drama

['Smallville' – 'Luthor']

John Glover returned to chew the scenery as Lionel Luthor this week on 'Smallville.' And judging by this episode's cheeky final scene, it looks like he plans to stick around for a while to see "how it all turns out" as the show comes to a close this season.

And that's just fine by me. Glover's big-haired baddie was always a force to be reckoned with on 'Smallville,' and now he's back with a vengeance. Stripped of the white hat that he wore during his last few seasons on the show, he's bound to cause more pain and havoc for Clark Kent and friends than Rick Flag and Darkseid combined. Did you see what he did to Jor-El? This guy means business.

Last spring, after a major earthquake hit Haiti, I tried to think of a way to help the people of that devastated country.

I ended up putting dozens of TV-related promotional items, pieces of memorabilia, DVDs and books up for auction on eBay, and TV fans bowled me over with their support for the cause. Over the course of a month or so, between the eBay auctions and some other efforts, we raised more than $12,000 for Partners in Health, a respected medical charity with clinics and doctors all over Haiti.

Given how well that went (and I give a ton of the credit to the readers who bought things and to a dedicated crew of 'Chuck' fans who helped a lot with the whole enterprise), I thought I'd try another eBay charity auction during this holiday season. This time, there are items from 'True Blood,' 'House,' 'Fringe,' 'Community,' 'Supernatural,' Conan O'Brien's show, 'Doctor Who' and several other shows for sale. One hundred percent of the purchase price of every eBay auction item will go to Partners in Health.

Read on for more info on what's being offered right now and what kind of items will be up for auction soon.

The groundbreaking American version of 'Queer as Folk' ran for five seasons (the U.K. original aired for 10 episodes), and, with Dec. 3 marking 'Queer as Folk's' 10th anniversary, we're taking the opportunity to check in with what the show's stars have been up to since 'Queer As Folk' wrapped in 2005.

The British original -- created by 'Doctor Who' revival creator Russell T. Davies -- starred future 'Undeclared' and 'Sons of Anarchy' star Charlie Hunnam and 'The Wire' scene stealer Aidan Gillen and debuted in 1999.

And the American remake, starring Gale Harold, Hal Sparks, newbie Randy Harrison and Emmy-winning TV vet Sharon Gless -- followed the next year, and made a splash on Showtime with its randy, funny tales (and very graphic sex scenes) about the loves and lives of a group of gay Pittsburgh pals.

['Bones' - 'The Twisted Bones in the Melted Truck']

Here's the plan: my house is currently packed up in boxes as we get ready for a move to Colorado in a few days. Needless to say, time is limited to espouse on Temperance's new hair style or Booth's interest in thin ties. So, to keep it fairly short, I'm going to throw out a few topics on this week's episode of 'Bones' that you can discuss in the comments. In addition, if you have topics you want to discuss, please do so. Just keep it on topic and avoid the nastiness and flaming.

Don't worry, we'll return to the normal 'Bones' review next week. (Just as long as I can find my computer.)

['Grey's Anatomy' - 'Adrift and at Peace']

In an episode that just happened to have Christmas music playing in the background, Derek took Cristina fishing, Meredith and Owen argued, Bailey was still on a search for a solution to fistulas, Callie gained a backbone, and Teddy was given a re-hashed storyline.

This episode of 'Grey's Anatomy' really had nothing to do with Christmas, except for the occasional decor in the hospital. Instead, this episode chugged along with several of the plotlines we've been following this season, without any resolutions in sight.

It was interesting seeing Jamie Chung ('Dragonball Evolution') as one of the patients this week, because I still remember her from when she was on 'The Real World: San Diego.' I know that her part was small and a bit forgettable, but she did show some decent acting chops, so maybe she'll prove more interesting in 'The Hangover Part II.'

['Fringe' - 'Entrada']

This week, we were treated to a blue and red interchanging intro segment. That means we're finally done with this one episode "Over Here," one episode "Over There" nonsense. Plus, as promised, we got the resolution to the great Olivia switch storyline that's been running all season.

As a continuation of the overall story, 'Entrada' was a great chapter. As the culmination of a multi-episode struggle for Olivia to find her way home, while Fauxlivia exacts her mission in "our" world, it was a bit disappointing. Maybe they're saving all the fireworks for the aftermath next week.

It's not that it wasn't a satisfying episode in a lot of ways, because there were some great, genuine character moments. Walter even coined a new word I simply have to figure out how to work into a conversation. But, with all this build-up, I was expecting a nigh-epic explosion of confrontations on both sides of the veil between universes.

['Nikita' – 'Dark Matter']

'Nikita' has been in reruns for three weeks, and used tonight's return episode 'Dark Matter' not only to bring old viewers up to speed, but it also served as a pretty decent pilot for anyone tuning in for the first time. Indeed, nearly everything outside of Division itself served as an unofficial re-launch of the show's primary focus. Whereas early episodes featured Missions of the Week coupled with Alex's gradual infiltration of Division, the show has now given Nikita herself 1) a new overall mission, 2) a new partner, and 3) a new inside contact/potential romantic interest. Not a bad way to return from hiatus.

In fact, it's safe to say this was the strongest episode of the show to date. More happened in the first seven minutes than seemingly happened in the first seven episodes, giving the show a sense of urgency it didn't have in the early goings. Sure, the show almost always featured a great action set piece or two, but in terms of actually pushing the story forward in a feverish manner, it came up woefully short. Part of that has to do with the nature of a show like 'Nikita': it has an overall goal (Nikita brings down Division) but doesn't have an established end date. As with most shows with an open-ended run, it can occasionally tread water lest it burn too many narrative bridges along the way.

Narrowing down my yearly Top 10 list to only ten individual TV shows proved very difficult this year. There was just too much good TV, and thank goodness for that. None of the new shows that the broadcast networks debuted this fall made the cut, but no matter, there was still plenty of good drama and comedy to choose from.

So much, in fact, that I decided expand my list a bit. There are, as you can see below, ten entries in my Best of 2010 list, but a couple of entries mention multiple shows. I've got a new job and new editors, so why not try a new way of approaching the Top 10 list, right? All I can say is, it would have melted my brain and hurt my heart to leave any of the shows below off my list.

By the way, in the next week or so, I'll post a long list of runners up -- more than two dozen scripted shows that didn't quite make the cut here but which were nevertheless pleasing, compelling or noteworthy during the past year.

Without further ado, here's my list of the best television shows of 2010:

['Friday Night Lights' - 'Kingdom']

There's a lot of transition going on in this season of 'Friday Night Lights,' and this episode epitomized just how much. It's more than just new faces at East Dillon, more than the team coming together on the field and off, and more than the families reuniting or growing apart (depending on the situation) and more than the passage of the football season.

Last season, the ignominious start for the East Dillon Lions with the forfeit to South King High had been controversial. That game still haunted some, and no matter how Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) tried to keep the focus on today, the past remained a sore point.

With a lot of shows, you have to choose between plot and character.

'Terriers,' as the FX drama ably demonstrated in its well-crafted first-season finale on Wednesday, supplies ample servings both, and that's a rarity worth savoring. Plus the world 'Terriers' created in 13 episodes felt so real and complete that if I ever visit Ocean Beach, I expect to find Hank and Britt arguing over coffee and eggs in a rundown diner.

Of course I very much want the low-rated 'Terriers' to get a second season, but this isn't going to be one of those "Save 'Terriers'" pieces. This is simply going to be a celebration of the things this compelling, funky, smart show did well.

Get comfortable. We might be here awhile.

['Glee' - 'Special Education']

For all of you 'Glee' fans who have been longing for "classic 'Glee'," tonight's episode was likely one you enjoyed quite a bit.

Was it without flaws? No. But this was the closest the show has gotten to the feeling of the show everyone loved at this time a year ago, before Ryan Murphy read the show's press clippings and made 'Glee' into something different than a show about a group of high school misfits trying to be winners.

Most of the kids had stories, and the ones that didn't played big supporting roles (except Mercedes, for some reason). Yes, Kurt was still featured, but his story didn't overwhelm the rest. The musical numbers were well-placed and made sense in the context of the story. And for the first time this season, it felt that the group was actually pushing towards some sort of goal, even if they pushed together at the very last minute.

['The Event' - 'Everything Will Change']

When you title an episode 'Everything Will Change,' you're inviting a host of skepticism. When you're 'The Event,' you've already got plenty of skepticism aimed at you, so why not promise a game changer in the final episode before the show returns at the end of February? Very little substantially changed, although the show did manage to finally tie the Sean/Leila story more firmly into the rest of the show, along with perhaps showing us onscreen what the title of the show means.

Thomas's long-distance phone call to wherever "home" is for Sophia's Crew, did expand the show's scope in a fairly compelling manner. It wasn't quite first contact, insofar as "aliens"/alterna-humans are already here, but it did push the show from merely "extraterrestrials walk among us" into "extraterrestrials might be coming to put a hurt onto us." The former is unnerving, to be sure, but the latter is downright terrifying. That's not to say that the end results will play out that way, but at least the scenario is a possibility.

['Gossip Girl' - 'Gaslit']

Greetings, Gossips, welcome to a scandalous new week on the Upper East Side. I don't know about you, but I've been missing my weekly dose of crazy, and no show gives with both hands quite like 'Gossip Girl'.

'Tis the season for giving thanks and getting gifts, and Serena van der Woodsen's checkered past is the gift that just keeps on giving.

Not only were her previous sexploits enough to convince all of her nearest and dearest that she's a drug-addled nympho with suicidal tendencies (two outta three ain't bad?) but the true mastermind behind the scurrilous scheme managed to get away scot-free -- at least until Queen B. and Lonely Boy get their way. Hell hath no fury like a Waldorf scorned, and now that Little J. has gotten herself out of the firing line, Blair's gunning for Juliet.

['Chuck' – 'Chuck Versus the Leftovers']

For those of you who wish Thanksgiving would never end, 'Chuck' had just the recipe for you tonight. However, 'Chuck Versus the Leftovers' was, shall we say, undercooked. All the ingredients were there for a solid episode -- Mama Bartowski, Alexei Volkoff, Morgan Grimes as John McClane -- and yet, very little of it came together. Toss in the emphasis of the season's most annoying story line, and you had an episode that left a slightly bitter taste in one's mouth.

Volkoff -- upset that Chuck survived the blast in Stephen Barktowski's basement -- ordered Mary to send a trio of hit men (The Three Assassamigos?) in order to finish the job. Even though Chuck's only fighting lessons consist of the same ones that Carmen Electra no doubt teaches, Sarah and Mary manage to save his hide once again. If it's a Mary episode of 'Chuck,' then it's probably an episode in which Chuck behaves childishly, and therefore annoyingly, until the bitter end of the hour. And tonight followed that pattern slavishly.

In the best tradition of our favorite holiday films, the newest effort from Hallmark Hall of Fame, 'November Christmas' (Sunday, 9PM ET on CBS) knows how to pull our heartstrings and remind us of the true meaning of the holiday season. It's about family, community, togetherness and most of all love.

In the movie, a little girl is deathly ill, and her family begins to fear she may not make it to the Christmas season. Her story touches first the life of a nearby farmer, Jess Sanford (played by Sam Elliott), and ultimately their entire community. So much so that after a particularly worrisome trip to the hospital a full month before the holidays, everyone comes together to ensure Vanessa (Emily Alyn Lind) can have her Christmas.

Jess goes to visit her in the hospital, where she worries about missing Christmas at home. "I don't like it here," she says. "I don't want to be here for Christmas."