From Anatomy to Zidane: TV Guide Picks 2006's Big Moments

As part of its annual "My Big Year" issue, TV Guide recaps the most stellar TV moments of 2006. Did your personal faves make the cut?

Big Moments
• Kiefer Sutherland Wins the Emmy: "What a nice evening this has been for us. My father's sitting right over there. We're going to have dinner now." — 24's Kiefer Sutherland accepting the Best Actor in a Drama Emmy on Aug. 27, with proud papa Donald Sutherland looking on.
• Heroes' Cheerleader Refuses to Be Spirited Away: The peppy, indestructible cheerleader (endearing Hayden Panettiere) had the show's biggest "holy crap!" moment in October when she cheated death on an autopsy table. "I've died before — it's no big deal," Claire nonchalantly told Peter in Heroes' mid-season finale.
• Kate Chooses Sawyer: Since the crash of Flight 815, Lost's biggest mystery — aside from the polar bears, the smoke monster and the exact nature of life and death on the island — has been Kate and Sawyer or Kate and Jack? On Nov. 8, we got the answer, in a scene best described as caged passion. So now, about those polar bears....
• Dr. House Takes a Bullet: It had to happen. Sooner or later, the caustic, Vicodin-loving House would get a little taste of his own nasty medicine. In the May 23 season finale, the not-so-happy husband of a former patient provided the karma, sending the doc to the emergency room with a bullet in his gut.
• The Closer Confronts Her Past — and Future: The old love between Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) and Chief Pope was announced to the squad by Pope's angry ex, Estelle. The only mystery left: will Brenda be more open about her love for Fritz?
• Desperate Housewives' Hostage Crisis: She never really fit in with the other neighbors. But when gun-wielding Carolyn Bigsby (Laurie Metcalfe) took half of Wisteria Lane hostage, we knew this housewife was a little too desperate to survive.
• Disney Channel's High School Musical Explodes on TV, CD and DVD: "Kids and parents come up to me all the time to talk about how much High School Musical has meant to them. It's a real thrill. All I've ever wanted to do was be a part of musicals and help keep them alive. It's really been one of the best years of my life." — Kenny Ortega, director
• Grey's Anatomy's Derek Seduces Meredith: McDreamy's pickup line: "Do you think I want to look at you? That I wouldn't rather be looking at my wife? I'm married! I have responsibilities! She doesn't drive me crazy. She doesn't make it impossible for me to feel normal. Oh, man, I would give anything not to be looking at you."

Big Returns
• David James Elliott: TV's sexiest officer and a gentleman, the 10-year JAG vet remains a class act, holding court as Close to Home's hard-nosed new ADA James Conlon.
• Calista Flockhart: The skirts are longer and the dancing baby is MIA (thank god), but Flockhart's still got that quirky McBeal appeal as Brothers & Sisters' romantically challenged Kitty Walker.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Seinfeld curse, Schmeinfeld curse. The erstwhile Elaine remade a name for herself in The New Adventures of Old Christine, snagging big ratings and an Emmy along the way.
• Kyle Chandler: He's seasoned to perfection: Six years after he delivered his last Early Edition, the paperboy next door is shining as Friday Night Lights' Coach Taylor.
• Anne Heche: Sassier and sexier than ever as Men in Trees' leading lady, the onetime Another World Emmy winner has only grown more impressive after her stints on Everwood and Nip/Tuck.

Big CSI Moments
• CSI: In May, we were finally presented with evidence that proved Gil Grissom has a passion for something other than bugs — namely, Sara Sidle.
• CSI: NY: Wait, is that the usually grim-faced Mac Taylor canoodling? Yep, he kicked off the season by cozying up to new girlfriend Peyton Driscoll.
• CSI: Miami: Blame it on Rio! What's better than Horatio Caine and Eric Delko kicking bad-guy butt? Watching them do it in exotic Brazil.

Big Guests
• Brooke Shields: Even Tom Cruise couldn't fault her work as Christian's shrink-turned-lover on Nip/Tuck and a Christie Brinkley-esque supermodel on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
• Forest Whitaker: He should've won an Emmy as a dogged cop on The Shield. Maybe he'll win one as a disgruntled patient on ER. Or perhaps an Oscar as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.
• Chevy Chase: He's a surprisingly good dramatic actor, and you're not. But his Law & Order role as an anti-Semitic celeb busted for drunk driving won't earn him a part in Mel Gibson's “Apocalypto 2.”
• Jane Seymour: It was a match made in TV heaven: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, beds Doogie Howser, M.D. No wonder she had such great chemistry with Neil Patrick Harris on How I Met Your Mother.
• David Morse: When his hard-charging detective sought revenge against Dr. House for leaving a thermometer inside him a little too long, he brought a whole new meaning to pain in the butt.

Big Sports Moments
• The Head-butt Seen Round the World: During the World Cup final, with 284 million global viewers, France's Zinedine Zidane slammed his noggin into the chest of Italy's Marco Materazzi, who had insulted Zidane's sister. Zidane got tossed from the game, and the Italians went on to win the super bowl of soccer in a penalty shootout, 5-3.
• The Steelers Ride the Bus to Super Bowl Victory: In the final stop of his football career, Jerome "the Bus" Bettis helped Pittsburgh to its first Super Bowl title in 26 years, a 21-10 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks.
• Agassi's Tearful Goodbye: After losing in the third round of the U.S. Open, retiring tennis great Andre Agassi gave a heartfelt thanks to his fans: "You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams."
• Cinderella Arrives: Seeded only 11th in their region, the fearless George Mason Patriots knocked off goliaths North Carolina and Connecticut en route to their shining moment in the NCAA's Final Four.
• Big Ten Barn-stormer: For the first time in their storied rivalry, Ohio State and Michigan ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the country for their annual face-off. "The Game" didn't disappoint, with a thrilling victory for the Buckeyes on their way to the national championship game.

Oprah's Big 5 Moments
• Fake-memoir author James Frey got ripped into a million little pieces by an angry O. "You can make up stories and call them novels," she said. "People have done it for years."
• Jim McGreevey, gay American and former New Jersey governor, did his best to explain why he lied to his now-jilted wife for so long. Oprah was cool about it. Cool as ice.
• Jennifer Aniston denied tabloid reports that she'd broken up with Vince Vaughn, confirming the romance on TV for the first time. And that other rumor? "No boob job!"
• Madonna defended her adoption of a Malawian toddler, claiming she initially knew nothing of the controversy. "I don't read newspapers or watch television." That explains a lot.
• Kirstie Alley appeared in a bikini after a 75-pound weight loss. "You go, girl!" an impressed Oprah told the Fat Actress turned Biggest Loser. "Beautiful! Beautiful!"

For much more on the TV year gone by, including a Q&A with Ugly Betty herself, America Ferrera, pick up the new TV Guide.

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