The Emmys are tonight and I won't be watching it, what with Breaking Bad on, but I'll throw out some predictions and whatnot. There's really no way to know how the Academy votes; sometimes it's infuriating, like when a declining show continues to win or get nominated, and sometimes we get a delightful surprise. So take everything with a grain of salt and remember that none of this really matters unless you're super-invested in a show.
Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mad Men
Who should win: Mad Men
Who will win: Boardwalk Empire
This is a stacked category with a perennial winner in Mad Men, which had a stellar fourth season. I'm guessing the voters will take the HBO bait and pick the newcomer Boardwalk Empire. It would be very cool if Friday Night Lights somehow won. But if Dexter wins, I might have get my baseball bat...
Outstanding Comedy Series
Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock
Who should win: Parks and Recreation
Who will win: Modern Family
No cable shows!!!!
It's a shame Community wasn't nominated, but Parks and Recreation is a very worthy replacement. However, this is the Emmys where a poor season of The Office manages to get nominated. In all honesty, this category is easily the weakest in terms of absolute "outstandingness". Aside from Parks and Recreation, none of these shows were particularly good last season, relative to their previous seasons or even to other shows. Will the voters recognize this? I'm expecting a Modern Family repeat.
Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Who should win: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Who will win: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
This is probably the toughest category. Elisabeth Moss submitted "The Suitcase," which has that scene, and will be stiff competition. Julianna Margulies, to everyone's surprise, did not win last year, which makes me question whether she can win this year. Still, her submitted episode, "In Sickness," is quite intense in its own right, featuring the kind of Emmy bait voters look for. Maybe Connie Britton can win on the power of FNL's ending?
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Margo Martindale, Justified
Michelle Forbes, The Killing
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Who should win: Margo Martindale, Justified
Who will win: Margo Martindale, Justified
Margo Martindale was beyond good on Justified and stands out among this stacked category. But I'm not sure the voters buy into Justified, considering it got no big nominations last year. Archie Panjabi got a surprise win last year, so she may be able to put it out again. Along the same lines, maybe Kelly Macdonald and Michelle Forbes, the newcomers, can win it.
Outstanding Actor in a Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
John Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Timothy Olyphant, Justified
Who should win: John Hamm, Mad Men
Who will win: John Hamm, Mad Men
OK, I may have to take back my comment about Outstanding Actress in a Drama being the hardest. I have this position: Just give the damn Emmy to Jon Hamm already. I feel bad for Hugh Laurie, as he's still excellent on a dying show, but I feel it's worse for Jon Hamm, who knows Emmy voters like his show but still pass him up. Bryan Cranston isn't eligible this year so it's about time.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Walton Goggins, Justified
John Slattery, Mad Men
Andrew Braugher, Men of a Certain Age
Who should win: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Who will win: John Slattery, Mad Men
I love Alan Cumming and I'd love to see Walton Goggins win for all the times he was snubbed while on The Shield, but Peter Dinklage on Game of Thrones is the freshest on my mind and was funny at every turn. Choosing a winner is very hard, because there is a no clear favorite. Archie Pannjabi somehow won for The Good Wife last year, but Julianna Margulies did not. Justified, Game of Thrones, and Men of a Certain Age are unknowns with only a handful of big nominations between them. That leaves Mad Men, which has raked in the outstanding drama awards but has struck out in every acting category. Will this be John Slattery's year? I'll say yes.
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Who should win: Toni Collete, United States of Tara (from the list: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation)
Who will win: Laura Linney, The Big C
Showtime overload crowds out the more-deserving Toni Collete. What can you say? That leaves Amy Poehler as my choice, but I don't think she'll win.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy
Jane Lynch, Glee
Betty White, Hot In Cleveland
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Who should win: Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Who will win: Jane Lynch, Glee
As good as Sofia Vergara is on Modern Family, I think the voters will go back and pick Jane Lynch again. Jane Lynch is somewhat deserving, but the way the writers handled her character the past season--making her the ultimate villain (as in evil, literally trying to kill people, etc) while trying to have it both ways on occasion, showing us her other side which is supposedly sweet and loving. It was weird and unsettling to see the way the writers dealt with her.
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Louis C.K., Louie
Steve Carell, The Office
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Who should win: Steve Carell, The Office
Who will win: Steve Carell, The Office
Steve Carell's last season on The Office should be a no-brainer. And by no-brainer I mean something that may be outside the grasp of the Emmy voters.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy
Chris Colfer, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Who should win: Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation (Ron Swanson is fucking awesome so I won't even provide a pick from the list)
Who will win: Chris Colfer, Glee
Modern Family is the only show with supporting actors in a comedy! I was surprised when Eric Stonestreet won last year despite three Modern Family actors being in the mix. This year, there's four (four!) and no "Fizbo," so I don't think Eric Stonestreet will repeat nor will there be another Modern Family winner. This leaves Jon Cryer and Chris Colfer. Maybe the voters feel sorry for Jon Cryer having to put up with Charlie Sheen, but my bet is on Chris Colfer who was only of the few bright spots on Glee's second season.
Showing posts with label Emmy Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emmy Awards. Show all posts
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Monday, August 30, 2010
Post-Emmy thoughts
All in all, last night's 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards were better than usual. There were more new faces than usual, a couple big surprises (Top Chef, Archie Panjabi, etc), and at least the repeats were well-deserving. I'll go down the list of categories that people actually care about and put in a few words.
Outstanding drama series
"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Dexter" (Showtime)
"The Good Wife" (CBS)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"True Blood" (HBO)
Mad Men for a third time... It's great and all, but Breaking Bad had a mindblowing season and should get recognition. As far as Lost not winning, I wasn't too surprised. My rankings would have been: Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Good Wife, Lost/True Blood, Dexter.
Outstanding comedy series
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"Glee" (Fox)
"Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
"The Office" (NBC)
"30 Rock" (NBC)
Modern Family prevailed in its first battle against Glee.
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Matthew Morrison, "Glee"
Against all the big names, Jim Parsons comes out on top with a victory. Bazinga!
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Matthew Fox, "Lost"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Again, it's annoying to see people win for the third time in a row when there's plenty of other deserving people. On the upside, Breaking Bad won't be eligible next year, so there has to be a different winner.
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Lea Michele, "Glee"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Lame. Like I said on Twitter, congrats to Carmela. Edie Falco herself admitted she wasn't funny.
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Connie Britton, "Friday Night Lights"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU"
January Jones, "Mad Men"
Did not see this one coming at all. As you can see from my reaction on Twitter last night, I has utterly shocked. My reaction was tempered by Kyra Sedgwick saying the trademark, "Thank you, thank you so much." But yeah, I guess she would get it eventually after all those nominations and the episode with her real-life daughter last season was intensely emotional. Julianna Margulies will have to wait another year.
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
Chris Colfer, "Glee"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
I'd expected Modern Family to split the vote, leaving the award to Neil Patrick Harris, but the voters apparently love Cam as much as we do.
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Martin Short, "Damages"
Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"
Andre Braugher, "Men of a Certain Age"
I thought Lost had this one in the bag, but I guess Emerson and O'Quinn canceled each other out.
Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Expected and deserved.
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Sharon Gless, "Burn Notice"
Rose Byrne, "Damages"
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Big shocker, perhaps the biggest of the night along with Amazing Race losing. There wasn't a clear lock for this, but I was almost positive Mad Men would take this. Somehow, Archie Panjabi won against all odds.
For my Emmy predictions, I thought I did okay, getting 4 out of 10 right, and I would have done better if I filled out a complete ballot with the gimmes included. Additionally, two of my "should wins" won, so I underestimated the Academy at certain points and overestimated them at others.
It was disconcerting to see all these people cheering and clapping for Jack Kevorkian. They do know what he did, right?
Aaron Paul was almost exactly like Jesse Pinkman when he went up to get his award. Hopefully he didn't have any of that meth.
Interesting to see Glee get a huge promo in the beginning when it'll be up against NBC's saving grace, The Biggest Lost, in the fall.
There were a couple funny things in the Emmy, but award shows are still pretty dumb. I still wish the awards could have been condensed into 30 minutes.
Also, here's a promo for the September 10 Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser on the 4 major broadcast networks.
Outstanding drama series
"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Dexter" (Showtime)
"The Good Wife" (CBS)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"True Blood" (HBO)
Mad Men for a third time... It's great and all, but Breaking Bad had a mindblowing season and should get recognition. As far as Lost not winning, I wasn't too surprised. My rankings would have been: Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Good Wife, Lost/True Blood, Dexter.
Outstanding comedy series
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"Glee" (Fox)
"Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
"The Office" (NBC)
"30 Rock" (NBC)
Modern Family prevailed in its first battle against Glee.
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Matthew Morrison, "Glee"
Against all the big names, Jim Parsons comes out on top with a victory. Bazinga!
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Matthew Fox, "Lost"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Again, it's annoying to see people win for the third time in a row when there's plenty of other deserving people. On the upside, Breaking Bad won't be eligible next year, so there has to be a different winner.
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Lea Michele, "Glee"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Lame. Like I said on Twitter, congrats to Carmela. Edie Falco herself admitted she wasn't funny.
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Connie Britton, "Friday Night Lights"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU"
January Jones, "Mad Men"
Did not see this one coming at all. As you can see from my reaction on Twitter last night, I has utterly shocked. My reaction was tempered by Kyra Sedgwick saying the trademark, "Thank you, thank you so much." But yeah, I guess she would get it eventually after all those nominations and the episode with her real-life daughter last season was intensely emotional. Julianna Margulies will have to wait another year.
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
Chris Colfer, "Glee"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
I'd expected Modern Family to split the vote, leaving the award to Neil Patrick Harris, but the voters apparently love Cam as much as we do.
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Martin Short, "Damages"
Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"
Andre Braugher, "Men of a Certain Age"
I thought Lost had this one in the bag, but I guess Emerson and O'Quinn canceled each other out.
Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Expected and deserved.
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Sharon Gless, "Burn Notice"
Rose Byrne, "Damages"
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Big shocker, perhaps the biggest of the night along with Amazing Race losing. There wasn't a clear lock for this, but I was almost positive Mad Men would take this. Somehow, Archie Panjabi won against all odds.
For my Emmy predictions, I thought I did okay, getting 4 out of 10 right, and I would have done better if I filled out a complete ballot with the gimmes included. Additionally, two of my "should wins" won, so I underestimated the Academy at certain points and overestimated them at others.
It was disconcerting to see all these people cheering and clapping for Jack Kevorkian. They do know what he did, right?
Aaron Paul was almost exactly like Jesse Pinkman when he went up to get his award. Hopefully he didn't have any of that meth.
Interesting to see Glee get a huge promo in the beginning when it'll be up against NBC's saving grace, The Biggest Lost, in the fall.
There were a couple funny things in the Emmy, but award shows are still pretty dumb. I still wish the awards could have been condensed into 30 minutes.
Also, here's a promo for the September 10 Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser on the 4 major broadcast networks.
Friday, August 27, 2010
2010 Primetime Emmy Award Picks - Who Will/Should Win
As I've said before, the Emmy Awards are dumb. The voters are immersed in the television industry, which means they probably have ulterior motives for voting. And those who do judge impartially probably haven't watched much of the nominated shows other than the episodes submitted. All in all, it's a pretty pathetic process for an increasingly diverse television landscape. I have predictions and some thoughts anyway.
Outstanding Comedy Series
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
"Glee" (Fox)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
"The Office" (NBC)
"30 Rock" (NBC)
Who should win: "Modern Family" (ABC)
Who will win: "Modern Family" (ABC)
The two juggernaut freshmen comedies Modern Family and Glee have come to clash, leaving behind the other shows in splinters. From the rest of the nominations, both received a lot of attention, so it should be close. Against my nature--and previous judgments of the Academy--I expect Modern Family to pull it out. Definite dark horse contender: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Outstanding Drama Series
"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Dexter" (Showtime)
"The Good Wife" (CBS)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"True Blood" (HBO)
Who should win: "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
Who will win: "Mad Men" (AMC)
Very, very stacked category, but there are two clear front-runners--Mad Men and Breaking Bad, both AMC dramas. Mad Men won the past two years, but this is time for Breaking Bad which had its strongest season this year. However, we have to put in mind how close-minded the voters are, which means Mad Men should take it again.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Matthew Fox, "Lost"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Who should win: Hugh Laurie, "House"
Who will win: Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
I'd love for Hugh Laurie to win--he's the only reason to watch House anymore--and he deserves the award after years of great acting on the show. But, with Bryan Cranston nabbing the award two years in a row and the big bully Dustin Hoffman entering the TV world next year, I expect Jon Hamm to get it this year.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Matthew Morrison, "Glee"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Who should win: Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Who will win: Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Tony Shalhoub hasn't won in years, but he's gotten some Emmy love in a nomination every year, so I predict he'll win one for the swan-song season. For all of Adrian Monk's quirks, I don't think anyone on television can quite match up to Sheldon Cooper who singlehandedly drives TBBT. As always Alec Baldwin is a strong contender and could win again.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lea Michele, "Glee"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures Of Old Christine"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Amy Poehler, "Parks And Recreation"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Toni Collette, "United States Of Tara"
Who should win: Toni Collette, "United States Of Tara"
Who will win: Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
I predict that Carmela Soprano will win--and Jackie Peyton will be along for the ride. In all honesty, Toni Collette is leaps and bounds in front of the competition. Tina Fey may slip in for the win.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Connie Britton, "Friday Night Lights"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
January Jones, "Mad Men"
Who should win: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Who will win: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
This is the one category that should have no questions. From the beginning, Julianna Margulies was nothing short of mindblowingly incredible. The first couple of weeks, I was shocked how she made such a big impression on me as I was fixated on her the entire episode, fully expecting her to slowly become another television character by the end of the first season. Lo and behold, there I was at the end of the first season, still entranced by her as ever.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Chris Colfer, "Glee"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Jon Cryer, "Two And A Half Men"
Who should win: Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Who will win: Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
The Modern Family overload is precarious, as the three may cancel each other out, putting NPH out in front of Eric Stonestreet who deserves to win. I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Cryer took second with the divided Modern Family vote.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Martin Short, "Damages"
Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"
Andre Braugher, "Men Of A Certain Age"
Who should win: Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
Who will win: Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
It would be a shame if Lost didn't win anything for its final season and Terry O'Quinn definitely has the body of work to win.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Holland Taylor, "Two And A Half Men"
Who should win: Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Who will win: Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Since Glee got so many nominations and Jane Lynch has been getting lots of attention, this one is hers. She's just an entirely different creature--funny, stern, and exudes intangibles no one else has.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Sharon Gless, "Burn Notice"
Rose Byrne, "Damages"
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Who should win: Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Who will win: Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
With exception of Rose Byrne (who is good, but not on the same level), this category is stacked from top to bottom. Although The Good Wife has two nominees in the category, this is a Mad Men fight. Christina Hendricks has gotten much more attention in the press than Elisabeth Moss which is why she'll win. Elisabeth Moss, who had lots of good material in the first two season, unfortunately, didn't have much going on in the third season (though she's far better than Hendricks--don't hurt me!). If the votes between The Good Wife and Mad Men do get split, however, we could get a shocker in the form of Sharon Gless who has the most qualities of an Emmy winner out of the Burn Notice cast, or Rose Byrne who is featured heavily on Damages for a supporting actress.
Outstanding Comedy Series
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
"Glee" (Fox)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
"The Office" (NBC)
"30 Rock" (NBC)
Who should win: "Modern Family" (ABC)
Who will win: "Modern Family" (ABC)
The two juggernaut freshmen comedies Modern Family and Glee have come to clash, leaving behind the other shows in splinters. From the rest of the nominations, both received a lot of attention, so it should be close. Against my nature--and previous judgments of the Academy--I expect Modern Family to pull it out. Definite dark horse contender: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Outstanding Drama Series
"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Dexter" (Showtime)
"The Good Wife" (CBS)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"True Blood" (HBO)
Who should win: "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
Who will win: "Mad Men" (AMC)
Very, very stacked category, but there are two clear front-runners--Mad Men and Breaking Bad, both AMC dramas. Mad Men won the past two years, but this is time for Breaking Bad which had its strongest season this year. However, we have to put in mind how close-minded the voters are, which means Mad Men should take it again.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Matthew Fox, "Lost"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Who should win: Hugh Laurie, "House"
Who will win: Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
I'd love for Hugh Laurie to win--he's the only reason to watch House anymore--and he deserves the award after years of great acting on the show. But, with Bryan Cranston nabbing the award two years in a row and the big bully Dustin Hoffman entering the TV world next year, I expect Jon Hamm to get it this year.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Matthew Morrison, "Glee"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Who should win: Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Who will win: Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Tony Shalhoub hasn't won in years, but he's gotten some Emmy love in a nomination every year, so I predict he'll win one for the swan-song season. For all of Adrian Monk's quirks, I don't think anyone on television can quite match up to Sheldon Cooper who singlehandedly drives TBBT. As always Alec Baldwin is a strong contender and could win again.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lea Michele, "Glee"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures Of Old Christine"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Amy Poehler, "Parks And Recreation"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Toni Collette, "United States Of Tara"
Who should win: Toni Collette, "United States Of Tara"
Who will win: Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
I predict that Carmela Soprano will win--and Jackie Peyton will be along for the ride. In all honesty, Toni Collette is leaps and bounds in front of the competition. Tina Fey may slip in for the win.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Connie Britton, "Friday Night Lights"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
January Jones, "Mad Men"
Who should win: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Who will win: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
This is the one category that should have no questions. From the beginning, Julianna Margulies was nothing short of mindblowingly incredible. The first couple of weeks, I was shocked how she made such a big impression on me as I was fixated on her the entire episode, fully expecting her to slowly become another television character by the end of the first season. Lo and behold, there I was at the end of the first season, still entranced by her as ever.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Chris Colfer, "Glee"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Jon Cryer, "Two And A Half Men"
Who should win: Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Who will win: Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
The Modern Family overload is precarious, as the three may cancel each other out, putting NPH out in front of Eric Stonestreet who deserves to win. I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Cryer took second with the divided Modern Family vote.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Martin Short, "Damages"
Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"
Andre Braugher, "Men Of A Certain Age"
Who should win: Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
Who will win: Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
It would be a shame if Lost didn't win anything for its final season and Terry O'Quinn definitely has the body of work to win.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Holland Taylor, "Two And A Half Men"
Who should win: Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Who will win: Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Since Glee got so many nominations and Jane Lynch has been getting lots of attention, this one is hers. She's just an entirely different creature--funny, stern, and exudes intangibles no one else has.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Sharon Gless, "Burn Notice"
Rose Byrne, "Damages"
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Who should win: Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Who will win: Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
With exception of Rose Byrne (who is good, but not on the same level), this category is stacked from top to bottom. Although The Good Wife has two nominees in the category, this is a Mad Men fight. Christina Hendricks has gotten much more attention in the press than Elisabeth Moss which is why she'll win. Elisabeth Moss, who had lots of good material in the first two season, unfortunately, didn't have much going on in the third season (though she's far better than Hendricks--don't hurt me!). If the votes between The Good Wife and Mad Men do get split, however, we could get a shocker in the form of Sharon Gless who has the most qualities of an Emmy winner out of the Burn Notice cast, or Rose Byrne who is featured heavily on Damages for a supporting actress.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Why the Emmy Awards are lame
This morning I awoke to the random musings of a some old guys that think they understand television. While I don't claim to be an expert, there are obvious misgivings that I simply can't ignore.
I first want to go into the mindset of the Emmy voter. If it stinks of scifi or is beyond the realm of possibly, cross it off. Battlestar Galactica can't possibly be good drama. After all, look at Star Trek, what a joke? True Blood? Just a bunch of horny vampires and humans fornicating in a southern town. Instead, polygamous Mormons is high-brow and deserving of a nomination.
Season 5 of House was the weakest yet, but it was still nominated. They're telling me Foreman and Thirteen is good drama? The Chase, Cameron cliche was good drama? Cuddy and her baby? Maybe the revelation in the end was a good shock, but who cares?
Entourage? I didn't know people were still watching that. The show became boring a long time ago. The biggest gripe I have is with the nomination of Family Guy for outstanding comedy. The show is far, far past it's prime, and viewers are fairly critical of the declining quality. Yet these brilliant people on their high horses think that this is the year it finally should be recognized. No...it should be recognized when the season deserves recognition.
That's the majority of my complaints, so I want to get into some more subjective topics. I thought the Boston Legal nominations were kind of stupid. I thought Elizabeth Mitchell should definitely have gotten recognition for lead actress in a drama. If I had a choice of Losties, I would pick her over Michael Emerson for a nomination. I think a number of people on BSG, especially Mary McDonnell and Eddie Olmos could have been on the lists. When I saw the nominations for supporting actress in a drama, I immediately spotted Cherry Jones for 24 since it got almost nothing for the major categories. IMO, Annie Wersching did a much better job than Cherry who I found grating at times. Both Kiefer Sutherland and Carlos Bernard were amazing this season, but whatever... Another omission was Chuck which was passed over. Yes it's funny, yes Zach Levi is brilliant, but do they care? No
The one bright spot that I saw was Simon Baker in The Mentalist. Like I said in an earlier post, I think Patrick Jane is my new favorite character, on par with Shawn Spencer played by James Roday on Psych. They nominated Monk, why not Psych?
