The Noah Hunter Award- Supporting in Drama

Named For: Noah Hunter (Beverly Hills, 90210)
Awarded To: The best supporting character in a drama series
2009 Winner: Ari Gold (Entourage)
2010 Winner: Ari Gold (Entourage)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Noah Puckerman (Glee) 1 point

9. Dale Kettlewell (Greek) 3 points

8. Max Braverman (Parenthood) 3 points

7. Albert Lambreaux (Treme) 5 points

6. Chase Adams (One Tree Hill) 7 points (2nd)

5. Roger Sterling (Mad Men) 8 points (3rd)

4. Robert Chase (House, MD) 11 points

3. Scott Lavin (Entourage) 13 points (4th)

2. Buddy Garrity (Friday Night Lights) 20 points (5th)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Ornette Howard (Friday Night Lights) 23 points (1st)

This is Ornette Howard's first Poolie nomination, and first ever win for best supporting character in a drama series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter T-Time, who has some nice things to say about Ornette Howard, Cress Williams, and the people of Friday Night Lights.

                                                                                                                                                                  

The role of Ornette Howard was not massive. Cress Williams made every minute count, establishing himself as the dynamic ex-con father of East Dillon’s QB1. Sure, there were problems with the final season of Friday Night Lights, but Ornette was never one of them. His troubled relationship with his son was one of the most realistic and well-done plot lines of the entire run. How realistic? Ornette’s efforts to shake some money out of recruiters eerily paralleled the real life antics of Cecil Newton, occurring far too simultaneously to be written from the headlines. For once, an FNL plotline that was just awesome, as opposed to silly and awesome. In a season that saw guidance counselors become deans by making speeches about letting more dumb kids into college, and featured an attempt to convince us that Riggins and Tyra had once had a meaningful relationship, Williams’s gritty character was refreshing. 

~ Written by Tim Forcella

Men of a Certain Age 211 Review- Tooth of a Kind

Joe- "How ya feeling?"

Manfro- "Like ass. I got cancer, remember?"

It may have taken a stint as a bookie, all of his employees to quit the Party Shop, his own bookie knocking his tooth out, and an awkward run in with an old flame, but in "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" Joe Tranelli finally got his focus back on his goal: make the Senior Golf Tour.

It has been a long journey, but he's kicked the gambling addiction for the time being. There was a moment there - when Bill came to Joe wanting to make another bet - that I thought he was going to fall back into it, but thankfully he didn't. This man continues to grow, even though sometimes it doesn't feel like that's true.

What made that growth, and made Joe's plot, so interesting this week is that it kept building on itself. After he pushed Bill and his money away, and then gave his employees the respect and cash they deserved, I thought the montage of everyone playing golf and having a good time at Joe's Party Shop was the end of that story.

They were all so happy that it seemed to be the climax of Joe's trek in making his way back to the top.

To read the rest of my review of last night's Men of a Certain Age, head over to TV Fanatic.

Men of a Certain Age 211 - "Whatever Gets You Through The Night"
Review
Recap
Quotes

The Samantha Marquez Award- Female in Action

Named For: Samantha Marquez (Las Vegas)
Awarded To: The best female character in an action series
2009 Winner: Sarah Walker (Chuck)
2010 Winner: Sarah Walker (Chuck)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Teresa Lisbon (The Mentalist) 0 points

9. Ames (Human Target) 0 points

8. Morgan Pendragon (Camelot) 2 points (4th)

7. Katie Nichols (Terriers) 4 points

6. Jessica Hamby (True Blood) 6 points

5. Deb Morgan (Dexter) 6 points (3rd)

4. Sarah Walker (Chuck) 7 points (5th)

3. Lumen Pierce (Dexter) 10 points

2. Arya Stark (Game of Thrones) 19 points (2nd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Mags Bennett (Justified) 20 points (1st)

This is Mags Bennett's first ever Poolie nomination, and first win for best female character in an action series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter Jaydon, who has some very nice things to say about Mags Bennett, Margo Martindale, and the people of Justified.

                                                                                                                                                                  

There's an archetype called the Magnificent Bastard. This is the kind of villain who is in control, knows his goal and achieves it through charm and deadly force. Think of The Jew Hunter from Inglourious Basterds or (at times) Justified's own Boyd Crowder. What happens when a magnificent bastard takes the form of a middle-aged, Southern matriarch? There's a novel element in play. In addition to that control, foresight, guile and propensity towards violence, comes a maternal instinct towards protection of her flock. But what makes Mags even more interesting is that much of that maternal feeling is often suppressed in pursuit of her selfish machinations.

The Bennetts have been a part of Harlan County forever and Mags is looking to make power moves to ensure increased familial holdings for generations. The Bennetts and the Givens have a long, tumultuous history that complicates our protagonist Raylan Givens' approach to thwarting Mags' plays. Raylan is pretty much a magnificent bastard with morals. There's a respect level between the adversaries that informs the way they conduct their actions. There's also a fundamental schism between the two families that necessitates incessant confrontation until an end point is reached.

For her part, Mags provided Raylan with a formidable equal. She was only undermined by the rogue actions of her reactionary and idiotic sons. Perhaps her best moment as a magnificent bastard comes when she convinces the town to emphatically deny Black Pike's development in the area. With a masterful appeal to history and community, she robs the town of desperately needed financial gains in order to secure a windfall for herself. Actually that might have to be the runner up. Mags' “apple pie”, a special home brewed moonshine, has to be the quintessential encapsulation of the character - the maternal menace. Put her in the Rogues Gallery Hall of Fame.

~ Written by Jonathan Stuart

The Teri Bauer Award- Worst Action Character

Named For: Teri Bauer (24)
Awarded To: The the character you love to hate in an action series
2009 Winner: Olivia Taylor (24)
2010 Winner: Skyler White (Breaking Bad)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Liam O'Neill (Sons of Anarchy) 1 point

9. Arthur Pendragon (Camelot) 1 point (5th)

8. Nelson Van Alden (Boardwalk Empire) 2 points

7. Moira Doherty (Persons Unknown) 3 points

6. Angel Batista (Dexter) 4 points

5. Tyler Evans (V) 5 points (4th)

4. Miles Fiedler (Rubicon) 6 points

3. Erika Taylor (Persons Unknown) 8 points (3rd)

2. Tara Thornton (True Blood) 12 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Sarah Linden (The Killing) 21 points (2nd)

This is Sarah Linden's first Poolie nomination, and first win for the character you love to hate in an action series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter Tyson, who has some awful things to say about Sarah Linden, Mireille Enos, and the people of The Killing.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Sarah Linden is a terrible character and an awful person.

She ignores her son, her fiancé, and her commitments in order to immerse herself in the Rosie Larsen case. Spoiler alert: she doesn’t figure out shit.

The whole show is just a colossal waste of time. Here is a comprehensive show summary: dead girl found, her family is sad, her dad goes to jail, the police think a couple people are the murderers but none of them are, and one of the cops is involved in some foul play.

I literally just described every single thing that happened in season one.

Now, a sane person would assume that this show would be cancelled. WRONG. Get ready for season 2 where Detective Linden will ignore her son while he’s in the hospital so she can track down 5 new suspects, all of whom happen to be members of the same Islamic Mosque.

Sorry I forgot to mention that one of the original suspects is a devout Muslim. He is also a kidnapper, but he only kidnaps 14 year old girls who are about to be neutered or something. You cannot make this stuff up.

Yet after everything mentioned above, The Killing received an 8.4 rating out of 10 according to IMDB. To put that in perspective, Lost received an 8.5 out of 10. Someone please explain this to me.

One final note: The actress who plays Detective Linden is Mormon. She is also married to Cameron from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I have no idea what to do with this information, but I think it makes me like her less.

~ Written by Tyson Brazell

Covert Affairs 204 Review- A Three-Armed Fight

Annie- "You are either the best operative I have ever seen, or the absolute worst. I can't make up my mind."

Although it wasn't quite "the best episode of the series to date," like Jeffrey Kirkpatrick billed of last week's "Bang and Blame," Tuesday night's "All the Right Friends" was another exciting and entertaining adventure with Annie Walker and company.

There was a lot to like. It all started with Annie being a bad ass chick. Between breaking through the police barricade with the 180 back up to taking out the assassin with a three-armed fight as she was handcuffed to Carlo, Annie certainly earned her time in the field this week.

But building off of some of Jeff's analysis from a couple weeks ago, I have to agree that a gun-less Annie is just difficult to take at times. Her constantly having to take down bad guys without a firearm is getting tiresome. Honestly, it just adds to my issues with Annie being put on all of these missions in the first place.

Is she really one of the best they can find? Language skills and three-armed fighting aside, there have to be better operatives.

To read the rest of my first Covert Affairs review, head over to TV Fanatic.

Covert Affairs 204 - "All the Right Friends"
Review
Recap
Quotes

The Cory Matthews Award- Lead in Comedy

Named For: Cory Matthews (Boy Meets World)
Awarded To: The best lead character in a comedy series
2009 Winner: Tracy Morgan (30 Rock)
2010 Winner: Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Vance (Perfect Couples) 2 points (4th)

9. Max Blum (Happy Endings) 4 points (5th)

8. Jeff Winger (Community) 6 points

7. Chris Henkel (Big Lake) 6 points (2nd)

6. Dwight Schrute (The Office) 12 points

5. Jack Donaghy (30 Rock) 14 points

4. Dennis Reynolds (It's Always Sunny) 14 points

3. Andre Nowzik (The League) 14 points

2. Phil Dunphy (Modern Family) 24 points (3rd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Michael Scott (The Office) 29 points (1st)

This is Michael Scott's third straight Poolie nomination, but first ever win for best lead character in a comedy series.  He, along with Holly Flax, also won the award for Best Couple.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter Mags, who has some nice things to say about Michael Scott, Steve Carrell, and the people of The Office.

                                                                                                                                                                  

As everyone knows, America is the greatest country ever and it will be for all of eternity. From baseball to blondes to burritos, we have invented all the best stuff on earth. I know there are a lot of countries out there who are older than the USA, but let’s be honest, newer = better. Nobody is thinking “Screw the iPhone 5, I want that iPhone 3G.” That’s just dumb.

Of course, there are a few things which came out before America could release our version (democracy, brunettes, guns), but in these cases we just released a perfected version of the crap everybody else thought of. A great example of something we improved on is NBC’s The Office.  I know everyone says the UK version of the office is better, and personally I’ve never seen it. But I’ve also never seen the real Eiffel tower either and I know the one in Vegas is better. I know the Vegas Eiffel tower and the US version of The Office are better because they were MADE IN THE USA. That’s all I need to know.

Getting to the point: since its inaugural season, The Office has starred the hilariously inappropriate Michael Scott. Through each of the seven seasons, Michael has carried the show. Even through some lackluster periods, you were always able to rely on the laughs he would bring. Unfortunately, the seventh season was Michael’s last, as he resigned from Dunder Mifflin and moved to Colorado with Holly. It is fitting that he goes out on top. Congratulations to Michael Scott, the winner of the Cory Matthews Award For Best Lead Character in a Comedy Series. He will be missed.

~ Written by Kyle Magnus

The Veronica Mars Award- Female in Drama

Named For: Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)
Awarded To: The best female character in a drama series
2009 Winner: Julie Taylor (Friday Night Lights)
2010 Winner: Julie Taylor (Friday Night Lights)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Naomi Clark (90210) 4 points

9. Annie Tee (Treme) 6 points

8. Alex Dupre (One Tree Hill) 6 points (3rd)

7. Adrianna Tate Duncan (90210) 8 points (2nd)

6. Peggy Olsen (Mad Men) 9 points

5. Stella Malone (Jonas) 9 points (5th)

4. Becky Sproles (Friday Night Lights) 10 points

3. Brittany Pierce (Glee) 12 points (4th)

2. Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl) 13 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Macy Misa (Jonas) 15 points (1st)

This is Macy Misa's first Poolie nomination, and first ever win for best female character in a drama series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter T-Time, who has some nice things to say about Macy Misa, Nicole Anderson, and the people of Jonas.

                                                                                                                                                                   

This award is almost like a reverse Emmy. You know where they give best actress on a comedy to someone who had a good dramatic performance on a show categorized as a comedy? Well here the award for supporting actress in a drama goes to the best comedic performance on a show that is categorized as a drama. I’m not saying that Nicole Anderson can’t do drama. There were “moments” in the show and she nailed them. But the primary purpose of her character, Macy Misa, is that she is funny. Anderson’s comedic timing is impeccable; in most episodes of Jonas LA, the best line, or lines, were delivered by Macy Misa. While many have missed out on the show, it would be worth it even for non-fans of the Jo Bros to tune in and catch a Macy gem.

~ Written by Tim Forcella

Teen Wolf 105 Review- Alpha Wolf Killed The Video Store

Derek- "You wanna do homework? Or you wanna not die?"

After a few exciting episodes, "The Tell" brought Teen Wolf back down to Earth. It was an hour that featured a less-than-exciting romance plot between Scott and Allison, and a whole lot of exposition about many of the students we have met at this point in the series.

That's not to say that there weren't exciting moments. As has been the case lately, the opening scene was both frightening and entertaining. Apparently Teen Wolf takes place in a world where video rental stores are still in business, but the real question is: "What was the alpha wolf's deal?"

Why go through all that trouble to scare and hurt Jackson if you are just going to scratch his neck? There have to be some more repercussions from those nail marks, right? From our interview with Dylan O'Brien last week, it sounds like more supernatural beings aren't out of the question in this series. Does Jackson getting scratched bring out whatever power he has inside of him? Or will we hear nothing of this again?

Also, keeping the excitement going was Stiles' run in with Lydia in her bedroom. O'Brien has been extremely good at playing nervous and fidgety thus far, and this scene was a superb example of that, as he struggled with the idea that Lydia might have wanted to hook up with him. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Stiles get his, but wouldn't we all rather see it happen with a female that isn't high as a kite?

To read the rest of my review of last night's Teen Wolf, head over to TV Fanatic.

Teen Wolf 105 - "The Tell"
Review
Recap
Quotes

The Desmond Hume Award- Supporting in Action

Named For: Desmond Hume (Lost)
Awarded To: The best supporting character in an action series
2009 Winner: Tony Almeida (24)
2010 Winner: Desmond Hume (Lost)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Kimball Cho (The Mentalist) 0 points

9. Joey Quinn (Dexter) 3 points

8. John Casey (Chuck) 5 points (5th)

7. Opie Winston (Sons of Anarchy) 8 points

6. Liam Hennessey (The Chicago Code) 9 points

5. Jon Snow (Game of Thrones) 10 points

4. Morgan Grimes (Chuck) 10 points (2nd)

3. Dickie Bennett (Justified) 12 points (1st)

2. Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones) 23 points (3rd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Boyd Crowder (Justified) 26 points (4th)

This is inexplicably Boyd Crowder's first Poolie nomination, and first ever win for best supporting character in an action series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter T-Time, who has some nice things to say about Boyd Crowder, Walton Goggins, and the people of Justified.

                                                                                                                                                                   

“Bartender, let’s do that one more time.”

If asked to describe Boyd Crowder quickly, the word that jumps out is compelling. No other character in recent memory is so inherently interesting that a scene of the character drinking alone in a bar would be compelling. In the scene the above quote is pulled from, Boyd doesn’t just drink; he drinks with all the weight of the events of the preceding season and a half. The way that Walton Goggins plays Boyd, we feel the gaining and subsequent loss of faith in every sip. Boyd would have been a contender for this award even if he’d done nothing more than work in the mine and ponder his future, lost in the past.

Fortunately, a series of mid-season events brings Boyd out of his funk, and once again, Boyd Crowder can do what he is best at, getting money and blowing shit up. After a season’s worth of episodes as a born-again and a coal miner, Boyd embraces his criminal roots, first with a move to get in on the Black Pike money (celebrated with an elated dance, perhaps the moment of the season) and then a later move to fill the void in Harlan’s crime world created by his daddy’s death. Through it all, the chemistry between Boyd and Raylan, as old friends, sometime rivals and occasional belligerents, is largely responsible for driving the series forward.

“Fire in the hole!”

~ Written by Tim Forcella

The Dr. Doug Ross Award- Lead in Drama

Named For: Dr. Doug Ross (ER)
Awarded To: The best lead character in a drama series
2009 Winner: Tim Riggins (Friday Night Lights)
2010 Winner: Greg House (House, MD)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Adam Braverman (Parenthood) 4 points (5th)

9. Davis McAlary (Treme) 5 points (4th)

8. Patrick Leary (Lights Out) 7 points

7. Hank Moody (Californication) 8 points

6. Ari Gold (Entourage) 9 points

5. Don Draper (Mad Men) 10 points (2nd)

4. Greg House (House, MD) 12 points

3. Cappie Jones (Greek) 13 points (1st)

2. Joe Lucas (Jonas) 14 points (3rd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Eric Taylor (Friday Night Lights) 27 points

This is Eric Taylor's third straight Poolie nomination, and first ever win for the best lead character in a drama series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter Lar, who has some nice things to say about Coach Eric Taylor, Kyle Chandler, and the people of Friday Night Lights.

                                                                                                                                                                  

What do great American heroes like George Washington, Ben Franklin, and the Seal Six have in common? They all wish they could be more like Coach Taylor. In the same company as David Palmer, who we all wished was on the real presidential ticket back in 2004, Coach crossed the real life barrier and made us think about what it would be like to play for him. Once a character makes this leap into reality, he/she is destined to come home with hardware. This is a great way to send off one of the very best characters on one of the best television shows ever.

~ Written by Larry Avitabile

The Phoebe Buffay Award- Female in Comedy

Named For: Phoebe Buffay (Friends)
Awarded To: The best female character in a comedy series
2009 Winner: Liz Lemon (30 Rock)
2010 Winner: Erin Hannon (The Office)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Laurie Keller (Cougar Town) 2 points (4th)

9. Leigh (Perfect Couples) 5 points

8. Lilly Truscott (Hannah Montana) 5 points (2nd)

7. Gloria Pritchett (Modern Family) 9 points

6. Miley Stewart (Hannah Montana) 10 points (5th)

5. Dee Reynolds (It's Always Sunny) 11 points

4. Annie Edison (Community) 14 points

3. April Ludgate (Parks and Recreation) 14 points

2. Sonny Munroe (Sonny With a Chance) 15 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Erin Hannon (The Office) 19 points (3rd)

This is Erin Hannon's second Poolie nomination, and second straight win for the best female character in a comedy series.

We here at the Quiet Pool Perspective are proud to welcome Poolie voter Mags, who has some nice things to say about Erin Hannon, Ellie Kemper, and the people of The Office.

                                                                                                                                                                 

As you, dear reader, are no doubt aware, a vile and loathsome race walks among us. They have been living and breeding alongside and among our ranks for millennia. I refer not to the vampires, werewolves or other supernatural beings which have been recently popularized. I refer not to the CJs.

I speak of the soulless (some believe this is up for debate, it is not), pale and unwanted ranks of the gingers. Caused by the incurable disease gingervitis, gingers are characterized by their pale, freckled skin and red hair. My reasons for making you aware of this affliction are two fold:

1. As a general public service announcement
2. To make sure you are aware that not all people with red hair are gingers

While certainly the vast majority of redheads are rightly treated as second class citizens, there exists the occasional diamond in the rough.

I bring your attention to Erin Hannon, receptionist on NBC’s The Office. Erin has spent recent seasons of the office bringing her positive attitude, vibrant smile and caring demeanor to viewers. Like most redheads, Erin grew up in foster care and spent long periods in the hospital. By many accounts, she did not have an enjoyable childhood, yet she brings a great energy and enthusiasm as the scatter brained receptionist at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Also she can be pretty cute when she doesn’t rock the horrible Asian bangs haircut.

Congrats to Erin, this year’s winner of The Phoebe Buffay Award For Best Female Character in a Comedy Series.

~ Written by Kyle Magnus

The Terry Fator Award- Male Reality Contestant

Named For: Terry Fator (America's Got Talent)
Awarded To: The best male reality competition contestant
2009 Winner: Dan Gheesling (Big Brother)
2010 Winner: Russell Hantz (Survivor)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Flight Time and Big Easy (Amazing Race) 0 points

9. Morgan Wilson (Top Chef) 0 points

8. Zev and Justin (Amazing Race) 2 points (5th)

7. Lane Elenburg (Big Brother) 4 points

6. Hayden Moss (Big Brother) 6 points

5. Richard Blais (Top Chef) 9 points

4. Enzo Palumbo (Big Brother) 11 points (3rd)

3. Paul McDonald (American Idol) 12 points (4th)

2. Phil Sheppard (Survivor) 21 points (2nd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Rob Mariano (Survivor) 31 points (1st)

This is Rob Mariano's second Poolie nomination for best male reality competition contestant, and first ever win of the Terry Fator Award.

It took Boston Rob Mariano four seasons, but he finally won the coveted honor of Sole Survivor.  He did it with class.  He did it with style.  And he did it by completely controlling everyone on the island from start to finish.  Not only did he lie, steal, and back stab his way to the final tribal, but he brought with him two contestants that were not going to have a prayer of beating him at the jury vote.  He out Russelled Russell Hantz in a season that was dubbed "Rob vs. Russell" and we all were better for it.  Not only was he a fantastic player, but he was a joy to watch.  I wasn't in the Survivor game way back when this guy got started, but it's hard to imagine he was ever more entertaining than he was here, on Redemption Island.

The "The Dealership" Award- Comedy Episode

Named For: "The Dealership" (Seinfeld, 911)
Awarded To: The best episode in a comedy series
2010 Winner: "The Table Read" (Curb Your Enthusiasm, 709)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. "Everything Sunny All the Time Always" (30 Rock, 521) 4 points

4. "The Expert Witness" (The League, 209) 7 points

3. "Falling For the Falls" (Sonny With a Chance, 210-211) 7 points (2nd)

2. "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" (Community, 214) 13 points (3rd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. "Threat Level Midnight" (The Office, 716) 17 points (1st)

This is The Office's first episode nomination, and first ever win for the "The Dealership" Award.  The series has also been nominated for the Seinfeld Award three times, including a win for best comedy series in 2009.

One of the biggest issues I ran into in selecting the nominees for this year's Poolies was picking just which episode of The Office to nominate for the "The Dealership" Award.  In such a great season of the show, I knew that whichever I picked, whether it be "Goodbye, Michael," "Garage Sale," "Classy Christmas," or indeed "Threat Level Midnight," I was going to vote it first.  I re-watched many of the season's best episodes in search of the best of the year and Michael's fake movie was the one that had me cracking up throughout on viewing after viewing.  The others had fantastic moments, and some more heartfelt moments, but this was straight up the funniest half hour of television this year.  Unless you are Jaydon, and then you thought this was the least funny thing to grace the television screen since Cavemen.

The Battle of the Network Stars Award- Reality Competition

Named For: Battle of the Network Stars (ABC) 1976-88
Awarded To: The best reality competition series
2009 Winner: American Idol (FOX)
2010 Winner: Survivor (CBS)

Place. Series (Network) Points (My Vote)

10. CMT's Next Superstar (CMT) 0 points

9. Bachelor Pad (ABC) 0 points

8. The Voice (NBC) 0 points

7. The Ultimate Catch (VH1) 2 points

6. The Amazing Race (CBS) 5 points

5. The Sing Off (NBC) 8 points (4th)

4. Top Chef (Bravo) 10 points (3rd)

3. American Idol (FOX) 12 points (5th)

2. Big Brother (CBS) 20 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Survivor (CBS) 27 points (2nd)

This is Survivor's third Poolie nomination for best reality competition series, and the show's second straight win of the Battle of the Network Stars Award.

It was a good season for Survivor this spring.  Redemption Island was so good that it more than made up for the lack luster Survivor Nicaragua that came out this fall.  Do you guys remember that?  No me either, because Boston Rob, Agent Phil and the gang had me mystified from day one.  It was just a great cast of characters, with not only plenty to love, but plenty of contestants to hate.  I wanted to like Matt, because he was on my fantasy team and lived in my Music City, but he became the most fun to hate on throughout the season.  The idea of Redemption Island, while wasn't perfected, was a nice new wrinkle to the show.  At the end of the day though it was the excellence of Boston Rob and the ridiculousness of Phil the Former Federal Agent that won Survivor its second straight Poolie.

The "One Wedding and a Funeral" Award- Drama Episode

Named For: "One Wedding and a Funeral" (Beverly Hills 90210, 610)
Awarded To: The best episode in a drama series
2010 Winner: "Broken" (House MD, 601-602)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. "Band of Brothers" (Jonas, 213) 4 points (3rd)

4. "The Suitcase" (Mad Men, 407) 4 points (2nd)

3. "All On a Mardis Gras Day" (Treme, 108) 5 points

2. "War" (Lights Out, 113) 6 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. "Always" (Friday Night Lights, 513) 18 points (1st)

This is Friday Night Light's second Poolie episode nomination, and first ever win for the "One Wedding and a Funeral" Award.  The series has also won two straight Dynasty Awards and is nominated for a third straight year in 2011.

If  you spent the last five years watching Friday Night Lights, or even the last five months catching up on Friday Night Lights, you were pleased with the way the series ended.  Maybe not THAT the series ended, but the way that it did.  Things wrapped up very nicely, with a bit of a bum note in the way they left the Riggins/Tyra story, but everything else was darn near perfect.  Between Coach giving in to Tami and moving away and East Dillon winning the championship, things were pretty sweet in "Always."

The Lily Finnerty Award- Worst in Comedy

Named For: Lily Finnerty (Grounded For Life)
Awarded To: The character you love to hate in a comedy series
2009 Winner: Toby Flenderson (The Office)
2010 Winner: Susie Greene (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Travis Cobb (Cougar Town) 0 points

9. Ben Parr (Mad Love) 1 point (5th)

8. Lydia Dunfree (Party Down) 2 points

7. Gabe Duncan (Good Luck Charlie) 4 points

6. Roman Cohen (Mr. Sunshine) 5 points

5. Beverly Lincoln (Episodes) 8 points (1st)

4. Stevie Janowski (Eastbound and Down) 10 points (4th)

3. J.D. Lutz (30 Rock) 11 points

2. Josh Franklin (Big Lake) 13 points (2nd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Gabe Lewis (The Office) 27 points (3rd)

This is Gabe Lewis's first Poolie nomination and first ever win for the character you love to hate in a comedy series.

Somebody had to take over for Toby.  No, not after Toby left for most of the season, but after Toby became awesome.  After winning this award two years ago, Toby was hilarious mostly in his line about Michael "not liking jams."  But Gabe...Gabe was the worst.  I loved hating on him week after week, and I loved rooting for Erin to dump him.  Her telling Gabe that she can't stand him in her breakup speech at the Dundies was one of my favorite moments of the season.  Anything that makes this loser cry.

Men of a Certain Age 210 Review- No More Bets

Joe- "You gotta do it right? You can't let people take advantage of you."

With these words to Owen, Joe helped his friend take care of business at work, while convincing himself to lay down the law with his new bookie business. Thankfully for Joe, only one of those circumstances came true in "Can't Let That Slide."

It seemed daunting to come back with another great episode after "A League of Their Owen," but by continuing to give Ray Romano and Andre Braugher terrific material to do their respective things - and allowing Scott Bakula's Terry to find himself in weirder and weirder situations that make for comic relief - enabled Men of a Certain Age put forth another quality hour of television.

Joe's trouble in dealing with the fact that he had somehow taken on his own side bookie business with some of Manfro's customers came to a climax when his new client bet five grand on Kentucky. The story became that much more interesting because I could have seen it going in a number of ways. Joe could have lost, but we've seen that before.

So he won - the Dukies pulled it out for him - but the client wasn't paying up. So, following his advice to Owen about not letting people take advantage, it seemed the addict was ready to take what was rightfully his. Honestly, I wouldn't have had a problem if Joe had gone down such a dark path, but that's just now who he is.

To read the rest of my review of Wednesday's Men of a Certain Age, head over to TV Fanatic.

Men of a Certain Age 210 - "Can't Let That Slide"
Review
Recap
Quotes

The 'Crazy' James Zinkand Award- Worst Reality Contestant

Named For: James Zinkand (Big Brother)
Awarded To: The reality competition contestant you love to hate
2009 Winner: Margie and Luke (The Amazing Race)
2010 Winner: Aaron Kelly (American Idol)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Alex Reznik (Top Chef) 0 points

9. Gia Allemand (Bachelor Pad) 1 point (5th)

8. Zac Young (Top Chef) 2 points (4th)

7. Rachel Reilly (Big Brother) 7 points

6. Julie Berry (Survivor) 8 points

5. Ragan Fox (Big Brother) 9 points (3rd)

4. Jane Bright (Survivor) 11 points (2nd)

3. Scotty McCreery (American Idol) 15 points

2. NaOnka Mixon (Survivor) 15 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Jacob Lusk (American Idol) 20 points (1st)

This is Jacob Lusk's first Poolie nomination and first ever win for the honor of reality competition contestant you love to hate.

Was there a better moment during this American Idol season than when Jacob Lusk went home?  Whether it was his overly dramatized performances, or telling America that we are all afraid to look in the mirror if he was in the bottom three, Jacob was just another in a long line of easy to hate Idol contestants.

The Marissa Cooper Award- Worst in Drama

Named For: Marissa Cooper (The O.C.)
Awarded To: The character you love to hate in a drama series
2009 Winner: Jason Street (Friday Night Lights)
2010 Winner: Ashley (Entourage)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Lisa Cuddy (House, MD) 2 points

9. Turtle Assante (Entourage) 5 points

8. Will Schuester (Glee) 5 points

7. Erin Silver (90210) 5 points (4th)

6. Amber Holt (Parenthood) 7 points

5. Jamie Scott (One Tree Hill) 7 points (2nd)

4. Serena van der Woodson (Gossip Girl) 9 points

3. Tanya Skagle (Hung) 9 points (5th)

2. Tami Taylor (Friday Night Lights) 11 points (3rd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Kurt Hummel (Glee) 14 points (1st)

This is Kurt Hummel's second straight nomination and first ever Poolies win for the Marissa Cooper Award.

Doesn't the above picture just say it all?  Has he done anything but cry this entire second season of Glee?  Oh yeah he also transferred schools, continuously hit on that other dude and got rejected, and sang terribly.  Chris Colfer may get nominated again, and for all I know win an Emmy come September, but here at The Quiet Pool Perspective, we are recognizing Colfer's Kurt Hummel for how much we despise him week after week.

The "Through the Looking Glass" Award- Action Episode

Named For: "Through the Looking Glass" (Lost, 322)
Awarded To: The best episode in an Action Series
2010 Winner: "The End" (Lost)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. "A Study In Pink" (Sherlock, 101) 1 point (3rd)

4. "Winter Is Coming" (Game of Thrones, 101) 5 points

3. "Days Gone By" (The Walking Dead, 101) 9 points

2. "Brother's Keeper" (Justified, 209) 13 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. "Full Measure" (Breaking Bad, 313) 14 points (2nd)

This is Breaking Bad's second Poolie nomination and first win for best episode in an action series.  The show has also been nominated for best action series a year ago, and for some reason best drama in 2009.

It really is nice to see Breaking Bad win an award in this year's Poolies, even though only two episodes aired during the season.  "Full Measure" was a fantastic end to the third season, and it became better and better after garbage upon garbage began gracing our screen in the fall.  Albeit some gems started to come out in the winter and spring, but apparently none measure up to this stunning finish of Breaking Bad's third season.  I can't wait for the fourth installment to start up in July.

The Ed McMahon Award- Best Reality Personality

Named For: Ed McMahon (Star Search)
Awarded To: The best reality competition personality
No Previous Awards

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. Phil Keoghan (Amazing Race) 2 points

4. Adam Levine (The Voice) 2 points (3rd)

3. Tom Colicchio (Top Chef) 3 points

2. Ben Folds (The Sing Off) 5 points (2nd)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) 11 points (1st)

This is Ryan Seacrest's first Poolie nomination and first even win for the best reality competition personality award.

With Simon good and gone, Seacrest wasn't forced into awkward moments with the mean Brit that always made me want to kill myself.  He simply killed it up there on stage this year.  Albeit he does have the advantage of being around Randy, Jennifer, Steven and a bunch of terrible contestants for an entire season, but he still was one of if not the best part of American Idol this year.

The Zack and Kelly Award- Best Couple

Named For: Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski (Saved by the Bell)
Awarded To: The best couple on television
2010 Winner: Desmond and Penny (Lost)

Place. Nominee (Show) Points (My Vote)

10. Julian and Brooke (One Tree Hill) 2 points

9. Carol and Liz (30 Rock) 3 points

8. Chad and Sonny (Sonny With a Chance) 5 points (4th)

7. Kevin and Jenny (The League) 7 points

6. Mitchell and Cam (Modern Family) 8 points

5. Chuck and Sarah (Chuck) 8 points (5th)

4. Vance and Amy (Perfect Couples) 9 points (3rd)

3. Andy and April (Parks and Recreation) 15 points

2. Joe and Stella (Jonas) 15 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Michael and Holly (The Office) 18 points (2nd)

This is Michael and Holly's first nomination as a team, and first win of the best couple award.  Michael Scott is a three time nominee as a lead character on The Office, while Holly Flax was runner-up for the Phoebe Buffay Award in 2009.

One of the driving forces of this fantastic season of The Office was Michael finally getting the girl.  He and Holly were great together, and watching them ride off into the sunset together was absolutely awesome.  With both of them gone for good, it will be time for a new power couple to step up to the plate next year.

Teen Wolf 104 Review- Wacky Aunt Kate

Scott- "This house is like the frickin' Wal-Mart of guns."

I was certainly glad that my lights were on while watching the opening scene of "Magic Bullet." The series has figured out how to do scary moments, such as Kate's drive down Wolf Lane, extremely well, and it's a big reason why I continue to enjoy the new MTV series.

It is perfectly pleasant for what it is. We're not here watching a summer television reincarnation of Teen Wolf for genius writing, as proven by the scene when Kate sends Scott into the only room where he was going to find what he needed at that exact moment. No, we watch Teen Wolf for wolf fights and wolf sex, mostly.

Having said that, "Magic Bullet" did a good job of moving the story along while introducing a brand new character in Kate. Scott and Allison's relationship continued to grow, the boy wolf became closer with the man, the wolf, the legend, Derek Hale, and Chris Argent started to figure out that there is indeed another wolf out there in Beacon Hills.

It was about time to bring in some new blood, and Jill Wagner was perfect as the wild and wacky Aunt Kate. I loved her interactions with, Allison, Chris, and especially Scott after inviting him into the Argent house for dinner.

To read the rest of my review of last night's Teen Wolf, head over to TV Fanatic.

Teen Wolf 104 - "Magic Bullet"
Review
Recap
Quotes

The Kara DioGuardi Award- Worst Reality Personality

Named For: Kare DioGuardi (American Idol)
Awarded To: The reality competition personality you love to hate
No Previous Awards

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. James Oseland (Top Chef) 4 points

4. Jeff Probst (Survivor) 5 points (3rd)

3. Jennifer Lopez (American Idol) 8 points (1st)

2. Randy Jackson (American Idol) 10 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Nick Cannon (America's Got Talent) 11 points (2nd)

This is Nick Cannon's first Poolie nomination, and first win for the new worst reality personality award.

I am not watching the current season of America's Got Talent and Nick Cannon is one of the many reasons for that.  Sure I hate Howie, and Sharon, and Piers as much as the next guy, and but Nick takes the cake for being terrible.  Every time he would feign excitement at another one of AGT's terrible contestants, I wanted to slap him across the face.  Thank you Nick Cannon, for giving me time to watch other shows this summer.

The Kellie Pickler Award- Female in Reality

Named For: Kellie Pickler (American Idol)
Awarded To: The best female reality competition contestant
2009 Winner: Sugar Kiper (Survivor)
2010 Winner: Parvati Shallow (Survivor)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

10. Danielle Keene (Top Chef) 0 points

9. Natalie Getz (Bachelor Pad) 0 points

8. Tara Murphy (Ultimate Catch) 2 points (4th)

7. Mallory Ervin (Amazing Race) 3 points (3rd)

6. Mary Sue Milliken (Top Chef) 4 points

5. Chelsea Kane (Dancing w/ the Stars) 5 points

4. Andrea Boehlke (Survivor) 8 points

3. Brenda Lowe (Survivor) 8 points (5th)

2. Britney Haynes (Big Brother) 14 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Haley Reinhart (American Idol) 19 points (2nd)

This is Haley Reinhart's first Poolie nomination and first ever win for best female reality competition contestant.

Haley had a lot of things going for her this Poolies season.  First off, there were hardly any enjoyable females on Survivor.  Secondly, not enough people watched Big Brother to take in the awesomeness of Britney Haynes.  And finally, Haley had both fantastic performances and a killer attitude.  Her "Benny of the Jets" gets me going every time I listen to it, and every time the judges made a negative statement about her, she had perfect reactions.  Whether it was shrugging them off or rolling her eyes, it was great to see her realize that these judges were as terrible as ever.

The Johnny Carson Award- Late Night Host

Named For: Johnny Carson (The Tonight Show)
Awarded To: The best late night show host
2009 Winner: Saturday Night Live [Best Late Night/Variety Show]
2010 Winner: Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien [Best Late Night Talk Show]

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. Norm MacDonald (Sports Show) 4 points (3rd)

4. Steven Colbert (Colbert Report) 7 points

3. Conan O'Brien (Conan) 8 points

2. Joel McHale (The Soup) 10 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Jimmy Fallon (Late Night) 11 points (2nd)

This is technically Jimmy Fallon's second Poolie nomination, counting last year's nom for Late Night, and his first ever win for the best late night show host.

Finally people are starting to catch on.  Jimmy Fallon is a stud on Late Night.  He was absolutely awful back on Saturday Night Live, but he has been killing from day one after taking over for Conan.  Whether it is Lost parodies or attempting to get a Saved by the Bell Reunion together, Fallon is certainly deserving of this award.

The Nip/Tuck Award- Worst Series

Named For: Nip/Tuck (FX) 2003-10
Awarded To: The worst series that you used to like
2010 Winner: Heroes (NBC)

Place. Show (Network) Points (My Vote)

5. One Tree Hill (The CW) 1 point

4. True Blood (HBO) 1 point (3rd)

3. America's Got Talent (NBC) 4 points (1st)

2. Glee (FOX) 7 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Eastbound and Down (HBO) 10 points (2nd)

This is Eastbound and Down's first Poolie nomination for the Nip/Tuck Award and first ever win for the worst series you used to like.  The series was nominated and placed fifth for best comedy back in 2009.

Eastbound and Down came out to glowing reviews by most Poolie voters.  The first season was great, and Danny McBride was awesome, but they certainly ran out of gas in the second season.  It is as if they had this hilarious character, and a funny idea that he loses everything and goes to rural America, and then said "huh, we have nothing else."  They came up with a new story - sending Kenny to Mexico - but the writing was awful, the new characters were terrible, and it all fell apart.  Is this coming back?  If so, I'm not sure I'll watch again.

The Chris Farley Award- Sketch Performer

Named For: Chris Farley (Saturday Night Live)
Awarded To: The best sketch show performer
2010 Winner: Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live)

Place. Nominee (Series) Points (My Vote)

5. Jason Sudeikus (Saturday Night Live) 4 points

4. Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) 6 points (2nd)

3. Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live) 7 points

2. Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live) 11 points (1st)

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live) 12 points (3rd)

This is Bill Hader's second Poolie nomination and second straight win for best sketch show performer.

Bill Hader can really do no wrong on Saturday Night Live for this group of voters.  As I think back on the season, I can't remember any sketch that really stands out for him, but he is always strong in everything he does.  Some may not enjoy his Stefan, but I certainly do. He also was the man responsible for bringing this Charlie Sheen parody to life...