The best TV shows of 2009

Think of this as the "So You Think You Can Dance" of year-end TV stories.

That show doesn't pretend that its winner is America's best dancer, it proclaims him/her as "America's favorite dancer."

And I'm not pretending this top 20 list is America's "best" TV shows, it's the "favorite" TV shows. My favorites. Because it's my list.

These are the shows that I look forward to watching; shows I record; shows I watch with my family and friends; shows we talk about afterward. Shows that make me laugh and, sometimes, make me cry.

(Don't tell anybody.)

Shows that I, personally, find entertaining. Shows that I would watch even if I didn't watch TV for a living.

And this year, the show I had the most fun watching was "Glee."

And here's my annual disclaimer: I hate year-end TV lists. Because there are too many good shows to narrow it down; I think it's kind of stupid to compare wildly different shows; the end of the year is the middle of the TV season; I agonize over what's No. 8 and what's No. 9.

And I'm always afraid I'll forget something. Which I always do.

But here we go:

1. "Glee": Oh. My. Gosh. I love this show. I'm obsessed with this show. Oh, there are lots of things a TV critic could nitpick about it — "Glee" certainly has its flaws. But it's fun to watch. It's hilarious. It's heartfelt. It's incredibly entertaining. And entertaining is what television should be all about.

2. "The Big Bang Theory": Last year's No. 1 just barely slips to No. 2 on my list this year, but the show hasn't slipped at all. It's hilarious. And it just keeps getting better.

3. "Battlestar Galactica": One of the best sci-fi series of all time is also one of the best dramas. Its five-year, 83-hour run ended with a finale that ranks among the best of any show ever — exciting, unexpected and satisfying.

4. "Modern Family": This show proves that TV is all about execution. There have been a lot of comedies about families and a lot that use the faux-documentary style. But "Modern Family" is consistently, astonishingly funny. And, at the same time, the characters and situations ring true.