Television Power Rankings

One of the interesting things that the major sports websites do these days is to post weekly "power rankings" for the major professional sports leagues--sort of a simulation of college sports' top 25 polls, with greater weight given to teams who are enjoying recent hot streaks. These rankings hold no official meaning, as pro leagues still decide their playoff seeding purely based on wins and losses, but they're a fun way to compare teams' performance at the present moment. (See the current ESPN.com NBA Power Rankings.)

I'd love to see the same concept applied to ranking TV shows, based on their rising or declining quality. While I certainly have a high enough geek level to do it, I don't watch enough different shows or have enough time to routinely maintain such a list. Even so, here's my shot at what this week's TV Power Rankings would look like:

1. 24
   --Bringing Tony back into the lineup further solidifies what looks to be a banner year.
2. Lost
   --Still generating X-Files level speculation as to "What the heck is going on???"
3. Arrested Development
   --It's always fun to finally get a joke you heard four episodes ago.
4. The Simpsons
   --Superbowl episode shows that it's still a contender, if no longer a dynasty.
5. Alias
   --Sellout for ratings continues. Give us Rambaldi and the Covenant!