The TV IV:IVy Awards/2006/Best Drama Series

Candidates to be considered the Best Drama Series which first aired one or more episodes in the United States between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006. Please read carefully the Definitions and Guidelines before putting a candidate up for nomination.

Definitions

drama

Any live-action (non-animated), scripted (non-documentary, talk or news) episodic (airing on a recurring basis), non-limited series categorized as a Drama on the TV IV. In the case of shows which are categorized as both Comedy and Drama (and only in those cases), the show will be categorized on the basis of runtime: Less than 40 minutes should be considered a Comedy, 40 minutes or more should be considered a Drama.

Guidelines

Please feel free to propose as many or as few candidates as you like in each category. If you change your mind or wish to retract a candidate, don't worry about editing the page, as it could cause some confusion down the road. (If you propose one unworthy enough, it will most likely not make it past the nominating process, anyway.) Feel free to discuss yours or others' proposals as much or as little as you choose. Tell us why you feel a candidate should be considered, or why someone else's candidate is a horrible choice and should not be considered. (Just remember to follow standard TV IV discussion rules regarding civility.)

Please mark all proposed candidates in bold, and link the show titles, even if the linked articles are empty or stubs. Try to avoid using bold elsewhere in the discussion. (To mark a candidate in bold, surround the name with two sets of three apostrophes, and use double brackets for linking, '''[[like this]]'''.)

Candidates Discussion

The first five candidates for consideration:

• 24 - Jack Bauer and company had what I would argue is the best season since the first one. Between the swan songs of several beloved characters, the presidential intrigue and the twists and turns which managed to avoid most of the goofiness and desperation of Season Four, this season managed to return one of the best action series on the air to its former glory.
• House, M.D. - Big surprise that the guy editing the page would propose it for "Best Drama." In any event, between House continuing to be House and not one, but two episodes (2x08 - The Mistake and 2x24 - No Reason) to match the mind-bending single-viewpoint narration tricks of the classic episode 1x21 - Three Stories. --JCaesar 22:03, 1 June 2006 (EDT)
• Lost - The second season of Lost continued to be filled with many surprising twists and turns. Many questions were answered, but of course, many new ones were asked. The show isn't afraid to shake things up, and it went in a surprisingly different direction then it went in the third season, and it spawned a season-long mystery that had an extrordinary resolution. --Stabbey 08:06, 4 June 2006 (EDT)
• Prison Break - FOX manages to precede its biggest hit action drama (24) with an equally thrilling adrenaline rush. The story of the break itself presents TV with some of its most charismatic and intriguing heroes (Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield) and a veritable rogue's gallery of some of the most imposing, dangerous villains ever seen on television (John Abruzzi, Theodore Bagwell, Brad Bellick, et al.) The political intrigue took a little longer in the series to become interesting, but it eventually did, as well, and by the end of the season, FOX had a clear action classic on its hands.
• Veronica Mars - Three of these first five candidates (Lost, House, M.D. and this one) aired their second seasons this year. This, the best series starring a teenaged heroine since Buffy the Vampire Slayer, managed to beautifully avoid the "sophomore slump" this season and air a season almost as full of thrills and tension as Season One. Really glad CW is going to make the wise decision and bring this back for a third season.

So who else? JCaesar 22:03, 1 June 2006 (EDT)

• Boston Legal - This show, really a "dramedy", fits into this category via the rules above. This show is not only insightful into personal lives and interrelationships, but also gives a look (albeit liberally biased) into many of today's political hot topics. The writers balance the sometimes heavy plotlines with comedy that ranges from light to outright satire and parody (many examples of which break the "fourth wall"); this rather complex hodgepodge of writing is masterfully brought together by a veteran cast which includes William Shatner, James Spader, and Candice Bergen.

--Nmfree 01:48, 2 June 2006 (EDT)

Agreed. This show is excellent. Not only are its dramatic moments truly heart-tugging/heart-stopping, but in its lighter moments, the show is one of the few which makes me need to pause my TiVo so I can stop laughing and catch the next line. (The moment which comes immediately to mind is Denny Crane realizing that Denise Bauer—no relation—actually has had sexual dreams about him, as he claimed. "I say that to everyone," he said. "You're the first one who's admitted it." I swear. Laughing for upwards of 60 seconds.) Of special note is the interrelationship between Crane and Alan Shore, which is what sold this series in the first place, and is a uniquely three-dimensional interplay between two heterosexual male characters on television. Rarely has so obviously a platonic friendship been treated so... well... romantically yet devoid of sexual tension. Even beyond their characters, I have become fully involved with the characters of Denise and Paul Lewiston (especially the subplot regarding his daughter—soapy junkie subplot or not, it's awesome to see Jayne Brook on my TV screen in any capacity—this season). Yes, it's every David E. Kelley lawyer series revisited: Lawyers doing things no real-life lawyer could ever do and get away with. But, goddammit, I like David E. Kelley lawyer series, and if it stars James Spader, William Shatner, Candice Bergen, Rene Auberjonois and Julie Bowen, I like it just a little bit more. That said, were I to find fault with the series, it is only that, try as I might, I seem to be physically incapable of giving a damn one way or the other about Mark Valley's character (at best, I can merely scream at my TV screen, "You're gay!" when he tries to avoid being sexually attracted to Bowen's character). The series has a habit of sinking its characters into clichéd soap opera melodrama (even if the junkie daughter subplot was played well by all parties involved, it was still a junkie daughter subplot). And... okay... yeah, it's every David E. Kelley lawyer drama, often even undermined by the goofiness of some subplots (such as the running throughline involving Betty White). But, seriously, why quibble? It's fun, it's compelling, and it's well-performed. Television will always be full of leftovers, but this is one leftover which leaves me begging for seconds. JCaesar 07:54, 15 June 2006 (EDT)

• Rescue Me - This show is a brilliant mix of tragedy and comedy and the second season was an incredible arc that began with all the characters in horrible places slowly built them back to happiness and then by the end once again destroyed their lives this time worse than before.

"A brilliant mix of tragedy and comedy" is an understatement. Rarely has one show been able to make you feel so much contempt for its characters at the same time as their failures and heartbreaks really rip your heart out. Even when its characters seem briefly happy, their happiness is almost more tragic because their inevitable downfall is so thoroughly set up (see my nomination for 2x08 - Believe over at the Best Individual Episode of a Drama Series category.) Usually, when critics say a series is "gritty and realistic," they mean it uses foul language and talks about sex a lot. Rescue Me does those two things, but it is rare that practitioners of the series' profession—despite the series' "warts 'n' all portrayal," says, "Yes, this is accurate." (See also The Shield for another great example.) Firefighters say that regarding Rescue Me. It is to the firefighters what Over There tried and failed to be about soldiers: A mirror of their lives. JCaesar 07:54, 15 June 2006 (EDT)

• Rome - HBO hits drama gold once again this show weaves two incredible characters into the events surrounding the rise and fall of Caesar near perfectly. Through the eyes of Pullo and Vorenus we witness the events spiral to their inevitable conclusion. This show had some of the most memorable sequences I've ever seen on TV or even in movies notably the gladiator fight and the assassination in the senate.

Not sure where this is supposed to be discussed so I'll just do it here and it can be moved if necessary. This show was excellent in many ways. Like many HBO shows, Rome was intricately put together. So much so that it was one of the most expensive television shows ever produced. You could tell, as every scene was a treat to the eyes. In addition its historic accuracy can not be denied, as even controversial details such as pederasty were included. Finally, the acting in this series always stayed within the range of good to excellent. I have a feeling this one will be taking something home at the Emmys and, at bare minimum, needs to be nominated for the IVy Award. --MateoP 23:55, 7 June 2006 (EDT)

I have to disagree with this nomination as of now. Given my user name, you'd think I'd've loved it, but I just couldn't get past the first three episodes. I found them sloppy, boring, historically inaccurate soap opera pablum. If Aaron Spelling were to cast Pamela Anderson in a Roman epic, it would look quite a bit like the first three episodes of this series. However, I have heard that the remaining episodes improved greatly on the first three, and I really want to give the series a chance. Can any of the fans of the show please tell me: Does the series, in later episodes, dispense with the soapiness of the first three episodes? Does it spend less time in developing cardboard-cutout caricatures and more on developing its characters, both those who actually existed and those it does not? Most of all, is the sheer daffiness of the first three episodes (e.g.: A guy getting anesthetic-less brain surgery and performing ninja moves within 48 hours) gone? If you can definitively tell me it improves, I'll give it another shot, I promise. But I can't sit through another hour similar to the three I've already devoted to the swill I saw. JCaesar 07:54, 15 June 2006 (EDT)

• Sleeper Cell - Showtime ordered another season of this so it qualifies here not as a miniseries. An intriguing look at the other side of the war on terror. The show set-up the tragic paths that led all the members of the cell to join and the motivations behind their desire for jihad so well you became sympathetic towards them despite their willingness to kill innocent Americans. Agent Sayeed's struggle to balance his devout beliefs, deep patriotism, natural urges and growing friendship with the other terrorists was an interesting journey well portrayed by Michael Ealy. Plus while most of the series was a character drama the two hour finale morphed into a high-intesity action drama in the vein of 24 but in this case you care for characters on both sides of the conflict making it tragic no matter what happens.

--The-jam 11:43, 2 June 2006 (EDT)

• Battlestar Galactica - Edge-of-your-seat excitement, great characters, unafraid to take risks, all in a genre series. Just think about how many jaw-dropping moments there were while watching, and you'll know it deserves to be nominated. --Davidscarter 20:18, 2 June 2006 (EDT)

• The Shield - Some of the best character development on TV, and the storyline this season created some extremely tense moments. I didn't think the show could get better every year the way it has but the quality didn't dip one bit in the 5th season.

• Six Feet Under - The show's final season probably wasn't as good as some of the earlier ones in for the first half or so, but the ending was entirely superb and at no point did the show feel anything less than great.

--Boco_T 02:11, 4 June 2006 (EDT)

• Monk - This was the 4th season of Monk. Lead Tony Shaloub is a past Emmy winner for his role as the eccentric detective Adrian Monk.

--MateoP 19:25, 5 June 2006 (EDT)

• Grey's Anatomy - After a short first season, this dramedy about the high stress lifestyle of surgical interns evolved tremendously in it's second year. While the show is unquestionably funny and sometimes moving, it's occasional callousness is truly unique. Where other medical dramas almost assume a happy outcome (for the patients, at least), Grey's Anatomy is the rare show willing to depict regular and reccurrent failure. This willingness to kill patients with alarming frequency gives the medical drama unusual tension.

--Escher 10:26, 6 June 2006 (EDT)

I called it, on another page, "The best series your girlfriend makes you watch." I wasn't kidding. It is another night time soap regarding doctors, but the comments Escher makes regarding why it is different are what makes it different. In addition, the cast is, to a one, instantly sympathetic. If you're going to revisit the sexy doctors genre, you can't do much better than this. JCaesar 07:54, 15 June 2006 (EDT)

• NCIS - (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) A compelling miliatry crime drama with fun, interesting, and unique characters and great stories. Throughout these first three seasons, the characters have changed and matured in their respective roles and there is never a dull moment. Most all of the cases relate in some way to the military. This show is not a wannabe CSI, it is quite different from CSI. It is very unique and is a great crime-drama with a comedic flair. Also known as "Navy: NCIS"

--ShadowFox888 18:11, 8 June 2006 (EDT)

• Nip/Tuck - Pretty sure it's eligible, and although I wouldn't vote it first for anything (other than maybe "trashiest show"), it's the ultimate guilty pleasure, so I think it ought to at least be nominated. The most recent season featured the Carver terrorizing McNamara/Troy, young Matt's white supremecist girlfriend, Julia opening a spa or whatever it was, and plenty of beautiful people and surgical gore. --Gma 22:17, 15 June 2006 (EDT)

• The 4400 - Probably my favorite Sci-fi show on TV right now (It's this or Battlestar, meh it probably depends on the week). It's done a much better job with the whole Mutant vs. Humans theme in the past two years than Marvel has in the past 20. To be honest when I first saw the first few episodes of this show a few years back I didn't really care for it, but after watching the first two seasons (I had time to kill and not enough good shows) over the last couple of months the series really grew on me and with the third season adding in some new twists it looks like it's gonna take up a TiVO slot.

Due to its ineligibility for this year's awards, the discussion for ReGenesis has been moved to the discussion page for this page. JCaesar 16:21, 8 June 2006 (EDT)