Best of the Best '06

Last column of the year, which means it's Top 10 time. As discussed last week, I decided to spread the wealth with two lists, one for returning shows, one for 2006 rookies. The lists:

Returning Shows

1. "The Wire"
2. "The Shield"
3. "The Office"
4. "Battlestar Galactica"
5. "Deadwood"
6. "The Sopranos"
7. "How I Met Your Mother"
8. "The O.C." (season four only)
9. "24"
10. A tie between "Scrubs," "House" and "Grey's Anatomy"

New shows

1. "Friday Night Lights"
2. "Dexter"
3. Stephen Colbert at the White House correspondents dinner
4. "30 Rock"
5. A tie between "Country Boys" and "When the Levees Broke"
6. "Doctor Who"
7. "Heroes"
8. "Kidnapped"
9. "Broken Trail"
10. "The Loop"

To read the full column with elaboration on the choices (given the space limitations of writing capsules for 23 shows), click here.