Life in the Mind of a Modest Genius

The Year in Television

Overall, it was a pretty good year for tv shows.  There were some that fell off more than I expected (Nip/Tuck) then other rookies that came from nowhere to blow me away.  There were so many good ones working my DVR overtime that I had to expand this list to the top 15 shows of the year.  If you haven't been watching these, find time to check them out in the new year...

15.  Ghost Whisperer

It was number 10 on my list last time and it once again just barely makes the cut.  Where they lost me a little bit was when they started making her husband able to see ghosts too.  Even if it was only for one episode, it was still a bit much.  That and some of those frumpy outfits they continue to dress Jennifer Love Hewitt in get very distracting.

14.  Everybody Hates Chris

I just realized that this is the last good family sitcom show left on television.  These days, sticoms are dominated by dysfunctional families and non-traditional taboo relationships.  Who would have ever thought the mind of Chris Rock would give us a show with a strong family household that would be consistently funny?

13.  Desperate Housewives

I figured it was just a matter of time before they found a way to get rid of that annoying babymama drama.  Overall, it's still panning out to be an average season that paled in comparison to the first.  They do get props for ending the year with a pretty good cliffhanger so hopefully they will also find a way to get rid of that annoying Orson. 

12.  Monk

It's been a couple of seasons now since they got rid of the Bitty Schram as Sharona. After a slow start with the new Natalie character, they seem to have gotten going again.  Tony Shaloub has always been what made the show anyway.  I just wish they would be more consistent with when they show the new episodes.

11.  10 Items or Less 

It takes place in a tiny grocery store that's doing everything it can to stay above water competing with the much larger mega grocery store up the street.  The style used allows the cast to improvise most of the script.  What you end up with is a little bit of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" meets "The Office".  It's been working so far for this rookie show

10.  My Name Is Earl

The fact that it's as low as 10 is really misleading.  It's not that it has dropped off that much, it's just that there are so many other good shows in front of it.  In fact, after a slow start to this second season, it's actually returned to being extremely funny all over again.  Even though the cast itself already makes the show good, some of their best episodes came from when they had guest appearances by the likes of Brett Butler, John Leguizamo and Burt Reynolds.

9.  Daybreak

The latest in a recent trend of deja vu themed entertainment.  This probably could have gotten even higher if I didn't hear some rather disparaging news about an interview that Taye Diggs allegedly had.  If I find out that it turns out to be true, I'll have to stop watching the show just out of principle.  Of course it will have to wait until the end of this season so I can find out what happens.

8.  Grey's Anatomy

According to the Nielsen ratings, when it was in its run of original episodes, this was the number one show on television.  A good show, but not even the number one hospital show on right now.  It kills me how this is yet another hospital drama where no one seems to have a life outside of the hospital.  They actually bucked the norm for a minute by giving Meredith Grey a love interest who wasn't affiliated with Seattle Grace.  It took them 10 episodes to realize that goes against the hospital drama formula and it was back to square one.

7.  The Office

They have really stepped it up this year.  It's gotten to the point now where the first couple of minutes of the show before the intro rolls has produced classic television moments.  Even though Carell is the cornerstone of the show, Rainn Wilson as his "sidekick" Dwight Schrute has slowly moved up to one of the best supporting actors on tv.

6.  Scrubs

At first, I was a little bothered that they started their new season much later than all of the other fall shows.  Then I realized that it worked out better since we could enjoy new episodes while the other shows were running reruns.  Now there's rumors that this may be Zach Braff's last season.  If it really is, or even if it's next season, I hope they at least go out with a bang and end the series while it's on top rather than trying to bring in some subpar replacement.

5.  Boston Legal

The storyline of having Shirley Schmidt kidnapped was a bit much.  Even for this show that is known for it's exaggerated antics.  Fortunately, both Shatner and Spader have been flawless and continue to make this one of the best shows available.  I was a bit leery first about the addition of Craig Bierko but he very quickly became one of my favorite things about this new season.

4.  Friday Night Lights

I still don't understand how this show could possibly have low ratings and in jeopardy of not returning for a second season.  Maybe it got the kiss of death that critics love it.  Afterall, that seemed to be the downfall for "Arrested Development".  This was one of the VERY rare instances where the movie was already exemplar then the inevitable television show spinoff proved to be just as good.

3.  Big Day

There had already been a couple of shows trying to emulate the "24" format where the entire season takes place over the course of one day.  This was the first one to try it as a comedy and they absolutely nailed it.  Since the premise of this is based on the wedding day from hell, it'll be interesting to see how they expand it to a second season.  If there's not one, this late fall schedule debut has done a more than capable job of being one of the funniest shows of 2006.

2.  30 Rock

Before they even broadcast the first episode, they were already destined for success with a cast consisting of Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan.  You add to that the fact that Fey's writing runs all thru the veins of the show and all contenders were in trouble.  The way that the main stars interact with the supporting cast of the show has been hilarious.  Especially the Kenneth/Jack poker episode.  It just doesn't get much better than that.

1.  Heroes

On a quick side note, I can't believe that I just recently realized Ali Larter is the same whip-cream gal from "Varsity Blues". 
"Heroes" started off with a bang and continued to pick up more and more steam.  Not only were we introduced to folks that have super powers they use for good, but they slowly rolled out a few villains that have powers of their own.  They keep it up and they will have unintentionally created a real-life "Superfriends and the Legion of Doom".  I don't care who you are, that's some good television.

The Year in Music

There was once a time not even that long ago that I would make full-length cds to commemorate the end of the year.  They would be five volume sets that would contain my selections of the top 100 songs of the year.  That was back when I still made cds and prior to the arrival of my Zen.  I haven't made a mix-cd now in a couple of years since my  deejaying days are officially behind me.

Nowadays, I don't collect cds near like I used to.  It will take a lot for me to actually spend the money to buy a cd as the hobby that replaced that one was my dvd fanaticism.  That means that most of the songs I had grown attached to were ones that I heard on the radio.  It's rather ironic for me since I used to abhor that format.  Radio has a tendency to play songs to death and you get tired of hearing them.  Every now and then you get lucky and there are some that are worth hearing again and again.

Without any further ado, here is my list of the top 15 songs of 2006...

15.  White and Nerdy -Weird Al Yankovic

14.  Say -Method Man f/ Lauryn Hill

13.  No Words - Charlie Wilson

12.  Must Be Nice - Lyfe Jennings

11.  I Wanna Luv U - Akon

10. I Refuse - Urban Mystic

9. Let It Go - Kirk Franklin

8. Ride for Me - Danity Kane

7. I Write Sins Not Tragedies - Panic! At the Disco

6. Set Me Free - Myron Butler

5. I'm in Love with a Stripper - T-Pain

4. Savin' Me - Nickelback

3. Freedom of Preach - Ludacris f/ Bishop Eddie Long

2. I'll Cover You (Reprise) - "Rent" Original Cast

1.  I Wish You Were Here - Jamie Foxx

Things to Be Grateful For This Year

I know I said when I first started this category that I wouldn't include some of the common givens.  Once again, I'm going to change up the rules a bit for this year-end entry...

1.  My Health

True, I'm not as physically fit as I could be.  It's a pretty safe bet to say that I may be a "little" out of shape.  However, even with that being the case, I managed to stay fairly healthy this year.  No hospitalizations, no broken bones, no stitches, no diseases.  Of course, I once again got thru another year without having a full physical so that stat made be a little jaded.  Still, I'll take it.

2.  My Family

All of my immediate family which would include children, parents,  sisters, nephews and nieces are relatively close.  Even grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncle.  Everyone within five hours driving distance.  Yet another year goes by where I got a chance to visit everyone on a semi-regular basis throughout the year.  That wouldn't have been the case if I did live further away or even if some of them did.

3. D

Technically, shouldn't she really be considered under the family category?  Well yes and no.  We're not related by blood but according to the Bible, we are cleaved together.  Yeah, I botched up that phrase but you get the just of it.  Anyway, it takes a strong woman to put up with me and all my grief from this year.  That phrase "behind every strong man is a strong woman isn't completely accurate".  It should be BESIDE every strong man is a strong woman.

A Year of Passing Thoughts

This has been a pretty rough year for legends.  Several of them have left us and many of them a little prematurely.  There have also been a   few that probably deserved to go (namely Patsy Ramsey and Kenny Boy). 

You will see from the list that not all were big names; however, they all impacted me in one way or another.  As with previous year-end entries, you can click on the name to be magically transported to the original entry where I spoke on them in-depth.  A moment of silence for the homies...

• Don Knotts, 81
• Kirby Puckett, 45
• Gordon Parks, 94
• June Pointer, 52
• Earl Woods, 74
• Floyd Patterson, 71
• Professor X, 49
• Paul Gleason, 67
• Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, 39
• Rob Borsellino, 56
• Billy Preston, 59
• Chris Love, 24
• Aaron Spelling, 83
• Moose, 16
• Milan Williams, 58
• Jack Warden, 85
• Bruno Kirby, 57
• Steve Irwin, 44
• Tamara Dobson, 59
• Buck O'Neil, 94
• Red Auerbach, 89
• The Fruitcake Lady, 93
• Ed Bradley, 65
• Gerald Levert, 40
• Jack Palance, 87
• Bo Schembechler, 77
• Peter Boyle, 71
• Lamar Hunt, 74
• Ahmet Ertegun, 73
• Joe Barbera, 95
• Mike Evans, 57
• James Brown, 75
• Gerald Ford, 93

The Best Movies of the Year

It wasn't until I started retracing all the movies I had seen this year that I realized how many good films there actually were.  I had a difficult time trying to file this list down to ten.  There were some that came close to making the list but got edged out for one reason or another.  Here are the honorable mentions for 2006 in no particular order.  As with my previous year-end entry, you can click on the title to see my full comments and review on each respective flick:

• Silent Hill
• Mission Impossible III
• United 93
• Cars
• Idlewild

Now to the top 1o.  Keep in mind that these are the top movie that I actually saw for the first time (and in some cases, many times more) in 2006.  They may have been originally released the previous year, but for one reason or another, I didn't get around to them until this year.  Lucky for them...

10.  Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Robert Downey, Jr. continues to prove that no matter how much rehab he gets, it doesn't seem to cause his work to suffer much.  In fact, it almost seems that the more rehab he gets, the better his products are.

9.  Pirates of the Caribbean:  Dead Man's Chest

How is it possible that some filmmakers find a way to improve on the original?  This one was a huge rebound for Johnny Depp.  Regardless of what some folks may think, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" just was not a good film.  Not that he really needed it with his track record, but this second installment proves he still has it.  Let's just hope he kept some of it in the tank for the third one.

8.  Little Miss Sunshine

You could probably call this the sleeper hit of the year.  It didn't get near the pub of your typical Hollywood mega-budget blockbuster.  For that reason, it's a stark reminder that throwing money at a project doesn't always guarantee a formula for success.  Sometimes it is the little things that mean a lot.

7.  Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

It's already funny enough that NASCAR is considered a sport so of course a comedy about it was bound to be hilarious.  Add that to the fact that it features reliable Will Ferrell and it's gold.  At one point, I thought this would have been the funniest movie to come out all year until...

6.  Nacho Libre

There are some movies that you have to see a couple of times to fully appreciate.  This is not one of them.  It just so happens that seeing it more than a couple of times makes it funnier and funnier each time.  Not only was this the top comedy of the year, it's slowly creeping its way onto my list of favorite comedies of all-time.

5.  Superman Returns

There is no bias here just because BJ Routh is from Norwalk.  This was just an overall spectacularly made movie.  If you never got a chance to see it in an IMAX theater complete with the 3D effects then you were truly missing a treat. 

4.  Rent

I don't know what I was thinking the first time I saw this and was so hard on it.  That's not true, I know exactly what it was that was clouding my vision.  It didn't take long for me to become enamored with it.  So much so that I'm still upset with myself for not finding the time to check out the Broadway version when it came to Ames a couple of months ago.

3.  The Gospel

I never would have thought a film with Boris Kodjoe in the lead would be as good as this one and now I'm glad I was wrong.  Not everyone will get the same out of this movie that I did so it made it this high chiefly for sentimental reasons.  It also doesn't hurt that the soundtrack to the film is amazing.

2.  The Pursuit of Happyness

Will Smith proves that he's star power enough to carry an entire film by himself.  Okay, he's no Tom Hanks on a desert island for an hour, but I'm pretty confident he could even pull that off.  Until now, Will's talent alone is such that he doesn't need other superstars around him to make a movie better.  A couple more like these and we may be able to slowly forget that "Wild Wild West" ever happened.

1.  Dreamgirls

Regardless of how it may seem, this really isn't a case of being so fresh  in the memory since it was most recently seen that it gets the top spot.  "Dreamgirls" really was that good and then some.  It had the complete package of stellar acting from stars and supporting roles, good writing, stunning visuals and an outstanding soundtrack.  Maybe it was best that it was released so late in the year so they could save the best for last.

The Year in Pictures

This will mark the beginning of yet another category on my site.  It's one that needs to be added for this time of year.  As we approach the new year, my next few entries going to take a look back at different significant things that occurred during the course of 2006.  Please welcome the newest category "The Year That was...2006".  Every year at year-end, I will do the same thing with that respective year.

I was thinking about doing a feature on all the different news items of the year.  Reflecting back on how different events affected me personally.  Then it dawned on me that that probably wouldn't be interesting to anybody but me.  Of course, most of what I write isn't interesting to anybody but me.  At any rate, I instead decided to go with something more visual.  Therefore, here you have 2006 - the year in pictures...