Marquee  

A look back at the best shows in a sad season

By TIM GOODMAN

San Francisco Chronicle

It might seem a little early to kiss off the television season - but it really does wrap, officially, at the end of this month. There may have been cynical mention in some, ahem, circles of late about how the networks are already punting and looking toward next season (which they are). But there's something satisfying in honoring endings. We might be heading into a broadcasting future filled with a 52-week, never-ending "season" - and cable channels may have already reprogrammed our brains to think they keep the lights on in the summer - but there has to be an endgame.

For our purposes, let's blow the whistle on Thursday night. It's the season finale of "30 Rock," which is the best sitcom on television and one of the few shows that had such a luminous (if shortened) season that you never thought about the damages of the strike. "30 Rock" is that good - a salve for the mess that is the industry. Let's flash back to the random glimpses of excellence in its network and cable programming.

For guideline purposes, let's choose anything that started in September 2007, the traditional fall launch.

Also, given the gift of hindsight, it's easier to leave out series that may have been reviewed favorably but lost momentum because of the strike or, worse, dipped in quality or lost relevance and never managed to pull people back again with quite the same enthusiasm.

"The War" (September), PBS. Ken Burns. Well, now - all this talk of a bad season seems altered with the inclusion of this gem, does it not? A magnificent piece of work.

"Dexter" (September), Showtime. Season 2 kicked off in fine form and eventually wound up, slightly edited, on the CBS schedule - again, thanks to the strike.

"The Office" (September), NBC. This was the season where we were going to get, what, 68 episodes? Ambition ran high - and the strike cut it low. Still, a sitcom that almost always delivers in unconventional ways. A joy to watch.

"Pushing Daisies" (October), ABC. If ever a series spread optimism and glee, it was this one. Quirky, colorful and buoyantly happy, the strike would soon foul up the schedule. This series returns in the fall and, with luck, may duplicate its refreshing beginnings.

"30 Rock" (October), NBC. See above.

"Top Gear" (October), BBC America. Having given reality - or in this case "unscripted" - fare a good beating most of the time, it was rewarding to soak in the car culture and quick-witted brilliance of this British original.

All right, while we're on a roll with our fond recollections, how about a pause here? In came November and the start of the writers strike. Also known as - the beginning of the end.