Tommy was also a product of one huge dysfunctional mess of a family. They included his brother, Johnny (Dean Winters), a homicide detective who gets killed in the line of duty; his ailing father (Charles Durning) a World War II vet with limited emotional range; his twisted sister, Maggie (Tatum O’Neal in a career resurrecting role); his cousin, Mickey, a priest who abandons the cloth because he misses getting laid; and his Uncle Teddy (Lenny Burke), a former fire fighter who goes to prison for shooting, point blank, the drunk driver who killed Tommy’s young son. At home, Tommy was married to Janet (Andrea Roth), who loved him, hated him, and then forgave him despite his hundred flaws, among which included sleeping with about half of New York. Of course, Janet had her share of flings, too, including one with a wheelchair bound, loudmouth played by Michael J. Fox (Rescue Me had a knack for bringing in some exceptional guest stars). The most significant affair that Tommy had was with Jimmy’s widow, Sheila (played with crazy abandon by Callie Thorne). Sheila nearly burned Tommy to death when she accidentally lit on of their love nests on fire. At the time, Tommy had been drugged by Sheila, so he didn’t remember any of it. Later, she told him that she saved his life and that he caused the fire.

That kind of preposterous plot twist happened all of the time on Rescue Me. Those of us who stuck with the show throughout its run let them slide, though. You never knew when Leary and company were going to shock the hell out of you with an exceptional hour of television. They had a knack for sucking you in with ridiculous antics between the guys in the firehouse, and then shoving a red hot poker into your windpipe with something so heartbreaking or heartfelt that you gasped for air each time you rewound the scene to watch it over again. Props to FX for allowing Leary, Tolan and company to create the kind of unflinching show they wanted, and allowing them to trip over themselves as they found the path they wanted to take the characters down. I guarantee a series like Rescue Me would not have survived on the four major networks.

Rescue Me wasn’t just about the Gavins, though. The men (and one woman- yes, we remember you, Diane Farr) of Ladder 62 provided amble drama and laughs throughout all seven seasons.  Lou (the great John Scurti) fell in love and got scammed out of all of his money; Franco (Daniel Sunjata) had an affair with a rich woman (Susan Sarandon) and then handed over custody of his daughter to this woman who would be able of care for the child better than he could; Mikey struggled with his sexuality (a brave performance by Mike Silletti); Sean went into a coma, resulting in musical episodes (featuring some fine singing by Steven Pasquale);  “black” Shawn (Larez Tate) emerged as an important character and a future son-in-law to Tommy; and of course there was the tragic downfall of Tommy’s nephew, Damien (Michael Zegen).

For me, the most devastating loss ever felt on the show was when Tommy’s son, Connor, was killed by the drunk driver. Leary did some of his most remarkable acting in the aftermath of this character’s death. I don’t think he received enough credit for the work he did on the show. Then again, most of the cast was overlooked when awards got handed out. Ask most of its fans and they’ll tell you that Rescue Me  was not an easy show to watch. It was inconsistent almost on a weekly basis and no matter how many times Tommy looked like he was going to right himself and finally become a decent human being, he’d have another drink or get in another fight or let his dick lead him into some other woman’s bed. Yet, in real life it takes years, sometime decades for people to curb their bad ways. As unrealistic as the situations on Rescue Me sometime because the series was always grounded in reality. These characters felt real, it was just the situations that felt made up.

Last week’s cliffhanging episode was an ideal example of how great Rescue Me could be. After spending 45 minutes at the wedding of Tommy’s oldest daughter, Colleen (Natalie Distler), the show, in it’s last 10 minutes, took us to one last fire. As the situation for Ladder 62 became more dire, it became apparent that some or maybe all of the men would not survive that night. After so much joy and happiness, when all of the characters seemed to have finally found some peace, the world explodes. That’s just how it is in the real world; and that’s how it always was on Rescue Me.

Rufus Sewell’s eyes immediately lure you into watching Zen, the BBC series based on he popular Aurelio Zen novels by Michael Dibdin. Sewell, an actor better known for period dramas than contemporary murder mysteries, is so in the moment as the character, so unaware of the camera, that it’s like watching a documentary of a master detective at work. His exceptional acting is just one reason why I quickly fell in love with this smart, stylish, hip television series. This one of the most enjoyable and coolest mystery shows of the year.

Premiering in the U.S. this summer on PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery, Zen aired earlier this year on BBC One. Three 90 minute episodes based on the Zen novels comprise the first season. The producers have made a concerted effort to give Zen the look and feel of a classic 60′s detective/spy movie or TV show. Fast cars, slick dialogue, and beautiful, well tailored actors transport you to Italy and provide escape and intrigue that is addictive. Moreover, Adrian Johnston’s retro music drives home the 60′s vibe, as does the backdrop of Rome, where all three episodes were filmed on location.  This may be the closest thing we get to an Ocean’s Eleven television series, it’s that well executed and zesty.

Zen has many of the hallmarks of established cop shows: The workplace banter between fellow detectives; a case or two full of intrigue; and a healthy dash of sexy romance to break up the procedural plots. Zen, the detective, is a man with a reputation for scrupulous integrity; he won’t rest until he’s confident the case is solved, even if that entails pissing off the bosses. As his chief points out in the opening minutes of the first episode, Zen isn’t good with politics. At home, Zen barely has a life. His wife left him for another man and now he’s stuck living with his mother (Catherine Spaak). You’d think mom would be more supportive of her cuckolded son, but she’s openly critical of his flaws and often sides with her estranged daughter-in-law. Sometimes brilliant, other times a bumbling, tongue-tied mess of a man; Zen is fun to watch and to root for.

The opening episode, “Vendetta,” introduces the principal characters and sets in motion story arcs that carry through the series. The Ministry of Justice calls on Zen to reopen the case of a murdered billionaire, supposedly killed by his business partner. Although the partner confessed to the crime, he’s found God and is prepared to rescind his confessions and demand a new trial. The Ministry is fearful that the convicted man will use dirt he has on the Minister (a slippery, eel-like Anthony Higgins) to secure his release. They would prefer he be found proven innocent. To the chagrin of Zen’s beleaguered commander, Moscat (Stanley Townsend), Zen starts a new investigation. While Moscar instructs him to come back with the same guilty verdict, Zen’s Ministry handler, Colonna (Ben Miles) demands that the detective make the case go the other way, otherwise Zen’s is over.Because of Zen’s nature for pissing off the wrong people, the Ministry believes they’ve found the perfect patsy. They soon learn that Zen is pretty craft and picks up on the political game rather quickly

In the squad room, Zen works with a variety of men. Vincent Riotta plays de Angelis, the only competent detective he can trust. Romizi (Sargon Yelda) is a notch above inept, more interested in running office pools over who will be the first to sleep with Tania, the chief’s gorgeous new secretary. Ed Stoppard takes some time away from playing noble characters (like in this year’s new Upstairs, Downstairs miniseries) to play Fabri, the good-looking sleaze ball who has used his family connections to climb the police ranks. Fabri openly flaunts cheating on his wife and claims to have bedded Tania. Fat chance. Tania has too much class to get involved with someone like Fabri.

Tania is portrayed by the stunning Caterina Murino.To say that Murino (best known to American audiences for her role in Casino Royale) exudes sexiness is an understatement. This fine actress and an excellent match for Sewell. Throughout the course of the series, Tania struggles through a difficult separation with her husband.She comes to trust Zen, the only decent man in the office (integrity, remember). Gradually, their friendship becomes an attraction and the attraction leads to an affair. Tania and Zen begin to fall for each other as she begins the proceedings for a divorce from her estranged husband. This love affair is the heart of this detective series, the perfect way to counter the murder and intrigue that occurs in each episode.

After successfully completing his obligation to the Ministry at the end of “Vendetta,” Zen find himself once again being asked to work for them in the second episode, “Cabal.” The death of a famous aristocrat introduces Arilleo to the shadowy underworld of the Cabal. In this episode, we learn more about Zen’s own ties to the underworld, as seen in Angelo (Garry Cooper), a foot soldier for the mob. We also get better acquainted to Nieddu (Francesco Quinn), an old police buddy of Zen’s who now works as a highly paid private investigator. Nieddu tries to lure Zen out of the political trappings of the police department, but Zen is too dedicated to the job.

By the third episode, “Ratking,” Zen’s life seems to be going off the rails. Moscat has a heart attack and a prudish, by-the-book temporary chief takes over the squad. He has lign=left it in for Zen, but must do as he’s told when the Ministry personally requests our detective to look into the kidnapping of wealthy industrialist. As Zen works around the clock to find the man before his time runs out, he must also deal with the tragic repercussions of being in love with a woman not yet divorced and her jealous husband. The end of the third episode leaves many loose ends. Alas, BBC One canceled Zen, despite respectable ratings.  It’s difficult to believe that a show this stylish, interesting and flat out cool got canceled after just three episodes. I hear that Left Bank, the production company behind the show, has approached other networks. Fortunately the three episodes of season one have been released on a 2 disc DVD set.

Full of mystery, with a touch of humor, Zen is superb television, thanks primarily to Sewell’s performance. The actor wasn’t afraid to make Zen look like a cad, or a chump, or a fool as long as it fit the scene and remained true to the character. After seeing him in the role I can’t imagine anyone else playing Zen in the near future. Likewise Murino, who adds class, vulnerability and grace to the role of Tania. These two  are truly one of the most charismatic and sexy couples on TV this year.  Pick up the DVD or look for reruns on PBS because Zen is one of the most interesting and fulfilling shows of 2011.

With the announcement of the 2011 Emmy nominees Thursday morning, I was prepared to toss off some cynical opinion about this year’s television awards. Let’s face it, the nominating process is flawed. Voters receive screeners with one or two episodes (there are rare occasions when they receive an entire season) and they make their judgments of a complete series based on those couple hours. That hardly constitutes a whole season of TV. However, when I read over the list of this year’s nominated series, actors, directors, etc. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the names I saw.

First and foremost, Academy voters have finally recognized DirecTv/NBC’s Friday Night Lights by giving it a Outstanding Dramatic Series nomination. The beloved cult series has been praised from here to Timbuktu as being the most consistent and fully realized drama in the 21^st Century (especially here at Popdose). It’s fantastic for the artists behind this show, and for fans, that in its final season Friday Night Lights will be competing for four of the most coveted prizes. Not only was it nominated for Outstanding Drama, but also Kyle Chandler for Outstanding Actor (Drama), Connie Britton for Outstanding Actress (Drama), as well as Outstanding Writing (Drama). Sadly, I don’t think it stands a chance in hell against the competition, but it’s an honor just to be nominated, right?

Among the other surprises that gave me a lift were seeing Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins nominated after a stellar second season on FX’s crime drama, Justified. It still amazes me that Goggins was never nominated for his time on The Shield; he was integral to the success of that show. It’s no shock that Margo Martindale of Justified was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress (Drama). Her scene stealing turn as Mags Bennet was some of the greatest acting on television this year.

How about Louis C.K. getting a nod for starring in his FX comedy series, Louie? Nice! Each episode of his show is bitingly funny, dark, and surprisingly full of many endearing moments. Louis C.K. occupies every frame of each episode and this nomination is well deserved. It’s also great to see Martha Plimpton get an Outstanding Actress (Comedy) nomination. Raising Hope, the comedy in which she stars, is one of the few freshman shows that survived the brutal fall and remains a bright spot on the Fox schedule. Too bad the show itself didn’t get more attention, although the legendary Cloris Leachman was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series.

My biggest WTF moments were Jon Cryer and Mariska Hargitay. Again? I can only imagine that voters took pity on Cryer for having to deal with the Charlie Sheen debacle on Two and a Half Men. Cryer is a fine actor, but I can name five others who are more deserving of an Outstanding Actor (Comedy Series) nod. They are: Nick Offerman and Chris Pratt of Parks and Recreation (or just about anyone from that show), Donald Glover or Danny Pudi from Community, and Garret Dillahunt from Raising Hope. As for Ms. Hargitay, her being nominated means that Regina King of Southland was once again overlooked. That, my friends, is bullshit.

I also have an issue with Glee’s Chris Colfer being nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy category. Don’t get me wrong, Colfer continues to deliver brave and outstanding work, but his best acting comes in those dramatic moments that Glee has a knack for. In a perfect world, Colfer would be getting acclaim for his dramatic chops. Alas, because Glee is categorized as a comedy, Colfer is pigeon holed into that genre.

Before I wrap this up, I need to give a shout out to my friends on Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time and Regular Show. Both are imaginative series that push the boundaries of television animation and both are well deserving of the nomination for Outstanding Short Format Animated Program. In the case of Regular Show, it has been in my top 20 favorite shows since its debut (just ask Will Harris).

I’m not going to make any predictions today. I mean, there are 65 days until the ceremony! Maybe I’ll take the next two months to review some the nominees and make it a weekly column. Hmm, there could be something to that idea.

See you next week, dear reader, same Popdose time, same Popdose chan…er we address?

I’ll work on my lead out.

Here is a complete list of the Emmy nominations (because it shouldn’t be limited to just the major categories):

COMEDY SERIES
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“The Office” (NBC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
“30 Rock” (NBC)

COMEDY ACTOR
Louis C.K. (“Louie”)
Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”)
Steve Carell (“The Office”)
Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”)
Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory”)
Matt LeBlanc (“Episodes”)

COMEDY ACTRESS
Laura Linney (“The Big C”)
Melissa McCarthy (“Mike & Molly”)
Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”)
Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”)
Martha Plimpton (“Raising Hope”)
Tina Fey (“30 Rock”)

SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
Chris Colfer (“Glee”)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”)
Ed O’Neill (“Modern Family”)
Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”)
Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”)
Jon Cryer (“Two and a Half Men”)

SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Jane Lynch (“Glee”)
Betty White (“Hot in Cleveland”)
Julie Bowen (“Modern Family”)
Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family”)
Kristen Wiig (“Saturday Night Live”)
Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock”)

DRAMA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“Friday Night Lights” (DirecTV)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
“Mad Men” (AMC)

DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”)
Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”)
Kyle Chandler (“Friday Night Lights”)
Hugh Laurie (“House”)
Timothy Olyphant (“Justified”)
Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”)

DRAMA ACTRESS
Connie Britton (“Friday Night Lights”)
Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”)
Kathy Bates (“Harry’s Law”)
Mireille Enos (“The Killing”)
Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order”)
Elizabeth Moss (“Mad Men”)

SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”)
Josh Charles (“The Good Wife”)
Alan Cumming (“The Good Wife”)
Walton Goggins (“Justified”)
John Slattery (“Mad Men”)
Andre Braugher (“Men of a Certain Age”)

SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
Kelly Macdonald (“Boardwalk Empire”)
Archie Panjabi (“The Good Wife”)
Christine Baranski (“The Good Wife”)
Margo Martindale (“Justified”)
Michelle Forbes (“The Killing”)
Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”)

MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“The Pillars of the Earth” (Starz)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Diane Lane (“Cinema Verite”)
Elizabeth McGovern (“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey”)
Kate Winslet (“Mildred Pierce”)
Taraji P. Henson (“Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story”)
Jean Marsh (“Masterpiece: Upstairs Downstairs)

LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Edgar Ramirez (“Carlos”)
Greg Kinnear (“The Kennedys”)
Barry Pepper (“The Kennedys”)
Idris Elba (“Luther”)
Laurence Fishburne (“Thurgood”)
William Hurt (“Too Big to Fail”)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Maggie Smith (“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” )
Evan Rachel Wood (“Mildred Pierce”)
Melissa Leo (“Mildred Pierce”)
Mare Winningham (“Mildred Pierce”)
Eileen Atkins (“Upstairs Downstairs”)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Tom Wilkinson (“The Kennedys”)
Guy Pearce (“Mildred Pierce”)
Brian F. O’Byrne (“Mildred Pierce”)
Paul Giamatti (“Too Big to Fail”)
James Woods (“Too Big to Fail”)

VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
“Conan” (TBS)
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central)
“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC)
“Real Time With Bill Maher” (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL
“Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On” (HBO)
“Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking” (HBO)
“The Kennedy Center Honors” (CBS)
“Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden” (HBO)
“The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway” (HBO)

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“American Idol” (FOX)
“Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
“So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)

REALITY PROGRAM
“Antiques Roadshow” (PBS)
“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel)
“Hoarders” (A&E)
“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (Bravo)
“MythBusters” (Discovery Channel)
“Undercover Boss” (CBS)

HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Phil Keoghan (“The Amazing Race”)
Ryan Seacrest (“American Idol”)
Tom Bergeron (“Dancing With the Stars”)
Cat Deeley (“So You Think You Can Dance”)
Jeff Probst (“Survivor”)

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Idris Elba (“The Big C”)
Nathan Lane (“Modern Family”)
Zach Galifianakis (“Saturday Night Live”)
Justin Timberlake (“Saturday Night Live”)
Matt Damon (“30 Rock”)
Will Arnett (“30 Rock”)

GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bruce Dern (“Big Love”)
Beau Bridges(“Brothers & Sisters”)
Michael J. Fox (“The Good Wife”)
Paul McCrane (“Harry’s Law”)
Jeremy Davies (“Justified”)
Robert Morse (“Mad Men”)

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth (“Glee”)
Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”)
Gwyneth Paltrow (“Glee”)
Cloris Leachman (“Raising Hope”)
Tina Fey (“Saturday Night Live”)
Elizabeth Banks (“30 Rock”)

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Mary McDonnell (“The Closer”)
Julia Stiles (“Dexter”)
Loretta Devine (“Grey’s Anatomy”)
Randee Heller (“Mad Men”)
Cara Buono (“Mad Men”)
Joan Cusack (“Shameless”)
Alfre Woodard (“True Blood”)

VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE
Brenda Strong (“Desperate Housewives”)
Maurice LaMarche (“Futurama”)
Bob Bergen (“The Looney Tunes Show”)
Christopher Plummer (“Moguls & Movie Stars”)
Seth Green (“Robot Chicken”)
Dan Castellaneta (“The Simpsons”)

ANIMATED PROGRAM
“The Cleveland Show” (FOX)
“Futurama” (Comedy Central)
“Robot Chicken” (Cartoon Network)
“The Simpsons” (FOX)
“South Park” (Comedy Central)

SHORT-FORMAT ANIMATED PROGRAM
“Adventure Time” (Cartoon Network)
“Disney Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa” (ABC)
“Regular Show” (Cartoon Network)
“Robot Chicken” (Cartoon Network)
“SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon)

ART DIRECTION FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
“Hot in Cleveland” (TV Land)
“How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
“Mike & Molly” (CBS)
“Rules of Engagement” (CBS)

ART DIRECTION FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“The Borgias” (Showtime)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“True Blood” (HBO)

ART DIRECTION FOR A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Upstairs Downstairs” (PBS)

ART DIRECTION FOR VARIETY, MUSIC, OR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
83rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
“American Idol” (FOX)
Gettysburg (History)
2010 MTV Video Music Awards (MTV)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
“The Big C” (Showtime)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Nurse Jackie” (Showtime)
“30 Rock” (NBC)

CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
“The Killing” (AMC)
“Mad Men” (AMC)

CASTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Upstairs Downstairs” (PBS)

CHOREOGRAPHY
Mark Ballas (“Dancing With the Stars”)
Mia Michaels (“So You Think You Can Dance”)
Stacey Tookey (“So You Think You Can Dance”)
Travis Wall (“So You Think You Can Dance”)
Tabitha Dumo and Napoleon Dumo (“So You Think You Can Dance”)
Mandy Jo Moore (“So You Think You Can Dance”)

CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
“How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
“Pair of Kings” (Disney XD)
“Retired at 35″ (TV Land)
“Rules of Engagement” (CBS)
“Two and a Half Men” (CBS)
“Wizards of Waverly Place” (Disney Channel)

CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” – Pilot (HBO)
“Boardwalk Empire” – “Home” (HBO)
“Boardwalk Empire” – “A Return to Normalcy” (HBO)
“The Borgias” (Showtime)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)

CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“The Pillars of the Earth” (Starz)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)

CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
“American Masters – Troubadours: Carole King / James Taylor & the Rise of the Singer-Songwriter” (PBS)
“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
“Gasland” (HBO)
“Gettysburg” (History)
“If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise” (HBO)
“Whale Wars: To the Ends of the Earth” (Animal Planet)

CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR REALITY PROGRAMMING
“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel)
“Intervention” (A&E)
“Survivor” (CBS)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)

COMMERCIAL
Baby – McDonald’s
Baby Driver – Subaru
Born of Fire – Chrysler 200
Conan – American Express
Polar Bear – Nissan LEAF
Questions – Old Spice Body Wash

COSTUMES FOR A SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“The Borgias” (Showtime)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Mad Men” (AMC)

COSTUMES FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Upstairs Downstairs” (PBS)

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
“How I Met Your Mother,” Pamela Fryman (CBS)
“Modern Family,” Michael Alan Spiller (ABC)
“Modern Family,” Gail Mancuso (ABC)
“Modern Family,” Steve Levitan (ABC)
“30 Rock,” Beth McCarthy-Miller (NBC)

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire,” Martin Scorsese (HBO)
“Boardwalk Empire,” Jeremy Podeswa (HBO)
“The Borgias,” Neil Jordan (Showtime)
“Game of Thrones,” Tim Van Patten (HBO)
“The Killing,” Patti Jenkins (AMC)

DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
“Carlos,” Oliver Assayas (Sundance Channel)
“Cinema Verite,” Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini(HBO)
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey,” Brian Percival (PBS)
“Mildred Pierce,” Todd Haynes (HBO)
“Too Big to Fail,” Curtis Hanson (HBO)

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
“American Idol,” Gregg Gelfand (FOX)

“The Colbert Report,” James Hoskinson (Comedy Central)
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Chuck O’Neil (Comedy Central)
“Late Show With David Letterman,” Jerry Foley (CBS)
“Saturday Night Live,” Don Roy King (NBC)

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SPECIAL
83rd Annual Academy Awards, Don Mischer (ABC)
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, Louis J. Horvitz (CBS)
“Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden,” Laurieann Gibson (HBO)
“Sondheim! The Birthday Concert,” Lonny Price (PBS)
64th Annual Tony Awards, Glenn Weiss (CBS)

DIRECTING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
“The Amazing Race,” Bertram van Munster (CBS)
“American Masters – A Letter to Elia/Reflecting on Kazan,” Martin Scorsese and Kent Jones (PBS)
“Becoming Chaz,” Fenton Baily and Randy Barbato (OWN)
“Gasland,” Josh Fox (HBO)
“Top Chef,” Paul Starkman (Bravo)

SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“The Killing” (AMC)
“Mad Men” – “The Suitcase”(AMC)
“Mad Men” – “Blowing Smoke”(AMC)

PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
“How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
“Modern Family” – “Halloween” (ABC)
“Modern Family” – “Slow Down Your Neighbors” (ABC)
“30 Rock” (NBC)

SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“Masterpiece: Sherlock: A Study in Pink” (PBS)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)

SHORT-FORM PICTURE EDITING
83rd Annual Academy Awards – Opening (ABC)
82rd Annual Academy Awards – This Year’s Unintentional Musicals (ABC)
“American Idol” (FOX)
The 2010 ESPY Awards (ESPN)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” – After the Academy Awards (ABC)

PICTURE EDITING FOR A SPECIAL
“Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking” (HBO)
“Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden (HBO)
“Louis C.K.: Hilarious” (EPIX)
“Ricky Gervais: Out of England 2 – The Stand-Up Special” (HBO)
“Thurgood” (HBO)

PICTURE EDITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
“American Masters: LENNONYC” (PBS)
“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
“Becoming Chaz” (OWN)
“Freedom Riders” (PBS)
“If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise” (HBO)

PICTURE EDITING FOR REALITY PROGRAMMING
“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“Deadliest Catch” (Discover Channel)
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
“Survivor” (CBS)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)

HAIRSTYLING FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Mad Men” – “Hands and Knees”(AMC)
“Mad Men” – “Christmas Comes but Once a Year”(AMC)

HAIRSTYLING FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES OR SPECIAL
“America’s Got Talent” (NBC)
“Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
“iCarly” (Nickelodeon)
“The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway” (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

HAIRSTYLING FOR A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“The Pillars of the Earth” (Starz)

CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA
“ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy Sync” (ABC.com)
“Conan O’Brien Presents: Team Coco” (TBS.com)
“Fringe: Division” (FOX.com)
“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC.com)
“Oscar Digital Experience” (ABC.com)

LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR VARIETY, MUSICAL OR COMEDY SERIES
“American Idol” (FOX)
“Conan” (TBS)
“Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX)

LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR VARIETY, MUSICAL OR COMEDY SPECIAL
83rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
“Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden” (HBO)

MAIN TITLE DESIGN
“Masterpiece: Any Human Heart” (PBS)
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Game Of Thrones” (HBO)
“Rubicon” (AMC)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)

MAKEUP FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES (NON-PROSTHETIC)
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“True Blood” (HBO)

MAKEUP FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES OR SPECIAL (NON-PROSTHETIC)
“Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
“How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
“iCarly” (Nickelodeon)
“The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway” (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

MAKEUP FOR A MINISERIES OR MOVIE (NON-PROSTHETIC)
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“The Pillars of the Earth” (Starz)

PROSTHETIC MAKEUP FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
“The Cape” (NBC)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
“The Walking Dead” (AMC)

ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE FOR A SERIES
“Batman: The Brave and The Bold” (Cartoon Network)
“FlashForward” (ABC)
“Psych” (USA)
XXX()

MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL
“Masterpiece: Any Human Heart,” Dan Jones (PBS)
“Mildred Pierce,” Carter Burwell (HBO)
“The Pillars of the Earth,” Trevor Morris (Starz)
“Masterpiece: Sherlock: A Study in Pink,” David Arnold (PBS)
“Thurgood,” Rob Mathes (HBO)

MUSIC DIRECTION
83rd Annual Academy Awards, William Ross (ABC)
“An Evening Of Stars: Tribute to Chaka Khan,” Rickey Minor (NBC)
“Celtic Woman: Songs From The Heart” (PBS)
“Great Performances: Harry Connick Jr., in Concert on Broadway,” Harry Connick Jr. (PBS)
“Great Performances: Hitman Returns: David Foster and Friends,” David Foster(PBS)
The Kennedy Center Honors, Rob Mathes and Rob Berman (CBS)
2011 Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Paul Shaffer (FUSE)

ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS
“Family Guy” – Christmastime Is Killing Us,” Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane and Danny Smith (FOX)
“Robert Klein: Unfair & Unbalanced” – “An American Prayer – Hymn II?” Robert H. Stein and Robert Klein (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” – “I Just Had Sex,” Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Justin Franks and Jerrod Bettis (NBC)
“Saturday Night Live” – “Justin Timberlake Monologue,” Katreese Barnes, Seth Meyers, Justin Timberlake and John Mulaney (NBC)
“Saturday Night Live” – “Jack Sparrow,” Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Mike Woods (NBC)

ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC
“Masterpiece: Any Human Heart,” Dan Jones (PBS)
“The Borgias,” Trevor Morris (Showtime)
“Camelot,” Jeff Danna and Mychael Danna (Starz)
“Episodes,” Mark Thomas (Showtime)
“The Kennedys,” Sean P. Callery (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce,” Carter Burwell (HBO)

SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAM
83rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
64th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)

SPECIAL CLASS SHORT FORMAT LIVE-ACTION ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
“The Daily Show Correspondents Explain” (thedailyshow.com)
“30 Rock: The Webisodes” (NBC.com)

SPECIAL CLASS SHORT FORMAT NON-FICTION PROGRAM
“Jay Leno’s Garage” (JayLenosGarage.com)
“Writer’s Draft: Kazuo Ishiguro and Alex Garland of ‘Never Let Me Go’” (FOX Movie Channel)

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
“A Child’s Garden of Poetry” (HBO)
“Degrassi” (TeenNick)
“iCarly” (Nickelodeon)
“Victorious” (Nickelodeon)
“Wizards of Waverly Place” (Disney Channel)

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
“Masterclass” (HBO)
“Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: Under the Influence: Kids of Alcoholics” (Nickelodeon)

NONFICTION SPECIAL
“Becoming Chaz” (OWN)
“Gettysburg” (History)
“His Way” (HBO)
“Jaws: The Inside Story” (BIO)
“Stand Up to Cancer”

NONFICTION SERIES
“American Masters” (PBS)
“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
“Biography” (BIO)
“Moguls & Movie Stars” (TCM)
“Pioneers of Television” (PBS)
“30 for 30″ (ESPN)

EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN NONFICTION FILMMAKING
“Freedom Riders” (PBS)
“Gasland” (HBO)
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” (PBS)

SOUND EDITING FOR A SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“CSI: NY” (CBS)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Nikita” (The CW)
“True Blood” (HBO)
“The Walking Dead” (AMC)

SOUND EDITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL
“Masterpiece: Any Human Heart” (PBS)
“Masterpiece: Downton Abbey: (PBS)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“The Pillars Of The Earth” (Starz)

SOUND EDITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“American Idol” (FOX)
“American Masters” (PBS)
“Baseball: The Tenth Inning” (PBS)
“Gettysburg” (History)
“Whale Wars” (Animal Planet)

SOUND MIXING FOR A ONE-HOUR COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Burn Notice” (USA)
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“Glee” (FOX)
“House” (FOX)
“Mad Men” (AMC)

SOUND MIXING FOR A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“Too Big to Fail” (HBO)

SOUND MIXING FOR A HALF-HOUR COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES AND ANIMATION
“Californication” (Showtime)
“Family Guy” (FOX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“The Office” (NBC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)

SOUND MIXING FOR A VARIETY OR MUSIC SERIES OR SPECIAL
83rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
“American Idol” (FOX)
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)

SOUND MIXING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“American Idol” (FOX)
“American Masters: LENNONYC” (PBS)
“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel )
“Gettysburg” (History)

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“The Borgias” (Showtime)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Stargate Universe” (Syfy)
“The Walking Dead” (AMC)

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL
“Gettysburg” (History)
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
“The Pillars of the Earth” (Starz)
“Masterpiece: Sherlock: A Study in Pink” (PBS)

STUNT COORDINATION
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Hawaii Five-0″ (CBS)
“Southland” (TNT)
“Spartacus: Gods of the Arena” (Starz)

TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A SERIES
“American Idol” (CBS)
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central)
“Dancing With The Stars” (ABC)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“30 Rock” (NBC)

TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL
83rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
“Don Pasquale – Great Performances At The Met” (PBS)
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
“Lady GaGa Presents The Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden” (HBO)

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, “Episodes” (Showtime)
Louis C.K., “Louie” (FX)
Steve Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, “Modern Family” (ABC)
Greg Daniels, “The Office” (NBC)
Matt Hubbard, “30 Rock” (NBC)

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Katims, “Friday Night Lights” (DirecTV)
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Veena Sud, “The Killing” (AMC)
Matthew Weiner, “Mad Men” (AMC)
Andre Jacquemetton and Maria Jacquemetton, “Mad Men” (AMC)

WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Julian Fellowes, “Masterpiece: Downton Abbey” (PBS)
Todd Haynes and Jon Raymond, “Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
Steven Moffat, “Masterpiece: Sherlock: A Study in Pink” (PBS)
Peter Gould, “Too Big to Fail” (HBO)
Heidi Thomas, “Masterpiece: Upstairs Downstairs” (PBS)

WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
“Conan” (TBS)
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central)
“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Colin Quinn, “Colin Quinn: Long Story Short” (HBO)
Louis C.K., “Louis C.K.: Hilarious” (EPIX)
Erick Slovin, “Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Benefit For Autism Education” (Comedy Central)
Paula Pell, Seth Meyers, Emily Spivey and John Solomon, “The Real Women of SNL” (NBC)
Dave Boone, Matt Roberts and Mo Rocca, 64th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)

WRITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
Anthony Bourdain, “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
Stanley Nelson, “Freedom Riders” (PBS)
Josh Fox, “Gasland” (HBO)
Richard Bedser and Ed Fields “Gettysburg” (HBO)
Jon Wilkman, “Moguls & Movie Stars” (TCM)

It’s only April and AMC’s new drama series, The Killing, has already shot to the top of my favorite shows of 2011. If the first four episodes are any indication of the quality of drama we should expect each week until its 13 episode season comes to an end, I am positive that this murder mystery will most definitely stay there. Based on a Danish television series, Forbryelsen, the U.S. version was developed by Veena Sud, one of the writers and producers from the CBS procedural series, Cold Case. Sud’s experience writing that show’s strong willed and intelligent Lily Rush (Kathryn Morris) translates superbly to this outstanding new show and its wonderful main character, Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos).

The series is broken into three intersecting storylines. Tying them all together is the mystery of who killed the good girl high school student whose death shakes up a small Seattle community. Linden is the heart of the series. Linden is an empathetic, smart detective who has the patience to study a crime scene even while here fellow police officers are packing up and calling it quits. However, she’s done with the job, literally, as in she’s hours away from moving to California with her teenage son and fiance. Just as Linden is introduced to her replacement, a shady looking, former narcotics detective named Holder (Joel Kinnaman, playing skeezy to perfection), a call comes in that a girl’s sweater has been the middle of a field along with a credit card belonging to a Stanley Larsen.

From there, we’re introduced to the Larsen family, in particular Stanley and Mich Larsen (the superb Brent Sexton and Michelle Forbes). They’re a middle class couple raising three kids who come across as decent, solid people and good parents. It soon becomes evident (thanks, in apart to the eerie opening sequence) that the missing sweater belongs to the eldest Larsen child, Rosie, and that she’s gone missing. Reality slowly creeps in that Rosie isn’t just missing and when a car is pulled from the bottom of a lake with the girl’s body locked in the truck, her fate is confirmed. The grief Stan and Mitch go through is so palpable, you will need a box of Kleenex to get through the initial episodes. I haven’t openly wept during a TV show in a long time and I had to pause the television twice just to wipe my eyes and check on my own daughter, sleeping soundly in her bedroom.

The final plot deals with Darren Richmond, a politician running for mayor. Richmond is a dark horse candidate trying to convince Seattle that he’s the right man to bring down the corruption of the current administration. A caring and honest man, he isn’t willing to bend the rules to get what he wants. Richmond’s role initially seems to be peripheral, However, when Rosie’s body is pulled from the bottom of a lake, it’s one of the Richmond campaign’s cars she’s found in.  Richmond’s part in this mystery becomes more intriguing as the series unfolds. Who in his campaign could possibly be involved? Could it possibly be Richmond himself? Additionally, there is a leak in the Richmond campaign out to sabotage his efforts. Does this have something to do with Rosie? Only time will tell.

The Killing is equal parts Mystic River (both Dennis Lehane’s novel ad Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award winning film) and Homicide:Life on the Streets, the seminal detective series from the 90’s, with a touch of Twin Peaks Pacific northwest oddness thrown it to give the show a unique flavor. The acting is exemplary. Enos has a quiet strength and intensity that recalls Melissa Leo’s groundbreaking acting on Homicide, Sexton and Forbes convey the heartbreak and decent into depression with such realism, expect them to get strong consuderation come Emmy season. Finally, Campbell excels in portraying the damaged soul of Richmond, bringing to mind his beloved role of Rick on ABC’s Once and Again.

One of the greatest qualities of The Killing is that everyone, save for Linden, comes across as being a possible suspect. Everyone has secrets, secrets that are getting drudged up as the murder investigation continues. The information is slowly coming out as the writers and directors take their sweet old time in revealing clues and facts about the characters. Not only does this lead to satisfying entertainment, but with red herrings being thrown around left and right, it’s also fun, in a disturbing way. The Killing plays out like a great mystery novel and seems destined to be on a number of top ten lists by the end of the year. Like I said, it’s already on mine.

The first four episodes are currently streaming online at the AMC website.

I was pretty excited about her discovering one of “our” shows.  I can still remember watching MASH, Benson and WKRP in Cincinnati with my father when I was Sophie’s age. He would be stretched out on one of our couches, laughing out loud at jokes I didn’t necessarily get, while I rocked incessantly in one of our yellow rockers (before it was relegated to the basement).  There was a thrill in being able to watch a “grown up” show, especially with my dad. Part of the reason I still enjoy the reruns of those aforementioned sitcoms is the memory of hanging with him (with my mom, our shared entertainment experiences would involve more serious material, such as St. Elsewhere).

If you haven’t seen The Middle, you’re missing a real quality show. It kind of goes unnoticed by the press because it isn’t “hip” or “edgy.” Created by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline, the show hews closer to Roseanne than The Office or Modern Family. Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) stars as Frankie Heck, the matriarch of a blue collar Indiana family living on the fringe of the middle class. Frankie sells cars for a living, her husband, Mike (Neil Flynn, aka the Janitor on Scrubs), is the  foreman at the local quarry. Frankie and Mike do their best to make ends meet each month, sometimes working two jobs at a time. Flynn and Heaton work well together creating a realistic marriage (albeit, one in a sitcom world). Heaton has shown that she has more range than her Raymond role showed, and it’s great seeing Flynn, who was always the secret weapon on Scrubs, get a chance to shine in a leading role.

Frankie and Mike have three kids and they couldn’t be more different. Axl is the oldest. He’s a high school jock who plays football and basketball. When he isn’t slacking around the house in just his boxer shorts, Axl works at the local movie theater. Charles McDermott does a great job as the eldest Heck kid. Although Axl is primarily a typical teenage guy, he does have a softer side, as shown when he got his heart broken and could only be consoled by Frankie (much to her delight).On the surface, Axl appears pretty stereotypical, but the writers and McDermott have added little flourishes that make the role well rounded.

Sue is the middle child. With braces and unkempt bright red hair, Sue sticks out like a sore thumb. She’s socially awkward and tries to hard to get accepted. However, she doesn’t let her unpopularity or clumsiness get her down. Sue is eternally optimistic, finding the bright side to most everything. Eden Sher portrays Sue with so much manic energy that she creates laughter just with her facial expressions. Sue may be my favorite character.

The youngest Heck child is Brick, named so because Frankie and Mike thought it would give him strength. Eh. Brick would rather read a book than lift a finger to do chores or play a sport. In fact, Brick loves reading so much that when he throws a birthday party, 30 minutes of reading time is incorporated into the activities. Brick is a strange kid. He has  habit of lowering his chin and whispering to himself words or phrases that interest him. The writers got a little carried away with this running gag toward the end of the first season but have reined it in and found the most unusual places to have him repeat something. Atticus Shaffer plays Brick and give the odd character the right combination of cuteness and weirdness.

Like any show, there are recurring characters that come back for visits. Chris Kattan is very funny as Frankie’s co-worker and a (forced) friend of the family. The Heck kids are always having to babysit Frankie’s elderly aunts (Aunt Ginny and Aunt Edie), plus we’ve met Mike’s dad, “Big Mike,” (John Cullum of Northern Exposure) and his brother, Rusty (Norm McDonald).

The Middle certainly delivers its share of laughs, but it also has great heart, which I really appreciate in an age when so many sitcoms can be cynical and mean spirited (especially the shrill ones on Disney). Used to be a family could sit down and watch a Happy Days or Cosby Show and share some quality entertainment together. Now, you’re lucky if there’s even one show on the major networks that aren’t filled with some inappropriate . Not that I have anything against mature comedies; it’s just nice to have a show we all can enjoy, and possibly create new memories that Sophie will recall when has kids of her own.

Last night saw the end of ABC Family’s college based series, Greek, an hour long comedy drama that centered around the fictional Ohio college of Cyprus-Rhodes University and the likable students who attended it. The show was never a runaway success; it did better in its early seasons but ratings tapered off  in its last two seasons. After a ratings surge at the end of its third season, ABC Family, much to its credit, decided to  let the show run have 10 more episodes this winter. The series finale saw the central characters begin new chapters in their lives, the demise of a favorite fraternity house, one last stop at the local watering hole, Dobler’s, and the romantic leads, Cassie and Cappie driving off into the Ohio sunset, destination unknown.

I didn’t become aware of Greek until the opportunity arose to review one of its half season on DVD. From that point on, I fell in love with the series, created by Patrick Sean Smith. When the show came on the air in 2007, the heart of the show was incoming freshman, Rusty “Spitter” Cartwright, played by the likable Jacob Zachar. Rusty was a boy genius, a true geek, and in an effort to shed that image, he pledged the notorious Kappa Tau Gamma fraternity, an authentic animal house. Rusty was taken under the wing of Cappie (Scott Michael Foster) and shown the many ways of the world- of the ways of the world only consisted of drinking and scoring cute co-eds. This was done much to the chagrin of Rusty’s older sister, Casey, played by the lovely Spencer Grammer. She was the soul of Greek.

Casey was a member of one of the top sororities, Zeta Beta Zeta, and through the years she would become the chapter president and see her sorority sisters through some difficult times. Luckily, she had the support of her best friend Ashleigh (the adorable Amber Stevens) and the alliance of the politically motivated Rebecca (Dilshad Vadsaria). When the show began, Cappie and Casey were exes, but they were always destined to be together and we fans rooted for their relationship to work out. As I mentioned in the opening, they drove off together, so we can only hope that their love remains strong in the fantasy future.

There was a love triangle when the show began, involving Cappie, Casey and Evan Chambers (Jake McDorman) of Omega Chi Delta, a rival fraternity. The three characters were once best friends (as detailed in an early flashback episode), but the friendship fell apart due to immaturity and the fact that both guys had a thing for Casey. Throughout the four years of the show, these three fought and fell in love and in they end, friendship prevailed.

Friendship was one of the strongest themes of Greek, and it was a theme that any viewer, not matter what age, could relate to. Drawing inspiration from John Hughes films, Smith and his group of writers, producers and actors were always tapping into the spirit of those 80′s feel good movies, constantly throwing out references to the films either in dialogue, casting (Alan Ruck played the Dean of Student Affairs) or music selections. The friendships of these characters was never false. Their fights and reconciliations rang true of the same type of scuffles so many of us went through in our formative years.

What I loved about this show was its message of tolerance. Several of the characters on the series were gay, including one of Rusty’s best friends, Calvin (Paul James). He came out to Rusty and to Evan (his pledge trainer in Omega Chi) and the two men never batted an eye. If television has the power to influence and change the way people think, a light, fun show like Greek is a good place to start. Additionally, Rusty’s other best friend, Dale (the hilarious Clark Duke) began the series as a conservative Christian. Again, Rusty never judged him, even though Dale was quick to judge others. By the end of the series, Dale had changed. He had grown up and learned to be less judgmental. In the end, all of the Greek characters had grown and become better people. That’s what we hope will happen over the course of four years, especially in college.

Greek was one of the first shows I know that centered on the college experience and successfully showed it, warts and all. The network never shied away from the drinking and debauchery that occurred on campus. Sure, it was tamed down considerably, but the writers always found creative ways, often through double and triple entendres, to discuss sex I have to admit that I wasn’t the most faithful viewer of Greek. Episodes sometimes sat on my DVR for a week or two before I got to them. But whenever I finally set aside some time, a couple hours were spent (usually on Friday nights) catching up and having a great time. Greek was comfort food television. It was never emotionally stressful and it was never too heavy to burden the soul. Yet, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t quality television. Greek had the ability to inspire, lift your spirits and most definitely make you laugh.

It still can, of course. Each season is on DVD, and thanks to a deal struck between Disney (the parent company of ABC Family) and Netflixx, every season of Greek is streaming, including the final episodes.  This summer, when I bored with zombies, meth dealers and adulterating ad men, when I’ve had my fill of procedurals and special effects extravaganzas, I think I’m going to set aside an hour each Friday night to revisit Cyprus-Rhodes University, to live through the college years one more time, and enjoy myself all over again.

The TV minseries is pretty much a phenomenon of the past, especially on the major networks. The only place you’re likely to find this type of long form television is on cable, in particular HBO, which has the revenue to pull off these large undertakings  without concern for advertising dollars (think Band of Brothers). With so many forms of episodic entertainment available to people in the 21^st century, the major networks have iced miniseries, placing their focus squarely on finding the next BIG show that will keep viewers around for years.

In 1975, when there were basically three options (ABC, NBC and CBS) for your average family to find original programming, the minseries was a revolutionary idea. The first of the blockbusters miniseries was ABC’s Rich Man, Poor Man. It ushered in a new era of television, one that saw great triumphs (Roots, Shogun, Lonesome Dove) and abysmal wastes of time (pretty much anything with Stephen King’s name attached to it).

Based upon the bestselling novel by Irwin Shaw, Rich Man, Poor Man was a 12 week television event shown in hour long chapters. The miniseries made stars out of Nick Nolte, Susan Blakely and Peter Strauss, and it featured an all star cast of Hollywood big names, some of them in roles that were basically cameos. Strauss plays Rudy, the ambitious, straight laced good son of a German immigrant baker. As the story opens, it’s VE Day, 1945. The country celebrates the defeat of the Nazis and young Rudy is looking forward to graduating from high school in his small town of Port Phillip, New York and going off to college to study business.

Rudy has a pretty girlfriend, Julie (Blakely), who desperately wants to get out of Port Phillip. She lives with her single mother who struggles to make ends meet. The worst possible fate for Julie would be  to end up like her mother and settle for small town life. Julie wants to see the world; she wants to experience life. Although she tries to convince Rudy to run away with her to Greenwich Village, where they can live  and get married, he won’t deviate from his plan. This drives Julie away and into the arms of various men and alcohol.

Finally, there is Tom, Rudy’s rebellious younger brother. The bad boy. The “mistake,” as his mother repeatedly comments. Tom is bored and constantly looking for a thrill. He’s also constantly in trouble with his parents and the law. Although Tom likes to torment his older brother, there is a deep seeded love between the two. They have been raised by a brutish man and a mother who does what she’s told. When given the opportunity to humiliate Rudy and ruin his older brother’s idealized view of Julie, Tom balks, choosing to not hurt him. Tom is played by Nolte, then still an unknown, but displaying every ounce of raw energy and passion that made him one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.

The boys have been raised with a strong hand by their ugly, bitter father, a man who drinks his booze like water and despises America, even though the country has sustained him for years. That he fled his homeland after World War I only leads us to believe that he was not an honorable man. He admits as much to Rudy when he describes the horrible circumstances that led to his journey to America. Ed Asner plays this  character and makes him as grotesque as possibly, always wearing a scowl and always wearing a wife beater that allows every hair on his arms and back to crawl out from under his clothes.

As with any epic story, the three main characters eventually head off in separate directions. Rudy winds up in college; Julie winds up in New York as an actress, involved with a married man (pre- Hulk Bill Bixby); and Tom winds up on the west coast, having fled New York to avoid the law. Their lives go in diverse directions, but unresolved feelings gnaw at them. After years apart, Julie and Rudy still pine for each other. Meanwhile Tom yearns for reconciliation with his brother. Eventually they all meet again as the miniseries enters into its final hours.

Rich Man, Poor Man could have easily been a cheesy, soap operatic made-for-TV movie, and there are times when some of the older Hollywood stars overact just a little. Even Asner is a little too broad at times. Yet the story moves at a quick pace and remarkably, the editing keeps things flowing naturally, like a book. You don’t notice that the three main characters are on separate trajectories and that their paths don’t intersect for several of the episodes. Anyone familiar with Lost, 24 or any of the current dramas that have multiple storylines should have no problem getting into this series.

The highlight of Rich Man, Poor Man is the acting by the three leads. Strauss subtly transforms Rudy from a needy, goody two shoes to a slick, compromised businessman whose values have gone from black and white to dark gray.  Blakely is luminous in the early hours of Julie’s life, when she’s a young ingénue trying to break away from her small time life. But after a slow descent in alcoholism, Julie becomes a shambles, and Blakely makes this happen marvelously.  And then there is Nolte, who is riveting. His youthful face commands the screen. He walks around like a caged tiger ready to pounce, anger and anguish just below the surface.  Nolte adds little touches to each scene: a quick, playful wave, a wink, or just a slight smirk that elevates each moment he’s on screen and makes this miniseries extremely enjoyable.

Rich Man, Poor Man was a resounding success, garnering huge ratings and numerous awards nominations. Naturally, ABC went to the well again and a sequel was produced. Rich Man, Poor Man, Book II, picks up immediately following the final moments of the original miniseries. Unfortunately, as with most sequels, this second miniseries is bloated and inferior to the first. Double in length, Rich Man, Poor Man, II, suffers from the trappings of most made-for-TV movies. It’s too melodramatic, it’s heavy handed, the direction is flat, and worst of all, it is paced too slowly (probably because they dragged the story out).

Rich Man, Poor Man, Book II continues the story of Rudy and his pursuit of power, in this case becoming a U.S. Senator. Nolte was not a part of the sequel (for obvious reasons once you’ve seen the first) so the secondary stories shifted focus to Rudy’s stepson, Billy (James Carroll Jordan) and Tom’s son, Wesley (Gregg Henry), who has come to live with Rudy. Billy and Wesley are both ambitious and their conflict becomes central to the sequel. Unfortunately, the second miniseries is just not as interesting. What’s really missing is Nolte. His energy was not replaced by any of the new cast members. If Rich Man, Poor Man was prime time, must see television, its sequel is like one of those Sunday afternoon programs you have on in the background while you fold laundry or clean up around the house. You can pretty much follow the plot no matter where you pick up in the story and you don’t feel like you’re missing much when you’re not focused on it.

Rich Man, Poor Man II was 22 hours of television, which is essentially a television season for most regular series. If it had been a regular series, it would have been canceled.

A& E has released a deluxe box set that contains both miniseries in one collection. There are no real bonus features, but the quality of the DVD’s is excellent and having all of he episodes together is nice for fans of both miniseries. Being able to watch every episode back to back is a facintaing feat (and also a bit of a challenge) as you can compare and contrast the two series and make a judgement for yourself.

My Boys

In addition to the relationship between Stephanie and Kenny, P.J. is dating Bobby (Kyle Howard), and having two relationships in this group of friends allows for different types of stories that create new pairings of characters. Whereas Kenny was usually paired with Mike (Jamie Kaler), the commitment phobic ladies man, now that Kenny is in a romantic and very funny relationship with Stephanie (Bunin and Stewart can trade barbs with the best of them) Mike can now have interesting adventures with the other single guy, Brando (Reid Scott). The episode in which these guys, typical slackers, decide to don suits and ties and go to a classy hotel bar to pick up women who “wear skirts” is my favorite of the season, so far. Meanwhile the two couples can go on double dates or just decide to spend time away from their group of friends (as couples are prone to do since they want to, you know, be romantic), opening up the range of stories they writers can write about.

What I like about this new direction of the show is that it allows the series to mature. As viewers, I feel like we can only take so much of “single life” stories before they start to feel clichéd. Most people are looking to connect with another person and have a loving relationship that extends beyond just friendship. Having four of the main characters be in relationships while the other two guys are still living the single life makes My Boys feel more grounded in reality, unlike other sitcoms, such as Two and a Half Men, which seems to exist in some parallel universe where a guy like Charlie Sheen’s perpetually drunk character, who seems to lose more charm as each season goes by, is constantly bedding smart, gorgeous women.

But My Boys has always been grounded in reality. The relationships in this show have continued to remain honest and the bond between the characters seems to extend beyond the scripted page. You feel the love between P.J. and her friends coming out through the television screen. While My Boys has many laugh out loud situations (in the premiere we got to see two versions of P.J., Stephanie and Brando as college freshmen, each diversely different and each hilarious), most of the humor comes from the conversations between the characters. It flows so easily and so naturally, that we as viewers feel like we’re really a part of the gang.

Friends achieved this early in its series run, but gradually became more heightened and the roles of the characters became more stock (Joey was the dumb one, Monica the manic one, Ross the mope, etc). The bantering and the interplay between all six characters on My Boys may not always seem to be going for the joke, but that’s okay, because this show is so engaging, waiting for the next joke isn’t as important as waiting to see what happens next to these beloved characters.

My Boys airs Sunday nights at 10PM on TBS.

Full episodes are streaming at the TBS website.

If you clicked on this link expecting me to rip into Hot in Cleveland, you might as well stop reading now. I like the show. It makes me laugh. Hard. In a summer full of more cop shows than I can count on my fingers, it’s nice to have a traditional sitcom (filmed before a live studio audience) that actually works. Besides FX’s Louie, Hot in Cleveland is the only program that I look forward to each week. Moreover, it’s actually something I can enjoy with my wife, a woman who’s not all that into the jokes about bestiality on Louis C.K.’s new comedy series or the hard-drinking firemen of Rescue Me.

In the show, Valerie Bertinelli stars as Melanie, a divorced writer whose plane to Paris makes an emergency landing in Cleveland. With her on this aborted flight are her best friends: former soap star Victoria Chase, played by the brilliant Wendie Malick (Just Shoot Me) and Joy, eyebrow shaper to the stars, played by Jane Leeves (Frasier). Melanie and company are amazed to find a city where women are allowed to actually eat and aren’t as concerned about their figures 24/7. Moreover, being women of a certain age, they’re amazed that men actually take notice of them. Melanie quickly becomes enamored with Cleveland’s Midwestern charms and impulsively rents a big old house with a porch and a live-in caretaker. The caretaker is a pot-smoking, smart-assed World War II survivor played by the incomparable White. Of course, because Melanie is staying, Victoria and Joy decide to stay, too (otherwise there wouldn’t be a sitcom).

I’ll admit that the plots haven’t been too inventive. In one episode, the girls all go on blind dates that end disastrously, except for White, who winds up with another comedy giant, Carl Reiner. Just watching those two geniuses play off each other, and listening to them spit out double entendres, was worth the standard plot of the show. (I hear Clevelander Tim Conway is going to be appearing in a future episode as a rival to Reiner; I can’t wait.) In another episode, Melanie accidentally insults her neighbors and ends up having to woo one of them, a newspaper columnist played by Wayne Knight of Seinfeld.

The scripts have been tight and the writers aren’t afraid to throw in as many risque jokes as possible to keep Hot in Cleveland hip. Each actress is right on the mark and seems to be having a great time. I’ve been especially impressed with Bertinelli, as the last full-time gig she had was Touched by An Angel over seven years ago. She holds her own with a great supporting cast around her and shows that she hasn’t forgotten any of the comic timing she learned when she was appearing on One Day at a Time. Melanie could have come off as whiny and forgettable, easily overpowered by the awesomeness of Leeves, Malick and White. But Bertinelli makes Melanie likable and easy to cheer on, full of pep and optimism.

All four women have great chemistry; their onscreen friendships are quite believable. Leeves throws out wisecracks with ease, something she did marvelously when sharing the screen with Kelsey Grammer and company. Malick plays vain better than any actress on television, but can turn on a dime and stir emotions, like the poignancy she brought to the episode in which she faced the truth about again when she tried to rekindle a past affair with an ’80s rocker (played by Huey Lewis).  And of course there’s Betty White.

TV Land must be thanking God that the producers of Hot in Cleveland cast Betty White before she became the breakout star of 2010. Having the screen legend on their show brought instant attention to this sitcom and the ratings for its summer premiere were the best in TV Land history. Not really sure if that’s saying much. Nevertheless, TV Land has their first bona fide hit series, and Hot in Cleveland has already been renewed for a second season.

Summer programming has become more original as cable networks try to show that the Big Four (we won’t count the CW) are running out of ideas. But there’s nothing wrong with doing something tried and true, as long as it works. For me, Hot in Cleveland works, and I’ll keep watching as long as it makes me laugh.