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While the last set was filled with geeks and slackers, this group of shows seems to be all about the alpha male…and female. We have three about the lifestyle of obscenely rich New Yorkers, two about rogue detectives with nothing to lose, one about a world-class neonatal surgeon, and one show with a new bionic woman that makes the original look like Wang. As you might expect, these over-achievers faired a little better than the nerds.

Private Practice (ABC) – We loved Addison on “Grey’s Anatomy”. Her quirky charm provided a counterbalancing lightness to the primarily bleak cast of characters. This spin-off (a brave gamble or simple laziness?) feels a bit superficial and makes me wonder why they messed with a good thing over at Seattle Grace to create this lesser show that offers nothing new. Score: 6

Bionic Woman (NBC) – I feel like I should like this show, and I may eventually. They’ve got all their ducks in a row. The look of it is very slick. The premise is well developed and plausible (while you’re watching it, that is, not later when you’re trying to describe it to your co-workers). But I don’t really like this Jamie Sommers. Right now she’s just cold and angry. I want her to enjoy kicking ass. Score: 7

Dirty Sexy Money (ABC) – After his father’s suspicious death, Nick George (Peter Krause) reluctantly assumes his role as personal lawyer to the Kennedy-esque Darling family. This show features a solid cast, including Jill Clayburgh, Donald Sutherland, and one of the other Baldwin brothers (Billy, if you care). Smart writing and a rich array of characters (some sympathetic, some not so much) turn what might have been just another night soap into a genuinely compelling pilot episode. Score: 8

Life (NBC) – Detective Charlie Crews has been exonerated and reinstated after spending twelve years in prison. He’s a little crazy, but he’s got a lot of money and women, and, boy, does he solve good crime. Score: 8

Gossip Girl (CW) – I don’t know how they did it in two episodes, but I’m already worried Chuck will foil Ryan and Marissa’s…I mean Dan and Serena’s(!) chance at love. Okay, it’s not terribly original, but “Gossip Girl” is definitely going to be the guilty pleasure of the season, so don’t believe me when I tell you I’ve stopped watching it. Last Week’s Score: 7. Score: 7

Back to You (Fox) – There were some legitimately funny moments in this second episode (who knew a ring-tone could actually make me laugh), but the repeated killing of goldfish (the gag on which the entire episode was based) was anything but. The possibility for another Grammer-length run for this sitcom is looking bad. Last Week’s Score: 7. Score: 6

Big Shots (ABC) – The ads for this show are pretty misleading. It appears to be about four misogynistic Wall Street sharks who spend too much money and take advantage of women for sport. Some of that is true. They are successful businessmen who enjoy the finer things. But this show is more “Sex in the City” than “Entourage”, and the women in their lives mostly take advantage of them. Score: 8

Moonlight (CBS) – I haven’t seen a drama this bad since the pre-“Monk” days of original programming on cable. Not only is the concept of a vampire detective completely unoriginal, but the cast is so uninspired I can’t help thinking the “casting couch” is alive and well. The good news is it runs opposite “Friday Night Lights”. Score: 4

On Wednesday we’ll take a look at “Aliens in America” (which is actually not a science fiction series), “Cavemen” (which is actually not the first series based on a commercial), and “Carpoolers” (which nobody’s talking about). Plus we’ll also get our first final score with “K-Ville”.

If you’re interested in watching any of the shows you may have missed, most are available for download on iTunes. You can also check out the shows’ websites. Many of them stream episodes for free.

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We’re living in the age of the geek. If you doubt me, check out the trend of this season’s new shows. Hoping to match the break-out successes of “Lost” and “Heroes”, the networks have filled the airwaves with myriad science fiction and supernatural shows like “Bionic Woman”, “Moonlight”, and “Pushing Daisies”. Moreover, they’ve made the avid TV fans themselves (nerds, social misfits) the main characters of several other new shows. Four of these geek-themed shows premiered over the last two nights alone, so let’s find out whether any of them will appeal to the discerning geek audience.

Chuck (NBC) – This first new geek – or rather nerd – series nearly succeeds. With good special effects, smart dialogue, and likable characters (imagine Jim Halpert working as a government spy), it should be a winner. Unfortunately, the unbelievable premise and a succession of forced plot turns leave me feeling like a lot of money was spent dressing this Chihuahua in Prada. Score: 6

The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – Basically a scripted version of “Beauty and the Geek”, a blond waitress moves in across the hall from two geniuses whose lives revolve around Klingon Boggle and “World of Witchcraft”. The first half of this episode is horrible, actually painful. Then “Studio 60”’s Simon Helberg arrives, and it actually gets kind of funny. However he’s merely a supporting character, and “The Big Bang Theory” will likely be the first show axed this season. Score: 5

Journeyman (NBC) – A husband/father finds himself involuntarily traveling though time, bringing him face to face with his dead girlfriend. A little more Time Traveler’s Wife than “Quantum Leap”, this show is intriguing but not ground-breaking. Its long-term success will depend on the writers’ ability to keep track of details and to avoid sci-fi clichés. Score: 7

Reaper (CW) – Director Kevin Smith’s best work since Chasing Amy, this show about a slacker forced to work as a bounty hunter for the devil is well-crafted and funny. While stylistically similar to “Chuck”, “Reaper” is much more satisfying. If subsequent episodes can live up to this enjoyable pilot, the fledgling CW will have its first hit series. Score: 9

Cane (CBS) – It all sounds very high-minded: sort of King Lear set on a present-day sugar plantation, starring veteran actors Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, and “Lost”’s Nestor Carbonell. But this patriarch is dividing his love between two sons, a daughter, and an adopted son who’s also a son-in-law. In other words, this is a Latino “Dallas”. Score: 7

K-Ville (Fox) – In this second episode, they’ve toned down the melodrama (Marlin’s redemptive ex-partner Charlie is nowhere to be seen) and focused on the crime-solving, making it both more watch-able and more of a generic cop show. Because it’s scheduled opposite “Heroes”, the show will likely struggle for ratings, but the tension over Cobb’s secret being exposed could keep fans of the detective genre tuning in. Last Week’s Score: 6. Score: 7

Tune in Saturday, when we cover “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off “Private Practice”, the remake of “Bionic Woman”, and more.

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Nothing thrills us more than a familiar face in a music video, so we were pretty excited when “Entourage” star Jeremy Piven showed up in the Common/Lily Allen collaboration “Drivin’ Me Wild”. He doesn’t do much more than hang back, looking cooler than Vincent Chase, but that’s enough for us. Of course he and Common starred in Smokin’ Aces together; hopefully this means Jeremy will show up in Alicia Keys next video too.

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It’s September 21, the first day of fall, and the day the Peanut Bloggery begins its coverage of the fall television season. Due some cancellations (“Gilmore Girls”, “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”) and some shows waiting until January to start (“Lost”, “Jericho”), we have quite a few openings on the Primetime Index. After pulling two shows off the bench – “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Brothers and Sisters” – we still have six empty slots.

I’m going to approach this both scientifically and mathematically. I will watch the first three episodes of each of the nineteen new scripted series premiering over the next three weeks. I will rate each episode with a number between 1 and 10, and update you twice a week with the results. In exactly one month (October 21), I will tally the numbers, and the six series with the highest totals will be the winners, earning them one of the coveted slots on the Primetime Index.

Of course, there are four additional shows slated to premiere this fall, and some of our old favorites will be returning mid-season. This won’t be a problem. The odds of my favorite new shows making it to January are pretty low, so there will be plenty of room on the Index.

Now on with the competition. Three shows got an early start this week, hoping the gain an audience before their competitors. Let’s see how they fared.

K-Ville (Fox) – The premise sounded promising: two cops in present-day New Orleans fighting for the recovery of their city with every bust, but the far-fetched writing doesn’t live up to the pitch. I like Anthony Anderson, but he’s working so hard to turn this show into something important, it makes me tired watching him. Score: 5

Back to You (Fox) – I didn’t think I’d enjoy this show. I’m tired of comedies with unlikable leading men and laugh tracks. But the truth is Kelsey Grammer has made a career out of turning unlikable into sympathetic. Plus I’m always happy to see Fred Willard. I guess I should expect more from sitcom legend James Burrows. Score: 7

Gossip Girl (CW) – It’s no secret I’m a sucker for teen dramas. I liked this show, but I doubt it’s going to be for everyone. Only teenagers take themselves this seriously. It’s as if a couple of mostly normal (but really beautiful) kids find themselves trapped in the movie Cruel Intentions. Score: 7

Wednesday we’ll bring you the Fall Premiere Challenge Part 2 in which we’ll look at eagerly anticipated “Reaper” and the second episode of “K-Ville”, as well as many others. Until then, happy watching!

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I’d like to introduce guest Peanut Elizabeth Quinn. Together we’ve compiled a list of series that helped make the summer of 2007 the best TV summer ever.

When I hung the “closed for the season” sign on the “Primetime Index” last May, I was resigned to a typical summer of disappointing television, one in which the sole worthy drama would be on the tennis courts of France, England, and Queens (the only reality television I like to watch). Sure enough, the major networks were replete with talent shows and allegedly unscripted programming. Yet as I pushed my cable box into the higher numbers, I discovered a wealth of listings that kept me pinned to my couch (not a bad thing, since I live in a city where summer means sizzling pavement and steaming garbage). Apparently I wasn’t alone. In fact, original programming on basic cable networks like TNT, TBS, and Lifetime set records this summer and sent the big 4 into fits over ratings. Hey guys, here’s an idea I got from a Kevin Costner movie: make good television and people will watch it. Here are my three selections. (KS)

Entourage (HBO) – Due to some bizarre scheduling, we got the end of the third season and the beginning of the fourth, thus a bunch of extra “Entourage” in one summer. But it certainly wasn’t just quantity that put the show on our list; it was the comeuppance of Johnny Drama. Having Kevin Dillon, Matt Dillon’s much-less-famous brother, play Vincent Chase’s much-less-famous brother is a not-so-inside joke. Drama’s incessant failure has always been the counterweight to Vince’s easy success, providing tension to a show where nothing ever seems to go wrong. Now again art imitates life. While Vince wasted the season on the doomed Medellin (You, Me and Dupree, anyone?), Drama found success as a television actor and became the bread-winner as well as the guy who does all the cooking.

Greek (ABC Family) – Don’t let the network fool you; this is no mind-numbing “High School Musical”. In fact, mothers have posted online petitions trying to get this show yanked from the squeaky clean channel. It’s Animal House meets Real Genius meets “Dawson Creek”. Rusty Cartwright (vaguely reminiscent of Sam from cult-classic “Freaks and Geeks”), a freshman physics genius, facing four years among the nerds, pledges a fraternity, where he discovers drinking and sex (“a new kind of family,” indeed). It often feels like a guilty pleasure. It is, after all, the answer to the teen soap opening left by “The O.C.” Yet the pleasure outweighs the guilt, and while the format is familiar, the characters are all new. At first glance they seem like old stereotypes – socially- and athletically-challenged geeks, sex- and alcohol-crazed frat boys, and rich-bitch sorority sisters – and a couple of new ones – a born-again roommate and a closeted pledge – but as the season progresses, their complexities and sincerities are revealed. Thank goodness, no thank god, this series has been renewed and will return at the beginning of 2008.

Saving Grace (TNT) – Set in present day Oklahoma City, a female detective, still haunted by the bombings, who drinks too much, drives too fast, and has sex with too many of the wrong people, is the recipient of unwanted counseling by an angel, Earl, trying to rescue her soul from hell. Yes, it sounds very “Touched by an Angel” or “Highway to Heaven”, but this series claims no allegiance to Christianity, and the amount of swearing and bare skin would make Michael Landon blush. It’s a solid cop show, reminiscent of “Cagney and Lacey” and “Hill Street Blues” more than “Law and Order”, but the single most powerful thing “Saving Grace” has going for it is the magnificent Holly Hunter. More than any of all the starlets making names for themselves in cable TV right now – Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick, Minnie Driver, etc – Hunter appears to be stepping it up a notch rather than settling into a day job, as she rails against the bad guys, her family, God, and mostly herself. If you missed it, they’re starting from the beginning next Monday on TNT.

Here are my two vastly different and genius reasons why this summer was one of the best on TV. Yes, summertime is now premiere time. Go figure! (EQ)

Mad Men (AMC) – Set in 1960’s NYC, through the lens of ad agency Sterling Cooper, the world of “Mad Men” is chronologically only 47 years old, but socially and culturally, it may as well be 200. As the women struggle with shifting social paradigms and confusing identities while navigating their way through the corporate jungle and the men who inhabit it (my respect for women who lived through this era has grown tenfold!), the men maintain a shield of bravado and one-upmanship that’s downright exhausting in a world where sexual and professional conquests are the only way to prove your manhood. They almost never talk about their feelings, and secrets must be hidden at all cost. No wonder they drink and smoke all day!

The actors do a fine job of walking that line between stereotype and complex human being. Perhaps because their characters are doing just that: wearing their work personas like pressed business suits and changing into their true selves (or as true as they will allow themselves to be) once the clock strikes five. Following the lead of producer and writer Matthew Weiner, the costumes, set design, and cinematography capture perfectly so specific a time and place. “Mad Men” draws you in with it’s seemingly quaint “oh, look at how they lived back then in the dark ages” appearance. But within minutes you realize that in 2007, we’re still struggling with shifting social paradigms, confusing identities, and wondering how much of our true selves we can reveal at the office. Now, if only my boss would let me drink and smoke all day long!

Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – I’m absolutely in love with Flight of the Conchords and am seriously considering quitting my day job and following them all over the world (or at least the tri-state area). The premise of the show is simple: two-man, digi-folk band from New Zealand (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement) try to make it in NYC. With the help of their manager, Murray, they’ve so far managed to…well, not get very far. Like real struggling musicians, they live in a tiny apartment, share a bedroom, sleep in twin beds, have annoying friends, and work a crappy day job (once). But Bret and Jemaine have better chemistry than most on-screen couples and their deadpan delivery, comedic timing, and musical skills make for one of the most refreshing and entertaining series in a long time. Each episode features 2-3 hilarious, and damn impressive, songs that weave in out of the show like perfectly timed music videos revealing their innermost thoughts and desires; or sometimes, just providing a silly diversion. Songs about once-a-week sex (“Business Time”), surviving in the city (“Inner City Pressure”), and Bret’s appeal as a “humpable” heterosexual guy (“Bret, You’ve Got it Going On”) have been swimming around in my head for weeks. HBO has ordered a second season of “Flight of the Conchords”. I can’t wait to see what delightful songs will be stuck in my head next summer as I deal with my own “Inner City Pressure”.

Thank you summer of 2007. You were good to us. Now on with the fall season!

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Folks who love musicals will enjoy Hairspray; folks who don’t probably won’t.

Hairspray has been adapted from the 2002 Broadway show, which was adapted from the 1988 John Waters film (it’s not the first time – The Producers – and it won’t be the last – The Full Monty, anyone?) Unfortunately, something was lost in the translation. While the original film was quirky and ironic, there’s nothing edgy about this one. Adam Shankman’s (A Walk to Remember) direction is earnestly bubbly, and the subject of desegregation provides little more than comedic fodder.

Set in 1963 Baltimore, Hairspray is still the story of affably chubby Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) and her quest to be a dancer on the local Bandstand-esque “Corny Collins Show”. Just as Ricki Lake became an overnight sensation after the original, the impossibly adorable 4’11” Blonsky, who’s only former credits are Great Neck South Senior High productions, is about to become a star.

As for the rest of the cast, the creators appear to have made a wish list of stage and screen musical veterans, and it was granted. Queen Latifah (Chicago) flaunts her velvety voice as Motormouth Maybelle, the host of “Negro Day” on the “Corny Collins Show”; Michelle Pfeiffer (Grease 2, The Fabulous Baker Boys) is unexpectedly good at being bad as the racist station manager, Velma Von Tussle; Zac Efron (High School Musical) is every bit the teen heartthrob you want him to be; and John Travolta (Grease) is uncomfortably right as Tracy’s corpulent and nervous mother Edna. Saturday Night Fever fans may be a bit disappointed, however; his dancing fails to thrill, as he’s severely weighed down by a bulky fat suit. As Corny Collins, James Marsden (Superman Returns) serves as the only “did we know he could sing?” cast member (a la Joaquin Phoenix, Jamie Fox, Eddie Murphy), giving fellow X-Man Hugh Jackman a run for his sequined money.

Ultimately, the most endearing performance comes from Christopher Walken (Broadway’s The Dead), who plays Wilbur Turnblad, Tracy’s father. He sings and dances like a pro (who could forget him in the Fatboy Slim video), but while there’s a sense from most of the supporting cast that they signed up to have some fun, Walken has committed all of his performing skills to this character. One of the highlights of the film is when Wilbur nuzzles his daughter’s shoulder as they quietly discuss her mother, creating a memorably touching moment amidst the chaotic spectacle.

Composer Marc Shaiman’s songs are fun, although somewhat generic. The opening number, “Good Morning Baltimore”, stuck in my head, but that’s probably because I remember Justin Suarez’s subway performance on “Ugly Betty”. Still, now that Hairspray is available to the entire country, not just New Yorkers and people who drag themselves to their local cities to see the touring company, young girls everywhere will be locked in their bedrooms singing “I Can Hear the Bells”, hoping to become the next Nikki Blonsky.

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Welcome to the fourth and final night of the Peanut Awards, on which we crown the best of the best. We Peanuts would like to thank all our readers for their enthusiastic responses, especially those folks who posted their comments. Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the final act of the First Annual Peanut Awards.

The Nominees for the Best Individual Episode of a Comedy are

• “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell” (Ugly Betty)
• “Hard Ball” (30 Rock)
• “My Musical” (Scrubs)
• “Showdown” (How I Met Your Mother)

And the winner is…“Hard Ball” (30 Rock).

Liz Lemon makes Josh do “the worm” in a contract negotiation meeting; Jenna mixes up Barrack Obama and Osama Bin Laden on live television; Kenneth becomes a member of Tracy’s entourage, and they sing an a cappella chorus of “Tomorrow” to seal the deal. It all adds up to 21 minutes of hilarity that would make Jerry Seinfeld jealous.

The Nominees for the Best Individual Episode of a Drama are

• “Blinders” (Friday Night Lights)
• “Company Man” (Heroes)
• “From a Whisper to a Scream” (Grey’s Anatomy)
• “Pilot” (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip)

And the winner is…“Pilot” (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip).

Last September, on a Monday night, NBC premiered a series that promised to change television as we knew it. The Pilot of “Studio 60″ was a call to arms, a manifesto, led by Judd Hirsh and a riveting monologue calling the networks to task for the quality and significance of their programming. Unfortunately, the subsequent episodes failed to answer his call, and the series slipped slowly into hiatus and cancellation. Despite this, the pilot episode stands on its own as the best of the season.

Now let’s take a moment to honor this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, “Gilmore Girls“.

After seven years, the girls said goodbye forever in May. We’ll miss terribly the rapid-fire dialogue peppered with obscure allusions. We’ll also miss idyllic Stars Hollow and all its quirky town events, and we’ll continue to search Connecticut for Luke’s Diner and the Dragonfly, just as optimistic explorers continue to search for Atlantis. We’ll miss Friday night dinners, Hep Alien, and Babette’s gnomes. But most of all, we’ll miss the two Loreleis - mother and daughter, best friends, soul mates.

The nominees for Best Comedy are

• 30 Rock
• Entourage
• The Office
• Ugly Betty

And the winner is…30 Rock.

Having already won the Peanut awards for Best New Comedy and Best Individual Episode of a Comedy, it would seem we’d already said everything we could about this show. Not true. We haven’t said this: “30 Rock” is an outstanding comedy with very poor viewership, so, please, if you’re not already a fan, go to the NBC website where you can watch the entire first season - in one sitting if you want.

The nominees for Best Drama are

• Friday Night Lights
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Heroes
• Jericho

And the winner is…Heroes.

There’s a reason why at most awards shows the recipient of the final award tends to say very little in his or her acceptance speech. If it’s that good, it probably already won a pile of awards, and folks are sick of hearing about how great it is. So here you go: “Heroes” is a well-written, carefully stylized, and consistently compelling series. Now drop the confetti, roll the credits, and start downloading all those shows you missed.

Thanks for reading!

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This season was somewhat defined by impatient network programmers and their need to shuffle and yank shows that failed to meet their numerical expectations, no matter the quality. This may have been growing pains, as they have yet to figure out how to accurately report viewer numbers from DVR’s and downloads (many of the networks’ websites offer full episodes).

Thus this third night of the Peanut Awards is dedicated to the continuously shifting programming landscape, both its successes and failures.

The Nominees for the Best New Comedy are…

• 30 Rock
• Andy Barker, PI
• The Class
• Ugly Betty

And the winner is…30 Rock.

It was a close battle between Betty and the Rock, but ultimately the Tina Fey vehicle won out due to its edgy, often uncomfortable, laugh till you pee humor. A comedy this smart and inventive doesn’t come along often, and like its “Must See TV” brethren, “30 Rock” is bound for a future of healthy DVD sales and basic cable syndication.

The Nominees for Best New Drama are

• The Black Donnellys
• Friday Night Lights
• Heroes
• Jericho

And the winner is…Heroes.

In a time when the world needs a hero, someone to stand up for goodness and right as everything seems to be sliding toward evil, this show gives us a whole league of them. Fortunately it’s as rich in quality as it is in popularity, proving television audiences aren’t as boorish as some believe.

The Nominees for Most Disappointing Cancellation are

• Andy Barker, PI
• The Class
• Jericho
• Veronica Mars

And the winner is…Veronica Mars.

Actually that wasn’t always the case. The original winner was “Jericho”, but thanks to 10,000 pounds of peanuts, CBS has agreed to make at least seven more episodes of the post-apocalyptic series. Thus the award goes to the runner-up, “Veronica Mars”, yet another casualty of the CW fiasco.

The Nominees for Most Shocking Renewal are

• Notes from the Underbelly
• October Road
• Rules of Engagement
• Scrubs

And the winner is…Scrubs.

Don’t get me wrong, I adored the first fives seasons of “Scrubs”, but I have never seen a show get so bad so quickly without some sort of changing of the guard (eg, Buffy, Gilmore Girls). Hopefully the folks at NBC know something I don’t - that JD will be likeable again, that the theme-revealing voice overs will matter again, and that the jokes will be funny again. Maybe if I clap my hands and say I believe…

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Welcome to the second night of the Peanut Awards. Tonight’s categories may seem more appropriate for movies than television (we stole most of them from the Oscars). However, the television industry is changing, and we’re committed to keeping up with it. Maybe the DVD industry has something to do with it, but the folks behind many of the shows that have come out over the past few years seem committed to establishing the medium as an art form. Lucky for us TV fans.

The Nominees for Best Art Direction are

• Friday Night Lights
• Heroes
• Lost
• Ugly Betty

And the winner is…Lost.

Filming in Hawaii makes for easy beach and jungle scenes, but this enigmatic show ventures into underground hatches, it flies to Australia and Asia, maintaining the same expansive cinematography and careful camera angles established in the initial stunning crash scene.

The Nominees for Best Visual Effects are

• Grey’s Anatomy
• Heroes
• Jericho
• Lost

And the winner is…Heroes.

Nathan flies, Hiro bends time, Claire jumps off buildings and heals at warp speed, DL walks through walls, and so much more. This series is an homage to special effects, and it stands up next to comic book inspired movies like Spider-Man and The X-Men, earning a geek cult following unlike any since…well, since “Lost”.

The Nominees for the Best Score are

• 30 Rock
• Friday Night Lights
• Lost
• Ugly Betty

And the winner is…Friday Night Lights.

Prolific composer WG Snuffy Walden’s (”The West Wing”, “Freaks and Geeks”) has created a bare bones but magnificent score. His guitars with stadium reverb over a marching band drumline are not only appropriate to the show’s content but manage to fully manipulate your emotions, leaving you nostalgic for a life you had no idea you missed.

The Nominees for Best Fake Pop Song are

• “Let’s Go to the Mall” - performed by Robin Sparkles (How I Met Your Mother)
• “Muffin Top” - performed by Jenna Maroney (30 Rock)
• “You All Everybody” - performed by Drive Shaft (Lost)

And the winner is…Let’s Go to the Mall.

While “Lost” fans have been humming the refrain to “You All Everybody” for three years now, it can’t stand up to the MySpace phenomenon that is Robin Sparkles. The Tiffany-inspired song and video caused “How I Met Your Mother” to spike in ratings the following week. Fortunately there was no such spike in the sale of suspenders and rubber bracelets.

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Welcome to the first of a five four night series that is The Peanut Awards, where we Peanuts honor the television that kept us thoroughly entertained over the past year. Despite the trigger-happy networks, it was an impressive season, which made for some difficult decisions. However, the votes were certified by my friend who works at PricewaterhouseCoopers, so everyone here is speaking to each other again.

We couldn’t afford a famous comedian to emcee our awards, so we’ll dive right in.

The Nominees for Best Actor in a Comedy are

• Alec Baldwin for “30 Rock”
• Steve Carell for “The Office”
• Neil Patrick Harris for “How I Met Your Mother”
• Jeremy Piven for “Entourage “

And the winner is…Neil Patrick Harris.

While all four actors are outstanding, we were won over by NPH’s callous and crass yet somehow warm and vulnerable Barney. Hysterical moments like losing slap bet, losing the use of his legs on the subway, and completely winning on “The Price is Right” forced us to contemplate whether “Dougie Howser” wasn’t a better show than we remember.

The Nominees for Best Actress in a Comedy are

• Sarah Chalk for “Scrubs”
• America Ferrera for “Ugly Betty”
• Tina Fey for “30 Rock”
• Becki Newton for “Ugly Betty”

And the winner is…America Ferrera.

What could have turned out to be an over-played visual joke has turned into the funniest and most genuine performances in television comedy history (perhaps the hour-long format allows for the extra depth). In fact, we forgot early on what about Betty was ugly.

The Nominees for Best Actor in a Drama are

• Kyle Chandler for “Friday Night Lights”
• T.R. Knight for “Grey’s Anatomy”
• Terry O’Quinn for “Lost”
• Matthew Perry for “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”

And the winner is…Kyle Chandler.

Not unlike another easy-on-the-eyes actor who went on to be a big movie star, Kyle Chandler’s television credits are endless. Yet it took him stepping into this role where his face isn’t the prettiest in the cast for us to realize what an outstanding actor he is.

The Nominees for Best Actress in a Drama are

• Jennifer Beals for “The L Word”
• Connie Britton for “Friday Night Lights”
• Anne Heche for “Men in Trees”
• Katherine Heigl for “Grey’s Anatomy”

And the winner is…Katherine Heigl.

Katherine is having a good week. Not only is her movie Knocked Up cleaning up at the box office, but her objectionable co-star Isiah Washington has been fired from “Grey’s Anatomy”, and she’s now the proud recipient of a Peanut Award. Hopefully this will help her out in those salary negotiations.

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