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I admit it. Despite the ridiculous plots, farcical morality, and horribly hackneyed characters (nerdy scientist, stupid actor, ditzy blond), I've always got a giant grin on my face by 7:29. I can think of a dozen reasons why the show shouldn't be funny. But it is.

In the year and a half since Rodney Clapp called "The X-Files" television's sharpest and most consistently rewarding exploration of epistemology" in the pages of (CT sister publication) Books & Culture [May/June 1997 issue, page 11, print only], the show has only gotten more epistemological. Between Mulder's and Scully's wavering between wanting to believe, not believing, and believing with all his might in alien conspiracy (and Scully's doing much the same thing with her religious faith), the show could be terribly tiresome by now. Instead, it's more exciting and better written than ever.

There's a lot of reruns of PBS's documentary series. But there's a lot that's worth rerunning. Between the haunting "The Execution," the enlightening "The Terrorist and the Superpower," and the jaw-dropping "The Lost Children of Rockdale County" (which could have been as lascivious as a Jerry Springer show but was instead truly informative), "Frontline" is evidence that the television can be more than entertainment. Though networks crowd their schedules with "investigative journalism" shows like "Dateline NBC" and "20/20," this is the only one worth watching week after week.

Like "Ally McBeal" (this show has been "Ally Goes to College" since its pilot), I can only stomach "Felicity" for about a year. The pure self-absorbed everything-is-about-me-and-every-issue-is-life-or-death attitude is truly exciting for a while. I was totally sucked in during the 1998-99 season. Then the summer came. And like a bad habit that's been kicked, Felicity's antics (and those of the other characters on the show) seemed disturbing and sick when the new season started. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

It's far too hard to choose the worst show. I have cable. There's entirely too much to choose from. "The Knife Collector's Show?" "The Blame Game?" "Family Guy?" There comes a limit at which unwatchable is simply unwatchable—and literally hundreds of current TV shows fit that description.

Most disappointing, however, was "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." It had amazing actors (including two from "Oz" and Richard Belzer from "Homicide") and a great pedigree. "Law & Order" is one of the most consistently satisfying hours on television. So why does this spinoff feel less authentic than, say, "Ryan Caufield: Year One?"

Ted Olsen is Online Editor of Christianity Today.

For a second opinion, read today's other article on the top television shows of 1999, by Ted Olsen

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

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January (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44