THE BEST

"Mad Men" (AMC)

If you don't know by now that "Mad Men" is the best show on television, well, you're just not paying attention. The third season faced the pressure of living up to the hype of back-to-back wins as the only basic cable series to capture the Emmy for Outstanding Drama; instead of jumping the shark, "Mad Men" ate it whole. From Don and Betty's increasingly fragile marriage, to Sal revealing his true self, to Peggy Olson's desire to smoke some marijuana, Matthew Weiner's masterpiece is as atmospheric, poisonous and beautiful as the ubiquitous clouds of smoke that envelop his chain-smoking characters. It left us with plenty of questions, including the most important one: When does Season 4 begin? -- Larry Carroll