In your response to Mike in ...

Question: In your response to Mike in your Aug. 29 column, in which you discussed your list of "essential" shows and "must-catch-up-with-instantly" list, I was surprised and a little disappointed to see that Battlestar Galactica wasn't mentioned anywhere in your response. It is one of only three shows on my personal "can't miss" list (the others being Lost and 24). And if I had to pick my favorite show on television right now, it would be Battlestar Galactica. But even if you disagree with me you have to admit that it is the best science-fiction show on TV in years, and very possibly the best ever. Did you just forget to mention it, or is it really not on your list?
Answer: That's the problem with making lists; you're bound to leave something out. But to be fair, after making that list, the following Friday I made another list of summer "essentials," and Battlestar Galactica was right there. Because shows like this drop off the schedule for so much of the regular season, I don't automatically put them on my calendar. But I intend on making this a fixture on my year-end Top 10 list. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of the new Galactica, and only Farscape rivals it among recent sci-fi shows (though I'm hopeful for some of the fall newbies on the networks).