Help Deggans figure out the best TV shows of the past year

It's that time of year where the Television Critics Association picks winners for its annual awards ceremony, held in July in Los Angeles. Longtime blog readers will recall that last year I got to hand a Best Actor award to Michael C. Hall, the star of the show I picked as best series of 2007, Showtime's Dexter.

Our ceremony always has an odd, revenge of the nerds quality, because the winners always come out, and they always seem a bit skeeved at having to spend time with the ink-stained wretches who talk up their shows to the masses (except for Martin Sheen who hung out at one TCA awards show until the hotel closed the reception room).

This time, I need your help to figure out which shows to choose among the finalists selected for our TCA awards. Please drop a comment on this blog post and help me sort through all the choices; feel free to suggest stuff that's not even on the ballot, if you like!

A few notes on the categories: Program of The Year defines a show whose contents transcended television to become a major and commendable cultural phenomenon during the 2007-08 season.

Similarly, the Heritage Award recognizes a long-running program with a track record of high achievement that made a lasting cultural or social impact.

New Program of the Year, conversely, is for a freshman show whose great television work alone made it notable this past season. Outstanding Drama and Comedy are new or established shows that reached the apex of their respective categories during the 2007-08 season.

I can vote for up to two choices in each category. Ladies and Gentlemen, start your commenting -- my deadline is Monday!

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
__ "John Adams" (HBO)
__ "Lost" (ABC)

____ Friday Night Lights" (NBC)
__ "Mad Men" (AMC)
__  "Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)
__ "The Wire" (HBO)
 
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
__ "30 Rock" (NBC)
__ "The Colbert Report" (Comedy Central)
__ "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
__ "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO)
__ "The Office" (NBC)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
__ "Damages" (FX)
__ "Friday Night Lights" (NBC)
__ "Lost" (ABC)
__ "Mad Men" (AMC)
__ "The Wire" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MOVIES, MINI-SERIES AND SPECIALS
__ "John Adams" (HBO)
__ "Masterpiece: Cranford" (PBS)
__ "Masterpiece: Jane Austen Collection" (PBS)
__ "Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)
__ "A Raisin in the Sun" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
__ "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
__ "Damages" (FX)
__ "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO)
__ "Mad Men" (AMC)
__ "Pushing Daisies" (ABC)      

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
__Christina Applegate ("Samantha, Who?")
__Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock")
__Stephen Colbert ("The Colbert Report")
__Tina Fey ("30 Rock")
__ Ray Wise ("Reaper")

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
__ Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights")
__ Glenn Close ("Damages")
__ Paul Giamatti ("John Adams")
__ Jon Hamm ("Mad Men")
__ David Simon ("The Wire")

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
__"Curious George" (PBS)
__"High School Musical 2" (The Disney Channel)
__"Hannah Montana" (Disney Channel)
__"Word Girl" (PBS)
__"Yo Gabba Gabba" (Nickelodeon)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION
__"Alive Day Memories" (HBO)
__"This American Life" (Showtime)
__"Frontline" (PBS)
__"Nimrod Nation" (Sundance Channel)
__"Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)

HERITAGE AWARD
__"M*A*S*H" (CBS)
__"Roots" (ABC)
__"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
__"Sesame Street" (PBS)
__"The Wire" (HBO)

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
__ James Garner
__ Lorne Michaels
__ Bill Moyers
__ William Shatner
__ Mike Wallace

Comments

[jillabuster]

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
1. "Mad Men" (AMC
2. "John Adams" (HBO)
3. Friday Night Lights" (NBC)
4. "Lost" (ABC)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
1. 30 Rock" (NBC)
2. "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
__ "Mad Men" (AMC)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MOVIES, MINI-SERIES AND SPECIALS
__ "John Adams" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
1++++"Mad Men" (AMC)
2. "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO)

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
1. Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock")
2. Tina Fey ("30 Rock")

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
1. Jon Hamm ("Mad Men")
2. Paul Giamatti ("John Adams")
3. David Simon ("The Wire")

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION
1. "This American Life" (Showtime)
2. "Nimrod Nation" (Sundance Channel)

HERITAGE AWARD
__"The Wire" (HBO)

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
__ James Garner

[Lin Young]

many of those shows I haven't seen or seen enough to comment enthusiastically on. But since I've been in the mood to seek out lightness this year I really have loved Christina Applegate in "Samantha, Who?" She is absolutely hysterical and has a wonderfully diverse cast of supporting actors. I think her talent and funniness make her the best choice for Individual Achievment in Comedy

[Randy Miller]

Eric: As a Lostie, I thought the show was smart in showcasing Michael Emerson this season. Like others, I didn't see a lot of the work here, but I'm pleased to see Ray Wise on the list -- he always seems to improve any show in which he appears.

For the final category, I'd have to split a vote between Moyers and Garner. They are each, in their own ways, American treasures.

[V Wolf]

I wish they wouldn't lump premium HBO & Showtime in with basic cable & network...that being said, based on viewing the prior entire 3 seasons after the fact, I will assume THE WIRE deserves all nominated awards. As to other programs: THE REAPER and MAD MEN were the best of the newbies. BREAKING BAD was worthy but I kept forgetting when it aired (again too strapped for a DVR).

[joe hillman]

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
__ "Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MOVIES, MINI-SERIES AND SPECIALS
__ "Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
__Christina Applegate ("Samantha, Who?")

__"Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)

HERITAGE AWARD
__"Roots" (ABC)

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
__ Mike Wallace

[Jim Johnson]

Oh, and as a Trekkie...

I have... to... put in.. a good word... for... William Shatner.

(Okay, it's hard to type in a Shatner-Kirk style...)

[Jim Johnson]

You know... it's sad when the only current show listed that I actually watched is John Adams. (A few Frontline episodes...)

Of course, I am among the many Americans who no longer watch network television (and I don't mean broadcast networks)... I surf like nobody's business... and often watch movies, news, or reality shows (Discovery, History, etc).

Why? Because there is nothing on Network TV that has been able to capture me. I was a Lost fan, but the long periods between seasons (with no reruns to get caught back up on what I missed) cause me to drop. Sure, I happen to like CBS' comedies on Mondays ... but that's about it.

Good luck voting Eric. Any award for TV these days is just awarding mediocrity.

[Ron]

I've never seen any of the shows listed, other than The Daily Show & The Colbert Report, so I can only chime in on the Career Acheivement award.
Since I grew up watching Maverick & I own all of the Rockford Files on DVD, I guess you can figure out who my vote would be for.

[jane]

Really interesting categories -- and nominees.

Hooray for Connie Britton getting some recognition for her work on Friday Night Lights and how fun to see Ray Wise’s name pop up as well. (Although I would go with Jon Hamm and Alec Baldwin in their categories, though...)

While I don’t watch every program that’s been nominated (I’m not a Lost watcher -- yeah, I know...) I do read a lot about television and think that there’s a nice representation here of quality stuff.

Out of the programs I do watch, I have to give the nod to "Mad Men" -- what I consider the most compelling show on TV right now. The writing is whip-smart, the acting (especially the aforementioned Jon Hamm) is superb and the attention to period detail, both physically and verbally is amazing. July and the second season premiere of this show cannot get here fast enough for me.

Needless to say, it would get my nod for Program of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Drama. Would also go with “30 Rock” for Comedy and “John Adams” in the Movies/Mini-Series/Specials category.

And that’s one eclectic group up for the Career Achievement -- ‘twould be a very lively nominees party with that bunch present.

[former tampanian]

Ummm...I can only vote for Christina Applegate. While I watch FNL, I can't say it was "outstanding." Most of the other shows/movies I haven't watched and I watch a lot of TV. My kids vote for Yo Gabba Gabba and Sesame Street.