Most of these are here because of Hulu, so thank you, Hulu.
1. Glee
I thought it would be too hokey, but in the first episode, when Finn is sad, they use an a capella requiem quietly as transition between several scenes while Mr. Shoe (Schu?) considers quitting to become an accountant. And then Bust Your Windows happened, and they keep catching me off-guard with song choices in a really spectacular way. Also there is some terrible melodrama blah blah sing another song please.
2. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
This is 100% hulu. I really didn't have much confidence, and I started out sticking with good old Conan and his reliably funny clips about his running amok in the real world, but then something started to change... I think it was the first time they Slow Jammed the News on Late Night, and it became clear that they were not using Andy Richter well (or at all) on the Tonight Show and that Conan was not winning over the audience in his monologue ever. "Did you guys here about this?" SILENCE. "Two people have? That's great" Whereas Jimmy Fallon seems genuinely into the stories he's cracking jokes on, jokes he is proud of, jokes he will laugh at. And when he does his Thank You Notes, he riffs and the note-writing music stops, and when he played off of Palin's kids names "Track! Jacket!" "Track give that back to Jacket" I started to only watch Conan episodes when he had great guests, but watch Jimmy Fallon no matter the guest, in SPITE of the guest even. One night I was watching, and they played Wheel of Carpet Samples. That's right, I was won over by carpet samples. They spin the wheel and win the sample it stops on, but the genius thing, the whole reason it's brilliant, is that Jimmy asks everyoe in the studio audience to say the catchphrase along with him, before the contestant spins the wheel: "Spin! That! Wheel! Of! Carpet! Samples!" It just goes on so long, it has to be good. Here it is. Real Housewives of Late Night is also surprisingly not terrible. I think it's the extended metaphores that Denise goes for. They are authentically reality TV bad.
3. Dollhouse
I should not watch Dollhouse, it is above my range of quantity and quality of permitted violence, but I keep watching it. (Except for the Season 1 finale, I couldn't take the knife attacks) The cast must be good, because I can ignore Tahmoh Penikett who I still hate from his role as Helo on BSG. Man I hate that guy. The theme song is creepy cute great. I just learned it has lyrics! The best episode is Man On the Street from Season 1 which guest stars Patton Oswalt and goodness its glorious. Only a few more left, I hope it goes out with a bang, but not literally.
4. Lost
Marble made me watch it, I wouldn't have volunteered to. It is also above the violence/fucked up range, but I have now seen all of Season 1 and 2. I don't need to see anymore, but I guess it's good to have more than just a cursory knowledge of a large part of the life of modern day nerds I plan to socialize with. WIth which I plan to socialize.
5. Kings
It's so bloody good, go watch it on Hulu. It's so goddamn fantastic and epic and backstab and intrigue and secrets and their flag has a butterfly on it. Sadly only 13 episodes, but a good damn show with strong strong characters.
6. Defying Gravity
It seemed like it was getting interested, and now its cancelled and they haven't released the final episodes. I've only been able to see 8 of 13. RELEASE EM ALREADY. They somehow balanced building plot over 3 locations. Spaceship, Earth at present (talking to spaceship), and Earth several years ago. Brilliant.
7. Reaper
This is not a new show, but its new to me. I always avoided this show because I thought it was by Kevin Smith, and I like that guy's stuff, but it can be a little more base humor than I can handle. Dogma poop monster for example. In reality, I believe he has NOTHING to do with it, but whatever. So I watched it online, it's fantastic. The devil, Sock, DMV lady was in Dead Like Me, so good. They set up Ben to be annoying in the first scene but then he turns out awesome. I'm glad the vessel is different every time. Cameos by the guys from the State, it rocks. I should go pick up the comics when they exist. (There was only one episode I had to avoid because of bugs. Good job, show)
8. White Collar
It's about a con man gone straight who wears 1940s suits. He wears them well. They need to let him do more awesome things, because they are the very best part of the show. They just introduced a plot twist and a bad guy and um... I'm afraid it's about to suck, but I love it for now.
9. Modern Family
It is suspiciously like Arrested Development, which doesn't really grab me, much to the sadness of my brothers. It's good. The patriarch is angry but not too evil. The dad is dumb but not too dumb. The gay couple is the perfect amount of gay. :)
10. Community
I didn't want to like this one either, but then I watched all 12 episodes within 24 hours. Foolish girl.
