SMH Best TV Awards

[unfrufru]

couple of excerpts (full listing can be found here http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio...e#contentSwap2)

BEST GAME/QUIZ SHOW
Winner: Spicks and Specks (ABC)
An old favourite returned with a new name and large audiences watched as two people put their hand up to answer the million-dollar question, but in the end it was the ABC's pub-trivia style, music quiz show Spicks and Specks - hosted by the one-footed Adam Hills - that got the judges' nod. Sandra Sully's search for Australia's Brainiest Kid (Ten) came in second and SBS's RocKwiz, hosted by Julia Zemiro, scored some vocal support among the music-trivia-minded judging panel.

BEST LOCAL COMEDY
Winner: We Can Be Heroes (ABC)
It was a golden year for Aussie comedy, at least in State Parliament, where Joe Tripodi manhandled Andrew Fraser. On television, there were laughs, too, even if Seven's Let Loose Live was dead on arrival. Nine's Comedy Inc lifted its game, Ten's Merrick and Rosso's The B Team finished strongly, Ten's The Ronnie Johns Half Hour had its moments and SBS's Pizza improved. Meanwhile, the ABC's The Glass House continued to dissect current affairs with wit - but also, several judges said, insufferable smugness. As for the winner, the judges fell into two camps. A vocal minority detested the winning show, whereas the majority even more vocally declared it a work of genius.

Chris Lilley created a satirical series about six candidates for Australian of the year, including obnoxious schoolgirl Ja'mie King, conceited ex-cop Phil Olivetti and aspiring actor Ricky Wong. With impressive production levels and Jennifer Byrne's deadpan narration, it was hard to believe something so Wong could be so very, very right.
Sacha Molitorisz

BEST IMPORTED COMEDY
Winner: Little Britain (ABC)
"Yeh but no but yeh" was the catchcry of indecision in this competitive category, but petulant schoolgirls and gender benders won the day, although not too far ahead of the popular Nighty Night (ABC), another British contribution about self-obsessed, but thoroughly recognisable, people. If it weren't for Seven's thoughtless programming, more votes might have been cast for Arrested Development, one of the cleverest comedies to come out of the US in years. However, AD came in third, closely followed by The Office Christmas Specials (ABC) and last year's winner, South Park (SBS). There was also a faint cry of support for I Am Not an Animal (ABC). Surprisingly, few of the American shows, including the permanently hilarious Simpsons (Ten), rated a mention, although the outgoing Frasier (Nine) had a following. Shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond (Ten) and the US version of The Office (Ten) were left on pause and, as for Joey (Nine), well, the less said the better.
Marc McEvoy


BEST VARIETY/TALK SHOW
Winner: Enough Rope (ABC)
Bravo Sunrise (Seven) for turning normally comatose breakfast television on its head, and some praise for Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Bert Newton, she as a survivor and he as a great interviewer. No votes for Ten's Rove [Live], but a lively debate about Enough Rope with Andrew Denton (ABC), which many felt was becoming soft and smug. No volunteers, however, to write this short verdict - speaking more to a reluctance to criticise Denton in print than a shortage of opinions. Enough Rope is sharp, but the plug-my-book interviews that producer Anita Jacoby has vocally bagged in the past seem to have slowly crept in.