41-42 Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa

AGES 72, 33; as a team: 3
MUSTWORTHINESS Toward the end of the long national nightmare that was Kathie Lee, Regis Philbin used to explode with pent-up frustration during the show's opening host chat. Since Kelly Ripa arrived, those first 15 minutes -- in which Regis vents about his precious Notre Dame football and tells you what premiere he and wife Joy attended the previous night -- have become an exhilarating free-for-all.
DADDY DEAREST Kelly has perfected some mojo combo of spunky, sexy, and maternal: ''Hold still, Big Daddy,'' she cooed while removing a nasty splinter from Regis' thumb. It was, no kidding, electrifying TV.
ONE FOR THE AGES Ripa is impudent, unafraid; Regis is a broadcasting master: ''When you were in high school, I was here 'inventing' [morning talk shows]!'' he has bellowed. Together, they are the invincible team Regis wishes Notre Dame were.