Share Email Print RSS

Best of TV 2008

SLIDESHOW: Best TV of 2008

It's that time of year again…time to break out the end of year lists! "Mad Men," "Top Chef," "True Blood" and more topped our list. Did you favorite TV show make the list? Find out below….

Check back for best movies, music, local blogs and more from 2008.

Colleen Curran, Entertainment Editor, inRich.com*

"Mad Men:" I'm new to the "Mad Men" fan craze, but I will say, Yes! I love it! The wearing of the sweater sets, the pouring of the vodka gimlets, the chain smoking of the cigarettes. It makes me want to wear something tight and sexy and work in an ad office. And makes me wonder, is the Martin Agency like that? If so, sign me up, pronto.

"Top Chef:" I'm a sucker for this show. A friend of mine says the fatal flaw with "Top Chef" is that you can't taste it or smell the food. Point taken. But I still DVR each and every episode. Who do you think will win "Top Chef: New York"? Are you on the European Team or Team Rainbow?

"The Wire:" So long, sweet, sweet "Wire." Baltimore, drugs, inner-city schooling, and characters so flawed and human you felt like you knew them. Plus the occasional Richmond shout-out. I bow down at "The Wire" altar and will continue to preach "The Wire" bible to anyone who hasn't yet seen the acclaimed HBO series. If you haven't seen "The Wire," run, do not walk, to Blockbuster, Netflix, Fan Video and rent Season Four right now.

( Editor's note: I used to work at Richmond.com. Hello again! Did you miss me? I missed you. I started the Shot in the Dark column, wrote arts and entertainment features and left to take a job at Media General. Now I'll be working here again – who knew? It must be fate, you and me and Richmond.com are meant to be. Or at least until the pay checks stop coming …)

Karri Peifer, Editor, Richmond.com

"True Blood:" It's almost that adult, X-rated craving that we "Twilight" obsessed readers were craving. Almost. But we're a desperate bunch so we can't be picky.

"Mad Men:" OK, I was a Johnny-come-lately to this show too, but now I'm hooked.

"The Daily Show:" At least the episode when they swung by RVA to check out our Obama rally. My favorite part was the president of my neighborhood association dressed up like the Obama fan club, shouting at the Brit who kept saying, "So you like McCain?"

"West Wing:" At least the reruns on Bravo. I guess after so much time with Bush we're ready to pay attention to politics again.

"Showbiz Moms and Dads:" Back on Bravo. OK, this was just something I wished for all year.

Andrew Cothern, MashUp man extraordinaire

"Top Chef:" "Top Chef" is amazing. If there's a marathon, I'm watching all seven episodes in a row. I hate the European team and hope Team Rainbow beats them out.

"Smallville:" Season 8 marked the departure of show creators Al Gough and Miles Millar as well as two major characters (Michael Rosenbaum/Lex Luthor and Kristen Kreuk/Lana Lang). It looked like the show would go downhill, but just the opposite happened this year. The storylines have been nothing less than stellar. The young Clark Kent finally accepts his destiny of becoming the protector of Metropolis. The action and drama have increased dramatically making it an incredible, if not the best, season.

Paul Beyer, Graphic Designer

"The Shield:" Ever since this showed aired back in 2002, I've been suckered into the life of Vic Mackey and the rest of the strike team in this controversial series about corrupt police officers. I haven't seen a drama series come close to the suspense they put at the end of each episode and I was sorry to see the series end this year in its seventh season.

  "Californication:" A show about a writer with a sex addiction might sound intriguing, but when the star in real life (David Duchovny) goes into rehab for the same addiction… you've got something. Personally I think it was just a marketing ploy to get an audience. It'll take a few episodes before the show really starts to shine, but it's worth it for the great lines that come out of David's mouth.

"No Reservations:" I'm a sucker for the Travel channel because it takes me places I can never go to or afford. Anthony Bourdain keeps his series alive by running around the globe eating strange and foreign food. I can't think of anyone else I'm this jealous of.

Brigitte Petrine, MidlothianExchange.com web editor & videographer

"Flight of the Conchords:" I'll have to admit, the first time I tuned in to this HBO series, I didn't love it. But there is something about the creativity behind each rhyme, monologue and song that is extremely refreshing. The two main characters have an endearing charm as uninformed native New Zealanders trying to make it in New York City. Flight of the Conchords gets my vote for its uniqueness and its quotable humor.

"The Cleaner:" This first-year series from A&E combines aspects from the reality show 'Intervention' with bits and pieces of what you would see on a CBS drama. It hits on the characters lives just enough to keep your interest, but mostly focuses on the cases of the addicts they're trying to save. There is something about the topic of addiction that is interesting, scary, and somewhat…well, for lack of better words, addicting. I love the fact that the main character, William "The Cleaner" Banks, is based on a true story and being played by Benjamin Bratt doesn't hurt either.

"John Adams:" This may not count, since it's an HBO miniseries, but it definitely deserves mentioning in 2008. You don't like history? It doesn't matter. This is one of the best series I have ever seen. Hand down. Watch it.