John’s favorite TV shows of the Aughts (Commentary)

Next, here are my top 10 TV shows. Some started in the ’90s, but for this list, I am just showing the years they aired during this decade. This top 10 is front-loaded (the most recent shows ended three seasons ago), reflecting the downhill trend as the decade wore on. 1. “Once and Again” (2000-02, ABC) — Remarkably,

The really cool stuff of the Aughts wasn’t found in the mainstream (Commentary)

Time Magazine called it the “decade from hell,” but Entertainment Weekly argued, in its latest issue, what about the entertainment? However, they failed to make their own case. The Aughts really was a bad decade for mainstream entertainment. Although not, certainly, for entertainment overall. This was, after all, the decade when TV and music became

Fall TV 2009: 7 new developments on old shows (Commentary)

Here are seven plot developments I’m looking forward to on old favorites this fall season. (Technically, TV’s best show, “Friday Night Lights,” is a fall returnee — Oct. 28 on DirecTV — but I’ll be blogging about Season 4 next spring when I see the episodes on NBC. I’m very interested to see what Coach

What’s up with all the TV Chucks? (Commentary)

Charles isn’t currently in the top 10 of most popular baby names, but that will change in the coming years. If television is a trend-setter, then Charles, Chuck, Charlie and Charlotte are about to experience a comeback.

Is ‘The Office’ making Michael into a good boss? (TV commentary)

“The Office” is five seasons old, so this is about the time you’d expect it to fall apart, but it’s as funny as ever. It’s also the time you’d expect the writers to morph Michael Scott, the archetypal Worst Boss Ever, into a good boss. They are doing that, but rather than ruining the show,