Saturday, August 22, 2009

AFT Awards: Best Directing in a Drama Series

This is the thirteenth category of the 3rd Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television this past season. For the directing and writing categories, I’ve included only honorable mentions rather than semi-finalists and finalists. Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. This is the only category where I really had to nominate six episodes rather than narrow it down to five.
Best Directing in a Drama Series


Last year’s nominees: Dexter (The Dark Defender), Dirty Sexy Money (The Chiavennasca), Jericho (Patriots and Tyrants), Lost (The Beginning of the End), Mad Men (The Wheel)

Emmy nominees: Battlestar Galactica (Daybreak, Part 2), Boston Legal (Made in China/Last Call), Damages (Trust Me), ER (And In The End), Mad Men (The Jet Set)

Honorable mentions: Battlestar Galactica (Daybreak Part One), Battlestar Galactica (Sometimes A Great Notion), Brotherhood (The Curse of True Love Never Did Run Smooth), Brotherhood (Let Rome Into Tiber Melt), Dexter (Our Father), Lost (Because You Left), Lost (Jughead), Lost (LaFleur), Lost (The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham), Mad Men (Six Month Leave), Rescue Me (Perspective), Rescue Me (Sheila), The Shield (Coefficient of Drag), Smallville (Bride), True Blood (Strange Love)

The nominees:
Battlestar Galactica (The Oath)
Lost (The Incident)
Mad Men (The Jet Set)
Rescue Me (Iceman)
The Shield (Family Meeting)

The first hour of full-out mutiny on “Battlestar Galactica” was the show’s most powerful hour, and that’s saying a lot. The season finale of “Lost” saw everything come together in a masterful and awesome way. Don Draper’s extended vacation on “Mad Men” was breathtaking and intoxicating. Tommy conjured up all his dead family members while battling alcoholism on “Rescue Me,” and it was simply staggering and stunning. The series finale of “The Shield” included so many moving moments, and featured just the right tone for the sendoff of the series.

The winner:
True Blood (You’ll Be the Death of Me)
The season finale brilliantly revealed the secret killer’s past and wrapped up his storyline in the most compelling, suspenseful way, and sent the show in a whole new direction with its clever finish.

Next up: Best Writing in a Drama Series

1 comment:

Fabio Nascimento said...

True Blood was also my favorite, the finale is excellent, but the pilot was even better for me. That scene with Sookie listening to everyone's thoughts while flirting with Bill was outstanding.