yep, welcome to the first ever, post-New Year top ten special surprise. i had a couple extra things that i wanted to pass on to you before we got too far into 2011.
top ten_tv shows
ten | no ordinary family
its basically a live version of the incredibles. a family gets super powers. what i like most about it is michael chiklis’ character plays a father who really goes after trying to save and lead his family. he definitely makes mistakes, but still continues to pursue his wife and lead his children. plus, its superheroes, so i’m for sure going to like it.
nine | smallville
again, its superheroes. this time its the superhero. i’ve been watching all ten seasons of smallville and while i’m sad this is the last season, its definitely time. he still isn’t flying, which is kind of ridiculous, but its bound to happen soon!
eight | the office
this season has redeemed the last few lackluster ones. with dwight turning the tables on jim and playing the dominant prankster, the show feels fresh and fun again…and more importantly, funny!
seven | the amazing race
i’m addicted the the amazing race.
i’ve organized or helped lead five amazing races for our interns over the last five years, but i’d never really gotten into the show. with em taking over the organizing for this year, we decided to watch this season to spark some ideas.
i’m now addicted.
not just with the show, but i think i’m addicted with wanting to be on the show. unfortunately, you must live in the states to apply. sadness. i am really plotting and trying to figure out how i can be on the show. i’m even dreaming about it.
yeah, i’m addicted.
six | so you think you can dance
this is another show that i’d love to be on. i know you’re laughing, but seriously, dance is amazing and i think i could hang with the hip-hop.
ok, i couldn’t, but this show always stirs me emotionally and is hugely motivating to dance.
five | the walking dead
again, zombies infect my top ten list. i just love them. what i love about this zombie show is that it doesn’t just fix on the zombies outside, it also focuses on the living dead inside. not only do the protagonists face threats from the zombies, but they also face threats from the inside. under the pressures of trying to survive, they can’t always trust each other.
great acting, great effects, and a perfect storyline make this a must see…if you can handle it.
four | 30 rock
its the most brilliantly written show on television. so smart. i laugh often and often i laugh late, which always makes me wonder how many jokes am i missing. jack and liz have the best chemistry between two characters on television.
three | fringe
if any show replaces lost for me for sheer ingenuity, creativity, and must-see factor, its this one. it has a great cast, great story-line, and amazing special effects. if you’re missing lost, then start with season one and don’t stop until you’re caught up!
two | modern family
i laugh more in this show than in any other (maybe if i caught all the 30 rock jokes it’d be different). amazingly unique characters and chemistry with the cast, highlighted, in my opinion, by the two of the youngest cast members, rico rodriguez (manny) and nolan gould (luke).
one | lost
its just simply the best show of our generation. whether you stuck with it until the end or you liked the end (i didn’t), everyone watched it for awhile. we all were drawn in to these unique characters, their histories, their futures, their sidewayses (?). what is in the hatch? what is the black smoke? 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. who are the others? what is the deal with walt? jack. kate. sawyer. jin. sun. the names, the numbers, the mystery. we’ll all remember it…until we all walk into the mystical light. 
i’ve never been a big fan of american idol. yeah, i’ve seen a couple of the finales, but there has never been anything intriguing about it. then came the voice! this is like idol doped up on steroids! its not just competition between the contestants, but also competition between the 
emily has always been a huge fan of zooey deschanel (everything from elf to she&him), so when she saw that she was going to star in her own show it was a must see for us. other than the early departure of damon wayans jr, it has not disappointed. zooey’s character, jess, is so bizarre and quirky and the cast of characters around her (especially schmidt) round out nicely.
five | suits
i don’t even remember who recommended this show to us this summer, but i’m pretty sure we watched the entire first season in a week. the concept (a brilliant, yet lazy, LSAT cheater who gets hired as a lawyer without a degree) is intriguing and the banter between the two lawyers as the experienced, Harvey Spekter, takes the younger, Mike Ross, under his wing is clever. Not to mention Louis Litt, the ego-manic junior partner and rival to Harvey. Great characters and dialog make for an excellent show.
four | game of thrones
if it weren’t for graphic sex in this show, this would probably be my number one show of 2011. it’s a bit too graphic for my taste, but the story-line, characters, and cinematography are brilliant. i have yet to read the books (that will change soon), so i can’t compare or be disappointed. but if the show is an indicator of the quality of the novels, then i’m sure the books will find themselves in my tops of 12.
three | the amazing race
its just simply one of my favorite shows on tv and probably always will be. if i had to make a list of things that i want to do in my life, racing on the amazing race would probably be a top five desire. the problem is that you can’t apply if you live outside of the US… 
but fortunately, i am not in charge of organizing our josiah venture amazing race this year, so hopefully i’ll get to race!
two | the walking dead
i love zombies and this show continues to please. the human element is so realistic as the characters try to cope with the loss of loved ones, the loss of new companions, and the continual fear of zombie attack. it also holds in tension the desire for survival with the desire to do what’s right. in a time when everyone could be your enemy, the zombies aren’t always the scariest creatures.
one | up all night
with our son due any time in the next couple of weeks, how could this not be my favorite show! it centers around a fun, partying couple who are dealing with all the adjustments surrounding having their first child. they wrestle with still desiring to be hip and cool (I can relate!), leaving their child for the first time (Will Arnett’s character quietly sings Harry Chapin’s “Cats in the Cradle”), and balancing work (Christina Applegate works and Arnett is a stay-at-home dad). then capping it all off is Maya Rudolph’s character Ava, an Oprah-like talk show host who still treats the couple as if they are without child and has a past as an R&B singer (“Basically” is her hit song-google it!). the show is timely for emily and i as we think about and wrestle with many of the same issues!
