Television: From Oprah to ouch! 10 great TV moments

Tim Russert dies (June 13): The political season went on without the "Meet the Press" moderator, but it wasn't the same. The man who managed to make politics exciting without resorting to bully tactics was sorely missed at a time when TV news desperately needed his gravitas and goodwill.

Reality TV goes oof! splat! ouch! (June 24): You can't imagine reality TV getting any more sordid -- and then along comes "Wipeout," ABC's summer hit that hinged solely on viewers' desires to watch everyday Americans experience excruciating pain and embarrassment on an obstacle course co-designed by Rube Goldberg and a Guantanamo Bay prison guard. Shame on us for watching.

Reality TV goes ooh! aah! wow! (June 25): You can't imagine reality TV providing us anything substantial -- and then along comes "The Baby Borrowers," NBC's sorely misunderstood series that provided high-schoolers a safe and eye-opening opportunity to see what it really takes to be a young parent. Shame on us for not watching.

Michael Phelps gets a mighty assist (Aug. 11): Phelps may have been the hero of the Summer Olympics, but it was Jason Lezak who provided the Games' most thrilling moment, coming up with a golden comeback as the anchor in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. I'm no huge swimming fan, but Lezak's gutsy performance made me want to slip on some fins and dive into the deep end. I now believe in miracles.

The circus is back in town (Sept. 7): Last year, I called for a moratorium on Britney Spears jokes. Consider the ban lifted. The pop singer made an incredible comeback, capped by three wins during the MTV Video Music Awards. The choice was suspicious ("Piece of Me" is no "Toxic"), but the point was clear: As much as we love to trash our stars, we get even more satisfaction building them up again.

"The Mentalist" blows our minds (Sept. 23): Network TV laid a big, fat egg this fall. The exception: "The Mentalist." Simon Baker's dreamy eyes and wicked smile are strong draws, but the fact that CBS is relying on yet another crime procedural -- and that we're eating it up -- is evidence that programmers and audiences are unlikely to take many risks in the coming months.

Ring around the Rosie (Sept. 28): I've gotten a lot of mileage out of ridiculing Rosie O'Donnell's live variety show, easily the year's most embarrassing hour of network TV, so it's only fair to give her props for her outstanding cameo on HBO's "Little Britain USA." In a skit that poked merciless fun at her image, O'Donnell reminded us that she's more viable as a deft comic than as a singing-and-dancing disaster or a talk-show windbag.

Sarah Palin reads every newspaper on Earth (Sept. 30): At the time of this CBS News interview, Katie Couric was considered a lightweight who would be out the door by January while the Alaskan governor drove a dog sled right into the White House. But after the in-depth and at times incoherent interview ran, it was clear that Palin had a lot to learn about handling the press and that Couric was more than capable of handling the anchor chair.

The summit of the Queens (Nov. 6): Apologies to Entertainment Weekly, but Robert Downey Jr. is not entertainer of the year. That honor goes to Tina Fey, who pulled off one of the season's most satisfying impressions -- and I'm not talking about her Palin. Her most memorable moment came as a drugged-up Liz Lemon on "30 Rock," befriending Oprah Winfrey (or so she thinks). The episode, the finest in the show's run, proved that sitcoms still matter and that Winfrey can deliver a punch line, no matter how much she weighs.

Vic Mackey puts on a tie (Nov. 25): "The Shield" may have overstayed its welcome, but the series finale was fresh and furious with shocking deaths, deep-cutting betrayals and a final shot of the conflicted, corrupt Mackey suffocating in a business suit, sentenced to a life of pushing papers. Sweet, sweet justice.

njustin@startribune.com • 612-673-7431