Best Song: "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," by Diane Warren, Burlesque
Compared to most detractors, I'm a Diane Warren apologist. I support plenty of the celebrated schmaltzsmith's hits, from (gasp) "Blame It on the Rain" to (larger gasp) "There You'll Be" from the Pearl Harbor soundtrack. But Cher's key ballad from Burlesque is no award-winner -- it's barely a song, honestly. Is there even a hook? Diane, where did you put the hook? I'm happy the nth-time nominee finally came through with a win, but I'm not so thrilled she won in a year with plenty of lesser-noticed, under-loved tunes.
Best Series, Drama: Boardwalk Empire
What was this about? Though the Hollywood Foreign Press is known for honoring the newest and flashiest TV (like Boardwalk Empire), it's safe to say at least three of the HBO series's competitors enjoyed more consistent seasons. Mad Men's acting triumphs, The Good Wife's stellar characters, and the indefatigably addictive Dexter could've used the hardware this year. Furthermore, where was Breaking Bad's heart-stopping third season in this lineup?
Best Series, Comedy: Glee
I've never been a Gleebaser, but can anyone deny that Glee's second season is -- somehow -- more inconsistent than its first? That if you're not going to award Heather Morris, you shouldn't award any of McKinley's denizens? At any rate, Modern Family's spotless cast and scripts warranted a victory here, and the HFPA opted to commemorate its unfulfilled teenage dreams instead.
Best Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Nucky's a personal antihero of mine, but Jon Hamm's peerless arc in Mad Men's fourth season -- from drunken solitude to an impromptu marriage proposal -- was maddeningly grim and often heartbreaking. No one can deny that Hamm's performance in "The Suitcase," the single best episode of 2010, brought the emotional season to an unforeseen (and unmatched) climax. Nucky has yet to achieve such a memorable moment on Boardwalk Empire.
Best Supporting Actress, Melissa Leo, The Fighter
She's a shoo-in Oscar contender, but to my eyes, Leo's a solid third-place supporting actress. We're Team Jacki 'round these parts and need her to clinch the Academy Award, but my choice for a Jacki alternate is Leo's co-star Amy Adams. If anyone was convincing trash in The Fighter, it was Adams -- with her breakneck sass, Jersey Shore gait, and Tonya Harding mane balled up to one side. Leo was intriguing as the title pugilist's overbearing mother, but Adams's emotional sparring packed more of a haymaker.