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Stewart has also made news outside of his program; in late 2004, he had an infamous guest appearance on CNN's "Crossfire", where he took that show's hosts, Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson, to task for the shouting matches that they pretended were worthy of real news. Though it wasn't the only factor, Stewart's appearance was credited by a CNN exec as one of the reasons that "Crossfire" was soon canceled. This past spring, Stewart went on the attack against CNBC and Jim Cramer, for their coddling of Wall Street execs before, during, and after the current recession. Sometimes, Stewart's in the news for his comedy; during the WGA strike of early 2008, Stewart, Colbert, and Conan O'Brien completed a three-part, three-show joke that culminated in the three of them fighting in O'Brien's studio about who "made" Mike Huckabee popular. "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" may not jibe with your political viewpoints, but Stewart and company are among the sharpest and wittiest satirists of the era.

7. Mad Men

How well can an era that's passed us by be related to modern times? Somehow, it's done on a weekly basis on the AMC drama "Mad Men", which takes place during the 1960s in New York City on Madison Avenue, among the advertising giants of the age. Set mostly at a fake advertising agency known as Sterling Cooper, "Mad Men" is an ensemble program about how the various employees of Sterling Cooper, their spouses, families, and friends become accustomed to the changes coming down the pike during the turbulent 1960s, from the Cuban Missile Crisis to Vietnam and John F. Kennedy being elected president and eventually being assassinated. The dominant character is Don Draper (portrayed masterfully and honestly by Jon Hamm), a slick ad man with a secret past, a wife and kids, and a mistress or two on the side. Over the series' three seasons (the third just ended, and the fourth has been green-lit for production), Don and his co-workers try to bag some major clients while dealing with personal issues.

The third season had some detractors, but there were, as usual, some memorable moments; perhaps the most memorable came in "Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency", in which the new British owners of Sterling Cooper introduce their new whiz-kid to the New York branch with shocking results. For those of you who've still not caught up on the show, it'd be cruel of me to ruin the episode's twist, or the sheer joy of the third-season finale, or even of Don's tortured past. "Mad Men", unlike some of the shows on this list, can be somewhat cold with its characters and stories; a few of the programs here are worth watching simply for the highs they reach. "Mad Men" isn't one of those shows, managing to be perfectly realistic at all times, which means it can be crushingly depressing. However, as downbeat as it could be, the show is a fascinating glimpse at a time gone by, the end of idealism in all its forms.

6. The Office (US and UK)

Unfortunately, this list isn't big enough to fit in two entries for "The Office", one for the original British version and one for the popular NBC remake; one entry for both will have to suffice. Considering how easily you can find the American version of the show online and on TV in syndication, I'm going to assume that most of you, if not all of you, are pretty familiar with this show's plot; if not, the quick refresher is that both shows take place in a paper company in a not-so-great town (in the British version, the city is Slough; in the American version, it's Scranton, Pennsylvania). Both shows have, as the star, a hopelessly idiotic manager who is the butt of many jokes and the source of much ridicule. The difference, and the reason why the NBC version has made it to a sixth season, is that the American boss, Michael Scott, is played so winningly and empathetically by Steve Carell, that it's OK that he can be a moron.

Another major reason for the American show's success is the romance between Jim and Pam, a paper salesman and the office receptionist. For the first three seasons, these two were unable to get together, but they've already gotten married and are expecting their first kid. Even so, the American "Office" has been just as funny as ever. The original program, created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, was more dour and painful. As David Brent, the Slough manager, Gervais was more greedy, selfish, and pathetic. Gervais is a strong enough actor that his tearful breakdowns evoked sympathy, but Brent always remained a loser of the highest esteem. That show only had 12 episodes and one special, but the most iconic moment has to be when Brent breaks into a solo dance sans music. Just go to YouTube and search for it; if you're not cringing and laughing by the end of the clip, I'm not sure there's anything we can do for you. "The Office" in British and American forms, is a modern classic.

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