I’m pleasantly surprised by the winners this year. After the first couple of seasons that Dexter‘s been on air, I’m so glad that Michael C. Hall finally gets the recognition he deserves for playing America’s favorite serial killer Dexter Morgan. The fourth season has been such a rush to watch and other than Hall’s amazing performance, it’s also in part thanks to John Lithgow, Best Supporting Actor Winner for his creepy and amazing portrayal of The Trinity Killer.

It was also a surprise to see 30 Rock and Modern Family lose in favor of freshman favorite Glee. I guess it’s all in the spirit of the Hollywood Foreign Press honoring breakout shows and stars. Still, I’m happy for the musical dramedy series. I love it; and apparently, so does the HFPA. If I was disappointed of anything, though, I wanted Jane Lynch to win for her supporting role as Sue Sylvester. She was up against Chloë Sevigny, though, so she had some tough competition in her category.

As for the other winners, I’m not that surprised with Mad Men and Alec Baldwin winning yet another Golden Globe. Also, I’ve watched United States of Tara and from the pilot, I had already declared that Toni Collette will have to win an award for what she’s doing in that show. Anyway, here’s the complete list of winners:

TELEVISION
Television Series, Drama
Mad Men
Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Glee
Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Actress in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Actor in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Chloë Sevigny, Big Love
Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
John Lithgow, Dexter
Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Grey Gardens
Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance

As for the movie winners, I can’t really judge that much; but from what I’ve read, upsets abound. Avatar and director James Cameron, as well as The Hangover were surprise winners in their respective categories. I’m happy to see these movies win, though. Also, I’m happy that The Blind Side is allowing Sandra Bullock to finally be noticed in the awards circuit. She’s been an underrated actress for quite a while now; and I can’t wait to watch her in one of the biggest surprises in movies for 2009. |complete list of winners|

Top TV Obsessions for 2009
(in no particular order)

Friday Night Lights
Now on its fourth season, Friday Night Lights continues to be amazing. Despite moving on from old characters such as Lyla and Tyra, Smash and Street, the show proves that it could reinvent itself by splitting Dillon into two sides — East and West. Viewers now find themselves rooting for a whole new color, a whole new team… the East Dillon Lions.
This particular shift in the story gave us new and interesting characters as well as a lot more drama caused by the rift that the re-districting created. So far, not a single disappointing episode has come out… with Zach Gilford’s performance in “The Son” as a definite highlight.
With half a season left, I couldn’t wait to see what else the show has in store next year.

Chuck
When the show promised a game-changer by the end of season two, they definitely delivered everything they’ve got. The old Intersect is gone in Chuck’s brain; but Intersect 2.0 proves to be much more interesting than the first one… with Chuck doing kung-fu at the drop of a hat.
A long hiatus is not helping things, however. When the season ended in April, it was set to return March 2010. Thankfully, the season premiere has moved up to January 2010; but it is still a long wait from the awesome second season finale. Hopefully, 2009 brings more good things for Chuck, with guestings from Kristin Kreuk to Brandon Routh in the horizon.

Modern Family
This show is just so much fun to watch. I decided to check this out after its glowing review on Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV Preview (my annual bible for what’s new that’s worth watching); and I wasn’t disappointed. Episode after episode, the family just keeps on giving the laughs. From Phil Dunphy to Manny Delgado, everyone has something funny to offer each and every episode. It’s definitely one of the best shows to come out this year.

Dexter
Though the Jimmy Prado storyline didn’t provide as much sparks for the show last year, Dexter bounced back quickly with the Trinity Killer in tow during the recently concluded season. John Lithgow’s amazing performance brought on the suspense we always expect from the show; and Michael C. Hall continues to pull his own weight as the Dexter who wants to have it all.
We have yet another long wait to see what happens next; but the finale offered up yet another game-changer that will surely make the next season interesting.

The Big Bang Theory
This show is honestly kicking How I Met Your Mother’s butt recently. I still love HIMYM; but TBBT is much higher on my comedy favorites now. I find myself constantly laughing at joke after joke.
Sheldon, as usual, is the revelation that keeps this show entertaining. Still, credit has to be given to the other characters because they pull their own weight when it comes to comedy… with Howard’s Jewish mom and Leonard’s mom (I loved the Christine Baranski episodes), even Penny and Raj provide enough laughs that are sustained throughout each and every episode.

True Blood
The show definitely officially became a hit this year, with ratings catching up to records set by The Sopranos by the end of the second season. Despite a disappointing finale, True Blood’s sophomore effort is still one that I got completely obsessed with. Sookie’s trip to Dallas, Eric’s obsession with Sookie, Jason’s new friends in the Fellowship of the Sun, and Lafayette’s personal journey since being held captive in Fangtasia kept things interesting. Forget about the Maenad and Tyra… those were forgivable given the other, more fun stuff the show offered.

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It’s the end of another decade; and what a decade it has been. Between 2000 and 2009, so many shows have come and gone. And when I think about it, most of my TV obsessions sprung within the past 10 years. From Smallville (which I used to love but now do not watch completely) to Veronica Mars (which I miss to this very day) to Friday Night Lights (the BEST drama right now) plus a bunch of new and amazing comedies (The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family) that replaced some classic favorites (Friends, Sex and the City), watching television pretty much ruled a part of my life the past decade.

Anyway, before moving on, you might want to read my year-end TV recaps since 2006 when I started blogging about TV. It might give some insight into how my TV watching has changed (or not) over the past 4 years:
TV in 2006
TV in 2007
TV in 2008

And now…. As a salute to the decade that was, here are some notable TV highlights between 2000 and 2009 (some personal, some general observations). The shows mentioned may not all be award-winning critical favorites; but I loved ‘em (maybe even left ‘em recently):

Smallville (2001-present)

From the time I heard about it being produced, I’ve been excited to check out Smallville, which is basically “Superman as a teenager.” The first season was everything I loved in a series: drama, action, comedy and a lot of teen angst. It became the first show I was truly obsessed with (at least in this decade). I visited websites, read spoilers, collected its music, even started a fansite of my own for the show.

The first few seasons kept me hooked, with the cliffhangers as events I always looked forward to. I kept on watching until half of the sixth season, when the stories just became less and less interesting. Plus, when I heard that the show was losing Michael Rosenbaum, quite possibly the best actor on Smallville; that was it for me. Now, the original executive producers have gone and the show still goes on… It’s now on its ninth season; and I have absolutely no idea what’s happening.

I still have the first three seasons in my DVD collection; and despite the show losing its quality in recent years, Smallville still remains in the back of my mind as a show that started my TV show obsession.

Meteor Garden (2001)

The first Asianovela I watched (and still a favorite). With only 19 hour-long episodes, the story ended quickly; but the mania that came along with it lasted quite a while. Four guys that made up the supergroup F4 became a sensation; and the Philippines never looked back. Asianovelas, until now, are a staple in television programming. Though imports still keep coming in, none of them could recreate the stir that Meteor Garden started.

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The AV Club’s List of Top 30 Best TV Series of the 00′s

I love television shows; but I haven’t watch every single one on this list. I’m not that addicted. In all fairness, I’m happy that a couple of my favorites made the list. And I really plan to watch some of these when there’s a hiatus and I could catch up… most especially numbers 1, 2, 12 and 19… maybe 6, 10, 17 and 25. Anyway, enough with the numbers. Here’s the list:

30. The West Wing (NBC, 1999-2006)
29. Wonder Showzen (MTV2, 2005-06)
28. Eastbound & Down (HBO, 2009-present)
27. Flight Of The Conchords (HBO, 2007-2009)
26. The Venture Bros. (Cartoon Network, 2003-present)
25. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (The WB/UPN, 1997-2003)
24. Dexter (2006-present)

From the gripping first season to the exciting fourth year with John Lithgow as the Trinity Killer, Dexter Morgan is the serial killer you can’t help but root for. His character has grown in so many ways; and with the kid and family he now has, things are more complicated than ever. Can Dexter have it all? We’ll see.
23. Undeclared (Fox, 2001-02)
I watched this around 2007 as a result of the praise surrounding Judd Apatow’s comedic genius. I really enjoyed it in the short time it took to watch every single episode.
22. Six Feet Under (HBO, 2001-05)
21. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 2000-present)
20. Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (Cartoon Network, 2007-present)
19. Big Love (HBO, 2006-present)
I have finished season one of this show back when it just started. It is a good show. I watched the first episode of the second season… still good. I’m still figuring out why I haven’t gotten around to watching the rest of it. I plan to, though.
18. How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005-present)
This show not only gives us Robin Sparkles, Slap Bets, Bro Codes and of course, Barney, it also gives us a lot of insight into relationships… presented in a hilarious way. The strongest season has been seasons two and three; but the show is still making me laugh on its fifth year. The semi-mythical “mother” is almost the last thing on our minds.
17. Firefly (Fox, 2002-2003)
16. Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2006-present)

This show deserves to be higher on the list but I’m just happy Friday Night Lights gets this sort of recognition. It’s an absolutely well-made and well-written series. People can’t help but fall in love with it once they start watching. It’s also the first show EVER, at least in my opinion, to execute a FLAWLESS SEASON when it came out in 2006. Every single episode that year was just… amazing. Season 3 is a close second. So far, Season 4 is also looking good. I can’t get enough of this show, I love it so much.
15. Veronica Mars (UPN/The CW, 2004-07)
This is another one of those shows that I absolutely LOVED. From the relationships (Veronica & her dad/Logan/Wallace/Mac/Weevil) to the mysteries, Veronica Mars is easily one of those underappreciated gems that have come out this decade. I’m a groupie. And I miss the show so much.
14. Futurama (Fox, 1999-2003)
13. 30 Rock (2006-present)
Tina Fey comes out with a winner on this one. Casting Alec Baldwin in that role was sheer genius; and the episodes are just hilarious.
12. Battlestar Galactica (2004-09)
I got hooked on the first season a while back; but I’ve been having a hard time finishing the rest of the seasons. Still, that first season alone has already proven to me how good this show is. It’s so much more complex than a regular sci-fi series. And I think that’s what makes it one of the best.
11. The Office US (NBC, 2005-present)
10. The Shield (FX, 2002-08)
9. Deadwood (HBO, 2004-06)
8. Lost (ABC, 2004-present)
I haven’t gotten caught up with the last season; but this show has gotten better and better ever since they decided to have an end to the series. Lost is definitely an iconic show, one that could easily represent television for this decade. I can’t wait to see how they end it.
7. The Office UK (BBC 2, 2001-03)
6. Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008-present)
5. Mad Men (AMC, 2007-present)
Half the time, I almost forget what happens with each episode; but the show is just such a work of art, you can’t help but be fascinated with everything that’s happening. I’ve only started watching the latest season; but it continues to be as great as when it started.
4. Freaks And Geeks (NBC, 1999-2000)

This was a show too intelligent for its time. I’m happy to have had the opportunity to watch this back in 2007. Definitely a must-watch if you love TV and love high school series.
3. Arrested Development (Fox, 2003-06)
2. The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007)
1. The Wire (HBO, 2002-08)

*italics: ones I watch or have watched
|source|

Like I said on one of my Tweets last week, “The finales this year ROCK!” I’m serious. I’m loving the cliffhangers this year. I know most people hate them; but for me it is a great measure of how the following season looks from a distance. When those last few seconds of a show’s season finale wind down, instead of saying “Noooo!” to a great cliffhanger, I’m all, “That was awesome!” or “What a great ending! Right? Right?”

 

Kidney Now! Wow!

Finally!

Professor Mosby looking for "Mother" to "meet"…

If this video from The TV Addict didn’t get you excited about Jon Hamm’s guest role on 30 Rock (which means you’re crazy, unless you’re not a Mad Men/Jon Hamm fangirl like I am). Seeing the great Don Draper in specs might just do the trick. He’s sooo dreamy… Okay, I’ll stop gushing now and just show you the pictures. The much anticipated episode airs this week!

 

“I want to go to there” – - – *faints*

The first work week of the year is officially over; and the shows I grew to love are back in full swing. I’m happy to say that I’ve watched most of them in the midst of the craziness that is the first week back to work. Anyway, if this week is any indication, it’s looking like a good year for television.

Since I recently joined Twitter (because of all the buzz) and will be updating my journal with daily postings of my Twitter updates (if there’s any and if you’re interested to know what I’m doing), I will share my thoughts on the shows, Twitter-style (140 characters only).

- I loved the rivaling soon-to-be in-laws on Desperate Housewives. Bree continues to find competition everywhere she goes!

- Blair and Chuck reconnect at last on Gossip Girl! He better not screw up by the next episode.

- One Tree Hill was fairly decent this week, with Brooke kicking the ass of her attacker.

- I love the Sage and Luis story on Privileged! Benefits for Cubans rule.

- Courtney Cox is back on television and finds her way to Scrubs!

- Damages‘ second season looks as mind-boggling as the first. Was Ellen talking to Patty or to someone else? Place your bets!

- I’m so sad that the Dillon Panthers lost the State Championship on Friday Night Lights. More sad that the season is ending next week.

- Baby-crazy Liz ruins the potential with a really cool UN guy on 30 Rock. Oh, and Salma Hayek? I think it was such a random guesting.

- I still have Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty, The Mentalist, Flashpoint and Psych to watch. Oh, and Barney on SNL!

- Next week, the comedies are back (The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Samantha Who?)! Plus, Kyle XY and American Idol? Yipee!

I’ve been having a rather uneventful week. I have nothing much to do; and I’m basically bumming it out at home. Next week’s gonna be crazy, though, so don’t feel sorry for me. Still, I find myself not posting about the shows I’m watching. I guess there’s just so many stuff to watch, I don’t have enough energy to write about them afterward. Sad? I guess.

Anyway, in order to exercise my hands and my brain even for a little bit this week, here are some random thoughts on some of my favorite shows and their most recent episodes [spoiler alert if you haven't watched them].

The Amazing Race Asia 3
Geoff and Tish are in the final 3! I wasn’t sure they’d get this far; but yay Team Philippines!!!
They are against Malaysians Ida and Tania and HongKong boys Sam and Vince. At this point, it’s never a good thing to predict who’s going to win; because despite the HK boys’ 4-hour setback, they might catch up with a simple "hours of operation" or flight delay. Anything goes; and I’m really excited to see who will win.

Chuck
The show’s sophomore season has been nothing other than entertaining. I continue to root for Sarah and Chuck to get it on. Casey continues to be my favorite character. And the gang at BuyMore keeps that high standard of being a really weird place to work in. The recent storylines (Sarah’s high school reunion, Bryce’s return, Chuck’s ex Jill) have also fueled the characters and their motivations for the rest of the season. I now see why NBC grabbed the opportunity of ordering more scripts of this great show. I can’t wait to see what else they have in store especially after the recent reveal of Jill as a rogue agent.

Friday Night Lights
Season three is still maintaining that winning streak… coming out with one great episode after another. Season two’s murder plot is now light years away and the show is back to what made it great in the first season. Personally, I didn’t mind the Tyra-Landry murder storyline… they twisted it into something that made sense; but it definitely felt separated from the real heart of the show. Now, the Taylors, the Riggins brothers, the Garritys, the McCoys, the Colettes, the Saracens, even Crucifictorius (Landry’s resurrected band)… everyone… get just the right amount of coverage that slowly but surely endear me to each and every person I meet in Dillon, Texas. I just love these characters so much. This is one great show not many people are watching.

Gossip Girl
The scandals continue. Serena’s got a new guy (who I don’t really like to be quite honest). Nate can’t choose between Vanessa and Jenny. We see some sparks return for Rufus and Lily. Blair and Chuck continue their "game" or whatever it is they’re doing. And Dorota is more adorable than ever. There are a lot of things still happening on the Upper East Side and I can’t stop watching.

Grey’s Anatomy
Izzie’s with Alex; and that’s what makes me happy. So WTF is Denny doing in the show? He’s been dead to me a long time ago. Why do they have to make him come back over and oVeR AND OVER!!! I am inclined to believe the brain tumor rumors just to make sense of this ridiculous storyline; but apparently Shonda Rhimes denies that that is the case. Other than that, I’m loving Kevin McKidd as Major Hottie. He’s bringing new life to the self-absorbed doctors of Seattle Grace. Also, I’m happy that Mer-Der is going strong. That’s what keeps me glued to the show despite situations mentioned above.

How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock
It’s hard to make notes about comedies; but I’m still loving these shows. They continue to make me laugh and that’s what matters.

True Blood
I am hooked on this show like V (and you know what I mean if you watch the show). I said it before. The world they created is really and truly fascinating. It’s a no holds barred depiction of vampirism and just how dark things could get when it comes to this type of subject. I’m loving the mystery. I’m loving the weirdness of the characters. It’s shocking yet entertaining every single time and it keeps me interested. The finale’s next week and I can’t wait to see what happens.

I guess this is enough for today. I’m going to bed.

Oh, and PS, I loved Jon Hamm on SNL and the show hosted by Paul Rudd produced a winning skit with Justin Timberlake and Beyonce as guests. Just wanted to throw it out there.

The top ad man among the Mad Men is in talks to do a multi-episode arc for the comedy 30 Rock. AAAHHH!!!

from Ausiello Files:

Okay, this news just makes me squee.

With the guestings they have lined up, my favorite comedy 30 Rock should get those numbers up! Please TV gods!

heads up from: Too Much TV