On the TV side of the SAG Awards, the Best Ensemble winners were Boardwalk Empire and Modern Family. For Comedy, Alec Baldwin won his fifth consecutive award for 30 Rock and Betty White was the surprise winner for Hot in Cleveland. In drama, Steve Buscemi and Julianna Margulies for Boardwalk Empire and The Good Wife respectively.

Presented in no particular order, our 15 favorite episodes of TV from 2010.

Mad Men – The Suitcase
If there was one episode of television that may have won its stars an Emmy, it was “The Suitcase,” a beautifully performed, perfectly written hour of television. Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Moss were extraordinary, their chemistry never better, as Peggy and Don spend a night battling and bonding in the SCDP offices. Mad Men has had several top notch episodes, but few can rival “The Suitcase.” (M)

Community – Modern Warfare
Community had several solid episodes leading up to “Modern Warfare,” but it was there that the show reached the creative peak of its first season. “Modern Warfare” is part parody, but there is also a lot of reverence to the source material thrown in. There are so many hilarious little details and references throughout the episode, which gets better and better with each viewing. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Lone Star – Pilot
The big comment most critics had regarding the pilot for Lone Star was that it was a great idea for a movie, but maybe not a TV show. Given the show’s swift demise, we’ll never know, but the first episode was about as entertaining as any TV show or film you’ll find. Great performances from Jon Voight and newcomer James Wolk drove a compelling, self contained episode that unfortunately will have to stand on its own as a great piece of TV. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Boardwalk Empire – Boardwalk Empire
When you hire Martin Scorsese to direct the first episode of your TV series, this is what you get. The extra-long series premiere of Boardwalk Empire was jam-packed with gangland violence, political intrigue, and fascinating historical tidbits, all administered at such a quick pace that viewers understandably got whiplash once the show settled into a slightly more sedate weekly pace. From the apocalyptic ringing-in of Prohibition to the staccato, rim-shot scored stick-up sequence, “Boardwalk Empire” was a tense, exciting glimpse into a world that I couldn’t wait to spend more time inside. (J)
Read Jonah’s original review here.

The Walking Dead – Days Gone By
One of the most anticipated new shows of the fall, The Walking Dead delivered a chilling, highly entertaining first episode that instantly won it a legion of fans. Functioning just as well as a standalone story as it did a pilot, “Days Gone By” is about as cinematic as you can get on television. If nothing else, “Days Gone By” did a fantastic job of quickly luring in a loyal fanbase that made the show one of basic cable’s biggest. (M)

Party Down – Party Down Company Picnic
“Party Down Company Picnic” takes the show’s cast out of their bowties only to find that there is no escape from the tedious cycle of boredom that is their lives. Henry breaks up with Uda and steps down as Team Leader, Ron’s attempts at climbing the ladder put him right back where he started – occupying the now vacant Team Leader job – and Party Down gets their asses kicked by Valhalla. In an inspired second (and tragically, final) season, few episodes wrung as much laughter out of as much pain as this one did. (J)
Read Michael’s original review here.

30 Rock – Brooklyn Without Limits
People (like myself) who were ready to give up on 30 Rock after a substandard season were jumping the gun, as the show has come roaring back in 2010. Nowhere was the resurgence clearer than “Brooklyn Without Limits,” a piece of vintage 30 Rock mayhem, complete with a guest star (John Slattery) who feels put to use well without dominating the episode. Add to that Lemon’s new jeans and Jenna’s insecurities and “Brooklyn Without Limits” was another worthwhile addition to the series. (J)

Better Off Ted – Lust in Translation
We decided that there weren’t really enough Better Off Ted episodes in 2010 for us to put it on the series list, so this will have to stand as our tribute to one of our favorite fallen shows. “Lust in Translation” featured a premise that was classic Better Off Ted, complete with an angry-voiced multi-translator, a talking frying pan, and a panoply of Three Stooges references. From Phil and Lem’s realization that they are evil scientists to the triumph and heartbreak of Lindabagel, “Lust in Translation” is a reminded of how sharp and funny Better Off Ted could be and how sad it is that its gone. (J)
Read Jonah’s original review here.

Lost – Happily Ever After
The joy of Lost is the joy of discovery and adventure, the feeling that the boundries of the show’s world are limitless and ever-expanding. Every time a new piece of mythology was introduced or a new question asked, viewers’ minds started racing, imagining all the possibilities that existed. It is not shocking that the best episodes of the show, then, are the ones that asked questions, not the ones that answered them. So “Happily Ever After” gets our vote over the still-terrific-no-matter-what-anybody-says finale because it was vintage Lost: Desmond and the audience stranded in a strange world whose very existence was a mystery to us. And by grounding that mystery in the show’s sweetest love story, Lost made “Happily Ever After” as moving as it was intriguing. (J)
Read Jonah’s original review here.

Parks and Recreation – Telethon
“Telethon” worked in everything from a harrowing look into Jerry’s sex life (shudder) to ex Indiana Pacer small forward Detlef Schrempf while maintaining its focus on classic P&R elements like Leslie’s boundless enthusiasm and Ann and Mark’s relationship. The series of callbacks (Pawnee Today, Sweetums, Mouse Rat) and the endless parade of one-liners (“there are two kinds of diabetes but only one kind of caring: type one caring”) make “Telethon” feel like a summation of everything that made season two so special. (J)
Read Michael’s original review here.

The Office – Niagra
Jim and Pam have always been at the emotional center of The Office, so it’s not a huge surprise that their wedding would be the best episode in a season of the show that was less than stellar. It was a sweet, funny episode that was reminiscent of the show’s peak, and helped remind us why we fell in love with The Office in the first place. (M)

Breaking Bad – One Minute
Breaking Bad does tension like no other show currently on TV. So when the twin assassins who seemed to be the season’s main concern turned their attention to DEA agent Hank, all while Hank’s life is collapsing around him. From his violent confrontation with Jesse to his heartbreaking confession to his wife, Hank finds himself coming to the sad realization that he can no longer be a cop anymore, which only makes it that much more tense that two reapers are coming for him. Then a mysterious phone call and a Breaking Bad-style chain of causation turn the tables on the cousins. The fact that, while all this is going on, the show still manages to find time to take Jesse and Walt’s relationship to a new place and work in some vintage Saul Goodman smarm is icing on the cake of what may be the most tense episode of television ever. (J)

How I Met Your Mother – Rabbit or Duck
With a plethora of call backs and references and classic HIMYM troupes throughout, “Rabbit or Duck” was a classic episode of the show that helped salvage a lackluster season. The main story of Robin falling in love with co-worker Don bringing the emotional thread and the b-story of Barney and his always ringing cell phone bringing the laughs, “Rabbit or Duck” is a complete episode, one that can be enjoyed from all angles. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Modern Family – Truth Be Told
Modern Family deserved all the praise it got for its first season, as highlighted by “Truth Be Told,” an episode in which all of the show’s strengths are put on display. There aren’t many weak links, and the physical comedy of Phil evading his ex-girlfriend while Claire remains oblivious was one of the funniest bits the show did. Coming in the second half of the season, “Truth Be Told” solidified Modern Family as the best new comedy of they year. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Justified – Pilot
More pilots should be like Justified’s zippy and thrilling introduction. Of course, most pilots don’t have the benefit of being adapted from Elmore Leonard short stories. Portraying US Marshall Raylan Givens gives Timothy Olyphant a character right in his wheelhouse, an easy-going man of righteousness and violence with a seething anger burning underneath the surface. Raylan returns home and quickly butts heads with Boyd Crowder, an old coal-mining buddy of his played perfectly by Walton Goggins. The pair’s cat-and-mouse game unfolds over the course of the hour and comes to an exciting conclusion that wisely keeps both men around to antagonize each other for the remainder of the season. As an introduction to Justified’s world or just as an hour of TV, “Pilot” works on just about every level. (J)

Best Picture, Drama
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter

Best Actress, Drama
Halle Berry, Frankie & Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Actor, Drama
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

Best Musical Or Comedy
Alice In Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right
Red
The Tourist

Best Actress, Musical Or Comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love & Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Emma Stone, Easy A

Best Actor, Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp, Alice In Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love & Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Best Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours

Best Original Song
“You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me,” Burlesque
“Bound To You,” Burlesque
“Coming Home”, Country Strong
“I See The Light,” Tangled
“There’s A Place For Us,” Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

Best Animated Film
Tangled
Toy Story 3
How To Train Your Dragon
Despicable Me
The Illusionist

Best Foreign-Language Film
I Am Love
Biutiful
The Concert
The Edge
In A Better World

Best TV Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
The Walking Dead

Best Actress, TV Drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Katey Sagal, Sons Of Anarchy
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Best Actor, TV Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House

Best TV Comedy
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

Best Actress, TV Comedy
Toni Collette, The United States Of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Lea Michele, Glee

Best Actor, TV Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Supporting Actress, TV
Hope Davis, The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch, Glee
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actor, TV
Scott Caan, Hawaii 5-0
Chris Colfer, Glee
Chris Noth, The Good Wife
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
David Strathairn, Temple Grandin

Best TV Miniseries
Carlos
The Pacific
Temple Grandin
You Don’t Know Jack
Pillars Of The Earth

Winners

The biggest winner of the night was ABC’s breakout Modern Family, who won big and easily won the media created battle between it and Glee, pulling in awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy (Eric Stonestreet, well deserved for the episode “Fizbo”), Comedy Writing, and the big one, Best Comedy Series. Glee got a big win though from their most recognizable star, Jane Lynch, who got a long deserved award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Like Glee or not, Lynch is a terrific comedienne that has worked her way up the ladder the last 10 years, so it was great to see her win. Also pulling out a surprise win was Aaron Paul, who finally got his Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Emmy for Breaking Bad. Neil Patrick Harris also got his Emmy breakthrough, though for for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy for Glee, losing out on Supporting Actor for How I Met Your Mother yet again. The biggest winner on the night though? Host Jimmy Fallon, who was in his element and hopefully won over some of those people who thought he laughed too much on SNL.

Surprises

This year’s Emmy’s had  a few tricks up their sleeves, among them being Edie Falco’s win for Best Actress in a Comedy, beating out several heavy hitters. Falco herself seemed surprised, proclaiming, “I’m not funny!” from the podium. The other big surprise was The Good Wife’s Archie Panjabi’s win for Best Supporting Actress in a drama, upsetting favorites Elizabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks, both from Mad Men. Jim Parson’s of The Big Bang Theory also had a smaller surprise win for Best Actor in a Comedy, beating out Alec Baldwin, Steve Carrell, and Larry David, though Big Bang has had the adoration of viewers and critics to make it less of a left field choice.

Losers

After doing so well in the Golden Globes, Glee lost out, taking home Best Comedy Writing alongside Lynch’s win. Another big show, Breaking Bad, only took home awards in teh acting categories for Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, losing to network pal Mad Men in the Best Drama category. Many thought this would be Breaking Bad‘s year, but evidently, they’ll have to wait a little bit longer. The final season of Lost failed to take home any Emmys, though they were up against stiff competition in every category. After getting nominations for Coach and Mrs. Coach, Friday Night Lights was predictably shut out once more from Emmy glory. A couple of comedy surprises led to loses for Amy Pohler in Parks and Recreation‘s sole nomination and Steve Carell, who has yet to win for his iconic role of Michael Scott with just one year left to go.

Outstanding Drama
Lost
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Mad Men
True Blood
The Good Wife

Who Should Win: Breaking Bad. That show can’t get any better.
Who Will Win: Tough to say really, but I wouldn’t put too much thought into Dexter or True Blood. Lost has a chance because the Emmy’s like to honor shows that have ended, but I think the safe bet is between Breaking Bad and Mad Men.
Who Was Snubbed: Friday Night Lights. Not a big shock, but another great season goes unrewarded.

Outstanding Comedy

Glee
Modern Family
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Nurse Jackie
30 Rock
The Office

Who Should Win: Modern Family. A terrific debut season that made the sentimental family comedy hilarious again.
Who Will Win: Glee or Modern Family. I wouldn’t count out The Office or 30 Rock, since both were nominated for weak seasons, but I think the rookie shows have the edge.
Who Was Snubbed: I’d say Party Down if it had a bigger audience, but I’m going to go with Parks and Recreation. The show turned it around big time and largely got shut out. I’d trade it with The Office in a heartbeat.
Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Mariska Hargitay (Special Victims Unit)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
January Jones (Mad Men)
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)

Who Should Win: Connie Britton. Finally nominated for her incredible work on FNL, Tammy Taylor deserves an Emmy.
Who Will Win: I think this one is going to go to either Julianna Margulies or Glenn Close, one for her high profile show and the later for her high profile status.
Who Was Snubbed: Katey Sagel. Sons of Anarchy doesn’t scream “Emmy,” largely because it’s on FX, but Sagel is easily the best part of the show.

Outstanding Actor in a Drama
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Hugh Laurie (House M.D.)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Matthew Fox (Lost)

Who Should Win: Bryan Cranston. It’s great to see Kyle Chandler get a nod, but Cranston again cannot be topped.
Who Will Win: Cranston. Michael C. Hall won the Golden Globe, but I can’t see Cranston losing the Emmy.
Who Was Snubbed: Bill Paxton, for Big Love. In a season in which Big Love struggled and Bill became less likable, Paxton sold it for all it was worth.

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Lea Michele (Glee)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Toni Collette (The United States of Tara)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine)
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Who Should Win: Amy Poehler. She was the heart and soul of the revived Parks and Rec, transforming a character in just a season’s time. Definitely would have my vote.
Who Will Win: Tina Fey. The Emmy’s still think 30 Rock is the great show it was in its first two seasons, so I think she’ll take home another statue.
Who Was Snubbed: Lizzie Caplan, for Party Down. Casey got 100x funner in season two, but again, no one watched.

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Matthew Morrison (Glee)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)

Who Should Win: Have to go with Larry David. Curb did it again.
Who Will Win: Really anyone. LD has the best chance, but this category seems wide open.
Who Was Snubbed: Joel McHale for Community. Jeff Winger could have been a boring character without McHale, who more than ably led that show.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Chris Colfer (Glee)
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)
Jon Cryer (Two and A Half Men)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

Who Should Win: Oh man. Three Modern Family nods, all deserving, plus NPH, who has yet to win, it’s a tough one to pick!
Who Will Win: NPH. I think this is his year. I wouldn’t be shocked to see anyone win though.
Who Was Snubbed: Chris Pratt for Parks and Rec. Andy is such a moron, but he produced some of the biggest laughs for me, all season long.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Jane Lynch (Glee)
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
Holland Taylor (Two and A Half Men)

Who Should Win: I loved the Modern Family actresses, but I think Jane Lynch deserves, not just based on Glee, but her many years struggling in relative obscurity.
Who Will Win: Lynch. Everyone loves her, I think she’s a lock.
Who Was Snubbed: Alison Brie, for Community. Brie earned big laughs as bubbly Annie Edison, the former pill addict who somehow is still incredibly naive.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
Martin Short (Damages)
Terry O’Quinn (Lost)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
John Slattery (Mad Men)
Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age)

Who Should Win: O’Quinn or Emerson. They were both too good not win. I could also see this as the big category Lost wins.
Who Will Win: Paul has a big chance, but I think the Lost actors are going to get their last hurrah here.
Who Was Snubbed: I know picking another Lost actor seems like overkill, but Jorge Garcia and Nestor Carbonell both turned in some incredibly great performances this season.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Sharon Gless (Burn Notice)
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Rose Byrne (Damages)
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

Who Should Win: Elisabeth Moss. A fantastic season for Peggy, that saw her start to come in on her own a little bit more.
Who Will Win: Moss, Hendricks, or Byrne. It’s a three woman race.
Who Was Snubbed: Chloe Sevigny for Big Love. Like Bill Paxton, a great performance in a season with such a weak story.

Reality Competition program
American Idol
Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Saturday Night Live
Real Time With Bill Maher
Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

Who Should Win: Conan. Just because.
Who Will Win: Conan. Just because.
Who Was Snubbed: Letterman. He had a mini resurgence with Jay gone, but alas, Bill Maher gets his spot instead.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Mike O’Malley (Glee)
Eli Wallach (Nurse Jackie)
Neil Patrick Harris (Glee)
Fred Willard (Modern Family)
Jon Hamm (30 Rock)
Will Arnett (30 Rock)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristen Chenoweth (Glee)
Jane Lynce (Two and a Half Men)
Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory)
Elaine Stritch (30 Rock)
Tina Fey (SNL)
Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)
Betty White (SNL)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Robert Morse (Mad Men)
John Lithgow (Dexter)
Gregory Itzin (24)
Beau Bridges (The Closer)
Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)
Ted Danson (Damagaes)
Dylan Baker (The Good Wife)

Who Was Snubbed: Zach Gilford for Friday Night Lights. Even if you’ve never seen the show before, watch the episode “The Son” and then tell me you didn’t cry.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Mary Kay Place (Big Love)
Sissy Spacek (Big Love)
Ann-Margret (Law & Order: SVU)
Lilly Tomlin (Damages)
Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost)
Shirley Jones (The Cleaner)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
The Office (Niagara)
Glee (Pilot)
Modern Family (Pilot)
30 Rock (Anna Howard Shaw Day)
30 Rock (Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter)

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
The Good Wife (Pilot)
Mad Men (Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency)
Mad Men (Shut the Door. Have a Seat.)
Friday Night Lights (The Son)
Lost (The End)

Mondays

Chuck will lead off the night in its normal 8 pm time slot after finally getting a renewal that didn’t come at the 11th hour. That will be followed by The Event, which stars Jason Ritter and Blair Underwood, which is about “an Everyman (Ritter) who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, “Disturbia”), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.” Underwood plays the president, and the show will also feature fine acting/always creepy Željko Ivanek. At 10 will be another new show, Chase, from Jerry Bruckheimer, who will try to work his formulaic C.S.I. magic on NBC. I’ll let the network describe it, since it’s too good not to let them: “Kelli Giddish (“Past Life”) stars as U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down the violent criminals on the run.” Here’s hoping she also takes off her sunglasses a lot and says things like “looks like these boots aren’t made for walking anymore.”

Tuesday

Nothing new here, as the night will be filled with The Biggest Loser (presumably for two hours) and Parenthood, a show that has steadily improved since it’s only okay beginning.

Wednesday

Wednesday kicks off with Undercovers, the highly touted show from J.J. Abrams (it’s in fact the first pilot he’s directed since Lost). Undercovers is about two former CIA spies (Steven Bloom and Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) who retired when they fell in love and got married, but are thrust back into action when one of their spy friends goes missing. The show has gotten some of the biggest buzz because of Abrams involvement, which unlike with Fringe, has him as a co-writer on the show. Fans mourning the end of Law and Order can rejoice in the knowing the rest of the night will be filled with its spin-offs, starting with Law and Order: SVU and followed at 10 by the new Law and Order: Los Angeles. Wondering who is going to be on LO:LA? So is NBC. Apparently, they picked up the show before a script has even been finished, let alone a pilot. I’m going to guess it has hard nosed cops and lots of helpless wannabe actresses getting killed. Just a hunch.

Thursday

NBC’s comedy night has had a perfect lineup this year, so naturally, NBC is going to mess with the formula. Kicking off the night again will be Community, which will be followed by 30 Rock, an hour before it’s current air time, with The Office going into its possible final season in its normal 9:00 slot. It will be followed at 9:30 by a new comedy, Outsourced, which is about a guy who has to go to India to train the outsourced workers, and tries to inject a little American life into their working habits. The show is an adaptation of the charming indie film of the same name, though it appears the show will have little to nothing in common with it, other than the the premise of a guy going to India to train the staff of his company. The good news about it is that it’s being produced by Ken Kwapis, who despite a lot of fairly boring movies, has done well with The Office. At 10 will be Love Bites, a show about the last two single girls in a group of friends that are all married. Their story will anchor the show which features different stories each week that feature guest stars as couples. Noticeably missing is Parks and Rec. More on that in a bit.

Friday

The least watched night of television will probably stay that way for NBC, who will feature the lame Who Do You Think You Are? returning in the fall, followed by Dateline and a new show, Outlaw, which features Jimmy Smits as a recently-resigned Supreme Court justice that returns to private practice. The fact that NBC has put it at 10 on a Friday indicates to me that it probably doesn’t have high hopes for the show.

Sunday

Football will once again dominate NBC’s Sunday nights all fall, and in the Spring, Dateline, Minute to Win It, and Celebrity Apprentice will return.

Midseason Replacements

Harry’s Law, the new show from David E. Kelly, features Kathy Bates as a former high powered attorney who (I kid you not) opens up a new law firm in an old shoe store with a wacky former teacher and a former student of his. Perfect Couples is about three couples and the ups and downs of relationships. The show’s only saving grace is that it features  the very funny Mary Elizabeth Ellis, better known as The Waitress from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The Paul Reiser Show is a return to TV for the Mad About You star, in which he plays Paul Reiser trying to get back into the game. Friends With Benefits features Party Down‘s Ryan Hansen as a guy trying to find his ideal woman with the help of his friends. Without Hansen and the involvement of producer Brain Grazer, this show would be as boring as they come. The last new show is School Pride, a Cheryl Hines produced reality show where the crew comes in and transforms a run down public school.

Other Notes

First off, there is no Parks and Rec in the fall. It will show up in January, and apparently has nothing to do with Amy Poehler’s pregnancy. NBC has moved their best comedy to the Spring in order to make room for Outsourced. This is incredibly stupid to me, as the show is currently in production for its second season. It was already going to lose creative momentum when Poehler has her baby, but now that it won’t even be on until January has me worried, not to mention that it’s unlikely that the show will gain more viewers in 8 months as opposed to three.

Overall, NBC was pretty ambitious with their fall lineup, but I’m honestly not sure how much of it will be any good. Chances are that NBC is banking on shows like Law and Order: Los Angeles and Chase as a way to just grab viewers, just as CBS did a few years ago with the C.S.I. and NCIS franchises. Undercovers has to me the biggest potential, and The Event could be good if it doesn’t fall into the usual problems that NBC dramas have had in recent years. Overall, the fallout from the Leno Debacle is still effecting programming, and NBC has a lot riding on this next season after spending much more than usual on development. Here’s hoping the Peacock doesn’t disappoint.

The National

This May is shaping up to be a really great month of media. In addition to a stellar lineup of new music, May is also the start of the Summer Movie season and TV season finales. We’ve provided below a list of some of the best media this month, as well as links to find more.

MUSIC:

The Hold Stead - Heaven is Whenever

05-04
Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record [Arts & Crafts]
The Fall: Your Future Our Clutter [Domino]
The Flaming Lips/Stardeath and White Dwarfs: The Dark Side of the Moon [Warner Bros.]
Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma [Warp]
The Hold Steady: Heaven Is Whenever [Vagrant]
Minus the Bear: Omni [Dangerbird]
The New Pornographers: Together [Matador]
Josh Ritter: So Runs the World Away [Pytheas Recordings]
Paul Weller: Wake Up the Nation [Yep Roc]
The Whitsundays: Saul [Friendly Fire]

05-11
CocoRosie: Grey Oceans [Sub Pop]
The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards [Third Man/Warner Bros.]
Holy Fuck: Latin [Young Turks/XL]
Japandroids: No Singles [Polyvinyl]
The National: High Violet [4AD]
Sleigh Bells: Treats [NEET/Mom + Pop]
UNKLE: Where Did the Night Fall [Surrender All]
Woods: At Echo Lake [Woodsist]

05-18
Band of Horses: Infinite Arms [Brown Records/Fat Possum/Columbia]
The Black Keys: Brothers [Nonesuch]
LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening [DFA/Virgin]
Jamie Lidell: Compass [Warp]
Janelle Monae: The ArchAndroid [Wondaland Arts Society/Bad Boy]
Nas and Damian Marley: Distant Relatives [Universal Republic]
Rhymefest: El Che [dNBe Entertainment]
The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St. [Universal] [Deluxe Edition reissue]
Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek: Revolutions Per Minute [Blacksmith/Warner Bros.]

05-25

David Cross: Bigger and Blackerer [Sub Pop] [CD/DVD]
The Cure: Disintegration [Three-disc reissue] [Polydor/Universal]
Karen Elson: The Ghost Who Walks [Third Man/XL]
Tobacco: Maniac Meat [Anticon]

More Movie Releases Here

MOVIES

Iron Man 2

05-07
Iron Man 2

05-14
Robin Hood

05-21
Shrek Forever After
MacGruber

05-27
Sex and the City 2

05-28
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead
Micmacs

More Movie Release Dates Here

TV (Season Finales)

L O S T

FlashForward: Thursday, May 27 @ 8 pm/ET
Lost: Sunday, May 23 @ 9 pm/ET (two hour series finale)
Modern Family: Wednesday, May 19 @ 9 pm/ET
How I Met Your Mother: Monday, May 24 @ 8 pm/ET
24: Monday, May 24 @ 8 pm/ET (two hour series finale)
The Cleveland Show: Sunday, May 23 @ 8:30 pm/ET
Family Guy: Sunday, May 23 @ 9pm/ET (one hour)
Fringe: Thursday, May 20 @ 9 pm/ET
House: Monday, May 17 @ 8 pm/ET
The Simpsons: Sunday, May 23 @ 8 pm/ET
30 Rock: Thursday, May 20 @ 9:30 pm/ET
Chuck: Monday, May 24 @ 8 pm/ET (two hours)
Community: Thursday, May 20 @ 8 pm/ET
The Office: Thursday, May 20 @ 9 pm/ET
Parenthood: Tuesday, May 25 @ 10 pm/ET
Parks and Recreation: Thursday, May 20 @ 8:30 pm/ET

More Finale Dates Here

Hey everyone! Sorry for the slow posting, things in the media world have slowed down in the gap between Christmas and New Years. not to fear though, TUIW is going to help a little with some previews of 2010. We start with a schedule of the mid-season premieres for some of the shows we follow here. Undoubtedly, the one we’re most excited for is Lost, although Big Love ought to be a good one too. For more, check out our source here.

Wednesday, Jan. 6
Modern Family returns (ABC), 9 PM
Friday Night Lights returns (DirecTV 101), 9 PM

Sunday, Jan. 10
New season of Big Love premieres (HBO), 10 PM

Monday, Jan. 11
How I Met Your Mother returns (CBS), 8 PM

Thursday, Jan. 14
Community returns (NBC), 8 PM
Parks and Recreation returns (NBC), 8:30 PM
30 Rock returns with back-to-back episodes (NBC), 9 PM

Sunday, Jan. 17
24 four-hour, two-night premiere part 1 (FOX), 9 PM

Monday, Jan. 18
24 four-hour, two-night premiere part 2 (FOX), 8 PM

Thursday, Jan. 21
The Office returns (NBC), 9 PM
Burn Notice returns (USA), 10 PM

Monday, Jan. 25
Damages returns (FX), 10 PM

Wednesday, Jan. 27
Psych returns (USA), 10 PM

Tuesday, Feb. 2
Final season of Lost premieres (ABC), 9 PM

Monday, March 1
Parenthood premieres (NBC), 9 PM

Special Events
The Simpsons 20^th Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice! (FOX), Jan. 10. at 8:30 PM
The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC), on Jan. 17
Dollhouse series finale (FOX), Jan. 22 at 9 PM
16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TNT/TBS), Jan. 23
Winter Olympics (NBC), Feb. 12-28

10. 30 Rock
A lot of people have been ragging on 30 Rock for declining in quality, and yes, its third season was not its best, but it remained one of the funniest shows on TV. The third season had some gems, such as a fake trip to space for Tracy, Alec Baldwin playing a Spanish telenovela star, and Steve Martin’s hilarious turn as a disgraced corporate executive. Perhaps the backlash has come because the bar was set so high, but still, put 30 Rock next to most comedies on TV and you’ll see just how good it is. (M)

9. Friday Night Lights
By virtue of an unorthodox distribution agreement, Friday Night Lights is no longer in immediate danger of being cancelled, so we can just focus on how great this show is and how gracefully it recovered from its season two stumbling blocks. Whether you caught up with season three on NBC in the spring, or are already keeping up with season four through Direct TV now, you’ve seen a show that rediscovered its groove as a rich, naturalistic look at life in small town America, without condescension or bombast. Boasting some of the finest performances and writing on television, it’s a load off our minds to know that Friday Night Lights isn’t going anywhere.

8. Better Off Ted
What could have been a really conventional show about a wacky company quickly worked it’s charm and quietly became one of the best shows on TV. Better Off Ted is one part corporate satire and one part modern screwball, a combination that works well even in the show’s weaker episodes. The show wears its absurdity on its sleeve, making the most ridiculous parts (motion sensors that can’t see black people, a medieval fight club, the entire character of Veronica) completely normal within the boundaries of the world it lives in. A lovably wacky show, hopefully Ted can pick up a bigger audience here in its second season. (M)

7. Modern Family
Modern Family instantly got comparisons to Arrested Development upon its arrival, due mostly to it’s hand-held camera and quirky family plot, but the show quickly differentiated itself with a sweetness that isn’t found much on TV these days. The show never fails to deliver big laughs, and in just half a season, the characters have endeared themselves greatly to fans. How it will hold up as it goes on remains to be seen, but Modern Family has stood out thus far as delightfully funny show that isn’t afraid to show it has a little heart. (M)

6. Lost
When Lost got an end date, it suddenly became a focused show with a goal in mind, and it’s action-packed fifth season delivered big time. The world of Lost was already a dense one, but with time travel added to the mix, the show about people being stranded in a weird place became a show about destiny and the decisions we make in life. By this point, Lost is a show for dedicated fans only, but for those fans, it was an absolute treat to watch. (M)

5. Parks and Recreation
It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Parks and Recreation would find its groove this season since its parent show, The Office, experienced similar growing pains. However, I don’t think anyone anticipated just how good it would get. In its second season, the show found a way to make Amy Poehler’s lead character funny without seeming pathetic or delusional, while strengthening the support around her (particularly Nic Offerman’s Ron F-ing Swanson and Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford). Over the course of this year, Parks and Recreation has shaped itself into a potent comic force with the potential to lead NBC’s comic block as The Office ages more and more. (J)

4. Big Love

It didn’t take Big Love too long to transcend its hacky-stand-up-comedian (you think having one wife is hard, try three!), but the jump in quality in the show’s third season was still pretty incredible. Big Love navigated the rocky emotional territory of Bill’s three marriages (and attempt at a fourth) with the shocking trial of Roman, child abduction, family secrets, and it still found time to take a road trip out east. The ensemble was typically strong, but the year’s standout may have been Ginnifer Goodwin, who finally got some juicy storylines to go with her top-notch comic instincts. (J)

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm
From the very start of Curb Your Enthusiasm, it seemed we were inevitably headed for a Seinfeld reunion, the centerpiece of this past season of TV’s most cringe-worthy show. Larry David and Company played it all perfectly, tying in the reunion to Larry’s divorce for Cheryl and the idiosyncrasies that have made the character Larry David so fun (and painful) to watch. Everything built so perfectly to the moment we’d all been waiting for: the character Larry David acting as George, who was based on real life Larry David. Curb seemed destined for a sweet ending this season, but instead it ended with a question we’ll be pondering until the show returns: Do you respect wood? (M)

2. Breaking Bad
In its second season, Breaking Bad took the box it seemed to be fitting into to (desperate man turns to life of crime, has series of misadventures) and blew it up. Breaking Bad has become many things – a gritty, ground-level look at meth dealing in the southwest, a fascinating character study, a Greek tragedy, a dark comedy – but it remains grounded in the stunning performances by its ensemble, especially Bryan Cranston’s mesmerizing performance of the deeply flawed Walter White. It started as a small underdog, but Breaking Bad has become every bit the equal of its AMC neighbor and combined with Mad Men to make a stunning 1-2 punch unlike any other on TV. (J)

1. Mad Men
Even by Matt Weiner’s leisurely standards, the third season of Mad Men felt excruciatingly deliberate, especially in the slow early part of the season. But, as always, those who trusted the show were rewarded with a season as rich and compelling as the first two. Big changes hit the Sterling-Cooper crew, appropriate for a season set against the backdrop of the impending Kennedy Assassination, but, as always, the changes felt grounded in the show’s human element. While some episodes were extremely painful to watch (“The Gypsy and the Hobo,” “Seven Twenty Three,” and “Wee Small Hours” come to mind), they were necessary steps to the exciting future promised in the brilliant season finale. (J)