Winter is the season of no TV. Well, that’s not exactly true. There’s new TV, but it usually falls into the category of TV that even I won’t watch, which is pretty bad. Winter hiatuses are a tough time because we’ve all been left in suspense about who’s doing what since early December and we won’t find out until March, when most shows start up again. In this dark time of TV, it’s important to say goodbye to the things that were left behind in 2009.
Last year saw the series finales or cancellations of “ER,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” “Pushing Daisies,” and “Guiding Light.” “ER” was the long-running medical soap opera that played a big role in launching George Clooney into success A Look Back at 2009 – although it should be noted that he starred in a sitcom of the same name ten years prior to his stint as Dr. Doug Ross. I stopped watching the show when a helicopter crashed on the hospital, but I’m sure its series finale was met with grief.
The finale of “Battlestar Galactica” was definitely met with grief when it ended in March of 2009; it was the end of some of the greatest television I’ve ever seen and of the show that taught me that science fiction is not just for people in Star Trek costumes.
“Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” is the greatest cartoon since “Recess,” and the exploits of Mac and Bloo will be sorely missed.
“Pushing Daisies” is another show that was occasionally cartoonish in nature and easily one of the most entertaining hours of television, with bright colors and fast-talking that would put the Gilmore Girls to shame.
The year 2009 also saw the end of “Guiding Light,” the world’s longest running soap opera. Again, not a show I watched religiously, but it was always comforting to know that the show would be on every day in the early afternoons, and now my midday pillar of regularity is gone.
On the other hand, 2009 also saw the birth of many new shows to take the place of the ones going off the air. We were given “Glee” and the joy of Jane Lynch’s snarky, biting wit.
“Modern Family” started up, a quiet, under-publicized mockumentary sitcom that makes Ed O’Neill’s marriage to a young Colombian woman believable.
“Nurse Jackie,” a show that incidentally stars a Lawrence grad, also started and only further cemented my admiration of Edie Falco.
Indeed, 2009 was a pretty good year for TV: although some good shows ended, we also got some solid new ones, as well as one of the best cycles of “America’s Next Top Model” since Tyra got her talk show – there is a correlation there, I promise.
I’m pretty sure 2010 also has some pretty good TV in store; we just have to get through the winter hiatus. So drink lots of hot chocolate, keep warm and get ready for all the TV to come.
TV is the Answer
