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Comedy series: “30 Rock,” “Entourage,” “The Office,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Ugly Betty.”
I’ve always liked Tina Fey on “Saturday Night Live” but who knew she could be such a comedic force on a sitcom? Her Liz Lemon is a reminder of what made Mary Tyler Moore so great — trying to act rational when those around you are losing their heads.
Buzz only goes so far. “Entourage” still has moments of greatness but like any show that goes on for a while, the characters are beginning to feel more like caricatures. Not sure if the “Medellin” plotline has gone too far but a few Ari scenes go a long way to make up for it.
Last year’s winner “The Office” continues to find ways to make us laugh, poking fun at our smallest idiosyncrasies and mannerisms. The actors here play everything small, which inevitably creates big laughs.
The only one of these shows that still adheres to the three-camera, studio audience format, “Men” is classic comedy, in the same vein as “The Honeymooners” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Guys just wanting to have fun with the ladies always getting in the way.
“Ugly Betty” hits on some important social issues, but has a good time in getting its point across. Like “Desperate Housewives,” the comedy is broad rather than pinpoint and, this way, achieves in reaching a wide audience. Its place here is anything but a surprise.
Comedy actor: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” Steve Carell, “The Office,” Ricky Gervais, “Extras,” Tony Shalhoub, “Monk,” Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men”
What’s not to love about Baldwin’s snarky corporate exec who can run the microwave division like no one else? Glad to see his personal parenting issues didn’t hurt him professionally.
Carell might’ve taken a big hit for the box office bomb that was “Evan Almighty,” but it seems running a paper company suits him a better than building an ark.
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Shalhoub was so embarrassed to win again last year, he practically had to be forced to get out of his chair and make a speech. If he wins again this time, they might have to get a crowbar.
Sheen makes “Men” look easy, and that’s a credit to the actor who’s received more headlines in the tabloids than for his work, which isn’t fair.
Comedy actress: America Ferrera, “Ugly Betty,” Tina Fey, “30 Rock,” Felicity Huffman, “Desperate Housewives,” Julia-Louis Dreyfus, “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds”
God bless America, or, at the least, ABC needs to send a fruit basket to Ferrera. The show works because she’s so strong as an actress who makes a point about our sometimes warped culture in a warm and friendly way, without getting in our face about it.
As previously mentioned, Fey acts as both a catalyst for the craziness that surrounds her and as an oasis of reason. Scenes with her and Baldwin have turned into instant gems.
While the “Housewives” phenomenon has faded, Huffman deserves a place on this list and it’s nice to see her still be recognized after all the hoopla. No slight to her castmates, but if I’m watching I’m always hoping she’ll be in most of the scenes.
Louis-Dreyfus will forever be known as Elaine on “Seinfeld,” but her Christine is giving Ms. Benes a good run for her money. Certainly not as likeable as Elaine, Christine does have her charm, though, and we’re hoping she and Blair Underwood can finally hook up.
Parker’s a pro in either drama or comedy and her place here marks one of the few entries for Showtime, which has really ramped up its original series.
Stuart Levine is an assistant managing editor at Variety. He can be reached at
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