more Best and Worst

So tough to narrow things down, but I’m definitely going to try.

I’m starting with TV, because that’s what I’ve enjoyed the most this year, shows that have entertained me, thrilled me and made me really think of what great writing is about.

1) First and foremost, and yes, Molly did see this coming. Battlestar Galactica. Man, a lot of other, smarter people started watching this much earlier, but after coming into it late, I’ve watched 2 ½ seasons in less than two months and all I can say is Wow!
The writing, the characters, the way they let all the characters at one time or another be petty, mean, ugly in thought and form, and still really appealing. It helps to have an ensemble cast, which this show is, so we don’t spend all our time with the same character, but they all have unexpected depths.
My two favourite things this show does is reverse gender expectations. They do this brilliantly. And they give us an initial impression of a character and over time, reverse it. Perfect example, and without giving anything away, the President and Adama.
I could gush about this show for months, but don’t let that it’s Sci fi stop you from watching. It’s so much more than that.

2) Dexter, this came in a close second. Love, love this show. Great writing and Michael C. Hall’s amazing characterization of a man who in anyone else’s hands could be unloveable.

Worst: This is a tough one. Lost has really disappointed me and I’ve given up on it for good. House, which I used to love has just felt tedious this season. The cop story line has just annoyed me, homoeroticism or not, and compared with the other shows I’m watching, this show has gotten boring.

Movies:Best
1) Casino Royale – Loved it, Daniel Craig, nothing else needs to be said about the wonders of that man. The writing was great, the love interest made sense. It was, for me, a thrill from start to finish.
2) The Departed – Loved this, the tension, the unpredictability and the amazing acting.

Worst: So many dull movies this year. Superman returns, Pirates of the Caribbean, and so many movies I couldn’t drum up enough enthusiasm to see. Maureen will do a much better job at this, as she sees so many more than I do.

Books: Tough one for me as well.
Best: Poison study, for sheer entertainment value, loved the first two of the Dark Queen series by Susan Carroll, The Journal of Mortifying moments, by Robyn Harding. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. All entertaining, well written books.

Worst, again I agree with Molly on the last of the Dark Queen series, it seemed really dull compared to the first two. Any of the latest books by Laurell K. Hamilton. I used to love the Anita Blake series, was seriously addicted until the series fell off the rails in book 11 and never recovered.