Hawaii 5-0 and Sherlock took the top two spots in the 2011 UK Cult TV awards, which are voted on by viewers rather than industry professionals. Hawaii 5-0 won the best new premium channel show prize and Sherlock took the award for best new free-to-air channel programme. And Hawaii 5-0 made it a double by also winning the gong for best new title sequence.
On returning TV programmes, there was a tie for the best premium channel series between Fringe and Lie to Me. Lie to Me was also voted as the show that should not have been cancelled.
Lie to Me “found only a small but incredibly loyal audience” according to awards organiser Alex Geairns in the official announcement.
Unsurprisingly, Doctor Who won the award for best returning free-to-air channel series. Michael Gambon took the best guest appearance prize for his role as Elliot Sardick in the Doctor Who episode “A Christmas Carol”. Doctor Who made it a hat-trick by landing the best DVD presentation award for “Planet of the Spiders”.
And showing that it still has a loyal following years later, Buffy the Vampire Slayer took the prize for best repeat series. Ruth Kearney won the breakthrough performance award for playing Jess Parker in Primeval. And Rob Brydon was named cult personality of the year.
The BBC’s Eric and Ernie, documenting the careers of comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, took the prize for for Best Special or Mini Series.
Hall of Fame
As well as the awards for shows and people in the past year, each year Cult TV adds names to its Hall of Fame and this year, not surprisingly given the tragic death this year of Elisabeth Sladen, Sarah Jane Smith won the coveted Hall of Fame Hero spot. The corresponding Villain award went to Baron Greenback from Dangermouse. The Persuaders was added to the Hall of Fame Series list.
The new additions for Hall of Fame Actor and Actress were Patrick Macnee and Lucy Lawless, respectively.
“It is fair to say that both these people have extraordinary careers right across a range of Cult TV series, and is an example of how these particular awards have matured to celebrate entire careers rather than the one role,” said Geairns.
Val Guest and Stephen Moffat took the director and producer spots and Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais were added to the writers list. Gary D’Amico took the Hall of Fame Special Effects spot for his work on Heroes and The Event and Barbara Kidd went onto the Hall of Fame Costumes list for her work on Blake’s 7 and Doctor Who.
Also added to the Hall of Fame were Fred Flintstone (Animated Character), Volkswagen The Force – Little Darth (Advert) and Edmund Butt (TV Music) for Ashes to Ashes and Survivors.
Hall of Shame
As well as the Hall of Fame, Cult TV also awards those who stood out for the wrong reason by having a Hall of Shame. Into the pile this year went, for Worst Line of Dialogue, Babylon 5 for Sheridan saying to the Vorlons and Shadows: "Now get the hell out of our galaxy, both of you!"
The Continuity Clanger prize went to the Doctor Who episode “Curse of the Black Spot” for the disappearance of two pirates without explanation and the Worst Special Effect was won by Space 1999 for the radiation monsters in the episode “The Bringers of Wonder”.
Steve Rogerson - Steve Rogerson is a UK-based writer specialising in television, technology, sports and beer.
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