The beginning of another year brings the inevitable, innumerable “Best of…” lists, highlighing every topic imaginable found in the previous year – from tweets to fleeting celebrities. So with that gentlereaders, I present my own contribution to the interwebospheres with the Best TV of 2010. More than just a simple compilation of series names, I’ve divided my choices into categories that delve a little further into why praise is so deserved and with hopes to bring those uninitiated into the dedicated viewer fold for any or all of these fine examples of television. First up, the overall best episodes.
These are 30 or 60 minutes that encapsulated everything that makes these shows great – acting, writing, et al. Of course it’s easy to place Mad Men and 30 Rock in this category and they both can do no wrong (usually), but even these stellar shows will rise above the high bar they’ve set for the rest of television.
SELF-CONTAINED GENIUS
30 Rock, “Gentlemen’s Intermission” – From Liz’s father Dick Lemon in search of an extra-marital dalliance to Jack’s need for someone’s DIHC (that’s Drive, Intelligence, Humility and Chaos) in order to be fulfilled as a mentor and Tracey’s decision to make sure he leaves an obituary that doesn’t include a submarine DUI, this episode contained everything that makes 30 Rock stellar: quotable lines (“Albino ninja!”), absurdity (Tracey’s all-giraffe basketball team the New York Necks), a little low-brow humor (“She’s got just the right amount of DIHC for me. I hear it and I don’t care.”) and a perfect storyline for Jack & Liz, the greatest on-screen couple that will never fall victim to “will-they-or-won’t-they” sexual tension syndrome. Plus we get to see Liz completely fail at “seducing” her father dressed as Tootsie.
SETH ROGEN Polls aside, our REAL first guest is a mega superstar who you know from such blockbusters as “Knocked Up,” “Superbad,” and “Funny People!” He helped us out on tour in his home town of Vancouver, BC; he’s the man who always brings the funny, SETH ROGEN!
LEA MICHELE (
MUSICAL GUEST: JACK WHITE Legend has it that Jack and Conan first met in a Detroit area bowling area in the 90’s. Since that meeting, Jack White has gone on to rock n roll stardom in The White Stripes, the Raconteurs, and Dead Weather! Conan and Jack cut a “45 record at Jack’s studio in Nashville, and when these two get together, you never know WHAT’S gonna happen! Ladies and gentlemen… JACK WHITE!
TOM HANKS (
JACK MCBRAYER You know him from movies like “Talladega Nights” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” – and of course, as Kenneth the Page on “30 Rock.” WE know him as a dear friend who got his start playing bit parts on our show! Don’t miss the hilarious JACK MCBRAYER!
JON HAMM This dashing Golden Globe winner can be seen on AMC’s “Mad Men” as the suave and sophisticated 60’s ad executive Don Draper and most recently in the Ben Affleck helmed crime caper, “The Town”… JON HAMM!
CHARLYNE YI This charming actress and comedian has appeared in such movies as Knocked Up, Semi-Pro, and Paper Heart! Her new movie is “Fast”… The lovely and talented CHARLYNE YI is on the show!
FISTFUL OF MERCY (
MICHAEL CERA He’s starred on the hit show “Arrested Development” and in such films as “Superbad”, “Juno”, and “Scott Pilgrim vs The World”! The awesome and hilarious… MICHAEL CERA!!
JULIE BOWEN From her co-starring role on “Ed”, to her guest starring stint on “LOST”, to her current Emmy nominated turn on ABC’s breakout hit “Modern Family”, Julie Bowen continues to amaze and astound! “Modern Family” airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on ABC!
JON DORE ( 
TV Dish with Trish 