TV Season Highs & Lows: Editors' Picks

TV is our passion. That means that most of AOL Television staff is also bull-headed, opinionated and unforgiving. Taking a poll collectively is challenging, but after some name calling and bribery, we've come to a consensus about this season's highs and lows. See where we stand, then take the primetime poll and make your voice heard.

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Best Drama:
'The Sopranos'

It's the undercurrent of emotion and the vulgarity of violence this season that distinguishes 'The Sopranos' from all others. Tony finally pushed himself over the edge into darkness, abandoning what little humanity he had left. He's evil, wretched and mesmerizing and he's changed the way we view televised drama.

Best Comedy:
'30 Rock'

When '30 Rock' premiered, nobody paid attention to it because of the buzz around the similarly-themed 'Studio 60.' They missed out. With Alec Baldwin as the brash Jack Donaghy, the witty series produces cheeky catchphrases and hysterical jokes more effectively than any Sorkin dialogue.

Best Reality Show:
'Project Runway'

Nobody predicted that a show about people sitting around and sewing would become a hit. Yet, as its fashion guru Tim Gunn might say, 'Runway' has made it work. The third season, filled with scandals like a disqualification and allegations of cheating, had us stitched to our seats.

Best New Show:
'Heroes'

A sci-fi show on network television? Doomed to failure. Yet, 'Heroes' rose above its origins to become the one major hit of the season. It did so with action-packed storytelling, characters we could root for, like Hiro, and plenty of cliffhangers -- but also, plenty of precious answers.

Worst New Show:
'Happy Hour'

Chances are most viewers probably didn't see 'Happy Hour' before it was axed. They're better off; it dragged the whole season down. Just thinking about the show makes us pine for the half hour of our lives wasted watching pilot. Good riddance.

Best Season-Ending Cliffhanger: 'Lost'

The 'Lost' finale was jaw-dropping. We discovered that our beloved Losties might get rescued and got a flash-forward glimpse of post-island Jack: back home, suicidal and desperate to go back to the island! Forget getting rescued; now we're left to ponder why they would want to stay there. Oh, and the hobbit died, too.

Best Villain:
Sylar, 'Heroes'

Sylar (Zachary Quinto) had an unwavering malevolence seen in the sadistic twinkle in his eye right before he hacked open a living victim's skull. It was bone-chilling when he killed his mother and used her blood to paint a grimp picture of the nuclear apocalypse he hoped to set off. That's pretty evil.

'Heroes' Power We Wish We Had: Precognition

Sure, it'd be neat if we could invisibly spy on our friends or if we could go back to the '80s and stop the hair, but what could be better than knowing the future? You could know who wins the World Series, where you'll meet Mr. (or Ms. Right) and what happens in the last 'Harry Potter' book. Awesome.

Hottest Single Mom:
Lorelai, 'Gilmore Girls'

The unpredictable raven-haired beauty had fierce competition in this category, but Lorelai is clearly the single MILF with the most. Even though 'Gilmore' has ended its run, she'll forever live on as the hottest young mom to ever hit the screen.

Best Sanjaya Hairstyle:
The Pony-Hawk

Sanjaya's pony-hawk took hair teasing to heights not seen since the '80s. He forgot the words to No Doubt's 'Bathwater,' but no one seemed to notice or care because it was all about the 'hawk. Just another milestone in Sanjaya's 'American Idol' history. (See all of Sanjaya's hairstyles.)

Favorite Investigative Team: Keith & Veronica, 'Veronica Mars'

This father-daughter detective duo has solved everything from murder to cheating spouses cases to the theft of lab animals. They employed both tried-and-true techniques (undercover work, stakeouts) and high-tech gizmos (a picture-taking pen). And they did it all with their requisite charm and snark.

Couple We Loved to Love: Eric & Tami, 'Friday Night Lights'

Most television shows depict married life as anything but domestic bliss, with cheating and divorces par for the course. But Eric and Tami not only love each other, they really get each other. They may clash over careers and their daughter, but through it all, their commitment to each other shines through.

Couple We Loved to Hate: George & Izzie, 'Grey's Anatomy'

There are so many things wrong with these two hooking up on 'Grey's Anatomy.' It did little to advance the characters or the plot, and viewers weren't exactly clamoring for a George and Izzie relationship. There was no payoff and no point to it. Plus, it spawned the heinous shipper name "Gizzie."

Most Disappointing Series: 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'

How did the most hyped series become the biggest letdown? The pedigree was unquestionable (Aaron Sorkin), the cast was incredible (Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford) and the premise had unlimited potential. But it turned out to be Sorkin's self-indulgent ode to his own writing genius, and we were bored to tears.

Most Shocking Development:
Christopher's Death, 'The Sopranos'

'The Sopranos' has provided the most violent, memorable deaths in the history of TV. Even though this one was inevitable, we were still floored when it happened. After surviving a car accident, Christopher is whacked by his cousin and mentor, Tony. And in doing so, Tony officially crossed over to the dark side.

Coolest Guest Star:
George Takei, 'Heroes'

Oh, my. George Takei, best known for his role as Sulu on 'Star Trek,' became somewhat of a pop-kitsch icon after coming out of the closet and appearing as Howard Stern's occasional announcer on Sirius. His casting as Hiro's father was pure genius. We had no idea he could be so intimidating and cunning.

Meanest Reality Show Judge: Len Goodman, 'Dancing With the Stars'

With an encouraging Carrie Ann Inaba on one side and an outrageous Bruno Tonioli on the other, Len seemed to settle for being a crotchety old man. He was hard to please, saying dances either had too much "razzle dazzle" or were "raunchy." Even Carrie Ann thought he was being an "old fogey."

Top Primetime Game Show: 'Deal or No Deal'

We spent many a night this season shouting "no deal!" at our TVs. Howie Mandel is charming and game is simple, but what hooks us are the odds. If you've got a 75 percent chance that your case does not contain the lowest amount, push the envelope, people! It's like watching someone play the lotto live, and we're always hoping for "big money."

Strongest Network:
'NBC'

By adding '30 Rock' to the schedule and keeping faith alive in 'The Office,' NBC brought back the Thursday night comedy block. Then, the net gave us //tvshows.aol.com/show/the-office/SH7261330000/main" target="_blank">'The Office,' NBC brought back the Thursday night comedy block. Then, the net gave us 'Heroes' –- single-handedly killing our need to see '24' in real time. Finally, NBC renewed our faith in humankind with a renewal for 'Friday Night Lights.'

Canceled Show We'll Miss Most:
'Veronica Mars'

If only they'd shot an alternate ending! 'Mars' was axed at the last minute, so we'll never know if Keith lost the Sheriff's seat to Vinnie Van Lowe, or if Piz follows Veronica to the East Coast, or if Veronica becomes an FBI agent or if Logan ever wins her back. See, we're in denial. R.I.P., our fave P.I.