"Men of a Certain Age" returns

"Men of a Certain Age," that fine celebration of American male middle age, returns for the second half of its second season tonight at 10 on TNT, and it finds our three heroes -- played with rumpled charm by Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher -- facing some important crossroads.

The 10 Best Shows of 2010

When it comes to TV, 2010 was really a mixed bag, wasn't it? Yes, it was the year that gave us "The Glades," "Bridalplasty" and scads of fairly worthless freshmen series on the broadcast networks. It was a year when one of the few promising network series, "LoneStar," died a quick death, and when one of the more promising cable series, "Terriers," died a slightly longer death.
It was year when some dear old friends left us, including "Lost" and "24," creating a bit of a gap in the TV landscape.
Yet this was also the year that gave us the best season yet of AMC's "Breaking Bad." It was the year that gave us perhaps the best "Mad Men" episode to date, "The Suitcase." It was a year in which we were introduced to some fine new cable shows, including the nifty "Justified" and the elegant "Boardwalk Empire."
It was, as I said, a mixed bag. But there was plenty to be happy about. Below is my list of the 10 best shows of 2010. Some are what you would expect. Some aren't (I'm as surprised by my number 10 choice as you are). But all represent some of my best TV watching experiences of the year.

Some extremely brief thoughts on the Emmy nominations

Don't have much time to recap this morning's Emmy noms, so I'm going to do a brief break down of the things about the nominations that made me happy, the things that made me mad and the one thing I can't understand.
Things that made me happy: Well of course I, and everyone else in TV nerd world, was THRILLED to see Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton finally get recognized for their stellar work on the stellar "Friday Night Lights." It only took four seasons, but the academy finally got that right. So yay.
Also, I know a lot of people were polarized by the character of Jack on "Lost," but Matthew Fox was always excellent, so it was good to see him get recognized, along with this season's undisputed scene-stealer, Terry O'Quinn, who got a supporting nod for playing the Smoke Monster and John Locke.
It was nice to see another scene stealer, Andre Braugher, get a nod for his work on the surprisingly fine new TNT series "Men Of A Certain Age." A little disappointed at no recognition for his co-stars Ray Romano and Scott Bakula, but Braugher was obviously the stand-out and the male drama categories are always tight.
And a nice surprise nod for Sharon Gless for her excellent work as Jeffrey Donovan's mom on "Burn Notice!" She's a dark horse (I'm pulling for either "Mad Men's" Christina Hendricks or "The Good Wife's" Archie Panjabi to bring it home), but a lovely choice.
Things that made me mad:Surprisingly few of those this year, though I was upset to see that, once again, Tracy Morgan was passed over for his hilarious work on "30 Rock." Yes, his character is kind of close to his personality. So what? I'd rather see a nod for his fresh, crazy work than another nom for Jon Cryer (don't get me wrong -- I love Cryer. I'd just like to see a little fresh blood here). Also, it's a little sad that Ed O'Neil was the only major cast member of "Modern Family" not nominated.
And my other big pet peeve is kind of due to a high class problem over at "Lost." I love Michael Emerson's work as Ben, but he had only one real showcase episode this season. I would have liked to see that spot go to a "Lost"-ite with more screen time -- preferably the underrated Jorge Garcia, whom I don't think has ever gotten a nomination.
Thing that made me nuts:Look, I love "True Blood," but are they kidding with that Best Drama nomination? "Friday Night Lights." "Men of a Certain Age." "Justified." Even "Damages." All would have been excellent choices for that spot. I don't get it.
You can view a complete list of the Emmy nominees here. The Primetime Emmy winners will be announced Aug. 29.

"Men of a Certain Age" finale recap: "Back in the S---"

Just wanted to offer a few quick words about the season finale of TNT's "Men of a Certain Age." Back when this show was first announced, I was both excited and skeptical.
I was excited because it starred three of my favorite TV actors -- Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula. But I was skeptical because I wasn't sure how these three very different performers would mesh on-screen.
I needn't have worried. Together they made one of the most disarming, likable ensembles on TV. It was because of the performers that I stuck with the show through any potential rough spots (its characterizations of women still need some work) and kept coming back.
In this week's finale, we found our three leads reaching some some of tentative peace. Joe (Romano), after a tense night out with his son, has vowed to quit gambling. He's done it before and, since this is only the first season, I doubt he'll be able to just drop it cold turkey. That wouldn't be realistic, and one of this show's strengths is its realism. But I also don't want to watch a show in which we slowly watch Joe's gambling problem destroy his life. Here's hoping they strike a balance.
Owen (Braugher) , meanwhile, quit his dad's dealership and found a new gig at a rival joint. Though he thrived there, he and his dad agreed that the new job wasn't really what either of them wanted. Thus, Owen became manager of his dad's dealership. Whether that will work out remains to be seen. Owen suddenly became more motivated once he went to the new dealership, and maybe he'll carry some of that zip into the management job. But I forsee a lot of clashes with would-be manager Marcus.
Meanwhile, Terry (Bakula) seems to have temporarily abandoned acting for a gig at the dealership, once he realized that his old acting "friends" were just using him. Of the three guys, Bakula got the best material this episode -- a rarity for the series, which usually gives the meatier stuff to Braugher or Romano. Terry's meltdown during the hike was a season high point for Bakula, and he nailed it, seeming both pathetic and utterly relatable.
All in all, a solid finale, and one that has me interested in seeing where the guys are headed. Thoughts?

Despite the odds, "Men" has a certain charms

Are there three actors less likely to work with one another than Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher?
Romano, best known for stand-up and his long-running hit sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," just doesn't seem to fit with either the intense Braugher, most closely associated with heavy dramas like "Homicide," and Bakula, best known for genre series like "Quantum Leap" and "Enterprise."
Though each has his strengths, these just aren't three guys that you'd picture hanging out together. And yet, on TNT's "Men of a Certain Age," which features the three actors as a trio of longtime friends, Romano, Bakula and Braugher make an engaging -- and believable -- team. Their surprising chemistry is the centerpiece of the series, which debuts at 10 p.m. Monday, but the show has much else to recommend it.
"Men" features Romano (who also co-created the show with Mike Royce) as Joe, a party store owner with a gambling problem. His two best friends are out-of-work actor Terry (Bakula) and car dealer Owen (Braugher). All three men are at varying degrees of crisis. Joe is separated from his wife, whom he still loves. Owen works for his unrelentingly disapproving father. And Terry, though clearly the most cheerful of the group, is increasingly aware that, despite his freewheeling lifestyle, his life is kind of empty.
Mostly, the show puts the three actors in separate stories, but it also gives them plenty of scenes together, during which they convincingly banter like old friends. They mock each other, discuss their various relationships and concerns and crack wise. Their rapport is one of the show's many shocks. Another is that Braugher -- he of the booming, commanding voice and sad eyes -- is pretty gifted in the show's comedic scenes. He really gets to shine in a later episode, when a disillusioned Owen decides to become the world's nicest car dealer.
Romano also surprises, by being a better actor than you'd expect. Yes, he was funny on "Raymond," but didn't have the range or depth of, say, the late Peter Boyle, who played his father. Here, Romano has more dramatic material to work with and, if he's not quite as versatile as his co-stars, he certainly doesn't embarrass himself. In fact, any awkwardness Romano might have in the role is kind of appropriate, given that he's playing an awkward man who doesn't quite know his place in the world.
As for Bakula, in the three episodes I saw, he had the least interesting material to work with. But he does have a nice storyline in the second episode, when Terry takes revenge on an impolite driver. Plus, as a hardcore "Quantum Leap" fan, I always enjoy getting a glimpse of Bakula's good-natured charm.
Though the show is a bit slow at times, there's a lot of humor, some nice observations about middle age and those fine performances (I didn't get a chance to mention Lisa Gay Hamilton, who plays Braugher's wife, but she's pretty good, too). Overall, "Men" is a promising, intelligent drama featuring a group of characters we actually enjoy spending time with.