Rush, Rush

It's come to my attention that there are certain shows that I just can't wait to see. Since I tape all the prime-time television I watch (which has the added convenience of allowing me to skip all the commercials), I usually have a stack of anywhere from five to twenty-five tapes full of television shows sitting on top of - or at least near - one of my televisions. I usually also try to watch everything in nearly a chronological order so that I don't skip over stuff and then miss episodes and stuff like that. But some shows are just too good for this and for those I make exceptions.

These are the shows that have me hooked (not necessarily in order of importance):

The O.C. - This one has had me from the get-go. From Seth's witty one-liners to Summer in a Wonder Woman suit and the upcoming experimental Marissa episode, I can't just let this one sit there. Every week, without fail, I manage to catch this one at my earliest possible convenience.

American Dreams - I've recently been reading a lot of articles, reviews and blurbs that are saying what I've known for two seasons now: This is one of the best shows on television. Some of the characters are annoying, some the guest stars are annoying and some of the story arcs are just dumb but at the same time the opposite is true much more frequently. I've found myself engrossed in the stories of every character (except maybe Will) and Daphne Zuniga as a Playboy Bunny is inspired casting. But that's just a start. Early episodes are on DVD and new episodes are back on every Sunday night.

Lost - I love that the opening credits is just a slow rotation of the word LOST. I love that the season is about half over and I don't feel like I really know all that much about what's going on. I love that Matthew Fox has found a new home on television (albeit a deserted island). I love this show.

High School Reunion - Reality television always seems so contrived and I'm sure the producers of this show picked people for the friction they knew would ensue but even scripted television is rarely this good. They seem to be recycling sound bites more often this season than in past seasons but that doesn't make it more lame and the sniping and cat-fights promise to get even better.

Desperate Housewives/Gilmore Girls (tie) - Between the gleeful treachery of the women of Wisteria Lane and the sometimes glib but always playful banter of the folks in Stars Hollow, I often can't decide which mood I'm in. But either way, I'm always entertained.

Honorable Mentions

New Joys
Joey, Veronica Mars, life as we know it

Returning Favorites
That '70s Show, ER, Third Watch, Eve

Guilty Pleasures
One Tree Hill, Smallville, The Mountain, North Shore

I'll get back to these later.