What's Been and What's Ben

This is good television

• Drama: House (FOX), Lie to Me (FOX), Mad Men (AMC), LOST (ABC)
• Comedy: The Office (NBC), 30 Rock (NBC), It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO), Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
• News: The Daily Show (Comedy Central), The Colbert Report (Comedy Central), Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO), Fareed Zakaria GPS (CNN), Charlie Rose (PBS)

I fully agree with Conan O’Brien that we are in a golden age of great television. Being an aficionado on television from the 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s thanks to growing up on TV land and nick at night I can tell you that this is the best time for television in a long time. Most good shows are from four to five years ago, but new stuff like Mad Men and Lie to Me are giving the future more and more hope. I credit the end of the laugh track and a move towards realism as being a large part of this.

As for music, I have recently been entertained by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, Phoenix, The Left Banke, and Girl Talk.