End-Of-Year: 2011 TV Winners

In previous years I would actually try to talk about each and everyone of my nominees and why I picked them. Stretched myself a bit thin this year so I'm afraid I won't be doing that. But feel free to comment on those nominations and perhaps tell me performances I may have overlooked. With that said, here are my pick for my favorites...


Best Actor, Drama: Damian Lewis, Homeland
Runner-Up: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Cranston had this in the bag until I saw Homeland this past week and was just absolutely blown away by Lewis. Perhaps it's because it's the performance that's made the most recent impact since I was also pretty blown away by Cranston this season. I think in the end I went with the actor who was the strongest element on his show.

Best Actress, Drama: Emmy Rossum, Shameless
Runner-Up: Anna Torv, Fringe

This was a tough decision for me and I think I chose via my expectations. While I expected great performances from my other nominees, I really had no idea that Rossum had this performance in her. Great chemistry with the rest of the cast and the camera loves her. Torv won last year and she continues to do under-appreciated work on an under-appreciated show.

Best Actor, Comedy: Steve Carell, The Office
Runner-Up: Matt Smith, Doctor Who

I never said I couldn't be swayed by sentimentality, but gosh darnit I can't believe Carell will NEVER win an Emmy for this role. His last few episodes were heartbreaking, funny, and touching and his absence this new season has been palpable. Smith or Wood probably could've win this, but I needed to honor Carell.

Best Actress, Comedy: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Runner-Up: Toni Collette, United States of Tara

The parade of last year's winners being runner-ups ends here. Poehler won my award last year when I wasn't even into the show that much. This year with my absolute devotion to her show, I couldn't not give her this deserved honor. Collette, however, more than deserves this for the tough/tricky things she had to do this past season.


Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Runner-Up: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

I'm so happy they both have already won an Emmy, because next year when they have to go up against each other it'd be my own Sophie's Choice. I give a slight edge to Paul since I think he's doing more complicated things emotionally (and with more complex plots). Quick shout out to Reedus who I nominated for really crafting a character almost from nothing on his show.

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Runner-Up: Madeleine Stowe, Revenge

I was duly impressed with everyone who I nominated for this, but the winner had to be one of these two fierce scene-stealing ladies who both play wealthy and demanding matriarchs. Smith had the edge since I like her show a bit more and is just delightful in every scene she's in.

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who
Runner-Up: Jim Rash, Community

This was probably the toughest category ever considering I left off Neil Patrick Harris, Nick Offerman and Dani Pudi in my nominations. But maybe that's why my top two picks ended up being two actors who would probably least expect to get this award. Darvill was the best part of this past season of Doctor Who and Rash manages to steal scenes even with his talented cast.

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Mayim Bialik, Big Bang Theory
Runner-Up: Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother

Bialik is a godsend to her show since I think without her interactions with the girls, the show would've gotten stale. Instead, it's actually funnier than ever and she has quickly become my favorite character on there. The writers haven't had an easy time trying to figure out what to do with Smulders, but whatever crazy thing they come up with her, she's more than game.


Best Ensemble: Game of Thrones
Runner-Up: The Good Wife

Last year, I picked The Good Wife to win in this category and even this year the show garnered 5 acting nominations from me. With that said, I do love the expansive cast of Game of Thrones including, or more especially, the younger actors.

Best Limited Role, Actor: Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
Runner-Up: Craig Roberts, Being Human

Margolis had one episode where he spoke and it was maybe 4 lines in Spanish. The rest of the time he was immobile and communicated only by ringing a bell. And it was beautiful especially when he rang his bell one last time. Roberts was so good they gave him a web series spin-off which was pretty great as well.

Best Limited Role, Actress: Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
Runner-Up: Suranne Jones, Doctor Who

I don't think I ever laughed as much as the episode where Preston guest starred on The Good Wife this season and while the episode itself was comical, she was the highlight for me. Jones in the meantime was in one of my favorite Doctor Who episodes ever playing an inanimate object/the love of the main character's life. Don't you want to watch it just to make sense of what I just said?

I'll save my picks for Best Shows when I post my list of Favorite Shows of 2011 in a day or two. In the meantime, here are the nominees to refresh your memories:

Best Drama: Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Fringe, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Homeland
Best Comedy: Community, Cougar Town, Doctor Who, Happy Endings, How I Met Your Mother, Parks and Recreation
Best New Show: Game of Thrones, Happy Endings, Homeland, Revenge, Shameless, Wilfred