My Favorite Basketball Team's TV Schedule

The 2009-10 George Mason men's basketball team will be featured on local and national television a combined 19 times this season.  The first chance to check the Patriots in action will be on November 19th, 2009 when they take on the Villanova Wildcats, ranked #6 in the coaches' pre-season rankings.  The game is part of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and will be aired live on ESPNU at 2:00PM EST.  The television exposure for the Patriots is impressive and even compares to some of the biggest programs in the nation.  Our friends over at GMU Hoops have a detailed breakdown available.  So set your DVRs and let's go Mason!  The complete schedule is listed below:

• Nov. 19 vs. Villanova - ESPNU
• Nov. 20 vs. Dayton or Georgia Tech - ESPNU
• Nov. 22 vs. TBD - ESPN2 or ESPNU
• Dec. 2 @ George Washington - MASN
• Dec. 5 @ UNC-Wilmington - MASN
• Dec. 12 vs. Creighton - KMTV
• Dec. 30 @ Radford - MASN
• Jan. 2 vs. Old Dominion - CSN
• Jan. 4 vs. Hofstra - Fios1
• Jan. 7 @ Northeastern - TCN
• Jan. 9 vs. UNC-Wilmington - MASN
• Jan. 16 @ James Madison - CSN
• Jan. 19 @ Hofstra - ESPNU
• Jan. 23 @ Towson - MASN
• Jan. 30 vs. James Madison - CSN
• Feb. 9 vs. Virginia Commonwealth - ESPNU
• Feb. 13 @ Old Dominion - CSN
• Feb. 16 vs. William & Mary - MASN
• Feb. 20 vs. TBD - ESPN Bracket Busters
• Feb. 27 vs. Northeastern - ESPN2/CSN

Yanks v. Phils Scores Big for FOX

From Variety.com

According to preliminary nationals from Nielsen adjusted for time zone differences, Game 6 of the Fall Classic on Fox averaged a 7.4 rating/21 share in adults 18-49 and 22.3 million viewers overall -- the best numbers for any World Series game since the 2004 series between Boston and St. Louis. And overall, this year's World Series averaged a 6.2 rating in adults 18-49 and 19.4 million viewers overall, gains of more than 40% vs. last year's Philadelphia-Tampa Bay matchup and the best since 2004.

As a baseball fan, I'm glad to see the ratings are trending upward.  No doubt having the Yankees in the final helped attract more viewers over last year's Rays/Phillies World Series.  Undoubtedly, this is good news for Major League Baseball.  My only concern is if having the Red Sox or Yankees in the World Series is the only answer this could spell trouble down the road.  The amount of fans who love or despise either the Sox or the Yanks has grown exponentially since 2004 and they are the marquee teams of the league.  But if casual baseball fans won't watch the Series unless either one of them are involved, the ratings will suffer and so might the league.  Baseball is not the sport of choice for this generation and commissioner Bud Selig needs to improve the product instead of rolling the dice and hoping the Sox or Yanks makes it to the big game every year.  Selig's failure to make the game more relevant to today's youth could very well be the downfall of the Fall Classic.  I'm one who hopes it isn't.

The Sports Guy Media Push

I am one of the many fans of ESPN's Bill Simmons and this week marks the release of his second novel, entitled The Book of Basketball.  His book tour started off with a bang last night in Washington, DC at the ESPN Zone.  But as a television related note, the media push for Simmons will continue all week long.  I wanted to pass along the information to other Simmons fans so they can remember to set their DVRs according:

• ESPN - Pardon the Interruption - Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 5:30PM EST
• ESPN2 - SportsNation - Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 4:00PM EST
• MSNBC - Morning Joe - Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 6:00-9:00AM EST
• Comedy Central - The Colbert Report - Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 11:30PM EST
• ESPN - Bulls-Celtics game - Friday, October 30, 2009 - 8:00PM EST

Curb Continues to Deliver

We are now six episodes into the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm and every episode is as good as the last.

I was skeptical that the return of the Seinfeld cast for the newest season would somehow alienate the niche Curb has created for itself, but so far it has been nothing but brilliant. Larry David has been careful to slowly weave in Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer while continuing to provide the situations that has made Curb the show it is. Each episode we still see David's neurotic personality encountering painfully funny scenes, while mixing in the occasionally celebrity to play themselves or a fictional character. This has been the show's format since the beginning and David was smart to not force too much of Seinfeld on the viewer.

While I believe the season (series?) finale will ultimately end with actual scenes that depict a true Seinfeld reunion, David will continue to explore his personal life that has made the show absolutely hilarious. The only question remains is how much of the Seinfeld cast we will actually see this season. Despite everything, for me, the more the better.

My Secret Girlfriend

Last Wednesday, Comedy Central premiered it's newest original comedy Secret Girlfriend which puts you as the star of the show.  Comedy Central obviously has high hopes for this show as it debuted directly after the season premiere of South Park.

The show's format is original and very hip to today's generation.  It's shot entirely in first-person point of view and chronicles escapades with your two loyal, sometimes imbecilic buddies (Derek Miller & Michael Blaiklock).  In the debut episode we learn that "we" have a crazy on-again/off-again girlfriend named Mandy (Alexis Krause) but we soon meet Jessica (Sara E.R. Fletcher) the girl every guy wants; funny, cool and beautiful.  Throughout the show we get several text messages, video chats or YouTube videos to help move along the plot in a creative way.  I'll admit the laughs were hard to come by in the first episode, but that should be expected.  Most of the time is spent developing characters and the story arcs in the pilot episode, but the amount of beautiful women in the show is a teenage boy's dream.  And that's the demographic Comedy Central is aiming for.

I will keep watching for sure.  The two buddies in the show are goofy and sometimes funny, the girls are gorgeous and I guarantee the laughs will start coming in droves.

The It's Always Sunny mishap

Last week's episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia came under some serious scrutiny when it seemed they had completely sold the show out by incorporating numerous plugs for arcade-themed restaurant Dave & Buster's and Coors beer.  Most fans hoped it was merely an elaborate joke, well it appears now that's the case.  Glenn Howerton (Dennis) tweeted the following today:

"If u watch the ep. w no commercials on DVD or iTunes or whatever u will like it a lot more. I promise. We learned our lesson on that one."

So it appears that the corporate schilling was all in good fun, but it didn't help to have the actual D&B and Coors Light commercials during the show.  Howerton went on to say that, "tonite's ep is 1 of my favs we've ever done."  This is really the first stumble I've seen from Sunny so I can give them a break.  All in all the show is outstanding and can't wait to see the rest of the season.

RW/RR Challenge Time!

The latest installment of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins debuted last night on MTV.  The show combines everything you'd want to see in a reality competition: crazy challenges, drunken fights and random hookups. Some find the show boorish and mundane; I find those people to be crazy.

This is the eighteenth iteration of the show and is still easily one of the most entertaining and yes, trashy, shows on television.  But please be mindful that when I say entertaining that's all I mean.  Give it a couple of episodes and then honestly tell me you don't care, at least a little bit, about who back stabs who and the drama involved in the Ruins.

For those who watch, here's my early prediction for winner...Evan.  Lock it up.

Goat Man Returns...?

Some news from NBC, via Variety.com

Saturday Night Live alum Jim Breuer is back at NBC, developing a sitcom project based loosely on his own life.

Multi-camera comedy, which has been given a script order by NBC, stars Breuer as a father who decides to stay home and raise his three daughters -- and at the same time take care of his elderly parents.

Jim Breuer was fantastic in Half Baked...and that's it.  His horrible stint on SNL combined with the equally lame Pizza Hut commercials of late makes this new project (which sounds like every other sitcom) a head-scratcher.  I am setting the over/under of episodes aired at 6.  Sorry Jim.

Great Thursday Night Debuts

I'm hoping everyone caught The Office, Community and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia last night (or at least DVRed them). 

The Office started off with a great opening segment with Michael, Dwight and Andy performing their attempts at parkour, which Jim described accurately as a phenomena way past it's prime.  Overall the episode was great when Michael was involved, including his string of "rumors" about everyone in the office.  Particularly funny was Andy's bi-curiousness.  Thankfully, it appears the show hasn't dropped off...yet.

Community was making its premiere tonight and here's the one thing that needs to be taken away from the show.  You can't expect laugh out loud situations as the character development is the driving force for at least a few more episodes.  Give this show some time, I think it has a lot of potential.  I liked the pop culture references (one character being referred to as Slumdog Millionaire, playing Bejeweled on the iPhone) and I believe the supporting cast plays well off each other.  Keep watching...

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is absolutely one of the top 3 comedies on television right now.  The writing and improvisation for this show is amazing and typically their episode plots are topical and relevant.  Last night was no exception when the gang dealt with the housing collapse and Dee attempted to become a surrogate mother.  The best part of the episode was Dennis & Mac becoming the good realtor, bad realtor team of Honey & Vinegar.  This premise alone made me chuckle and seeing it in action truly had me laughing out loud. 

Undoubtedly, Thursday night is the best night of comedy on television and only gets better once 30 Rock returns.  Keep watching people!

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards Predictions - Part 2

With the Emmy Awards show premiering this weekend, I think it's time to offer my final predictions for the acting categories.  I left out the nominees from the Miniseries/Made for TV movie category because I haven't seen them and wouldn't want to give a uneducated guess.  I have already given my picks for the series categories, which can be found here.  Quickly wanted to give my biggest surprises/disappointments; once again no nomination for Justin Kirk (Weeds) and True Blood receiving no nominations.  Truly a shame.  On with the predictions!

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Simon Baker - The Mentalist
• Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
• Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
• Michael C. Hall - Dexter
• Jon Hamm - Mad Men
• Hugh Laurie - House

I think it's a 3 way race between Cranston, Hall and Hamm.  Cranston surprised some last year and walked away with the prize, but I'm not sure he'll be able to pull it off again.  The buzz surrounding Mad Men puts Hamm as the front runner in my mind and I think he'll be holding a statue on Sunday.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Glenn Close - Damages
• Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
• Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: SVU
• Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
• Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
• Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

A rather dull category when you consider that every nominee is the same from last year with only the addition of Moss.  Close won last year and you have to consider her the favorite.  I'd like to see Hunter up there, but I think Close will win again.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
• Steve Carell - The Office
• Jermaine Clement - Flight of the Conchords
• Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
• Tony Shalhoub - Monk
• Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men

This is by far the most talented category if you throw out Sheen.  Last year Baldwin won as 30 Rock dominated the entire night.  My heart goes out to Carell who I think has taken a well established character in the UK series and has completely made it his own.  I think he finally gets his due on Sunday.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
• Toni Collette - United States of Tara
• Tina Fey - 30 Rock
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The New Adventures of Old Christine
• Mary-Louis Parker - Weeds
• Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program

Lots of wonderful ladies here, but how the votes are cast is a question.  Are we looking for an actress who is funny, or a great performance on a show that's considered a comedy.  In the former we would have Silverman or Fey or Dreyfus, but the later would have to be Parker or Collette.  I strictly on an acting basis that Collette should win and upset Fey.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Christian Clemenson - Boston Legal
• Michael Emerson - Lost
• William Hurt - Damages
• Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
• William Shatner - Boston Legal
• John Slattery - Mad Men

Slattery and Emerson are the front runners in my mind.  But I think Emerson finally gets his props for the brilliant portrayal of the creepy and tormented Benjamin Linus as Lost's final season begins in early 2010. 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Rose Byrne - Damages
• Hope Davis - In Treatment
• Cherry Jones - 24
• Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy
• Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
• Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy

Wiest (an Oscar winner) absolutely holds the best of odds of repeating from last year.  I just don't see any others in this category that will best her.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men
• Kevin Dillon - Entourage
• Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
• Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock
• Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
• Rainn Wilson - The Office

Again, throw out Cryer and this category is stacked.  Jeremy Piven won last year for Entourage, and I'm slightly surprised he wasn't nominated again.  NPH is hosting the award show so that my help or hurt his chances.  The 30 Rock guys sort of cancel each other out so I think it has to go to either Dillon (easily the best actor on Entourage) or Wilson as Dwight Schrute.  I'll have my fingers crossed for Dillon.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
• Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
• Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds
• Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
• Kristen Wiig - Saturday Night Live
• Vanessa L. Williams - Ugly Betty

I absolutely love Kristen Wiig, but I don't see her winning.  I think Elizabeth Perkins finally gets notice and Weeds finally wins something.

Catch the Primetime Emmy's at 8:00pm EST September 20, 2009 on CBS.

The Interrupter!

My favorite Late Night with Conan O'Brien character made his triumphant return/debut last week on The Tonight Show. Brian Stack's portrayal of androgynous, magician-envying creep, the Interrupter is hilarious. Take a look:

"Mad Men" keeps going

AMC's highest rated show will be back for a fourth season, via Variety.com:

AMC has renewed flagship series "Mad Men" for a fourth season on the heels of healthy numbers and wide media exposure for its third-season premiere in August.

Great news for one of the best shows on television and this announcement comes less than a month after the season three premiere. I am currently catching up on season two, but absolutely loved the realism the show displayed. Undoubtedly AMC understands the gem they have (originally this show was pitched to HBO and they declined) and I hope the story lines can remain intriguing. Best of luck to the men at Sterling Cooper.

Another Intriguing Show from FX

FX is seriously on fire. 

As an avid sports fan I like shows portraying the real world, behind the scenes of professional sports.  Unfortunately, we don't see too many dramatic shows exposing this untapped reservoir.  The last good one I can remember has to be the short lived Playmakers on ESPN.  It gave you a behind the scenes look into the world of professional football.  It might have been a little too close to reality as rumors circulated that the National Football League had ESPN squash the show.  But here comes a series from FX dealing with the world of college basketball, via Variety:

FX is hot on hoops, having picked up a drama project from exec producer Don Cheadle that chronicles the glory and the seedy side of college basketball.

March will revolve around a corrupt college basketball program that cheats its way to the "March Madness" NCAA basketball tournament. Project will be told through the eyes of the college coach, whose idealistic approach to the job has slowly been eroded by the compromises he's forced to make.

Having Don Cheadle as well as Peter Segal and Joel Silverman attached only helps boost this shows credentials.  FX just picked up the series so no one has been cast as yet.  Keep an eye out for this one.

FX is Bringing the Goods

FX has quickly branded itself as one of the best cable networks on television.  Already with hits including The Shield, Damages, Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me it appears they are attempting to bring more original programming to the fold.  Variety.com reports:

FX is getting serious about its comedy slate, giving series orders to two half-hour laffers.  The League revolves around a group of longtime guy friends who participate in a fantasy football league. Louie stars comic Louis CK as a standup comic and newly single dad raising two daughters in New York City.

While The League could be a good idea that is poorly executed, I think it deserves a shot.  If they can accurately portray the sometimes hilarious, sometimes ridiculous dynamics of fantasy football patrons they may have gold.  Although I'm not sure how much juice they can squeeze from this concept.  As for Louie, Louis CK borders on comic genius and his short lived Lucky Louie show on HBO showed his potential.  I have high hopes and expectations for this one.  Throw in the return of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and it looks to be a great fall for FX.

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards Predictions - Part 1

While the Emmy Award show isn't for another month, I though I'd take some time and throw out some predictions of who the winners will be. In this first part I will discuss the shows that have been nominated.  In future posts I'll take a closer look at the individual categories.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Big Love
• Breaking Bad
• Damages
• Dexter
• House
• Lost
• Mad Men

I'll be honest and let you know that I have never watched Damages or House, but I don't think they really stand a chance anyway.  Mad Men pulled out the win last year and I can't see why it shouldn't be the front runner this year.  Dexter may get some more love this year as I think it's gaining some more buzz.  Lost is an amazing show on the way out and while Big Love & Breaking Bad are truly wonderful programs, they are niche shows which don't have the same wide following as Mad Men.

Outstanding Comedy Series

• 30 Rock
• Entourage
• Family Guy
• Flight of the Conchords
• How I Met Your Mother
• The Office
• Weeds

Wow, what a packed category!  I am a fan of all of these shows, but 30 Rock is the critics darling.  It really is a shame, but I don't see 30 Rock not winning.  Entourage just doesn't have enough to be truly appreciated by the critics; Family Guy is completely hit or miss now; Flight of the Conchords is still building their fan base; How I Met Your Mother is an under appreciated gem on broadcast television; Weeds has dramatically fallen off since Season 3.  The Office has the most legitimate chance of upsetting 30 Rock, but I just don't see it happening.

Outstanding Miniseries

• Generation Kill
• Little Dorrit

I would truly be shocked if Generation Kill doesn't win.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
• Late Show with David Letterman
• Real Time with Bill Maher
• Saturday Night Live

This category has the same list of nominees from last year where The Daily Show won.  The Colbert Report has the best chance of taking over for The Daily Show, but it's a spin off and I think that will have something to do with how the votes are cast.  SNL has really been good the past few years, but not amazing.  Real Time with Bill Maher is just too political and the Late Show is what it has been for the past six or seven years.

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

• The Amazing Race
• American Idol
• Dancing with the Stars
• Project Runway
• Top Chef

Undoubtedly the best of this category is The Amazing Race and I think it will definitely repeat from last year.  Drama, action and great character development is something you'd expect from a dramatic series but you get the same from a reality program.  The rest of the nominees just don't have the same overall appeal.

Outstanding Reality Program

• Antiques Roadshow
• Dirty Jobs
• Dog Whisperer
• Intervention
• Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List

This is a new category this year for the Emmy's.  I've watched all of these shows at some point, except the Kathy Griffin show because I find her very irritating.  All are great shows in their own right, but I'll have to give the nod to Intervention.  An absolutely riveting show that quickly brings you in and keeps you interested to the very end.  The raw human emotions exhibited in this show won't allow you to turn away.


I'll have my predictions for the acting and writing categories in the coming weeks...

Check the "Community" Pilot Early

One of the very few new shows for the Fall 2009 season that I am interested in will be providing us with a sneak peek, via Slash Film:

NBC is getting clever with their marketing of the new half-hour comedy series Community, putting the entire pilot episode online for anyone in the United States to watch. The catch is you need to become a fan of the show’s facebook page to view the episode.

I'm a fan of Joel McHale and his work on "The Soup" so hopefully his humor translates well to the sitcom format. It's also nice to see Chevy Chase making some sort of come back, although he is starting to look like Carrie Fisher. I think this show has good potential to join the ranks of other successfully NBC sitcoms ("30 Rock", "The Office", etc.) as long as the writers are up to the task. I'll be giving this one a chance, you should too.

A Classic To Remember

I've been cranking out some serious posts this week, huh?  Well here's another one coming your way.  In today's television landscape we are offered so many options it's quite difficult to choose and/or watch everything that we'd like.  I'm going to take a second to remember some of the good sitcoms of years past, considering that the traditional sitcom has slowly gone the way of the buffalo with the top rated sitcom being "2 and a Half Men", seriously that's upsetting. 

The show that I absolutely loved as a youth was "Newsradio" on NBC.  I get the impression that not too many people watched it back when it was on, but I could be wrong.  The show took place in, well, a news radio office.  The cast was probably one of the best ensembles in it's time.  You had "Kids In The Hall" alum Dave Foley, the beautiful Maura Tierney, "SNL" genius Phil Hartman, pre-crazy Andy Dick, scene stealer Stephen Root (from Milton in Office Space fame) and the semi-charming Joe Rogan.  The combination of great comic timing, smart writing and splendid acting allowed the show to have a solid run during the late nineties.  Recurring gags such as Andy Dick's constant struggle to gain approval from the hilariously pompous Phil Hartman, Dave Foley's continuing quest to get Maura Tierney and Joe Rogan's McGuyver-esque ability to fix things where staples of the show and helped gained a great familiarity that I enjoyed.  I believe Dick and Hartman single-handedly made this show as funny as it was and it was a tragic, upsetting moment when he died during the show's run.  Sadly, the show was never the same even though Jon Lovitz joined the cast shortly after.

If you catch "Newsradio" on re-runs I highly suggest giving it a re-watch OR a first time viewing.  It was one of the last good sitcoms and should be remembered as such.

It's Gold Jerry...Gold!

One of the funniest shows on television is finally coming back on September 20th and this season Larry David has recruited some old friends to join in his crazy antics.  According to The Star-Ledger:

All four "Seinfeld" castmembers -- Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards -- will play themselves in multiple episodes, and the season finale will feature extensive snippets of the show-within-the-show.

This is wonderful news for both "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fans.  Rarely has "Curb" failed to deliver and David has a knack for incorporating guest stars into the show very smoothly.  Even though Alexander and Dreyfus have been on the show previously, it will be great to see the whole group back together.  Since "Seinfeld" left the air more than 11 years ago most people clamored for a reunion, due mostly to the fairly unimpressive finale.  Here's our chance to relive some of the glory years of the show, but now in a R-rate atmosphere which should undoubtedly add more laughs.

"Lost" (and other less good ABC shows) Coming to Netflix

Great news for Lost fans out there, via Mashable.com:

Last month, ABC shows like Lost and Grey's Anatomy started appearing on Hulu, thanks to Disney's deal earlier this year to take a stake in the online video site. Now, ABC shows are heading to Netflix, where they'll be available to subscribers via live streaming. However, there will be a few distinctions between watching these shows on Netflix versus Hulu. For one, whereas Hulu is free and ad supported, the Netflix service is only available to paying customers and without commercial interruption. Overall, it also seems like Netflix's episode selection will be a bit larger than that currently offered by Hulu.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Lost" is the best show of the past decade.  If you haven't seen it yet, here's another opportunity to get on board.  Do it!

He's a Great Teacher

OK, so we've made it through the first half of the premiere season of "Hung" on HBO.  Five episodes in we have seen the quickly crumbling life of high school teacher Ray Drecker played by Thomas Jane.  As a way to support his teenage children and ultimately his own dwindling bank account, he becomes a "happiness consultant".  Jane's performance is probably the best thing going for this show.  We also get glimpses into the life of Ray's ex-wife played by Anne Heche and his female pimp played by Jane Adams. Basically, the show drags anytime Thomas Jane isn't on screen.  And while they claim to be a comedy, don't expect the same amount of laughs you'd get from "Curb Your Enthusiasm" or the cancelled "Lucky Louie".  Regardless, I find the show appealing especially when he has a new customer to visit.  I am very suspect about the longevity the show can achieve, but HBO has already renewed the show for a second season. 

Those Crazy Fang Bangers

"True Blood"
HBO
Created by Alan Ball
Starring Anna Paquin & Stephen Moyer
Current Season: 2
Number of Episodes to Date: 18
--
I know, I know. I am way behind on HBO’s “True Blood”, which is currently airing their second season, but it took me some time to really get into it. I’ll admit after watching the first 2 episodes I wasn’t completely sold. With the obsession of the Twilight series, I was initially a bit apprehensive that this show would run along the same lines; couldn’t be further from the truth. “True Blood” is equal parts creepy, sexy, satirical and suspenseful. The show takes place in rural Louisiana in an alternate world where vampires (among other creatures) exist and interact with humans. Firstly, you have to appreciate or somewhat enjoy the idea of vampires because if you don’t this show isn’t for you. The main character is Sookie Stackhouse, a human who lives with her grandmother and older brother and works as a waitress at the local restaurant Merlotte’s. The major plotline of the show is Sookie’s relationship to the mysterious vampire Bill Compton, who walks into the restaurant in the premiere episode. The supporting cast offers some other good story lines and there’s enough action to keep you satisifed, but the core of the show is the relationship between Sookie & Bill. This is nowhere close to being HBO’s best series, but it’s definitely one of the better ones.

Top 5 HBO Bad Asses

Mark Antony – “Rome”

One of the greatest warriors in history, Antony not only was general of the Roman army but also had Cleopatra as his lover, not a bad combo.


Furio Giunta – “The Sopranos”

Tony’s imported hit-man from Italy did what he was paid to, kill. Other than a misplaced love interest in Carmela, Furio did what he wanted when he wanted and somehow made the ponytail intimidating.


The Stanfield Crew – “The Wire”

The young, brash leader of a drug empire, Marlo, along with Chris and Scoop quickly ruled over the streets of Baltimore by taking out anyone in their way. Murder is the only way to get what they want and they had no qualms about.


Al Swearengen – “Deadwood”

From the Wild West comes one of the most ruthless characters on HBO. Throughout the 3 seasons on Deadwood we saw Swearengen involved with, among other things, murder, prostitution, drug trafficking, and extortion. But what can you expect in the era of lawlessness.



Verne Schillinger – “Oz”

Here’s a quick rundown of crimes the white supremacist was involved in while IN prison: murder, sodomy, rape, kidnapping, extortion, bribery, blackmail, conspiracy, aggravated assault. This guy is pure evil. Welcome to Oz, bitch.



All photos courtesy of Home Box Office Entertainment

MacGruber!!

Some fun television/film related news, the Saturday Night Live “MacGruber” skit which portrays Will Forte as a bumbling, conflicted caricature of Richard Dean Anderson’s MacGyver, will be getting the feature film treatment. According to Variety.com:

Will Forte's bumbling spy MacGruber is headed for the bigscreen as the latest in a long line of "Saturday Night Live" characters to make that transition.

Although the success rate for SNL skits made into to a motion picture are way below the Mendoza line, I am excited for this one. There's already talk about Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe to co-star and looks like one of the Lonely Island boys (Jorma Taccone) will be working on the script, which is a plus. I think Will Forte is one of the top 3 talents on the show and this will be his opportunity to shine. If you haven’t seen the MacGruber skit yet, here’s a peek:

It's Always Sunny

For those of you who like seeing the antics of those idiotic bar owners from the city of Brotherly Love, Variety.com says:

The fifth season of edgy laffer "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" returns to Thursdays at 10 p.m. starting Sept. 17 -- the same night NBC rolls out its 8-10 p.m. comedy lineup. "Sunny's" fifth season will consist of 12 episodes, part of the whopping 39-episode order FX made last year for the comedy.

We all knew that "Sunny" would be back for the fall, just didn't know when. This is one of the funniest, edgiest, craziest shows on television. If you aren't watching, then what are you doing? Here's a clip from last season to get your juices flowing.

MJ Tribute via Chicken Fried Comedy

Here's a clip from the Chicken Fried Comedy troupe with a fitting tribute to the King of Pop.

A Modern Day Nurse

“Nurse Jackie”
Showtime
Created by Liz Brixius, Evan Dunsky & Linda Wallem
Starring Edie Falco
Current Season: 1
Number of Episodes to date: 4
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Nurse Jackie is Showtime’s newest original series which premiered on June 8th. One of the best female actors out there, Edie Falco, stars in the title role. I’m glad to see her back on television since the Sopranos ended in June of 2007. Her ability to depict strong-willed, powerful women is seemingly her go-to role, but this character is more real and troubled than most. Through the first 2 episodes we see that Jackie typically needs prescription meds to get through her day (Adderol, Percocet, etc.) and lives two separate lives (one at the hospital and one at home with her family). The battle ensues between Jackie’s desire to help others, while she simultaneously destroys herself with drug abuse and extra martial affairs. Aside from Falco, the performance of Merritt Wever playing the new nurse Zoey stands out for me. There is just something about the way she portrays the young nurse who wants to impress and feel welcomed. I think we have a future award winner on our hands. Still, the show doesn’t stand out for me as something exceptionally different. While I love the performances of Falco and Wever, the overall cast is mediocre at best and the conflicts on the show, so far, are pretty mundane. I hope the writers pick up the pace as the season goes on.

My New Guilty Pleasure

Several months ago I stumbled across a wonderfully addicting show on the Food Network and have recently added it to my DVR rotation. I feel I need to spread the word on this fun, quaint program. “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” airs several times during the week and explores a seemingly endless number of small restaurants scattered throughout America. The show is hosted by Guy Fieri, a previous winner of the Food Network’s equally addicting show “The Next Food Network Star.” You may recognize Fieri more from his semi-annoying T.G.I. Friday’s commercials, but he comes across more personable in this show. In each episode, Guy will visit between 2 or 3 different restaurants in various cities in America each with similar food themes. The main goal of the show is finding equally unique and delectable menu items at these establishments. Fieri will stand with the chef or proprietor as they explain the preparation for the entrée and will sample the finished product. The Food Network airs the show in high definition which only amps up the level of hunger when viewing the delicious creations. The beauty of the show is its simplicity as well as the connection it creates to everyday, hard-working Americans creating wonderful foods all over the country. Give the show a try, it won’t disappoint.

The Beginning of the Tonight Show

Last Monday night marked the debut of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. I have been a huge fan of Conan on his Late Night show since around 1998-1999. His combination of self deprecating humor and outrageous, risqué skits have been a welcomed change to the late night television scene. I have high hopes that Conan can continue with great success at his new, earlier time slot. The first week of shows displayed his preparedness for the spotlight in Los Angeles. The monologue throughout the week had some hits and misses, but what I was most glad to see was that several bits from Late Night have carried over including “Celebrity Survey” and an updated version of “In The Year 2000” (3000 now). But where Conan shines brightest are the remote pieces where his ability to improv creates for hilarious situations. Undoubtedly, it will take Conan some time to get comfortable in his new gig, but I am certain he is up to the task. The writing staff Conan has surrounded himself with will find a way to keep the younger audience connected while attempting to bring in new viewers. Johnny Carson hosted the show for 30 years, Leno for 17 years; the ever changing media landscape will likely prevent Conan from ever coming close to Carson, but I think ten years from now you’ll still be watching Mr. O’Brien in the Cone-Zone.

Lost - Season 5 Finale

The season five finale of Lost was exactly what you’d expect from the show at this point. Several issues were resolved, even more questions were created. The biggest surprise of this finale was discovering more about the mysterious Jacob and how he had interacted with several of the main characters throughout their lives. The episode opened with an interesting dialogue between Jacob and someone we will call Jacob’s nemesis. I won’t spend time breaking down the plot points of the episode, for that visit this amazingly detailed site here.

As far as Lost finales go, this one would probably be the 3rd best. Nothing will top the excitement of the hatch and mystery of the numbers in the season 1 finale and everyone was thrown for a loop with the introduction of the flash-forwards at the end of season 3. The biggest mysteries to contemplate this summer is who really is John Locke, what happened when the bomb finally went off and did things in fact go back to before the first flight crashed?

Quite frankly I am concerned with the direction the show will take as the final season begins. The various plots this show has created in the 5+ years all need to be resolved, and some things haven’t been talked about for several seasons. Here are just a few subjects that need resolution:

* The numbers
* The statue
* The Black Rock
* Jacob’s purpose on the island
* Why doesn’t Richard age
* How does Jack’s father and Claire fit in
* Is Locke really Locke

Lost is undoubtedly my favorite show on broadcast television, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little bit hesitant about a satisfactory ending to the tale of those on the island. Rarely am I so enamored with a program, so I truly hope for the best. I put my faith to those involved that the conclusion of Lost can match the intensity with which I’ve dutifully watched since season 1.

Summer Season Premieres

Here’s a quick look at some of our favorite shows that will be coming back for the summer of 2009:

“Weeds” – Season 5 premieres June 8th, 2009

When season 4 came to a close, Nancy informed Esteban that she was pregnant with his child, while he was contemplating her own life when it was discovered she had been talking to the DEA. Celia is somewhere in Mexico after her daughter kidnaps her in revenge, Doug has hit rock bottom after his “dream girl” falls in love with Andy, and Andy contemplates his own desire for his sister-in-law Nancy.

While I must admit I was a bit disappointed with season 4, mainly because I felt season 3 was near perfect, the family’s location near the Mexican border offers a plethora of storylines to mimic real life situations. The current drug wars going on in Mexico are absolutely brutal and vicious. I am not sure I’d like to see the show drift from its comedic roots, but incorporating some of the violent conditions of the drug trade would open people’s eyes. At the same time, I do get the feeling that their stay in Del Mar is not for the long term and I could easily see Nancy moving the family once again.


“Entourage” – Season 6 premieres June 28th, 2009

Vince’s latest big budget film Smoke Jumpers becomes a disaster, ending with Vince being fired. E attempts to track down Gus Van Sant to get Vince a role in his upcoming film. It doesn’t work and Vince briefly fires E as he believes E’s over persistence ruined his chances. All is forgiven when minutes later Vince gets a call from Martin Scorsese who wants him to be the star of a re-envisioning of The Great Gatsby. Like all past transgressions, the 5-some (Vince, E, Drama, Turtle and Ari) remains intact.

Expect the Martin Scorsese movie to be a main plot point as well as new regular cast members Gary Cole (Ari’s old colleague Andrew Klein) and Kate Mara as E’s new assistant. My prediction is Mara will be a household name in a few years and is just beginning to break onto the scene. Additionally, there will be no shortage of celebrities with the list of confirmed cameos includes Lil’ Wayne, Tom Brady and LeBron James.

Season Finales

As the summer approaches, so does the end of some of our favorite shows (mostly on broadcast television). I’ll take a brief look at some of the intriguing cliffhangers that will leave us in suspense over the next 4 months.

“The Office” – Finale premieres May 14, 2009

The short-lived Michael Scott Paper Company has closed up shop and everything seems to be back as it was when the season began. The love triangle of Andy/Dwight/Angela has been resolved, Pam and Jim seem happy as always and Michael is once again the boss at the Scranton branch. Taking a sneak peek at the synopsis for the finale, it appears Michael and the adorable Holly reunite at a Dunder-Mifflin company picnic. I think everyone would love to see them get back together…


“30 Rock” – Finale premieres May 14, 2009

As much as I enjoy “30 Rock”, there is hardly any carry-over drama in the series. I wouldn’t be surprised to watch the finale and have nothing shocking occur. Liz will continue to struggle with her relationships, Tracy and Jenna will continue to get into precarious situations and Jack will some how resolve all the problems. “30 Rock” is one of the wittiest, best written shows on television but as far as compelling story lines go you shouldn’t expect too much.


“How I Met Your Mother” – Finale premieres May 18, 2009

Nearing the conclusion of season 4, we are not anywhere closer to finding out who Ted marries. Granted, this is the central plot of the show but we really haven’t gained any new possibilities of who it may be. The under lying conflict is Barney’s not so secret love for Robin. How, when or if he professes his love will undoubtedly become a major plot point and could seriously alter the series’ funniest character. Let’s not forget, I think Marshall has a few more slaps left for Barney…

One Woman, Four Times the Fun

"United States of Tara"
Showtime
Created by Diablo Cody
Starring Toni Collette
Current Season: 1
Number of Episodes to date: 12
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Showtime’s newest original series, "United States of Tara", explores the idea of multiple personalities and the repercussions it creates for those involved. Toni Collette stars as Tara, a married mother of two who has multiple personality disorder and the "normal" life she attempts to live.

The show is based on an idea from Steven Spielberg (also an executive producer) and developed by Diablo Cody (Oscar award winner for "Juno"). Throughout the series you experience Cody's unique and extremely realistic dialogue. This help drives the character development aside from Tara and her alters. The main cast includes Tara's husband, Max, her two teenage children Kate and Marshall and her sister Charmaine.

Collette's acting is truly an accomplishment. She essentially plays four characters and does a masterful job. I'm not sure many actors could pull of this role with such ease. In each episode she plays a minimum of two completely different characters, ranging from a teenager to a redneck (a man, by the way). Other standouts from the show include Keir Gilchrist as Marshall who plays a gay teenager having to deal with his sexual identity and Rosemarie DeWitt as Tara's sister.

For those who had issues with the dialogue from "Juno" may have the same feelings about "Tara". Cody's writing style is sometimes confusing, but also contains more real-life talk. I'm interested to see how the next season plays out, the first season mostly deals with Max trying to determine what caused Tara's multiple personalities to appear in the first place. There isn't any deep conflict and that brings me cause for concern. Overall the show is well done with some great acting on display. I'd say give it a chance if you can appreciate good writing and superb acting chops.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Your Dillon Panthers

“Friday Night Lights”
NBC/DirecTV
Created by Peter Berg
Starring Kyle Chandler & Connie Britton
Current Season: 3
Number of Episodes to date: 50
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Great news for those of you who are fans of “Friday Night Lights”, NBC has just announced plans for a fourth and fifth season in cooperation with DirecTV. For those who haven’t seen FNL, the show is based on the novel and the motion picture of the same name. The fictional town of Dillon, Texas is the spotlight for the locals and their day-to-day lives on and off the football field. The show’s great ensemble cast is its strength with a combination of veteran television actors such as Kyle Chandler (“Early Edition”) and Connie Britton (“Spin City”) along with the young student athletes, most notably Zach Gilford and Taylor Kitsch, of Dillon High School.

Despite the show’s generally positive reviews and growing list of awards, the ratings have always been an issue. In part because of the writer’s strike in 2008 and the rising costs of show production, NBC and DirecTV agreed to share financial obligations for season 3 of the show. This cost-saving measure is truly an innovative process that hadn’t been executed before with a major network, the success of this partnership may change things. As part of the agreement, season 3 premiered on DirecTV in October and NBC begin airing the season a few months later.

Some big problems do arise as the next 2 seasons are played out. A lot of the main characters are seniors in this 3rd season, including Matt Saracen (Gilford) and Tim Riggins (Kitsch). Jason Street and Brian “Smash” Williams, two main characters in season 1 and 2 have already been phased out. I am worried about the “ER” effect; continually introducing new characters while the originally cast members are written off the show.

Kenny Powers - Greatest Man Alive

“Eastbound & Down”
HBO
Created by Ben Best, Jody Hill & Danny McBride
Starring Danny McBride
Current Season: 1
Number of Episodes to date: 6
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Last month HBO premiered their newest original comedy series, "Eastbound & Down", starring Danny McBride as a down on his luck ex-MLB pitcher. Despite the lack of huge success for HBO with their new dramas, the past few comedies they have produced have been hits including, "Flight of the Conchords", "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and the Australian import "Summer Heights High". Eastbound & Down is no exception. McBride portrays Kenny Powers, an ex-major league pitcher who has fallen from grace and is desperately trying to reclaim his former life of stardom. Left with no other options, he is forced to move in with his brother and accept a teaching job in his hometown. Regardless of his humbling position, Powers continues to live the life of excess he once had.

McBride is nearly perfect in portraying this cocky, foul-mouthed good ole boy. The character’s lack of self-control and falsified confidence combined with McBride’s dead-pan delivery amount to endless comedic situations. But what makes this series something more than a slap-stick comedy is the how the viewer eventually begins to feel compassion for this verbose, uncontrollable loser Kenny Powers. The supporting cast does a notable job especially Andrew Daly as the carefree principal (who happens to be engaged to Kenny’s former love) and Steve Little as Kenny’s unwanted idolizer. Yet, the show belongs to McBride and in turn, he makes it his own. If you aren’t watching this show yet, start doing it before Kenny Powers declares, “you are f***-ing out”.

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Production Note: The series was green-lit for only 6 episodes in the premiere season. Based on McBride’s impending stardom and the show’s popularity with young adults, I don’t see how HBO can’t bring it back for at least a few more seasons.

"Amazing Race" analysis/predictions - Update 1

“The Amazing Race”
CBS
Created by Elise Doganieri & Bertram van Munster
Hosted by Phil Keoghan
Current Season: 14
Number of Episodes to date: 163
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We are about half-way through season 14 of the best reality show on television, "The Amazing Race". Here are my analysis and predictions so far this year. I will try and update each week...


Preston & Jennifer - Dating
ELIMINATED

Really just a matter of bad luck considering someone has to be eliminated from the opening leg of the race.

Steve & Linda - Married
ELIMINATED

Linda made a wrong turn on the mountain and really hurt their chances. They didn’t have a legitimate chance to win.

Brad & Victoria - Married
ELIMINATED

I’m a bit surprised they bowed out this early, seemed to be a very athletic team.

Amanda & Kris - Dating
ELIMINATED

They got the unfortunate luck of a U-Turn which effectively sent them to elimination. They had to be favorites, but got a bad run of luck on their last leg of the race.


Predicted finishes as of March 12, 2009


Christie & Jodi - Flight Attendants
7th

These girls are absolutely clueless and I am surprised they are still in the race. I am predicting a first to worst in the next leg.

Mel & Mike - Father/Son
6th

I am becoming big fans of these two goofy guys, especially Mel’s carefree demeanor. I believe his increasing injuries will prevent them from having a shot at the final.

Mark & Michael - Brothers/Stuntmen
5th

They are a crafty, strong team but have made too many mistakes thus far and will make more that will eliminate them earlier than expected.

Tammy & Victor - Siblings/Lawyers
4th

Victor’s undermining of Tammy will undoubtedly come back to haunt them, as it almost did in Romania.

Kisha & Jen - Sisters
3rd

A very tough team and will be in it until the final leg.

Margie & Luke - Mother/Son
2nd

They are definitely the feel good team this season and Margie is a strong competitor despite her age. I have a feel they lose a close one.

Jaime & Cara - Former NFL Cheerleaders
1st

I just have a feeling about these two beautiful ladies…

"South Park" Does It Again

“South Park”
Comedy Central
Created by Trey Parker & Matt Stone
Starring Trey Parker & Matt Stone
Current Season: 13
Number of Episodes to date: 185
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Last night, the 13th season of "South Park" premiered on Comedy Central and the show is better than ever. Since premiering in 1997, "South Park" has slowly transformed from a cartoon based on fart joke humor to the best satire on television. Absolutely no one is safe from the ridicule provided by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. In the first episode of the season, the Jonas Brothers are the subject of mockery based on their own popularity. Throughout the episode we learn that their heavenly image is the product of the Disney Corporation and is basically used to sell sex appeal unwittingly to young females. All of this is OK, because they wear purity rings which symbolize their high moral standards. Once again, Parker and Stone are able to broach a serious social topic under the guise of a “stupid” cartoon. This isn’t the true intentions of the Jonas Brothers (in fact in the show it is portrayed as a scheme created by Disney, namely a “real” Mickey Mouse), but it nevertheless opens your eyes to how boy bands and other entertainment icons are perceived to our youth. I look forward, as always, to another season of "South Park" and can’t wait to see what cultural issue they expose next.

Bon Voyage Mr. O'Brien

It is with much sadness I am writing today as there are only 5 episodes left of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". Sure, Conan is taking over "The Tonight Show", a staple of late night television for over 50 years and moving on to bigger and better things. For that, I am extremely happy for him and no one deserves it more. The problem is the boundary pushing comedy on Conan's current show won't be appreciated or fully accepted in the relatively older Tonight Show crowd. Conan has become an icon for college students over the past eight to nine years. I'm worried the corporate overseers of Tonight Show will put a stranglehold on Conan's extremely witty and edgy writing staff and force them to mundane monologues and skits that are currently provided nightly by Jay Leno. Since I've been a Conan fan for years, I will give it shot and I will hope for the best. The Late Night show will never be the same, Jimmy Fallon good luck because you have enormous shoes to fill.

"Big Love" to get a 4th season

Great news for those who have become fans of America's most popular polygamist family (myself included), according to Varitey.com, HBO has picked up "Big Love" for a fourth season.

The show is averaging nearly 5 million viewers per episode when DVR viewing, encore runs and video-on-demand deliveries are factored in -- a performance on par with that of HBO's frosh hit "True Blood". Season-four production is set to start later this year with episodes slated to run on the pay cabler in 2010.

Personally, I am very excited. Right now, "Big Love" is HBO's best drama and there are several great story lines being played out this season. My only concern is that the addition of a possible fourth wife could provide unnecessary distractions from more exciting plot points, including Roman Grant and the concerns of happenings on the compound.

How to improve the American TV culture

An interesting article from Brian Lowry at Variety.com challenges current US broadcast television to maybe think more like the Brits. The idea of the more episodes the better may not be the best path going forward.

Via Varitey.com - A creative cure for TV: Less is more

Great News for "Burn Notice"

The sophomore season of USA network's "Burn Notice" has gotten off to a great start, according to Variety:

Returning with fresh second-season episodes, the spy drama tallied nearly 2.5 million viewers in the key demo, according to live same-day Nielsen data that doesn't factor in DVR numbers. The number's up 4% over last summer's second-campaign premiere, which drew the series' previous high.

The spy show starring Jeffrey Donovan was a surprise hit for USA in the summer of 2007 and continues to pull in strong numbers. I've seen about half of season 1 and enjoyed most of the episodes. The show takes place in Miami which adds to the cool factor; throw in Bruce Campbell as the comic relief and you get yourself a pretty decent program. If you are interested in an above average, hip action show give a try, but there are better shows readily available on DVD out there.

"Lost" - Season 5 Premiere

Last night the fifth season of Lost premiered averaging about 12 million viewers, and as seemingly always several questions were answered while more were brought up. Rather than spend time trying to explain the episode (besides, better sites do that: Lostpedia). I will give my brief review of the first episode and a quick outlook for the rest of season 5.

Since Lost has such an expansive cast and multiple storylines, it is sometimes easy to forget plot points of the past four seasons. But I feel the first episode got off to a good start trying to explain the biggest question from last season, how did the island just disappear? The show has focused more heavily on the science fiction element over the past couple of seasons so I wasn’t too surprised when the time travel topic was broached. Once Ben spun that wheel and “moved” the island, it set off an infinite loop of time jumping for those left on the island. It appears the only solution is to have the Oceanic 6 return to the island, which undoubtedly will not be that simple and will be the main arc of the this season’s plot.

Once an end date was set for the series, after season 7, I think the writers were able to develop a more focused outline for the show. The show continues to capture my interest and I have no doubt it will maintain the standards it has set for itself. Lost is the most original and captivating show currently on television and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

2009 Golden Globes

The 66th Golden Globe awards were handed out last night in Beverly Hills. Like many others I tuned in before the ceremony started to see all the celebs file in. I was again, as always, pretty disappointed with this portion of the night. It basically entails each celebrity having to answer the same mundane questions which the majority of them hate having to respond to. The one who took it best in stride was Steve Carell a true class act. Now let's get on to the good stuff:

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama
Winner: Gabriel Byrne "In Treatment"

I caught about half of this expansive series on HBO and I must say Byrne likely had double the screen time (and work) then any of the other nominees. The series ran every night Monday through Friday for 9 weeks and cranked out 43 episodes.

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama
Winner: Anna Paquin "True Blood"

One of the weaker categories but Paquin has been acting since she was 9 (she also won an Oscar for her performance in "The Piano"). "True Blood" was definitely one of the more different shows on this year and Paquin made it work.

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Musical or Comedy
Winner: Alec Baldwin "30 Rock"

Having Baldwin take home the honor is a bit disappointing (I wanted Carell), but he definitely has landed a perfect role in the later half of his lengthy career. He provides a great balance of charm and sarcasm in "30 Rock" and works well with the entire cast.

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy
Winner: Tina Fey "30 Rock"

What more can be said about Fey? Not only is she the creator and one of the writers, but she is an equally talented comedic actor. I just hope that "30 Rock" can maintain its creative pulse for a few more seasons.

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Paul Giamatti "John Adams"

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Miniseries or Television Film
Winner: Laura Linney "John Adams"

Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Winner: Tom Wilkinson "John Adams"

Not too surprised that "John Adams" swept all three acting awards within the miniseries/tv film category. Giamatti, Linney and Wilkinson all had to recreate historical figures without any basis to work from. The series brought to light an impressive life from the country's second president (Giamatti) and his close relationship with his wife (Linney) and Benjamin Franklin (Wilkinson).

Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Winner: Laura Dern "Recount"

When I started watching "Recount" I wasn't expecting too much and was throughly impressed. The entire cast was phenomenal, but Dern definitely stood apart playing the role of Katherine Harris.

Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Drama
Winner: "Mad Men"

I have only seen the first season of the show, but "Mad Men" is more than deserving of this award. In a rather weak year for television dramas, the show about the ad execs in Manhattan is one of the most fresh and compelling shows on TV.

Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Winner: "30 Rock"

As long as the clever writing and superb acting continue, "30 Rock" will undoubtedly be a nominee in this category for years to come.