TV

It seems hard to believe that any year that introduced viewers to "Reality Host Monica Lewinsky" could possibly have had lasting achievements as well, but 2003 offered much to cherish. This will go down as the year that taught viewers how they do things in The O.C., proved that a fake news program could outshine Fox and CNN, introduced viewers to the incomparably winsome Clay, the incomparably hairy Rupert and the incomparably vapid Evan Marriott. From sexy US marshalls to sexy spies, from sexy grim reapers to sexy television chefs, tune in to the Best of 2003.

Adult Swim

The Cartoon Network knows that animated shows aren't just for children. The late night adult swim block showcases programs that failed in network primetime ("The Oblongs," "Home Movies") or were screwed over by FOX schedulers ("The Family Guy," "Futurama") as well as international transplants ("Cowboy Bebop"), self-reflexive originals ("Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law," "Space Ghost Coast to Coast") and endearing oddities ("Aqua Teen Hunger Force"). Whether you're up late stoned or up late drunk or just up late waiting to get stoned or drunk, Adult Swim has something to offer everybody.

"Arrested Development"

Sometimes, the stars align. When critics saw "Arrested Development" this summer, the consensus went something like "It's great. It's doomed." The laugh track-free, hilariously off-center comedy seemed like the successor to "Undeclared" and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," brilliant shows that never found audiences. FOX's stumble out of the gate this season is probably partly responsible for picking up the low-rated show. No matter -- we're just happy it's getting a full season, because it's the funniest damn show on TV at the moment.

The Chutzpah of J.J. Abrams

Okay, so "Alias" has been a little uneven this fall as it tries to sort out the relationship between Sydney (Jennifer Garner) and those close to her after she reappears following a two-year blackout. Recent episodes have been some of this season's best, suggesting that creator J.J. Abrams and his staff have figured out where the show's going. What gets this on the "best" list is the incredible audacity Abrams and Co. have shown in fundamentally messing with the show not once, but twice this year. Syd's memory loss came only a few months after the takedown of SD-6 set "Alias" in a new direction. Kudos as well to ABC for letting Abrams do what he wants.

"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

Comedy Central's flagship fake news program has captured every imaginable laurel this year and, remarkably, despite all the hype, it has deserved every glowing blurb. While most late night comics struggled to figure out how to be respectful of the seriousness of the war in Iraq, Stewart and his impressive team of fake reporters found absurdity wherever it lurked. Picking on topics high (people are still talkingabout the manufactured debate between Candidate Bush and President Bush) and low (sometimes picking on Geraldo or Fox News just seemed too darned easy), "The Daily Show" was, jokes aside, television's only truly fair and balanced news program. While viewers may lament the absence of correspondents like Vance DeGeneres and Mo Rocca, Ed Helms and Rob Corddry have stepped in as perfect compliments to the show's priceless Steve (Carrell) and Stephen (Colbert). Our only suggestion to "The Daily Show" is that in the next year, it really might be a good idea to give the show a minority presence, just to make a good thing better.

"The Joe Schmo Show"

The premise seemed cruel at first: A regular guy takes part in a reality show where everyone else is in fact an actor playing a part. If the producers didn't find the perfect "Joe," the whole thing could fall apart. Somehow, though, they did find the perfect guy in Matt Kennedy Gould, who was such a nice guy that the cast and crew started really to care about his feelings and what they were putting him through on the show. His complete shock at the revelation of the show's premise was so genuine you couldn't help but smile.

Kelly Rowan and "The O.C."

We could pick out any number of things to praise about "The O.C.," from Adam Brody's fantastic performance as the cool geek Seth to the well-crafted, just-soapy-enough plots to its willingness not to play everything overly seriously. But we'd like to focus on Kelly Rowan, who plays Seth's mom, Kirsten. In addition to being the hottest TV mom this side of Stars Hollow, Rowan has shown deft timing in delivering some deadpan comic lines. By virtue of having a job that she's good at and cares about -- and being the primary breadwinner -- Kirsten is a little different than the Cindy Walshes and Gail Leerys of the teen-soap world. "The O.C." as a whole, in fact, is a little different than its forerunners, and its small but significant tweaks in the formula -- chief among them, making the adults as interesting as the kids -- is why it's such fun to watch.

"Lucky"

The practical, TV-business-covering side of us understands why FX cancelled "Lucky" after one season. The half-hour show simply wasn't drawing very strong ratings, nor was it creating the buzz of the channel's other originals, "The Shield" and "Nip/Tuck." The fan in us is pretty bummed, because there were few better realized characters on TV this year than gambler Michael "Lucky" Linkletter. As played by John Corbett, Lucky was decent, compulsive, caring and kind of a jerk sometimes. He was as human as any character in any comedy on TV. The show could also be fall-off-the-couch funny, thanks in large part to supporting actors Billy Gardell and Craig Robinson; the episode in which Lucky becomes a meat salesman, with its parodies of countless mob movies, is one of the funniest episodes of any show in recent memory.

Rachael Ray

Bobby Flay may be brasher and Emeril may have more catch phrases and Alton Brown may have more far-reaching knowledge, but Rachael Ray is the Food Network personality we're tuning in to see these days. Don't think that the Food Network doesn't know what they have with this dimpled sparkplug. Ray's two shows, "30 Minute Meals" and "$40 a Day" air in seemingly constant loops. Even if you never attempt to cool a full course dinner in a half-hour and even if you never seek out quality low-cost dining in Tulsa, Ray seems like a cool woman to hang out with in the kitchen or to wander around a strange city with. She's energetic, adorable, knowledgeable and bubbly in a good way. We're even inclined to forgive her for the new Burger King commercials. If, however, she signs for an NBC sitcom, she's on her own.

The Rebirth of "Survivor"

Last year at this time, "Survivor" made our list of Television Worsts, coming off of the narcoleptic "Survivor: Thailand." It's amazing what some inspired casting can do. Rob's savvy backstabbing brought "Survivor" strategy to a new level, though he didn't have enough game to make it to the very end. Throw in psychotic Matt, plucky deaf Christy and Heidi and Jenna's willingness to strip for peanut butter (and sometimes even less) and you have the reasons why "Survivor: The Amazon" was the series' most intriguing installment since Season 1. The follow-up, "Survivor: Pearl Islands" has been less successful, but thanks to the muscle-bound, but spineless Osten, obnoxious (and not in a good way) Jonny Fairplay and the jolly, hairy giant Rupert, some of the mojo remains. Of course, Osten is already gone, as is Rupert and Jon, well, Jon's a tool.

Showtime's "Dead Like Me"

It was no coincidence that viewers tuning in to Showtime's life-after-death dramedy often had a difficult time getting a fix on the show's tone and style. Soon after the hilariously dark and demented pilot in which George (Ellen Muth) becomes a not-so-grim reaper after being killed by a toilet seat crash landing from Mir, creator Bryan Fuller departed the show and ittook several episodes for things to properly kick into gear with new showrunner John Masius. The show's transition from erratic curiosity to sentimental, comic gem came when Laura Harris, fresh off "24," arrived as flaky, deceased Southern belle Daisy Adair. Displaying crack comic timing, Harris mixed perfectly with the sardonic discovery Muth, Mandy Patinkin's broad versatility and Jasmine Guy's intensity. While waiting for this show's second season, we're highly anticipating Fuller's FOX midseason dramedy "Wonderfalls."

Honorable Mention: "MI-5," A&E; "Karen Sisco" and "Line of Fire," ABC; "The Office," BBC America; "Joan of Arcadia," CBS; "Monster House," Discovery; "Las Vegas," NBC; "Jake 2.0," UPN; "Countdown with Keith Olbermann," MSNBC; "I Love the ...," VH1; the Trio network.

Old favorites we still like: "The Amazing Race," "The King of Queens" and "Without a Trace," CBS; "King of the Hill" and "The Simpsons," FOX; "Scrubs," NBC; "Gilmore Girls" and "Angel," The WB; "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City," HBO.