Second Best?

Over the holiday Gavin & Stacey appears to have been the most popular programme on BBC. There were so many comments on how brilliant it was.

Before the holidays we had a landslide of an election for the Tories. There were so many comments on how brilliant it was.

That doesn't say that either won their accolades because they were the best option but that there was nothing better on the telly or no-one else worthy of your vote.

Are we now in the habit of accepting second best?