With 2022 coming to a close, it is time for us to choose what the best entertainment of the year was. And just as the Academy Awards have their "Oscars", so too the Catholic Skywalker Awards have their "Kal-El's"
To reiterate: the reasons for choosing a Superman statue as it's award, and not something from Star Wars are 3-fold:
1. The Catholic Skywalker Awards will cover movies, television, and comic books. Superman is an icon for all three.
2. The pose he has here, revealing his inner hero, is symbolic of the revelation of truth and beauty that we should find in all good art.
3. It's a statue I actually own, so I can use this photo on my blog.
(My appreciation and judgment of a TV show should not be taken as a recommendation. Choosing to watch any of these films is the reader's responsibility)
And now we here at Catholic Skywalker would like to celebrate the best in Television this year.
There are a lot of wonderful (so I'm told) programs out there that, unfortunately, time has not permitted me to see such as Jack Ryan Season 3, The Patient, or Andor.
There are a lot of wonderful (so I'm told) programs out there that, unfortunately, time has not permitted me to see such as Jack Ryan Season 3, The Patient, or Andor.
Shows we watch:
| DRAMA | COMEDY | REALITY | |
DISCLAIMER:
More so than in years past, it has been difficult to find television shows that are not morally compromised. This is not a new problem. Television throughout the years has portrayed and promoted lifestyles that are contrary to the Gospel. Shows like Cheers, Night Court, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, etc have characters living in immoral ways without addressing that context. This is especially true of the comedies. In drama, you can deal with the complexities of human sin in a more ambiguous way than in the modern comedy.
That does not mean that just because a show has good morals that it is therefore a good piece of art. But a show with bad morals makes the show less artistically excellent. In fact, there are many people who will not engage with any of these shows because of their content. I am someone who does engage with the content. Particularly in the area of the sitcom, my choice of the best of the year is not something that excuses the content. It is a statement of the shows excellence in comparison to the other shows in the category. And as I said, almost every show has something that is morally compromising. Therefore, keep that in mind when I am awarding the shows.
Best Drama:
THE CHOSEN
Most Christian movies and television shows are terrible. I think I have been very consistent on this point in this blog.
Most of the time, Christian content is enjoyed as a wholesome substitute for the more artistic and entertaining fare.
But that is not the case with The Chosen.
This show is amazing as a television show. Remove the fact that this show is about the life of Christ and His apostles and it is still an amazing show. While you can tell that the show does not have the budget of a major Hollywood production, it never feels cheap. The show is engaging and immersive.
Show-runner Dallas Jenkins has found just the right balance of faithfulness to the Gospel stories along with dramatic embellishment. He adds texture to all of the characters to make them all feel distinct and three-dimensional. I was thinking about how Peter Jackson had such a difficult time making each of the 13 dwarves from The Hobbit feel like they all had a unique look and voice. The Chosen must do this with all 12 Apostles along with a whole host of other supporting characters. And it works!
One of the things that is so surprising to me is how sad the show feels sometimes. In the previous season, I was heartbroken as John the Baptist left Jesus to go confront Herod Antipas. You could see the look on the Lord's face as He knew that He would never see John again in this world. This season had a number of incredible affective scenes. In one, Jesus tells his Apostles about their mission to preach to the surrounding villages. The gravity and danger of their calling starts to hit them, especially Simon Peter and his wife. The realization that they must part again is deeply sad. In another scene, Jesus speaks to James the Lesser about his disability. It was a moment that spoke so deeply to me and my wife that we both started weeping.
The show is expertly shot. I am amazed at how often they use long single takes. The cast is outstanding. This portrayal of Jesus may be my favorite of any movie or television show I have seen.
This is a show that I can recommend without reservation both artistically and spiritually.
Runners-up
-Obi-Wan Kenobi
-Superman and Lois
-Severance
-This Is Us
-Severance
-This Is Us
Best Comedy
REBOOT
From my review of the series:
The concept of the show is that a beloved 90's show is rebooted with the original cast. There is a lot of history and drama between this returning team that gets all the more exacerbated as there is a power struggle between the two show-runners regarding the tone of the show. One wants a show that is less "jokey" and more socially conscious. The other wants a broad, politically incorrect comedy that is much more in keeping with the original.
What happens is a funny merging of the two styles while all of the foibles and insecurities of the characters come out to the forefront. As I wrote in the disclaimer, there are many moral problems with this show that may turn many people off. One of the things that offsets this is that all of the characters are viewed as horribly flawed, with their immoral behavior looked at in many ways as part of the ethical shortcomings. One of the strengths of the show is that it is always pushing the characters to listen to each other and see value in what the other one brings to the table. There is something laudable in this: to find a common humanity in those that you initially see know kinship. And while doing this, it has some really funny moments.
Runners-up
Only Murders in the Building
The Simpsons
Mythic Quest
Grand Crew
Best Actor in a Drama
Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi
From my review of the show: Going back to McGregor's performance, I found it riveting. The last few minutes of the 2nd episode his power as an actor by projecting such intense emotion with incredible control. His reaction to the revelation he receives in this scene hit me like a ton of bricks. He becomes a whirlwind of fear and guilt while maintaining a heroic stillness. It is truly a great performance.
While the show has some issues with its production and direction, McGregor grounds everything in Kenobi's journey. His arc is what should have been Luke's in The Last Jedi. McGregor does not hold anything back in this performance, showing us all the layers of this character, from his lowest points until he returns to the genial guardian mentor we find at the beginning of the first Star Wars. It is a fantastic performance that I will enjoy for years to come.
Runners-up
Adam Scott - Severance
Adam Scott - Severance
Bob Odenkirk - Better Call Saul
Oscar Isaac - Moon Knight
Jonathan Roumie - The Chosen
Best Actress in a Drama
Rhea Seehorn - Better Call Saul
Seehorn does a truly amazing job in the final episodes of this series. Her character has always been one that maintained tight control of her emotions. As things spun out of control, she hid herself behind facade, sleepwalking through life. Even when she begins to atone for her past sins, she still maintains a stoic outward appearance. All. of this shows excellent artistic restraint.
But it is in the final moments of this particular episode where the power of her performance comes out. Without saying a word, all of the guilt, pain, and overwhelming emotion begin to seep out while on a public bus. It is riveting to watch her try to maintain control but then watching the dams break and all of this feeling spill out into the world. It was one of the most cathartic moments on TV this year.
Runners-up
Mandy Moore - This Is Us
Elizabeth Tulloch - Superman and Lois
Amanda Seyfried - The Dropout
Emelia Jones - Locke and Key
Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Paul Walter Hauser - Black Bird
If you are only familiar with Hauser's work in Cobra Kai, then you can be forgiven for thinking he is merely a broad-strokes comedian. But ever since seeing him in Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell, I've been aware of his power as an actor. In Black Bird, Hauser plays a serial killer who many underestimate as a harmless wimp. Part of the power of Hauser's performance is that he generates an oddball sympathy. He reminds you of that person you went to school with that never quite fit in and that you always took pity on. But underneath that is a menace of pure evil. He takes such glee in the pain he inflicts while at the same time trying to come off as the sympathetic victim of circumstance. It is an infuriatingly fantastic performance that is truly chilling.
Runners-up
Luke Wilson - Stargirl
Michael Keaton - Dopesick
Boyd Holbrook - The Sandman
Jon Huertas - This is Us
Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Kaitlyn Dever - Dopesick
I have been a big fan of Dever since her time on Last Man Standing. And even though I hated the movie Booksmart, I thought she had a great performance. This show is the best thing she has done thus far. She carries with it that quiet dignity of someone who takes pride in her blue-collar work. She has to stand up to the prejudices of people who cannot understand how she could want to work in coal mines. On top of this, she lives with a secret that she keeps from her family. And then we watch her slow descent into addiction that is as heartbreaking as it is captivating. Dever digs deep to some powerful emotional depths while maintaining a skillful level of restraint. In a show with some really great performances, she might be the best part of the show.
Runners-up
Darby Stanchfield - Locke and Key
Constance Wu - The Terminal List
Kirby Howell-Baptiste - The Sandman
Britt Lower– Severance
Britt Lower– Severance
Best Actor, Comedy
Keegan-Michael Key- Reboot
The more I see of Keegan-Michael Key, the more impressed I am with him. He has an incredibly diverse range as a comedian. He is able to tackle broad, physical comedy, but he also has the ability to adapt to the subtle and sophisticated humor. And he is able to use both of these sides of him in Reboot. His character, Reed Sterling, is a classically trained actor who despises his sitcom past and is humiliated by his sitcom present. And yet, he desperately needs the work in which he struggles to find meaning. Key makes his character incredibly sympathetic, but draws great comedic profit from showing him get his comeuppance. This is an excellent comedic performance.
Runners-up
Ted Danson - Mr. Mayor
Martin Short - Only Murders in the Building
Rob McElhenney - Mythic Quest
Steve Martin - Only Murders in the Building
Best Actress, Comedy
Judy Greer - Reboot
I have been a fan of Greer for years. Her character, Bree Marie Jensen, is one who is completely self-absorbed and vapid. She should be a completely repugnant character that does nothing but repel. But Greer not only infuses her with some much-needed humanity, but with a level of charm that actually makes her likable. She is an aging actress who is filled with rageful envy. But she is also a fish-out-of-water in the world of modern media and she has such trouble navigating stardom in the current age. Watching her flop around aimlessly from mistake to mistake is a source of fantastic humor.
Runners-up
Holly Hunter – Mr. Mayor
Selena Gomez - Only Murders in the Building
Charlotte Nicdao - Mythic Quest
Melissa Fumero- Blockbuster
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Paul Reiser - Reboot
Reiser might be the best thing about this show. He plays a person of poor moral character. He is a deadbeat dad who is also a horrible, controlling egotist. His petty power plays are infuriating to watch. But there are two things that make this performance so good. The first is that his character is actually trying to improve as a person and Reiser is able to aptly play all of the emotional contradictions and drama of that journey. But the second thing that while playing a comedy writer, Reiser is actually very funny. His character responds to everything with humor. Whether angry, worried, happy, or sad, there is always a joke to be made and with Reiser, the joke almost always lands.
Runners-up
David Hornsby - Mythic Quest
Danny Pudi - Mythic Quest
Carl Tart - Grand Crew
Johnny Knoxville - Reboot
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Jessie Ennis - Mythic Quest
Sometimes you need a character that is completely over-the-top to give the show just the right comedic energy. And that is what Ennis does with her character Jo on Mythic Quest. She is a hand-grenade with the pin pulled. You never know when she is going to explode. And when she does, she makes you laugh. She can do a complete 180 in emotional energy without losing any of the believability of the performance. Every time she is on screen you cannot wait to see what she will do because her performance is so wonderfully unpredictable.
Runners-up
Nicole Byer - Grand Crew
Krista Marie Yu - Elaine Kim
Madeleine Arthur - Blockbuster
Amy Ryan - Only Murders in the Building
Stay tuned for the Catholic Skywalker Awards for Best Movies of 2022
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