PTR Can't Live Without Comedy

Today, PTR is kicking off a week of favorites in this year's list of TV's Can't Live Without commodities. We'll take a look at the essential comedies, dramas and characters of this past season. Unfortunately, the world of television is a cruel one, and some of these picks won't be around for another season, thus deeming the "Can't Live Without" honor a little dramatic. After all, my TV watching will go on without them, but it WILL NOT be the same. If you don't believe me, just try to mention the words "EVER" and "WOOD" in the same sentence and you will see that some wounds run too deep (hell, I'm finally "OK" with the whole Joan of Arcadia cancellation of '05!). Anyway, the comedies are at the plate first and the dramas are on deck. Here are my picks for Comedies that I Cannot Live Without '06-'07:

My Name is Earl (NBC)
This series may not have had as strong of a sophomore season as its freshman one had promised, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't laughing out loud tons this season. Joy's deaf lawyer and subsequent trial, Earl's decision to be an adult, getting the other characters' perspectives and a hilarious trip to Mexico made this show stand out once again as one of TV's best comedies. Plus, the writers seem to have written themselves into a corner with Earl in jail at the end of the season, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they get themselves (and Earl) out of it.

Gilmore Girls (The CW)
This dramedy may be heavier on the drama than the comedy, but I'm including it in the comedy category because TV's cup runeth over in the quality drama department. This is yet another example of a show not shining as brightly this season, but it still had some classic moments and the charm of its leading characters to keep it on top. Paris (the character, not the eloping destination), Rory's graduation and job search, and the Gilmore roadtrip were enough to keep me glued to this series until the very end. I only wish the show had more time to wrap up the characters and stories it had shared with us for 7 seasons. Perhaps we'll get that Gilmore movie we're all hoping for?

Scrubs (NBC)
This is still my favorite comedy. You just can't beat JD and Turk, Dr. Cox, Eliot's OCD, Janitor, Bob Kelso, and all the zany antics these guys get themselves into each week. This is a show about characters, and it's the characters that make it stand out from the pack. Of course, there was also that AWESOME musical outing that pretty much pushed this show into the Awesome-ness Hall of Fame where it resides comfortably next to other distinguished examples of awesome-ness (Veronica Mars' cultural references, Friday Night Lights, Lilly Rush, etc.). Now that JD is about to be a father (whether he's ready or not), how will the characters change? Knowing Scrubs, in the most hilarious way possible.

So, these are my Cannot Live Without Comedies. What are yours? Leave me a comment with your essential list. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the dramas.