2006 Reader Awards: Best TV Show
March 1, 2006
BoxOfficeProphets.com

Promise me you won't accept any rides from Michelle Rodriguez or Cynthia Watros.
This is the only category with the potential for a repeat winner, and this year we have not only a repeat winner in Lost (by a crushing 69% margin), but also a repeat runner-up in 24 (by a narrow 1% margin), and a repeat third place finisher in Arrested Development (by a 32% margin).

Continuing the year-to-year analysis, big winners were Family Guy, which improved from tenth place last year, Veronica Mars, which did not place in the top 15 last year, and the highest ranking new series, Grey's Anatomy. Kudos also go to Battlestar Galactica as the highest finisher from a cable network.

The opposite of winners included The Simpsons' slide from fifth place last year to 11th (and apparent relinquishing of the youth audience to The Family Guy). Alias, seventh last year, did not merit inclusion this year, nor did The O.C. (ninth), The Romber-free Amazing Race (11th), CSI (12th), South Park (13th), and Chapelle's Show (14th). Just outside of the top 15, American Idol won top reality genre honors, finishing a spot ahead of The Amazing Race.

Comparing the readers' favorites with our own inaugural Best TV Show Calvin Award, it is clear not enough of you have HBO. Our Calvin winner, Deadwood, placed outside of your top 15 selections. Another HBO offering, Entourage, placed tenth on our list. In total, both lists shared five television shows in common in the top ten, with readers and staff finding common ground on such diverse programming as Arrested Development, Lost, My Name is Earl, Scrubs, and Veronica Mars.

If reader awards were the team pursuit event in speed skating (go with me on this), Fox gets the gold medal with three shows in the top four; ABC gets the silver with three shows in the top eight, and NBC gets the bronze with three shows in the top 13.