Most discussed interview: For a few minutes there, Katie Couric became relevant again thanks to her endlessly mocked interview with would-be vice president Sarah Palin.
Best way to keep actor’s egos in line: Next time an actor says, “I wanna write an episode!” they should be forced to read the nasty message board comments inspired by Chad Michael Murray’s dreadful attempt at scripting a ONE TREE HILL episode.
Most compelling storyline, daytime: Fans were disgusted when ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Marty — suffering amnesia — slept with her rapist, Todd. But the repercussions of the story created the kind of psychologically complex, buzz-worthy tale that most shows wouldn’t even attempt, let alone manage to pull off successfully.
Worst trend, daytime: Grief sex. GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Sonny and Carly screwed in the back seat of his limo moments after putting their comatose son into permanent care; ALL MY CHILDREN’s Kendall slept with Aidan moments after they decided their supposedly significant others were dead; and AMC’s Krystal mourned her daughter by cheating on her husband with the dead girl’s father. Could someone tell the folks at ABC that grief isn’t an aphrodisiac?
Best revamp: DIRTY SEXY MONEY got it right during its second season. Unfortunately, nobody was around to see the show finally become primetime’s guiltiest pleasure.
Biggest flop: Any chance the variety show format had of making a comeback was massacred by ROSIE LIVE!
Best resurgence of a soap: A year ago, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS was a hard-to-watch mess. Unlike most sudsers, it listened to fan outcry and quickly righted itself to once again become daytime’s most reliable show.
Most guilty of Emmy-baiting: Note to LAW & ORDER: SVU: We all know Mariska Hargitay is a good actress. Now that we’ve conceded the point, can the show stop turning every episode into her Emmy reel?
Best Jawdropper: Holy Frak! The Chief is a cylon? And Saul, too? BATTLESTAR GALACTICA turned the universe upside down with a shocking reveal three seasons in the making. Now, who’s that last pesky cylon?
Lamest excuse: AMERICAN IDOL’s producers announced that due to the faltering economy, their annual charityfest, IDOL GIVES BACK, was being cancelled… just when the country needed it most.
Neighbors we’ll miss most: Dang it, we never got invited to one of Trina and Tom’s infamous pool parties before SWINGTOWN got the axe!
Best newcomer, comedy: Virtual newbie Kurt Bornheimer steals the show as fate’s bitch, Sam, on WORST WEEK.
Best unintentional newcomer, comedy: The so-called ‘acting’ on KNIGHT RIDER.
Most catastrophic no-show: Now we’re not saying that John McCain’s decision to blow-off David Letterman cost him the election, but having the late-night comedian bash him for days on end sure didn’t help.
Break-up we took the hardest: THE OFFICE’s Michael Scott wasn’t the only one weeping when his lady love Holly — the adorably goofy Amy Ryan — was sent packing. 
In case you missed them, click for Part I and Part II of our never-ending TV year in review!