The 10 best TV shows of ‘06, NBC gaining steam of ‘07

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1.“The Office” (NBC)

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. American sitcoms derived from beloved British counterparts are cautionary tales, not success stories. But after a slow-building first season, the U.S. “Office” took off in seasons two and three, perfecting the workplace comedy just as “Arrested Development” rewrote the family sitcom.

The show is arguably even better than its UK predecessor, not in its oft-lauded discomfort comedy, but because its ensemble of disgruntled and/or neurotic co-workers is richer and more varied ­— including deft character turns from Mindy Kaling (girlish Kelly), B.J. Novak (weary temp-to-hire Ryan), and Brian Baumgarter (accountant and part-time drummer Kevin), among others. In this way, “The Office” gives us the best and worst of America, an eclectic melting pot of personalities boiling in corporate hell.

2.“Arrested Development” (Fox)

As much as fans may shake their fists and grieve for unfulfilled promise of a season on Showtime, “Arrested Development” really got the send-off it deserved. Rather than dumb itself down in a last-ditch effort to be embraced by a mainstream audience, the show’s final season turned up all the elements that made it brilliant to begin with: The pace got faster, the storylines stranger, and the in-jokes more prevalent, culminating in a climax most satisfying for fans, but puzzling for a casual channel-surfer.

For those who still can’t get over the loss of the wonderful but underappreciated series, “Arrested Development’s” penchant for running gags and sly references reward the inevitable, repeated DVD viewings.

(CW)

As if I didn’t already have enough trouble explaining to people why I own the DVDs of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” I had to go and fall violently in love with “Veronica Mars,” a crackling mixture of mystery, humor, and high-school heartbreak.

Rob Thomas’ teen sleuth has drawn comparisons to Joss Whedon’s cult heroine, but they couldn’t be more different. The second season delved deeper into Veronica’s relationships while unspooling a dizzying story arc about a school bus crash, and Thomas did it all without giving his girl superpowers. The show also isn’t afraid to confront the ugly truth that monsters look like normal people. Packed with pop references and an eclectic soundtrack, Veronica deals with darkness, but slays it with a smile.

4.“The Wire” (HBO)

Lauded by many critics as one of the best shows ever, “The Wire” also deserves the superlatives most important and angriest. Eschewing simple notions of good versus evil, this show deconstructs The Game — the Politics Game, the Drug Game, the Education Game — to show the dehumanizing effects of American social institutions.

Season four considered two plots: the upset election of white idealist Thomas Carcetti as mayor majority African-American Baltimore and four inner-city kids attempting to negotiate lives impacted by violence and poverty. Alternately inspiring, heart-breaking and enraging, “The Wire” is always riveting. Criminally unnoticed by the viewing public, it should be required viewing for anyone who cares about the state of Urban America.

5.“Lost” (ABC)

The creators of “Lost” started the third season with a bit of a predicament. After two seasons, fans now have a semi-grasp on the workings of the mysterious island: There are the magical monsters, the all-powerful Others, the explosive scientific research stations, etc. So how do they keep viewers engaged without tipping their hands about the island’s biggest secrets? The answer: Turn everything upside-down. By starting the season from the Others’ point of view — and showing their prevalent pettiness, not omnipotence. Fans have a new series of questions that’ll keep them scratching their heads.

6.“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (NBC)

Yes, it’s cheesy and heavy-handed. And granted, the show within the show is almost never very funny. But Aaron Sorkin’s saga about the goings-on behind an “SNL”-like sketch-comedy show is every bit as great as it is flawed.

With Sorkin’s flair for witty, intelligent sentiment, superb direction led by fellow “West Wing” refugee Thomas Schlamme, and the tremendous interplay between leading men Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford, “Studio 60” may have television’s best one-two punch both behind the camera and in front of it, further bolstered by a stellar supporting cast, led by the magnetic breakout star Sarah Paulson. And if the Christmas episode didn’t leave you emotional and giddy, you’re too heartless for anything but cop procedurals and reality shows.

7.“Battlestar Galactica” (Sci Fi Channel)

Odd but true: The cable show with the geeky name is turning out to be one of the best dramas on the air. Detailing the exploits of the human survivors of a genocide perpetrated by the Cylon robots they created, “Battlestar Galactica” packs more action, drama, and pathos into one episode than most shows do in a year. Edward James Olmos is the gruff heart of the show as the admiral leading a ragged fleet of spaceships in search of the mythical Earth, and the show deftly explores such weighty topics as the role of the military in government and the place of religion in modern society, as well as asking the ultimate question: Free from law, what makes us human?

8.“Heroes” (NBC)

Serialized dramas with ensemble casts were the name of the game in scripted television for the 2006 fall season. Everyone wanted to copy the success of ABC’s “Lost,” but only NBC’s “Heroes” has proven a success. The show’s creators understood what made “Lost” a hit: compelling characters with complicated motives and personal demons. The good guys of “Heroes” often behave like anti-heroes, while the villains are drawn in shades of gray. We have a cheerleader who needs to be saved from herself. And possibly her father. The flying politician is a liar, the super-powered hot mom a killer, and the visionary artist an addict. Although the plotting may at times stretch thin, a fascinating collection of super-freaks made “Heroes” the breakout show of 2006.

9. “The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)

It was serendipity that led Stephen Colbert to introduce “truthiness” to the world on his very first broadcast, inadvertently providing the defining concept of these fractious times. In the months since his fall 2005 debut, Colbert’s mock-O’Reilly-punditry program has engendered a fiercely loyal following: He says it, and his minions make it so (at least on Wikipedia). Colbert keeps things moving with his infectious energy and let-me-entertain-you vibe, but it’s more than just a satire of blowhard talking heads. The show takes dead aim at the media’s groveling acceptance of the current administration, occasionally delivering punch lines, like those related to troop deaths, that draw as many gasps as cheers. To use another of Colbert’s favorite terms — the show has balls.

10. “My Name Is Earl” (NBC)

Capping off its first season and launching its second in 2006, NBC’s sweet, funny, and irreverent “My Name Is Earl” is the story of a petty crook who turns his life around after discovering karma. Earl, portrayed with pitch-perfect low-key enthusiasm by Jason Lee, has quickly become one of the most loveable characters in television, simply by keeping an open mind to the world around him as he tries to right the wrongs of his life. Joining him on his journey are his dopey brother Randy, Earl’s delightfully obnoxious ex-wife Joy, her husband Darnell (aka Crab Man), and Catalina, the sexy Latina maid who works at the run-down motel where Earl and Randy reside. In 2006, “My Name Is Earl” was scripted comedy at its finest.