50 Best Episodes of 2005

[BobaBird]

The futon critic has just wrapped up its annual countdown of the 50 best episodes that aired in calendar year 2005 (overlaps the 04-05 and 05-06 seasons). The list, beginning with #50, is at
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/rant.cgi?id=20060123. (Spoiler warnings apply for some of the descriptions.)

This year I saw 15 of the 50, including 3 of the top 5. I found their #1 pick to be so engrossing that, even though I no longer have time for reruns, I watched the repeat almost as closely as I did the first airing. For S&G, here's how I matched up in previous years:

2004, 17 of 50, 3 of 5
2003, 22 of 50, 1 of 5
2002, 16 of 50, 1 of 5
2001, 17 of 50, 1 of 5
2000, 4 of 20, 1 of 5

While I seem to be on a downward trend in matching their best 50, I'm making a stronger showing in the top 5 :grin:. Of the shows I watch that made multiple appearances in previous years, Smallville, Alias, Enterprise and Stargate didn't make the cut this year. The Ori will not be pleased.

[Nick]

Except for the "24" and "CSI" epiisodes listed, I saw none of the so-called top 50 most-popular shows.

As a certified couch potato (not potatoe), I feel like a complete and utter (not udder) failure. :nono: :(

Guess I've been watching too much PBS-HD, HDNet and Discovery HD.

[bavaria72]

Don't feel bad Nick. I only saw 12 of the top 50 (with 3 being BattleStar) and 4 others just because the kids were watching them. I too saw saw 3 of the top 5. Generally speaking the new shows are not aimed at folks over 40 - like me :). Give me the Voom channels any time.

Edited: Interesting, the number of the top 10 shows I saw in 2004, 2003, 2002 , and 2001 decreased each year down to just one in 2002 and 2001. In 2000 I only saw 1 in the top 20. Guess I'm turning into a bigger couch potato!

[BobaBird]

The ranking tries to identify the best episodes of the year, ones that can be held out as examples of the kind of good writing, strong performances and/or innovation that keep us coming back. Popularity probably played a large part in which episodes got considered but it's the other factors that kept them on the list.

So bavaria72, you're not becoming a bigger couch potato, just a more discerning one. Or at least your tastes are falling in line with what the nominators found to be good.