TVSquad

Boomerang, the Cartoon Network spin-off that was once home to old, classic cartoons, is adding two new shows to its line-up that are neither old nor classic: Krypto the Superdog and Gerald McBoing Boing.

My fellow animation nerds are probably saying, "wait a sec, isn't Gerald McBoing Boing from the '50s?"

Yes, the original Gerald McBoing Boing short, based on a recording written by Dr. Seuss, first appeared in theaters in 1951 and won the Academy Award that same year. Boomerang, however, will be airing an updated version that ran on the now-defunct Tickle U block of preschool programming on Cartoon Network. It would seem logical that if you bill your network as featuring old cartoons you'd pick the Gerald from the '50s and not the one from 2005, but I stopped trying to figure out such decisions a long time ago.

Gerald McBoing Boing will debut on Boomerang Monday, February 5 at 6:00pm, followed by Krypto the Superdog at 7:00pm.

I placed the original Gerald McBoing Boing short after the jump.

It's really hard for me to come up with lists like this, mainly because I try to watch shows that I know I'm going to like and avoid shows that I know are going to suck. Sounds pretty straightforward, but it's actually pretty hard to accomplish. There's a lot of crap out there, and it's very easy to flip right past it as you abuse your remote. So I likely won't stick to just listing shows, especially in the "Worst" section.  Life's too short to watch Bad TV.

GOODNESS

My Name Is Earl and The Office - Two quirky single-camera comedies that have delivered more laughs in each episode than Joey has in a season-and-a-half. While both shows can be a little uneven -- Earl can get very schmaltzy and earnest at times, and The Office's needs to scale back on Michael's cringiness -- the funny moments outweigh the head-scratching ones. Looking forward to see them on Thursday.

Arrested Development - Fox may have given it the short shrift, but the show continues to deliver week after week, putting the Bluths in ever escalating family discord amongst a swirl of layered jokes that take repeated watchings to catch. For instance, I never caught that scene where Henry Winkler jumped the shark. Guess I need to get the DVD.

The finale of Everybody Loves Raymond - Some people like it, some (like my parents) don't. But there's no question that Raymond ended its nine-year run with a low-key, funny finale that put bloated finales -- like the Seinfeld disaster -- to shame.

Grey's Anatomy - Tired of the umpteenth CSI or Law & Order? Want a drama with humor and heart and not just procedure? Think ER has gotten ridiculous? Then turn on Grey's Anatomy. Characters you care about, storylines that pull at the heartstrings, a great ensemble cast, and writing that's getting better every week. Not a bad way to close out the weekend.

Everybody Hates Chris - Combine Chris Rock's humor with a fish-out-of-water story and a sweet family comedy and you have Everybody Hates Chris. Again, this show's been somewhat uneven, as there have been episodes where Rock's narration has been the only thing that was funny. The quality is there, though, and it's only bound to get better as the kids grow up and the characters develop.

Scrubs - Yes, I know this is number 6, but I have to pay tribute to my current favorite show. Incorporating silly fun, a great ensemble, and writers who dare to go to the loopy side, this show deserved every Emmy nomination it got last year. Judging by the first two episodes of the fifth season, viewers are in for a hell of a funny ride.

Honorable mentions: The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, the news media's coverage of Katrina, How I Met Your Mother, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Gilmore Girls, the "Lazy Sunday" sketch on SNL, Beauty and the Geek.

Perfect Hair Forever: Okay, Stroker and Hoop has grown on me, I don't think Squidbillies is all that bad, and I still haven't quite made up my mind about 12 Oz. Mouse, but damn, Perfect Hair Forever, the Williams Street artisans ribald and aloof take on the anime genre was by far the best new offering on Adult Swim this year. In typical anime fashion, only six episodes were created. I hope for a DVD release.

Wonder Showzen: Despite my local cable provider moving MTV2 around so much that it makes my Tivo cry, I have hunted down every airing of this subversive "kids show" like a madman. There is nothing else like this on TV right now, and it rivals South Park in just how far it's willing to go to make its audience uncomfortable. A second season kicks off this year.

Everybody Hates Chris: It's a good show, plain and simple. It's not the Holy Grail, as a lot of pre-show hype made it out to be, but it is an unpretentious, hilarious look at what it's like to grow up with limited means in an environment that isn't always fair.

• More TV content is becoming available online -- and we love it.
• Tom and Katie took up way too much of our time.
• Many TV legends (and other favorites) passed away this year.
• News anchors make news themselves.
• The debut of TV Squad (well, we think it's a big deal!)

• Richard de Angelis of The Wire passes away.
• Character actor Joseph "Patrick" Crenshaw also passes.
• Drake Bell seriously injured in car crash.
• Is The Donald running for governor?
• Lost co-stars arraigned for DUI.
• Lilo Brancato gives teary apology to the New York Post.
• Christian groups aren't happy with The Book of Daniel. World reels in shock.
• The cause of Mitch Hedberg's death is revealed.
• Michael Vale, Dunkin' Donuts spokesman, dies.
• Jennifer Garner to take the Affleck name.
• Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother available online.
• Character actor Vincent Schiavelli dies.
• Mike Myers gets a divorce from wife of 12 years.

• What did you think of Dick Clark's return to TV?
• Were readers curious about Clark's condition before New Year's Eve?
• Does Jenna Elfman deserve another show?
• Convince Ryan to watch Criminal Minds.
• Is the new Must-See TV really must-see?
• Will Bo Bice be the next Clay Aiken?
• Which Barney made the better mix CD?

• Shows Anna resolves to watch in 2006.
• Shows we miss the most.

• Anna hates that guest stars on cop shows are always guilty.
• Jonathan reviews the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Season 4 DVD.
• Joel discusses young Jeremy Piven's performance in Say Anythng.
• The makings of an SNL classic: "Lazy Sunday"
• Readers toss out Darrell Hammond and Horatio Sanz in TV Squad poll on SNL.

• What, you think the networks showed anythng new this week? Puh-leaze.

• On the cover: Grey's Anatomy's Patrick Dempsey, who (with other stars) looks back at the year 2005.
• Matt Roush picks his 14 Favorite Shows of 2005 (he couldn't narrow it down to 10). He also reviews the new Nightline and talks about a new Christmas TV classic.
• A rundown of the year in reality TV, that will make you "laugh, cry, gasp, and cheer," as the mag says. They forgot "yawn."
• In the Cheers and Jeers section, they jeer Antiques Roadshow but cheer Jimmy Kimmel!