I'm simply going by the numbers. Yes, last season was the weakest for JA, but it still won the time slot.

And prior to last season JA averaged about an 18-19 share to Blue's 14-15. Last season JA did about a 14-16 each week, sometimes hitting 17, while Blue did its normal 14-15, never hitting 16. There was an even larger gap in the ratings points which are actually more important than the share.

SVU might hurt JA more than Blue. It has a very high female demo and the whole reason it moved to Tuesdays at 10 is because Dick Wolf did research on the entire primetime schedule and decided that JA was the most vunerable show on the air.

And Dickie seems to know his stuff.

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth Red Dog •<HR SIZE=1>Yeah - those last 3 eps of West Wing were fantastic. However, I did not care for the CJ going home episode.<HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wonder if 'The Long Goodbye' is one of those episodes that works better if you've been through it or something similar. For me, I was really impressed with how subdued the episode was. This was such a devastating event, but there wasn't time for her to break down over it. It hit me hard the first time I saw it, and I didn't want to watch it again before making the list, but I felt I had to to put it in perspective, and it hit me harder the second time. I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone though. I remember at the time, there was some mixed reaction to it.

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth Red Dog •<HR SIZE=1>As for your Law & Order analysis, I think the episode Futility guest starring Fred Savage was the best of the bunch this season. Fallacy would come in 2nd. I also have to give a shout out to the original L&O episode, Couples. That took us back to the old days, and I don't think it is a coincidence that Elizabeth Rohm only had about 10 lines in the whole episode.<HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Great episodes both! Loved Futility - it was one of my later cuts.

Can't really argue with the rest of your favorites either. As the season progressed, I found myself wondering if I could even make a Top 10, but as I went back through everything, I was amazed how much great stuff there was.

das

If that high female demo is true, I would have tried to kill CSI Miami at 10 on Monday. The last thing I would think NBC (and Dick Wolf) wants to see is a 3rd CSI so go try to weaken the 2nd one. Plus if there is a high female demo, it could go w/o the MNF male viewers for 4 months (not to mention get high ratings on the repeats - episodes that were missed by football fans during the season since L&O is a standalone type show).

I think CSI franchise is firmly in place. And the shows are too similar in tone, etc. Plus, you've got a fairly new show (CSI-M) that gets monster ratings versus a show hitting its 5th season (JA) after a significant drop in overall share during its 4th.

I'm off this like rats off a sinking dingy. :)

das - no episodes of Fastlane? :hscratch: ;) Come on - Tiffani Theissan and Jamie Pressley making out in a hot tub - now that is what I call drama! -other-

Part of it is fueled by my love of CSI and disappointment with Miami. I still have the last 3 episodes of Miami sitting in my Replay-TV unwatched. I don't plan on watching it this season. I'd love to see it killed and Calleigh (Emily Proctor) make a career move to Las Vegas. :D

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth Red Dog •<HR SIZE=1>das - no episodes of Fastlane? :hscratch: ;) Come on - Tiffani Theissan and Jamie Pressley making out in a hot tub - now that is what I call drama! -other- <HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Maybe when I do my Top 100 Reasons For Slow-Motion.

das

Or your Top 100 Reasons why Shows should Provide all Dailies and Outtakes at the end of each episode.
:D

<b>BoatDrinks</b>,

I very much value your opinion, so thank you for the kind words.

I actually have seen <i>Judging Amy</i> before, but admittedly not this season. The few times I watched it I wasn't overly impressed, but in no way is that a definitive analysis. It just didn't catch on for me, and I haven't revisited it. Of course, I am fully aware of how catching the wrong episodes at the wrong time can give you the ... well ... wrong impression of a show. For you, I just added a Season Pass. In fact, YGM.

As for <i>Everwood</i>, as I looked upon my final list and saw 5 episodes, I thought to myself, "I'm gonna catch hell for this." Thankfully, my natural Monkey impulse usually replies, "screw 'em ... who cares." Still, as I think I mentioned earlier, I think you either fall in love with this show and its characters or you're just not interested. There's probably not much in between. Admittedly, it took me by complete surprise how much I liked it, because my first impression was that it would be overly dramatic and ultimately unengaging. As I watched the season, though, it grew on me to the point where I couldn't wait for the next episode. When I went back through everything to make this list, I wanted to just rewatch the pilot again and the (at the time) 6 episodes I had listed to review; yet I ended up watching the whole series straight through in one weekend. It takes a special show to get me to do that when I've seen the episodes already.

Like I said, though, it's not going to be for everyone. This type of dramatic (even melodramatic) presentation depends on a certain investment from the audience. If they don't hook you early and make you love these characters, it's probably never going to happen, and the drama just won't play well. There are some shows that I cannot comprehend how anyone could watch them and genuinely not like (*cough* <i>Babylon 5</i> *cough*) ... for as much as I love it and as prominent as it is on this list, <i>Everwood</i> is not one of those shows.

As for pimping you own show, I have no problem with that at all. I do everything I can to make sure I see everything, but I'm just one Monkey with a fulltime job. If I'm missing something, I would hope someone would take the time to try to convince me why. If this list has any purpose, it's to help others find great shows. I can certainly appreciate that in return. However, if I start watching this thing and it sucks ... well ... I'm not saying I'm going to send you dead fish ... I'm just saying you might want to cancel the daily paper. ;)

There was probably a point when I starting typing this post, but I've long since forgotten it, so I'm stopping now. Thanks again for the feedback.

das

das,

Thank you very much for taking the time to do this list, giving these shows the respect they deserve as well as pointing me to ones I haven't watched at all (like Everwood and Boomtown) or ones I stopped watching religiously (like The West Wing).

I think this response of yours, though specifically about Everwood, is also the biggest reason I appreciate your list. Precisely because it has much more time than films, good TV should strive to draw you in and invest in the characters. The best TV does that even if there aren't many overall story arcs across the season (like Law & Order in the Steven Hill years, for example).

And while I know you have to draw the line somewhere, I like that you've pointed out the very successful comedy that runs through many of these dramas (Storytelling being the best single example, and the Andrew/Anya comedy duo all season being another case). I won't speak for you, but I'd guess that were this list made a few years back, the simultaneously hysterical and moving Freaks & Geeks would be in contention, even though the network sold it as an hourlong comedy.

And I think that's why you'll have an easy time doing the top choices this time next year. I don't know what's in the pipe for the next seasons of the shows I'll return to this fall and beyond, like Alias and The Sopranos, but I can't imagine any of them topping The Wire. And The Wire might also be the funniest show on TV too. Bless you, Bunk, Ziggy, and all the rest.

Ah, you're probably right.

The thing that's great about you, and why you have a leg up on so many "real" critics, is that you get it - you get that this is all opinion, speculation, etc.

As I said, I would never tune in to JA if I wasn't forced to. Just not my cup of tea. And though I still maintain that of the few family dramas, it's the best, it is definitely an uneven show. We have had absolutely amazing episodes followed or preceded by craptacular stuff.

As one character says in Arch City: "Nothing matters, 'cuz we're all just playing with the house's money."

;)

Oh, I watched Sliders. I just thought Wade was a bit of a whiner, although I love the bit midway through the series where they suddenly discovered she was a babe and had her in miniskirts every episode.

Only the beauty of Sabrina Lloyd could actually get me to sit through the Lestat rip-off "vampire rock star" episode all the way through, and it was tough even then.

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth dstrauss •<HR SIZE=1>Oh, I watched Sliders. I just thought Wade was a bit of a whiner, although I love the bit midway through the series where they suddenly discovered she was a babe and had her in miniskirts every episode.<HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>
Definitely one of the best parts of the show. Right up there with when they realized that Kari Wuhrer was much hotter than John Rhys-Davies. Those overlap episodes in the late 3rd season were some great television (except for the aforementioned goth-vampire crapfest).

das

i caught 25 yesterday. It was good but i dont think it was the best show of the season. Then again, i pretty much knew what would happen. I avoided reading your synopis, but NBC spoiled the whole thing during the last few episodes they showed.

I'd wager that much of the success of the episode stems from growing with these characters over the course of the season (and really the entire show's run). Jumping in at the end (and half paying attention to episodes as you've done ;)) loses much of the subtext, and as such, the moments become less effective. While this list is about top episodes, they do not exist in a vacuum, and they are significantly affected by what came before. Much like last season's top pick, '25' was as much about the events that took place in that episode as it was the culmination of years of subtle character development.

das

I have to disagree with your opinion of the most dramatic Sopranos episodes.

IMO, "The Weight" was as an arresting/tense hour of television as it gets.

I enjoyed 'The Weight' but I really wouldn't go that far. In fact, if I had any more room on the list, the next episode of <i>The Sopranos</i> that I would add is 'The Strong, Silent Type'. What is it about 'The Weight' that you were so fond of? I thought it was very entertaining, but just in the middle of the pack when compared to some of the other episodes.

das

Surprised that ER's "Kisangani" didn't make the top 50.

Do you do anything for comedy? Also, as much time and effort you put into this, do you have a website to publish your thoughts?

I remember you stated that you were mentally putting Oz's A Day in the Death in the top twenty of the season until the ending. So how come it didn't make at least 21-50?


Anyway, I watched the first four episodes of Everwood and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. When I saw the son wearing a Ranma shirt and having that dream discussing manga to that one girl I knew I was going to be hooked.

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth abintra •<HR SIZE=1>Do you do anything for comedy?<HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>
I did last year, but it just didn't work well. I couldn't really establish a system of criteria, and comedy is so subjective that I didn't try again this year.

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth abintra •<HR SIZE=1>Also, as much time and effort you put into this, do you have a website to publish your thoughts? <HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>
No. I probably should, but I just haven't had the time.

das

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth outcastja •<HR SIZE=1>I remember you stated that you were mentally putting Oz's A Day in the Death in the top twenty of the season until the ending. So how come it didn't make at least 21-50?<HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>
In retrospect, I'm not sure if I can defend that decision. It was on the list for a long time, and somewhere along the way, I dropped it. I remember having every intention of slipping it in in the 40s (too many great episodes aired after I made the top 20 comment), but as I started finalizing the list, it just didn't make it. I know I must have had a reason, but for the life of me I cannot remember it. The whole point of doing a Top 50 was to try and avoid leaving anything out, but shows like <i>Six Feet Under</i> make that hard, as I had 7 episodes ready for the list and had to fight just to narrow it down to 5. I guess I can't win. :)

das

Hey das, great list. I know how busy you are and I can't believe you were able to (one) find the time to get around to watching all those shows (two) actully care about watching them with everything going on in your life (three) put thoughtful analysis into each episode (and four) actually care enough about the folks here to make this HUGE post...I for one appreciate it.

I had two ReplayTVs with 120GB drives completely full of all the shows you have in your list but I just can not find the time to watch them. I just had to do the nasty the other day and completely erase both drives to get them ready for the eBay pile because of my move. I just didn't have the time to put them to DVD.

So now I will have to wait for the DVDs and live vicariously through your posts. If you need to get away come on down anytime.

Pardon me for jumping in late, but only one Smallvilled episode listed, and not even the best one. Bah!

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth Terrell •<HR SIZE=1>Pardon me for jumping in late, but only one Smallvilled episode listed, and not even the best one. Bah! <HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>
By "Top" I meant the "Best." Sorry if that wasn't clear. For better representation, it should try to be a better show. Instead of vague "my favorite show wasn't on there ... bah" statements, perhaps you could tell me which episodes should be on there and which ones should be removed to make room for them with explanations as to why?

das

no WWE episodes on the list?