Dan's Top 10 TV Shows of 2011

2011's nearly over, so it's time for my traditional end-of-year Top 10 list. Below you'll find my 10 favourite television shows (drama/comedy) that aired the majority of their episodes in 2011.

Rules:

• Given the aforementioned "majority rule", my list can include US dramas that actually started in Sep-Dec 2010, provided they finished around Apr-Jun 2011. If a TV show aired 50% of its season in 2011, it counts.
• This list is my subjective opinion, with results drawn from the TV shows I happened to watch over the past year or so. I don't doubt there were brilliant shows I missed that deserved a place here, or shows I didn't stick with long enough to watch them improve and deserve inclusion, but my Top 10 is purely based on what I saw from beginning to end, on either a US or UK schedule.

And now, the list...

10. Boardwalk Empire

(Season 2) It's fair to say Boardwalk Empire's first season, while brilliant in many ways, had definite storytelling problems. The biggest being its slothful pace and difficulty to make audiences care about many of the characters and events. I'm so pleased the writers took stock of the situation and made clever changes this year, which led to a far more satisfying and rewarding drama. It was easier to understand what was going on, character's allegiances were much clearer, there was more emphasis on stirring action, it contained truly brutal violence (a scalping and garroting proved particularly memorable), the brilliant Michael Kenneth Williams was given more to do as the clenched Chalky White, new characters were introduced who worked nicely (like Charlie Cox's beguiling-yet-ruthless IRA hitman), and the excellent Jack Huston was afford extra opportunities to give depth to his facially-disfigured character Richard Harrow. It's still not the crown jewel HBO wants it to be, but the writers' confidence is growing and things are taking shape. HBO / SKY ATLANTIC (premiere review)

9. Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena

Prequels have earned a bad reputation on the big screen, but Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena showed how to do one very well on the small-screen. The fact this miniseries only came to exist because the late Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with cancer is amazing, because it's far from the lazy placeholder it could have been. Over a lean, mean half-dozen episodes, Gods introduced a few new characters and provided juicy back-story for the old favourites. There's nothing deep about Spartacus, but it's also far from the mindless, bloodthirsty spectacle it appears to be at first glance. I like things that feel very unique, and despite influences from many different sources (particularly the appropriation of 300's visual style), there's nothing else on television like Spartacus. It's irreverent, violent, sexy, shocking, and usually provides more raw drama in an hour than other shows manage in a whole season. While it's on, there's few other shows I'm more excited to sit down and watch. STARZ / SKY1 (review archive)

8. Justified

(Season 2) Yet another improvement this year was Justified, which realised its serialised stories were of greater appeal than most of the standalones, so course-corrected for its second season. This year had more of an ongoing story involving a criminal family led by Mags (Margo Martindale in Emmy-winning form), and the way the story built over time led to very impressive and dramatic payoff in the latter-third. The show proved it didn't have to keep relying on Timothy Olyphant's charisma and swagger as Raylen Givens, as the writers found firm and convincing ways to expand the show. FX / FIVE USA (premiere review)

7. Doctor Who

(Series 6) Here's the thing with Doctor Who: even when it has a weak year in some ways, it remains one of the most entertaining and appealing sci-fi shows around. There's just such a lot of heart and passion on display it's wonderful to just sit back and let it rinse your brain. Most of the episodes not written by Steven Moffat felt redundant this year (a fault of the decision to make series 6 more serialised than ever before), but a few were perhaps the most memorable—like Neil Gaiman's outstanding "The Doctor's Wife". The storytelling was epic this year, but not always handled in a satisfyingly way, with too much emphasis on the interminable River Song mystery. There was also concern from fans who started to think Moffat's tenure is too scary/complex for younger minds. The debate rages on, but it's probably worth mentioning that Douglas Adams once claimed Doctor Who should be "simple enough for adults and complicated enough for children". Anyway, I think a bigger problem is that Moffat enjoys biting off more than he can chew, and adores the challenge of getting himself out of narrative corners. When he manages it with aplomb, there's nothing more cathartic and joyful to watch unfold... but when he doesn't, the feeling of disappointment can really sting. Series 6 overreached, but I'm glad it's aiming for the stars. BBC1 / BBC AMERICA (review archive)

6. Fringe

(Season 3) The season that stopped trying to appeal to newcomers and instead aimed to please and delight the fanbase, Fringe's third season was a fantastic example of a show finding its voice in maturity. By slitting the show between two universes, it gained depth and intrigue on two fronts, and simultaneously allowed the actors to explore alternate versions of their existing characters. Anna Torv bloomed before our eyes because she was finally given the material she clearly craved as "Fauxlivia", and the show galloped through its year having a great deal of fun with its hard sci-fi premises. The only reason Fringe isn't slightly higher on my list is because the final batch of episodes floundered to some extent, and setup an idea that's proven to be problematic in season 4, but its breathtaking first half makes it a worthy chart entry. FOX / SKY1 (review archive)

5. Louie

(Season 2) This micro-budget comedy from US comedian Louie C.K is one of the best things on TV because there's just so much creative freedom on show. FX have such a low financial stake that ratings don't matter quite so much, so Louie can create a quasi-autobiographical world that pushes the boundaries of what people expect from a comedy... even a black comedy. Bookended by footage of his stand-up, each episode is like a fantastic indie movie that isn't afraid to challenge various conventions. It's Curb Your Enthusiasm with added piss and vinegar. The second season was a huge improvement on the first, covering such things as Louie's racist great aunt, having sex with Joan Rivers, the shocking decapitation of a homeless man, a defence of masturbation, the suicide of a fellow comedian, a trip to Afghanistan to perform for the troops, and a wonderful twist on the rom-com cliché of the "airport farewell". FX

4. Game Of Thrones

(Season 1) It took time to warm up and for audiences to get to grips with the sheer abundance of characters, but HBO's Game Of Thrones became must-see television by its sixth episode. Readers of George R.R Martin's books were in heaven much earlier, of course, which is a benefit of already knowing these characters and the fictional realm of Westeros. For newcomers, it took some faith to get through hours of what appeared to be a glum and magic-free Lord Of The Rings. But I'm glad I stuck with it, as the second half was so much stronger and included some of 2011's most jaw-dropping TV moments (including the untimely death of a very significant character). Perhaps the best thing about Thrones is the feeling that season 2 can only get better, now that the exposition's been dealt with and we're fully immersed in these characters' lives, with a real understanding of what makes them all tick. HBO / SKY ATLANTIC (pilot review)

3. Community

(Season 2) The absolute best comedy on television, no question, but I'm speaking as someone who gets most of its references. The problem Community has is that it' plays to the geeks very blatantly, as those people are on the same wavelength as the people writing the scripts, and the TV-obsessed character of Abed (Danny Pudi). It must look like bright, zany gibberish to anyone who doesn't know RoboCop's Prime Directives or what a Vogon is, but I was pleased this show refused to become more accessible to the masses. Just like Fringe's third year, Dan Harmon's team decided to amplify everything fans enjoyed about season 1, which meant more in-jokes and feverish pop-culture creativity. What other TV shows does a Tarantino special that owes more to '80s arthouse darling Dinner With Andre? Or could make a tense and exciting episode from people sat around a table playing Dragons & Dungeons? Or goes to the trouble of making a fake "clip show"? Or has the gumption and budget to produce a fully stop-motion animated Christmas special? Only Community. NBC (review archive)

2. Homeland

(Season 1) This was on my radar for 2011 given its compelling premise and inclusion of so many former-24 writers, but I never expected Homeland to be quite so brilliant. Based on an Israeli series called Prisoners Of War, this cable series told the story of an American PoW rescued from Iraq and flown home to be with his family, who comes under suspicion from a committed CIA operative of being a brainwashed terrorist now working for the people who captured him. Beautifully acted by Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, with fine support from Mandy Patinkin and David Harewood, Homeland kept the plot moving in a plausible and invigorating way, while refusing to treat the audiences like idiots. The "thinking man's 24" is a phrase I've used a lot to describe this show, but that's exactly what it is. The perfect spy thriller for the Obama era. SHOWTIME (review archive)

1. Breaking Bad

(Season 4) How do you follow a third season that was showered with Emmy nominations? You make a better season, that's how. I know some people had concerns about its measured pace for the first five episodes, and others didn't like how Walt (Bryan Cranston) wasn't quite the centre of the Breaking Bad universe this year, but I had no real complaints. Unlike the terrific third season, this year kept building and building every week, until it exploded with a run of four-star episodes all the way to the staggering finale. Of particular note was Giancarlo Esposito's magnificent performance as druglord Gus, who brought a startling amount of depth and magnetism to his larger role on the show. But, really, everything was firing on all cylinders. Even the show's female characters were given better material, particularly in the first half of the year. Plus, without spoiling anything, this season contained one of the most astonishing and indelible images I saw on TV all year, which is almost reason enough to put this incredible show in my #1 spot for the second year running. AMC (review archive)

Honourable mentions, alphabetically: Being Human (series 3), Black Mirror, Fresh Meat (series 1), The Good Wife (season 2), Luther (series 2), Strike Back (series 2) & This Is England '88.

What do you think? In the comments below, free to grumble about my picks, leave your own alternative Top 10s, or suggest a few small-screen gems that I missed.

10 Ways To Improve '10 O'Clock Live'

Channel 4's Thursday night satirical comedy 10 O'Clock Live is struggling in the ratings. Overhyped as the UK's answer to The Daily Show, the show debuted to widespread disapproval and negative press, and the general feeling hasn't changed. I don't think it's that bad, but it's definitely less impressive than you'd expect from the starry lineup. So what can be done to reverse its fortunes? Here's a 10-step guide to getting the show on-track:

1. Reschedule

Given the restrictive title, there are only seven timeslots available for 10 O'Clock Live (well, 14 if they dare put it on in daytime), but a move from Thursdays to Fridays at 10pm feels like a great idea. It's currently competing with BBC1's Question Time, assumedly because it's designed to be an alternative to that political debate series. But that's not clever counter-programming, it's a clash of audience interest.

2. Lose Jimmy Carr

It's not that Carr's the worst presenter or doing a bad job, but four presenters feels like overkill. Three would be preferable, and you can't have three men outside of Top Gear, so it would be less damaging to the show if they let Carr go and kept David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker. Carr's never felt like a political comedian, so his involvement with 10OCL feels like it's denying the show of a better political humorist.

3. Replace Lauren Laverne

As a man, if you criticize Lauren Laverne you risk being called a chauvinist, but my dislike has nothing to do with her gender. I've liked her in other things I've seen, but she's just not very good on this show and doesn't suit it. That's why she's always palmed off with the pre-recorded VT's, the chairperson's role in debates, and throwing to the commercial breaks. Laverne also has the air of someone doing an ironic impression of a "cool, opinionated presenter" while furiously glancing at her notes.

4. Shorten the runtime

An hour is too long for this show, in its current format -- although if it was packed with hilarity I wouldn't complain. The first 25-minutes is usually the strongest (Carr's opening standup, Brooker's VT-assisted fury, the Mitchell-led debate), so if it ended it there it wouldn't be so bad! Instead, it comes back from that mid-hour break and the pace flags considerably.

5. Less liberal bias

All of the presenters are unashamedly liberal-minded, so the agenda of the show is weighted that way. Imagine how refreshing it would be if half the presenters were slightly more right-wing in their views, to inspire arguments and break the cozy atmosphere. That could set the cat amongst the pigeons and create much-needed tension. Right now, Brooker sits on the edge of their roundtable looking extremely bored, face perched on his palm.

6. Better guests

They won't lure A-list politicians onto 10OCL until it's an established hit that's perceived as being good PR in the political game (as an appearance on Have I Got News For You has become*), but it would really help to get a few big-names involved. Alastair Campbell was a decent booking in episode 2, but he's yesterday's news. You're not going to get Prime Minister David Cameron in for a chat anytime soon, but surely a few recognizable, key figures from the incumbent government would be possible?

*Boris Johnson became Mayor of London off the back of a few funny appearances on HIGNFY as guest-host.

7. Involve the audience

There's a studio audience of young adults watching the show go out live every week, but they just sit there and chuckle at the gags. Why not ask them some questions? The presenters are all good at engaging with "ordinary people", so let them! Even some kind of phone-in would be great, rather than rely on Twitter and text messages scrolling along the bottom of the screen.

8. New faces

If you could hit a redo button, it would be great to see four newcomers presenting 10OCL, instead of the famous four we have. They can't help bringing baggage and expectations to the project. Imagine if there were four new faces presenting it; it would be immediately less predictable and Channel 4 may have unearthed the next Ricky Gervais, Sacha Baron Cohen, or... um, Iain Lee. If 10OCL returns for a second series (and that's a big if), maybe they'll consider an overhaul with new faces?

9. Pre-record

A tricky one, given the word LIVE is in the title, but what value does being live bring to the table? The chance to see the presenters fluff their lines? Mild spontaneity? Okay, so being live means they can crack jokes about things that have happened moments ago, but you wouldn't lose much if they recorded it a few hours beforehand. There's never been a campaign to get Have I Got News For You broadcast live, has there. 10 O'Clock Almost Live?

10. Let it breathe

Considering they have a whole hour to fill, it feels oddly structured and paced. Just when you're in the middle of a fairly interesting and entertaining debate with Mitchell and guests, he cuts someone off mid-rant and we're sent spinning to the other side of the studio to listen to Charlie Brooker vent his spleen. Less features, more time dedicated to those they have?

So there you have it! I'm not saying all of that must be obeyed, or even that each suggestion would definitely work, but I think most are worth some consideration. A few could even be trialled a few weeks, to see if they help tighten things.

Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve 10 O'Clock Live?

Top 10 Pirated TV Shows of 2010

TorrentFreak have released a list of the 10 most downloaded TV shows of 2010. You can read their list below:

1. Lost – 5.9m (downloads)
2. Heroes – 5.4m
3. Dexter – 3.8m
4. The Big Bang Theory – 3.2m
5. House – 2.6m
6. How I Met Your Mother – 2.4m
7. 24 – 2.2m
8. True Blood – 1.9m
9. Glee – 1.7m
10. Family Guy – 1.6m

I just can't imagine people being so desperate to watch House, The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy or How I Met Your Mother that they'd turn to bittorrent. But clearly millions of people do! From a UK perspective, Dexter and True Blood both take 6-12 months to reach these shores (annoyingly), so I'm not surprised they're popular online if other countries have similar waits.

As always, there's one surefire way non-US broadcasters can stop their native audiences downloading shows: shorten the gap after US transmissions. In the UK, Sky continue to be quite good and are even making a point of advertising US drama as arriving "days after the States" now, but let's see if they keep it up.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly Sky Atlantic shows Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire in 2011, as they're a brand new channel designed to entice fans of high-quality US drama. Their audience are likely to be sophisticated young adults who are fully capable of using bittorrent if they're expected to wait a month or more, so they'll need to ensure quick UK premieres.

My Full-Star TV Reviews of 2010

I'm notorious for rarely giving out "full star" ratings for episodes of the TV shows I watch. I've reviewed approximately 250 TV episodes this year, but only 11 episodes achieved top marks from me. Am I miserly or too difficult to please? Quite possibly. But at least you know the shows that manage to get maximum stars are worth watching, even if they're often highly rated because they mark the culmination of a season/series (and consequently a long storyline.) Below are excerpts from my "full star" reviews of 2010, assembled for your reading pleasure in ascending order of greatness:

'24', 8.23-8.24 – "2:00PM – 4:00PM"

It definitely felt like the end of an era watching a bloodied Jack limp off for his movie adventures. 24's kept the quality surprisingly high for a TV series with such a rigid format, kept on air three years past its prime. Except for the deplorable Day 6, the show never gave us a season of television I didn't enjoy on some level, and the early years were genuine weekly thrills that I'll always have strong memories of. Some of the events and situations 24 presented us with seem passé these days (remember when a terrorist nuke being detonated in a remote desert felt raw and shocking?), but that's a testament to how much the series changed the game and upped the ante for thrillers everywhere. Continue reading...

'CHUCK' 3.18-3.19 – "Chuck Versus The Subway"
& "Chuck Versus The Ring: Part II"

If there's one thing that impresses me about Chuck it's the show's ability to pull off consistently excellent season finales that manage to freshen, evolve and incrementally mature the series. "Chuck Versus The Subway" and "Chuck Versus The Ring: Part II" were two of the best episodes Chuck has produced, which is remarkable considering we've just finished the third season of a show that felt in danger of early suffocation... Continue reading...

'SHERLOCK' 1.3 – "The Great Game"

The episode was stuffed with incidents and the show's trademark deductions, making this episode feel like we essentially got half-a-dozen mini-adventures in one feature-length shebang. The addition of a ticking clock element elicited extra tension, as Sherlock raced around London trying to solve his opponent's mental obstacle course, although perhaps more could have been done to emphasize the against-the-clock element. Occasionally superimposing numbers to show the remaining hours left to crack each mystery worked fine, but I couldn't help feeling a constant ticking clock would have kept the anxiety simmering better. Continue reading...

'DOCTOR WHO' 5.12 – "The Pandorica Opens"

The return of Steven Moffat to guide series 5 to its conclusion worked very well in terms of untangling this year's deeper puzzle, and certainly did a nifty job of retroactively making previous episodes feel more relevant and interesting, with regards to the overall arc. "The Pandorica Opens" delivered an abundance of action, adventure, chills, thrills, explanations, and ridiculously big stakes that actually made sense. It wasn't perfect, but it came damned close, and was certainly an impressive hour of ambitious British sci-fi action that left you desperate to see next week's conclusion. Continue reading...

'BOARDWALK EMPIRE' 1.1 – "Boardwalk Empire"

This confluence of writer Terence Winter (The Sopranos) and director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas) is as prosperous, satisfying, and exciting as you could hope. HBO’s crime epic Boardwalk Empire begins with a fascinating and beautifully-crafted 75-minute drama that introduces Atlantic City (circa 1920), the coastal town’s feted treasurer Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, and people whose lives will be changed by the onset of Prohibition... Continue reading...

'BREAKING BAD' 3.13 – "Full Measure"

My overriding feeling is that this was Breaking Bad's finest season, and easily the best drama on television so far this year. The performance are sublime (it was great to see actors other than Cranston come to the fore this year, too), the writers are capable of squeezing tension from the most unlikely of places, and the direction has been exceptional (the Cousins two-pronged attack on Hank's car, Rian Johnson's creative "Fly"). There's always room for improvement, but this episode set the stage for a fourth season of significant change. Walt's professional relationship with Gus is going to be strained (to put it mildly!), so he'll surely have to find a way to appease Gus, earn back his trust, then kill him at some point. The show appears to be headed in the direction of Walt and Jesse becoming the city's drug barons (battle-hardened by the events of this season), and I'm eager to see exactly how the writers get us there... Continue reading...

'BREAKING BAD' 3.12 – "Half Measures"

What can you say? "Half Measures" was another incredible episode; a beautifully simple storyline that got under the skin of Jesse and provoked some interesting decisions and emotions from Walt, too. Walt's been drifting through this season slightly, sucked into Gus's world to be his meth-making monkey, despite knowing his percentage of the product Gus sells is grossly unfair. But there are now signs of a resurgence. Of Walt taking control once again. Skyler is showing a few signs of compromise at home, he may soon have a money laundering business in the Car Wash that's comparable to Gus's fast-food restaurant, and maybe if Gus was out of the picture he could get his hands on the super-lab to use for himself? Is that where all this is heading? Continue reading...

'MAD MEN' 4.7 – "The Suitcase"

Overall, "The Suitcase" definitely ranks as one of Mad Men's best hours; packed full of funny, perceptive and emotional moments. It also marks a clear turning point in the Don/Peggy relationship, symbolized in the final scene when Don tells Peggy she can leave his office door open. He's no longer a closed book to her. Continue reading...

'MAD MEN' 3.13 – "Shut The Door. Have A Seat"

A momentous, emotive and gripping end to what's been a strong third season that only suffered from a relatively slack start and infrequent use of Don. Otherwise, this year's been just as mesmerizing and poignant as always, with some very strong episodes in the latter half especially. "Shut The Door. Have A Seat" saw the razing of the two pillars in Don's life: his marriage and his career, and only one was able to rise from the ashes... Continue reading...

'FRINGE' 2.18 – "White Tulip"

The best episodes of Fringe splice a compelling sci-fi idea to relatable human emotions; a balance the show doesn't always succeed at. But that's why the recent "Peter" was so memorable, with its focus on Walter's grief and guilt over his son's origins bolstering a simplistic, pulp sci-fi storyline. It's also why so much of Olivia and Peter's storylines never seem to ignite. Olivia hasn't had a believable connection to anyone since her fiance died in season 1 (recently she's just been taking advice from a bowling alley mystic), and Peter's main function on the show is to interpret Walter's technobabble and spew snarky rejoinders. But "White Tulip" got everything just right, with a clever and stirring hour of entertainment that ranks as one of my favourite Fringe's... Continue reading...

'BREAKING BAD' 3.7 – "One Minute"

There are no superlatives to do justice to those final moments, and everything prior to that was rock solid character building. This was the kind of episode that reminds me why I love the long-form storytelling of television, where spending so much time with characters results in pay-off that can strikes a hammer to your heart. You're feeling every sting of pain and anguish these characters are going through now, and it's simply stunning to watch. If you're not watching Breaking Bad, you're missing the best thing on television. Continue reading...

OWF: Top 10 TV Shows of 2010

Over at Obsessed With Film, I've posted a list of my Top 10 Television Shows of 2010. You can probably tell what they are from the photo above, but can you guess the order? Click here for the list, and why not leave a comment that includes your own Top 10?

OWF: Top 10 Horror Movies

Obsessed With Film have a "31 Days Of Horror" season this October, in the runup to Halloween. As part of the themed reviews, interviews and articles they have planned all month, I've compiled a list of my 10 favourite horror movies. And it's now online to be read! What are you waiting for? I'd love to read your comments on my choices.

Sexiest Women On TV 2010: #10 - 1

Here we go! The Top 10 Sexiest Women On TV 2010. Please check out part 1, 2 and 3 if you haven't done so already, but here's the final ten for those who have...

She's dropped five places this year because, well, the days of the cheerleader costume are long gone on Heroes, but Hayden Panettiere's still cute as a button and season 4 titillated us with a lesbian kiss -- even if the show just didn't have the maturity to take Claire's sexuality anywhere interesting. Still, Hayden's a diminutive, curvy treat for the eyes. And here she is on a shoot for Self magazine:

A slight drop two places, as Tricia Helfer's status as the statuesque bombshell on Battlestar Galactica kind of got forgotten about in the final season (not least because of an on-screen pregnancy), but she fought back with a guest spot on Chuck as a super-spy who got to wear a rubber police uniform for a pole/lapdance sequence. It wasn't really as hot as you're perhaps imagining (Chuck's a family show), but how can you not find your heart skipping a beat when scenes like that happen? Anyway, here she is posing for an issue of Maxim magazine, with BSG co-star Grace Park:

Quite a tumble down the chart from 4 to 8, once again because Ali Larter's role on Heroes was significantly reduced and, beyond a few near-naked shots the writers threw fans of hers, there wasn't too much to get hot-under-the-collar about in season 3 or 4 of the superhero drama.

Our first new entry in the Top 10 is former-Firefly babe Morena Baccarin, who's now playing the lead sexy alien in the remake of V. In a grey suit and pixie haircut, Morena's elfin goodlooks and svelte physique are certainly enough to charm most men into alien servitude. Here's a quick video of Morena, with V co-stars Elizabeth Mitchell and Scott Wolf, behind-the-scenes for a TV Guide shoot:

Yet another victim of a drop down the chart, Summer Glau falls four places to land at #6, primarily because the final seasons of both Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse didn't do much to promote Summer's sexuality. Still, she's always very cute and her role as an egghead on Dollhouse was sweetly done, which ensured she didn't slip put of the Top 10 this year. Here's Summer on a photoshoot with GQ magazine last year:

Our second new entry for 2010, Eliza Dushku's lead role on Dollhouse was perfect the perfect way to tease audiences with a variety of saucy outfits and her appearance in a tastefully nude advertising campaign. Considering the show's parallels to a high-tech brothel, it was no surprise to see the writers find ways to put Eliza in knee-high socks, short skirts and dominatrix leather every other week. Last year Eliza posed for Maxim as their March covergirl, so why not take a look behind-the-scenes:

Unarguably the most successful new entrant, if only because India de Beaufort's placing is based entirely on six appearances in comedy dud Krod Mandoon & The Flaming Sword Of Fire. Maybe it's adolescent memories of Xena at play here, but there's just something about longhaired girls in medieval garb showing plenty of thigh. India played a promiscuous, feisty warrioress in this short-lived series, and her fun attitude and beaming smiles were its only highlight. And yes, after the pagan striptease sequence below, I'm not surprised she became a few people's favourite pinup.

I haven't seen much of Smallville, where Laura Vandervoort played the leggy Supergirl for awhile, otherwise she'd have been a veteran of SWOT by now. Thankfully, she's now playing a sweet alien teen in V, who's designed to be every randy teenage boy's fantasy girl come true. It's a job well done. The fact her character's actually a gross green lizard underneath that flesh? Ignorance is bliss. Anyway, here's a rather good video montage someone put together of Laura, set to Beyonce's "Halo":

The highest new entry this year is the best thing the Cassidt family Cassidy ever did; create the stunning beauty that is actor/singer David Cassidy's daughter, Katie Cassidy -- best known to me thanks to her role as the plucky bride in Harper's Island, but also now playing a bitch on Melrose Place. Basically, imagine a healthier-looking Megan Fox without the ugly tattoos, who can actually act. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at Katie's shoot for Saturday Night Magazine last year:

Predictable? Yeah, maybe. For the second year running Yvonne Strahovski is still my #1, although there are worrying signs she might not be next year. Don't get me wrong, I still think she's dazzlingly cute and a genuinely pleasant and humble person in real life, too, but her character on Chuck's beginning to grow tiresome. A lot of that is because Yvonne's rarely allowed to smile -- instead, her character's usually required to look pensive, upset or moody. And that's a shame, because whenever Yvonne's gets to play sexy, playful and funloving, you're in for a good time watching her. Still, her regular sexy scenes and variety of revealing dresses/costumes are still a source of delight for "Strahotski" admirers, which is great. But I do wish they'd just let her have some fun on the show. Anyway, she's still wonderful, and fans are still making funky video montages of her like the one below:

Sexiest Women On TV 2010: #19 - 11

The penultimate part of my annual Sexiest Women On TV countdown is here for the final weekend! If you haven't already, please check out part 1 and part 2, before continuing with #19 below...

She's dropped a mammoth 16 places from #3 in my list because, well, she hasn't been on TV all that much in 2009. But Kristen Bell's stint in Heroes' third season guaranteed her a place somewhere, so the blonde cutie will have to make do with the outer fringes of my Top 20.

The super-hot January Jones has to play a quiet housewife in Mad Men, with only rare opportunities to rock some '60s fashions, but January's glassy beauty still shines through the demure, introverted Betty Draper. And how could you not at least fall in love with her name?

Her enormous beaming smiles and effervescent Southern élan caught my eye during True Blood's second season, even if it was all cranked up to the max to try and overwhelm you with gooey sweetness. Still, petite Anna Camp's toothy cuteness and, ahem, a certain bath tub scene, assured her an appearance in SWOT10.

The heroine of True Blood herself, Anna Paquin's single-handedly made tight white tops and tiny black skirts a waitress uniform I think all bars should adopt. Factor in her doe-eyes, gapped tooth and partiality to nudity for her art, and I think it's clear why the former-X Girl's at #16.

I keep coming back to this summation: Katie McGrath is basically Keira Knightley's tomboy sister. She gets to wear a variety of beautiful coloured gowns for telefantasy Merlin, with porcelain white skin and bright lipsticks. The fact she's a villainess-in-waiting only adds to the sexy sense of danger.

To be honest, I don't watch much of The Mentalist, and I doubt there are many police officers with the broad-shouldered fitness of Amanda Righetti out there in real life.

She's been missing from SWOT these past few eyars, but Elisha Cuthbert earns back a placing because she starred in enough season 7 episodes of 24 to be eligible. While looking a little older than her Girl Next Door prime, Elisha's still one of the hotter petite blondes around, and possibly still has the cuter features than all the others combined.

She was #6 last year, but 2009 wasn't a great year for the beautiful Michelle Ryan. Sure, there was a high-profile Doctor Who role last Easter, but that was followed by dud rom-com Mister Eleven on ITV. Sigh. It's a shame, because Michelle just has an innate likeability that makes her sexiness all the hotter because, well, she just seems more attainable somehow. You know you don't have a chance with 99% of the people on this list, but Michelle's in that elusive 1%. Or so it seems.

Deborah Ann Woll stole the show from under the noses of her more prolific co-stars in True Blood last year, playing naughty vampire teen Jessica, whose puppy love relationship with yokel Hoyt often steamed up the screen more effectively than the Paquin/Moyer coupling. Adorable, pale-skinned, red-haired, long-legged and with a megawatt smile, hopefully we'll see more of Ms Woll in season 3.

Sexiest Women On TV 2010: #39 - 20

The annual Sexiest Women On Television list continues with part 2 below, and the final two parts should arrive next weekend. But, for now, enjoy #39 onwards...

Another casualty of Pushing Daisies' cancellation, but petite n' busty Kristen Chenoweth will hardly struggle to find work. She can sing, she can act, she's perfect for a multitide of quirky/ditzy roles that crop up with great regularity. She's already appeared in Glee, which gave her the chance to sing, grin and act like a crazy drunk. (USA, DOB: 24 July 1968)

Her character was a detestable pain on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, so that colours how you perceive Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen slightly. But it's also the sign of a good actress, as I doubt she's that horrible in real-life. Right? (AUS, DOB: 22 June 1980)

A very beautiful, willowy beauty, brought back into Prison Break for its final season, despite the fact her character (supposedly) had her head cut off in season 3. TV, eh. A mass outcry eventually led to Sarah Wayne Callies' return (with head), and fans were even treated to a few scenes of Callies in a bikini to make amends. (USA, DOB: 1 June 1977)

The tweety-voiced, buxom ex-girlfriend of Kenny Powers in HBO's Eastbound & Down, Katy Mixon's the sweet country gal with the calendar pinup goodlooks. (USA, DOB: May 1981)

The dimunitive Courtney Ford co-starred in the fourth season of Dexter, playing the sly reporter who would regularly go topless to remind you Dexter's on subscription-only cable. She also has interesting family connections; her husband's is hunky Superman star Brandon Routh, and she's the stepsister of screenwriters Robert and J.R Orci, who work on Fringe. I'm willing to bet she'll make an appearance on that show someday, although the nudity probably won't feature. (USA, DOB: 7 June 1978)

The sweet, sexy and posh Lucy Brown stopped fighting dinosaurs midway through Primeval's third series, to get a job on the NBC's shortlived The Philanthropist. Who knows what lays in store for her in 2010, but it would be a shame if Lucy was off the box for too long. (UK, DOB: 13 February 1979)

The Summer Glau lookalike is one of very few female characters on Stargate Universe, and the writers didn't waste much time giving Elyse Levesque a (sanitized) shower scene, either. I'm sure most people aren't complaining too much about that, but I'm just saying. (CAN, DOB: 10 September 1985)

Her unique features are a result of her Indian mother (of Tibet descent) and Australian father, and Dichen Lachman has been gaining lots of attention from fans of TV's now-defunct Dollhouse, where she regularly put in far more realistic and compelling performances than its star, Eliza Dushku. (AUS, DOB: 22 February 1982)

She was the cute new secretary on Mad Men who fell into bed with her silver fox boss, then turned up on FlashForward as a cute babysitter. Well, I say cute, but that's really just how she's presented in those show -- truth is, I think Peyton List's a bit edgier than her recent subservient roles would have us believe. Mesmerizing eyes, too... (USA, DOB: 8 August 1986)

The one girl I think we'd all love to be stranded on a desert island with (without Jorge Garcia playing gooseberry), is Evangeline Lilly. As Lost's story has evolved, we get less of her character swimming in island pools or strolling around beaches looking hot in swimwear (that survived the crash, thank Jacob), but instead she's more likely to be rocking a figure-hugging powersuit... or, well, DHARMA-issue overalls. A pity, but the story can't be dictated by Ms. Lilly's attire, can it. (USA, DOB: 3 August 1979)

She almost didn't make my list this year, as she no longer co-stars in Robin Hood, but she sneaked in because of her role in ITV's five-part drama Collision. Lucy Griffiths ditched the pastel-coloured medieval dresses, and grabbed herself a rather unflattering tabard to play a motorway services waitress. Still, she still kept that down-to-earth, slightly tomboyish appeal. (UK, DOB: 10 October 1986)

I'd love her to put on a few pounds in weight, as she's about as thin as the stalk on the flower she shares a name with, but Rose Byrne is still an incredibly attractive woman with a face that appears to have exquisitely carved out of marble. Her lawyer character in Damages isn't much of a smiler, because she rarely has much to be happy about ever since her on-screen fiance was murdered, which is a shame. (AUS, DOB: 24 July 1979)

Ashley Jones played the hot new waitress in Merlotte's for season 2 of True Blood, quickly turning owner Sam's head and luring him into taking naked dips in a lake, before having sex on the bar's pool table (I hear they're still missing a few balls, too.) (USA, DOB: 3 September 1976)

The best one-word description I can find is still "voluptuous". Christina Hendricks is still turning men's heads in the offices of Sterling Cooper in Mad Men as Joan, and making a lot of women secretly ache for her '60s fashions, hourglass figure and rather impressive bosom. (USA, DOB: 3 May 1975)

The biggest crime of Battlestar Galactica was how so many of its female cast were stuck wearing green jumpsuits and bulky helmets for four seasons. Grace Park is one such lady, whose cute features and lithe physique only really got people's attention in the pages of various magazines. (USA, DOB: 14 March 1974)

Willowy Cameron Richardson played bride-to-be Chloe in Harper's Island, but has the expected background as a model due to the quirky look she adds to the otherwise traditional tall, blonde, thin catwalker. (USA, DOB: 11 September 1979)

I wasn't a fan of Lena Headey's performance as Sarah Connor on the ill-fated sci-fi series, but she can certainly glower and pout with the best of them. It's a shame her athletic, tattoo'd, tough demeanour didn't quite translate into an appealing heroine on television. (UK, DOB: 3 October 1973)

Alison Brie's a bit of a secret, really. Her character on Mad Men, Trudy Campbell, doesn't have the overt sexuality of Christina Hendricks or January Jones, nor the screen presence of Elisabeth Moss, so most people just forget she's there. Well, this just goes to prove how good a chameleon the actress is, as she's actually one of the sexier ladies on that show (if a little gawky, in a cute way.) I guess fans of Community may have realized, but everyone else should go type "Alison Brie Complex magazine" into Google. (USA, DOB: 29 December 1983)

Quite possible one of the hottest mums on television in Dexter, Julie Benz is now causing mischief on Wisteria Lane as a lesbian pole-dancer in Desperate Housewives. Now that's the kind of career progression I think we can all support. An attractive and sexy woman, yet somehow rather humble with a tangible "loveliness" to her. (USA, DOB: 1 May 1972)

She may have spent the past few years playing a psychologically and physically scarred doctor whose fashion sense only stretches to white coats, but I think Amy Acker's fans already know there's an altogether sexier actress bursting to get out. Tall, elegant, slim, and leggy, fingers crossed she gets to leave the lab coat behind for future roles. (USA, DOB: 5 December 1976)

<== Part 1 * Part 3 ==>