The Best of What’s Out There: The TV You Should Be Watching in Early 2009

Another great comedy with a huge internet following from 2008 - third on the laugher list after “30 Rock” and “Weeds” - is FX’s unpredictable and raunchy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. There’s nothing as quick-witted or clever as the hilarious tale of Charlie, Dennis, Dee, and Mac, the ’00s equivalent to the “three guys and a girl” from “Seinfeld”.

In fact, comedy in general is a little weak in early ‘09. “Sunny” fans can always go back and catch up with their favorite show on Hulu. It’s unlikely you’ll see anything as funny as “The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis” before the show returns.

Or may we suggest, before it gets canceled, leaving “American Idol” behind and catching up with “The Mentalist” later and actually checking out a revived “Scrubs” on ABC? The first four episodes have been slammed in the ratings but have been more creatively satisfying than the last several years on NBC. If you were ever a fan of J.D., Turk, and the gang, take a look.

Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel on “The Beast”. Photo credit: Michael Muller

What about fans of one of the great 2008 series that’s never coming back, HBO’s “The Wire”? They may not have the same ear for dialogue and the characters aren’t nearly as genuine, but there are two good entries this season for TV fans who like their drama a little gritty - A&E’s “The Beast” and Fox’s “24”.

Maybe you’ve heard of Jack Bauer? He’s finally back and, while the influential Fox series hasn’t made a best-of list for the last two years (season six was weak and they took off 2008), the seventh really bad for Mr. Bauer has started promisingly. Same goes for “The Beast,” a show that needs some tinkering but features an incredible lead performance from Patrick Swayze and the potential for greatness. Will “The Beast” ever be as rick or detailed as “The Wire”? It’s very doubtful but TV fans with a taste for something dark should take a look.

We were hoping to be able to suggest fans of 2008’s excellent “In Treatment” take a look at Fox’s “Lie To Me,” a new Tim Roth vehicle about people paid to determine if and why a suspect has a problem with the truth. Shrinks and lie detectors certainly have a lot in common. Then we watched the pilot. You’ll read more about it here at HollywoodChicago next week, but “Lie To Me” isn’t half the show of “In Treatment”. It isn’t even a quarter.

Instead, why not take another chance at “Big Love”? It’s never been a perfect show but has always displayed the potential for greatness. Maybe this will be the season, the show’s third, that it takes off.

Ed Cavanagh and Eric McCormack on “Trust Me”. Photo credit: Karen Neal

A logical suggestion for fans of the Golden Globe winner for Best Drama, “Mad Men,” is the show that the stars have joked they wanted to call “Madder Men,” TNT’s “Trust Me”. “Ed“‘s Tom Cavanagh and “Will & Grace“‘s Eric McCormack co-star as two ad men trying to make it the cutthroat world of pitch meetings and tag lines.

“Mad Men” may have proven that advertising is intriguing fodder for drama, but “Trust Me” is much closer in tone to its two stars previous work than the AMC show. It may not have the clever script or the incredible design of “Mad Men,” but “Trust Me” shares something besides subject matter with that great show. An excellent ensemble, including the charismatic leads, gives the show a spark that a lot of network television is missing. Watch for a full review later. It’s good stuff.

The best show of 2008 was the final season of FX’s brilliant “The Shield”. That show is never coming back, having perfectly wrapped up the entire series in an amazing arc of episodes. Nothing on television was as riveting in 2008 and an early contender for a season just as hard to shake has to be FX’s “Damages”.

Vic Mackey on “The Shield” and Patty Hewes on “Damages” are cut from the same cloth, murderous anti-heroes who exist in world where black and white are nowhere near as interesting as gray. With the best ensemble currently on television, “Damages” is an obvious contender for best show of 2009 and a perfect alternative to one of the missing greats of 2008.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com