Another year has come and gone, and with it over 17,500 30-minute TV time slots … per channel. These are the spots that were filled by some of the best shows ever. So grab your potato chips and a Coke, as we look back on 2003 through the small screen.

Program your TiVo
(Best Shows):
1. “Newly Weds” (MTV)
2. “Simple Life” (FOX)
3. “The Simpsons” (FOX)
4. “Friends” (NBC)
5. “South Park” (Comedy Central)

It is clear that not much changed in 2003 as far as good programming goes. The one notable addition tops our “Best in Show” category: “Newly Weds” on MTV. This voyeuristic comedy gives even the blondest girls hope that they too can live in a multi-million dollar mansion, have a successful career and be tremendously famous — all without knowing whether tuna is a fish or chicken.

LOL!(Best Comedies):
1. “Simple Life” (FOX)
2. “South Park” (Comedy Central)
3. “The Simpsons” (FOX)
4. “Rich Girls” (MTV)
5. “Newly Weds” (MTV)

How many times can you see a “princess” sticking her hand up the rear end of a cow? Well, thanks to the fine people at FOX, it is at least once. “Simple Life” should go down in history as the show that showed us that just because they don’t know what Wal-Mart is (Paris Hilton), they can still put in an “honest” days’ work. Of course, “The Simpsons” is a great comedy that keeps on going, as is “South Park”. “Rich Girls” shows us that being spoiled is not always a good thing, and that not all parents with fabulous wealth will buy their daughter the needed plastic surgery.

On the edge of your couch(Best Dramas):
1. “24” (FOX)
2. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (CBS)
3. “The O.C.” (FOX)
4. “The Sopranos” (HBO)
5. “Without a Trace” (CBS)

I am not one to sit down and watch a so-called drama, but I do make a point of catching “24” on FOX. This show is impeccably written and provides a fresh approach to TV. “CSI” is always a good way to kill an hour. If killing is what you are looking for, “The Sopranos” is one of the best.