Glee reigns supreme at the TCA Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, CA–Glee was the big winner Saturday night at the 26th annual TCA Awards. The flamboyant Fox high school musical took home three awards: best new show, best individual achievement in comedy (for Jane Lynch) and program of the year. While Lynch was absent (with Laryngitis, explained executive producer Ryan Murphy), thee was plenty of Glee in the room, with 11 cast members from the Fox series plus executive producers Murphy and Ian Brennan in the house.

Glee girls Amber Riley, Lea Michele and Naya Rivera

The TCA Awards are a low key stop on the Hollywood trophy circuit, but the community shows up every year. Guys like Tom Hanks, who has been to four or five of these things, set the tone. He even puts on a tie, although he did declare, after being derisively introduced as the “star of Bachelor Party” by Minneapolis Star Tribune presenter Neal Justin (below with Hanks) that “this is the last time I’m fucking dressing up for you people!”

Hanks accepts cheap plastic thingy

Hanks, who was there to accept the award for outstanding achievement in movies, miniseries and specials for HBO’s The Pacific, stayed late and helped close the joint, even posing for pictures with the costumed stars of the best children’s show, Yo Gabba Gabba. The man is a mensch.

So is Bryan Cranston, the star of best drama co-winner Breaking Bad (which tied with Lost). Cranston had won the TCA actor trophy two years in a row and is always funny and eloquent at these events. He was back Saturday night to support the show’s win as well as Julianna Margulies win for best individual achievement in drama (for The Good Wife).

Lost executive producer Damon Lindelof (left) wished he could feel the love from his absent cast. “I remember when the Lost actors still cared about us,” he said, then looking at the executive producer of Glee, who was surrounded by his actors, “It’s coming Murphy, it’s coming.”

Modern Family took the best comedy award and executive producer Steve Levitan (right) took the opportunity to goof on his squirming ABC bosses. Saying he had been out of the country for a week but had written a speech before hand, he pulled out his notes and said, “thank God we had a champion in our corner like Steve McPherson.” He said the departed ABC programming president has assured him, “guys, as long as I’m around, you have nothing to worry about.”
Several members of the Modern Family cast made the party, including Emmy-nominee Ty Burrell.

M*A*S*H Men: Christopher, Matcalfe, Farrell and Reynolds

*A*S*H, which ran 11 seasons, was saluted with the TCA heritage award, with original executive producer Gene Reynolds accepting. He was joined on stage by Burt Metcalfe, who produced the series the final six seasons, and actors William Christopher (Father Mulchahy) and Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt). Farrell joked that he “came to the show late thanks to the unerring business sense of Wayne Rogers” (who left after three seasons).