TV critics award their favorites

The TV Critics Association Awards last night wrapped up a week of dog-and-pony-show previews by network suits with an awards cereminy that honored Mary Tyler Moore for career achievement– and gave consolation prizes to some of those snubbed in the Emmy nominations.

Friday Night Lights, the struggling drama that NBC wants everyone to like, wasn’t troubled by an Emmy nom Thursday morning, but the TV critics voted it best new drama.

NBC led the pack with three more big awards… won for program of the year… The Office was the critics’ best comedy… and Alec Baldwin, who may or may not still want to remain on his career-boosting show, was cited for best individual achievement incomedy for his work in 30 Rock (but can it make up for amateur Tina Fey‘s Best Actress in A Comedy Emmy nomination for her work on the same show? Even Tina admitted that the nod was “an outrage.”)

Michael C. Hall, whose performance on Dexter was ignored by Emmy along with the rest of Showtime’s offrings, was awarded for individual drama performance.

The Sopranos won for best drama and got the very important-sounding Heritage Award, which recognizes shows with a lasting cultural or social impact.

Also: Discovery’s Planet Earth won for achievement in news and information and in movie/mini/specials, and ABC Family’s Kyle XY for achievement in children’s programming (even though it’s aimed at teens).

–Tabloid Baby