And I get married.
Sports:
Dodgers finish a disappointing 82-80. Cowboys have a tremendous regular season, going 13-3. Unfortunately, they continue to stink in the playoffs, losing in their first game. I also start my baseball career in earnest, working for the Potomac Nationals.
New MLB Stadiums Seen: 4 (Cubs, White Sox, San Diego, Anaheim)
TV/Movies:
Mad Men, Back To You, Big Bang Theory, Pushing Daisies
Knocked Up, Die Hard 4, Superbad, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Music:
Arcade Fire- Keep The Car Running
Avril Lavigne- When You're Gone
Boys Like Girls- Great Escape
Colbie Callait- Bubbly
Daughtry- Home
Daughtry- It's Not Over
Don Henley- This Love
Fall Out Boy- This Ain't a Scene..
Fergie- Clumsy
Fergie- Big Girls Don't Cry
Five For Fighting- 100 Years
Foo Fighters- The Pretender
Good Charlotte- Don't Wanna Be In Love (Dance Floor Anthem)
Graham Colton- Best Days
Gwen Stefani- Sweet Escape
Gym Class Heroes- Cupid's Chokehold
Incubus- Discover
Kanye West- Stronger
Katherine McPhee- Over It
The Killers- Read My Mind
KT Tunstall- Suddenly I See
Maroon 5- Wake Up Call
Maroon 5- Won't Go Home Without You
My Chemical Romance- Welcome to the Black Parade
Nelly Furtado- Say It Right
Nickelback- Rockstar
Pink- Who Knew
Pink- U + Ur Hand
Plain White T's- Hey There Delilah
Rascal Flatts- Broken Road
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus- Face Down
Rhianna- Umbrella
Shop Boyz- Party Like a Rock Star
Timbaland- Apologize
Scooter Libby goes to jail. The Mitchell report rocks baseball. And I get married.
Sports:
Dodgers finish a disappointing 82-80. Cowboys have a tremendous regular season, going 13-3. Unfortunately, they continue to stink in the playoffs, losing in their first game. I also start my baseball career in earnest, working for the Potomac Nationals.
New MLB Stadiums Seen: 4 (Cubs, White Sox, San Diego, Anaheim)
TV/Movies:
Mad Men, Back To You, Big Bang Theory, Pushing Daisies
Knocked Up, Die Hard 4, Superbad, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Music:
Arcade Fire- Keep The Car Running
Avril Lavigne- When You're Gone
Boys Like Girls- Great Escape
Colbie Callait- Bubbly
Daughtry- Home
Daughtry- It's Not Over
Don Henley- This Love
Fall Out Boy- This Ain't a Scene..
Fergie- Clumsy
Fergie- Big Girls Don't Cry
Five For Fighting- 100 Years
Foo Fighters- The Pretender
Good Charlotte- Don't Wanna Be In Love (Dance Floor Anthem)
Graham Colton- Best Days
Gwen Stefani- Sweet Escape
Gym Class Heroes- Cupid's Chokehold
Incubus- Discover
Kanye West- Stronger
Katherine McPhee- Over It
The Killers- Read My Mind
KT Tunstall- Suddenly I See
Maroon 5- Wake Up Call
Maroon 5- Won't Go Home Without You
My Chemical Romance- Welcome to the Black Parade
Nelly Furtado- Say It Right
Nickelback- Rockstar
Pink- Who Knew
Pink- U + Ur Hand
Plain White T's- Hey There Delilah
Rascal Flatts- Broken Road
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus- Face Down
Rhianna- Umbrella
Shop Boyz- Party Like a Rock Star
Timbaland- Apologize
Thursday, December 03, 2009
BK's Top 20 TV Shows of the Oughts
Despite all the garbage on TV (reality shows/horrible game shows), I believe that this decade has seen a resurgence in solid and innovative TV. I could count on 2 hands (with some fingers left) the shows from the '90s that I would rewatch today. I don't think I will have that same problem with these '00s shows in the future. A key to my list, especially when distinguishing my top 5, was rewatchability and shark-jumping (as in, did the show stay around way too long?). I also tried to factor in the "what-if" factor, as there are alot of shows here that disappeared quickly, and would they have stayed as good if they had made it to their 5th (or in some cases 2nd) season. So here is my favorite 20 shows from the last decade:
20. Entourage (04-present)- Vinnie Chase and his crew started so well, but the last 2 years have just been okay.
19. Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (06-07)- Alot of potential for Sorkin's West Wing follow-up, but people just didn't care about rich actor's behind-the-scenes problems.
18. Undeclared (01-02)- This show about college freshmen was not given a proper chance by Fox. Very smart and fairly accurate depiction of starting college life. Created by Judd Apatow before he was Judd Apaptow. Also look for Jason Seigel and Seth Rogen before they were stars.
17. Mad Men (07-present)- Life in a 1960's ad firm, just as women's rights (and everything, really) were changing. One of the better ensembles of the decade.
16. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (01-present)- Cartoon about a milkshake, fries and wad of meat who solve crimes in New jersey. Yup, it's exactly what it sounds like. But funny as hell and helped launch Adult Swim.
15. Saturday Night Live (75- present)- Some so-so years in the mix this decade, but Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, et al continued to make mostly-great comedy 35 years after the show debuted.
14. Andy Richter Controls The Universe (02-03)- This show was also treated poorly by Fox, as it bounced to a million time slots. But "Andy" was a pre-cursor to shows like The Office or 30 Rock, by swaying away from "normal" sitcoms with wild sequences and awkward moments. Great cast as well.
13. The Sopranos (99-07)- When this decade started, it looked like this could be the best show ever. Then they started taking 2 year breaks between seasons. And uneven writing and weird plots. And having strange dream sequences. And the controversial finale (which I loved by the way). Still one of the best dramas I've ever watched.
12. Chapelle's Show (03-05)- For 2 season, this became the "SNL" of its time. Water-cooler material, quotes galore, and some of the funniest sketches you'll ever see. Then Dave lost his mind. Oh, what could have been.
11. How I Met Your Mother (06-present)- I didn't start watching till the 3rd season, but so glad I finally did. The plot: a father in 2030 explaining to his kids how he and their mom had met. The catch: 100 episodes in and we still don't know. But the stories leading up to that fateful day have been great. The "Friends" of the Oughts.
10. Rescue Me (04-present)- A dark dramedy about an NYC firehouse and the multitude of problems they go through. I started watching for Denis Leary and stayed because of the great writing and acting.
9. Scrubs (01-present)- I was very late to this party, catching up just as the 7th season was beginning. Just like Seinfeld the decade before, once I watched, I couldn't believe it took me so long to start. JD and his inner monologue, Dr Cox (one of my favorite characters ever) and his rants, and so much more.
8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (00-present)- The true master of awkward comedy (on Mt Rushmore with Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell), Larry David's look behind the curtain is still funny ten years later. Every situation that Larry puts himself into is painful but hilarious. and the Seinfeld "reunion" this season drove it to new levels.
7. 30 Rock (06-present)- Tina Fey is the funniest woman on the planet. and she gets to show it in this SNL-like behind-the-scenes show. And Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan are hilarious as well.
6. The West Wing (99-06)- The incredibly well-written show about a president and his administration. While they had a small creative slump in the middle seasons, it surged while covering the campaigns of the presidential wannabes.
5. Arrested Development (03-06)- The smartest comedy ever. Which is why it barely lasted 3 seasons in a world where "According to Jim" and "Til Death" get renewed multiple times. It had jokes that you actually had to think about and pay attention to. Rumors abound that a movie is in the works. Let's hope so- bring back the Bluths!
4. 24 (01-present)- I'm proud to say that I was one of the few watching this when it debuted, and that I brought alot of people on board as the show gained popularity. Set in "real time," Jack Bauer saves the world season after season from every catastrophe possible. It's had a great run, but I'm actually hoping this upcoming season is the last- before it goes off the deep end.
3. Family Guy (99-present)- One of the greatest success stories of the decade, Family Guy is a cartoon that goes off on crazy tangents, pop-culture references, and unbelieveable story lines, but almost always finds the funny. This show was killed by Fox (a recurring theme- maybe Fox should stop being a network). But 3 years later, thanks to tremendous DVD sales and repeats on Cartoon Network, the show was revived and is now a staple on Sunday nights.
2. The Office (05-present)- Did I watch in the beginning hoping to see them bash my hometown of Scranton (the show's setting)? Yes. But while waiting for that, I discovered the funniest show on TV. It took some time to find its footing (but so did Cheers and MASH). And kudos to NBC for allowing it to do so in an era that good but underachieving shows are quickly canceled. One of the best comedy ensembles ever.
1. Lost (04-present)- How many shows do you actually miss when they are not on? Lost is one of those shows to me. But it's so much more- the questions that it raises about destiny, faith vs. science, and how much of our life do we control. The twists and turns the plot has taken have pushed some people away- fine by me. To those, I say go watch "Gilligan's Island." The finale next year should be fantastic, and the ride through 6 seasons has been worth it.
20. Entourage (04-present)- Vinnie Chase and his crew started so well, but the last 2 years have just been okay.
19. Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (06-07)- Alot of potential for Sorkin's West Wing follow-up, but people just didn't care about rich actor's behind-the-scenes problems.
18. Undeclared (01-02)- This show about college freshmen was not given a proper chance by Fox. Very smart and fairly accurate depiction of starting college life. Created by Judd Apatow before he was Judd Apaptow. Also look for Jason Seigel and Seth Rogen before they were stars.
17. Mad Men (07-present)- Life in a 1960's ad firm, just as women's rights (and everything, really) were changing. One of the better ensembles of the decade.
16. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (01-present)- Cartoon about a milkshake, fries and wad of meat who solve crimes in New jersey. Yup, it's exactly what it sounds like. But funny as hell and helped launch Adult Swim.
15. Saturday Night Live (75- present)- Some so-so years in the mix this decade, but Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, et al continued to make mostly-great comedy 35 years after the show debuted.
14. Andy Richter Controls The Universe (02-03)- This show was also treated poorly by Fox, as it bounced to a million time slots. But "Andy" was a pre-cursor to shows like The Office or 30 Rock, by swaying away from "normal" sitcoms with wild sequences and awkward moments. Great cast as well.
13. The Sopranos (99-07)- When this decade started, it looked like this could be the best show ever. Then they started taking 2 year breaks between seasons. And uneven writing and weird plots. And having strange dream sequences. And the controversial finale (which I loved by the way). Still one of the best dramas I've ever watched.
12. Chapelle's Show (03-05)- For 2 season, this became the "SNL" of its time. Water-cooler material, quotes galore, and some of the funniest sketches you'll ever see. Then Dave lost his mind. Oh, what could have been.
11. How I Met Your Mother (06-present)- I didn't start watching till the 3rd season, but so glad I finally did. The plot: a father in 2030 explaining to his kids how he and their mom had met. The catch: 100 episodes in and we still don't know. But the stories leading up to that fateful day have been great. The "Friends" of the Oughts.
10. Rescue Me (04-present)- A dark dramedy about an NYC firehouse and the multitude of problems they go through. I started watching for Denis Leary and stayed because of the great writing and acting.
9. Scrubs (01-present)- I was very late to this party, catching up just as the 7th season was beginning. Just like Seinfeld the decade before, once I watched, I couldn't believe it took me so long to start. JD and his inner monologue, Dr Cox (one of my favorite characters ever) and his rants, and so much more.
8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (00-present)- The true master of awkward comedy (on Mt Rushmore with Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell), Larry David's look behind the curtain is still funny ten years later. Every situation that Larry puts himself into is painful but hilarious. and the Seinfeld "reunion" this season drove it to new levels.
7. 30 Rock (06-present)- Tina Fey is the funniest woman on the planet. and she gets to show it in this SNL-like behind-the-scenes show. And Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan are hilarious as well.
6. The West Wing (99-06)- The incredibly well-written show about a president and his administration. While they had a small creative slump in the middle seasons, it surged while covering the campaigns of the presidential wannabes.
5. Arrested Development (03-06)- The smartest comedy ever. Which is why it barely lasted 3 seasons in a world where "According to Jim" and "Til Death" get renewed multiple times. It had jokes that you actually had to think about and pay attention to. Rumors abound that a movie is in the works. Let's hope so- bring back the Bluths!
4. 24 (01-present)- I'm proud to say that I was one of the few watching this when it debuted, and that I brought alot of people on board as the show gained popularity. Set in "real time," Jack Bauer saves the world season after season from every catastrophe possible. It's had a great run, but I'm actually hoping this upcoming season is the last- before it goes off the deep end.
3. Family Guy (99-present)- One of the greatest success stories of the decade, Family Guy is a cartoon that goes off on crazy tangents, pop-culture references, and unbelieveable story lines, but almost always finds the funny. This show was killed by Fox (a recurring theme- maybe Fox should stop being a network). But 3 years later, thanks to tremendous DVD sales and repeats on Cartoon Network, the show was revived and is now a staple on Sunday nights.
2. The Office (05-present)- Did I watch in the beginning hoping to see them bash my hometown of Scranton (the show's setting)? Yes. But while waiting for that, I discovered the funniest show on TV. It took some time to find its footing (but so did Cheers and MASH). And kudos to NBC for allowing it to do so in an era that good but underachieving shows are quickly canceled. One of the best comedy ensembles ever.
1. Lost (04-present)- How many shows do you actually miss when they are not on? Lost is one of those shows to me. But it's so much more- the questions that it raises about destiny, faith vs. science, and how much of our life do we control. The twists and turns the plot has taken have pushed some people away- fine by me. To those, I say go watch "Gilligan's Island." The finale next year should be fantastic, and the ride through 6 seasons has been worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
This blog approved by Fred McGriff
