Thanksgiving is meant to be a time when we all take a moment to appreciate good friends, supportive families, fulfilling relationships — and that's all wonderful. But given the solemn nature of the day, you probably won't get to hear about how much Uncle Joe cannot stop watching So You Think You Can Dance, and we here at Hooksexup think that's a shame. After all, how many of us have been comforted after a hard day by Mean Girls? Or felt a deep, meaningful connection with Dr. Gregory House? In an effort not to take such joys for granted, we asked members of the Hooksexup family to tell us: what piece of pop culture were you most thankful for this past year?

Peter Smith, Editor
Among the many things I'm thankful for this year is the decision by the producers of Top Chef to once again inject some talent into the proceedings. Last season's lineup of chumps — which produced Hosea, surely the chumpiest Top Chef in the show's history — must've produced enough backlash for them to spring into action. This season — ending on December 9 — features four of the strongest contestants ever. They've all been fun to watch, particularly Kevin and Jennifer, both among the rare reality-TV competitors skilled enough that they can afford to treat their peers with instinctive decency. For all of Top Chef's gimmicks, inflated drama, and flagrant product placement, watching talented people cooking cool stuff can be very life-affirming. Thanks, Bravo!

Nicole Ankowski, Editor
Kristin Wiig has been consistently the best — and perhaps only? — good thing about Saturday Night Live this season (barring a few committed hosts, moments of Samberg hilarity, and literal fuck-ups). But 2009 has been a banner year for Wiig — she was nominated for an Emmy, she won our hearts and proved she could do more than straight comedy with her leading role in Drew Barrymore's Whip It!, and she was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Funniest Women in Hollywood. Despite the success of her former SNL coworkers Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, men still dominate the world of comedy, and that's exactly why it’s so great to see another smart and hilarious woman rise to the top. (That she’s also gorgeous is beside the point.) Wiig is a reminder that we lady-folk can be comedically awesome, and that we shouldn’t be afraid to make faces, act ridiculous, or wear teeny-tiny prosthetic hands.

James Brady Ryan, Editor
I've written about Glee in these virtual pages before, but I'd only seen the pilot episode. Oh, if only I knew what was to come. Glee's gotten both a lot of praise and a good deal of criticism — token characters, too-slick production — and while I find my suspension of disbelief strained at times (the fake pregnancy plot needs to be cleared up, like, yesterday), I can honestly say that from the cold open to the closing credits, I don't stop smiling. The unrelenting force of Jane Lynch's comedic chops, the unbelievably powerful voices of Amber Riley and Lea Michelle, the drop-dead hotness of Mark Sailing as bad-boy Puck; I couldn't tell you which gives me more joy, but no matter which one comes out on top, the competition is stiff. It's a pop high-school fairy tale, with all the melodrama and hidden darkness that implies, topped off with a generous portion of Journey and Beyonce covers, and I couldn't ask for anything more.

Erin Bradley, Advice Columnist
Chelsea Handler. Lord, how I love me this Jewish/Mormon hybrid from dirty Jersey. She’s like everyone’s mouthy best friend from high school, sitting in the back of the classroom and harassing the teacher. Not only does she kick ass with the stand-out Chelsea Lately, she’s also busting holes in the good ol' white boys' club of late night and providing a platform for female writers and up-and-coming comedians. Yes, she has a little person of color on her show, Chuy Bravo, whose role can be a bit troubling. Then again, Letterman had Mujibur and Sirajul and Jimmy Kimmel had the Juggies — comedy is ruthless, and the treatment of sidekicks is seldom genteel. Handler is a masterful interviewer and never shies away from asking hardball questions. If only Sarah Palin could have been subjected to the same treatment Handler gave T.I. Ms. Handler, I want the world for you. Here’s hoping one of the big-three network execs wakes up and gives you the primo spot and A-list guests that a woman as funny as you deserves.