TVSquad

To call 2007 a stellar year of TV would be a mistake, because it was a very bleh year in many respects. Shows that had previously riveted us to our seats made missteps and mistakes. New shows were either mediocre or just unmemorable. A writers' strike made people anxious and depressed all at once. And the aspects of the TV world that have generated low expectations continued on their merry lowbrow way (I mean, who expected Tila Tequila's search for love to be anything but a skankfest)?

But in a year of abject mediocrity, some highlights and lowlights poked through. Like last year, I'm going to make up categories instead of doing traditional "Bests" and "Worsts." It hurts my brain less...

Wow, another year has gone by. I just started getting used to writing "2007" on my checks last week and here we are in 2008. Happy New Year everyone! And don't tase me, bro!

I think this was actually a really good year for television, even if it does look like it's going to a short season. I think the best of the year and the worst of the year really stand out. Here's my list below. I'm sure you have your own opinions.

Best

1. Mad Men (AMC): Simply put, there was no better drama this past season (sorry Sopranos). This isn't just "great television," it might just change what the networks might put on in the next few years. It drops us into a world (in this case, a top ad agency in 1960 New York City) in a way very few shows are able to do. It has a flawless cast, intelligent writing, and a jawdropping, orgasmic production design. With this, AMC might just become the new HBO (they passed on this show but put on John From Cincinnati - ahem). Great to see it get a second season and a bunch of Golden Globe/SAG Award nominations. (And here's why Jon Hamm deserves a Golden Globe and an Emmy.)

... Five canceled shows.

Isn't it really sad when a TV show is canceled? It's like a family pet has died. You're not going to see these characters anymore, you're not going to find out what happened to them, and now you have to learn to like a whole new show and a new set of characters. And if the show replaced your favorite canceled show, you probably won't even watch. I still remember when Walker, Texas Ranger replaced Raven on CBS in the early 90s. I never forgave Chuck Norris for doing that and couldn't even watch his show, even though both shows were about heroes who kicked people with their feet.

2007 brought many cancellations to fans. Many cancellations we saw coming, many we didn't care about at all, and some truly hurt us. After the jump are the top five cancellations of the year. The ones that hit us the most and we talked about the most. Air your cancellation grievance in the comments below and at your Festivus party.

I just finished watching the now cancelled Viva Laughlin and I can totally understand why nobody watched the show. It was a total mess!

I was a fan of the BBC version (Viva Blackpool) and I really had high hopes for the Americanized drama. Sadly, the producers made way too many mistakes for this show to have even the slightest chance.

The first mistake they made was the decision to have the leads sing over the original songs. In the original version of the show, the actors lip-synced all the musical numbers which gave the show a really creepy quality. Especially when the male characters are doing a number like "These Boots Were Made for Walking." It was creepy and funny and weird and enjoyable to watch.

Before Viva Laughlin (one of the worst shows to premiere on television in the past five years) debuted, no one would have believed a show like Cop Rock ever existed. Cops and crooks suddenly breaking into song and/or dance about robberies, shootings, drug deals, and murder? Sure, why not!

It came from Steven Bochco and ran on ABC in 1990. Check out the video after the jump. It's the classic scene you saw on Hill Street Blues all the time, the cops getting their morning rundown on what's going on. Then the captain suddenly starts singing "Let's Be Careful Out There." There's a cameo by another Bochco star at the end. I'm still wondering why the cops don't look at the guy singing and say "um, shouldn't we call the police psychologist?"

As was reported earlier this week, the first victim of the cancellation fairies has been claimed: Viva Laughlin. 41 out of 671 of you chose this show, and we've randomly chosen commenter Eric D from those entries. Congrats Eric -- you'll be hearing from us soon!

Now, this is not the end of the contest! As you know, we're extending this on until three new shows have gotten the boot. We've got two more $75 Amazon.com gift certificates to give away. Everyone's once again eligible to enter, following the complete rules after the jump.

Well, that was fast. After an avalanche of scathing reviews (including mine) and extremely low ratings, CBS has canceled the musical mystery drama Viva Laughlin after two episodes. According to the story on Variety's web site, the show will be replaced in its Sunday 8 PM timeslot by The Amazing Race starting November 4 (a CSI rerun will air in that slot next week). No word yet on if the remaining episodes will be shown on CBS' web site, or anywhere else for that matter.

I imagine what happened is that CBS took a look at the low ratings for the show's Thursday premiere (8.8 million viewers) and the even lower ratings for the first regular Sunday showing (a 1.2 rating and 3 share in th 18-49 demo, according to Variety), saw that the quality of the remaining episodes were not going to improve, and decided to bail out. Those are the two factors that usually lead to such quick cancellations, especially to shows that were as heavily-promoted as Laughlin was.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Viva Laughlin, Cold Case, and Shark.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• NBC has a new Football Night In America at 7, then the Steelers/Broncos game.
• There's a new epiosode of The CW Now on The CW at 7.
• At 8, FOX has the Red Sox/Indians game.
• Nick has a new Zoey 101 at 8, followed by a new Nick News.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• Food Network has a new Next Iron Chef at 9, then a new Iron Chef America.
• HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me at 9, then a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Brotherhood.
• At 10, VH-1 has a new Hogan Knows Best.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.

Check your local TV listings for more.

What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.

• Not too many people like Viva Laughlin.
• Download a DVD box screen saver similar to the one seen on The Office.
• Bill Cosby? Stephen Colbert? Some are asking what the heck is going on at Meet The Press.
• Are there more cast members leaving CSI besides Jorja Fox?
• EW's PopWatch blog agrees with me about those Bee Movie ads on NBC.
• The behind the scenes story on how Charles Emerson Winchester came to be on M*A*S*H.
• Tim Goodman is not a fan of Tuesday night TV.

In the world of TV, one of the riskiest things a creative team can do is shoot for the "quirky" factor. It's an all-or-nothing deal: either it works, where everything clicks and the audience embraces the show, or nothing works, and the show explodes in a big awful mess over the poor suckers who decided to tune in and watch. At the beginning of the 2007-08 season, we have two shows who went for the quirk: Pushing Daisies and Viva Laughlin. And as it turns out, one show works and the other show is a disaster. Considering Daisies is one of the most praised new shows of the season, we all know where we're going with this.

Practically the entire CBS prime time line up was attending the all-stars outdoor party on the Wadsworth Theatre Great Lawn in Brentwood, Calif. on Thursday night.

But I only had one objective: make peace with the gang from How I Met Your Mother (and TVSquad readers) for missing the informal panel at Wednesday's TCA presentation attended by Neil Patrick Harris (Barney) and creators/executive producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas.

It was back to school after the Jericho presentation with a look at CBS Interactive/CBS Audience Network Presentation and Q&A.

Remember what I said about how attending the cable and PBS portion of TCA is like taking all those science and humanity classes during your first two years of college -- and the network portion of TCA is like all the fun courses in your major?

Well, today, CBS threw us a few calculus lessons.

CBS starts off the morning a little later so we can all file our Emmy reports. Thanks!

Unexpected swag courtesy of today's first panel: Jericho -- a one-pound bag of peanuts and a t-shirt from nutsoline.com/jericho, the Internet campaign that helped bring the canceled fan favorite drama back to life for seven episodes next season.

Before the Q&A gets underway, CBS announces "CBS Eye-alert" a multi-platform viewer alert system that will help viewers find their favorite shows. I'm going to write more about this -- as soon as I figure out what it all means.

But, first, Jericho...

Outside of panels for Jericho (which I'm sure is thrilled to be coming back) and Viva Laughlin (which I'm sure is thrilled to have been picked up), CBS' day two of the press tour is about reality (Survivor: China), game shows (Power of 10), research and new media (that still makes my head spin).

No major mingling with talent until the evening at the CBS Stars Party, which might be just as well.

Sadly, the eye network got snubbed in major categories at the Emmys this morning. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (last year's Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy) for The New Adventures of Old Christine, Two and a Half Men (for Comedy Series) and Men's Charlie Sheen (for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy) got nods in top categories. (CBS did score some supporting nods.)

It's too bad our panel with Chuck Lorre (nominated for Men) and his new show -- The Big Bang Theory -- was yesterday. Like with comedy itself, the most important thing about getting Emmy reaction -- is timing.

CBS probably has one of the more interesting schedules of the fall, just for the fact that they are making a concerted effort to try something different. They could have rolled out yet another procedural (CSI: LA?), and who could really blame them. Those shows have performed extremely well for the network over the past few years.

Instead, in what is a definite gamble, the network will be bringing out some decidedly alternative programming. There is a musical drama about the casino business in Laughlin, a vampire detective, a drama about a Cuban family and their rum making business, and some swinging couples getting their freak on in the 70's. The kind of fare that would probably cause Horatio to tilt his head to the side and remove his sunglasses. Will it work? Time will tell, but we've seen three of them and have a rundown after the jump.