Favorites of 2008

Should the 2008 TV season be forgot and never brought to mind?

Well, yes, parts of it. But this is the most wonderful time of the year (or at least that's what all the songs say) so let's take a look at some of my favorites of 2008.

Okay we have got to talk about one Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick).

Medical crisis. Series finale. Character arrival. The networks have one big last hurrah before they head off for their not-so-long winter's nap. After this week, we won't see new episodes for many of our shows until after the ball has dropped in Time Square.

Last night's episode of Boston Legal was, as Alan (James Spader) summed up, eventful. The firm has gone bankrupt, Shirley and Carl are engaged and Alan put forth a convincing speech about the state of racism in America.

Sometimes a show can survive and thrive by the sheer force of the lead actor's performance.

Such is the case with the two new NBC shows returning tonight for their sophomore season. They are both good series built on the foundation of two terrific performances.

A TV show shouldn't make you angry. Yet that's exactly the emotion I experienced while watching the opening minutes of the two hour season premiere of Grey's Anatomy (Thursday, NBC, 9 p.m.). I won't give away anything but I will say that I found the scene simply ridiculous.