If I've done this right, over at NJ.com you should be able to see the list of winners at the TCA Awards (including "Battlestar Galactica" as Program of the Year), which are being presented right now. In theory, I'll do a separate post tomorrow detailing the awards show itself, but since we're allowed to post the winners now, I'm doing so.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
TCA: 'Battlestar Galactica,' 'Mad Men,' 'Big Bang Theory' win big at TCA Awards
If I've done this right, over at NJ.com you should be able to see the list of winners at the TCA Awards (including "Battlestar Galactica" as Program of the Year), which are being presented right now. In theory, I'll do a separate post tomorrow detailing the awards show itself, but since we're allowed to post the winners now, I'm doing so.
Better link: http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/08/tca_battlestar_galactica_mad_m.html
ReplyDeletegiving any comedy award to the Big Bang Theory over 30 Rock seems like an injustice (that said, i'm not sure how this award show works, so that may explain why)
ReplyDeleteScotty, have you seen Big Bang Theory? Because I watch both, and to me, Big Bang is a funnier show!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, we know you had a different choice for outstanding new program; what did you go with?
ReplyDeleteBig Bang is the funniest traditional multi-camera sitcom on the air right now, and really took a leap forward in quality this year. (It used to be completely contemptuous of all its characters, and that's lessened a lot.)
ReplyDeleteAnd great as Baldwin is, Parsons may actually have a higher degree of difficulty in his performance.
I would've gave best new comedy to "Better Off Ted", but there was no way in hell that was happening. It's basically "Mad Men" set at more blatant evil corporation, but I have hopes for its future.
ReplyDeleteVery pleased to see "BSG" gets its due.
ScottyG said...
ReplyDeletegiving any comedy award to the Big Bang Theory over 30 Rock seems like an injustice.
Guess we're going to have to agree to disagree, but I don't think I'm the only person who has found '30 Rock' extremely uneven this season. 'Big Bang Theory' isn't going to set the world alight, but I've found it more consistently enjoyable that any other comedy out there.
I'm sorry but Battlestar just doesn't deserve it. I really really enjoyed the show up until its final season and the more I think about the finale, the more my opinion of the entire show drops. Waving your hand and saying "G-d did it." is no different than saying, "We'll just remodulate the Tachyon emmitters." It's a creative cop-out because they couldn't come up with something better.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry but Battlestar just doesn't deserve it. I really really enjoyed the show up until its final season ... .
ReplyDeleteI was very disappointed in the finale also. I find myself angry at the failure of plotting that the finale revealed. Nevertheless, I still find the drama, the character development, the conflicts between characters and the acting all astoundingly entertaining.
I really wish the "g-d did it" ending didn't make gibberish of so many plot threads, but if you can separate those disappointments from the other elements of the series, then much excellence still remains.
any show that uses a laugh track isn't deserving of an achievement in comedy award
ReplyDeleteIt's a creative cop-out because they couldn't come up with something better.
ReplyDeleteYeah, well... another agree to disagree moment coming up, I guess. I actually quite liked the way BSG avoided the temptation to tie everything up in a tidy bow, and it really says nothing good about the culture that this is the one show that's bothered taking faith (for better and for worse) at all seriously.
I could quibble with the Big Bang being viewed as better than 30 Rock, but not with Jim Parsons being the best comedic actor this year. His work in the gift episode (not sure of the actual episode title) was simply inspiring and side-splitting.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I believe TCA has an unwritten (or perhaps even written) rule that once you win in a category once, you can't win again.
ReplyDeleteI hold no grudge against Parsons for winning, but I guess I have my concerns with this trend of inflating the value of the show in light of his performance. For me, the show has made too many mistakes (underwriting supporting characters, pushing Leonard and Penny as a couple, not allowing any real, fundamental character development) for me to consider is amongst the best comedies on television, and I'd put, well, every other series in its category above it.
ReplyDeleteThere's this weird critical response to the show that it's FINALLY a multi-camera laugh track sitcom that critics are allowed to like thanks to Parsons' performance and its widening fan base. However, I'd argue that HIMYM is by far the better example of a new, innovative way of handling the MC-LT comedy, and that its fan base while substantial is driven primarily by parts of the show that are too infrequently highlighted for me to feel the love, so to speak.
I've got nothing against the show being nominated, but its win feels like vote-splitting between four more consistent, superior shows.
Well, we know you had a different choice for outstanding new program; what did you go with?
ReplyDelete[Yes, I'm aware I'm not Alan.] If you forced me to put money on it, I'd say that Alan went with United States of Tara for New Program - sure, it could have been Fringe, but it's unlikely.
Well, we know you had a different choice for outstanding new program; what did you go with?
ReplyDeleteI believe I voted for United States of Tara, which was my favorite of the five nominees, but not necessarily my favorite new show of the year. (Neither Better Off Ted nor Party Down were nominated.)
Also, I believe TCA has an unwritten (or perhaps even written) rule that once you win in a category once, you can't win again.
ReplyDeleteThat is not the case. "Mad Men" was a repeat winner for drama series, for instance.
The TCA is just a quirky group, voting-wise. If I'd had my druthers, "The Office" would have been best comedy again, but there was a "Big Bang Theory" groundswell this year.
And that's a funny show, and it was worth it just for Chuck Lorre's acceptance speech, which started off with him putting away his notecards because he wanted to speak from the heart. Then he picked the notecards back up and said, "But my heart was killed 20 years ago by Roseanne."
A fuller account of the awards (including rare Hamm-as-Draper public appearance photo) at NJ.com
ReplyDeleteNice guess, Myles! I would have thought Party Down, but I guess it wasn't as appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me that Party Down was not nominated. It has a great cast and good writing. However, glad to see True Blood get a nod. I do love Alan Ball and his cleverness.
ReplyDeleteThen he picked the notecards back up and said, "But my heart was killed 20 years ago by Roseanne."
ReplyDelete...and all we have to show for it is Two and a Half Men -- which, I guess, is a useful sinkhole for all Lorre's psychosexual issues with women (seriously, is there a female character on that show who isn't a slut, a psycho, a castrating shrew or all of the above?) but is otherwise about as funny as a caustic soda enema.
I wouldn't say Big Bang Theory is the funniest traditional sitcom. That has to go to HIMYM for me. But no offense to 30 Rock. I just started watching it and I'm not finding it as funny as everyone else thinks it is.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Jim Parsons though! I seriously think in real life, he acts exactly like that (except for the physics part, of course).
Craig Ranapia said...
ReplyDelete...it really says nothing good about the culture that this is the one show that's bothered taking faith (for better and for worse)at all seriously.
I'm not so sure the show took faith seriously. I'm one of those who felt the "Angel" reveal was jarring and out of place in that show. And I've spent some time trying to figure out why.
It's not that stories about g-d or faith can't be done in science fiction stories. I believe its difficult to combine them, but I've read a number of science fiction stories that had a religious theme.
What I finally realized is that g-d is too important to use as a minor character. He has to be the focus of the story, even if it's as a behind the scenes figure.
BSG didn't show him that much respect. The series used g-d as a convenient pawn to move the characters. G-d's plan didn't shine through. If Kara was his creation, was she made just to lead BSG to the wrong planet? What did Head Six and Head Baltar accomplish? Head Six was involved in so many things, but which of them actually shaped what happened? And what is their role 15,000 years later in Times Square. Just observe?
BSG reduced g-d to just a macguffin. I don't see that as important contribution to spiritual fiction.
I'm not very satisfied with Battlestar Galactica's finale either. The whole show was enjoyable most of the time. The finale seems slapped on, or the writers are running off steam or maybe beating a deadline or something. Or maybe it was deliberate to get this kind of reaction from us viewers.
ReplyDelete