I’m a compulsive listmaker I know, but I find it a useful exercise toward placing priority on all manner of subjects.  With limited TV-watching time in a busy life, I keep a mental list of shows that are must-see.  I’m also curious about your lists, so comment away!

Here’s my top 10 (plus one):

  1. Lost – Still simply the best show on TV, despite a rocky start to its third season.  Don’t know how I’m going to make it six-plus more months for a new episode after the way this season ended.
  2. The Office – The preeminent sitcom on TV today, IMHO.  The smart writing and dry irony remind me of the best of Seinfeld, and the characters are so easily relatable to anyone who’s ever worked in a cubicle.
  3. Deadliest Catch – I started watching this spring after reading an article, and am now totally enthralled.  It’s an addicting look at crab fishing in the Bering Sea, and quite an escape from any world we find familiar.
  4. Battlestar Galactica – I know, nerd alert.  But hey, don’t knock until you try it.  This is sci-fi in an accessible way – the characters are real people dealing with real issues.  Watch the miniseries on DVD and you’ll be hooked.
  5. Friday Night Lights – A beautifully-filmed show cinematically, it also struck a chord in its first season as a real look at the emphasis Americans put on sports.  Great character development throughout.
  6. Scrubs – I’d never watched it until this year, but am completely hooked now.  The humor is so fresh, so original that it’s hard not to laugh.  Plus, Dr. Cox is one of the best characters on TV.
  7. Seinfeld – Yes, still.  It’s the best TV comedy of all-time, and the humor stands up today as fresh and original as it was 15 years ago, unlike many defunct shows.  In a syndicated world, it’s on all the time, but that doesn’t diminish its quality.
  8. 24 – I’m currently in catch-up mode on this one, having now seen seasons 1, 2, 3, and 6.  I wasn’t really impressed with this year’s version, but I must admit, this intense show is addictive, and you just can’t stop watching.
  9. Heroes – I was on the fence about this one all year long in its first season, but after sticking it out to the end, I found it pretty consistently entertaining.  Time will tell whether it stays pertinent, but worth another season.