Tom Shales Best TV Of Decade List: Tina Fey, Rachel Maddow, Barack Obama

[Hissyspit]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122400133.html

Best of the decade: Television

1] Sept. 11, 2001
2] "Planet Earth"
3] Tina Fey
4] "The Sopranos"
5] "Survivor"
6] "American Idol"
7] Rachel Maddow
8] Barack Obama
9] "Monk"
10] Winston Churchill's Stormy Years

By Tom Shales
Sunday, December 27, 2009

Television itself -- the machine, not the medium -- changed more in the first decade of the 21st century than it had in the 50-plus years that followed its arrival on the American scene right after World War II. Among the most major of changes: On June 12, 2009, after considerable delay, TV went digital and left its analog past, and millions of now-useless receivers, behind.

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The Best

1. Sept. 11, 2001. Nothing originated by television could or would approach the impact of a seminal event transmitted while it happened, a nation clinging to the messenger even as the message grew darker and more terrible by the moment. Television united the nation in sorrow and horror as it had not done since 1963 with the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

2. "Planet Earth," co-produced by the BBC and the Discovery Channel, was the show of the decade, a majestic and unforgettable ecological statement and a testament to the wonders of new technology -- science and nature not at odds with each other but allied in ecstatic exploration.

3. Tina Fey, who went from being the first female head writer of "Saturday Night Live" to the star and auteur of her own "SNL"-derived NBC sitcom, "30 Rock," with a detour to play the role she seemed born for, Alaska politician and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

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7. Rachel Maddow blossomed forth on the revamped MSNBC and proved that the political left doesn't have to be locked out of TV by the garrulous right.

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The Worst:

MORE

[blogslut]

1. While I'm unfamiliar with Mr. Shale's space restrictions

That's a rather thin article and I don't agree with his choices.

What about the the impromptu coverage during hurricane Katrina? How can Mr. Shales tout Ms. Maddow without recognizing Keith Olbermann? How about Jon Stewart's single-handed takedown of CNN's Crossfire?

Meh. This is why I'm no fan of top lists.

[tulsakatz]

2. I don't agree either.....

I mean, survivor and american idol? Are you kidding me? Those 2 shows don't even come close to the best!