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TV Tonight Awards: Underbelly wins Best Drama

The votes are in! Kat Stewart and Gyton Grantley thank readers of TV Tonight for choosing Underbelly as the year's top drama. All the winners are here...

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TV Tonight readers have voted Underbelly the Best Australian Drama of 2008.

Channel Nine’s gangland mini-series polled ahead of Seven’s Packed to the Rafters and City Homicide. TEN’s Rush came in fourth place.

Kat Stewart and Gyton Grantley, who played the role of Roberta Williams and Carl Williams, both thanked readers for the win.

“Thank you TV Tonight readers, for voting Underbelly as Best Drama for 2008!” said Kat Stewart.

“Being based on real events that were still unfolding around us, the stakes felt pretty high. You dream of getting a job where cracker scripts are taken even further with inspired direction, camera, performances, editing and sound.

“I’m personally really proud and eternally grateful to be part of it. It’s given me my best screen opportunity so far, and the opportunity to exchange abuse with strangers in a warm and affectionate way! ” she said.

Gyton Grantley said: “This was a special production because it told a true Australian story. One that was born and bred in the streets of Melbourne. The audience reaction was astounding and I’m sure it was this close relationship to the happenings of the gangland war that made it so watchable.

“Thanks again to TV Tonight readers for your support.”

2008 was a year that surely put Kat Stewart on the map. She also ranked highly in the Favourite Female category. In addition to shooting Tangle for pay television last year, she flexxed her comedic skills in SBS’ Newstopia –which also polled well in the Comedy category.

“Thanks also to TV Tonight readers for supporting Newstopia which we hope will be back some time in 2009,” she added.

Here are the winners of the TV Tonight Awards 2008:

Best Drama : Underbelly
Packed to the Rafters, City Homicide, Rush.

Best Drama (Int): Dexter
Lost, NCIS, House.

Best Comedy: The Hollowmen
Newstopia, Bogan Pride, Spicks and Specks.

Best Comedy (Int): 30 Rock
Two & a Half Men, The Office, How I Met Your Mother.

Best Light Entertainment: Rove
Spicks and Specks, Good News Week, The Gruen Transfer.

Best Morning Show: Sunrise
Today, 9am with David & Kim, The Morning Show.

Best Game Show: Deal or No Deal
Temptation, The Rich List, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

Best Reality: So You Think You Can Dance
Big Brother, Australian Idol, The Biggest Loser

Best Reality (Int): The Amazing Race
Survivor, So You Think You Can Dance (US), American Idol.

Best Lifestyle: Better Homes & Gardens
Domestic Blitz, Getaway, What’s Good For You.

Best Factual or Documentary: Border Security
The Howard Years, Bondi Rescue, Find my Family / RPA.

Best News or Public Affairs: Seven News
7:30 Report, 60 Minutes, Today Tonight.

Best Talk Show: Enough Rope with Andrew Denton
Rove, Q&A, Talking Heads.

Best Kids Show: Hi-5
H20 Just Add Water, Blue Water High, Play School.

Best Sports Show: The Footy Show
Beijing Olympics, Before the Game, Sports Tonight.

Best New Show: Packed to the Rafters
Underbelly, Rush, The Gruen Transfer.

Favourite Male: Rove McManus
Hamish Blake, Daniel McPherson, Shaun Micallef.

Favourite Female: Rebecca Gibney
Kat Stewart, Kate Ritchie, Julia Zemiro.

Worst Male: Kyle Sandilands
Andrew O’Keefe, David Koch, Rove McManus.

Worst Female: Melissa Doyle
Jackie O, Anna Coren, Sonia Kruger.

Worst Show: Big Brother
Monster House, The Strip, Today Tonight.

Worst Show (Int): Kath & Kim (US)
Two and a Half Men, The Moment of Truth, 90210.

Show Most in Need of Retirement / Axing: Australian Idol
Neighbours, Dancing with the Stars, All Saints.

Show We Need to See on air: Pushing Daisies
True Blood, Chuck, Reaper.

Story of the Year: Scheduling hits a new low
The end of Big Brother, The Underbelly ban, Nine axes Sunday and its News brand diminishes

Best Subscription Channel: FOX8
Arena, FOX Sports, Showcase.

Best Free to Air Channel: Seven
ABC, TEN, Nine.

A few trends in voting this year indicated some readers voted for 2007 shows that were actually in re-run last year (ie Summer Heights High, The Chaser) despite survey guidelines to focus on first-run shows. This meant those votes were ousted from those categories. In Comedy some chose to add Light Entertainment shows (there were no restrictions on scripted or non-scripted).  Packed to the Rafters even logged quite a few votes in the Comedy category!

In sport there were votes for “The Footy Show, Footy Show (AFL) and Footy Show (NRL).” Whilst the AFL votes more than dominated NRL, The Footy Show brand was clearly a first choice.

Some shows ranked highly in both popular and worst categories, no doubt dividing viewers.

The Ellen de Generes Show polled well in the Talk Show category, but this section was preceded by a guideline to vote for Aussie shows.

A significant number of votes also chose “Foxtel” as Best Subscription Channel. Go figure.

In “Show We Need to See on air” there were some votes for show already on Pay TV. Whilst it would be nice to see them on FTA, sadly they didn’t qualify in this category.

One voter got very creative and tried to stack votes for their favourite shows by logging identical votes on multiple computers. But when there are some 30 questions and all your votes are for Anthony Callea, Catriona Rowntree, Sandra Sully, Worst Week of my Life, Jamie at Home, Dicko, and X Factor UK it’s just a dead give away. Sorry, those votes were all logged as 1 in each category.

And whose star is on the way up? New names on the “Favourite Male / Female” list, ranking just outside top placings were: Gyton Grantley, Todd Lasance, Callan Mulvey, Rodger Corser, Hugh Sheridan, Madeleine West, Lisa Wilkinson and Jolene Anderson.

To compare results with 2007 go here.

And that wraps up 2008! Thanks for voting, guys!

44 Responses

  2. Tony, the public and shows like TT and ACA glorified Underbelly not people who watched it they just thought it was an excellent drama made here in Australia

  4. Leaving aside the technical merits of Underbelly, I have a real problem with a show that glorifies a bunch of dumb thugs and killers. I never watched a second of it.

  5. Thanks for the results David. I have been looking forward to this post.

    The Hollowmen were a very well deserved winner of best comedy. Along with Underbelly for best drama. Both got my vote.

    It was also great to see The Amazing Race win best international reality show. Just ahead of Survior in my book.

    100% agree with Kyle Sandilands as worse male. I cannot stand the man.

    And as for the biggest story my vote went for the Underbelly ban, however I agree that FTA scheduling in 2008 was the worse ever however 2009 may be even worse. God help us all.

    Finally, lol at “A significant number of votes also chose “Foxtel” as Best Subscription Channel. Go figure.”

    Thanks for another great year David!!

  7. Although i do find melissa doyle annoying.

    Did anyone see Vanessa Gray on ‘The Strip’?I mean I know the storylines and dialogue were ablosutley disgustingly bad, but i mean she displayed the worst acting i have ever seen on austrailian television.

  8. To johnny1.5 (weird username there ) in category of Favourite Female, Julia Zemiro getsmention.
    Rockwiz like Spicksand Specksare 2 shows worth watching most weeks.
    Great hosts, great entertainment – perfect fits for their networks.

  9. Is it wrong to think that stoners voted for a lot of these options? Border Security as best factual? What are they smoking?? Anyway, I’m glad Lost got 2nd place in best int. drama, its miles above Dexter I reckon. Well, Dexter season 2 wasn’t half as good as the first season I thought whereas Lost has been consistently enjoyable apart from a slight dip in quality in season 3. And I agree Ben, Office and Sunny are great shows, they deserve better recognition. I’m also surprised to see 30 Rock winning best comedy, I thought for sure 2.5 men would get it (along with worst comedy), but anyway.

  10. A pity RockWiz never got a mention or Julia Zemiro, there is always the end of this year I guess to vote for them and get them into runners up at least, however I will not hold my breath and probably cast the one lonely vote for both again and live in hope that this fine show and host one day get recognised by the general public.

  11. Thanks David!!

    A great poll with great results – suprised with Underbelly, but Im in Melbourne so we missed the boat with that one 🙁

    Great news for Enough Rope and Mel Doyle lol

  12. I’m curious, how come channel 10 is written in capitals like ‘TEN’ but channel 9 is written like ‘Nine’?

    “the majority of the people who voted were likely biased towards a particular channel.” – Knoxoverstreet

    Kinda like you all the time?

  13. I’m glad Survivor won 2nd place. Maybe those programmers over at ch 9 will sit up and take notice at the results!

    Andrew O’ Keefe as worst male but Deal or No Deal as best game show? Hmm.

  15. *nudges knoxoverstreet* as you choose t post in this thread.
    Suppose you voted for The Strip as best drama, Hole In Wall or Monster House as best comedy.No surprise your first comment here is dig at another network show (working for Nine’s PR dept must be hard work mate)
    2 and half men your best comedy,is that why you flogged it to death.
    Ihave worst shows and presenters across all networks – strange how you can only find fault with 7,10,2 & SBS.
    Worst show for me was ACA closely followed by Todat tonight and Monster House.
    Worst presenters – Jackie O, Kyle, Jules Lund,Karl Stefanovic, Andrew O’Keefe etc..
    knoxoverstreet, what wwre your own best and worst ?

    P.S. still no surprise neither you nor the 3 other similar pro nine plants have not posted in programming threads about Gossip Girl,Temptation or Flashpoint.
    At least I post here without bias unless some others.

  18. Benno: “I know a certain few people on this site who will be disappointed that Border Security made the best factual.”

    Dissappointed doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling that I’m, er, feeling at the moment, Benno. Shame, shame, shame.

    Other than that, another interesting batch of results. Interesting to see Lisa Wilkinson ranking “just outside” the Favourite Female category with Melissa Doyle as Worst Female and Kochie grabbing 3rd Worst Male, but Sunrise still being voted the best Morning Show.

  19. thanks david, i’ve been looking foreward to these results.

    disapointed to see that 2.5men didn’t get worst int. comedy. but 2nd to kath and kim US still isn’t something to be proud of.

    there will be a lot of people that will be upset that border security, sunrise and BH&G won awards but facts are facts, i don’t mind any of those shows. all you border security fans are a quiet bunch.

    i’m very proud of rebecca gibney. i am voting for her gold logie as well. long live the rafters. i thought they had best drama in the bag there was a poll on this site a few months back that rafters won above underbelly, i wonder what changed?

    phish knoxoverstreet, “the majority of the people who voted were likely biased towards a particular channel.” you make it sound like it was directed at others. you’ve said some unusual things on this site but that is probably the worst.
    the 9 fanboys need to admit that no one likes 9 anymore. 4th place, what more evidence do you need?

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