Top ten arguments about top ten things

It's too easy - if you want to start a fight, make a list.

Cullen's right, this thing is borderline silly. Any list will leave shows off: either shows not seen or shows that (fairly or not) the individual in question simply hates. For what it's worth, I'd set my top ten brainy shows up roughly like this - with the caveat that these are shows I've seen a lot of. If one you prefer is left off, it's probably because it's before my time. And all other things being equal, I went with the more entertaining show over smart and dull, because you have to be pretty smart to be able to entertain with a smart show.

Jeopardy - you can't simply guess your way through this board. Bonus points for having two famous hosts AND a Wierd Al parody song. (Which makes sense how, exactly? I dunno. It makes sense to me. I won't hear any more of these ridiculous accusations!)

The Simpsons - with all due respect to the excellent Futurama, the Simpsons is the cleverer show. The song work is incredible; the quick sight gags and word plays never overwhelm the characters or plots; and it's lasted forever. To be that seriously good for so long really takes some brains.

Bones - I prefer this to the various CSI franchises. They debate a lot of really heady stuff while they solve crimes, and very little of it seems forced - that's some good writing (and great acting).

Mythbusters - any show that blows stuff up for SCIENCE! has to garner some consideration, the moreso because they are informative and entertaining at the same time. Along the same lines (but not as "smart") was Junkyard Wars - they didn't do as good a job at explaining some of the principles behind their actions because of the format involved.

Good Eats - a nerd show about food. The concept itself is just genius, but to pull it off takes some brains, not the least of which belongs to host Alton Brown. It's not just about yummy food but about why it's yummy, and how the recipes work the way they do.

Sesame Street - it isn't easy to get kids to learn, but they do it, primarily by not assuming that kids are dumb just because they're innocent and little. Always catchy and inventive.

Schoolhouse Rock - you could say that these three-minute snippets weren't shows, per se, but stop for a moment and think about it. Do you know the preamble to the US Constitution? The times tables? How do conjunctions function? Or the nervous system? And all of it set to extremely well-written jazz, funk, pop, and country. That takes some kind of genius.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - from concept to execution, this remains one of the best shows ever. They were smart enough to withhold explaining WHY the show happened: the theme song set it up and then you were off. Bonus points for the invention exchange segments, which had to be discontinued after Joel Hodgson left, since he was the guy who came up with all of them. (This is not to dig Mike Nelson, who was after all the show's primary writer.) Above all, the basic likeability of the poor guy in space gave the show charm to go along with its wit.

The various WB Batman/Superman animated shows - maybe this list really betrays what kind of schlock I grew up with, but I stand by the choice. Leaving aside the Justice League and Teen Titans stuff, just focus on the two shows where Bats and Supes went solo. You've got excellent voice work all around (especially the leads, Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly), fine plots, and a focus not just on the derring-do but on the alter-egos and their problems, most of which can't be solved with a timely kick to the chops. I especially like how these shows let you into the thinking aspects of each character as they faced their challenges.

I'm going to make those last two shows #9 and 10. They're not in any sort of order, you'll see. I'm not smart enough for that. And I'm going to go ahead and apologize in particular for two programs: MacGuyver and Quantum Leap. Wonderful shows, and very cleverly done, but I haven't seen more than three or four of each of them, so I can't put them into my own list. If you guys want to do something less, you know, cartoony, then by all means swap them in for two others. (And geez, there are an awful lot of cartoons up there. And musical stuff. Heh, drawing and singing, two things I really don't do well, wind up all over the list - that's not connected AT ALL to ANYTHING.)

Alphablog

update - in italics, it looks like "YIN" instead of "Y/N" so I fixed it. It was pretty funny though. (I was tempted to change one random answer to "Yang" instead.)

This is a meme, scooped from the pixels of This Life. Heck, why not?

• Aprons (Y-N): I actually own an apron, but truth be told, I have absolutely no idea where it's gone. Back in my table-waiting days, I had two, which still smelled of week-old grease no matter how ruthlessly they were laundered.
• Baking (Favorite thing to bake): There are those infamous creme puffs I keep mentioning (but NOT cooking for Ms. Sister). Those are fun, but I've never made them on my own, only at Mom's house. I'm not ready to fly solo on the creme puffs. I do, however, have a great chocolate cake recipe, and have been known to cook the family lasagna. (Once I made a toaster-oven-sized lasagna in a loaf pan.)
• Clothesline (Y-N): 16 years of apartment living have pretty much ruled that out for me.
• Donuts: Mmmmmm... Donuts... When I do splurge, it's a coffee with one chocolate glazed and one toasted coconut. (Now that I'm about to wed, it's one chocolate glazed and one strawberry frosted.)
• Every Day (One homemaking thing you do every day): I'm beginning to think that single guys are going to be very bored filling out this meme.
• Freezer (Do you have a separate deep freeze?): No - but I do have a fun anecdote about my current freezer. I'm bunking with a college buddy until the Big Event; I began to wonder about him when I went into the freezer one day and found that all the ice cubes were about a quarter-inch thick. "Why such slender cubes?" I thought. "Why wouldn't you just fill the tray?" I had to use every last cubelet for my glass of whatever it was - then I refilled the tray for keeps - over the top like a man, so it would become all one cube when it froze. Then, just tonight, I went in there for some ice (it's been a few weeks) and darned if those cubes weren't fun-sized! They weren't slivers like last time, but still. So I asked about it and my buddy said, "Oh, we have a self-defrosting freezer. If you don't seal the cubes in something they sublimate." And we weren't doing this, why? Because we're single men and we use ice cubes once every lunar cycle, that's why.
• Garbage Disposal (Y-N): Yes. Surprising the difference it makes.
• Handbook (What is your favorite homemaking resource?): Carpentry for Dummies.
• Ironing (Love it or hate it?): Actually, I kind of like it. It's sort of relaxing, and I've finally learned how to avoid shiny streaks of charred thread along the seams.
• Junk drawer (Y-N) (Where?): Pretty much my whole room.
• Kitchen (Design and decorating): I find that I like the Ladybug's ideas on the subject and picking stuff out for the future has gone smoothly. It will be pastels, mostly.
• Love (What is your favorite part of homemaking?): The thought that I will actually have someone to make that home with.
• Mop (Y-N): Yes. Used? Ummmmmm...
• Nylons: No. I have no plans to pull a bank heist.
• Oven (Do you use the window or open the door to check?): If I don't open the door, I can't pay the delivery guy, now can I?
• Pizza (What do you put on yours?): Mushrooms, black olives, or sausage... But usually not more than one of them at once. After that, season with garlic and oregano to taste.
• Quiet (What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?): That depends on the moment. Right now, type this. Other times, I chat with my best girl, or read, or write the MOUS.
• Recipe card box (Y-N): I am addicted to the use of index cards for quick notes, lists, reminders, phone numbers, and such - but not for writing recipes.
• Style of house: To Be Determined.
• Tablecloths and napkins? Yes, yes they are.
• Under the kitchen sink (Organized or toxic wasteland?): Surprisingly organized.
• Vacuum (How many times per week?): Once; maybe every two weeks if I'm just not noticing. (There's guy clean, and then actually clean.)
• Wash (How many loads of laundry do you do in a week?): Two or three. My fiancee teases me about it sometimes. "You're always doing laundry when I call you!" She must think I wash stuff one sock at time.
• X's (Do you keep a daily list of things to do and cross them off?): Daily? No. I have my index cards, but I don't often use them for a to-do list. The formal To Do List usually only comes out on special occasions.
• Yard (Who does what?): The apartment complex hires guys to do the yard stuff. It's almost all pine trees around here so I don't really recall seeing them out with leaf blowers and etc, though I know that they had to have done it. Growing up, once I got old enough I was the primary lawn mower and leaf raker, so theoretically I remember how.
• Zzz's: If only. It's clicking past midnight out here. I have periodic fights with insomnia and it's one of my weeks right now.

If anyone else wants it, take it away - I have a strict No Tag policy, but you are free to participate of your own will.
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