DAILY DIRT: It was a big year on the small screen

Daily Dirt for Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022

We haven’t applied the final punctuation yet for our 2022 TV viewing, but I’m already anxious to see what 2023 will hold … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 482 of The Daily Dirt.

1. We’re upon one of my favorite times of the calendar — the holidays, which also translates into all sorts of year-end awards.

Here’s the Daily Dirt major TV award winners for 2022:

• Male Performer of the Year: Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler), “Yellowstone,” Paramount. He’s also my pick to anchor the first Taylor Sheridan spinoff once “Yellowstone” runs its course in the next season or two. I’m pretty sure Rip will be with us for a long, long time. 
• Female Performer of the Year: Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton), “Yellowstone,” Paramount. And so will Beth.
• Best Supporting Male Performer of the Year: Donnie Wahlberg (Danny Reagan), “Blue Bloods,” CBS. I’ve been waiting for years to see Wahlberg get his own series, or possibly he will eventually succeed Tom Selleck (Frank Reagan) as the NYC police commissioner on “Blue Bloods.” 
• Best Supporting Female Performer of the Year: (tie) Isabel May, “1883,” Paramount; and Willa Fitzgerald, “Reacher,” Paramount. A pair of superstars in the making.
• Dramatic Series of the Year: “Blue Bloods,” CBS. Certainly, the show is a bit long in the tooth (it’s been around since 2010), but a quality cast and superior scripts keep this police drama near the top of the weekly Nielsen ratings.
• Action Series of the Year: “Yellowstone,” Paramount. I could have positioned this megahit as the top dramatic series, too, but, hey, let’s share the wealth.
• Comedy Series of the Year: “Young Sheldon,” CBS. What makes this hit click is a stellar and deep cast, led by Iain Armitage (Sheldon), Zoe Perry (Mary Cooper), Lance Barber (George Cooper), Annie Potts (Meemaw), Montana Jordan (Georgie) and Raegan Revord (Missy).
• Newsman of the Year: Lester Holt, NBC. I feel like Lester personally got the country through the pandemic and continues to guide us through the ongoing recovery.
• Correspondent of the Year: Miguel Almaguer, NBC. When there’s a catastrophe to report on, Miguel is there.

2. The finish line is in sight for race to be our No. 1 license plate of 2022.

I came across one great plate a few days ago, one I felt was deserving of the year-end medal stand (at least at this point), but first the best of the rest over the last seven days:

• PHON GUY
• KC SONS 3
• IDQQQ 82
• NO ETA (see below)

These remain the top finds for the year to date:

• Gold medal: IMDUMB. Let’s be honest, barring a miracle sighting in the next few days this is going to be your Plate of the Year.
• Silver medal: OHYO ST8. But if the Buckeyes beat Georgia on New Year’s Eve, who knows how our judges may view the final rankings.
• Bronze medal: NO ETA. Seriously, this is great to see on the backside of a vehicle.
• Honorable mention: B BRAVE
• Honorable mention: 1 KWIKI.
• Honorable mention: LUV YADI.
• Honorable mention: GOL D LOX.
• Honorable mention: QUINCY.
• Honorable mention: CAJUN.

3. On this Tuesday before Christmas, may I get uncharacteristically all soft and mushy?

I borrow from the words of author Oren Arnold, who once shared with the world some Christmas gift suggestions:

• “To your enemy, forgiveness.
• “To an opponent, tolerance.
• “To a friend, your heart.
• “To a customer, service.
• “To all, charity.
• “To every child, a good example.
• “To yourself, respect.” 

Steve Thought O’ The Day
And to all readers of Muddy River News and Sports, a very merry Christmas! And a huge thank you for a great 2022!

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He’s been soft and mushy for a long time.