The above photo of Ben staring at Leslie’s non-wrinkled, non-hideous face: not a GIF. What follows after the jump: GIFs. Though they’ve been around since 1987, when CompuServe blah blah blah, GIFs have only really exploded in popularity over the last few years, thanks mostly to websites like Tumblr. They’re like pictures, but NOT. They’re like videos, but NOT. They’re hypnotic and funny, and can even sum up a whole half-season’s worth of story lines in two movable images (see: “Walking Dead” ones included.)

So, every Monday from now until THE FUTURE, we’ll be posting our favorite TV GIFs o’ the Week (the “o’” implies coolness!), from shows airing between the previous Sunday to Saturday. (In other words, for this week, it’d be any show ranging from “The Walking Dead” midseason finale to the Steve Buscemi “SNL” episode.) And we need your help! The three of us watch a ton of TV, but there are certain shows that slip through our proverbial cracks – so, if you find any O’ the Week-worthy GIFs for shows that aren’t, say, on Thursday nights, please send them to Joshua.Kurp@gmail.com. I’ll reply back with a “Simpsons” reference or picture of my guinea pigs (not a euphemism – they’re named Butters and Gob) or even a jovial “thank you!”

The initial entry follows, and even though Dustin already covered “Community” and many shows aired repeats, we’ve got Regis and Butt-head, di*k twirling, and Ruxin dancing. Yes.

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This, our first feature post of the post-Ufford Era (*single tear*) is both broad and, except perhaps for the numbering of list, somewhat obvious if you’re a TV fan. But it serves a dual purpose. First, it’s an introduction to our television viewing habits that let’s you know that we’re not going to sell you down the river for a glimpse of Whitney Cummings a$$ crack and that “Two and a Half Men” and The Kardashians will remain fodder for mockery and never, ever viewed or spoken of in earnest.

Second, television reruns dominate the next month and you’re stuck with your family, which is why December is the most popular month of the year for Netflix Instant subscribers (made-up fact) because it is both a good time to catch up on shows you’ve been meaning to watch and a good time to avoid talking to your loved ones. So, these 15 Netflix Instant titles also serve as a primer: For a true television junkie, this is the base of your television-viewing stew, the series you need to be familiar with to get by in this world, to understand pop-culture shorthand. It is knowledge, and knowledge is power, and power is something you can use to gain world domination. Watching “Arrested Development” is the first step in ruling your own small country of topless concubines and lazy peaceniks.

Note: Only series currently available on Netflix Instant are included.

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Community/Parks & Recreation (NBC) – The second funniest hour on TV, behind any episode of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” You can have your “satire,” and your “social commentary,” and your precious “plot.” I’ll take a chimp hitting a big fat guy in the ding dong with a wiffle ball bat. I’m very refined.

The Office/Whitney (NBC) – [notices these two shows across the room] [looks the other way, tries to act casual]

It’s Always Sunny/ The League (FX) – Here’s the thing about “The League”: I like the show. I do. But the football talk in it seems really forced to me. I understand that they have to make the references generic enough when they’re filming that things don’t end up stale or irrelevant when the show actually airs, but it always ends up sounding like a foreign movie where people are trying to talking about American stuff. “Did you guys see that foot ball game last evening?” “Yes, the runners scored many touch downs and the fans celebrated raucously.” “Raymond Rice of Baltimore is an excellent carrier of the of the old pig skin, to be sure.” My point is this: I am a jerk who pokes holes in perfectly nice shows and ruins them for everyone else. Hi!

Bones (FOX) – The seventh season premiere. Hey, did you guys realize that, between “Buffy,” “Angel,” and this show, David Boreanaz has been on network television almost non-stop since 1997? Think about that.

Burn Notice (USA) – USA’s flagship drama thingy is back tonight. Has he found out who or what burned him yet? I hope it was a koala in a baseball cap. I would definitely start watching if there was an evil koala.

Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-up Revolution (Comedy Central) – The commercials for this show look terrible. I heard one joke, which I have apparently blocked from my memory as some sort of self-preservation mechanism, that was so bad I actually groaned out loud like a cartoon. It’s a nice reminder that stand-up comedians aren’t necessary the funniest people in the world, just the ones who decided to do it for a living.

Beavis and Butthead (MTV) – Yeesh, there is a lot on TV tonight. My DVR is over in the corner doing pull-ups and listening to Slayer to get ready for the workout it’s going to get.

Jersey Shore (MTV) — Season finale. At last. This season went on forever; it’s like they’ve been in Italy most of my adult life. In other “Jersey” news, BadtvBlog compiled this season’s most depressing quotes, while With Leather brings us the news that Ronnie will be the fourth “Shore” member to dabble in pro wrestling.

Gigolos (Showtime) — Season premiere. This is the state of reality TV: Showtime wants to do a show about male hookers, and it wants to show the sex, so it pays the women who are supposedly paying for sex to do the sex scenes. Everyone’s a whore!

The League (FX) — Ruxin tries to keep Taco away from his new au pair played by Brie Larson (inset, click for larger) of ”United States of Tara” and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. She makes me wish there was a super-woman named Alison Brie Larson.

Charlie’s Angels (ABC) — One of your last chances to watch this show. Thank God.

Sweet Home Alabama (CMT) — Season premiere. A good ol’ boy from the South has to choose between 10 city girls and 10 country girls in this reality dating series. Perfect viewing for people who think “The Bachelor” isn’t white enough.

Project Runway (Lifetime) — Part 1 of a 2-part season finale. So really, next week is the season finale.

Rules of Engagement (CBS) — Season premiere. David Spade stars in a network comedy in 2011; Wendi McLendon-Covey (“Reno 911!,” Bridesmaids) plays his new wife that he regrets marrying.

Not content with Seth Rogen guest starring as Dirty Randy, “The League” has added two more big-name guest stars: Sarah Silverman and Jeff Goldblum.

They’ll join a Thanksgiving episode of the comedy series, with Silverman playing Andre’s (Paul Scheer) sister and Jeff Goldblum as Ruxin’s (Nick Kroll) father. “Sarah and Jeff are funny and fearless enough to play Andre’s sister and Ruxin’s father,” said League co-creators Jeff Schaffer and Jackie Marcus Schaffer. “And they didn’t flinch when we told them all of the crazy things they’d be doing with our cast. Fools!” [EW]

Silverman’s a divisive personality among comedy snobs, but I usually enjoy her. And I particularly like Goldblum. For someone so innately funny, he doesn’t do a lot of comedy. I mean, he’s done plenty of comedy throughout his career (“NTSF” and “Colbert” most recently), just not enough for my liking. Dance, monkey! Make me laugh!