Below is a list of the winners of the 2009 TCA Awards, and below that is the original press release from June listing all of the nominees.
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: “Battlestar Galactica” (SciFi)
OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM: “True Blood” (HBO)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA: “Mad Men” (AMC)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY: “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION: “The Alzheimer’s Project” (HBO)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING: “Yo Gabba Gabba” (Nickelodeon)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINI-SERIES & SPECIALS: “Grey Gardens” (HBO)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad” (AMC)
HERITAGE AWARD (a sort of career achievement award for shows): “ER” (NBC)
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: Betty White
Television Critics Association Announces 2009 Award Nominees
Chelsea Handler To Open The 25th Anniversary Of The Awards
NBC Leads with 11 Nominations
June 3, 2009 Los Angeles, CA – The Television Critics Association today unveiled its 2009 TCA Award nominations.
NBC leads the list with 11 nominations including comedies “30 Rock,” “The Office” and “Saturday Night Live,” which garnered 7 nominations total. “Friday Night Lights,” which initially aired on DirecTV, got a nomination along with long-time series “ER.” NBC also received a nomination for its coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
FX’s “The Shield” received the most TCA Award nominations for its final season in four categories: Program of the Year, Outstanding Drama, TCA Heritage Award and Individual Achievement, for which actor Walton Goggins was nominated. Glenn Close received a nomination for her work in the FX drama “Damages.”
HBO programs received six nominations, including three of five nominations in the Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Mini-Series and Specials categories for “Generation Kill,” “Grey Gardens” and “Taking Chance.” Freshman series “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” and “True Blood” and the documentary series “The Alzheimer’s Project” all got a nod.
The 25th annual TCA Awards honor the finest work of the 2008-09 season as selected by the association’s 200-plus member critics and journalists. The winners will be announced August 1st at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena, California. Chelsea Handler, host of E!’s “Chelsea Lately,” will open the ceremony.
Past winners up for honors this year include Steve Carell (”The Office”), Alec Baldwin (”30 Rock”), Tina Fey (”30 Rock”), Hugh Laurie (”House”), “The Office,” “30 Rock’” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” ABC’s “Lost,” “Friday Night Lights,” AMC’s “Mad Men,” PBS’s “Frontline” and Nickelodeon’s “Nick News.”
NBC has three series, “ER,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Star Trek” nominated for a TCA Heritage Award, which recognizes a long-standing program that made a lasting cultural or social impact. Also nominated in this category are “M*A*S*H” (CBS) and “The Shield” (FX).
Below is a complete list of this year’s TCA Award nominations. Please note career achievement nominees are not listed. A winner in that category will be chosen by TCA members.
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
“Battlestar Galactica” (SciFi Channel)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“The Shield” (FX)OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
“30 Rock” (NBC)
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
“The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
“How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
“The Office” (NBC)OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Friday Night Lights” (NBC/DirecTV)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“The Shield” (FX)OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MOVIES, MINI-SERIES AND SPECIALS
2008 Summer Olympic Coverage (NBC)
“24: Redemption” (Fox)
“Generation Kill” (HBO)
“Grey Gardens” (HBO)
“Taking Chance” (HBO)OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
“Fringe” (Fox)
“The Mentalist” (CBS)
“No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” (HBO)
“True Blood” (HBO)
“United States of Tara” (Showtime)INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
Alec Baldwin (”30 Rock”)
Steve Carell (”The Office”)
Tina Fey (”30 Rock”)
Neil Patrick Harris (”How I Met Your Mother”)
Jim Parsons (”The Big Bang Theory”)INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
Glenn Close (”Damages”)
Bryan Cranston (”Breaking Bad”)
Walton Goggins (”The Shield”)
Jon Hamm (”Mad Men”)
Hugh Laurie (”House”)OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING
“Camp Rock” (The Disney Channel)
“The Electric Company” (PBS)
“Nick News” (Nickelodeon)
“Sid the Science Kid” (PBS)
“Yo Gabba Gabba” (Nickelodeon)OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION
“60 Minutes” (CBS)
“The Alzheimer’s Project” (HBO)
“Frontline” (PBS)
“The Rachel Maddow Show” (MSNBC)
“We Shall Remain” (PBS)HERITAGE AWARD
“ER” (NBC)
“M*A*S*H” (CBS)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“The Shield” (FX)
“Star Trek” (NBC)
Wow I’m kind of shocked. Less about BSG since it is the last season than about Big Bang beating 30 Rock in not 1 but 2 categories, being the only double winner. Maybe they were pissed off about the Emmys snubbing it. I wonder how Jane Kaczmarek feels; she won TCA but Bryan’s won TCA and Emmy now when she was nominated for I believe every single season of Malcolm.
The only programs that have dominated these awards for 2 years are Homicide & Sopranos. Maybe they felt Mad Men didn’t deserve to join them.
The Big Bang Theory deserves the accolades. As great as the first season was, the second season was better which is rare these days and imho why CBS renewed it for another two seasons, both of which I have no doubt will be awesome, or to borrow a phrase from a sister show… legen – wait for it – dary.
As for Jim Parsons, his portrayal of Sheldon is sublime and he throughly deserves that award for such notable episodes as The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis (a.k.a. the one with Penny’s xmas present where Sheldon’s realisation at the end is arguably the funniest TBBT moment in both seasons so far) and The Maternal Capacitance (a.k.a. the one with Leonard’s mother).
Is this setting the stage for a Jim Parson’s win at the Emmy’s? Thoughts anyone?
And seriously now…can How I Met Your Mother upset 30 Rock?
Congrats to BSG and True Blood!
Agreed on The Big Bang Theory. This is the best sitcom to come on TV in quite some time. Anybody who does not watch The Big Bang Theory does not know what they are missing.
Well deserved award for Cranston and Sheldon err Parsons
I like 30 Rock but I’m glad they pick The Big Bang Theory to win, its so refreshing to see a tradition sitcom gain recognition again
Redemption night for many Emmy snubs, including True Blood and BSG.
I love the TCA because they try and HONOR the Emmy snubs. Friday Night Lights, BSG, True Blood…need I go on? True Blood should have been nominated for Best Drama Series, Best Actress in a Drama Series (Anna Paquin) and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Nelsan Ellis, aka Lafayette) at this years Emmy’s but were all snubbed. Thank you TCA for honoring all types of television, new and old.
Was happy to see ER won the Heritage Award, but am confused as to why M*A*S*H and Star Trek were there. If they are going for good quality long-running tv shows, it should not be shows that have been off the air for 25 years or more. Where’s Law & Order and The West Wing in this category? Those would have been more suitable choices, IMO
Whats with the Program of they year and achievement in drama split? Shouldn’t BSG be the best drama, if it is in fact the best program of the year and a drama.
BSG was the Program of the Year which makes that abomination of a Series Finale all that much worse!
~Lanie~
I think Program of the Year looks at both quality & what made the most significant impact rather than just quality, ergo why SNL was there (Feylin); other years, Grey’s, Heroes, Desperate, & Idol have won. Some years they match up, some not. Some years Program actually matches up with winners that aren’t drama; i.e. Angels in America (which totally deserved it), From the Earth to the Moon, Civil War, Dear America, Eyes on the Prize.
What? 30 Rock didn’t win anything? But it’s the greatest show in the history of time, isn’t it?
Good to see Big Bang Theory, a show I’ve loved from the beginning, getting some well-deserved recognition early on. Somehow I feel I’m slightly to thank for that…for watching it and helping to not get it cancelled.
No, Crash, clearly that’s Mad Men, which has won everything it has ever been nominated for. The amount of people drooling over this show is pains my stomach.
Nice to see Fringe nominated along with True Blood, and I agree True Blood is the winner.
“BSG was the Program of the Year which makes that abomination of a Series Finale all that much worse!”
The Series finale to BSG was the most Epic, Emotional, outstanding episode of the entire series, which is what series finales should be.
It had a full-final ending, that may have been a let-down on some answers but you cant say it was an “abomination”.
Im so thankful BSG got the amazing finale it did, when i think back at the number of shows that had sooo crap finales that were barely more than another episode or were totally rushed and answered NOTHING, Andromeda comes to mind.
Im sure if you had only watched the first hour you would say it was the best episode of the series, the fact half of the finale was for goodbyes to the characters is so rare and was what i hoped the amazing series of BSG would get.
I loved 99.9% of BSG uncritically. I loved everything from the Miniseries, to the Pegasus cliffhanger, to the ’ship in a bottle’ episodes in season 4.5 that so many other fans hated. I even loved parts of the finale: the battle scene was great, and I got teary eyed at Baltar’s redemption and Adama’s final goodbye to Roslin.
But that deus ex machina plot resolution in the final hour really was an “abomination”. Of all of the quick resolution tricks available in the drama writer’s manuel, that’s one of the laziest, and one of the most insulting to the audience–right up there with “It was all a dream”. Even Aristotle called bullsh*t on this plot device 2500 years ago.
Admittedly, I’m an atheist, but I have nothing against ‘God’ in dramas, I even love what Bryan Fuller does. In fact, many of the notions of theism and it’s role in Myth and collective consciousness in BSG are a big part of what made the show so powerful–even mystical at times. But using ‘God’ as a quick fix plot device essentially invalidates your entire narrative. And that’s what RD Moore did to his show–his otherwise magnificent, game changing piece genre television–he basically took a piss on it.
BSG program of the year?? Oh my God, the last season (especially the last 10 episodes) was 99% crap.
Although I’ve never watched BSG, my impression of the finale from its detailed description that I’ve read is basically that it was as bad as the finale for TSCC – the producer and writers just threw up their hands and said “we’re out of a job, so screw you” to the viewers.
Sheldon is the best characters in a sitcom since Kramer. Big Bang Theory is one of the best shows and I can see it overtaking 2 and a Half Men in viewership next season. Parsons is amazingly talented and he truly deserves an Emmy.
I actually liked the TSCC finale. Sure, it’s annoying when a series finale ends on a cliffhanger, but Terminator managed to do a fairly satisfying job of it. The finale left me wanting more without feeling like–as an audience member–I was robbed.
“Abomination” comments are not worthy of a reply. I’m sure most BSG fans had their own theories and ideas about how it should end, and I imagine there would be worthless whining no matter what happened in the end. I never liked dissecting things I like and talking in percentages, so if you ask me “Is BSG one of the best TV shows of all time?” I can just stand behind my “YES” 100% and congratulate it on (at long last) getting proper recognition. The Emmys are a joke anyway, and represent the actual quality of awarded works even less than the Oscars.
“Admittedly, I’m an atheist, but I have nothing against ‘God’ in dramas, I even love what Bryan Fuller does. In fact, many of the notions of theism and it’s role in Myth and collective consciousness in BSG are a big part of what made the show so powerful–even mystical at times. But using ‘God’ as a quick fix plot device essentially invalidates your entire narrative. And that’s what RD Moore did to his show–his otherwise magnificent, game changing piece genre television–he basically took a piss on it.”
I dont see it as “God did it”, and neither does RDM, its up to you and i choose to see ‘God’ as an incredible advanced race of aliens who were orchestrating events in order for the Human Race, as a species, to survive, they are so beyond us that they see us as an endangered and wish to ‘preserve’ us. That Head six and Baltar were there to help this ‘orchestration’ and that is why these 2 ‘beings’ appeared to people in the form of someone they love/trust, someone who has power of them and can influence them.
I choose to believe that Kara did die and that she was brought back in the same capacity as a ‘Head’ character, who was sent back to help guide them to a new planet to grow and expand the human race, they sent back someone who could have this influence to do so on Adama etc. This also explains the ‘Brand New Viper’ which only held the co-ordinates to Earth but none of the others did. (Think of it like Shelly Godfree, who was there, everyone could see her, and helped influence the fleet which ultimately paved the way for Gaius to become president!!).
Kara dissapearing is due to her fullfilling her purpose of returning, she wasnt brought back to have a second chance, she did what she was meant to do and now its time for her to move on, maybe in the ‘higher’ existance? With Sam.
Anyway, there are many ways of interprating it, and yes it would have been nice for hard answers, but really, im just happy one of my all-time favourite shows got a huge epic emotional ending that sealed it off and werent left hanging or like a 10 minute rap up at the end of an episode.
Also, i liked TSCC’s ending, they did plan for a 3rd season by the way and didnt just do it for the sake of it (i read on Bear McCrearys blog (the composer).
It was a decent ending, Sarah is in the past now, she has done her job, her best, she kept John alive and prepared him, protected him, now he is in the future, at the start of his journey to become ‘leader of the human race’ with his dad and uncle who will now take over from Sarah and guide him, teach him.
Also, i like that Cameron is there in the future with John Henry, who are working to helping John Connor, who cant win the war without them?? Also, happy Cathrine Weaver is still alive in the future.
Best of all, John has Allison, who im sure he will fall in love with again and be lest boundries since, like shes not a robot lol.
Sarah can live out her life, knowing she has done what she can, go back to being waitress, normal life (doubtfull but more likely now).
Really, for me the heart of the show was Sarah, what she had to go through, sacrifice, everything she does in order to keep John safe and now that she has done that, there is almost peace about it.
O well, another show im going to RREALLYY miss
I really was PO’d Dollhouse got renewed instead but after seeing episode 12 (cant remember name) there seems to be hope that this show will evolve into meaningful plot and real emotion, and i really hope they keep with this and ditch the ‘Problem of the week’ episodes that should be kept to shows like Ghost Whisperer lol.
^^episode 13 sorry, really wish i could edit these posts for mistakes!!
The problem isn’t about God as an Occidental notion, or Monty Python sky bully on a cloud, or an alien intelligence–it’s about a cheap plot device.
I’m fine with open ended conclusions. In fact, I love it when they leave the final interpretation up to the audience–whether it’s the diner scene of the Sopranas, or the ‘Is it suicide or time travel?’ bit at the end of the UK Life on Mars, or the telekenesis in Tarkovsky’s Stalker.
It’s about breaking your contract with the audience in terms of the story you’re telling. In BSG terms, the narrative, and the attendant themes were extentions of the characters–not the other way around, and that is what made the deus ex machina so cheap.
I love BSG, and I liked the god aspect (I mean literally its beens said to be god since the first episode), so it shouldn’t surprise anyone.
I loved the emotional core of the story, in that episode, but the whole rationale for them staying on that one planet, was completely and totally illogical.
Fact 1. They knew there were other cylons out there (at the very least two full base ships mentioned and visually seen).
Fact 2. They know that the cylons have religiously tracked them across the stars, even after months of no contact.
Fact 3. They already had planned on abandoning Galactica and using the base star has the primary tactical vessel, so the fact that Galactica was destroyed had no meaningful impact on the choice.
So what do they do, all of a sudden change their plans and decide to not only settle down, but to lose all technology?
It isn’t rational. And all of the humans and skin jobs just happen to agree to this?
Sorry but it amounts to the largest communal account of gross stupidity I have ever seen a serious drama pass off as a rational choice.
Jim Parsons is finally getting the respect he deserves.
If Parsons doesn’t win the Emmy I will have a fit like when Sheldon finds someone sitting in his seat!
I watch Big Bang because I have to (my girlfriend loves it so I watch it as a compromise). I am completely baffled why anyone thinks this is good/funny/enjoyable. The characters are stock and cartoonish. I fail to grasp the appeal. It is also stunningly superficial. I will confess that I don’t like sitcoms. I love a lot of shows on TV (MAD MEN, BSG, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, THE SHIELD, PUSHING DAISIESBREAKING BAD, CHUCK, DOLLHOUSE, TSCC [I did enjoy Summer Glau’s brief appearance on BIG BANG), 30 ROCK, PARTY DOWN, THE OFFICE, FRINGE, TRUE BLOOD, BEING HUMAN, and even old guilty pleasures that I know aren’t that good but I still enjoy like SMALLVILLE, SUPERNATURAL, and even GOSSIP GIRL). But I find nothing to like in BIG BANG.
I was delighted that BSG won. And I loved the finale. I recently rewatched the whole thing from beginning to end (just finished watching the new 4.5 yesterday) and I love it more than ever.
if you are “completely baffled why anyone thinks this is good/funny/enjoyable” on Big Bang, you really need to break up with your girlfriend. can you really care about someone who embraces the
” stunningly superficial”? Don’t settle.
having spent time with ubergeeks, Big Bang gets these guys right. Sheldon is Spock and Felix Unger’s unpassionate love child
Jim Parsons is great and he deserves to win but Neil Patrick Harris wow HIMYM was cheap on dvd so I got it and absolutly fell in love with the show and of course Barney. I am a huge fan of TBBT but HIMYM just has a different feel to it and I think the acting all around is just a bit better so I would give it the nod. This season however both were way better than 30 Rock which I have completly lost interest in it was fun for a while new comedy setting then it just gets old I want deeper connections not to say that it is not hilarious it is but I would watch HIMYM TBBT and Pysch over it anyday.
So happy for Jim Parsons and TBBT as a whole. Obviously, I’d love to see him win the Emmy as well…but just being nominated is good enough for me. It’s a no-brainer as to why WB signed it for two more seasons. It just gets better. Also happy with the True Blood and BSG win. Even if BSG was much better in their earlier seasons.
Since the last full TV season of the aughts has ended, the TCA also chose their tops for the decade:
Comedy Series
Winner: “Arrested Development”
Runner-up: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
Other nominees: “30 Rock,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The Office” (U.S.)
Comedy actor
Winner: Ricky Gervais, “The Office” (U.K.)
Runner-up: Steve Carell, “The Office” (U.S.)
Other nominees: Alec Baldwin (”30 Rock”), Jason Bateman (”Arrested Development”), Larry David (”Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Kelsey Grammer (”Frasier”)
Comedy Actress
Winner: Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Runners-up: Lauren Graham, “Gilmore Girls” and Sarah Jessica Parker, “Sex and the City”
Other nominees: Patricia Heaton (”Everybody Loves Raymond”), Jane Kaczmarek (”Malcolm in the Middle”), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (”The New Adventures of Old Christine”), Mary-Louise Parker (”Weeds”)
Drama Series
Winner: “The Sopranos”
Runner-up: “The Wire”
Other nominees: “Friday Night Lights,” “Lost,” “Mad Men,” “The West Wing”
Drama Actor
Winner: James Gandolfini, “The Sopranos”
Runner-up: Michael Chiklis, “The Shield”
Other nominees: Bryan Cranston (”Breaking Bad”), Michael C. Hall (”Dexter”), Jon Hamm (”Mad Men”), Hugh Laurie (”House”)
Drama Actress
Winner: Edie Falco, “The Sopranos”
Runner-up: Connie Britton, “Friday Night Lights”
Other nominees: Glenn Close (”Damages”), Allison Janney (”The West Wing”), Mary McDonnell (”Battlestar Galactica”), Kyra Sedgwick (”The Closer”)
Just like this year, drama dominated by cable, comedy by broadcast. Sopranos winning all 3 is impressive; the only show nommed for all 3 comedy categories is 30 Rock. Also impressive: Glenn Close & Bryan Cranston in the top 6 after just 20something episodes.
In Drama Actor, 4 are nommed this year; alas, the top 2’s shows are over.