Mary McNamara: Best of 2009 list

The best things on TV this year, in no particular order.

David Letterman’s dalliance. Whether you think he’s an average erring human or a power-wielding lech, Letterman’s dignified delivery of the news that he was being blackmailed for an affair he had with an employee created a welcome new standard for coping with such things. Tiger Woods needs to watch more TV.

FOR THE RECORD:
Sullenberger flight: An item in television critic Mary McNamara’s Best of 2009 list last Sunday referred to the airplane that went down in the Hudson River in January as United Airlines Flight 1549. It was a US Airways flight. Also, the nickname of the pilot, Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger, is “Sully,” not “Sulley.” —

“Glee.” After a mind-blowing early premiere, the Fox show achieved the impossible. With relatively few missteps, creator Ryan Murphy and his writers and cast gave us a solid season of genre-bending television and a whole new reason to love both Journey and Beyoncé.

President Obama goes late night. The first president since Reagan to understand the power and intimacy of the genre, President Obama uses television, and the Internet, in ways that will redefine the democratic process.

“Dexter.” With John Lithgow as an equally layered serial killer, Michael C. Hall’s murderous Robin Hood finally has had to come to grips with the possibilities and limitations of his life, and by extension, the show’s controversial conceit. A brave and brilliant season on Showtime.

Capt. Sulley versus Octomom. Roads diverged in a golden wood when the clear-thinking that saved United Airlines Flight 1549 met up with the media muddle over Nadya Suleman’s decision to bear eight children. Do we as a nation prefer to celebrate or wallow? Hard to tell.

FOR THE RECORD: This story misstates that the airplane that went down in the Hudson River in January was United Airlines Flight 1549. It was a US Airways flight. Also, the nickname of the pilot, Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger, is “Sully,” not “Sulley.”

Jon and Kate. The break up of TLC’s model family proved so many things we have already known. Like parenting is hard enough without trash-talking your spouse and free plastic surgery always comes with a price. Oh, and don’t put your family on television.

” Big Love.” The HBO drama continues to be one of the best written and best acted shows on television and one of these days the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will come to its senses and recognize that.

The seduction of America by Don Draper. ” Mad Men’s” heartthrob is not a nice guy. He cheats on his wife, his mistress, his boss, his brother and the American public (he’s an ad man for heaven’s sake). But we love him, which is troubling.

LeBron James’ last-minute three-pointer. At the end of the second game of NBA play-offs, with one second left on the clock, James swished it from the top of the key. The Cleveland Cavaliers beat Orlando’s Magic by one point and proved once and for all that it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

Mackenzie Phillips on Oprah. A former TV star confesses that she had a sexual affair with her former pop music star father. A few months later, the talk show star who facilitated the confession announces she’s ending her show. Coincidence? Or just the recognition that there’s really no place to go from here.

mary.mcnamara@latimes .com