Best of 2009

Best TV Drama of 2009: Lost
The show perfected the act of telling stories in different spaces and times. Whether it was with the Oceanic 6 back in LA or the folks left behind on the island, you always felt like something important was happening. Clearly the best season since the first, and an ending that was both mystifying and completely open ended. That my folks is Lost at its best, TV that makes your brain work almost to the point of madness.

Best TV Comedy of 2009:Modern Family and Parks & Recreation (tie)
I was late in coming to the Modern Family crowning but now I absolutely worship at their feet. A great ensemble packaged with smart writing that often has you rewinding to see what jokes you might have laughed over. While Parks & Recreation started out slow in the Spring, Amy Pohler and company have stepped up their game in season 2 and given us numerous fall out of the chair laughing moments. The episode “Practice Date” is my favorite 30 minutes of TV this year. Funny that both of these shows use the faux doc storytelling tool and do so successfully despite the feeling that The Office has ruined that trick for everyone.

Best Reality TV of 2009: Top Chef
While the end of season five of Top Chef was boring and uninspiring, season 6 aka Las Vegas was the finest season yet. Sure it could have used some Tony Bourdain or Eric Ripert sightings but the quality of the big four Jen, Brian, Mike, and Kevin made this season the most mouthwatering yet. The quality of food really came across our LCD and plasma screens and made me want to travel around the country to enjoy all these chefs.

Best Ongoing Comic Book of 2009: Batman & Robin
***Spoiler Alert***
When Grant Morrison moved Bruce Wayne off the chessboard he did so in such a convoluted way that many readers couldn’t care less who the new Batman was. Thankfully Morrison righted the ship quickly and has given readers the successor we always wanted and a Robin who we never knew we wanted. The inverted dynamic between Batman and Robin is refreshing and the reader finds themselves more wrapped up in their story than worrying about the inevitable return of Master Bruce. It also doesn’t hurt that Morrison has an all star team of artists working with him including Frank Quitely.

Best Limited Series/Graphic Novel of 2009: Blackest Night
Hard to believe in this day and age that something actually lives up to its hype. After a somewhat disappointing DC event in Final Crisis many were suffering from event fatigue. Geoff Johns however managed to find the cure for that fatigue by focusing an event on the core DC characters acting like core DC characters. Hal Jordan and Barry Allen have never been better. While I’m reading many of the tie-ins it’s completely possible that you could enjoy this series all on its own. Best part is that we’re only through issue 5 of 8.

Best Movie of 2009: Inglorius Basterds
Certainly this was a polarizing pic. I’ve heard the phrase self indulgent and unfunny thrown around over and over again. With respect I’d have to disagree and say this was escapism at its best. Tarantino continues to grow with every picture and I loved how this time he didn’t just pay tribute to one genre, he threw a bunch in blender and the results were spot on. He also continues to draw performances out of unexpected people. Who knew Eli Roth could act? (Avatar and/or Up in the Air could change this category over the next few weeks)

2009 Entertainer of the Year: Lady Gaga
At the beginning of the year I heard “Just Dance” and thought it was ok. Then I heard “Poker Face” and I was intrigued. “Love Game” was an instant download and by the time Lady Gaga hit the stage at the MTV Awards to do “Paparazzi”, I was on the edge of my seat. That performance along with her Saturday Night Live gig made me devoted fan. Her music is great but her performances are unique events that you feel like you can’t miss. Throw in the video of the year and song of the year “Bad Romance” and you’ve got someone who I’ll forever identify 2009 with.