Like any year in television, 2005 wasn’t all that, but certainly no worse than 2004 or (I dare guess) 2006.

The best moment in television this year was Kanye West’s absurd “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” ad lib. Telethons are awfully boring affairs, but West managed to breathe some life into a genre that’s beyond stale. Perhaps somebody can do the same for awards shows next year?

The second best moment was provided by another African-American, The Apprentice contestant Randal who stunned the audience by nixing Donald Trump’s lame and ham-handed attempt at creating a feelgood Everybody Wins moment at the end of The Apprentice 4’s final episode. After being the good teamplayer and solid leader for weeks, Randal decided enough was enough and hogged the winner’s crown for himself. As he should have.

I’m not sure what would be television’s worst moment in 2005, but I’m sure it had something to do with My Name Is Earl, The Office, or the news coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

As we have come to expect, HBO delivered the best scripted drama, this time in the form of Rome, an outstanding piece of work (no wonder Tony Soprano had such mommy issues, his ancestors did, too, apparently).

Chris Rock’s Everybody Hates Chris was the year’s funniest new show, but its formula ran out of steam before the end of the season. I gave How I met Your Mom more chances than it deserved and it blew every one of them. I really don’t care if Colbert doesn’t issue another Report.

MTV coupled the basic lure of The Real World with the excess lifestyle of vanity shows like The Anna Nicole Smith Show and The Osbournes in Laguna Beach, the talky reality show set in super-affluent Laguna Beach in California. It was almost like Beverly Hills 90210 but with better views and none of “issues” (date rape! gun ownership! homophobia!) that plauged the network show.

All in all, not that bad, I suppose.