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TV Critics Love Mad Men, Hate Most New Shows

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:31:29 -0800

It was already pretty clear that Fall 2008 wasn't the shining beacon of good television we all wanted after the writers' strike, but the latest installment of TV Week's critics' poll pretty much drives the message home. Only one new show, HBO's True Blood, managed to crack the top 10, while all but one show on the list of worst series was a product of Fall '08.

Mad Men took first place on the best list, jumping up from second last time it was eligible. (The poll ranked shows airing between late June and early December.) The Shield took second, followed by 30 Rock and Dexter. True Blood was fifth.

As for the worst? Do Not Disturb topped that list, followed by Knight Rider, Kath and Kim, My Own Worst Enemy, and Crusoe - ouch for NBC!

My personal favorite entry is Chuck at No. 10 on the best list, up from No. 18 the only other time it was eligible. Check out the full list with explanations here, and to see the top 10 and bottom 11, just read more.

BEST SERIES
1. Mad Men
2. The Shield
3. 30 Rock
4. Dexter
5. True Blood
6. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
7. The Office
8. Pushing Daisies
9. Friday Night Lights
10. Chuck

WORST SERIES
1. Do Not Disturb
2. Knight Rider
3. Kath and Kim
4. My Own Worst Enemy
5. (tie) Crusoe
5. (tie) Hole in the Wall
6. (tie) Opportunity Knocks
6. (tie) Rosie Live
7. The Ex List
8. (tie) According to Jim
8. (tie) Gary Unmarried

Photos courtesy of AMC and Fox

Critics Love Lost, Hate The Moment of Truth

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:34:08 -0700

The results of the latest TV Week critics' poll are out, and Lost has claimed a spot at the top of the list. Critics ranked the show first for the six months starting in January, beating out The Wire for the No. 1 slot. The show apparently won by a wide margin, claiming a spot in the top five on almost every list submitted.

Because of the writers' strike, it's even tougher than usual to compare this Summer's list with the Winter rankings that found Pushing Daisies at the top; that show didn't air a single episode in 2008, so it didn't qualify. But there were still a few interesting changes to note, including the jump of The Office from No. 8 in the Winter to No. 4 now. But 30 Rock came in at No. 3, leapfrogging over The Office for the first time to claim the title of highest-ranked comedy on the list. Three CBS comedies - How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and The New Adventures of Old Christine - also ranked in the top 25.

On the worst side, The Moment of Truth topped the list, prompting one critic to proclaim, "This is the worst in every category into which it can be fitted." I just have to feel a little sorry for poor The Return of Jezebel James, though - sure, it didn't come close to expectations, but was it really worse than Secret Talents of the Stars?

Also, one show managed to make both the best and worst lists. To see what it was - and debate the best and worst - just read more.

The show that managed to claim a spot on both lists was American Idol, which ranked No. 20 best and tied for No. 9 worst.

BEST SERIES
1. Lost
2. The Wire
3. 30 Rock
4. The Office
5. Friday Night Lights
6. House
7. Battlestar Galactica
8. Breaking Bad
9. John Adams
10. (tie) In Treatment
10. (tie) The Tudors

WORST SERIES
1. The Moment of Truth
2. The Return of Jezebel James
3. (tie) Quarterlife
3. (tie) Living Lohan
5. (tie) Big Brother
5. (tie) Cashmere Mafia
7. (tie) Secret Talents of the Stars
7. (tie) Farmer Wants a Wife
9. (tie) American Idol
9. (tie) According to Jim

Critics: Pushing Daisies Is the Best Show, Cavemen the Worst

BuzzSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:46:38 -0800

I love checking out the results of the twice-yearly TV critics' polls, which help track which TV shows are on the rise and which, well, aren't in the eyes of critics around the country. The latest poll, which covers summer shows and the start of the current TV season, was just released, and ABC's Pushing Daisies made its first appearance on the list in the No. 1 spot.

Another new show, Mad Men, finished second, while Dexter ended up in third. Heroes showed signs of its rough fall, plunging from No. 6 in the last poll to No. 25 in this one. The Office and Friday Night Lights also stumbled a bit, but both stayed in the top 10 - and House made one of the biggest leaps forward, jumping from No. 15 to No. 7.

On the worst side, it probably isn't a surprise that Cavemen topped the list, with Viva Laughlin - which only aired two episodes - coming in at No. 2.

The most interesting to me: One show made appearances on both the best and worst lists. Want to know what it is, plus see the top 10 best and worst? Just read more.

Critics seem to be utterly divided about Dirty Sexy Money. It was the only show to be considered among the best and the worst, ranking at No. 15 on the best list and tying for No. 7 among the worst.

You can check out the full list here, and here are the top 10 best and worst:

Best Series
1. Pushing Daisies
2. Mad Men
3. Dexter
4. 30 Rock
5. Friday Night Lights
6. Damages
7. House
8 (tie). The Office
8 (tie). Ugly Betty
10. Californication

Worst Shows
1. Cavemen
2. Viva Laughlin
3. Big Shots
4. Kid Nation
5. Carpoolers
6. K-Ville
7 (tie.) John from Cincinnati
7 (tie). Dirty Sexy Money
7 (tie). Phenomenon
7 (tie). Private Practice
7 (tie). The Bachelor
7 (tie). Anchorwoman

"24" Drops Like a Stone in TV Critics' Rankings

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 06:30:00 -0700

Twice a year, a bunch of TV critics submit their lists of the best and worst shows of the season so far, tracking which shows are on the rise and which are tanking. The results of the latest poll were just published in TV Week, and maybe the biggest surprise is "24"'s huge decline - from No. 4 on last summer's list of best shows to No. 2 on this summer's worst list. Critics seemed mostly to berate the series for not living up to its own standards, something you've also mentioned. TV Guide's Michael Ausiello points out that this news came on the same day that "24" had to delay production for the seventh season after Fox scrapped the planned storyline.

"Grey's Anatomy" also took a tumble in the critics' poll - albeit a much smaller one - from No. 4 on the winter list of best shows to No. 9 on the summer list. "Lost," on the other hand, moved up from No. 6 after the fall portion of its season to No. 2 after that intense season finale.

The best overall show in the summer poll was "The Sopranos" - even after the controversial finale - while the worst was "October Road." Check out the full list, then let me know if you think the critics got it right. Or, to see the top 10 best and worst, read more

Best Series

"The Sopranos"
"Lost"
"Friday Night Lights"
"The Office"
"Ugly Betty"
"Heroes"
"30 Rock"
"The Shield"
"Grey's Anatomy"
"The Tudors"

Worst Series

"October Road"
"24"
"The Real Wedding Crashers"
"The Black Donnellys"
"The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll"
"Tyler Perry's House of Payne"
"Nancy Grace"
"Sons of Hollywood"
(tie) "On the Lot" and "The Wedding Bells"

Photo courtesy of Fox