Sorry, I never seemed to post this. So no witty banter, just winners:
Rubicon- "A Good Days Work" (Episode)
Game of Thrones (Show)
Justified- Boyd Crowder (Supporting Man)
Vampire Diaries- Caroline Forbes (Supporting Female)
Dexter- Jordan Chase (Reoccuring)
Friday Night Lights- Eric Taylor (Lead Man)
Friday Night Lights-Tami Taylor (Lead Female)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Best Episode/Best Overall Show
BEST TELEVISION EPISODE
"A Good Days Work"- Rubicon
"Banne"- Sons of Anarchy
"Chuck versus the Push Mix"- Chuck: This is Chucks third episode nomination.
"Pilot"- Walking Dead
"Teenage Wasteland"- Dexter: This is Dexter's second episode nomination.
BEST TELEVISION SHOW
"Friday Night Lights" (DirecTV/NBC): This is Friday Night Lights fourth nomination for best overall show, with two prior Don Awards (the past two years)
"Game of Thrones"(HBO)
"Greek" (ABC Family)
"Vampire Diaries" (CW): This is Vampire Diaries second nomination of overall show.
"Walking Dead" (AMC)
"A Good Days Work"- Rubicon
"Banne"- Sons of Anarchy
"Chuck versus the Push Mix"- Chuck: This is Chucks third episode nomination.
"Pilot"- Walking Dead
"Teenage Wasteland"- Dexter: This is Dexter's second episode nomination.
BEST TELEVISION SHOW
"Friday Night Lights" (DirecTV/NBC): This is Friday Night Lights fourth nomination for best overall show, with two prior Don Awards (the past two years)
"Game of Thrones"(HBO)
"Greek" (ABC Family)
"Vampire Diaries" (CW): This is Vampire Diaries second nomination of overall show.
"Walking Dead" (AMC)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Best Supporting Actor/Actress/Reoccuring
SUPPORTING ACTOR/CHARACTER
Troy Barnes (Donald Glover): Community
Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins): Justified: Second nomination for Walton Goggins, previous one for Re-occuring character
Kale Ingram (Arliss Howard): Rubicon
Jon Snow (Kit Harington): Game of Thrones
Blake Sterling (Zjelko Ivanic): The Event
SUPPORTING ACTRESS/CHARACTER
Katie Andrews (Autumn Reeser): No Ordinary Family: Third nomination for Autumn Reeser. Both previously were for her role in "The O.C" as Taylor Townsend. Has one Don Award for Best Female Character.
Caroline Forbes (Candice Accola): Vampire Diaries
Rebecca Logan (Dilshad Vadsaria): Greek
Lumen Pierce (Julia Stiles): Dexter
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke): Game of Thrones
REOCCURING/GUEST STAR
Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller): Dexter
Elijah (Daniel Gilles): Vampire Diaries
Morgan Jones (Lennie James): Walking Dead: Second nomination for Lennie James, with one previous Don Award for Best Male Character for his role of Robert Hawkins on "Jericho"
Loretta McCready (Kaitlyn Dever): Justified
Alexei Volkoff (Timothy Dalton): Chuck
Troy Barnes (Donald Glover): Community
Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins): Justified: Second nomination for Walton Goggins, previous one for Re-occuring character
Kale Ingram (Arliss Howard): Rubicon
Jon Snow (Kit Harington): Game of Thrones
Blake Sterling (Zjelko Ivanic): The Event
SUPPORTING ACTRESS/CHARACTER
Katie Andrews (Autumn Reeser): No Ordinary Family: Third nomination for Autumn Reeser. Both previously were for her role in "The O.C" as Taylor Townsend. Has one Don Award for Best Female Character.
Caroline Forbes (Candice Accola): Vampire Diaries
Rebecca Logan (Dilshad Vadsaria): Greek
Lumen Pierce (Julia Stiles): Dexter
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke): Game of Thrones
REOCCURING/GUEST STAR
Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller): Dexter
Elijah (Daniel Gilles): Vampire Diaries
Morgan Jones (Lennie James): Walking Dead: Second nomination for Lennie James, with one previous Don Award for Best Male Character for his role of Robert Hawkins on "Jericho"
Loretta McCready (Kaitlyn Dever): Justified
Alexei Volkoff (Timothy Dalton): Chuck
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Lead Actor and Actress 2010-11
-Some Big Changes afoot this year, with the expanding of Don Award Categories from 5 to 7. Basically I took the character awards from best male character and best female character, and separated them into leads and supporting. This could have a huge effect on the amount of awards and nominees sent out, but I felt it was due time for the move.
BEST LEAD ACTOR/CHARACTER:
Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi): Chuck: This is Zachary Levi's second nominee for a Don Award.
Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant): Justified:
Ray Grimes (Andrew Lincoln): Walking Dead
Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall): Dexter: This is Michael C. Halls second nominee for a Don Award, and has won it once previously.
Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler): Friday Night Lights
BEST LEAD ACTRESS/CHARACTER:
Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev): Vampire Diaries: This is Nina Dobrev's Second Nomination for a Don Award, and has won it once previously.
Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos): The Killing
Sally Malik (Meaghan Rath): Being Human
Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Pacquin): True Blood: This is Anna Pacquin's Third Don Award Nomination.
Tami Taylor (Connie Britton): Friday Night Lights
BEST LEAD ACTOR/CHARACTER:
Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi): Chuck: This is Zachary Levi's second nominee for a Don Award.
Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant): Justified:
Ray Grimes (Andrew Lincoln): Walking Dead
Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall): Dexter: This is Michael C. Halls second nominee for a Don Award, and has won it once previously.
Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler): Friday Night Lights
BEST LEAD ACTRESS/CHARACTER:
Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev): Vampire Diaries: This is Nina Dobrev's Second Nomination for a Don Award, and has won it once previously.
Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos): The Killing
Sally Malik (Meaghan Rath): Being Human
Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Pacquin): True Blood: This is Anna Pacquin's Third Don Award Nomination.
Tami Taylor (Connie Britton): Friday Night Lights
Don Award Introduction
~Welcome to this years Don Awards for Television. It's a new era with LOST no longer in the picture, which means everything is completely wide open. A lot of shows were watched this year to compile this list, but I am doing it anyway. Basically I am going to do the nominees in 3 separate posts, then one post for my view on the television year, and then finally 1 post for all the winners. Not nearly as many as some years, but more than last year, so it rounds out well. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Don Awards 2010
~Longer wait than ever, but its finally the moment of the year. Instead of a long event, I am giving a shout out to the early non-posted Don Awards by keeping it simple. 5 awards; 5 nominees in each. Winners announced at the end of the nominee list. I also try to keep this as spoiler free as reasonably possible, specifically with Friday Night Lights and somewhat with LOST.
Best Episode
The Candidate (LOST): The emotional center of the final LOST season. This was the episode that truly moved the show towards its endgame, and the one that I still get chills about thinking of. It's amazing to think that next year, there will be no LOST nominees, opening up the awards to a brand new crew of candidates.
Chuck vs the Subway (Chuck): There were three deserving Chuck episodes for a nomination, and yet due to a stronger than normal group of episodes, only one could break in. I struggled to figure what was the best episode of Chuck this season, but as the dust settled it became obvious it was the first part of the two part finale. We had the emotional scene between Chuck and his father, we had a new rival for Chuck, and it put all the pieces together for the explosive finale. Chuck truly hit a stride in season 3, and its time to give it its credit.
The End (LOST): The grand finale after six years. In some ways, I expected to be disappointed going in. I knew that certain questions were never going to be answered (poor Walt) but I was pleased with the controversial payoff for the flash sideways, and the island stuff ended in a way I found personally fitting. After I watched it, I thought it was the greatest television finale ever, but the aftertaste does leave a bit of "what if", I won't lie. In the end, though, The End didn't disappoint my high expectations, and that's good enough for me.
Half Measures (Breaking Bad): Welcome to what will be a surprisingly successful Don Awards for Breaking Bad. Coming into its third season I had it ranked as my 19th most anticipated show, behind "Fringe" (which I quit on), 90210 (which is teen drivel, but I still watch it), and Dollhouse to name a few. But when Breaking Bad hit its stride, it was a like a snowball rolling down a hill. The peak was the penultimate episode, where everything came to blows and the roles changed. There were no more half measures for these once innocent meth dealers.
The Son (Friday Night Lights): When it comes to FNL, I am going to say very little, as my two biggest fans haven't gotten to the fourth season yet. Lets just say, season 4 is every bit as great as 1 and 3 (and way better than 2), and its pinnacle is The Son, an episode that will bring tears to your eyes, which is no surprise as Friday Night Lights can bring emotion better than any television show when it wants to.
Winner: The Candidate (LOST): In the end, I couldn't ignore the emotionally driven Candidate, which may be my second favorite episode of LOST ever. The last twenty minutes was television gold, and it was just too much for "The Son" to overcome, the only other true contender for this award.
Best Re-Occurring Character
Anna (Vampire Diaries): Welcome to what will be the first of many Vampire Diaries noms in the acting categories. Anna came in as this bad character, but evolved like so many vampires seem to, and slowly grew into a great character. Too bad she doesn't have a last name (Played by: Malesse Jow)
Godric (True Blood): I decided that no last name is first in alphabetical order, so here is the second of the re-occurring one-named vampires. Godric got in here for one scene alone; the one on the roof with Sookie, not much more to say than that. (Played by: Allan Hyde)
Boyd Crowder (Justified): It is extremely easy to tell whether an episode of Justified is worth watching or not. Boyd Crowder is an absolutely perfect antagonist in this show, and allows us to see the range of the ex-Shield actor. (Played by: Walton Goggins)
Matt Saracen (Friday Night Lights): Matt listed himself as a guest star for Emmy purposes, which allowed a ringer to join into the re-occurring category for the second straight year (similar to Smash last year). Saracen plays a significant role in season 4, so fans don't worry. However, he is not a regular, so he qualifies in this category, giving it a true contender. (Played by: Zach Gilford)
Alaric Schaltzman (Vampire Diaries): Alaric was the turning point for Vampire Diaries. Prior to the amazing Vampire Slayer, the show had potential, but needed another star. Alaric is a great "frenemy" to the star Damon, and is extremely entwined with the other main characters. It's good to know that he has been promoted to a regular next season. (Played by: Matt Davis)
Winner: Alaric Schaltzman (Vampire Diaries): This was a three player race since the opening minute, between Alaric, Matt, and Boyd. However, what Alaric brought to Vampire Diaries was more significant than the other contenders. Saracen definitely deserves some credit for his role in The Son, but for an entire season Alaric was more important.
Best Male Character
Vince Howard (Friday Night Lights): The FNL fans reading this right now may be a bit confused. I mean, this is definitely an unfamiliar name, and not one of the core FNL characters. However, Vince is the face of the future of Friday Night Lights, and a character they brought in to balance out with the old stellar characters. He had an amazing first season, and has left us with very high expectations for the future. (Played by: Michael Jordan)
Jessie Pinkman (Breaking Bad): So I was watching the Emmy's, and the supporting actor in a drama category came up. Instead of cheering for Ben and Locke from my beloved LOST, I found myself cheering for Aaron Paul, because what he does on Breaking Bad finally deserves to get noticed. While Bryan Cranston gets all the credit, it is Aaron Paul who has created a character even more complex. When Aaron Paul finally won his Emmy, the world finally realized... Breaking Bad is a two person show (Played by: Aaron Paul)
Damon Salvatore (Vampire Diaries): I started watching Vampire Diaries partially because I absolutely loved Boone on LOST. I immediately expected to like Damon, but what really stands out is how much Damon has become the star of the show. As far as actors goes he has become hugely popular, and has begun to toe the line between dark and light so magnificently. (Played by: Ian Somerhalder )
Jack Shepherd (LOST): Jack is likely the most controversial LOST character. Many fans and critics hated his holier than thou attitude and thought he hindered the tv show, while others (like myself) believed he was the best actor on the show and truly made Jack the central character of LOST. This was best represented in season 6, as Jack finally concluded his journey from man of science to man of faith. The thing about Jack Shepherd is how his character evolved throughout the show and experienced a fitting conclusion to his story. (Played by: Matthew Fox)
Jackson Teller (Sons of Anarchy): Every year there is always a sleeper who breaks into the award list. Last year it was Michael Weston from Burn Notice, and this year it is Jackson Teller, the main character on Sons of Anarchy. You wouldn't think I would enjoy the second in command of a motorcycle gang, but its impossible not too as his ethics and history constantly collide when it comes to murder, amongst other criminal activity. Plus some past mistakes of the gang continue to plague Jackson mentally, in what results in a phenomenal final episodes. Sons of Anarchy is no Shield yet, but it is getting there. (Played by: Charlie Hunnan )
Winner: Jack Shepherd (LOST): The most clear cut winner this television season. Jack Shepherd was heads and toes ahead of the rest of the male characters this season, as he finally got the conclusion his character so deserved. While Damon was amazing this tv season, creating one of the most charming dark characters in television, he just hasn't completely evolved yet, and in the end it held him back.
Best Female Character
Annie Edison (Community): History has been made. Little Annie Edison is the first ever Don Award nominee from a half hour comedy. Beyond her inherent adorableness, Annie consistently brings humor with her high stress level and college obsessiveness. Give credit to Alison Brie for truly making Annie the star of Community. (Played by: Alison Brie)
Elena Gilbert (Vampire Diaries): A Degrassi alumni getting nominated for a Don Award?!? I never thought this day would come. In the first few episodes, I wasn't a huge fan as Elena hadn't really come into her own. However, once the show took off and secrets were revealed, we discovered that Nina Dobrev could play the part really well, and became one of the staples of a strong drama cast. With one season down, I can no longer imagine any other actress playing this pivotal role (Played by: Nina Dobrev)
Becky Sproles (Friday Night Lights): I can't say too much about Becky in this byline, because it would give way too much away. Initially she may not seem to significant, but when the time comes, she absolutely knocks it out of the part. Plus the role she plays in the life of one major character is absolutely invigorating. (Played by: Madison Burge )
Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood): One of only two returning actresses from last year, Sookie continues to be a great central character for True Blood. While the show struggled in the second season with sub-storylines that failed, the main story involving Sookie was amazing, and brought the best scenes that True Blood had to offer. (Played by: Anna Pacquin)
Blair Woldorf (Gossip Girl): Last years award winner, and the runner up two years ago (and possibly should've won, if I wasn't infatuated with Ellie back then) Needless to say, Blair has not missed a step this season and is living up to her lofty expectations. (Played by: Leighton Meester)
Winner: Elena Gilbert (Vampire Diaries): Easily the second toughest decision I had to make in this years Don Awards (only beaten by the dilemma for best show of 2010), all the contenders except Annie had a claim at this award (Annie just getting here was amazing enough). What cost Blair is she truly hasn't done anything this season that she hasn't before, and Sookie just hasn't reached the point of being Don Award worthy. That just leaves Elena and Becky, and in the end Elena wins this competition because in many ways she IS Vampire Diaries, whereas Becky is just another great character on the show that is Friday Night Lights.
Best Television Show
Breaking Bad: Breaking Bad really hit a pinnacle in the back half of the third season. The first half was impressive as we got to see Walt struggle as he tried to put his life back together. However, once Walt got back into the drug business, the show truly picked up. There was not a single television show that had more shocking scenes to end episodes, especially the one at the end of "Half Measures". Breaking Bad is a simple television show about relationships, disguised with a lot of crystal meth, and that is why I love it.
Chuck: Needless to say, my fans will be pleased about Chuck's third consecutive nomination, the second longest consecutive run in Don Award's history. Chuck season 3 was an up and down affair, with many highlights and some lowlights. The second half of the season, specifically, took a few episodes to really pick up, as I did not enjoy the Chuck and Sara stuff very much. With that said, when Chuck peaked, it really peaked, with some of the best episodes of television this season.
Friday Night Lights: It always amazes me that FNL has not been nominated in every season its been on, as season 2 did not make the cut. What does interest me, however, is that Friday Night Lights is tied with Chuck for second most Don Award nominations for a television show with 3. Season 4 was stellar after taking the show in a new direction. While a slightly darker season than the other ones, it still brings the heart and the family that is center-most to this show. Next year is the final season though, and I will be quite sad to see it go.
LOST: This is the last year LOST will have a slot in the best television show category, and in many ways it's bitter sweet. In many ways, I feel LOST ran it's course with its six seasons answering all the questions that the show was ever going to answer. Also, I am not sure where else the show could go. The conclusion was strong, although with a few complaints, and it was more character based than past seasons, which I enjoyed. Was season 6 the best season of LOST? Not even close, as I'd have it with seasons 2 and 5 on the lower triad, but that doesn't mean it was bad at all, as LOST has raised the standards higher than any other tv shows.
Vampire Diaries: A significant newcomer to the nominee list, and the only first year show to make the cut. It's always amazing how a show can come out strong in its first season, and VD did not disappoint. It is probably the quickest moving show I watch, as while there are alot of significant story lines, there is also very little dead time. The cast as a whole is strong (although with a few weaknesses) and the dark atmosphere is fitting. In the end though, it's about Elena and Damon, and they carry the show extremely well.
Winner: Friday Night Lights: This decision was nearly impossible. Now Chuck, VD, and Breaking Bad weren't even close to winning this thing as for months its been down to two television shows for the second straight year: Friday Night Lights vs LOST. After season 4 of Friday Night Lights concluded, I felt that it outperformed LOST significantly, but as time passed I started to waver. LOST season 6 had some amazing episodes and experiences, and was Friday Night Lights that drastically different from past seasons? As I deliberated, I went back and forth between the two shows that truly dominated my television season this year. What cost LOST its fifth best show award was the wasted time. There were too many slow parts near the beginning of the season (and one TERRIBLE episode near the end) that could've been devoted to Claire and Widmore more, who were painfully underused. In some ways LOST could've been better, and I am not sure I can say the same for Friday Night Lights season 4. Don't get me wrong, I love season 6 of LOST desperately, but in many ways it was based on past seasons, and I feel that for this tv year, its time to give FNL the second straight Don Award for best TV show.
~Wow, that was tricky to throw together all in one post. Lets give credit to six successful years of Don Award nominations and wins for LOST, in a time where it won 4 best episode awards, 4 best tv show awards, 3 (I believe) best male character awards, and 3 best reoccuring character awards (a totally blind guess)... reaching a potentially impressive 14 Don Awards, a record not likely to be matched. Thank you LOST for truly putting a stamp on the Don Awards and my television viewing life.
Best Episode
The Candidate (LOST): The emotional center of the final LOST season. This was the episode that truly moved the show towards its endgame, and the one that I still get chills about thinking of. It's amazing to think that next year, there will be no LOST nominees, opening up the awards to a brand new crew of candidates.
Chuck vs the Subway (Chuck): There were three deserving Chuck episodes for a nomination, and yet due to a stronger than normal group of episodes, only one could break in. I struggled to figure what was the best episode of Chuck this season, but as the dust settled it became obvious it was the first part of the two part finale. We had the emotional scene between Chuck and his father, we had a new rival for Chuck, and it put all the pieces together for the explosive finale. Chuck truly hit a stride in season 3, and its time to give it its credit.
The End (LOST): The grand finale after six years. In some ways, I expected to be disappointed going in. I knew that certain questions were never going to be answered (poor Walt) but I was pleased with the controversial payoff for the flash sideways, and the island stuff ended in a way I found personally fitting. After I watched it, I thought it was the greatest television finale ever, but the aftertaste does leave a bit of "what if", I won't lie. In the end, though, The End didn't disappoint my high expectations, and that's good enough for me.
Half Measures (Breaking Bad): Welcome to what will be a surprisingly successful Don Awards for Breaking Bad. Coming into its third season I had it ranked as my 19th most anticipated show, behind "Fringe" (which I quit on), 90210 (which is teen drivel, but I still watch it), and Dollhouse to name a few. But when Breaking Bad hit its stride, it was a like a snowball rolling down a hill. The peak was the penultimate episode, where everything came to blows and the roles changed. There were no more half measures for these once innocent meth dealers.
The Son (Friday Night Lights): When it comes to FNL, I am going to say very little, as my two biggest fans haven't gotten to the fourth season yet. Lets just say, season 4 is every bit as great as 1 and 3 (and way better than 2), and its pinnacle is The Son, an episode that will bring tears to your eyes, which is no surprise as Friday Night Lights can bring emotion better than any television show when it wants to.
Winner: The Candidate (LOST): In the end, I couldn't ignore the emotionally driven Candidate, which may be my second favorite episode of LOST ever. The last twenty minutes was television gold, and it was just too much for "The Son" to overcome, the only other true contender for this award.
Best Re-Occurring Character
Anna (Vampire Diaries): Welcome to what will be the first of many Vampire Diaries noms in the acting categories. Anna came in as this bad character, but evolved like so many vampires seem to, and slowly grew into a great character. Too bad she doesn't have a last name (Played by: Malesse Jow)
Godric (True Blood): I decided that no last name is first in alphabetical order, so here is the second of the re-occurring one-named vampires. Godric got in here for one scene alone; the one on the roof with Sookie, not much more to say than that. (Played by: Allan Hyde)
Boyd Crowder (Justified): It is extremely easy to tell whether an episode of Justified is worth watching or not. Boyd Crowder is an absolutely perfect antagonist in this show, and allows us to see the range of the ex-Shield actor. (Played by: Walton Goggins)
Matt Saracen (Friday Night Lights): Matt listed himself as a guest star for Emmy purposes, which allowed a ringer to join into the re-occurring category for the second straight year (similar to Smash last year). Saracen plays a significant role in season 4, so fans don't worry. However, he is not a regular, so he qualifies in this category, giving it a true contender. (Played by: Zach Gilford)
Alaric Schaltzman (Vampire Diaries): Alaric was the turning point for Vampire Diaries. Prior to the amazing Vampire Slayer, the show had potential, but needed another star. Alaric is a great "frenemy" to the star Damon, and is extremely entwined with the other main characters. It's good to know that he has been promoted to a regular next season. (Played by: Matt Davis)
Winner: Alaric Schaltzman (Vampire Diaries): This was a three player race since the opening minute, between Alaric, Matt, and Boyd. However, what Alaric brought to Vampire Diaries was more significant than the other contenders. Saracen definitely deserves some credit for his role in The Son, but for an entire season Alaric was more important.
Best Male Character
Vince Howard (Friday Night Lights): The FNL fans reading this right now may be a bit confused. I mean, this is definitely an unfamiliar name, and not one of the core FNL characters. However, Vince is the face of the future of Friday Night Lights, and a character they brought in to balance out with the old stellar characters. He had an amazing first season, and has left us with very high expectations for the future. (Played by: Michael Jordan)
Jessie Pinkman (Breaking Bad): So I was watching the Emmy's, and the supporting actor in a drama category came up. Instead of cheering for Ben and Locke from my beloved LOST, I found myself cheering for Aaron Paul, because what he does on Breaking Bad finally deserves to get noticed. While Bryan Cranston gets all the credit, it is Aaron Paul who has created a character even more complex. When Aaron Paul finally won his Emmy, the world finally realized... Breaking Bad is a two person show (Played by: Aaron Paul)
Damon Salvatore (Vampire Diaries): I started watching Vampire Diaries partially because I absolutely loved Boone on LOST. I immediately expected to like Damon, but what really stands out is how much Damon has become the star of the show. As far as actors goes he has become hugely popular, and has begun to toe the line between dark and light so magnificently. (Played by: Ian Somerhalder )
Jack Shepherd (LOST): Jack is likely the most controversial LOST character. Many fans and critics hated his holier than thou attitude and thought he hindered the tv show, while others (like myself) believed he was the best actor on the show and truly made Jack the central character of LOST. This was best represented in season 6, as Jack finally concluded his journey from man of science to man of faith. The thing about Jack Shepherd is how his character evolved throughout the show and experienced a fitting conclusion to his story. (Played by: Matthew Fox)
Jackson Teller (Sons of Anarchy): Every year there is always a sleeper who breaks into the award list. Last year it was Michael Weston from Burn Notice, and this year it is Jackson Teller, the main character on Sons of Anarchy. You wouldn't think I would enjoy the second in command of a motorcycle gang, but its impossible not too as his ethics and history constantly collide when it comes to murder, amongst other criminal activity. Plus some past mistakes of the gang continue to plague Jackson mentally, in what results in a phenomenal final episodes. Sons of Anarchy is no Shield yet, but it is getting there. (Played by: Charlie Hunnan )
Winner: Jack Shepherd (LOST): The most clear cut winner this television season. Jack Shepherd was heads and toes ahead of the rest of the male characters this season, as he finally got the conclusion his character so deserved. While Damon was amazing this tv season, creating one of the most charming dark characters in television, he just hasn't completely evolved yet, and in the end it held him back.
Best Female Character
Annie Edison (Community): History has been made. Little Annie Edison is the first ever Don Award nominee from a half hour comedy. Beyond her inherent adorableness, Annie consistently brings humor with her high stress level and college obsessiveness. Give credit to Alison Brie for truly making Annie the star of Community. (Played by: Alison Brie)
Elena Gilbert (Vampire Diaries): A Degrassi alumni getting nominated for a Don Award?!? I never thought this day would come. In the first few episodes, I wasn't a huge fan as Elena hadn't really come into her own. However, once the show took off and secrets were revealed, we discovered that Nina Dobrev could play the part really well, and became one of the staples of a strong drama cast. With one season down, I can no longer imagine any other actress playing this pivotal role (Played by: Nina Dobrev)
Becky Sproles (Friday Night Lights): I can't say too much about Becky in this byline, because it would give way too much away. Initially she may not seem to significant, but when the time comes, she absolutely knocks it out of the part. Plus the role she plays in the life of one major character is absolutely invigorating. (Played by: Madison Burge )
Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood): One of only two returning actresses from last year, Sookie continues to be a great central character for True Blood. While the show struggled in the second season with sub-storylines that failed, the main story involving Sookie was amazing, and brought the best scenes that True Blood had to offer. (Played by: Anna Pacquin)
Blair Woldorf (Gossip Girl): Last years award winner, and the runner up two years ago (and possibly should've won, if I wasn't infatuated with Ellie back then) Needless to say, Blair has not missed a step this season and is living up to her lofty expectations. (Played by: Leighton Meester)
Winner: Elena Gilbert (Vampire Diaries): Easily the second toughest decision I had to make in this years Don Awards (only beaten by the dilemma for best show of 2010), all the contenders except Annie had a claim at this award (Annie just getting here was amazing enough). What cost Blair is she truly hasn't done anything this season that she hasn't before, and Sookie just hasn't reached the point of being Don Award worthy. That just leaves Elena and Becky, and in the end Elena wins this competition because in many ways she IS Vampire Diaries, whereas Becky is just another great character on the show that is Friday Night Lights.
Best Television Show
Breaking Bad: Breaking Bad really hit a pinnacle in the back half of the third season. The first half was impressive as we got to see Walt struggle as he tried to put his life back together. However, once Walt got back into the drug business, the show truly picked up. There was not a single television show that had more shocking scenes to end episodes, especially the one at the end of "Half Measures". Breaking Bad is a simple television show about relationships, disguised with a lot of crystal meth, and that is why I love it.
Chuck: Needless to say, my fans will be pleased about Chuck's third consecutive nomination, the second longest consecutive run in Don Award's history. Chuck season 3 was an up and down affair, with many highlights and some lowlights. The second half of the season, specifically, took a few episodes to really pick up, as I did not enjoy the Chuck and Sara stuff very much. With that said, when Chuck peaked, it really peaked, with some of the best episodes of television this season.
Friday Night Lights: It always amazes me that FNL has not been nominated in every season its been on, as season 2 did not make the cut. What does interest me, however, is that Friday Night Lights is tied with Chuck for second most Don Award nominations for a television show with 3. Season 4 was stellar after taking the show in a new direction. While a slightly darker season than the other ones, it still brings the heart and the family that is center-most to this show. Next year is the final season though, and I will be quite sad to see it go.
LOST: This is the last year LOST will have a slot in the best television show category, and in many ways it's bitter sweet. In many ways, I feel LOST ran it's course with its six seasons answering all the questions that the show was ever going to answer. Also, I am not sure where else the show could go. The conclusion was strong, although with a few complaints, and it was more character based than past seasons, which I enjoyed. Was season 6 the best season of LOST? Not even close, as I'd have it with seasons 2 and 5 on the lower triad, but that doesn't mean it was bad at all, as LOST has raised the standards higher than any other tv shows.
Vampire Diaries: A significant newcomer to the nominee list, and the only first year show to make the cut. It's always amazing how a show can come out strong in its first season, and VD did not disappoint. It is probably the quickest moving show I watch, as while there are alot of significant story lines, there is also very little dead time. The cast as a whole is strong (although with a few weaknesses) and the dark atmosphere is fitting. In the end though, it's about Elena and Damon, and they carry the show extremely well.
Winner: Friday Night Lights: This decision was nearly impossible. Now Chuck, VD, and Breaking Bad weren't even close to winning this thing as for months its been down to two television shows for the second straight year: Friday Night Lights vs LOST. After season 4 of Friday Night Lights concluded, I felt that it outperformed LOST significantly, but as time passed I started to waver. LOST season 6 had some amazing episodes and experiences, and was Friday Night Lights that drastically different from past seasons? As I deliberated, I went back and forth between the two shows that truly dominated my television season this year. What cost LOST its fifth best show award was the wasted time. There were too many slow parts near the beginning of the season (and one TERRIBLE episode near the end) that could've been devoted to Claire and Widmore more, who were painfully underused. In some ways LOST could've been better, and I am not sure I can say the same for Friday Night Lights season 4. Don't get me wrong, I love season 6 of LOST desperately, but in many ways it was based on past seasons, and I feel that for this tv year, its time to give FNL the second straight Don Award for best TV show.
~Wow, that was tricky to throw together all in one post. Lets give credit to six successful years of Don Award nominations and wins for LOST, in a time where it won 4 best episode awards, 4 best tv show awards, 3 (I believe) best male character awards, and 3 best reoccuring character awards (a totally blind guess)... reaching a potentially impressive 14 Don Awards, a record not likely to be matched. Thank you LOST for truly putting a stamp on the Don Awards and my television viewing life.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Best Female Character 2008-2009
Best Female Character
Betty Draper (Mad Men): first nomination
Played by: January Jones
~Lets take a flash back to the 60's. Strong women were forced to hide behind their cheating husbands, because leaving someone wasn't an option. Being a divorce then made you an outcast. Betty Draper had to deal with a poor husband, and tried to face it like any devoted woman of the time would do, but finally it became apparent too her as while she could turn down a chance for an affair, her husband could not. Without going into too much detail, she stood up and became a more powerful woman than ever, showing that the 60's really were a time for change.
Abby Mills (Harper's Island): first nomination
Played by: Elaine Cassidy
~Harper's Island was a show made for me, with violence, death, and a mystery. The centermost character in it all was Abigail Mills as she struggled against her past and her morality. She always wanted to do what was right, and in some instances it may have cost her friends their lives. With that said, she will likely never be able to vanquish her inner demons of that island, as for all the loss she has seen.
Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood): first nomination
Played by: Anna Pacquin
~She is easily the lead character of True Blood, and was absolutely shafted from getting an Emmy nod for lead actress in a drama. True Blood is not just a show about Vampires, as there are shape shifters and mind readers among other things. Sookie is a mind reader who falls in love with Vampire, but this isn't some Twilight like love story. There is alot of violence and death (a common thing at times with my shows) and an undercurrent of anti-racism throughout the entire show. Sookie carries the show well, and definitely deserves to get recognized for it, so while the Emmy voters may not have, the Don Awards more than make up for that shaft.
Naomi Watts (Skins): first nomination
Played by: Lily Loveless
~Ok, first off searching for her actress' name was painful, seeing if you search Naomi Watts skins, you get a semi clad Naomi Watts actress. Never even though of the risk. Anyway, that is her actual characters name, as she claims that her parents wanted to torture her when they had her. Naomi is a character who is struggling with her sexuality majorly in her high school life. She clearly is in love with someone who completely loves her back, but is afraid to act on it at all, and when something does happen she runs from it in denial. The thing about all this, though, is that Lily Loveless (poor child with that last name) acts Naomi brilliantly and you can really feel for that character, maybe more so than any female character this year. Skins may not be a show you think much about, but you should...
Blair Woldorf (Gossip Girl): second nomination
Played by: Leighton Meester
~So I am minorly in love with Blair; so sue me. She was edged out very minutely by Chuck's sister Ellie last year for the Don Award for best female, as her first season was absolutely excellent. Instead of slipping away from her strong opening season, Blair became the centermost character of Gossip Girl, with her rude rich attitude, but somewhat of a lovable heart underneath. The season was all about Blair learning that she can't always have what she wanted, as she couldn't have Chuck or Yale, two of the things most important to her. This doesn't stop her from growing as a person, although luckily not growing too much that she leaves the good ol' Blair charm behind. She also consistently brings the humor to the show and is one of the funnier characters on tv, something Schwartz is always able to bring out.
~No fancy post game talk this time, due to the fact that I need to produce two set of nominees today to get back on schedule. Only two new shows represented in this set, as both Mad Men and Skins joins the list of shows getting a nomination in something. Also a fairly new batch of nominees, as the only returner is Blair, and three of the other four characters are in the first ever season with the show (Sookie, Naomi, and Abby). Sometimes being new keeps you from being stale, which helped out this year in this category.
Betty Draper (Mad Men): first nomination
Played by: January Jones
~Lets take a flash back to the 60's. Strong women were forced to hide behind their cheating husbands, because leaving someone wasn't an option. Being a divorce then made you an outcast. Betty Draper had to deal with a poor husband, and tried to face it like any devoted woman of the time would do, but finally it became apparent too her as while she could turn down a chance for an affair, her husband could not. Without going into too much detail, she stood up and became a more powerful woman than ever, showing that the 60's really were a time for change.
Abby Mills (Harper's Island): first nomination
Played by: Elaine Cassidy
~Harper's Island was a show made for me, with violence, death, and a mystery. The centermost character in it all was Abigail Mills as she struggled against her past and her morality. She always wanted to do what was right, and in some instances it may have cost her friends their lives. With that said, she will likely never be able to vanquish her inner demons of that island, as for all the loss she has seen.
Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood): first nomination
Played by: Anna Pacquin
~She is easily the lead character of True Blood, and was absolutely shafted from getting an Emmy nod for lead actress in a drama. True Blood is not just a show about Vampires, as there are shape shifters and mind readers among other things. Sookie is a mind reader who falls in love with Vampire, but this isn't some Twilight like love story. There is alot of violence and death (a common thing at times with my shows) and an undercurrent of anti-racism throughout the entire show. Sookie carries the show well, and definitely deserves to get recognized for it, so while the Emmy voters may not have, the Don Awards more than make up for that shaft.
Naomi Watts (Skins): first nomination
Played by: Lily Loveless
~Ok, first off searching for her actress' name was painful, seeing if you search Naomi Watts skins, you get a semi clad Naomi Watts actress. Never even though of the risk. Anyway, that is her actual characters name, as she claims that her parents wanted to torture her when they had her. Naomi is a character who is struggling with her sexuality majorly in her high school life. She clearly is in love with someone who completely loves her back, but is afraid to act on it at all, and when something does happen she runs from it in denial. The thing about all this, though, is that Lily Loveless (poor child with that last name) acts Naomi brilliantly and you can really feel for that character, maybe more so than any female character this year. Skins may not be a show you think much about, but you should...
Blair Woldorf (Gossip Girl): second nomination
Played by: Leighton Meester
~So I am minorly in love with Blair; so sue me. She was edged out very minutely by Chuck's sister Ellie last year for the Don Award for best female, as her first season was absolutely excellent. Instead of slipping away from her strong opening season, Blair became the centermost character of Gossip Girl, with her rude rich attitude, but somewhat of a lovable heart underneath. The season was all about Blair learning that she can't always have what she wanted, as she couldn't have Chuck or Yale, two of the things most important to her. This doesn't stop her from growing as a person, although luckily not growing too much that she leaves the good ol' Blair charm behind. She also consistently brings the humor to the show and is one of the funnier characters on tv, something Schwartz is always able to bring out.
~No fancy post game talk this time, due to the fact that I need to produce two set of nominees today to get back on schedule. Only two new shows represented in this set, as both Mad Men and Skins joins the list of shows getting a nomination in something. Also a fairly new batch of nominees, as the only returner is Blair, and three of the other four characters are in the first ever season with the show (Sookie, Naomi, and Abby). Sometimes being new keeps you from being stale, which helped out this year in this category.
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