10. MTV's Road Rules - Road Rules began as a high-octane reality competition show, revolving around 6 strangers who were thrown together in an TV, traveling around the world, experiencing various cultures and participating in various missions. This show was later combined with MTV's Real World to create the dreaded Real World/Road Rules Challenges, where we've been left with the same 20 or so personalities (Merriam-Websters defines MTV Personality as a one-dimensional, likely uneducated, pseudo-insightful individual seeking both the chance to grow, a homoerotic experience and multiple sets of Beats By Dr. Dre Headphones) season after season. Sidenote: MTV Personalities are known world-wide as being recession proof, as these individuals have never faced the desire or need to seek gainful longterm employment beyond club promoting and steroid intake in preparation for the upcoming season.
The new era of MTV stars all seem to be grooming themselves for the inevitable RW/RR run, so much so that many critics view the Real World as merely a gateway for the Challenges (see NBA 1 and Done rule). Bringing back the Road Rules would provide fans with the opportunity to view the missions and challenges, while also giving us a fresh batch of MTV personalities to know and hate (trust me...to know them is to hate them). But this show would have the added benefit of allowing the participants, and the viewers, to experience various aspects of foreign cultures as they are thrust into their unknown atmospheres. Past RW/RR challenges have taken place overseas as well, but the participants have been secluded from the locals of the country, for some reason unbeknownst (Triple Word Score) to me.
BTW, if you know anything about me, you know that The West Wing will be #1 on this list. Just sayin...don't say I didn't warn you.
9. Somebodies - This show was a nice hidden gem amongst the rubbish that surrounds BET. It wasn't particularly well-written, and the jokes that were funny were often ill-timed by inexperienced on-screen talent. But it had many funny moments, surrounding five black men struggling through college. It wouldn't be BET without its moments of Coonery and Jackassery, but in comparison to other shows, these moments were few and far between. Somebodies definitely had potential to be a three or four season production, and if nothing else, it was more productive than TIny and Toya or Frankie and Neffe or Pookie and Nene or Amos and Andy or Sambo and Watermelon Boy.
Oh I'm tempted to stop this right now, and begin my 10 Shows That Should Be Cancelled, Their Producers Fired, and Their Network Executives Prosecuted To The Fullest Extent Of The Law. And you know I'm coming for you BET....don't say I didn't warn you either.
8. Baldwin Hills - I'm imagining the look on your face. Yep there are two, count em TWO, BET shows on the list already. Well I'm just as shocked as you. But Baldwin Hills was entertaining. It combined everything you could possibly want in reality TV: Black people, adolescent teenagers, mean girls, horny guys, parents who want to be their child's "Friend", kids from the hood interacting with kids from mansions, and Reggie Theus. This show was excellent for its use of unintentional comedy, drama, and fighting. These middle and high schoolers APPEARED to live more interesting lives than I can hope for, and maybe that's why I strive to live vicariously through them. BET, you finally had a good thing with Baldwin Hills, bring it back.
Sidebar: I was close to substituting Harlem Heights in this slot, but then I decided against a show that makes the few educated black elites any more stuck-up and snobby than we already are. Thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere....
7. Reno 911 - One of the ONLY comedy shows on all of TV with actors talented enough to take advantage of their improvisation skills (second only to Curb Your Enthusiasm), Reno 911 was Comedy Central's only legitimately funny shows for years (excluding South Park). Ratings dropped in the past two years, and Comedy Central was forced to make a change, but Reno will live on in my DVD Collection. Yep it's good enough to buy, not just download, and you know I don't say that very often.
6. Heroes - This show had TREMENDOUS potential after its landmark first season. It could have rivaled LOST as one of the all-time great science fiction drama series', and one of NBC's greatest shows ever. But this show trailed off into nothingness and became absolutely dreadful to watch. The show appeared to have no clue which direction it would take, and science fiction shows with such an emphasis on themes like Time and Time Travel usually need to be written with at least an outline of an end game in mind. But the creators of the show appear to have been freewheeling for the past few years, and their lack of vision has caught up with them when this show was finally cancelled this past...wait? Hold on....
ummm...
wait a second.....
okay......
........ it appears that Heroes is still on the air. Well this is embarassing. This time next year, this post will be spot on. And the show that had great potential will fail. And then I will want it back, but better than ever.
5. Flavor of Love - Shameful I know, but despite being pure coonery and jackassery, I have to admit (and so do you, you snob) that this show was ENTERTAINING and FUNNY. Now VH1 is trying to hold on to this model by giving a show to every F-List Actor, Actress, Has Been and Never Will Be. The VH1 Tree is actually quite amazing....
Surreal Life > Flavor Flav/Tall White Russian Show > Flavor of Love 1, 2, and 3 > I Love New York 1, 2, > New York Goes to Hollywood, New York Goes to Work > Real Chance of Love 1, 2 > I Love Money 1, 2 > Charm School 1, 2 > For The Love of Ray J 1, 2 > Brandy and Ray J Family Business. Also cousins to the Flavor Flav Family...What Chilli Wants, The Pepa Show, Fantasia, Rock Of Love, Rock of Love Bus, Daisy of Love, Megan Wants a Millionaire....and more to come. Yes, that makes Flavor Flav the grandfather of Reality Dating shows, and its about time that he comes back to reclaim his throne.
4. The Game - I only included this show for all 4 of my readers. Yeah its a good show, but in a "I'll watch it if its on, and if I remember to DVR it, I'll DVR it, but probably will end up deleting it to free up space for new LOST episodes before I actually watch it, but its not bad" kind of way. I could go either way on this show, but I ranked it this high because if it ends up on BET, then at least its taking air time away from Keyshia's Cole's family, which is always a plus.
3. Chappelle's Show - Tiger Woods Sex Scandal. Obama Presidential Election. Death of Michael Jackson. The commercial where the kids and the mother and standing around talking about how great it will be that the dad is gone on a trip and they list all the ways that the household will be better with him gone ("no more corny jokes, no more hogging the remote, no snoring") until the mom says "ahh i miss him already". T.I. Going to Jail. These are all things that Dave Chappelle could have taken and turned into pure comedy. How many times a day do you see or hear about something that makes you think, "Wow that would have made a great Chappelle's Show skit!" In fact, I've just been inspired to post a new top-10 list of the Top 10 Moments that Would Make Excellent Chappelle's Show Skits. Seriously, is there anyone in the world whose life has been better without Dave Chappelle?
2. Soul Train - I've been saying this for years. We don't get to see enough of our new artists performing live shows on television. The most fascinating thing about Soul Train was that you could turn on the show any week, and see one of the hottest acts of the time. Why don't we get more of that now? I would love to tune in to a show and see live performances by Rihanna, Chris Brown (not necessarily on the same show, but it would make for good tv), Beyonce, Kanye, Wale, Lil Wayne, and on and on. I'd even tune in to see Gen. Larry Platt perform pants on the ground. But it would be great to see our favorites performing live every week as an exhibition to all of the fans.
And most of you know that I am the farthest thing from being a "fan" of our generation's music and dances, but in an era where one can sit at youtube for hours and watch vids of local folk performing their version of the shizz (or whatever dance you people are doing now) outside in the street or in their wood-paneled homes, I would easily watch a show of nothing but people dancing for an hour. I say, put this show on a time slot late at night for people to watch when they are coming in from the club, or for when people are channel surfing as they fall asleep.
I'm sure BET will do their best to coon it out by playing nothing but Waka Flocka and Young Money and Gucci Mane and Louis Vuitton Mane and Coach Mane and Liz Claiborne Mane and any other Designer Mane's there are, and by hiring an over the top, annoying, loud, "wear the stereotypes of their race proudly on their sleeve" kinda host like Big Tigger or Ray J or Monique. Instead, try a funny up and comer like Lil Duval or a regular, funny personality like Terry Crews, or maybe an outside-the-box guy like Chad Eight Five (Rough translation) or a Dave Chappelle.
Or a Chris Rock. (I think I just said that because of my desire to see new episodes of Everybody Hates Chris, which was unjustifiably omitted from this list when it should be at or near the Top of my list. I apologize. I've lost credibility in my own eyes).
1. The West Wing - Quite Possibly the best show of all time. Winner of 4 straight Emmy Awards for Best Drama. (beating The Sopranos, The Practice, Law and Order, ER, CSI, 24 to name a few) this was the highly-acclaimed series about work at the White House. Every significant character on the show either won or were nominated for awards. And there has never been a show more thought-provoking, more emotional, more inspired show. This show brought an interesting perspective to the political process and the lives of the individuals responsible for the day-to-day activities.
Many critics believed that part of the show's appeal came from its glowing contrast to real life politics, which was often an ugly, depressing sight. The same can be said about our political culture today, and a brighter perspective on governing could be a useful reminder of our higher ideals for this country. The show ended with the election of Matt Santos as President, and the creation of a young new White House Staff. This show, if brought back, could go in many directions to parallel the current WH administration. None of the major networks have come up with a show with anything close to the epic nature or dramatic effect of shows like The West Wing, ER, or The Sopranos. The time has come for networks to step up and make drastic improvements to the television landscape. And if they're not creative enough to come up with outstanding new dramas, why not go back to a formula that worked with a show like The West Wing.
Not supposed to be ending the post this way....but I can't believe I put The West Wing on a list with Soul Train and Flavor of Love. It will probably take months to recover. I'm wrong. Just wrong. I'll try to do better next time.
