Best Network Television Shows of 2008

Every year the networks strive to beat their personal best and in this author's humble opinion, this was the year of the guilty pleasure, the unique premise, and the comedic winners. While many of the past favorites did indeed return this season with a bang, I have to say that some of my favorites this season were the newcomers like ABC's Life on Marswhich, according to the ABC website is already up for a People's Choice Award in its first season. Only seven episodes into the season I'm already hooked on Sam Tyler (played by Jason O'Mara), the NYC cop who is hit by a car and transported back to the year 1973. Tyler's character is joined in the 125 squad room by Lutenient Gene Hunt played by veteran actor Harvey Keitel, Detective Ray Carling played by former Sopranos cast member, Michael Imperioli and Lisa Bonet guest stars as Tyler's girlfriend Maya from the year 2008 with Gretchen Mol filling the role of Tyler's new 1973 love interest, Annie Norris.

Also in its first season is Gary Unmarried starring Jay Mohr. The story is about a couple who is newly divorced after fifteen years. Gary is trying to move on and get into the dating groove while still dealing with his ex wife, Allison (played by Paula Marshall), but the two are still having difficulties getting along, mostly due to the fact that Gary is an immature wiseguy who takes great pains to annoy Allison at every available chance. At the climax of the first season, it seems that Gary is also striking out with his new girlfriend Vanessa (Jaime King), but you can't help but want to watch to see what comes next!

New Adventures of Old Christine, in its fourth season rolls on with the laughs with Julie Louis-Dreyfuss as "Old Christine" who, after having divorced her husband Richard, stumbles through life while raising her son Richie, and trying not to kill Richard's new girlfriend- also named Christine. With snappy dialog and Dreyfuss's signature delivery of dialog, Old Christine serves up the funny.

A couple of second season hits that continue to deliver week after week are NBC's Chuck and Life. Chuck is your "average computer-whiz-next-door" who gets an email from an old friend now working for the CIA. The email embeds the world's greatest spy secrets in Chuck's brain and drags him into a dramatic, yet mostly comedic life of espionage while working as a clerk at the "Buy More" electronics store.

Damian Lewis stars as Charlie Crews in Life, the story of a cop who has served 12 years in prison on a wrongful conviction for murder. Charlie returns to the force bent on uncovering the conspiracy behind his being framed for the triple homicide of his business partner and the partner's family. Lewis delivers his lines in a smooth, deadpan manner that makes him extra attractive on screen and adds humor to the often bizarre cases that he and his partner Dani Reese investigate. Going strong into Season 2, Life is pure entertainment.

Another relative newcomer that will be going into its second season this January is In Plain Sighton the USA Network. Mary McCormack plays Mary Shannon, a US Marshall with the Witness Protection Program. She's a brassy, sassy blond powerhouse who can take down a man with her bare hands. While it was uncertain whether or not the show would return, USA announced that production on sixteen episodes for season two would begin production this past October and air in January along with another USA hit, Burn Notice.

In its seventh season, Cold Casecontinues to push the limits of solving cold cases. Detective Lily Rush, played by Kathryn Morris, is based in the Philadelphia Homicide department specializing in cold jobs. The show typically begins with a flashback to the original crime, leaving the viewer with a brief picture of the victim and the crime. The show then moves through the modern day circumstances that have brought the case to Rush's desk, followed by a parade of investigative interviews that flash back to the original crime through the eyes of each suspect. With a great soundtrack and scenery that really takes the viewer back, Cold Case seems to have found its groove.

And finally, this author's guilty pleasure- Gossip Girl. The hit CW series is in its second season and no matter how many times I tell myself it's wrong to be watching brain rotting teen aged filth, I can't help but tune in to see if Blair (Leighton Meester) will finally give in to Chuck (Ed Westwick). With more twists and turns than a Manhattan city block, the plot of Gossip Girl continues to thicken as we see the lives of Manhattan's elite played out to the sex kitten voice of narrator Kristen Bell of Veronic Mars fame. You know you love it...