The 2006 Geiger Awards, Day 1

'Tis the time of the year for awards and year-in-review stuff, and we here at Glowy Box are jumping into the fray with the first annual Geiger Awards. Over the next five days, we'll be rewarding our favorites of the year in television (limited to the shows we watch, but that's what makes them our favorites). We're trying to give some love to those shows and actors who don't always get noticed by the big, bloated Hollywood awards, but who deserve recognition for making television great. Without these shows, we would have nothing to blog about. Well, we would, but it probably wouldn't be pretty.

Best Comedy: Arrested Development. Its hilarious final episodes only reinforced the fact that Fox cancelled the funniest show on television. From the brilliantly meta "S.O.B.s" to the triumphant return of Franklin the puppet, the last five episodes embodied everything that made Arrested Development great, and everything the remaining sitcoms on television should aspire to be.

Best Drama: Grey's Anatomy. How many other dramas have us crying and screaming at the TV? It's soapy goodness.

Best New Comedy: 30 Rock. It's already proven that it belongs with My Name Is Earl, The Office, and Scrubs, thanks to great writing and Condi's squeeze, Alec Baldwin. (See, Laura? She does have the support system to become president!)

Best New Drama: Heroes. With such compelling characters and a fascinating premise, we can almost forgive them for casting Milo.

Best Reality Show: The Amazing Race. We just barely gave it the edge over Project Runway because Phil could take Tim easily in a fight. Not that we want them to fight; we're just saying.

Best Show We're Not Watching: Battlestar Galactica. Even Veronica Mars is telling us to watch!

Best Cable Show: Project Runway. We couldn't not reward Project Runway just because Tim doesn't want to wrinkle his suit.

Best Cartoon: Frisky Dingo. A newcomer to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim slate, it has already set itself apart with clever writing, relatable characters, and storylines that actually go somewhere (no offense to other Adult Swim shows). With animated stalwarts like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and even Aqua Teen Hunger Force growing stale, Frisky Dingo dares to ask questions like, "What would happen if an English-accented space villain with plans to annihilate the Earth had to deal with an insurance company?"

Guiltiest Pleasure: Justice. I mean, have you seen the previews for this week's episode? Victor Garber didn't order a baby, people!

Best Comedy Actress: Jessica Walter, Arrested Development. Lucille Bluth, the matriarch of the Bluth family, might be an over-the-top character, but Jessica Walter played her with a remarkably subtle, dry genius. She even managed the seemingly impossible: stealing scenes from co-stars like Will Arnett, David Cross, and Jeffrey Tambor.

Best Comedy Actor: John C. McGinley, Scrubs. Some of the best line readings on TV, bar none. But we're still waiting for that $12 he owes us.

Best Drama Actress: Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy. So she didn't cut anybody's LVAD wire, nor did she… do whatever it was that got Ellen Pompeo nominated for a Golden Globe (aside from the obvious Squint-Off she's having with Renee Zellweger), but she makes Cristina an enjoyable and even likeable character, which is much tougher.

Best Drama Actor: Hugh Laurie, House. Hugh Laurie's not exactly starved for love, given that he's won approximately everything, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, for his role as Dr. Gregory House, but there's a reason for that: he's very good at his job.