AFT Awards: Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series

This is the eighteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2011-2012 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.

Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Last year’s nominees: The Big C, Modern Family, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Shameless

Semi-finalists: Apartment 23, Bored to Death, Californication, Chuck, Eastbound & Down, Enlightened, The Finder, The Office, Psych, Suits, 30 Rock, Weeds

Finalists: Modern Family brought together a warm, hilarious ensemble that makes for the best family-friendly family comedy on television. Shameless did the exact opposite, with blisteringly funny and often quite serious portrayals of extremely flawed human beings. The Big C balanced its drama and its comedy with grace and a handful of competent recurring guest stars added to the cast. Suburgatory brought a town of plastics to life with dedicated, biting satiric performances. Hung added new faces to its already overworked repertoire of endearing prostitutes and company.

The nominees:

Veep was the best political parody on TV, thanks in no small part to the efforts of its always-on cast. House of Lies went big with skewering depictions of its characters by extraordinarily capable actors. New Girl was made enormously appealing by an entertaining and likeable young cast. Girls did its best to emulate modern society with deep and intense stream-of-consciousness performances from an exceptional cast.

The winner:

Parks and Recreation found its characters taking on new roles and excelling comically.

Next up: Best Cancelled Series