10 best of 2011... in 2012

Yeah, yeah, I know -- 2011 is over. You don't want to read about the 10 best shows of the old year. You're ready for the New Year. You're amped about the return of "Justified," "30 Rock," and the prospect of seeing Sucre from "Prison Break" in a dress on ABC. I hear you. But can you please bear with me for a wee bit? 2011 really did offer some mighty fine TV and I'd like to celebrate some of its offerings before we move on.
And I promise, next week we'll talk about the likes of "Shameless," "House of Lies," and how Albie's closeted boyfriend from "Big Love" looks in a pair of pumps.
But, until then, here's my list of the best TV of 2011 (Note: Some big spoilers below, so you might want to skip around the shows you haven't seen).

Of boardwalks, back braces and Globes

This week in I Screen land, I offer my thoughts on the finales of "Boardwalk Empire" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," the sneak preview of "Luck" and the always amusing Golden Globe nominations. Read on if you dare.

Is "Sunny" losing its mojo? Fat chance

 Actors are constantly gaining weight for dramatic roles.DeNiro in "Raging Bull." Charlize Theron in "Monster." The list goes on and on. As for those who gained weight to play comedic roles, there's Renee Zelleweger in "Bridget Jones's Diary" and .... well, that's about all I can think of. That's why it was somewhat shocking to hear that "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" showrunner and co-star Rob McElhenney had gained 50 pounds for the show's seventh season -- which starts tomorrow at 10 p.m. -- simply because he thought it was a funny idea.

"Sunny" days return to FX

With shows like "Glee" and "Modern Family" heralding the return of the network sitcom, it would be logical to worry whether fine cable comedies, like FX's dark-hearted "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," might fade into the background. After all, "Sunny" rose to prominence during a time when quality network sitcom options were far and few between. But the series, which returns for a sixth season tonight at 10, seems as funny as ever.

Recap bonanza: "Glee," "Sunny," "The League"

This week, FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "The League" both had their season finales, and Fox's bright new musical comedy "Glee" had a mid-season finale (it returns April 13).
Instead of having individual recaps for each, I've decided to mesh them all together into one mega-recap in the interest of time. Because what goes together better than showtunes, poisoned beer and fantasy football?
Away we go...
* Glee, "Sectionals": Though I'd probably classify "Glee" as the most breezily entertaining new show of the season, it's been pretty inconsistent for the first half of its freshman season. Terri's fake pregnancy was probably the worst TV subplot since Landry Clarke's impromptu killing spree in season two of "Friday Night Lights." Plus, I grew tired of the whole Quinn-Finn-Puck story. Come on -- even Finn isn't dumb enough to believe you can get a girl pregnant WITHOUT HAVING SEX! But the show's zesty musical numbers, witty dialogue and excellent acting make it a must see. "Sectionals" took all the show's best elements and threw them into a single episode.
We had Mercedes belting out "And I'm Telling You," Rachel getting her Streisand on and the whole Glee crewing soulfully crooning The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want."
We saw evil cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester finally get a little payback, being stripped of her job with the Cheerios and suspended from McKinley. Of course, even in defeat, Sue was fierce and Jane Lynch milked every last drop out of Sue's final scene of the year: "Get ready to board the Sue Sylvester express. Destination: HORROR!" (Lynch's breathy, ominous reading of the word "horror" was, alone, worth the entire episode).
But the episode's best scene came when Will, after finally ditching his crazy wife, chased after a heartbroken Emma and planted one of the most satisfying TV kisses ever on her lips. Swoon!
April can't come fast enough.
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry": Admittedly, this season of FX's nutty dark comedy "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has been a bit spotty. Yes, as always, some episodes were brilliant, include the hilarious offering "The World Series Defense" (and, if you have a few spare bucks, I highly recommend renting or buying the DVD-only special "A Very Sunny Christmas"). But there were quite a few disappointments (am I the only one who expected more from that "kitten mittens" episode?).
However, the season five finale "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry" was pretty excellent, from the opening with Frank in his ill-advised skinny jeans to the gang's victory over the nasty frat brothers at the end. My favorite sequence has to be the one in which Dennis and Frank vandalize the home of poor Art Sloan, as Dennis pontificates about how kids today have no respect. And, by the way, "I'm a legend!" is my new battle cry.
"The League," "The Shiva Bowl": I haven't really written anything about FX's freshman comedy "The League," which was just renewed for a second season. That's unfortunate, because I found the show to be one of the season's biggest surprises. After a broad, coarse (but still funny) pilot, the series has settled into a nice groove as a laid-back comedy about a group of friends in a fantasy football league. I know nothing about fantasy football, so I can't attest to whether the show portrays that world accurately. However, I've spent enough time around guys to know that the show's depiction of male friendship is spot on. I love the easy chemistry among the actors, particularly in this season's finale, in which league outcast Andre finally beat perennial champion Pete. Of course, Andre did lose his girlfriend Shiva, who dumped him after learning the guys had named their league trophy after her. I loved the moment when Shiva saw the trophy, bearing her high school yearbook picture, in Ruxin's car, and Ruxin sheepishly told her "I can explain. But it isn't going to make you feel any better."
With its scatological humor and goofy characters, "The League" isn't a classy show, and I can see why a lot of critics didn't like. But it made me laugh, and it has a nice, familiar feel to it. I really look forward to future seasons.

New season of "Sunny" brings the funny

A man eats a pear -- the whole thing, including the core, the stem and the produce sticker. A group of people organize an intervention for an alcoholic friend -- because he's no longer a fun drunk. A potential surrogate mom offers the couple hiring her a discount for carrying twins.
That's right folks -- the degenerate freaks of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" are back. And boy, did I miss them. FX's dark, depraved and often hilarious company returns for a fifth season Thursday at 10 p.m. I've watched the first four episodes and, so far, it's shaping up to be a fun season. For the uninitiated, the show focuses on five people who own a bar in South Philadelphia: creepy Charlie (Charlie Day), delusional Mac (Rob McElhenny), vain, arrogant Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dennis's needy sister Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and middle-aged degenerate Frank (Danny DeVito). In each episode, this gang of misfits embarks on some sort of scheme, ranging from the commonplace (a road trip to the Grand Canyon) to the bizarre (the aforementioned intervention).
In the season premiere, Mac, Frank, Charlie and Dennis decide to take advantage of the mortgage crisis by flipping a house in foreclosure. That the previous owners are still living in the house doesn't seem to bother them. Meanwhile, Dee rents out her womb to a yuppie couple, but seems more interested in swimming in their pool than in participating in the circle of life.
The show can be hit or miss, but there's always at least one big laugh per episode (many of them provided by the hilarious Olson who, were she on a more prestigious and less vulgar show, would have a stack of Emmys by now). In the premiere, the best moments come from Mac and Dennis trying to pass themselves off of as a pair of real estate agents named Honey and Vinegar. Trust me -- it makes sense in context. Of the episodes I watched, the second -- "The Gang Hits the Road" -- was my favorite, mainly because it includes Olson drunkenly belting out the Soul Asylum classic "Runaway Train" to a young hitchhiker. How do you not love that?
The show isn't for the easily offended, or for those who prefer their humor polished and sophisticated. It's dumb, crude and sometimes a bit too bizarre for its own good. But when it works, which is a lot, it's the funniest show on TV.
Note: tonight I'm going to see "The Nightman Cometh," the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" live show that's touring the country. I'll be posting my thoughts tomorrow (provided that I'm not too exhausted), so look out for it.

"Sunny" promo clips!

So, a few weeks ago, I told you that FX had announced its premiere date for its darkly hilarious sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Well, promos for the new season are up on Hulu and, judging from the few I've watched, the new season looks mighty promising. I'm especially tickled by this clip, in which in the enterprising yet dim Charlie markets a new invention. And check out this promo, in which poor, poor Dee gets judging by an impatient bridal salon saleswoman. This last one, of Frank discovering a new use for rope, is a bit twisted, even for "Sunny" standards. But I'm still all in.
The new season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" debut Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. on FX.

FX announces premiere dates

Many media outlets, including the Los Angeles Times' TV blog and E!Online, are reporting that FX has announced premiere dates for several of its fall shows. According to these sites, the biker drama "Sons of Anarchy" returns Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. and the dark sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" comes back on Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. The plastic surgery drama "Nip/Tuck" will return for its penultimate season at an unnamed date in October.
Of these, I'm most excited about the return of "Sunny," which might be my favorite comedy on TV. Yes, I love "30 Rock," but even that fine show can't touch the brilliance that is "The Night Man Cometh," (see above photo) or any incarnation of "Sunny's" "Day Man/Night Man" musical offerings. The show's fourth season wasn't as good as previous installments, but even subpar "Sunny" is better than 90 percent of current sitcoms.
As for the other two I, unfortunately, haven't seen "Sons of Anarchy" yet, but have all the first season episodes and hope to watch them before season two premieres.
And "Nip/Tuck," ironically, has aged poorly, but I'm still watching it -- mainly because my husband won't let me give it up. For this reason, I'm glad it's slowly, but surely, coming to an end. I'll just stick it out, making the most of the aspects of the show I still enjoy (like the fine acting by Julian McMahon, Dylan Walsh and Roma Maffia).
Meanwhile, "Sunny" is coming back! Greenman in the house!

For your consideration...

Dear Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members,
I noticed that you've received your Emmy ballot and that, over the next few weeks, you'll be charged with selecting the nominees for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. First off, let me say that I've looked at the ballot and I owe you all an apology. I'm always ranting and raving about how you nominate the same people year after year and omit a lot of worthy candidates. But now that I've seen the ballot, I see the difficult job you face. Nearly every actor and show on TV is eligible for nomination. I mean, you could nominate pretty much the entire cast of "Rules of Engagement" if you wanted to (by the way, thanks for never doing that). With so much information, I can see how you'd get overwhelmed.
So, I thought I'd help you out.
Below is a list of worthy candidates in each category. Most would be first-time nominees and all have done excellent, award-worthy work. All I ask is that you take a look and at least CONSIDER nominating them. OK? Let's get started.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Until a few months ago, I barely knew who Danny McBride was. I was aware he was a protegee of Will Farrell, and that he'd made a well-received low-budget movie called "The Foot Fist Way" (which I'd never seen), but that was about it. Then HBO debuted the new comedy "Eastbound and Down," on which McBride played angry, foul-mouthed ex-pitcher Kenny Powers. Though it took me a few episodes to figure it out, I eventually realized that McBride is the real deal. Funny, fearless and a good actor, McBride is a talent worth watching...and worth nominating.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Let's be honest -- this is a category that rewards flash. Yes, Hugh Laurie, James Gandolfini, Bryan Cranston and other past nominees and winners are talented. But I imagine most actors could do good things with complicated, juicy characters like Dr. House, Tony Soprano and Walter White. It's much harder to be memorable when playing the calm, reasonable center of a series. And that's just what Kyle Chandler does every week on "Friday Night Lights." With just a twitch of his jaw, or a cloud of thought floating over his eyes, Chandler reaches deep into the soul of high school football coach Eric Taylor. It's a rich, lived-in performance and it's crazy that, three seasons into this show, Chandler has yet to score a nomination.
Also worth nominating: Jeffrey Donovan, who, in the most recent season of "Burn Notice," found some rich emotional layers in slick ex-spy Michael Westen.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: I only saw half of the first season of Showtime's new sitcom "The United States of Tara," but I did like Toni Collette's warm, brave, funny performance as a mom juggling work, family and multiple personalities.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: OK, I won't waste much time pushing this one, because I know there's almost zero chance this will ever happen, but I must say that Leighton Meester is a revelation as Blair Waldorf on "Gossip Girl." Don't laugh! She's funny, vulnerable and gives unexpected depth to this pampered princess. The show lives or dies on Meester, and that's what makes her Emmy-worthy. OK, speech over. Let's discuss some other worthy candidates for this category. Regina King is in her first season over on NBC's promising cop drama "Southland," and she's already created a three-dimensional character out of tough but sensitive police Detective Lydia Adams. Plus, she's always been one of my favorite actresses (it's hard to steal a scene from Tom Cruise, Renee Zelleweger and Cuba Gooding, Jr., but she did just that in "Jerry Maguire"). And, no discussion of this category would be complete without a healthy push for Elisabeth Moss, who is nothing short of spectacular as Peggy Olson on "Mad Men." I wish that character was my best friend, that's how vibrant and convincing Moss is.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in Comedy Series: Look, I love Bret and Jemaine, the wacky tunesmiths at the heart of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords," but without Rhys Darby as their sensible yet dense manager Murray, it would definitely lose something. Darby's dry delivery and great, deadpan reaction shots are as essential to this show as the songs and shtick. The guys wouldn't be as funny without him.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: OK, you can ignore ALL my other suggestions as long as you heed this one -- you absolutely MUST nominate Walton Goggins for his uniformly exceptional work as troubled, doomed Detective Shane Vendrell on "The Shield." Goggins' is one of the best supporting performances of the best decade and he's a huge part of the reason why Shane was one of the show's best characters. Check out the series finale, in which Shane makes a terrible, terrible choice and struggles with every minute of it. Phenomenal.
Also worth mentioning: Dean Norris and Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad," Ken Leung and Jeremy Davies of "Lost" and John Scurti of "Rescue Me" would all be solid additions to this category. But putting Goggins in the running should be your priority.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: This was a good year for funny ladies. "SNL" mainstay Amy Poehler got her own series. Tina Fey was a smash on both "30 Rock" and "SNL." But I can think of at least two hilarious women who are constantly ignored by award-granting institutions: Kristen Schaal of "Flight of the Conchords" and Kaitlin Olson of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Both women hold their own on male-dominated shows. Both add dimension to truly weird, fairly unsympathetic characters. And both are pee-your-pants hysterical. Recognize!
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Remember what I said about Walton Goggins? I feel the same way about Chloe Sevigny on "Big Love." She's always been great as mercurial, damaged polygamist Nikki Grant, but this was her strongest season yet. In nearly every single episode, she had at least one amazing, scene-stealing moment. In the season finale, she had two: the scene where she met her abandoned daughter, and her breakdown in the car with Jeanne Tripplehorn's Barb. All the actresses on this show are outstanding, but Sevigny was this season's gem.
Also worth mentioning: I don't know if anyone else is going to plug Michele Hicks' work as Shane's wife Mara on "The Shield," but let me put in my two cents. Hicks was so raw and vulnerable, she made us feel bad for a character that was nearly impossible to like. Well done.
Outstanding Comedy Series: This could very well be the last season for HBO's "Flight of the Conchords." While it wasn't as good as last season, this is still one of the funniest shows on TV. How about a little love?
Outstanding Drama Series: Yes, "The Shield" won a Golden Globe for best drama years ago, and has been nominated in the past. But this is its last season. Please show this fantastic series the appreciation that its devastating final season deserved.
So, those are more thoughts. Again, these are only suggestions, and I hope you'll at least consider them. Except Goggins and Sevigny. Their nominations are non-negotiable. I mean it.
Yours,
I Screen You Screen