Round 2 & 3 of May Madness III is in the books & the results of the battles are as follows for TV Characters match ups

(1) Dean Winchester (Supernatural) 651-117 (8) Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds)
(2) Crowley (Supernatural) 534-206 (7) Nathan Wuornos (Haven)
(4) Kevin Tran (Supernatural) 391-173 (5) Benny (Supernatural)
(14) Castiel (Supernatural) 741-128 (6) Sam Winchester (Supernatural)

(1) Penny (The Big Bang Theory) 176-71 (8) Annie Edison (Community)
(3) Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory) 151-88 (6) Carlton Lassiter (Psych)
(4) Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother) 149-41 (12) Astrid Poulson (Arctic Air)
(7) Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock) 310-43 (15) Molly Hooper (Sherlock)

(2) Lauren Lewis (Lost Girl) 579-89 (10) Jemma Simmons (Agents Of SHIELD)
(6) Bo Dennis (Lost Girl) 553-140 (14) Regina Mills (Once Upon A Time)
(8) Rumplestiltskin (Once Upon A Time) 172-64 (16) Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal)
(12) Belle (Once Upon A Time) 130-122 (13) Tyrion Lannister (Game Of Thrones)

(3) Malcolm Merlyn (Arrow) 243-122 (6) Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead)
(7) Felicity Smoak (Arrow) 129-112 Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead)
(9) The Doctor (Doctor Who) 109-104 (16) Michonne (The Walking Dead)
(12) John Reese (Person Of Interest) 92-41 (13) Root (Person Of Interest)

Highest Vote Total in Round 2 - Castiel (Supernatural) 741 votes
Lowest vote total in round 2 - (tie) 41 Astrid Poulson (Arctic Air) & Root (Person of Interest)

Largest margin of Victory - 613 Castiel over Sam Winchester (Supernatural)
Smallest margin of victory - 5 The Doctor (Doctor Who) over Michonne (The Walking Dead)

Round 2 saw a 1st ever, an entire bracket made up of 1 show as Supernatural, with 6 nominees of the 8 in their bracket managed to put thru 4 into the next round. 2013 Champ Dean Winchester kept going along at a strong pace. Mild upset (seeding wise) as Sam lost to Castiel.... by a lot.

Arrow, Lost Girl, Once Upon A Time & The Big Bang Theory all managed to put thru 2 characters each to the next round. In a bit of a shocker, The Walking Dead, with 3 2nd round challengers failed to get any of them into round 3 including Carol Peletier, who had 1 of the strongest round 1 showings.

Round 3

(1) Dean Winchester (Supernatural) 615-454 (4) Kevin Tran (Supernatural)
(14) Castiel (Supernatural) 654-464 (2) Crowley (Supernatural)

(1) Penny (The Big Bang Theory) 273-146 (4) Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)
(7) Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock) 377-116 (3) Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory)

(3) Lauren Lewis (Lost Girl) 520-150 (6) Bo Dennis (Lost Girl)
(12) Belle (Once Upon A Time) 193-152 (9) Rumplestiltskn (Once Upon A Time)

(3) Malcolm Merlyn (Arrow) 208-112 (7) Felicity Smoak (Arrow)
(9) The Doctor (Doctor Who) 327-70 (12) John Reese (Person Of Interest)

Largest Vote total in round 3 - 654 Castiel (Supernatural)
Smallest vote total in round 3 - 70 John Reese (Person Of Interest)

Largest margin of victory - 370 Lauren Lewis (Lost Girl) over Bo Dennis
Smallest margin of victory - 41 Belle (Once Upon A Time) over Rumplestiltskin

This was the round where the contenders & pretenders really seperated themselves. Castiel & Lauren Lewis both looked like major threats to win it all with their performances in this round. Dean Winchester also remained competitive, but with an arguably weaker opponent than Castiel had in the round, it was a bit shocking he didnt dominate more. Perhaps a sign of things to come next round.

Penny from The Big Bang Theory becamse the last comedy program contender left with her win. Meanwhile Malcolm Merlyn (Arrow) & The Doctor (Doctor Who) sounded like an interesting match up for round 4 on paper.

If I had to pick an upset for this round. It would have been probably Dean not dominating his round a bit more. Castiel beating crowley seeding wise was an upset, but not as big of a shock as the margin of victory in the other all SPN battle.

Round 4 will have 8 challengers from 7 shows. Only the two former champs in the elite 8 were there last year as well.

Round 1 of May Madness III is in the books & the results of the battles are as follows

(1) Dean Winchester (Supernatural) 230-134 (16) Philip Coulson (Agents Of SHIELD)
(2) Crowley (Supernatural) 162-74 (15) Skye (Agents Of SHIELD)
(4) Kevin Tran (Supernatural) 216-49 (13) Catherine Chandler (Beauty And The Beast)
(5) Benny (Supernatural) 89-32 (12) Vincent Keller (Beauty And The Beast)
(6) Sam Winchester (Supernatural) 93-44 (11) Michael Westen (Burn Notice)
(7) Nathan Wuornos (Haven) 203-135 (10) Audrey Parker (Haven)
(8) Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds) 172-152 (9) Patrick Jane (The Mentalist)
(14) Castiel (Supernatural) 258-73 (3) Charlie Bradbury (Supernatural)

(1) Penny (The Big Bang Theory) 75-43 (16) Jeff Winger (Community)
(3) Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory) 98-92 (14) Juliet O'Hara (Psych)
(4) Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother) 118-61 (13) Abed Nadir (Community)
(6) Carlton Lassiter (Psych) 58-29 (11) Jake Peralta (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
(7) Sherlock Homes (Sherlock) 311-135 (10) John Watson (Sherlock)
(8) Annie Edison (Community) 184-62 (9) Barry Goldberg (The Goldbergs)
(12) Astrid Poulson (Arctic Air) 71-48 (5) Jake Doyle (Republic Of Doyle)
(15) Molly Hooper (Sherlock) 97-81 (2) Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

(2) Lauren Lewis (Lost Girl) 201-47 (15) Kenzi (Lost Girl)
(6) Bo Dennis (Lost Girl) 95-23 (11) Crystal (Lost Girl)
(8) Rumplestiltskin (Once Upon A Time) 233-177 (9) Sarah Manning (Orphan Black)
(10) Jemma Simmons (Agents Of SHIELD) 535-240 (7) Melinda May (Agents Of SHIELD)
(12) Belle (Once Upon A Time) 97-34 (5) Peter Pan (Once Upon A Time)
(13) Tyrion Lannister (Game Of Thrones) 159-109 (4) Arya Stark (Game Of Thrones)
(14) Regina Mills (Once Upon A Time) 102-88 (3) Emma Swan (Once Upon A Time)
(16) Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal) 287-61 (1) Richard Castle (Castle)

(2) Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead) 94-38 (15) Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)
(3) Malcolm Merlyn (Arrow) 174-60 (14) John Diggle (Arrow)
(6) Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead) 146-44 Raymond Reddington (The Blacklist)
(7) Felicity Smoak (Arrow) 243-127 (10) Oliver Queen (Arrow)
(9) The Doctor (Doctor Who) 424-68 (8) Jasmine Garza (Community)
(12) John Reese (Person Of Interest) 60-41 (5) Rebekah Mikaelson (The Originals)
(13) Root (Person Of Interest) 119-68 (4) Kurt Hummel (Glee)
(16) Michonne (The Walking Dead) 131-82 (1) Kate Beckett (Castle)

Unlike the TV Shows side, there were a couple Round 1 #1 seed upsets. Seems the fans of "Castle" were sleeping during their faves opening round votes. As the only show with TWO #1 seeds lost both of them. 

Highest ranked loser #1 seeds "Richard Castle (Castle)" losing to 16th seeded "Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal)" & "Kate Beckett (Castle)" losing to 16th seed "Michonne (The Walking Dead)"

Highest voted total in round 1 - "Jemma Simmons (Agents Of SHIELD)"" with 535 votes.
Lowest voted total in round 1 - 23 "Crystal (Lost Girl)"

Largest margin of Victory - 356 "The Doctor (Doctor Who)" over "Jasmine Garza (Continuum)""
Smallest margin of Victory - 6 "Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory)" over "Juliet O'Hara (Psych)"

Nowhere was the reality that some high vote totals in the nominations round were set by a small group in some cases than round 1. Support for both Beauty And The Beast contenders vanished, Jasmine Garza "Continuum", after tweeting to vote in round 1, got crushed in rd 2 with the same happening to Jake Doyle of "Republic Of Doyle". Every year I see these patterns happen. Strong nomination scores swayed by a select few that vote a lot. ASs well as actors & actresses who rally their fans in round the nomination round, or even round 1, but don't follow through for the following rounds.

I found quite a few shocks in round 1.
Although I thought Castiel would upset Charlie Bradbury in round 1, I did expect a closer fight. Seems a lot of Charlie fans seemingly are also fans of Cas & went with the regular character over the recurring guest star.
Sheldon Cooper "The Big Bang Theory" losing to Molly Hooper "Sherlock" was not 1 I expected.
Hannibal Lecter "Hannibal" winning over the #1 seed Richard Castle "Castle" was a mild shock to me. I have seen how strong Hannibal fans are, so it did not shock me much, but still, taking out a 3X BOTVA award winner is still a shock.
Felicity Smoak trouncing Oliver Queen "Arrow" was  a shock to me. I am not shocked she won. I am shocked by how much she wont by.
Root "Person Of Interest" beating Kurt Hummel "Glee" another case of a fandom just not getting involved. Kurt fans were VERY vocal during the BOTVAs, but invisible here.

Starting now the nominations for the 3rd May Madness are under way.

The rules for this year. After a fun twist last year that included former shows & characters as well, we are going back to the original format.

Only current day shows & characters.
To be eligible, a show or character  must have aired/been in AT LEAST 1 episode since last May Madness started on May 10, 2013.

As with past years, all previous May Madness winners & finalists, any Best Of TV Awards winners that are still currently on the air are automatically selected for the tournament.

Here is the list of automatic contenders

TV SHOWS
- Arrow
- Castle
- Dexter
- Lost Girl
- Once Upon A Time
- Orphan Black
- Supernatural
- The Big Bang Theory
- The Walking Dead

TV CHARACTERS
- Dean Winchester (Supernatural)
- Kevin Tran (Supernatural)
- Charlie Bradbury (Supernatural)
- Benny (Supernatural)
- Crowley (Supernatural)
- Malcolm Merlyn (Arrow)
- Kurt Hummel (Glee)
- Kate Beckett (Castle)
- Richard Castle (Castle)
- Dr. Lauren Lewis (Lost Girl)
- Penny (The Big Bang Theory)
- Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory)
- Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
- Peter Pan (Once Upon A Time)
- Emma Swan (Once Upon A Time)
- Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead)
- Arya Stark (Game Of Thrones)
- Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)

Nominations are simple.

Nominate who you want (that are eligible) and if there is more nominations in the end than there are spots available (64 in each tournament) there will be a series of vote offs to pick the May Madness contenders.

Last year had approximately 250 characters & 200 shows vie for the left over spots. Of course, with the rules tightening back up to just current shows & characters, those numbers should in theory come down substantially this year.

Once someone has been nominated ONCE, they DO NOT need to be nominated again. So try to avoid nominating people already nominated by others.

EDIT - April 6, 2014
Nominations ARE NOW CLOSED!
Complete list of nominees will be released soon, approximately mid-April