reality-free

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.

['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.

['The Office' - 'China']

Ever finish watching an episode of one of your favorite shows and just shrug your shoulders and say "eh"? That's how I felt this week. It wasn't really objectionable, and there were some good moments, but there really wasn't much that would make me look back and think that this episode was special or memorable in any way.

This is actually an improvement on what I was thinking of the episode in its first few minutes. Knowing that the promos NBC had been airing all week looked like it pretty much laid out the weekly non sequitur cold open scene for scene, I wasn't holding out much hope for the episode. If NBC wasn't talking about it, then it had to be a bad sign. Then Michael comes into the office, spewing on and on about how he's just learned that China is an economic powerhouse that must be stopped, and I was ready for an eye-roller on the scale of last year's 'Mafia' debacle.

Then the focus turned, and the episode got better, rising in stature from "ecch" to "eh." It doesn't sound like much, but in that context, it's quite an achievement.

['30 Rock' - 'Chain Reaction of Mental Anguish']

"You gave his life meaning. His sacrifice made you what you are today, which is ... the lowest level employee at the last place network in America!" - Jack, to Kenneth, about eating his pet pig

This was one of those '30 Rock' episodes that seemed to take place in a surreal dream world. A lot of episodes have a bizarre plot element -- usually involving Tracy in some bizarre scheme or Kenneth being, well, Kenneth -- but this was filled to the brim with craziness and flashbacks and bad childhood memories and characters breaking down and crying or freaking out.

Actually, it was too weird.

['Community' - "Mixology Certification']

Age-based milestones are basically arbitrary. There are probably some people out there who are significantly more mature at 21 than they were at 22, but for most of us, the Drinking Age is important -- more because society says it important, and not because of any personal growth. Troy turned 21 in tonight's 'Community,' and he learned that being a grown-up really has nothing to do with numbers. He also learned that drinking isn't nearly as fun as it looks in the beer commercials.

'Mixology Certification' is the most traditional 'Community' has been in ages. There's no running meta commentary, no self-aware winks to the audience; Abed, the show's traditional fourth-wall breaker, spent the entire episode talking about 'Farscape.'

The movie parodies and fantastical comic set pieces (like the blanket-fort from last week) serve the series well, but an episode like this one, which stuck entirely on low-key character interaction and development, is just as important as the crazier bits. By focusing on the ensemble and letting the drama develop organically, 'Mixology' demonstrated how well-defined its characters have become, and it got pathos and humor without ever breaking a sweat.

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:

['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."

['NCIS' - 'Enemies Domestic']

Without a doubt, this was one of the best episodes of the season for 'NCIS.' It was the second half of a two-parter, but with the clever use of flashbacks to fill out the backstory that led to the attack on Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) and Eli David (Michael Nouri), 'Enemies Domestic' easily surpassed its predecessor, 'Enemies Foreign.'

It's kind of a shame that 'NCIS' doesn't receive any love from the folks that dole out the Emmys, because this show would definitely qualify. The writing, direction and acting was superb.

After last week's explosive conclusion, it seemed likely that someone's life would be hanging in the balance. That someone was Leon. If you had any question about Gibbs' loyalty to the Director, this show dispelled it.

Jethro might cross swords with Leon on occasion, as he did with Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly); however, when Vance told Gibbs that he was in charge, he was trusting Jethro with his life. There were other moments between the two men that revealed a strong bond.

['Sons of Anarchy' - 'June Wedding']

Often I begin these recaps with an appropriate quote from that week's episode.

But this week, there wasn't a sentence as memorable as one look from a key character.

It was really a half-second glance. Three-quarters of the way through the episode, when Jax Teller took Tara to his mother's house, and Tara took Abel in her arms, Jax finally allowed himself a half smile. It was one of those blink-and-you'll-miss it moments -- it was not a moment that called attention to itself, yet it commanded my attention anyway.

['House' - 'Small Sacrifices']

Religion always makes a great foil for 'House.' Notice that I put House in quotation marks, referring to the show and not just Hugh Laurie's character.

Of course, it can fall into the inevitable tiger trap of House using his medical prowess to prove to some pious dolt that religion is just a big scam designed to do whatever scam it really is (i.e. financial, ethnic cleansing, sucking money out of poor people to build giant gold buildings).

This week's episode did go for the giant flank steak dangling over the covered hole in the ground, but it wasn't totally unsatisfying to know that the dumb ol' lug would fall in it.

['Chuck' – 'Chuck Versus The Third Phase']

Most of the fourth season of 'Chuck' has struggled with how to make the titular hero and Sarah Walker a viable couple while simultaneously being spies. After three seasons of "will they/won't they," the show seemed unable to simply let them be a happy couple, working through small but manageable problems while kicking butt on the international stage. But in 'Chuck Versus The Third Phase,' what has been a problem has turned into a strength, as Sarah's frantic search for Chuck became less about the spy world and much more about the emotional one. As such, it packed as strong a punch as Sarah herself.

Ever since the absorption of The Intersect 2.0, both Chuck and 'Chuck' have struggled with how best to incorporate this upgrade into his existing self. Introducing Shaw into the mix last season to help him control the newly implanted Intersect ensured 1) that Chuck didn't turn into a one-man army overnight, and 2) gave the show an arbitrary way to keep everyone's favorite couple apart. As the spy element of the show took over the stronger, more emotional material, fans got antsy, characters lost focus, and 'Chuck' as a whole suffered.

['The Event' – 'Your World to Take']

As you may have heard, NBC has scheduled a roughly three-month hiatus for 'The Event' after next week's Fall finale. Such a plan didn't exactly work out for shows like 'Flash Forward' or 'V' last year, although 'V' did manage to stay alive for another season. Will 'The Event' suffer the fate of the former, or get a stay of execution like the latter? It's hard to say right now, but then again, it's hard to say anything about the show as this point. While its characters seem to have a vague sense of what they want, the audience was probably left largely scratching its collective head after tonight's episode, 'Your World to Take.'

The initial run of this show has been hobbled by its title: at first, 'The Event' seemed to refer to the disappearance of a plane over Miami. Then, it seemed to refer to the crash landing of a plane full of MaybeAliens. Now, it involves something to do with little girls that are eight going on 80. Add in some White House incompetence, a bland love interest, and lots of things that go BOOM, and you've certainly got no lack of things going on. But what those events lack is anything resembling coherence and/or importance.