t's Day 2 of 3 of the FanboyGeek TV Awards 2007. There's no democracy, they're all my choices, but please leave comments, and let me know your nominations.
Best Factual HBO's Realtime with Bill Maher continues to be THE essential satirical news show, making the Daily Show look tame. With pertinent commentary, top-flight guests and great writing, it's not only an essential view, it's an important programme. However, Spike Lee's extraordinary documentary When the Levees Broke was peerless and even at 4 hours long was impossible not to watch in a single sitting.
Most Promising New Series Ira Glass's This American Life made a successful transfer from NPR to television with this quirky and thought-provoking programme of curious tales of American folk. Roll on the second season.
Best Actor Some exceptional performances this year make this the toughest category for me. Philip Glenister created a new classic character in Life on Mars's Gene Hunt, but Steve Carell owned in the ever-exceptional US Office. Alec Baldwin amazed the world by showing he could do comedy in 30 Rock. William Shatne r is clearly insane, but Denny Crane rules in Boston Legal. Ian Hart was wonderful as functional schizophrenic paparazzi Don Konkey in Dirt, but Dirt was a disappointment. Michael Chiklis continues to dominate the screen in The Shield, but Criminal Intent's Vincent "Stanislavski" D'Onofrio remains, my very favourite actor in the world. Dominic West consistently amazes on The Wire (particularly his authentic Baltimore accent - he's from Sheffield, UK) - but there was only going to be one winner this year: the sublime Masi Oka who lit up the screen every time he was on it as the star of Heroes.
Best Actress Some strong competition for this category too. Mariska Hargitay impresses on Law and Order SVU, and Mary Lynn Rajskub is 24's secret weapon. Mary McDonnell as President Roslin in Battlestar Galactica exudes class, and Katee Sackhoff shows such terrific range as the troubled Starbuck (and she's about to slope off to battle with Zoe Slater in the "re-imagined" Bionic Woman). Jenna Fisher makes me fall in love with her weekly in the US Office, but my winner has to be the wonderful America Ferrera as Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty. I've loved her since Real Women Have Curves and I'm thrilled her talent is now reaching a wider audience.
Best Presenter Bill Maher is the coolest man on television with his incisive politic wit on HBO's Realtime, but Keith Olbermann on his Countdown show has literally taken my breath away in the last year. How he's not been taken out by the CIA I don't know, but he's clearly got balls of steel so he gets my vote.
One more day to go.
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