There are way too many awful shows on TV to even keep track of. But here are a few that stood out during 2012:

1. “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” (TLC) — An exploitive, offensive collection of redneck cliches. The lunkhead executives at TLC are clearly drunk on their own go-go-juice.

2. “Animal Practice” (NBC) — Someone thought that putting a monkey in a sitcom would get a lot of laughs. It didn’t.

3. “H8R” (The CW) — Host Mario Lopez offers a forum to poor, misunderstood celebrities. No, Mario, leave us alone and let us hate in peace.

4. “The Mob Doctor” (Fox) — There aren’t enough painkillers in the world to make us sit though this insipid medical series.

5.

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Since Nicole Zuraitis, a once-promising Connecticut high school soccer star, suffered a hip flexor injury on the playing fields of France, the now savvy, gorgeous-voiced, 27-year-old jazz singer/songwriter has been flexing her vocal hipness instead.

With fluid style, grace and agility, the former teen jock, who grew up in Litchfield, has been building a solid fan base in premier nightspots in Manhattan.

She has chalked up many musical goals, including the release of her fine new album, “Pariah Anthem,” a winning exhibition of her performance and songwriting skills.

The vocalist/pianist returns to Connecticut to perform with her trio Sunday at the “Jazz Brunch@The Wadsworth Atheneum” in the café at the downtown Hartford art museum.

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HOSTING a great dinner party is a fine art.

And when things go wrong in the kitchen, the last thing you want is a camera following your every move.

But four celebrities are putting their “host with the most” reputations on the line for a good cause in a special edition of Come Dine With Me Australia.

Funny man Josh Thomas, model and footy WAG Chloe Maxwell, PR guru and media commentator Prue MacSween and model and former footballer Kris Smith will all vie to win the prestigious top host of the week, as voted by each other and $2000 in prizemoney for their chosen charity.

MacSween shares her culinary secrets with The Guide.

Q: If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would you have changed about your Come Dine With Me dinner party?

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After much debate, my wife and I finally switched our triple-play provider from Comcast to AT&T. And I’m happy we made the jump.

We’re saving money and we didn’t feel valued by Comcast.

As I mentioned in a column back in September, I started exploring our triple-play options because the discounted rate I negotiated with Comcast two years earlier was set to expire and our bill was about to go up significantly for our bundle of phone, Internet and pay TV services. We weren’t sure then that we wanted to leave Comcast, but we also didn’t want to pay through the nose for our triple-play package.

Instead of deciding right away, I dithered — and paid the price.

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DON’T MISS: “Night of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together for Autism Programs” — Comedian Jon Stewart hosts this benefit at New York’s Beacon Theatre. The special has a serious goal, but a comically offbeat approach — bringing together people you thought you’d never see on the same stage. Carly Rae Jepson, for example, sings “Call Me Maybe” with Harvey Keitel, and Bill O’Reilly debates Chris Matthews while inhaling helium. Among the stars appearing: Tom Hanks, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Katy Perry. 8 p.m. Sunday, Comedy Central.

OTHER BETS:

SUNDAY: The “ER” reunion continues on “The Good Wife,” as Maura Tierney returns in her guest role opposite series star Julianna Margulies.

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This weekend, when Joss Stone plays New Haven’s Shubert Theater, it will be just a small step in her big dreams.

“I would like to play a gig in every country in the world,” she said matter-of-factly in a recent interview. “That’s my mission. That will be my next tour. Yep, it’ll be fun. I’m excited about that.”

The idea could seem rather far-fetched, but so do other aspects of Stone’s life. She has several multi-platinum records, an acting career and a record label.

It’s just that Stone, who is barely old enough to rent a car, brings it all up with the same nonchalance others in their mid-20s use to talk about ordering tacos.

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New Zealand isn’t happy about Member for Dawson George Christensen’s campaign to have a Doctor Who episode filmed in the Whitsundays.

WHILE residents and businesses have shown their support for a bid to have Doctor Who filmed in our region, a bitter battle has broken out.

Member for Dawson George Christensen yesterday launched the bid to invite the makers of the series to film an episode in the Whitsundays.

But New Zealand wants the British TV show to film an episode in their country instead of ours.

“It appears our friends across the ditch fancy themselves as potential hosts for the Doctor too,” Mr Christensen said.

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In the beginning,, there was Lucille Ball. She defined TV comedy six decades ago.

Then came another towering figure, who arrived in 1974 with “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and now, dozens of sitcoms later, keeps making history (and viewers laugh).

Even after all this time, James Burrows isn’t a household name. Nor is his face (with its trim, gray beard and trace of mischief) likely to be recognized by fans of his many shows. But behind the scenes, Burrows reigns as a comedy giant. He’s a director whose brand of funny business has helped shape TV comedy, season after season.

Consider this partial rsum: 240 episodes of “Cheers”; 75 “Taxis”; 10 early, formative episodes of “Friends”; 32 “Frasiers”; all eight seasons of “Will & Grace.” With 10 Emmys and counting.

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