1. The performance of "Don't Stop Believing" at the end of the "Glee" pilot. Sure, it was a moving plot point -- one of the year's highlights -- but the Journey anthem also summed up exactly why this show's success was such an important milestone in 2009 TV.
Most industry insiders, including some inside Fox, were pretty convinced that right around now, Internet-based fan groups and TV critics would be teaming up in a last-ditch attempt to save Ryan Murphy's crazysexyfunnycool musical dramedy. After all, the show doesn't fit into any one category, it had no stars and, at first blush, it seemed to be all about ... losers.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Save Our Shows-ville. Thanks in part to one of the decade's best TV marketing launch campaigns, "Glee" has been a solid Nielsen player since its premiere -- and is nothing less than a smash hit when other metrics are applied, such as album sales and online buzz.
In an age when a 3 demo rating is now considered success, "Glee" proves that a show doesn't have to be a straight-down-the-middle play in order to work. And that's something worth singing about.
2. The Michael Jackson Memorial. It could've been a train wreck, a maudlin display of celebrity egos. Instead, producer Ken Ehrlich, as he's done so many times in his career, managed to organize an event that was understated and moving. The highlight, of course, couldn't be scripted: When Paris Jackson spoke about her father, it was hard not to get choked up. Suddenly, the Icon, the Artist, the King of Pop was simply ... Dad.
4. The comedy comeback. ABC's gutsy decision to schedule four brand new half-hour sitcoms on Wednesday nights this fall seemed foolhardy -- until it actually worked. Three of the quartet -- "Modern Family," "Cougar Town" and "The Middle" -- all got picked up for full seasons, were greeted with good-to-excellent reviews and seem very likely to be back next fall (assuming "American Idol" doesn't crush them next month).
