Television Australian Television Logie Awards Crown Casino Melbourne Australia
Who will win? Who won't? Who cares? Yes, the Logies are back. And although the ceremony at Crown - and the broadcast on Channel Nine - lends itself to a good amount of cringe-inducing navel gazing (usually bemoaning the state of Australian television), we'll certainly be watching come Sunday night. And let's face it, for all its faults, the night is unique in its dagginess. For better or worse, there is nothing else like the Logies on Australian television. So here it is: Green Guide's formguide to The 2012 Logie Awards.
GOLD LOGIE: Most Popular Personality on TV
The Nominees: Adam Hills, Asher Keddie, Carrie Bickmore, Esther Anderson, Hamish Blake, Karl Stefanovic
Who should win: Not Karl. Or Carrie. Her campaign for victory in the press over the past month has been painful to watch. So our dream winner? Adam Hills. Last year, he stole the show in a brief cameo as a presenter. And having served a long, rewarding tenure as master of ceremonies at the much-loved Spicks and Specks, it should be Hills' time.
Who will win: Karl or Carrie.
SILVER LOGIE: Most Popular Actor
The Nominees: Daniel MacPherson (Wild Boys, Channel Seven), Eddie Perfect (Offspring, Network Ten), Erik Thomson (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven), Hugh Sheridan (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven), Ray Meagher (Home And Away, Channel Seven).
Who should win: MacPherson is terrific in the hosting slot of Dancing With the Stars. But as this is an acting category, the fact he has been nominated for Wild Boys means he should be automatically eliminated from calculations. We think Eddie Perfect is the, ahem, perfect choice here. As Mick Holland on the terrific Melbourne-shot drama Offspring, Perfect continues to deliver a winning mix of solid acting and charming pop songs.
Who will win: MacPherson. This is a popularity contest, after all.
SILVER LOGIE: Most Popular Actress
The Nominees: Asher Keddie (Offspring, Network Ten & Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo, ABC1), Danielle Cormack (Underbelly: Razor, Nine Network & East West 101, SBS), Esther Anderson (Home And Away, Channel Seven), Jessica Marais (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven), Rebecca Gibney (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven).
Who should win: Asher Keddie. As Nina Proudman on Ten's Offspring and Ita Buttrose on the ABC's Paper Giants, Keddie had a stellar year. Yes, Cormack was very solid in Razor, but surely it's Keddie's year.
Who will win: Keddie - if there is any justice.
SILVER LOGIE – Most Popular Presenter
The Nominees: Adam Hills (Spicks And Specks & Adam Hills In Gordon St Tonight, ABC1), Carrie Bickmore (The Project, Network Ten), Chrissie Swan (The Circle, Network Ten), Hamish Blake (Hamish & Andy's Gap Year, Nine Network), Karl Stefanovic (Today, Nine Network)
Who should win: Hamish Blake. Sure, his show was not the ratings hit Nine thought, but Blake brandishes a winning mix of sharp comedic skill and charming likeability.
Who will win: Ms Bickmore, we fear.
MOST POPULAR DRAMA SERIES
The Nominees: Home And Away, Offspring, Packed To The Rafters, Underbelly: Razor, Winners And Losers
Who should win: Offspring. Last year the Melbourne drama enjoyed a breakout year. This year, in season three, it will only get bigger as word of mouth spreads. Although underrated by most critics, Underbelly: Razor did a solid job chronicling an intriguing chapter of Australian true-crime history.
Who will win: Packed To The Rafters. Although it appears to be in decline, it still endures as the country's top-rating drama.
MOST POPULAR LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
The Nominees: Australia's Got Talent, Hamish & Andy's Gap Year, Spicks And Specks, Sunrise, The Project.
Who should win: Not Sunrise, because it is more advertorial than light entertainment. By pure definition, the old-fashioned AGT because it was the most popular show on-air in 2011 by a country mile. But we think The Project deserves the slot for its mix of news and laughs. Credit to Ten for sticking to the format.
Who will win: AGT. Two million-plus viewers can('t) be wrong.
MOST POPULAR REALITY PROGRAM
The Nominees: Beauty And The Geek Australia, MasterChef Australia, My Kitchen Rules, The Block, The X Factor Australia
Who should win: Certainly not Beauty and the Geek Australia. The Block deserves a nod for reviving what was seemingly a dormant franchise.
Who will win: All of these shows were ratings winners, but My Kitchen Rules stands above the pack because it has become a genuine game-changing ratings juggernaut.
SILVER LOGIE – Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie
The Nominees: Cloudstreet, Offspring, Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo, The Slap, Underbelly: Razor.
Who should win: No contest: The Slap. The best Australian production of 2011.
Who will win: As this is a peer-voted award, The Slap should romp it in.
SILVER LOGIE – Most Outstanding Actor
The Nominees: Alex Dimitriades (The Slap, ABC1), David Wenham (Killing Time, TV1, FOXTEL), Don Hany (East West 101, SBS), Geoff Morrell (Cloudstreet, Showcase, FOXTEL), Rob Carlton (Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo, ABC1)
Who should win: A very strong field, but Rob Carlton's portrayal of Kerry Packer was so realistic it terrified Nine's current boss David Gyngell. Astonishingly, Carlton has been overlooked to play Packer in the upcoming sequel of the series. David Wenham was also excellent as disgraced lawyer Andrew Fraser.
Who will win: Alex Dimitriades - widely lauded for his astonishing turn as the explosive Harry.
SILVER LOGIE – Most Outstanding Actress
The Nominees: Asher Keddie (Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo, ABC1), Diana Glenn (Killing Time, TV1, FOXTEL), Essie Davis (The Slap, ABC1), Kat Stewart (Offspring, Network Ten), Melissa George (The Slap, ABC1)
Who should win: Another strong field, but Asher Keddie was so convincing as Ita Buttrose it's difficult to look at her the same way again.
Who will win: Keddie. Comfortably.
GRAHAM KENNEDY AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING NEW TALENT
The Nominees: Anna McGahan (Underbelly: Razor, Nine Network), Chelsie Preston Crayford (Underbelly: Razor, Nine Network), Hamish Macdonald (Senior Foreign Correspondent, Network Ten), Hamish Michael (Crownies, ABC1), Melissa Bergland (Winners & Losers, Channel Seven)
Who should win: Anna McGahan was astonishing in Underbelly: Razor. It should be the breakout role for her.
Who will win: McGahan. Surely.
MOST OUTSTANDING LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
The nominees: Australia's Got Talent, Gruen Planet, Spicks And Specks, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, The Project
Who should win: Gruen Planet, a show that achieves a neat trifecta in this category: it educates, amuses and informs.
Who will win: Most likely Australia's Got Talent. Sticking to its brief like few other shows, it did, after all, provide crucial help in taking Seven to the top last year. (Credit: Fairfax Media)
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