BEST NEW DRAMAThe Following (FOX) - While it sometimes stretched believability, The Following was easily the most thrilling show on TV this season. It seemed like they accomplished things that take other shows half a season in one episode. With a first rate cast led by Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy, the midseason serial killer thriller kept the twists and turns coming while being extremely creepy. No characters ever seemed safe and they killed off characters that seemed like they would be in it for the long haul. It was a perfect way to spend cold wintry Monday nights because it was so exciting. It was the only new show that I consistently couldn't wait to see what happens next. I must admit I'm nervous about the future of the show because I worry they will go to way of Revenge and extend a finite story too long, but that's for another year.
The Runners-Up
Chicago Fire (NBC) - Chicago Fire was a very close second to The Following in this list but the two shows couldn't be more different. Chicago Fire was not one of the highly anticipated shows and it seemed to be pretty low on NBC's priorities but it surprised in quality and ratings. This might be a strong statement but I think it's an excellent new ensemble workplace drama in the tradition of Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere. It's not groundbreaking but the characters and performances are strong. Each storyline was solidly constructed. All those qualities make for a winning formula. It narrowly lost out to The Following because it wasn't appointment TV for me, but I think it has more long-term potential.
Nashville (ABC) - Nashville has been good all season and that's why its third on my list. Yet I still feel like it's not quite as strong as it could be. With such a strong cast and an interesting premise, I just feel like it wavers between being a good show and being a mundane soap. But there were a lot of really strong parts including some performances that are listed below. Also worth mentioning is the show had a real nice production value. I just hope it finds its footing more consistently in season two or it might be on my personal chopping block.
Worth Mentioning: Made in Jersey (CBS), Golden Boy (CBS)
BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A NEW DRAMAJames Purefoy, The Following (FOX) - This was another toss-up between the two lead men of The Following but I went with James Purefoy's serial killer Joe Carroll over Kevin Bacon's good guy Ryan Hardy. And the reason is because of the second half of The Following's season. At first, Purefoy was not seen much yet mysterious. Then he broke out of jail and got to lead his followers even as things unraveled for him. Purefoy had a brilliant way of making a mundane line like "Parmesan?" on pasta he was serving sound incredibly creepy and delusional. The last few episodes were really all about Purefoy as his character started to lose the game with Bacon's character. And (SPOILER ALERT), as much as I loved James Purefoy on this show, I hope Joe Carroll is actually dead as the season finale seemed to imply. That would be a gutsy move by The Following to kill off a character like that and it could move the show forward next season.
The Runners-Up
Kevin Bacon, The Following (FOX) - James Purefoy's nemesis was Kevin Bacon's tortured hero Ryan Hardy. Bacon was the reason many tuned into The Following and he did not disappoint. While some people were upset with how inept the FBI often seemed in The Following, Bacon was often clever and always willing to put anything on the line to get Carroll. His tragic back story also made him a more layered character. Purefoy was such a standout but Bacon was the consistent force that moved the story along.
Taylor Kinney, Chicago Fire (NBC) - Chicago Fire has an excellent stable of actors in its ensemble but one of the best is Taylor Kinney as bad boy but well meaning Kelly Severide. Before Chicago Fire began, Kinney was best known as Lady Gaga's boyfriend. Now he is known for playing a character you root for even as he shows bad judgment at times. His stories are usually the most interesting on the show and he has emerged as the true lead and deservedly so.
Worth Mentioning: Dennis Quaid, Vegas (CBS), Hugh Dancy, Hannibal (NBC)
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville (ABC) - The part that excited me most about Nashville before it premiered was Connie Britton. However, my favorite actress in the show ended up being her younger nemesis, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, a trashy version of Taylor Swift. Despite playing a very unsympathetic character, Panettiere managed to make the audience empathize with her. That's a tall order but she was able to do it. She also was perfectly suited to play the trashy country singer and she was great on her songs too. Of all the characters on Nashville, I felt like her story has been more layered and interesting. So maybe the writing for her is better too but it could easily not work without a strong performance from Panettiere.
The Runners-Up
Janet Montgomery, Made in Jersey (CBS) - Made in Jersey is probably not even remembered by most people because it was gone after just two episodes on Friday night in the fall. But I still maintain the show was better than it got credit for and specifically Janet Montgomery was strong in the lead role. As a Jersey girl in a big city firm, Montgomery was great as a wide-eyed yet determined new lawyer. It's too bad this show didn't get more traction and I hope Montgomery finds another project soon.
Connie Britton, Nashville (ABC) - I love Connie Britton because of Friday Night Lights and she has done a nice job in Nashville. The problem is I don't think her character has been well-written. There were several episodes where I felt like she literally had nothing to do. That's no fault of Britton who is a pro in everything she does and even echoed a little bit of Mrs. Coach at times in this show. But if they can't figure out how to write for such a great actress, then I must hope Nashville ends sooner rather than later so Britton can get a better project.
Worth Mentioning: Monica Raymund, Chicago Fire (NBC), Lauren German, Chicago Fire (NBC)
Charles Esten, Nashville (ABC) - One of the more interesting characters in the frustrating Nashville is Charles Esten as guitarist Deacon Claybourne. Esten has really stolen scenes that don't involve Hayden Panettiere this season and he has been a good friend and foil to Panettiere. His portrayal of Deacon provides a stable presence among some more dramatic characters and he seems like a genuinely good guy compared to others.
The Runners-Up
Chi McBride, Golden Boy (CBS) - Golden Boy was an under-appreciated midseason replacement on CBS as it had an interesting premise and a good cast. The best part of the cast though was easily Chi McBride as veteran detective Don Owen. He played a role often scene in cop dramas - the wise veteran dealing with an ambitious newbie. But the stakes seemed higher here since that newbie becomes commissioner of police in seven years as the show's premise tells us. McBride was perfect in the role because he had the right mix of disdain and helpfulness.
Eamonn Walker, Chicago Fire (NBC) - As Fire Chief Wallace Boden, Eamonn Walker was the leader of the firehouse but a supporting character in the cast. Still, he seemed like the undisputed leader because of his gruff but caring presence and steely determination in the midst of a fire or a crisis within the station. Walker also has an interesting back story that has only been touched on a little bit. I hope his part continues to expand in season two.
Worth Mentioning: Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal (NBC), Shawn Ashmore, The Following (FOX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A NEW DRAMANatalie Zea, The Following (FOX) - As the tortured ex-wife of Joe Carroll, Dr. Claire Matthews, Natalie Zea had very little to do in the first half of the season except sit in a room paralyzed by fear and without her son. Then she was kidnapped by Joe and came to live with him and his cult and her character became much more interesting. She managed to become a major reason for Joe's slow descent into meltdown mode and she showed a lot more guts and determination than it seemed like she originally would. Her frustration with Joe sometimes sounded like a bitter old couple if it wasn't so bizarre. And she was one of the characters who lived (for now) so it will be interesting to see what happens next season.
The Runners-Up
Carrie-Anne Moss, Vegas (CBS) - Vegas was a major disappointment this year as I had very high hopes for a unique period drama. But it ended up being a by-the-book procedural. This category was weak as only Natalie Zea was deserving but Carrie-Anne Moss was not bad as a female DA in the boys world of 1960s Las Vegas law enforcement. When I stopped watching the show midway through the season, it seemed like they were developing her character a little bit more which is good because Moss is a good actress. Of course it won't matter now with Vegas cancelled.
Donna Murphy, Made in Jersey (CBS) - Again, this category was not all that strong but Donna Murphy was solid as Janet Montgomery's mother on Made in Jersey. A true Jersey mother, she was very loving and sometimes intrusive. The show already had a lighthearted feel and Murphy helped make it feel even more like a dramedy with her performance.
Worth Mentioning: Daisy Betts, Last Resort (ABC), Phylicia Rashad, Do No Harm (NBC)
WORST NEW DRAMARed Widow (ABC) - There were no embarrassingly bad dramas this year but Red Widow was the worst because it simply didn't make sense or seem to have much of a plot at all. I will admit that was my opinion after watching the first episode and I did not come back for more but the pilot gave me absolutely no reason to. It was a complete mess of a series that was unfocused and boring.
The Runners-Up
The Mob Doctor (FOX) - Another mob-themed drama comes in second on this list. The worst part about this show was actually its title, which sounds incredibly lame. However, the show itself was not much better as the performances were forgettable and the show featured an instant show killer for me, Michael Rapaport. Mob dramas can work on TV but they need to be better than Red Widow and The Mob Doctor.
666 Park Avenue (ABC) - 666 Park Avenue had a great cast and promised lots of spooks but the spooks were nowhere to be found and the cast was under-utilized. In an era where cable and movies continue to push the horror genre to new levels, a broadcast network show needs to live up to the thrills or at least have a good story. Park had neither and it was easy to see why the mundane thriller did not last long.
Worth Mentioning: Do No Harm (NBC), Deception (NBC)
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