THE 2008 TOOBITS AWARDS - PART ONE

2008 TOOBITS

It's that time of year again, when we all make lists and think back over the past year, in whatever field of interest concerns us, and chronicle the high points and the lows. For the past few years I've been presenting this compilation as an awards show, the Toobits, which of course celebrates my two bits about Toobworld.

As it is with any such list you'll find in TV columns across the country these last few weeks, these are my opinions. You're welcome to your own and I hope you'll share them, but I'm sticking to my weapons of choice. (It could be you won't see something that was a favorite of yours because I just never got around to seeing it. There's only so much time in the world - even for a do-nothing-else-anyway sort like me! And I've only got the two eyes, even if they do operate independently of each other at times.)

Unlike the Emmy Awards which will just keep handing out trophies to some shows forever, for the Toobits Awards only shows, characters and what-not that debuted in 2008 can be considered. This includes characters who have been recast; those are still the same characters who already exist inToobworld. (But there were a few notable appearances that deserved honorable mention, and they get it.)

But by my definition of debut, this also includes those shows which only came to my notice in 2008. Shows like 'Supernova', 'Gavin & Stacey', 'New Tricks' are in the running here because they didn't cross my path until this year.

Unlike last year's "ceremony", I've split up the categories to present over the next few days. I'd hate to think you've all (both of you) gone blind reading what I had to say about TV. There are so many other ways to go blind that are much more fun!

So without further ado, let's have at it:

BEST BEHIND THE SCENES

"Jay's Garage" - Jay drives KITT

Sure, it was the network's biggest cheerleader schilling for the network's worst piece of dreck. But so what? It gave the fans of both a little something extra from their faves. (And now, having seen a few episodes in which Val Kilmer drones away as the voice of KITT, I think 'Knight Rider' should have gone with Jay Leno as the voice of the car. At the very least it would have given them a way to hold on to the Chinkillah as his tenure in the 'Tonight' command chair came to an end. And in a way that might have worked out better than I think his new show will.....)

BEST EPISODE TITLE

"First Class Jerk" from 'Entourage'

See, Turtle was flying first class and ended up sitting next to Jamie Lynn Sigler, who played Meadow on 'The Sopranos'. And she gave him a hand job.... Well, considering episode titles are lost on the masses, I thought that little play on words (no reflection on Turtle's snake) deserved some recognition.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Series: 'Fortysomething'

Character: Edith Sparshott, 'An Unsuitable Job For A Woman'

[Here's something you'll never see on 'House'....]

I don't think 'Fortysomething' ever made it across the Atlantic; and I missed the PBS 'Mystery!' opportunity for Helen Baxendale's show when I had the chance. Annette Crosbie was a delight as Cordelia's too-eager assis- er, associate; and as for Hugh Laurie's Paul Slippery, this is the type of Doctor I'd rather see him play than the increasingly glum Greg House.

BEST SERIES MARATHON ON DVD
'Poirot'
Ran through the entire Suchet series, mostly on my overnight lunch breaks at work. Now if only I can see David Suchet take on the role of the Belgian detective in "Murder On The Orient Express", my little grey cells will be happy.

BEST COINED WORDS
"preg-nasty"
"glamourtunity"
(both from 'Ugly Betty')

BEST CRITIQUE BY AN ONLINE COMMENTER
qptimus said..."The Mentalist": it's "Psych" for your mom.
I found it odd this week that one critic thought 'The Mentalist' was an original idea from the network. But as for qptimus, if he meant that the show is an easygoing way to pass the hour, comfort food on the tube, then yeah. I'll agree with the tagline.

BEST CLASH BETWEEN TOOBWORLD & THE REAL WORLD
WLUK's refusal to show 'Seinfeld' while the NY Giants were in Green Bay because it's Eli Manning's favorite show. In retaliation, Jerry Seinfeld gave Manning the complete DVD set. WLUK claimed that was playing into their master plan because then Eli would watch so many late into the night, he'd be too tired for the football game. Too bad it didn't work.....
(1/19/08)

WORST CLASH BETWEEN TOOBWORLD & THE REAL WORLD Paula Abdul's stalker, Paula Goodspeed, killed herself outside Abdul's home.

WORST PERSONAL TV EXPERIENCEStuck waiting in my union clinic's waiting room, I had no choice but to watch Sarah Palin lie and distort the record at a Florida rally, even when she had already been told that what she was saying was not true. (10/06/08)
[This picture, with Elizabeth Hasselback of 'The View' introducing the governor, was at a Kissimmee rally twenty days later.]

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT IN A SHOW
'Heroes'
I find it hard to believe that at one time, I wanted to make sure this series would have an honored place on in the DVD library of Toobworld Central. I couldn't wait for each week to pass so that I could catch the next chapter! And after a long, steady decline during the second season, I finally gave the series up after about three episodes into the third go-round. I think it started falling apart once we saw the slime trail made by Sylar at the end of season one. He should have been killed off and the creators should have started fresh with their new villains. And they should never have back-tracked with the heroes, by separating them again. Oh well. I walked away, and I don't see any reason to return now anyways.

Reality Division:
Super Bowl What can I say? I like the Patriots better.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE GENERAL AUDIENCE
'Pushing Daisies'
Disappointed in the network as well that they didn't bring this show back after the writers' strike; that they didn't give it the proper publicity before the new season began. But that the audience would ignore such a beautifully crafted show as 'Pushing Daisies' for whatever reality crap was playing elsewhere? Well, I guess I can't expect better from you humans - not after you elected Numbskull 'n' Bones to a SECOND term! I'm surprised your planet survived this long into his term in office and thank the Powers That Be it's almost over.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT IN MYSELF
'Skins' & 'In Treatment'
I liked a few of the episodes that I did see of 'Skins': "Cassie", "Jal", and "Sid", but I just couldn't find the commitment within me needed to invest in the series as a whole. The same went for 'In Treatment', and it looks like I missed out with both series, based on reviews and comments which I've read online. So they're both added to the list of TV series for which one day I will make the effort to watch them from the beginning, or at least from where I left off!

Also, I'm still not diligent enough in my editing with regards to the Inner Toob blog and I let slip statements as fact that I should have checked out first. But alas! I am lazy......

HONORARY MENTIONS
Davros - 'Doctor Who'Sometimes characters come back on TV shows played by new actors that make you take notice, or they're re-invented on other series if they are part of popular culture or myth(i.e. the Devil) and deserve to be recognized. But because they're already a part of Toobworld, they are ineligible for consideration elsewhere for the Toobits. This year we're tipping the hat to Julian Bleach's "reincarnation" of Davros in the two-part finale. It was playful as well as scary for the kids, with Davros gesturing as if he was channeling the spirit of the "Two Snaps Up" boys from 'In Living Color'......

Once again, it looks like Davros met his Maker, but never count out that bony old creator of the Daleks!

More winners tomorrow....

BCnU!
Toby O'B