TV Power Rankings - going into the week of 10/6/08

for some reason i'm a big fan of power rankings. i have no idea why. maybe i just like ranked lists. anyway, i thought i'd rank the TV shows i'm currently watching. i might not do this every week, but we'll see.

rankings are not necessarily based on how i feel about a show on the whole, but how i feel the show is currently doing - how i liked the previous episode, how it's been doing overall for the season, and how much i'm looking forward to the next episode. for example, Heroes is a pretty good show (and i will always think it's a good show overall) that has had a horrible start (in my opinion) this season. that's why it's at the bottom of this week's list.

without further ado, the TV power rankings going into the week of 10/6/08.

1) Life

this show started its second season out with 2 of the most original episodes in the police drama setting that i've ever seen. the writing is just so... fresh. Life has yet to disappoint. my only worry is that with NBC pumping out 4 episodes in 2 weeks and then pushing it to Friday nights, Life doesn't have much longer to live.

2) The Shield

halfway through the final season and i am not disappointed in the least. is it as good as the start of the sixth season? of course not - nothing ever will be. but it's on the right track to ending with a bang (in more than one sense).

3) Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

a second season gives the show a chance to flesh out backstories. that's exactly what Chronicles is doing. and it's pretty entertaining to say the least.

4) House

a show that never plays it safe. last year he lost his team, this year he loses his only friend. say what you want about the weekly cases, it's the drama between House and the rest of his team is what is so compelling. my only worry for this year: the new private eye House is paying for is a being written a little too quirky, too cute. oh, and a relationship with Cuddy is completely unnecessary.

5) Sons of Anarchy

good start to this fledgling series. i could see this going a few seasons if the writing is able to stay fresh. i'm a fan.

6) Fringe

this was higher on the list until this past week, when they aired an episode that was all about "the pattern" or whatever the hell they call it. i like this show when it's about the wacky cases and the quirky father/son duo. when it devotes an entire episode to furthering the ridiculous overarching story of "the pattern" - that's when i'm not a fan. show is too serious for its own good. i enjoy it when it's fun, not when it's bogged down in laughable conspiracy theories.

7) Chuck

a good, fun show. while i can see myself getting tired of the formula in another year or two, it's a good distraction for now.

8) 90210

a guilty pleasure. started watching it because of the ties it had to the old 90210, but now i'm a full-fledged fan. is it a good show? no, not really. but it's fun. and it's neat seeing some of the old gang around - even though it seems like they might be getting phased out. i'll continue to watch it until it inevitably gets canceled later this year.

9) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

still continues to be funny despite its downward spiral from its golden first season. i'm a fan of the absurd, what can i say?

10) Law & Order: SVU

it's Law & Order. how can i not watch it? is the show good anymore? that's tough to say. i still have a good time watching, but i'll be the first to admit it's a mere shadow of what it used to be 4-5 seasons ago.

11) Heroes

once one of my favorite shows, Heroes has taken a mighty fall. all they're doing this year is rehashing stories from previous seasons (mostly season 1) and coming up with ridiculous and ludicrous team-ups. and i'm not a fan. there are still a few original, interesting things happening, so i'm going to stick around a few more weeks to see how those develop, but if they wither and die instead of blossoming, i'm done. oh how the mighty have fallen.

yet to be ranked: Life on Mars, South Park (both coming next week), and Crusoe (2 weeks).

-k