5th Annual Cadet Tv Awards 2000

Here are my annual awards that I like to call “The Cadet Awards”, which I come up with every year to honour those programs and performances I thought were the best of the past US TV season. Winners will be announced soon. If there is anything at all you have to say about these choices, please email me. However, if you strongly disagree with them, please keep in mind this is my personal opinion for which I reserve the right to have.

drama series
The Sopranos – HBO
Buffy The Vampire Slayer – WB
Once and Again – ABC
The Practice – ABC
The West Wing – NBC

Like last year, there were more than five drama series that I would count as excellent. I narrowed it down because these five dramas not only had quality writing, directing and acting, but were the most consistent, gripping and engaging. Besides my top five who make up my official nominees, five other shows deserve mention: Roswell, The X-Files, and last year’s nominees Law & Order, Oz and Felicity.

Many believe that Buffy The Vampire Slayer dipped in quality last season. I tend to disagree. The college environment gave the show a fresh feel, and the ongoing separation of the main characters allowed them to develop in very interesting ways. For me, the stand-out episode “Hush” was an absolute masterpiece, the show’s best so far.

Once and Again was a total surprise to me, not falling into the rut of being too treacly and sentimental, but remaining sharp and true to life. The two leads are knockouts, but I am also really impressed with the supporting players, especially Susanna Thompson, Evan Rachel Wood and Shane West. Even though The Sopranos is possibly the best American television series in a long time, Once and Again actually moved me a whole lot more. Go figure. This show overtook Felicity this year as my girly-guilty pleasure, which was not as great in its sophomore year, trying too hard to tackle politically correct issues at the expense of story. Don’t get me wrong though, I still loved the show, which began to improve towards the end of the season. Ditto for Law & Order, and Oz, which simply didn’t make the cut because there wasn’t enough room.

Throughout the season, I was disheartened to see how much The Practice had become way too formulaic and tacky. I was eventually happy with its outcome, and without the much improved second half of the season, it would not be in my top five. It turned out the same sort of killer plot lines that distinguished its last Emmy-winning season, and left me dieing to see more next season.
What can one say about The Sopranos that hasn’t already been said? Don’t believe the bullsh*t that the show lost its lustre last season. It was just as good, if not better than its first season. Lorraine Bracco didn’t shine as much, but Edie Falco got more screen time (always a plus), as did Dominic Chianese and Vincent Pastore, who both blew me away. I think this is some of the best television ever made in America. Period.

I was so surprised by The West Wing. The likeability of its characters, the engrossing plot lines, the lack of partisan politics ruining the entertainment value of the show, and the quality of the acting. A great show, with every actor shining and virtually every episode a winner (funnily, the ones I didn’t enjoy as much were the two that were submitted for Emmy consideration).

A few years ago, it would have been unheard of to not nominate The X-Files. My message to Chris Carter is, you’ve stuffed up! Not only have you irrevocably lost credibility for your show by making nearly every episode “tongue-in-cheek”, but you won’t ever get it back unless you (a) tie up the ridiculous arc and (b) make some more scary stories and enough with the humour. There, nuff said. Still, some episodes were zingers: “Theef”, “Millennium”, “All Things”, “Closure” and even a funny one, “Hollywood AD”.

comedy series
Everybody Loves Raymond – CBS
Friends – NBC
Malcolm in The Middle – Fox
Sex and The City – HBO
Will & Grace – NBC

Like last year, I want to start off with my Ally McBeal opinion. Didn’t it suck last season?! I thought it was terrible, and still can’t believe that I didn’t watch most of it because it was unbearable. I remember a time when the show was must-see viewing for me. Anyway, while Ally was faltering, so too was much of TV comedy. Besides the five listed, I can only think of a few more that are worthy of praise: Frasier (a nominee last year), Beggars and Choosers, Spin City, Titus, Sports Night(also nominated last year) and Becker. I don’t watch any others, so maybe I’m wrong.

Everybody Loves Raymond killed me last season. Nearly every epsiode I saw was brilliantly funny, thanks to its top notch actors and writers. Similarly for Friends, week after week, it never failed to make me chuckle. All six regulars really shined this year, especially Matt LeBlanc, who has been ignored by Emmy for way too long now. Will & Grace kept up its brilliance, but I must admit, without Karen and Jack, I am not so sure it would be in my top five. It certainly was a toss up between it and Showtimes riotous Beggars and Choosers which had my sides splitting over the antics of the slimy agents, the clueless network execs, and Lori Volpone, the most fascinating “bitch” ever portrayed on TV.

Sex and The City was a knockout last season, improving on its first year exponentially, with Sarah Jessica Parker consistently brilliant. My favourite line: after Samantha complains about her new beau being too well endowed (after having similar problems with a man, except vicas versa), Carrie, perturbed, asks, “Who are You? Goldicocks?” Sheer brilliance I think. Just as good, if not better at times was Fox’s breakout hit Malcolm in The Middle. I love every character, but Dewey, Hal, Lois and Reese kill me the most, providing great support to Frankie Muniz in the title role. Every epiosde was a winner here, and I can’t wait for season two.

variety, music, or comedy series
Dennis Miller Live – HBO
The Chris Rock Show – HBO
Late Night With Conan O’Brien – NBC
Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher – ABC
Saturday Night Live – NBC

variety, music, or comedy special
The 72nd Annual Academy Awards – ABC
Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker – HBO
1999 MTV Movie Awards – MTV
1999 MTV Video Music Awards – MTV
SNL 25 – NBC

mini-series / tv movie
RKO 281 – HBO
Annie – ABC
The Corner – HBO
Cheaters – HBO
Strange Justice – Showtime

debut series
Once and Again – ABC
Beggars and Choosers – Showtime
Malcolm in The Middle – Fox
Roswell – WB
The West Wing – NBC

reality/informational program
Walking With Dinosaurs – Discovery Channel
Frontline – PBS
Inside The Actor’s Studio – Bravo
Michael Moore’s The Awful Truth – Bravo
Raising The Mammoth – Discovery Channel

animated series
The Simpsons – Fox
Batman Beyond – WB
Family Guy – Fox
Futurama – Fox
King of The Hill – Fox

lead actor, drama series
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano – The Sopranos – HBO
Billy Campbell as Rick Sammler – Once and Again – ABC
Eric Close as Michael Wiseman – Now and Again – CBS
David Duchovny as Special Agent Fox Mulder – The X-Files – Fox
Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet – The West Wing – ABC

lead actress, drama series
Sela Ward as Lily Manning – Once and Again – ABC
Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully – The X-Files – Fox
Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano – The Sopranos – HBO
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers – Buffy The Vampire Slayer – WB
Keri Russell as Felicity Porter – Felicity – WB

lead actor, comedy series
Ray Romano as Ray Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond – CBS
Ted Danson as Dr John Becker – Becker – CBS
Michael J. Fox as Mike Flaherty – Spin City – ABC
Brian Kerwin as Rob Malone – Beggars and Choosers – Showtime
Eric McCormack as Will Truman – Will & Grace – NBC

lead actress, comedy series
Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw – Sex and The City – HBO
Patricia Heaton as Debra Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond – CBS
Felicity Huffman as Dana Whittaker – Sports Night – ABC
Jane Kaczmarek as Lois – Malcolm in The Middle – Fox
Debra Messing as Grace Adler – Will & Grace – NBC

supporting actor, drama series
Steve Harris as Eugene Young – The Practice – ABC
Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano – The Sopranos – HBO
Christopher Meloni as Chris Keller – Oz – HBO
Vincent Pastore as Big Pussy Bompensiero – The Sopranos – HBO
Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman – The West Wing – HBO

supporting actress, drama series
Camryn Manheim As Elenor Frutt – The Practice – Abc
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg – Buffy The Vampire Slayer – WB
Allison Janney as CJ Cregg – The West Wing – NBC
Susanna Thompson as Karen Sammler – Once and Again – ABC
Aida Turturro Janice Soprano – The Sopranos – HBO

supporting actor, comedy series
Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland – Will & Grace – NBC
Bryan Cranston as Hal – Malcolm in The Middle – Fox
Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani – Friends – NBC
David Hyde Pierce as Dr Niles Crane – Frasier – NBC
Alan Ruck as Stuart Bondek – Spin City – ABC

supporting actress, comedy series
Doris Roberts as Marie Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond – CBS
Lisa Kudrow as Pheobe Buffay – Friends – NBC
Tammy Lynn Michaels as Nicole Julian – Popular – WB
Megan Mullally as Karen Walker – Will & Grace – NBC
Charlotte Ross as Lori Volpone – Beggars and Choosers – Showtime

guest actor, drama series
Fred Koehler as Andrew Schillinger – Oz, “US Male” – HBO
John Goodman as Michael Wiseman – Now and Again, recurring – CBS
Patrick Dempsey as Aaron Brooks – Once and Again, “Brothers and Other Strangers” – ABC
Robert Patrick as David Scatino – The Sopranos, recurring – HBO
Edward James Olmos as Roberto Mendoza – The West Wing, recurring – NBC

guest actress, drama series
Beah Richards as Gertrude Turner – The Practice, “Till Death Do Us Part” – ABC
Amy Aquino as Dr Toni Pavone – Felicity, recurring – WB
Bonnie Bartlett as Barbara Brooks – Once and Again, recurring – ABC
Stockard Channing as Abigail Bartlet – The West Wing, recurring – NBC
Marlee Matlin as Sally Burg – The Practice, “Life Sentence” – ABC

guest actor, comedy series
Paul Reubens as Russell – Everybody Loves Raymond, “Hackidu” – CBS
Steve Eigenberg as Steve Brady – Sex and The City, recurring – HBO
William H. Macy as Sam Donovan – Sports Night, recurring – ABC
Sydney Pollack as George Truman – Will & Grace, “Oh Dad, Poor Dad…” – NBC
Carl Reiner as Sid Barry – Beggars and Choosers, “Always Leave ‘Em Laughing” – Showtime

guest actress, comedy series
Bea Arthur As Mrs White – Malcolm In The Middle, “Water Park” – Fox
Valerie Harper as Wallis – Sex and The City, “Shortcomings” – HBO
Monica Horan as Amy – Everybody Loves Raymond, recurring – CBS
Debbie Reynolds as Bobbi Adler – Will & Grace, “Who’s Mom is it Anyway?” – NBC
Betty White as Dr Shirley Flott – Ally McBeal, “Seeing Green” – Fox

variety performance
Chris Rock – Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker – HBO
Billy Crystal – The 72nd Annual Academy Awards – ABC
Dennis Miller – Dennis Miller Live – HBO
Cheri Oteri – Saturday Night Live – NBC
Molly Shannon – Saturday Night Live – NBC

lead actor, tv movie/mini-series
Jeff Daniels – Cheaters – HBO
Andre Braugher – Homicide: The Movie – NBC
T.K. Carter – The Corner – HBO
William H. Macy – A Slight Case of Murder – TNT
Live Schrieber – RKO 281 – HBO

lead actress, tv movie/mini-series
Holly Hunter – Harlan County War – Showtime
Khandi Alexander – The Corner – HBO
Judy Davis – A Cooler Climate – Showtime
Natasha Little – Vanity Fair – PBS
Regina Taylor – Strange Justice – Showtime

supporting actor, tv movie/mini-series
Shawn Hatosy – Witness Protection – HBO
James Cromwell – RKO 281 – HBO
John Malkovich – RKO 281 – HBO
Sean Nelson – The Corner – HBO
Stellan Skarsgard – Harlan County War – Showtime

supporting actress, tv movie-mini-series
Jenna Malone – Cheaters – HBO
Kathy Bates – Annie – ABC
Melanie Griffith – RKO 281 – HBO
Felicity Huffman – A Slight Case of Murder – TNT
Chloe Sevigny – If These Walls Could Talk 2 – HBO

writing, drama series
Joss Whedon – Buffy The Vampire Slayer, “Hush” – WB
Ed Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz – Once and Again, Pilot – ABC
Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess – The Sopranos, “The Knight in White Satin Armor” – HBO
Aaron Sorkin – The West Wing, “Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics” – NBC
Vince Gilligan – The X-Files, “Millennium” – Fox

writing, comedy series
Peter Lefcourt – Beggars and Choosers, “Death in Malibu” – Showtime
Paul Feig – Freaks and Geeks, Pilot – NBC
Linwood Boomer – Malcolm in The Middle, Pilot – Fox
Michael Patrick King – Sex and The City, “Ex and The City” – HBO
Alex Herschlag – Will & Grace, “Homo For The Holidays” – NBC

directing, drama series
Joss Whedon – Buffy The Vampire Slayer, “Hush” – WB
Lamont Johnson – Felicity, “Help For The Lovelorn” – WB
Glenn Gordon Caron – Now and Again, “Origins” – CBS
Dan Lerner – Once and Again, “A Door, About To Open” – ABC
Allen Coulter – The Sopranos, “The Knight in White Satin Armour” – HBO

directing, comedy series
Pam Thomas – Sex and The City, “Evolution” – HBO
Richard J. Lewis – Beggars and Choosers, “Death in Malibu” – Showtime
David Lee – Everybody Loves Raymond, “Bad Moon Rising” – CBS
Todd Holland – Malcolm in The Middle, “Krelboyne Picnic” – Fox
Ken Kwapis – Malcolm in The Middle, “Water Park” – Fox

writing, mini-series/tv movie
Tom Fontana & Eric Overmyer – Homicide: The Movie – NBC
John Stockwell – Cheaters – HBO
David Simon & David Mills – The Corner – HBO
John Logan – RKO 281 – HBO
Jacob Epstein – Strange Justice – Showtime

directing, mini-series/tv movie
Charles S. Dutton – The Corner – HBO
Rob Marshall – Annie – ABC
Martha Coolidge – If These Walls Could Talk 2 – HBO
Benjamin Ross – RKO 281 – HBO
Mick Jackson – Tuesdays With Morrie – ABC

cinematography
Felicity – “Help For The Lovelorn” – WB
Buffy The Vampire Slayer – “Hush” – WB
Harsh Realm – Pilot – Fox
Roswell – “Heat Wave” – WB
The X-Files – “Theef” – Fox

sound
The Sopranos, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – HBO
ER, “All in The Family” – NBC
Roswell, “The White Room” – WB
Star Trek: Voyager, “The Haunting of Deck 12” – UPN
The X-Files, “Millennium” – Fox

editing
The Sopranos, “Full Leather Jacket” – HBO
Law & Order, “Gunshow” – NBC
Malcolm in The Middle, Pilot – Fox
Oz, “Secret Identities” – HBO
The West Wing, “What Kind of Day Has It Been” – NBC

casting
The Sopranos – HBO
Law & Order – NBC
Once and Again – ABC
Oz – HBO
The West Wing – ABC

main title design
Harsh Realm – Fox
Malcolm in The Middle – Fox
Now and Again – CBS
The Others – NBC
Roswell – WB

main title theme music
Harsh Realm – Fox
Angel – WB
Falcone – CBS
Freaks and Geeks – NBC
Now and Again – CBS

music composition
Buffy The Vampire Slayer – “Hush” – WB
Felicity – “Help For The Lovelorn” – WB
Harsh Realm – Pilot – Fox
Once and Again – “A Door About To Open” – ABC
The X-Files – “Closure” – Fox

production design
Farscape – Pilot – Sci-Fi
Felicity – “Help For The Lovelorn” – WB
Harsh Realm – Pilot – Fox
Malcolm in The Middle – “Home Alone 4” – Fox
Stargate SG-1 – “Nemesis” – Showtime

costumes
Farscape – “Thank God It’s Friday, Again” – Sci-Fi
Angel – “The Prodigal” – Fox
Cleopatra 2525 – “Quest For Firepower” – Syndication
Freaks and Geeks – Pilot – NBC
Sex and The City – “La Douleur Exquise!” – HBO

makeup/hairstyling
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, “Hush” – WB
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, “Living Conditions” – WB
Farscape, Pilot – Sci-Fi
Star Trek: Voyager, “Dragon’s Teeth” – UPN
The X-Files, “Theef” – Fox

visual effects
Walking With Dinosaurs – Discovery Channel
Cleopatra 2525 – “Quest For Firepower” – Syndication
Farscape – Pilot – Sci-Fi
Star Trek: Voyager – “Unimatrix Zero” – UPN
The X-Files – “Rush” – Fox

network win totals
HBO – 15
ABC – 6
WB – 5
CBS – 4
Fox – 4
NBC – 2
Sci-Fi – 2
Showtime – 2

multiple winners tally
The Sopranos – 5

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – 4
Everybody Loves Raymond – 4

The Practice 3

Cheaters – 2
Farscape – 2
Harsh Realm – 2
Once and Again – 2
Sex and the City – 2
Walking With Dinosaurs – 2

network nomination totals(compared with last year)
HBO – 48 – up 9

NBC – 36 – up 5

Fox – 29 – up 1

ABC – 27 – up 2

WB – 23 – up 10

CBS – 14 – up 8

Showtime – 13 – down 3

Sci-Fi – 4 – up 4

Discovery – 3 – up 3
UPN – 3 – down 1

Bravo – 2 – up 2
MTV – 2 – even
PBS – 2 – even
Syndication – 2 – down 2
TNT – 2 – down 4

A&E – 0 – down 1
Comedy Central – 0 – down 1
USA – 0 – down 3

nominations tally
The Sopranos – 12 – even

Malcolm in The Middle – 11
Once and Again – 11

The West Wing – 10

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – 9 – up 5

Will & Grace – 8 – down 1
The X-Files – 8 – up 1

Everybody Loves Raymond – 7 – up 6
RKO 281 – 7
Sex and The City – 7 – up 5
Beggars and Choosers – 6
The Corner – 6
Felicity – 6 – down 1
Harsh Realm – 5
Now and Again – 5
The Practice – 5 – down 7
Cheaters – 4
Farscape – 4
Oz – 4 – down 3
Roswell – 4
Annie – 3
Freaks and Geeks – 3
Friends – 3 – down 3
Saturday Night Live – 3 – up 2
Strange Justice – 3
Star Trek: Voyager 3 – even

And the following had two each:
Angel, Dennis Miller Live – 2 – up 1

The 72nd Annual Academy Awards
Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker – 2
Law & Order – 2 – down 7
Spin City – 2 – up 1
Sports Night – 2 – down 7
Walking With Dinosaurs – 2
Cleopatra 2525 – 2
Homicide: The Movie – 2
A Slight Case of Murder – 2
Harlan County War – 2
If These Walls Could Talk 2 – 2