TVSquad

What do you think was the #1 TiVoed (yeah, it's a verb now) moments of 2006? Was it an episode of Lost? Was it an episode of Grey's Anatomy or CSI or Desperate Housewives? How about one of the World Series games or the Super Bowl or maybe the finale of American Idol?

After the jump check out the list of the top 10 recorded moments according to TiVo. I guarantee a couple of them will be a surprise to you.

We all have our opinions on what we'd like to see on television, and what we don't want to see. And now Salon has a two-part series where they asked several writers and other folks to come up with their fantasy television series. Included are such people as Phil Rosenthal (creator/producer of Everybody Loves Raymond), Mark Cuban, writer Megham Daum, Aaron Shure (writer on Lucky Louie), and ex-Men's Health, Maxim UK, and Stuff editor Greg Gutfield.

Most of the writers took it as a creative writing exercise, so many of the shows are more jokes than actual ideas. I don't really get Daum's idea about a show involving a ferret and laser tag, and John Darnielle (lead singer of The Mountain Goats) wants to see more boxing on TV.

Mark Cuban wants a reality show starring Dennis Rodman. Ugh.

You know whose essay I agreed with the most? James Frey's. Yup, that's James Frey of Million Little Pieces and Oprah fame. He wants to see a return of the old-fashioned private eye show we don't see on TV anymore, like Magnum, P.I., The Rockford Files, and Mike Hammer. I'd love to see that happen. Either that, or a variety show hosted by Amy Sedaris. All Amy, all the time!

Here's part one, and here's part two.

(S10E05) You can probably add Trey Parker and Matt Stone to the list of people who will never be invited on Oprah.

One of my favorite side characters, Towelie, returned for this episode. Broke and in desperate need for money, he decides to write a memoir. Unfortunately, he has trouble selling it because most of the book is about Dorito Corn Chips, and also, he's a towel. Using his special "getting high" powers, he decides to disguise himself as a person in order to get people interested in his book. Oprah makes it a book club selection, but instantly turns on Towelie when she finds out he's been lying.

Oprah Winfrey is the Most Powerful Person In The Universe (TM), but many people aren't happy with her power and reach, including Mark Jurkowitz of The Boston Phoenix. In this lengthy article, he talks about the many ways that we may have reason to fear Oprah, from her expensive seminars to the effect she has on news and culture, and her role as "sanctimonious bully" (those are the words of Robert Thompson, head of The Center For The Study Of Television) in her recent takedown of author James Frey.

What do you think? Do you like Oprah? Does this article make any good points?

• Oprah confronts Frey about his "memoir" A Million Little Pieces.
• I give Winfrey credit for admitting she made a mistake.
• Oprah's fans are not happy that she publicly berated Frey.

• 60 Minutes director Arthur Bloom dead at 63.
• NFL Network to air Saturday and Thursday games in 2006.
• Strangers with Candy movie to come out in June.
• Man comes forward to claim he had a tryst with Clay Aiken.
• San Diego auditions for The Biggest Loser canceled.
• Tracy Morgan fights DUI charges.
• Josie Bissett and Rob Estes divorce.
• Will ABC pick up Scrubs for next season?
• Richard Hatch found guilty of tax evasion.
• Christopher Penn dead at 43.
• The Book of Daniel is canceled.
• The WB and UPN to merge into "The CW".
• My Name Is Earl shuts down due to Jason Lee's chicken pox.
• NBC denies Friends reunion rumors.
• The West Wing is officially canceled.

• Easter eggs in the last episode of Lost.
• Should The O.C. have introduced a "sexy" teenaged character?
• How I Met Your Mother semi-spoiler about Ted and Buttercup.
• There's an "alternate" DHARMA initiative video floating around (It's a Lost reference. Yeah, I had no idea, either).
• Can YOU understand what they're saying on Love Monkey?
• What would you name the new CW network?
• Enter our Super Bowl squares game by telling us what you like and don't like about TV Squad.
  

• Shows Bob's never seen.

• Bob thinks Paris Bennett is going to win American Idol.
• Anna thinks Josh Holloway is ssssmmmokin'.
• Is a Magnum P.I. movie really necessary?
• We kept you in the dark about Arrested Development. But it was for a good reason. Promise.
• The slow pacing of the Lost mystery is driving Brad Hill nuts.

• Numb3rs: "Harvest"
• The IT Crowd: "Yesterday's Jam"
• Battlestar Galactica: "Black Market"
• My Name Is Earl: "Monkeys In Space"
• Veronica Mars: "Donut Run"
• Lost: "Fire Plus Water"
• How I Met Your Mother: "Drumroll Please"
• Love Monkey: "Nice Package"

• "There's nothing wrong with working with a dummy." - Simon, referring to Paula, after a contestant auditioned with a ventriloquist's dummy, on American Idol.
• "I can't wear the New York Dolls because it might turn off the wrong people. And I can't wear Wham! because it might turn on the wrong people." - Tom, trying to decide what t-shirt to wear under his sports coat, on Love Monkey.
• "I really feel duped." - Oprah Winfrey, to author James Frey, after he admitted to fabrications in his memoir.
• "One time, as a joke, Packer banged every girl in the office. It was hysterical." - Michael, about someone he used to work with, on The Office.
• "I'm sure you've got a load you need to drop in, don't ya Jethro?" - Sawyer to Hurley, about going to do some laundry with Libby, on Lost.