Television Nods: True Blood? Really?

more on Golden Globe award odds from about.com

Out of all the really strong science fiction and fantasy on television this year, from Battlestar Galactica to Pushing Daisies, the one show the HFPA chose to recognize was the campy southern vampire drama True Blood.

True Blood was a lot of fun, don't get me wrong. It was well-produced, evocative, and strongly acted. But the male lead was a dud, its storylines veered widely between the melodramatic and the downright silly, and as often as possible the episodes -- and in fact the entire season -- ended on women screaming. The revelation of the murderer hinged on the hilarious discovery of a teach-yourself-Cajun cassette. True Blood was a blast, and I enjoyed it a lot. But as the only sci-fi/fantasy series nominated for a Golden Globe, I must admit there are names I'd rather see. It occurs to me to wonder whether the HBO brand was a subconscious factor in its selection.

True Blood's competition in the category of Best Television Series -- Drama is Dexter, House (the only broadcast network series nominated in this category), In Treatment, and Mad Men. Let's face facts, vampire-lovers: True Blood stands no chance winning against a field like that.

Anna Paquin stands a slightly better chance in True Blood's other category, Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series -- Drama. Her category-mates are Sally Field, Mariska Hargitay, January Jones, and Kyra Sedgwick -- all top-drawer actors. But Paquin was the best thing about True Blood by a country mile, so she may have a shot.

No sci-fi or fantasy show was nominated in television comedy or mini-series.

http://scifi.about.com/od/awardsforscififantasy/a/2008Globes_noms.htm