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Commercial:
“But he has Bud Light” – Bud Light
Beer really is everything to a guy, isn’t it?
Special Effects:
Battlestar Galactica (SciFi)
Having a big budget to work with is one thing, but when you’re working for a basic cable channel like SciFi, the money’s a lot less. Yet the effects whizzes at BSG keep churning out the impossible with staggering, sweeping visual vistas week after week, their work sometimes even putting big summer action blockbusters to shame. The astounding, elegiac shot of the Cylon resurrection hub, right before its destruction by the Colonial Fleet, is just the crown jewel of an amazing season, FX-wise.
The following YouTube video isn't exactly related to the special effects on "Battlestar Galactica"; rather, it's on the cast's appearance on Letterman earlier this year to do his Top 10 List on "Reasons to Watch the New Season of Battlestar Galactica". It's pretty awesome :)
Tagline:
“A forensic fairytale” – Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Succinctly sums up the premise of what is probably the most innovative show of the past year, a cross between “Tru Calling”, “CSI” and “Wonderfalls”. Unfortunately, innovation counts for naught in a network TV landscape where ratings only matter, and ABC has since announced the cancellation of the show.
Opening Title Sequence:
Stargate: Atlantis (SciFi)
I just love the rousing Joel Goldsmith theme paired with the turquoise-tinted visuals. And that shot of the sunrise over Atlantis? Beautiful.
Song in a TV Series:
“Silent Night”– Chuck (NBC)
The traditional Christmas hymn has never sounded as haunting as it was used in the “Chuck” midseason Christmas finale, as Agent Walker and the Fulcrum agent Mauser hunted each other down in the final act of the episode. It made the sequence of events that transpired next even more chilling and tragic than they already were. Oh "Chuck", you sure know how to stick a knife in your audience's hearts.
Sidenote: Your Vegas’ “Christmas and Me Are Through” that played over the final scene of the episode (a crane shot of the Buy-More in the aftermath) is another perfect song selection in a season where the show’s music choices have been unfailingly excellent.
Comedic Performance:
Stephen Colbert – The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
And the pupil becomes the master. For the past year at least, spin-off “The Colbert Report” has been consistently funnier than the mothership “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”. Stephen Colbert’s no-holds barred, fully-committed embodiment of a conservative-leaning host drives this sharp parody of personality-driven news programs. In this case, fake news is definitely good news.
Sidekick:
Sam Axe – Burn Notice (
“Burn Notice”, the old-school spy drama that’s so rollicking good fun to watch, has the one great element that makes it all the more enjoyable: the awesome side-kick. Sam Axe provides the background information that Michael needs to do his job, cracks all the jokes, is willing to put his own nose on the line for his buddy, and most importantly of all, looks like he’s having the time of his life all the time. Now that’s a wingman.
Team:
Green, Lupo, Van Buren, Cutter, Rubirosa and McCoy – Law & Order (NBC)
The addition of gritty cop Lupo to “Law” and resolute ADA Cutter to “Order” added much needed edge to the frontline and a new dynamic to the back of the court, and means that L&O has its best ensemble since Jerry Orbach left. The team is living up to the monologue that opens each episode: “…the police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders…” like a well-oiled machine.
Couple:
Jim and Pam – The Office (NBC)
Surely no other couple currently on TV resonates so deeply and truly with audiences? Jim and Pam are the modern-day fairy tale told in eminently empathetic terms – everyone knows, or wants to be, a Jim or a Pam. They’re undeniable soulmates to each other, their banter is irresistible, they’re nice to others, and they’re attractive in an everyman kind of way…they’re the couple that everyone wants to root for, because in a way, it’s like we might someday find our happy ending too.
The Office U.S. - DVD Screensaver - Every10Mins.com
Villain:
Cromartie – Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)
Played by Garret Dillahunt in that stylish way that's both threatening and creepily funny, Cromartie carries the flag proudly for all unrelenting, unstoppable Terminators as exemplified in the movies, as he single-mindedly tracks down John Connor (or tries to, anyway), culminating in that awesome showdown in “Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today”, when he’s finally eliminated. And in true Terminator-style, just when you thought he’s gone, he’s back! (Must...resist...quoting....Arnie's "I'll be back"...line).
Actress:
Mary McDonnell “Laura Roslyn” – Battlestar Galactica (SciFi)
Woefully overlooked by the Emmys, Mary McDonnell’s imposing performance as the President of the Colonial Fleet lends ambiguity, cruelty, courage and, with Roslyn’s illness relapse over the past season, a touch of vulnerability, to the embattled leader.
Actor:
Michael Emerson “Benjamin Linus” – Lost (ABC)
Emerson has, almost unnoticeably, graduated from bit player to what is arguably the central character, even in an ensemble as big and as diverse as “Lost”. It’s unthinkable to fathom the show without its chief antagonist. His trademark piercing eyes only adds to the magnetic appeal of his character…he’s the bad guy you want to root for.
Ensemble Cast:
How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Adorable couple Lily and Marshall; love-lorn Ted; cynical Robin; and swaggering Barney. They’re the cool new yuppies who’re so fun to hang out with. Its incomparable cast, including “Buffy” alum Alyson Hannigan, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”’s Jason Segal, and former “Doogie Howser” star Neil Patrick Harris, have such perfect onscreen chemistry, and fit their roles so well, you forget they’re just acting.
Farewell:
“Patriots and Tyrants” –
Joining “Cagney & Lacey” and “Roswell” as the only handful of shows that’s been brought back from cancellation by a fan-led campaign, “Jericho” raced out of the blocks with its season 2 narrative with a breakneck pace that puts even “24” to shame, and never paused to take a breath. While year 1 was more languid in its telling of how a small
New Show (tie):
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)
Journeyman (NBC)
Just look at NBC’s “Bionic Woman” and the awful “Knight Rider” pilot to see how recent remakes can go wrong. But “Terminator” admirably manages the juggling act of paying homage to the series (most notably the T1 and T2 movies), expanding upon the Terminator premise and continuing the story of John and Sarah Connor on a consistent weekly narrative. The addition of “90210” alum Brian Austin Green as John’s lieutenant from the future solidified the cast and added a much-needed link to the post-Judgment Day apocalypse. Season 2 has built upon the foundations laid by Season 1, and has put several interesting plot points into play (notably the Weaver and Jesse arcs). One quibble though, is that the show has posed more questions that it has answered so far, and with cancellation always a threat given the low viewing numbers, hopefully at least some of these open threads will be resolved in the back end of this season.
Okay, so NBC hasn’t had the best of the freshman picks (see “Bionic Woman” and “Knight Rider” above), but it did have “Chuck”, “Life” and little-seen “Journeyman”. This touted “Quantum Leap” remake didn’t have the best of starts, but most assuredly found its footing as the series went on. With elements of mystery (how did Dan get his sudden ability to time travel?) and adventure (the person-of-the-week who Dan has to save) mixed in with the toll all this is taking on his personal life (Dan’s strained relationship with his family together with his encounters with former lover Libby as he finds she’s a fellow time-traveler too), “Journeyman” makes for compelling viewing week-in, week-out, for all of its 13 episodes (yup, it’s been cancelled).
Television Series:
Chuck (NBC)
“Chuck” hit the ground running with a good, if a little uneven, first season, where they explored so many plot points (within only 13 episodes) that were possible within the show’s universe that one couldn’t help but fear that the show has written itself out of storylines. However, all fears of a dreaded sophomore slump were quickly dispelled with a terrific opening episode (“Chuck vs. the First Date”), and the show hasn’t looked back since. Season 2 did a better job of integrating Chuck’s Buy-More world with his spy world, expanded upon each of the major characters’ backstories, upped the eye-popping stuntwork and fight scenes, and as an added bonus, fills each episode to the brim with delightfully geeky 80’s and 90’s pop-cultural references. “Chuck” has been consistently hilarious and exciting this season (see “Chuck vs. Tom Sawyer” as a great example), and its signature mix of comedy and action has been anchored most assuredly by the deepening relationship between Chuck and his handler Agent Walker (“Chuck vs. the Breakup”, the great three-episode Jill arc, and “Chuck vs. the Delorean”), a relationship which has been downright heart-rending this season (move aside, Jim and Pam). The excellent midseason Christmas finale raised the stakes between Chuck and Sarah considerably, and has real potential not just for the duo, but for taking the show in a new direction as well. “Chuck” is infectiously self-deprecating and thankfully never takes itself seriously, but its dramatic elements hit all the right notes, and it knows how to give its viewers a great time. About as perfect a half-season of any show I’ve ever seen (with perhaps "Chuck vs. the Sensei" being the only slightly subpar episode, but that's quibbling), season 2 of “Chuck” will break your heart, make you laugh, and you’ll always have fun watching it.
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