This was a very close race, both in the Readers' Choice poll and among the TV Squad team. In fact, the RC poll has been ping-ponging back and forth for the past few days, and I had to wait until the last moment to declare that winner by a slim margin of only two points! But before we get to who you, the readers chose, let's get on with the TV Squad choice: Heroes.

Heroes is one of those shows that evolved over time with respect to the special effects presented to us. The pilot episode, for example, had much to be desired. When I first commented about the pilot back two years ago, I wasn't at all impressed with what we saw. I thought the effects of showing Nathan fly looked amateurish and with crappily edited wire tricks.

Move ahead through last season of Heroes, and it's been a whole different story. We've got the impressive effects of Hiro's time time-stopping ability, Claire's regenerating wounds, the numerous powers of Peter and even the other times we've seen Nathan fly.

Among the TV Squad team, it was a race between Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. When it came down to voting, these were the only two in contention to win. The readers has roughly the same idea, putting Heroes and BSG neck-in-neck throughout the voting process. By only two points, Battlestar Galactica takes the Readers' Choice award this year. Supernatural had a very tough showing, coming in a rather close third.

This award isn't just about great special effects. There are lots of different ways a show or movie can display effects that dazzle and wow us. This is about a show that uses special effects in ways that, as closely as possible, make us believe what we're seeing could be "real" -- if what we're watching on TV were ever a reality, this is what it would look and sound like, what it would be like. For example, this is what it would look like if someone were to stop time. To pass through walls. To fly.

Congratulations to you, Heroes, for taking the first annual Most Real Unreal award. And a congrats to Battlestar Galactica for taking the Readers' Choice award this time around. As for the other shows that didn't win this time around: make us believe in your reality next year.

The It's A Paycheck Award	The Brought To You By TV Squad Award
The Arrested Development Award	The Put Me Out Of This Misery Award
The Good Riddance Award	The Reality Shows Have Writers!? Award
The Jeopardy Award	The What the *#@#%! Were They Thinking Award
The Adam Finley Award	The Nuttiest Fans Award
The Excellence in Outsourcing Award	The Most Real Unreal Award