Best TV of 2008

Like Liz and her music, I am a connoisseur of television. Sometimes, I wonder how I ever lived without a DVR (and how anyone lives without HBO). I'm pretty sure I watched more TV this year than ever in my life, and here are my pics for the best of the best (I've included a memorable quote from each show because, you know, I effing love me some quotes):

10. Real Time with Bill Maher HBO - Sure, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are more popular, but Real Time is, for my money, the best political program on TV. In an exciting election season, Bill talked about things others ignored and contributed greatly to the most encouraging election in my lifetime. Memorable Quote: "You know who's bitter in America? I am, because shit-kickers voted twice for a retarded guy they wanted to have a beer with and everybody else had to suffer the consequences." - Bill Maher

9. Summer Heights High HBO - Like Flight of the Conchords last year, nothing made me laugh harder. Australian Chris Lilley is a bloody genius. MQ: "No offense but I seriously hate all fat people." -Ja'mie

8. Battlestar Gallactica Sci-Fi - The re-imaged nerdfest just keeps getting better. I won't say much about this season, as Liz is still catching up, but I eagerly await the final installment of this incredible series early next year. Thanks to Dave for getting me into this show. MQ: "Old gods die hard." - Six

7. The Office NBC - While I think this show is failing to live up to the terrific first seasons, I still love the Dunder-Mifflin gang...especially Michael. His love, and loss, with Holly this season was perfection. I never thought I'd say this, but more Michael and the randoms, less Jim and Pam drama, please. MQ: "As it turns out, you can't just check someone into rehab against their will. They have to do it voluntarily. They have to hit rock bottom. So I think I know what I need to do at this point. I need to find ways to push Meredith to the bottom. Um. I think I can do it. I did it with Jan." - Michael Scott

6. Pushing Daisies ABC - We're big fans around these parts of this already canceled gem. Creator Bryan Fuller is apparently cursed to be too creative for his own good. 'Tis a shame. MQ: "The pie-maker considered how not telling Chuck the truth about her father was a lot like being locked in a prison. Then he considered how being locked in a prison was actually much worse than some silly metaphor about truth." - Narrator

5. Ashes to Ashes BBC - It wouldn't be a TV list by Red if there wasn't some British show you've never heard of. This show, a sequel to the BBC version of Life on Mars, follows a modern cop, who is shot and wakes up in the 80's. It's totally awesome, mainly because of the performance by Philip Glenister as DCI Gene Hunt, who can sexually harass me anytime. MQ: "Right! How many birds does it take to screw in a light bulb? Two! One to run around screaming 'What do I do?' and one to shag the electrician!" - Gene Hunt

4. 30 Rock NBC - Oh, Liz Lemon. Can I move to NYC, move in with you and make you my best friend? Pretty please? MQ: "[The Postmaster General and I] had a falling out over the Jerry Garcia stamp. If I wanted to lick a hippie, I'd return Joan Baez's phone calls." - Jack Donaghy

3. The Wire HBO - I almost forgot the final season aired this year. One of the best TV shows ever came to a close and, while not the best season of the series, it left me satisfied. I love seeing actors from The Wire pop up everywhere from 300 to Lost to the 90210 remake. Every time, it's like seeing an old friend. MQ: "The bigger the lie, the more they believe." - Bunk

2. Mad Men AMC - What a year for our friends at Sterling Cooper. Year of the ladies...and it was incredible. This show makes me long for the days of dresses and suits and drinking in the office. And then there's Joan. Sweet, sweet Joan. *sigh* MQ: "One day you're there and then all of the sudden there's less of you. And you wonder where that part went — if it's living somewhere outside of you — and you keep thinking maybe you'll get it back and then you realize it's just gone." - Peggy Olsen


1. Generation Kill HBO - What do you get when you take a fascinating and funny book about recon Marines entering Iraq, hand it to the brilliant David Simon and Ed Burns, mix in a ton of hot dudes and put it on HBO? Simply, the greatest TV production of 2008. Catch it today on DVD. MQ: "Saddam is just part of the problem, if Saddam invested more in the pussy infrastructure of Iraq than he did in his fucking gay ass army, then this country would be no more fucked up than say, Mexico." - Cpl. Josh Ray Person

Honorable Mentions:
Life - Please watch this show before they cancel it. Gingers everywhere will thank you.
Skins - BBC America calls it their version of Gossip Girl. It is, if GG were, like, a zillion times better.
True Blood - I never expected to enjoy a vampire show so much.
Lost - I'm all caught up now and I'm hooked. My mind has been sufficiently blown.

Let the debate begin...