I'm back. With a list.

I know, much like Pushing Daisies, I seemed to have vanished without a trace. But I'm back. Blame job-hunting, Christmas madness and the lack of anything on TV worth commenting on.

The end of the year brings the inevitable Top 10 (or 20) lists, and they've been done to death, and really, I can't add to them. Like everyone else, I loved The Wire, The Shield, Lost, 30 Rock, blah blah blah. So what I'll offer is this: My 10 favorite, most mind-blowing, most memorable TV moments of the year.

1. Lost: The island disappears. The bad guys are coming, and Ben climbs down into the depths of the island and finds. . . a big switch? And ZAP, just like that, they're gone. What. . . . the . . . . hell? The most stunning moment in a season full of them.

2.The Wire: Omar's demise. It came out of nowhere, a sudden bust of violence from the least likely candidate that was shocking even for a show that made shocking violence commonplace. It's not often a scene makes me bolt upright and shout a Vader-like "Noooooooo!" R.I.P. Omar. You were a bad, baaaad man. In such a good way. And like Vic Mackey (see next), it was the only appropriate way to go out.

3. The Shield: Vic's new job. The series finale was full of heartbreaking and gut-wrenching scenes (Shane's family laid out neatly on the bed, anyone?), but the introduction to Vic Mackey's new workplace was jaw-droppingly awesome. The sight of Vic in an ill-fitting suit, being reminded to put his name on his bag lunch and to be sure to call building services to adjust the thermostat was stunning. The wild beast was finally a caged animal. Or so we thought, until he stuffed his gun into his pants and stormed out of the building in the final scene. A perfect ending.

4. Mad Men: Season finale. I didn't watch the show religiously, but when I caught an episode it never failed to be outstanding. And the finale, from Don's reconciliation with Betty with so much left secret and unsaid, to Duck's power play crumbling as he underestimated Don, to the poignant and reveltory conversation between Peggy and Pete, all taking place with the Cuban Missile Crisis and the possible end of the world looming, was as gripping as anything on TV in 2008.

5. Battlestar Galactica: This is Earth? In a season full of shocking surprises – Cylons revealed, uneasy alliances, deteriorating mental states – this was the biggie. After all that running around the galaxy for so many years, Earth was finally found. Only it was a scorched, post-apocalyptic landscape. No dialogue – the looks of shock, confusion and disappointment on everyone's faces said it all.

6. Sons of Anarchy: The hit gone wrong. You could see it coming, the plan to kill Opie for his (wrongly) perceived betrayal and the horrible switch between drivers. Opie and his wife switched cars for the most ordinary reason, and because she was driving the wrong car at the wrong time, and because Tig was too cowardly to look his victim in the face before killing him, she died in a drive-by shooting. One of those moments where you know nothing will ever be the same in that show's universe.

7. Top Chef: Season 4 finale. Forget about sourpuss Lisa, this was all about the two consistently best, most personable chefs in the season – Richard vs. Stephanie. It's rare on a reality show to have two such likeable people vying for the win, which only made it all the more nerve-wracking. Richard had an off night, and Stephanie didn't – and she took the victory. I'd eat in either of their restaurants any time.

8. The Office: The dinner party. Finally, a comedy makes the list. This was probably the funniest episode of the year, with Michael & Jan having Jim & Pam and Andy & Angela over for the most awkward dinner party ever. Which, of course, was crashed by Dwight and his babysitter/date. From the stinky candle room to the 3-hour wait for the main course to the teeny tiny plasma TV, this was The Office at its best.

9. Life on Mars: Finale. Technically not a 2008 show, but it aired on BBC America this year, so I'm counting it. After two seasons of wondering if Sam's world exists only in his mind, or if he's a time-traveler, all is revealed – he's been in a coma and it all was a dream. But what was even more shocking was what Sam did next, after waking up and being forced to live in a now-unfamiliar present day. (And don't worry, ABC says they won't end their series the same way, so this shouldn't spoil anything.)

10. Saturday Night Live: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. Tina Fey single-handedly made SNL relevant again with her spot-on impression of possibly the worst vice-presidential candidate in history. Really, a couple months after the fact, I'll bet more of us remember Fey's skits more than the real thing.
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The Shield: Who's Going Down?

The Shield series finale is next week, and word on the street is that the most frenetic, intense, hardcore cop show ever made is going out in a blaze of glory. Entertainment Weekly reports that four major characters will die. So who will it be? Here's a quickie handicap of the field:

Councilman David Aceveda (10-1): At one time, I was confident Aceveda would end up dead. But now I'm not so sure. It almost seems better for him to succeed and become mayor, keeping the cycle of cynicism and corruption going. Of course, he's right in the middle of the cartel sting, and he could get caught in the crossfire while trying to prove himself to ICE. But Aceveda always manages to slip through sticky situations, and I see him getting away safely.

Det. Steve Billings (5-1): How ironic would it be for Billings to go down in the line of duty and receive a hero's sendoff? It seems his primary concern (other than beating the system) is providing for his ex-wife and daughter, and the widow's benefits would do that. Hmmm, the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking he's a dark horse candidate for the morgue.

Det. Ronnie Gardocki (3-1): Ronnie needs to run. Now. The cops have him for being Vic's bagman, and the feds have him on Vic's confession. He has zero options. I could see him whacking Shane, maybe even Mara, and then taking his own life. He might be smart enough to escape to Mexico or work a deal to rat on Vic, if there's anything left he could be tried for. But Ronnie's future isn't looking good.

Off. Tina Hanlon (20-1): She could have been killed off a few times before, and she doesn't seem particularly capable when all hell's breaking loose. But I don't think it'll be her, just because her character's been too minor and her death wouldn't resonate as much.

Det. Julian Lowe (15-1): Julian's story has fallen to the wayside over the years, but he's the moral compass of the show. Which is why I could see him falling victim in the battle against the baddies. What more poetic than the death of the one good cop? Still, I don't think the show will end entirely cynically, and I think he'll make it.

Cassidy Mackey (10-1): Vic's daughter has been in various stages of teenage meltdown all season. I could see her attempting suicide as a cry for help, only she turns out to do it right.

Corrine Mackey (50-1): No one's safe, but I think Vic's ex-wife is as safe as can be. Vic won't hurt her, and unless there's some sort of tragic accident, I think she'll emerge unscathed. Well, physically, at least.

Vic Mackey (2-1): The ending is Shakespearean for the baddest cop on the block. He's finally come clean on everything he's done and has federal blanket immunity. But he can't just walk away. Vic has sinned, and he has to pay somehow. Who'd kill him? The list of enemies is long, but I don't think Vic will go down a chump. He would have to be killed by a worthy foe -- not some cartel hitman or a random cop. It would have to be someone close, someone to complete the circle of tragedy. Ex-wife Corrine, in fear of her life? Or unstable daughter Cassidy? I could see either one popping a cap in Vic's skull in self-defense. I don't see Vic going the suicide route, but that's a slight possibility too. I'm also holding out for a small chance that Vic gets away, but loses everything he holds dear -- his family, his reputation, his future.

Off. Danni Sofer (30-1): I don't see her going down either. In fact, I see her as more of a threat to kill Vic, like Corrine, in some sort of self-defense scenario. And she's a single mom. Leaving a trail of orphans is no way to end a show. (Except for you Jackson, sorry kid.)

Mara Vendrell (3-1): Her odds increased in the last episode, when she gunned down an innocent woman. Mara was never innocent, but now she has blood on her hands. She's as desperate as Shane is, and might see suicide as the only way out. The tricky question here is her unborn baby and son Jackson. Vic's already said Jackson's too young to be a credible witness, so he's safe. But who'd take out a pregnant woman? A desperate Ronnie?

Shane Vendrell (even): Shane has to die. He killed Lem, his best friend, and so many bodies have dropped as a consequence of that. He has to go down. But by whose hand? Vic would risk his immunity by killing him now. But Ronnie would do it in a heartbeat. I don't see a random cop or gangbanger out for a bounty getting it done. For all the wrongs Shane has done, it has to be someone close to him. Maybe even himself -- Shane's becoming unwound, no place to run, no future for him or his family, and now he's hopped up on drugs. I can easily see a murder-suicide with him and Mara.

Det. "Dutch" Wagenbach (3-1): I'm getting scared for Dutchboy. He'd be at the center of any cartel/Ronnie takedown, but I think the bigger threat is the budding serial killer kid who's apparently calling him. Dutch has always had a thing for serial killers, and maybe now he's got one who's smarter than him, and who's looking to eliminate a threat. Watch your back, Dutch.

Capt. Claudette Wyms (4-1): Her health has been faltering all season. After her meltdown at the federal building, will she stroke herself out? Or can she live in a world where good cops fail and bad cops escape justice? I don't like her going the sleeping-pills route, but it's possible. I see more of a Frank Pembleton-like health breakdown.

So place your bets. My money's on Billings, Shane, Mara and Ronnie.
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The Shield: This Can't End Well

I really want Vic Mackey to get away with it all. Despite all the bad stuff he's done on The Shield -- and there's a lot of it -- he's still the guy you're rooting for, the only one tough enough to get his hands dirty and do what's necessary, whether it's for the good of him, his family, or his city. There's something slightly noble in how he won't skip town before he takes down the Mexican cartel. Sure, it's a whole lot of self-preservation at work too, but with Vic being Vic, you know he could run now and live a life of leisure on some Mexican beach. But Vic's not a quitter, and he's in it till the end for better or worse. And of course, it'll be for worse.

Vic's the ultimate player -- the riverboat gambler who can read the situation and quickly adapt it to his advantage, raising the stakes higher and higher and somehow always winning. He's covered his back pretty well in his illegalities -- from murdering fellow cop Terry Crowley to robbing the Armenian money train, to countless other set-ups, frame jobs and abuses. There are precious few loose ends. But even those are now starting to unravel. Shane's on the run with his wife and sick kid, along with his file that could send Vic to prison for life. Vic's cornered, starting to panic, abandoning his code -- he's always had a soft spot for women and children, even the ones who've burned him. But now he's willing to kill Shane's wife, Mara, and her unborn child to save himself. That's a pretty big line to cross.

You get the feeling Vic's taken one step too far, and has fallen off the ledge and can't go back. Now his ex-wife, Corinne, is spilling her secrets to the cops. Vic's trapped on all sides, and I don't see a viable way out. He can run, now. Or he can stay and fight, and inevitably lose.

There are only four episodes left of this brilliant series, and however many twists and turns are left, and whichever direction Vic turns, you just know it won't end well for him. Judgement day is almost upon us, and Vic Mackey is going to go down guns blazing.
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The week in review

The TV season isn't in full swing yet, so there are still gaping holes in my viewing habits. That being said, here's a list of not so much my favorite shows from the past week, but the shows I watched. Ranked in order of awesomeness.

1. The Shield: This is the highlight of any week it's on. God, this show is good. The tension just keeps winding up, and you know it's going to explode before the season's over. Vic playing two organized crime syndicates off each other while double-crossing both of them? Vic and Shane working together to make things "right"? Vic trying to keep his career as Claudette has him in her sights? And while his own daughter almost blows everything up by trying to press charges against him? Tick tick tick tick.......this is not going to end well for anyone. Oh, and how scary were the Spook Street boys? And they're NOT one of the Top 10 gangs? Yikes.

2. Fringe: OK, the acting wasn't great, some plot points were absurd and there was a ton of awkward exposition. But the mystery was outstanding and I love conspiracy theories. The Cate Blanchett lookalike they got to star in the show is no Dana Scully, but that's probably a good thing -- there are already too many X-Files similarities. But I generally liked her character. Pacey -- err, I mean Joshua Jackson's character -- was a little young to be quite so patronizing, but once he dropped that act he was tolerable. And you've gotta love any show with Lance Reddick (Daniels from The Wire). He's just as ominous here as he was in his guest role on Lost last season. The giants locator subtitles were kinda cool (and were reminiscent of the Lost title, hmmm), but that's a trick that might get old. But overall, good production values, nice complex mystery that'll take forever to solve, and good bits of humor to break the tension. And I love how it was shot in Boston in winter. Like X-Files when it was shot in Vancouver, the location adds all kinds of moody undercurrents.

3. Entourage: The boys are back. Are they better than ever? That remains to be seen. But after a year-plus layoff, it's good to have them back. The opening scenes made me want to go to Mexico ("Wow, it's gorgeous, I never knew the coast of Baja was like that!"), until I realized they shot it in Hawaii ("Oh. Nevermind"). Vince is broke and a Hollywood pariah after his awful Medellin (reviewed in a hilarious guest appearance by Richard Roeper), which went straight to video (ouch). Hopefully he'll bounce back quickly because this show is at its best when Vince & Co. are living the high life. Broke Vince doesn't do much for me. But that bizarre bit with Drama and his new French girlfriend chirping at each other cracked me up.

4. Gossip Girl: Last week I said I wasn't hooked on it. OK, maybe I'm a little hooked. It's soapy and trashy, but not brainless. Which gives it one up on The Hills. This is quickly becoming my guilty pleasure show. The dialogue is snappy, the plot twists are delicious (Nate becoming a man-ho? Nice!), and it's self-aware enough that you know it's never going to have "a very special episode."

5. Sons of Anarchy: It seems to exist in the same universe as The Shield (One-Niners, corrupt cops everywhere), but not in the real world. It just throws me how it's set in San Joaquin County, but in a San Joaquin County with mountains, where Lodi is the major city, where heroin is bigger than meth, and where it's not oppressively hot. That bit of fantasy aside, I'm liking this show. I'm glad Charlie Hunnam (the Brit from Undeclared) finally has a good show, Katy Sagal is building an Emmy-worthy role as the resident Ophelia/Lady MacBeth, and I love how the gang is made up of a who's-who of character actors who look like serial killers (especially Kim Coates and Tommy Flanagan). I'm not completely hooked yet, and I hope it gets more compelling, because if not, it's in danger of dropping to my wait-for-DVD list once more shows start up.

6. Burn Notice: I haven't watched this week's episode yet, but it came back after a three-week, U.S. Open-induced break. This is one of my favorite shows and it has a secure spot on my weekly best list, even sight unseen.

7. The Hills. I don't know if I saw the most recent episode of last week's. Either way, it just annoyed me. I'm so over this show. The gang jetted to Vegas for Frankie's birthday. Drama ensued, yadda yadda yadda. It's sad watching this knowing that these are real people. They're all just so vapid and shallow. I can get all the same trashiness with Gossip Girl, plus not feel dirty for watching real people humiliate themselves.

What I didn't watch:

True Blood. Ehhh, it just doesn't sound up my alley. Maybe I'll check it out On Demand if I'm bored someday. Buffy gave me all the vampire storylines I'll ever need.

90210. Seriously? I didn't even make it through the pilot. It's baaaaad.

Mad Men. I know, I know, it's the best show I'm not watching. I've seen it, I've liked it, but it's just not compelling enough to get me to watch every week. It's in my DVD pile.
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Return of The Shield

So how cool was that season premiere of The Shield? I had almost forgotten how much I love that show. But from the opening scene where Shane gets a brutal (and well-deserved) beat-down, Vic Mackey & Co. showed they're back with a vengeance. The plot points in the hourlong buzzsaw were dizzying -- Vic and Acevedo's newly acquired blackmail files (the scenes between the two of them are amazing), grisly gang "blood lines" being painted on city streets (the severed leg was a nice touch), Dutchboy's super awkward, post-coital exachange with Dani (I had totally forgotten about that!), Armenian mob power plays, Mexican developer power plays, a hot ICE agent, Ronnie passing the point of no return, a dead hitman suddenly missing his feet (Shane. . . dude. . . wow), a lazy cop getting his comeuppance (couldn't happen to a more weasely guy), a shootout punctuated by Vic plowing his car into the middle of it all and a tense truce between Shane, Vic and Ronnie that you just know won't last. Oh, and the Strike Team stoking an all-out gang war between the Mexicans and Armenians.

Now that's how you kick off the fall season.

If there had been any doubt before, The Shield just re-established itself as my No. 1 show. I'm already salivating for next week's episode.
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A few of my favorite things

So what am I watching now? Not a lot, really. Generation Kill and My Boys (how's that for both ends of the spectrum?) are keeping me going through the summer. And their upcoming finales will provide a perfect segue into the Summer Olympics (I plan to watch all 40,000 hours, including live team table tennis between South Korea and Sri Lanka at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday) and the kickoff of the fall TV season in September. And I've got Season 1 of Dexter from Netflix, which I hope to get through in the next month. Oooh, can't forget Burn Notice. That's good breezy fun with lots of pretty explosions.

I'm actually excited for September. The writers strike wreaked havoc with last year's TV schedule, and a lot of my favorite shows ended way too early or were delayed way too long. Good lord, it's been almost a year since the last fresh episode of Entourage! So here's a look at what I'm looking forward to:

Can't wait for the debuts


1. The Shield (Sept. 2, FX) -- The end for Vic Mackey and crew? We've been waiting more than a year for that scheming turncoat Shane to get what's coming to him. You know this won't end well. I'm already tingling from the anticipation.
2. Entourage (Sept. 7, HBO) -- Last season was almost as bad as Medellin -- slow, bloated and feeling out of place. I have high hopes for a rebound. Sorry, but the boys aren't as fun when they have to work for their money. Give me bacchanal excess, infinity pools populated by models and Ari verbally bitch-slapping E during meetings at Koi.
3. Heroes (Sept. 22, NBC) -- It was just starting to regain its groove when the strike hit. The focus on villains should be beneficial to the show getting off to a fast start -- bad guys are always more interesting.
4. Amazing Race (Sept. 28, CBS) -- One season of arguably TV's best reality show (Top Chef might have a word to say about that) is already in the can and another is being shot as we speak. Rumored destinations for "TAR 13": Angor Wat, Cambodia and La Paz, Bolivia. Can't. Freakin. Wait.
5. Pushing Daisies (Oct. 1, ABC) -- The cynic in me thought the quirkiness would rub off. It didn't. Clever, sweet and downright nice. It's my TV sorbet, to cleanse the palate with goodness in a world filled with corrupt cops, evil super-dudes, and serial killers.
6. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Sept. 18, FX) -- Clever, cruel and completely un-nice, it's probably the funniest, most twisted show on TV. I love it.

Can't wait until midseason
1. Lost (Jan. 2009)
2. Battlestar Gallactica (early 2009)
3. Rescue Me (spring 2009)
4. Damages (early 2009)
5. Reaper (midseason replacement)
6. Flight of the Conchords (Jan. 2009)

Why I regret not having Showtime right now
1. Californication -- I finally caught up on DVD and I'm hooked. A dramedy that's actually dramatic and comedic? A show where the characters actually develop? Shocking! Of course, not as shocking as the Season 1 finale, which I'm praying was just a dream sequence.
2. Dexter -- I haven't even watched Season 1, but already I want to catch up to Season 3.
3. Weeds -- Sure, it's gone over the top and taken a sharp turn left, but it's still one of the more original shows around. At least it hasn't become a parody of itself like "Desperate Housewives" has.
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