Dice's Top 10 TV Shows of 2003
Submitted by pastordice on Fri, 08/18/2006 - 11:09
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- 10. Without A Trace - Sure, it gets a huge ratings boost from it's Survivor and CSI lead in, but you don't continue to pull those kind of numbers without some substance. (Just ask every sitcom ever put between Friends and Sienfeld) Though the individual stories are good, I'm most struck by the overall character arcs of this show. Each character is well defined, with their own strengths and weaknesses. Though we always wonder if they will find this week's missing person, I'm more interested in if they will find themselves.
- 9. CSI:Miami - Just heard a third spin-off based in NYC is coming, and if they can make the characters, stories, cases, and locations as unique and compelling as they did with Miami, bring it on. Horatio Cane, or H as he asked me to call him, is at the same time the most sensitive and intense lead on TV. He also makes it a point to see these people as more than cases, by attending funerals and lending a helping hand. I must admit, though, that coroner lady who keeps speaking to the corpses with pet names freaks me out. Still, overall a great cast and a great show
- 8. Survivor:Amazon - The grandaddy of Reality TV and the only of that genre to make the list. (Where art thou, Amazing Race?). This edition falls this low only because of it's shameless contestants (Heidi, Jenna what were you thinking?) and it's lousy winner. Jenna is the worst winner in Survivor history (yes, I know Vecepia exists) and almost made me question whether there really is skill involved in winning this game. However, as always, Burnett and Probst provided a compelling cast and story, and I, for one, loved the gender battle.
- 7. The Practice - My guilty pleasure on the list climbs out of the runner-up category into the top 10 this year. The reason's name is James Spader and his portrayal of new lawyer Alan Shore. Not only has his break all the rules approach to law made the show hilarious and fun again, he and the cast re-haul have steered it away from the who's sleeping with who soap opera it had become.
- 6. Joan of Arcadia - The hot button debate of the season. I've been in more love it/hate it conversations about this show than any other on the list. Why? Probably because it's the only show on TV even attempting to deal with these issues. How does God lead us? How does God's plan work? The truth is this is a much better "God show" than Touched By An Angel ever was, because it has the guts to ask the tough questions, and GASP, get the answers right every once in a while. Best God line of the year, "I didn't create a point system Joan, I created a perfect system." Bonus points for Amber Tamblyn's great acting (hope she wins that Emmy)
- 5. CSI - The top dog, ratings wise at least. No show was watched by more eyes this year than the original Crime Scene Investigation. As much as I love these stories and characters, I must admit, they are in real danger of getting stale this year. (Time for a new character, maybe) This show could be higher but it's creative production values and top notch cast keep it in the top 5.
- 4. Alias - Admit it, this show rules. The stories and plot twists and turns put it in a category of it's own. It always swings for the fences, and somehow continues to outdo itself. This is James Bond + X-Files. This is "shoot the moon, blind" TV. What other show would be willing to have it's main character awake without any memory of the past 2 years? Ok, maybe there is one other show with this kind of risk taking ability...
- 3. 24 - The most intense hour of TV in existence. I have a friend who won't watch it during the season, but instead waits for the DVDs to come out, because he can't imagine having to wait an entire week to see the next one. I'm still amazed that they have managed to keep up the heat in a show that was basically a gimmick and a great actor. Real Time, One Day, One Hour at a time, Sometimes the simplest things are the best.
- 2. The Simpsons - By far the funniest thing on TV and they've been doing it 14 years!! Still the only show on TV that can make me laugh out-loud. Homer and the gang continue to nail week in and week out what makes this world so funny. With pin-point satire the gang from Springfield targets us all, and helps us realize how silly we all are.
- 1. Survivor: Pearl Islands - Finally, Survivor is back. Aside from "The Big Twist", which Mark Burnett himself regrets, this was the best edition of the crazy castaways since the first. It featured the best hero (I Rupert, I fish for you, I win all challenges, cross me and I kill you), the best villian, (Have you ever seen anyone that comfortable with, excuse me thrilled about, their own sinister existence.), and the best winner in a while. Sandra the sneak (hey, come listen behind these trees, they're after you. Oh, by the way T, I'm voting you out tonight.) was the first winner in a while that I was actually rooting for. But the main reason this edition ranks so high is that it was the best played game of any season. From the beginning, every player played, and played hard. Well, almost every player, and with that I quit.
