Top 10 TV moments of the year

"Lost" sailed into the sunset. Jack Bauer stopped running. Conan O'Brien ditched "The Tonight Show." And yet, miraculously, TV survived. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to believe it's never been healthier. "Carlos," "Dexter," "Mad Men," "Treme," "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Walking Dead" all gave me good reason to restrain from chucking my TV out the window. And then there's my top 10:

10. "Real Time With Bill Maher": He may be TV's most unlikable late-night host, but Maher isn't interested in charming guests and viewers. He's at his best pushing buttons and boundaries, which makes his program the most thought-provoking hour of comedy on the air.

9. Kristen Wiig: If she's sick over the weekend, they might as well shut down "Saturday Night Live." She's Eddie Murphy and the rest of the cast is Joe Piscopo.

8. "Temple Grandin": Claire Danes emerged out of her so-called slump with an Emmy-winning turn as the autistic, ambitious doctor who revolutionized the livestock industry. Julia Ormond and David Straithairn were also honored for their work in the year's finest TV movie.

7. The Jimmy Kimmel/Jay Leno feud: Did I say feud? More like a massacre. Kimmel's hourlong impression of Leno delivered a mighty blow to the veteran's chin, followed by a knockout punch days later when Leno invited him on his short-lived prime-time show and let the challenger dismantle him. Kimmel may not be late-night's heavyweight, but he delivered the year's most memorable one-two combination.

6. "Boardwalk Empire": Fans of "The Sopranos" have the best reason yet to renew their subscription to HBO. "Sopranos" vet Terence Winter and Martin Scorsese have created a Prohibition-era world that's as gripping as Steve Buscemi's performance as a gangster teetering between good and evil. I'll drink to that.

5. "Modern Family": While "Glee" went into a sophomore slump (Sue Sylvester marries herself? Really?), the other comedy sensation of 2009 grew even stronger thanks to a finely tuned cast and story lines that were heartwarming without being hokey.

4. Jason Katims: As the showrunner for both "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood," Katims proved that great dramatic television doesn't have to be slick and edgy. "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner may win all the awards, but Katims wins your heart.

3. "Sondheim! The Birthday Concert": In a year of great musical moments, including Bruce Springsteen's performance of "Because the Night" on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" and Paul McCartney's version of "A Day in the Life" on "SNL," nothing topped the spectacle of Broadway's greatest divas, including Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald and Elaine Stritch, each taking their turn at a Sondheim classic. If the Vikings had displayed this lineup's power, we'd be heading to the Super Bowl.

2. "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret": IFC's little-seen sitcom about a low-level salesman who winds up selling power drinks in England was probably not on your radar. Too bad. David Cross and company created the kind of comedy that makes you squirm and scream with laughter.

1. "The Big C": Laura Linney is giving Meryl Streep a run for her money as the planet's greatest actress, thanks in large part to her role as a Twin Cities teacher who discovers she has cancer. Despite the downbeat premise, no series gave me so much reason to celebrate life -- and TV.

njustin@startribune.com • 612-673-7431 • Follow Justin on Twitter: @nealjustin