A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

YOU CAN DO A SHOT-BY-SHOT READING OF THE SCENE UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME AND YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SEE A GUN IN THE MEMBER ONLY GUY'S HAND: Our Friend Dan Fienberg has been counting down the top 31 television series of the decade, and if The Sopranos are only #5, the top four had better be really good. (Okay: The Wire, The Shield, Mad Men and Arrested Development appear to be what's left.)

It's all high quality writing, and on a website which gives Dan the space to do the analysis these shows deserve. Here's some of what Dan had to say about #7, American Idol:

You watched "Idol" for the awesomeness and you watched it for the awfulness. You watched to see who Simon will make cry and, in the Aughts at least, you watched to see who would make Paula cry. You watched for the strange guest judges -- Quentin Tarantino is probably one of the few who actually worked -- and the awkward guest mentors (Randy Travis' poorly concealed horror at hearing Adam Lambert's version of "Ring of Fire" was a classic). And you tuned in for the scandals that "Idol" either would or wouldn't address, the abruptly dismissed contestants, the contestants weathering dirty picture storms, the weird voting SNAFUs. You watched for the musical guests who looked like they'd rather be any place else and for the washed up icons desperate for the attention.

And I would be remiss in not pointing out the 2007 and 2008 "Idol Gives Back" specials. If raising $130 million for various charities isn't worthy of some "best" consideration, nothing is. Seriously, $130 million. Make fun of that. I dare you.

Dan's essays are a great way to spend some time during a week in which I hope you're not doing too much work.