six from '06

part the third: telly

i doubt that i have ever watched as much television as i did last year. and not just for work, either, there was an awful lot of irrelevant american drama in there. but when i'm after escapism, i fear strictly come dancing just doesn't cut it.

• heroes is really the ultimate in escapist television - a group of surprisingly attractive people who suddenly discover they have superpowers. including a pair of brothers so hot and touchy-feely that it's impossible to believe that they're not somehow actually lovers (no really, look at these pics for proof. sexy, sexy proof). The fact that one of the brothers is the freakishly gorgeous milo ventimiglia of whom i've been a fan since his days on gilmore girls certainly helps my enjoyment of the show, but the show is also awesomely fun and incredibly suspenseful - it knocks lost into a cocked hat!


• the oc's third season was a huge disappointment to me. but the tragically truncated season four has been just perfect so far, and has honestly made up for anything that went before. they've just announced that the last episode will air in the States on February 22nd, which really does break my heart. but at least we got to see the, uh, cage fighting , which was worth everything if you ask me!


• doctor who and its spin-off series torchwood were both excellent, i was slightly worried about david tennant as the new doctor, but from the moment he put on his specs i was totally sold. and as for captain jack... i'm just completely head over heels for him, and, of course, he was also in...

• how do you solve a problem like maria might not be the coolest show i watched last year, but it's certainly among the ones i enjoyed the most. the best reality tv has that capacity to involve you emotionally, and maria completely absorbed me. i was completely thrilled that connie won. she totally deserved it.


• veronica mars veronica mars had a really solid second season finale last year, and the first half of the third season looked good too, i'm optimistic about the rest of the season, although i have to admit that the thought of weekly mysteries as opposed to an over-arching storyline is a bit of a turn-off, but it works well enough for house, so maybe i'll be wrong!

• life on mars, meanwhile, proved that a show doesn't have to have 22 episodes to have an impact. in just eight episodes, they told the fantastic story of sam tyler, who appears to have travelled back to 1973 after a car accident. in fact, i liked it so much, i blogged about it last year. i'm so very excited about the second series, which is due to go out at some point this year, but sad that there won't be another one after that (the creators have decided they need some closure).

(and six shows i've enjoyed on dvd: house, gilmore girls, smallville (oh, so much), supernatural, curb your enthusiasm, eerie indiana.)