International Law

Best TV of 2008

Continuing my end-of-year wrap ...

Best Australian TV Shows:

1. Insiders - As followers of my Twitter stream know, I religiously watch Insiders every morning ("If it is Sunday, it is Insiders").  It is without doubt the best political talk show in Australia and it provides an entertaining and informed discussion of the issues of the week each and every Sunday.
2. The Hollowmen - Although it is no Frontline, the Working Dog team returned to scripted TV with this original and clever comedy looking behind the scenes of the Prime Minster's office in Canberra.
3. The Gruen Transfer - It took me a while before I finally watched The Gruen Transfer this year as I can't stand Wil Anderson.  And even though Wil continued to annoy me the behind the scenes look at the advertising industry was both amusing and revealing.
4. Underbelly - This gritty Australian drama about the gangland shootings in Melbourne set a new bar for quality Australian drama (making City Homicide, which made my "Best of TV" list last year, look pedestrian by comparison).
5. Very Small Business - Starring Wayne Hope and Kym Gyngell, this unlikely Australian comedy about a failed businessman was a surprisingly enjoyable.

Best Overseas TV Shows (that aired in Australia in 2008):

1. Dexter - A superb drama that has reimagined the conventional serial killer and police investigation narratives.
2. Dirty Sexy Money - In many ways this show was a contradiction: it was well acted and written and yet it delighted in its trashy, over-the-top plotlines. However, the result was a consistently entertaining drama that will be missed in 2009.
3. 30 Rock - In 2008 Tina Fey could do no wrong.
   
4. Kyle XY - A few seasons old in the US, this original family drama was first broadcast in Australia this year.  The mystery surrounding Kyle and his abilities, coupled with intelligent plots focused on family and teen issues, created a winning family drama.
5. Bones -  It took me a few seasons before I started to watch Bones and yet as soon as I did I was hooked.

Honourable Mention: Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - Although this wasn't strictly a TV show (not that that stopped Time from including it in its list of the top TV series of 2008), Joss Whedon's musical about a would-be supervillain applying for membership in the exclusive Evil League of Evil deserves to be mentioned as arguably the most original program of the year, even if it was broadcast on the internet instead of on television. 

(Note there are a lot of shows I have not yet seen, including In Treatment, John Adams, Mad Men and Battlestar Galactacia.)

Full post as published by Freedom to Differ on December 28, 2008 (boomark / email).