Morals, Music, and Cupcakes

As far as favorite television shows go, I have quite a few for someone who doesn't watch that much TV.  I guess the best way for me to go about organizing my post this week is to start with a few basic categories:

Oldies but Goodies
The Andy Griffith Show
I think it would be so nifty to go visit Mayberry for a day or two.  I know it's so sweet it should give you a toothache, but I think that's just part of its charm and the reason that we love it so much.  
The Twilight Zone (the original, not the series from the 80s)
On a completely different note, I have absolutely no desire to enter into any of the worlds created for this show.  I really like shows that urge the audience to think about what they're watching, and once you go past the creepiness of storyline, you can't help but wonder "what if..." and "what would lead to something like this?"  My favorite episode of the whole series is entitled "Back There," and it's about John Wilkes Booth on the night of Lincoln's assassination (I think the history tie-in was what pushed this episode over the edge in my book!)  Anyway, really, really good episode and good series.

A Somewhat Recent Show
Gilmore Girls
I wish everyone could talk this fast in real life (at least if we could all be as hilariously witty as the characters in this show).  I usually only understand about half of the references in any given episode, but the banter between characters was still great.  And on top of smart dialogue, you still cared about the characters because they were incredibly human.  I tended to like Rory's character less and less after about the middle of the 5th season, but I guess that's true to reality in that people change as they grow.  All of the characters made many mistakes, but they still learned to forgive each other and live with each other's eccentricities.
Law & Order
It's amped up drama, but it's entertaining.  During it's time, an episode would bring up some of the hot button legal and moral issues being discussed in the news at the time.  Like I said earlier, TV that makes the audience think never gets old.

Current Shows
Chopped, Sweet Genius, Cupcake Wars
All in a somewhat similar vein, I just can't pass up a good cooking show/ competition.  I don't know how they do it, but the creativity and knowledge that these people possess never ceases to amaze.  Seriously, if you can make a cupcake with hot sauce in it taste good, you deserve some serious props.
Glee
Once you get past the boundaries of reality and continuity, this show is pretty darn entertaining.  Despite the oft overworked audio engineering, the performances usually turn out pretty well, some are even outstanding.  And every so often when you're feeling fed up with the show's antics, a really amazing number comes from out of nowhere and you remember why you put up with all of nutzy stuff that the writers concoct.  "Don't Stop Believin'" is still my favorite number from the entire show.  The arrangement was excellent, the musicians sounded incredible together, and the story line really made me want to root for the characters without trying too hard.  I just wish this would happen more often.
The Glee Project
You know, I think that this show is more "glee" than Glee itself.  Some of the contestants are a tad bit annoying, but I really enjoy watching these people learn more about themselves as they go through a sort of "performing boot camp" after which one of them will win a guest starring role on Glee.  Sure, it's reality TV and a lot of what we see is either manufactured or cleverly edited, but I think this show does a really good job of capturing the spirit of performance while simultaneously showing the audience a small peek into the reality of show business.
The Newsroom
I've only seen a couple of episodes of this show, but so far so good.  I'll definitely have to watch these episodes again to understand what some of the characters are talking about (newspeople in this show tend to talk really, really fast, which I guess is accurate) but the show seems to be well written, and I'm excited to see where it goes.
Southland
Last but not least, one of my favorite favorites.  Again, very well written, but I think it also provides the audience with another (albeit fictional) point of view concerning law enforcement that we don't get to see in shows like Law & Order.  The show is well written and very well acted.  My great uncle is a retired state trooper, and I can see a lot of the way these characters act and see the world in him.