A fading former category winner and another Netflix release comprise our seventh and eighth place selections. As mentioned above, Mad Men was our favorite program of 2010. Ignoring the year where no new episodes aired, 2014 marks the fifth consecutive time that we have lauded the Matthew Weiner series. Alas, we at least somewhat agree with the critics who felt that there was something missing last season. As such, Mad Men fell from second place last year to seventh place this year. Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards, the latest television adaptation of the Michael Dobbs 1989 novel, is our eighth favorite program. This Netflix exclusive is an exercise in meticulously paced drama, and Spacey is using the lead role to define himself as one of the finest living actors.

The yin and yang of television complete our top ten nominations. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is equal parts send-up and celebration of 1970s cop shows. Using Andre Braugher’s emotionless behavior as a base, it features the usual quirky cast of co-workers who drive each other crazy in a familial sort of way. Brooklyn Nine-Nine features a rarefied level of wit and verve plus the coolest theme song on television today.





As a new show debuts on our list, a treasured favorite retires. Futurama’s writers spent the body of 2013 joking that they had crafted the fourth different series finale for the sublime science fiction comedy. That statement speaks volumes about how frequently its fate has been in doubt. Whether this canceled program finally stays canceled remains to be seen. All we can say with confidence is that it ended with a bang, not a whimper. After all, how many series could create a plot point out of killing off a main character dozens of times? Futurama has always been ahead of the curve on cleverness, which is why we hope, pray and expect it to return again one day. Until then, we simply hope that the people involved with the show know how much we love and adore Fry, Leela, Bender, Zoidberg and (especially) Scruffy.

Just missing nomination this year were Parks and Recreation (for the first time ever), Arrested Development, New Girl, The Good Wife, Modern Family (also for the first time ever), The Walking Dead, Almost Human, The Big Bang Theory, Veep, Elementary, Orphan Black and Masters of Sex. Streaming video is ubiquitous now. You have no excuse not to watch them all.

2014 Calvin Awards
Calvins Intro
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Album
Best Cast
Best Character
Best Director
Best Overlooked Film
Best Picture
Best Scene
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best TV Show
Best Use of Music
Best Videogame
Breakthrough Performance
Worst Performance
Worst Picture

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