Why do critics write year-end lists? It's a holiday tradition. Kind of like stale fruitcake.

Make of that what you will.

Actually, critics hope to remind readers of some of the very best things that were part of the entertainment year, and to encourage show-biz professionals to aspire to the best.

And we really do hope for the best, even as we expect the worst.

A nice surprise is so much better than ... well ... a stale fruitcake.

In the interest of disclosure, however, we'll also confess that it's an easy column.

So here are our takes on the year's most encouraging artistic endeavors and, in some cases, the worst.