Archive for the ‘ glee ’ Category

2013 Early Emmy Talk #1(The “locks”)


modern family

Last year, when I did this post for the 2012 Emmys, I actually predicted most of the locks right. The only ones I got wrong was Parks and Recreation for Series and John Slattery for Supporting Actor. However, I was still very weary about making a post this year because…for some reason, I feel like we’re in store for some really big surprises this summer. With some shows finishing out their tenures (and some new shows coming out), it’s tough figuring which shows and people are “safe.” The truth is…no one’s ever truly safe. Last year, everyone and their mother predicted Parks and Recreation and Louie for series nominations, and maybe even wins. Instead, they were surprisingly overturned by the likes of Veep (yay!) and Girls. So…it may be a bit silly to make predictions this early in the season…but, the Emmy bug is itching so…here goes.

Just a reminder, here are some ground rules:

1. This is not an OFFICIAL prediction list. I actually don’t make concrete predictions until voting’s over. I’m just going to name the 1 or 2 people in each category that, no matter what, will most likely get a nomination. That’s all…

2. I never consider new shows and new actors “locks.” Even if it’s PAINFULLY obvious, I leave them out for now. Remember when we all thought Luck would dominate? Exactly. (Side note: are there really any new series this year that are major contenders this year? Is House of Cards that big of a threat?)

3. …I think that’s it, actually.

OK. Here are the locks for the 2013 Emmys as of April 29th…

COMEDY

Lead Actor: With Larry David out of the way this year, we have one slot open…a slot that will probably be filled by either Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) or Jason Bateman (Arrested Development). However, this a category that seldom sees much movement so…Alec Baldwin (for his last season), Jim Parsons, Jon Cryer (last year’s winner) and Louie CK remain the four strongest contenders this year. Don Cheadle is very much in the game but…I can’t help thinking that last year might have been a “one time thing.” I guess we’ll see.

Lead Actress: She probably won’t win, but Tina Fey is most definitely getting in for her last season of 30 Rock. Last year’s winner and reliable Emmy favorite Julia Louis Dreyfuss is also in (and might even win again if the rest of season 2 is as good as these first 3 episodes). Parks and Recreation may be losing stock, but the likable Amy Poehler should stick around. And, last, I think America’s sweetheart Lena Dunham should have another chance of Emmy gold after being routinely snubbed last year. There aren’t many new contenders in this category, so we might very well see the same nominations we got last year. Newbie Mindy Kaling could squeeze in though…but again, I’m not considering newbies (not that I that I think she’s much of a lock anyway).

Supporting Actor: Is it too easy to assume that all four Modern Family dudes will be back this year? It’s tough because Arrested Development could bring a couple supporting actors of their own…and that would still be a perfect six. But still…supporting actor is tighter than you may think. I haven’t watched a single episode of MF this year so I have no inkling who’s been standing out. But…I think previous winners Eric Stonestreet and Ty Burrell are safe. If this is going to be the year that voters think outside the “Modern Family box.” then I believe those two will be left standing.

Supporting Actress: Because there are only two adult women in the Modern Family cast, I think it’ll be easier for Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara to get in easily. As for everyone else? Good luck. If Jane Krakowski hadn’t been egregiously snubbed last year, she would definitely be a lock because it was 30 Rock‘s final season. However, because Emmy voters usually play the “Once you’re out, you’re always out” game, it’ll be a tough road for Jane K. Jessica Walter (AD) may also be a contender and could even win if given the chance. And last year’s surprise nominees Mayim Bialik and Merrit Weaver are still in the game…even though I’m quite confident both will be knocked out come July. (Hey…a Girls gotta eat.)

Series: There are three locks this year: Modern Family because…well…it’s Modern Family, 30 Rock (because their last season was universally acclaimed unlike the last seasons of past Emmy bait shows like Will and Grace. ) and Girls. Everything else is in a bubble. For Veep, it’s too early to say…although I would love to see it get nominated again. For Arrested Development….it’s even more too early because none of the episodes have premiered yet and, well, they could in theory be crap (also, we don’t quite know how voters will react to online television being in contention). Big Bang Theory remains the highest rated comedy on television. I haven’t watched it all this season (actually there are a lot of comedy shows I’ve missed on this season for one reason or another)…but I’ve heard even the most diehard fans say how uneven this season’s been. Louie SHOULD get in…but it’s last 2 (IMO superior) seasons have been snubbed so maybe we should just give it up. It’s also the last season of The Office but…unless the very last episode is spectacular, I’m not seeing right now. And, for the fun of it, let’s not leave out New Girls, Parks and Rec, Episodes, and Enlightened, k?

DRAMA

Lead Actor: The likes of Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) and Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) have been getting a good amount of buzz…but they’re new shows so…Also, The Newsroom is a hella polarizing. Just sayin’. Anyway, I think the magic three (Bryan Cranston, Jon Hamm, Damian Lewis) will pop up. Steve Buscemi is a little shaky just because Boardwalk Empire isn’t a “hot button” show anymore (at least, that’s what it seems like to me…BTW, I don’t follow the show so maybe I’m wrong), but I still think it’s a lock. I think those 4 definitely have a better chance than Hugh Bonneville and Timothy Olyphant. Michael C. Hall will probably get a nomination, but I wouldn’t consider him a lock persay.

Lead Actress: Once again, I’m not going to put Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men) on the list because there’s still that slight chance she’ll switch to supporting (thus giving Jessica Pare a better chance to prevail). Who knows what’s up with Moss or her character or how long we’ll follow her this season? So…she’s not a lock. Call me strange but, like Lead Actor, I think there are 4 locks: Julianna Margulies, Claire Danes, Glenn Close (if she could manage a nomination last year, she’ll probably get in again this year for the last season of Damages) and Michelle Dockery (Golden Globe and SAG nominee who definitely stood out this last season of Downton Abbey). With Kathy Bates out, there is pretty much one slot open. Will it go to Kerry Washington? Connie Britton? Jessica Pare? Mariska Hargitay?

Supporting Actor: The Supporting Drama Actor category is looser than a…something that’s loose. Yeah, Aaron Paul and Peter Dinklage are virtual locks. But outside that…it’s anyone’s game. I mean, let’s remember, last year…two guys from Downton Abbey got in. You never know what the voters are thinking. I do believe Mandy Pantinkin (Homeland) and Jonathon Banks (Breaking Bad) are probably the next up…but they’ve never been nominated before [for these roles] so…again…very loose.

Supporting Actress: The Good Wife is in an interesting position. For the last three years, they’ve been able to hold on to those 2 supporting actress slots. But this year their hurt by a couple things. One, is Archie Panjabi’s really bad story line during the 1st half of the season. And two, the show as a whole being snubbed series which signifies that voters may be letting go of the series slowly but surely. Will these otherwise amazing actresses be the next victims? Only time will tell. Right now, they’re not locks. Maggie Smith and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) definitely are. (Hayden Panettiere FYC).

Series: It’s strange. All 6 nominees from last year could get in this year. In fact, that’s probably what I would predict if I were making a real prediction right now. However, for the sake of me not being bold, I’ll say that the only locks right now are Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and last year’s winner Homeland (even though critics and fans alike were very critical of the latter half of the season). Downton Abbey could be the token period piece / network show this category needs but…I dunno, it’s not everyone’s favorite show. And, hey, The Good Wife could come back and take the spot from Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire. Maybe? Probably not. House of Cards, The Newsroom, The Americans, and even Nashville are also contenders. But, again, I think it’ll probably just be the same 6 as last year…

Cool. I got that out of my system. Did I leave out any BIG contenders? Am I underestimating the power of Malibu County? What about Glee? Is that still a thing? Would it be so totally awesome if Shameless got any love besides Joan Cusack? Sound off below.

2013
04/29
CATEGORY
awards
connie britton
drama
emmy awards
emmys
glee
nominations
predictions
reflection
snubbed
television
the good wife
tv
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Most Memorable Glee Performances from Season 3


I gave you my top 10 for season one.

i gave you my top 10 for season two.

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving Christmas (I began writing this during Thanksgiving), now is the time to countdown my ten eleven favorite musical performances from the third season (7 months after it has ended) . Some of the choices may surprise you but…well…it’s my list so MY rules!

11.  “Boogie Shoes” from Saturday Night Glee-ver - So, far Unique has been one of my favorite new characters  on the show (speaking of this current season, “Womanizer” is probably my favorite performance so far). I just like how between this show and Degrassi, transgender teens are being portrayed in the media. But, enough about that – I just love this sparkly, energetic performance. Just a stand out performance in an otherwise mediocre episode.

10. “Anything Goes/Anything You Can Do” from The Purple Piano Project - I would have liked this better if it had just been “Anything Goes” and not a mash up. But, the performance still deserves a spot in the top 10. I’m not sure yet how I feel about the character Harmony (we didn’t see much of her), but I do think Lindsay Pearce has a great voice and did a wonderful job for her first time.

9. “Summer Nights” from Yes/No - I know a lot of people thought this performance was silly, but I thought it was just a lot fun and nice. I always like it when the show plays Broadway songs (more on that later). It was just a funny, campy performance that utilized the entire cast well. And for once – the song actually matched the situation.

8. “Black or White” from Michael - Glee hasn’t truly made a tribute episode that worked since the Madonna one from the first season, but this Michael Jackson episode still had a couple performances that I really dug. I usually hate it when the show just reenacts music videos, but I’m not gonna lie – I gotta kick out of the scene where the cast members morph into one another.

7. “It’s All Over” from Asian F - I guess I just really liked the campy performances from this season. This was another performance that a lot of people found a bit ridiculous, but I loved it. This song is from Dreamgirls - it’s the song where Effie has a huge argument with the other members of her group and her management. Glee took this song and made it so it was Mercedes vs. the rest of the glee club. Surprisingly, I didn’t find this cover awkward at all.

6. “ABC/Control/Man in the Mirror” from Hold on to Sixteen - I think the glee club sung this medley for their regionals? While the Troubletones did a nice job with their Survivor mash up, I really do believe this fun Michael Jackson medley blew it our of the park. And it was a nice way to give all the members in the group a small solo, most notably Tina (more on her later).

5. “Run the World” from Asian F - The awkward moment where the former back up dancer does a better job performing the song than the actual artist. OK! I kid! But, seriously, Heather Morris owned this song. I love the performance. The choreography is fun. The editing was really cool. And I liked how all the girls just joined the dance in the end during the pep rally (including Quinn, who’s wearing a really adorable yellow sun dress that clashes with everyone else around her). I watched this on Youtube at least a dozen times after the episodes aired.

4. “Roots Before Branches” from Goodbye - “Goodbye” was a beautiful, touching way to end this season and to graduate the seniors. No moment was sweeter than Rachel and Finn saying goodbye to each other. And this song was a beautiful way to cap that scene and this season as a whole. Lea Michele sings so many solos that they become less and less meaningful TBH…but this solo will forever stick out as a high point.

3. “Because You Loved Me” from Props - This was the ever hilarious “Freaky Friday” episodes, where characters switched identities. This is probably my favorite episode of the season. And, you know, I really do love this solo that’s sung by the underutilized Jenna Ushkowitz. I think I mostly love this performance because of the hilarious shots of the various characters watching it…but I still do think this is a very nice vocal performance.

2. “Never Can Say Goodbye” from Michael - I have such a weakness for this song. So…maybe I’m just very biased. Quinn is probably my favorite character on the show. I really think her character is underrated. I don’t understand why people hate her (and the wonderful Dianna Agron for that matter). Dianna Agron’s voice isn’t as booming and strong as Michele’s or Amber Riley’s but I still think her soft, unassuming pipe is a nice change of pace from what we’re usually given on the show. Quinn is such a complex character and I think her journey during the last 3 seasons have been very interesting to witness. She’s been through many phases and shifts, like any other normal high-schooler. And I think this a nice solo performance that allowed Quinn look back at her life and her past relationships and discover who she’s become as a person. It probably would have been more effective if she performed this solo towards the end of the season (like after her car crash). But, still, I’ll gladly place this as my favorite solo performance from the season.

1. “Someone Like You/Rumor Has It” from Mash Off - Of course. Was there any doubt this performance wouldn’t be number 1. Not only was this best performance of this season…it’s probably in top 3…maybe even my absolute favorite. No one could ever sing Adele songs as well as Adele…but Naya Riveira comes pretty close. As good as Amber Riley was at singing the “Rumor Has it” portion, Naya really stood out and added some raw hurt passion to her solo part. And the staging of the performance was also really great. The choreography. The costumes. Just a lovely performance from the Troubletones.

So, there you have it. Come back in a year where I count down my favorite performances from season 4! (Actually, feel free to visit the site until then!)

2012
12/24
CATEGORY
fox
glee
music
musical
reflection
review
television
tv
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Reviewing the 2012 Emmy Nominees #13 (Guest Actress in a Comedy Series)


For the next few weeks, I’ll be reviewing the nominees in the major categories. When it comes to the performers in comedy or drama series, I will be discussing their episode submissions as well as their performance on the show as a whole. There are some shows I haven’t really watched; so in some situations, the only way I’ll be able to judge a performer is by the submission solely (I’ll make it clear what those shows are.) So be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly for my picks on who should win…

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

Here are the nominees:

Kathy Bates – Two and a Half Men (“Why We Gave Up Women”)

Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live (“Maya Rudolph”)

Elizabeth Banks – 30 Rock (“The Return of Avery Jessup”)

Dot Marie Jones – Glee (“Choke”)

Melissa McCarthy – Saturday Night Live (“Melissa McCarthy”)

Margaret Cho – 30 Rock (“The Return of Avery Jessup”)

I watch all theses shows regularly.

Who Should Win: My bottom three consist of Kathy Bates, Margaret Cho and Melissa McCarthy. Look, I want Kathy Bates to win her first Emmy as much as the next person…but it would be cool if it was for a worthy performance. She gives it her all in a pretty fearless performance. I admit there are probably women her age who wouldn’t dream of playing a female version of Charlie Harper with balls. However, the bad writing just drowns her. I was very happy to see Cho recognized (and if you follow her on Twitter, you’d know how genuinely excited she was). Her impression of Kim Jong Il is hilarious…but she appears for so little. And, frankly, she submitted the wrong episode. The season finale is where, I believe, she has her funniest scenes and makes more more a prominent presence (with that hilarious epilogue where she contemplates on Jack and Liz’s complicated relationship). As someone who watches 30 Rock regularly, her episode submission isn’t what makes her 5th. Even if I consider all her appearances regardless of what episode, I believe the nomination should be the award for her. Moving on, I had an absolute hoot watching Melissa McCarthy host SNL again. She really goes for it, from falling down stairs to humping balloons to spraying ranch dressing on her face. She does a great job, but I don’t think she shows as much range as the other SNL host nominated in this category.

In third is the wonderful Dot Marie Jones. I still really like Glee, but the show wasn’t deserving of much this year. However, I’m glad the voters were able to notice Jones despite all the mediocrity around her. She really shines in her performance as Coach Beiste, the tough as nails football coach who is physically and emotionally abused by her husband. This is definitely the most dramatic performance in the category, yet it’s about “performance” and she gives a great one. Unlike a lot of people, I really like Elizabeth Banks on 30 Rock. Sure, I probably would have preferred if Chloe Moretz or Sherri Shepard had gotten nominated, Banks is worthy in her own right. Avery Jessup is a very sharp character and Banks really holds her own against the great Alec Baldwin. However, I’m personally rooting for Maya Rudolph for her wonderful SNL hosting. She was never recognized when she was an actual cast member so I’m glad she’s being recognized now. Her episode is funny and she’s funny too. She doesn’t take center stage in her sketches as much as McCarthy, but she shows more range and her impressions (Beyonce, Claire Huxtable) are spot on. And it’s nice that every time one of them hosts, Rudolph and Poehler reunite for “Bronx Beat”. So sweet!

Anyway, go Maya!

My actual predictions will be coming later in the summer. Click here for more Emmy stuff! Thanks for reading! 

2012
08/01
CATEGORY
30 rock
awards
emmy awards
emmys
glee
nbc
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
saturday night live
SNL
television
tv
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2012 Emmy Nominations Announced! (My Reactions as I Read Through Them)


OK, they haven’t been announced yet. We still have about two hours. But, after you’ve read through the noms yourself and internalized it all, come back at around, let’s say, noon-ish (Eastern time) and read my extremely important reactions to the nominations. I’ll be writing them out as I read through them so…get ready for some raw and real reactions! It’ll be a cool kind of live blog thing.

See ya then!

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

OK…let’s do this. so excited! Bout to go on the website now...

Comedy Series: Oh dear. Oh no. Parks and Rec was SNUBBED! Oh…people are not going to like this at all. What went wrong? Why did the voters stop embracing this show. Some people were even saying that if Modern Family loses this year, then Parks and Rec would have the best chance. Unfortunately (and not surprisingly) that means Community was snubbed too. I’m shamefully happy to see 30 Rock for a 6th year. The usual suspects of MF, Curb and Big Bang Theory got in. I’m very happy to see Veep squeeze in, probably the funniest new show of the year. And Girls got in too so…yay. But seriously, what the frak did PnR do wrong?

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: This year there were 7 nominees. Interesting. At least Amy Poehler was nominated despite the fact that her show was weirdly snubbed. I am a little surprised Edie Falco and Melissa McCarthy got in over the two Lauras (esp. Golden Globe winner Laura Dern), but otherwise, these are stable nominations. Very excited to see Zooey Deschanel in the line up.

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: The usual suspects. I thought Johnny Galecki would get in over Don Cheadle so…I feel pretty dumb right now. But, otherwise, these nominations are overall unshocking. Jon Cryer, no matter where he is, can’t be stopped…

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Oh…damn. Jane Krakowski didn’t get in. That sucks. However, my prediction that Kathryn Joosten would get in came true…so suck on that everyone else! Seeing Mayim Bialik made me so very happy (although Kaley Cuoco is probably pissed!) And Merrit Wever…where did she come from? (I guess this was a refreshing surprise). I’m ecstatic that Cloris Leachmen, Jane Lynch and Betty White were all snubbed!!! They would not be deserving, really. Anyway, I’m probably going to be rooting for Kristen Wiig this time. But…not seeing Jane K there made me very upset TBH. She was the best thing about the show this season.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: This is not a good morning for PnR. It is a crime that Nick Offerman has not been nominated for one of these things! However…I’m so glad Bill Hader finally made it through. He really deserves this. And, hey, Max Greenfield made the cut! So…I can’t be too upset. But…still…I am. Those Modern Family boys take up too much space (I’m not saying they aren’t deserving…but they take up too much space.)

Drama Series: Yay! This was the first category I got all my predictions right! Boo…The Good Wife was snubbed. I was expecting it…but it still hurts, you know? Anyway, besides that, these are nice, solid (if not safe) nominations.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Mariska Hargitay’s streak ends! I guess it was time. I personally still think she does good work…however, I’d say surprise entry Michelle Dockery was more deserving. And Kathy Bates made it in which isn’t too bad I suppose. Some strong contenders like Jessica Pare, Elizabeth McGovern, Kyra Sedgwick and Mireille Enos were all snubbed but whatever.

Lead Actor in a Drama Series: I’m totally surprised that more people voted for Michael C. Hall for an apparently weak season of Dexter than Hugh Laurie for his last. I’m also shocked that Hugh Bonneville made it in over some strong favorites like Kelsey Grammar and Dustin Hoffman, but I’m not really complaining about that. Despite all this craziness, newcomer Damian Lewis found a much deserved place. And Bryan Cranston? Welcome back. Go get your forth Emmy now.

My keyboard is sticky and it’s painful to type.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: I love these nominations. I love them a lot. One, both Good Wife women made it back again which is always good. Two, Anna Gunn finally got the nomination she’s always deserved. Three, this is a good morning for Downton Abbey. Not only did Maggie Smith get in…but also Joanne Froggart. Who woulda thunk??? And, of course, Christina Hendricks rounds everything out. I am pleasantly pleased with these picks, academy. It’s going to be fun deciding who should win.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Again, the Academy loves Downton Abbey. Both Brendan Coyle and Jim Carter made it in. Wowza! Good for them. It’s nice seeing both Aaron Paul and Esposito make it in. Of course, Peter Dinkalge had get a nomination. And the best surprise of all, the amazing Jared Harris got in over the overrated John Slattery. That makes me smile a lot. The Good Wife guys didn’t get in. And I predicted Michael Pitt…but he didn’t get in either. It’s also a little shocking that Mandy Patinkin didn’t get in (I’m using the expression “get in” alot)…even though I didn’t predict he would.

Miniseries or Movie: This sounds about right…except it is a little weird that Luther got in…but, overall…this looks about right.

Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Ashley Judd? I don’t think there was a single person who took her bid seriously. Dammit…that means I have to actually watch the full first season. Judd better be amazing or else! Realistically, I suspect this award is between Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman.

Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Both leads from Hatfields and McCoy got in…which I wasn’t really expecting. Also…I wasn’t expecting 6 nominees…

Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: …uh…I got my predictions right…

Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Tom Berenger got in over Powers Boothe for Hatfields and McCoys. I wasn’t expecting it…but I am sad that Evan Peters was snubbed. He gave probably one of the best performances from this TV season. The Emmys just don’t like youth.

Variety Series: I predicted this right. I knew Bill Maher wasn’t going anyway. And I knew Jimmy Kimmel would knock Conan out I JUST KNEW IT!!!

Emmy nomination morning is so much more exciting than the Oscars…because there are more categories. Also…I still can’t believe Jim Carter got in. That makes me smile.

Real Competition Program: The Voice in. American Idol out. I guess there’s only room for one singing competition. I still prefer American Idol…but I guess it’s inspiring that David beat Goliath for once.

Host: Despite winning a billion times, Jeff Probst was snubbed in favor of…Betty White?!? Hey. I rather see her get nominated here than Supporting Actress. Whatever. Cat Deeley FTW.

Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Interesting. I’m glad to see Dot Marie Jones make in again. I’m happy that Maya Rudolph got in because she was snubbed in the Supporting field. Seeing Margaret Cho (she played Kim Jon Il on 30 Rock) made me a little giddy. I didn’t think Emmy voters would respond to that performance. Overall, I have nothing against any of these nominations.

Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Jon Hamm LOL! He was nominated for his short appearance in the 30 Rock live show. That’s hilarious. I don’t care what anyone says. He was hilarious and he deserves this. However, I’m probably going to be rooting for Jimmy Fallon for his great work hosting SNL…but we’ll see. Like with Jane Krakowski, I am disappointed that Will Forte wasn’t nominated again. Seriously…he’s so good on 30 Rock. Also, it looks like Matt Bomer was snubbed for his work on Glee. I honestly don’t mind this. His appearance was very unnecessary, Ryan Murphy.

Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Very solid. It’s nice to see Joan Cusack and Loretta Devine make it again this year, especially Loretta Devine. I’m glad Martha Plimpton finally got in for The Good Wife (esp. since she was snubbed in Lead Comedy Actress). Uma Thurman was the best thing about Smash last season so it’s good to see her in. I’m only bummed that Carrie Preston didn’t get in for her wonderful work on The Good Wife. I’d probably replace Julia Ormond (Mad Men) for her.

Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Yay! Mark Margolis!!! He was nominated for his mostly silent performance in Breaking Bad. I personally thought, in terms of The Good Wife, that Matthew Perry was lock for a win…but I think Dylan Baker and Michael J Fox (who has two nominations!!) are ultimately more deserving. I’m glad to see Mad Men’s Ben Feldman get in (esp. over the criminally overrated Robert Morse). And, look, Parenthood got a nomination! Cool, I guess.

OK…here are some other observations as I read through the rest of the nominees…

  • For the first time, 30 Rock got no writing or directing nominations. Well…good thing the next season is their last. However, Parks and Rec got 2 Writing nominations and, wait for it, Community got its FIRST EMMY NOMINATION for the writing in “Remedial Chaos THeory”. Fina-fuckin-ly!
  • Portlandia got a directing nomination so…it’s something. It’s a start!
  • South Park was snubbed for Animated Program. However, Bob’s Burgers finally made it in. I’d honestly say that Bob’s Burgers was more worthy than South Park this time. However, both of them are more worthy than The Simpsons so…I dunno…
  • Kristen Wiig got a second Emmy nomination for voice over performance for The Looney Toons Show. Cool. I can’t wait to watch that episode. And, of course, Brenda Strong got a nom for the final season of Desperate Housewives.
  • Dance Moms was snubbed…sad face.
  • Children’s Program…THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Degrassi, iCarly, Good Luck Charlie?? All in! Oh. I was worried for a second. This is great. Wizards and Victorious also make it in. Great set of nominees if I say so myself!
  • Oh look! 2 Broke Girls got a nomination…for best Art Direction. That’s pretty much the best that show (which I love) could hope for. 30 Rock’s live episode also got nominated…but it doesn’t make up for the fact that the show was stupidly snubbed for Direction. (UPDATE: 2 Broke Girls was also nominated for a few other technical categories).
  • Travis Wall got another nomination for choreography…but this time for Dancing with the Stars. Ouch! SYTCD got 3 noms, while Smash got in also. Why is Glee never nominated in this category? (Glee’s not nominated for much this year TBH)
  • Victorious has a few technical/creative nominations outside of Children’s Program. Interesting…
  • New Girl was nominated for Main Title Design…but not for the actual theme music. Weird. I feel like that should be the other way around. Actually, both components should be nominated…
  • Music and Lyrics was overall solid…however, I am so happy that Raising Hope’s “Welcome Back to Hope” got a spot. Such a sweet, cute song that’s also very clever. I think I might already have a favorite in that category.
  • The Office was completely shut out…good.
  • Other contenders that were mostly ignored include…Justified, The Walking Dead, Boss (no noms), House (no noms), Luck (no noms), The Killing (no noms), Enlightened (no noms), Up All Night (no noms), Hot in Cleveland among the shows that are usually snubbed anyway.

So, overall, like every year, there are some shocks, some non-shocks, some snubs and disappointments (poor Jane Krakowski and Nick Offerman). However, a lot of the nominations were very welcome (hey Mayim! Joanne Froggart!) and…the voters got more right than wrong IMO.

Coming up…I’m going to be doing what I did last year. I’m going to go though the categories and tape submissions and give my opinion on who should (and later will) win. So please stick around for that! And thank you for reading this. See ya!

(I know that’s a rushed conclusion…but I really want to read what other people are saying!)

2012
07/19
CATEGORY
30 rock
awards
breaking bad
degrassi
drama
emmy awards
emmys
glee
grey's anatomy
nominations
recap
reflection
review
saturday night live
SNL
snubbed
television
the good wife
tv
6 comments

Emmy Talk 4 (Comedy or Drama or that’s it)


I’m going to take a small break from predicting stuff (like I haven’t taken a long enough break already) to discuss a very serious matter…

For more Emmy discussion, click here.

I don’t care what anyone says. Yes, The Golden Globes can do some cool things like nominate Jennifer Love Hewitt for The Client List or give Katey Sagal a well deserved win (even though I haven’t seen Sons of Anarchy). The guild awards are surprisingly un-snobby, giving nominations to shows like The OC and a writing nomination for the underrated The Sarah Silverman Program. And the critics awards can sometimes get it completely right, like when the TCAs gave Nick Offerman an award, or when they gave nominations to Lauren Graham for The Gilmore Girls, even though the Emmys continuously snubbed them…

But The Emmys, in my opinion, are the best awards for television, and not just because they’re the oldest. I like that the Emmys have a LOT of categories, and honor different achievements altogether. From the main title design to the choreographers to the music directors to the actor, if you work in television, you have a chance at winning an Emmy. But, something the Emmys can’t escape is the arbitrary line between comedy and drama.

When the awards first began, comedy and drama were as separate as two peas in two different pods. Comedies were broad, with a laugh track, and multiple cameras. Episodes always ended with a joke and a smile. People watched comedies to escape. However, dramas existed in a world where people were melodramatic. Emotions were grossly sentimental. And the music in these shows consisted of bold violins doing crazy sharp things (you know what I’m talking about).

Even as time went on, through the 80′s and 90′s, comedies and dramas were separate and distinct. And even though dramas were beginning to lighten up and have some humorous moments, and even though comedies began having “very special episodes” that dealt with “issues;” no matter how bad things were for Roseanne, it was still authentically 100% a comedy. End of story.

However, nowadays, that line between comedy and drama is getting thinner and thinner, and it’s showing how outdated and out of touch the Emmys are becoming.

When a show has even the minor of humorous or quirky details, it competes in the comedy categories. Some of those shows include Enlightened, Nurse Jackie, The Big C, Weeds, United States of Tara, Girls…pretty much any “dark comedy” on a premium cable channel.  Louie can also be very dramatic (with episodes like “Eddie” or “Duckling”), but the show benefits from the stand up routines which, in my opinion, are usually quite hilarious. I just finished watching the first season of Enlightened, and while I thought the show was very good (and weirdly comforting and inspiring)…the show has maybe one laugh out loud moment every other episode…and the only reason the show is considered a comedy is because it’s half an hour. So the show is not funny, but it’s still great…does that mean it’s deserving of Emmys, even if it competes in the comedy category?

The examples I named above, in my eyes, seem more controversial than Glee, yet that show probably gets the most heat. And it was the heat that Glee’s been getting that inspired me to write this thing in the first place. Glee is a very dramatic show. Last year, Chris Colfer got a lot of Emmy buzz and might have even been considered a front runner in the supporting category. But his nomination was complained upon because it was for a performance that involved crying and talking dramatically and singing somber songs and crying some more and pretty much not being funny. I’ll finish my thought on that later.  But, right now, I do believe Glee is definitely in the right category, moreso than the other shows I mention above. Yeah, the show can be dramatic, but the show is also filled with plenty of witty asides, funny facial expressions and cultural references that make the show belong in the same category as 30 Rock, not Breaking Bad.

Another show I want to discuss is Shameless and whether or not it belongs in the drama category. In short: it does. The show is very crazy and comedic…but I think a lot of that comedy isn’t really comedy. It’s simply more of a “look how far we can go” sort of comedy. For example, on the last episode of the season, the family considered eating bald eagle in lieu of a turkey for Thanksgiving. It was a shocking story line…but I wouldn’t necessarily call it funny. It’s just more of an overly quirky detail. I love these overly quirky details, but I don’t think it qualifies for the comedy categories. They probably could have gotten away with competing in comedy, but I’m glad they didn’t (although, I don’t think they would have done any better in terms of nominations or buzz anyway). The show’s dramatic moments are by far the most compelling thing about the show. Those moments are really the things that drew me into the show. (And, um, I really wish the show was given more credit but that’s another conversation for another time).

Now, let’s end this thing. You probably expect to me to make some grand statement about how the Emmys should change their ways, especially considering how I started this piece. The truth is…I don’t think there’s anything Emmys can/should do right now. Should they add a “dramedy” category for the shows mentioned above? I completely vote against that. One. because the term is actually pretty vague and loose…even looser than “comedy” and “drama”. And two, I honestly don’t think there are enough shows and contenders to justify that big change. The Emmys would become significantly less competitive. OK…so what about getting rid of the “comedy” and “drama” labels and just creating one single “Best Series” category…with 10 nominees. No. Because, yeah, even though TV is changing, there are still traditional dramas and traditional comedies that most definitely should not even be compared. Also, I think more overt comedies would generally be shortchanged and that’s not right in my opinion.

I guess I just wrote this article because this trend in television (comedies becoming more dramatic and vice versa) is something I’ve been noticing more and more and to just examine the complaints that have been going on with category placements. Even though there are some so-called comedies that I think should compete in drama despite their running time (Enlightened and The Big C being my two strongest examples), I don’t really believe the issue has gone out of hand yet. And for every award Edie Falco gets for Nurse Jackie, Melissa McCarthy is getting an Emmy for Mike and Molly, so clearly there’s a balance between the dramedies and the genuine comedies. But I don’t think this rise in the dramedy is what the original Emmy makers had in mind when they were creating these awards. And I think if the line between comedy and drama continue to get blurrier and blurrier, then the Emmys may have to rethink how they award shows in the future. But I don’t see that happening for a while.

On a final note, in terms of performances, if performance is good, it’s good; and I don’t like to dwell on category placements too much anyway. There are maybe one or two category placements that bother me a lot (particularly Rob Lowe competing in lead WTF). But, otherwise, I don’t want a category placement to affect whether a show or performer deserves an Emmy or not. So, last year, even though his performance was dramatic, I really did believe Chris Colfer deserved an Emmy. It’s not Best Comedic Performance…or Performance that Made You Laugh the Most. It’s simply Best Supporting Actor in a [show that just happens to be a] Comedy Series. He gave the strongest performance. He shouldn’t be punished because his show is placed in one genre and the writers gave him no jokes to work with. All that matters is the performance. Conversely, I preferred Jane Krakowski’s purely comedic performance over Julie Bowen’s and Jane Lynch’s more dramatic ones.

Feel free to point out any inconsistencies in this post. This was just a way to lay out my thoughts that have been swirling in my head.

Tomorrow, more Emmy predictions. Last month, I received more views than I ever had before so, for the ones reading, thank you so much for making me feel better after a couple slumpy months (Although, it’s understandable, I pretty much only wrote about American Idol ). With that, I surpassed my two year goal, and it’s only July so, again, thank you and more is coming up. Keep reading and liking and bookmarking and even try to spread the word if you can. Thanks again!

2012
07/03
CATEGORY
awards
drama
emmy awards
emmys
glee
reflection
review
snubbed
television
tv
2 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Comedy Series)


Interestingly enough, there was a time when, before the actual nominations came out, voters would narrow down all the contenders to the “top 10″. They obviously don’t do that anymore. But…we can still assume which contenders are at the top of the voter’s minds. Before I release my official nomination predictions around early July, I am going to run down which 10 or so contenders are the biggest threats…and maybe some personal long shots that I believe voters should consider. Here we go!

I am basing the category placements, based on the official ballots which were just released. Here they are.

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

In alphabetical order, here are the top contenders for Best Comedy Series.

1. THE BIG BANG THEORY - Pros: The show received its first Best Comedy Series nomination last year. Along with that, they were just nominated for SAG Awards for the ensemble and the Producers Guild Award. It’s also just been nominated for a Television Critics Award and a Critics Choice Award. And, of course, the show’s MVP Jim Parsons has won two consecutive Emmys among many other things. The show is very very hot and more popular than ever are watching it! And, this season, it even surpassed American Idol in the ratings for a few weeks. If the voters are going to nominate one multi-camera sitcom (and they always do), this show has the best chance at getting that nomination. Cons: The humor tends to be a bit “low brow,” which won’t please the snobby members of the Academy. Um…that’s it.

2. COMMUNITY - Pros: The show won an Emmy last year (it was a special, individual Emmy for their Animated Christmas special but…it’s still technically one more than 30 Rock.) The show was also just nominated for a Hugo Award for arguably the strongest comedy episode of the season “Remedial Chaos Theory”. They’ve also gotten nominations for both the major Critics awards (mentioned above). This show is a huge critics favorite. And the small fanbase is passionate and aggressive over their love (even if that means bashing other people who don’t care for the show cough cough). The show received a lot of buzz and exposure after NBC left the show off the schedule in January. It might be hard for Emmy voters to ignore this show. Cons: The show has been overwhelmingly snubbed for the last two years. It’s not like this show just became funny. It’s always been funny…yet the voters still snub the show. Even some fans have said that this season hasn’t been as consistent as the past seasons. The show also hasn’t been nominated for Golden Globes, or any other Guild Awards. And the show’s ratings have been especially low this season, save for two comparatively strong weeks in the middle of their season. I put this show as a top contender…but it’ll honestly be a pretty big surprise if it breaks through.

3. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM - Pros: The oldest of all the contenders on this list, the show has been nominated every they’ve been eligible since season season 2. The is still popular among fans and still creates buzzed about comedy moments. I haven’t watched this season, but apparently there’s an episode called “Palestine Chicken” that’s very popular and even won a Director’s Guild Award this season. It’s a testament that no matter how new shows premiere, or crowded a certain year is, the voters are still able to find room for this show. And there’s no reason why they shouldn’t this year. Cons: In terms of Emmys, despite all their nominees, they’ve only won one Emmy for Direction in 2003. With all those snubs, it might be easy for voters to drop the show completely after 10 years in favor of newer shows. That contradicts what I just wrote earlier but…I’m sticking to it!

4. GIRLS - Pros: Although the show just finished its first season, it has received some of most laudatory reviews of the season. The show offers a somewhat raw, yet humorous look into the lives of four young, college educated women in New York City. And the show has just been nominated for the 2 separate Critics Awards which is very good buzz for the Emmys. Cons: Yeah, the show has some pretty big cons. One, the show’s gotten widespread criticism for many things including lack of diversity, unlikable leading characters, and the fact that some of the actresses have famous parents (nepotism?) Also, while most critics love this show, a lot of “regular people” do not. Some people in the industry may feel venom for Dunham because she’s accomplished so much at such a young age, and some people may feel she hasn’t paid enough dues yet and that she’s more lucky than talented. And, last, this is a new show…so only time will tell whether the voters will embrace the show as much as critics. Let’s not forget: Friday Night Lights got amazing reviews during it’s first season, but didn’t walk away with the nomination. Girls, despite it being a comedy, could suffer that same fate.

5. GLEE - Pros: The show has been nominated the last two years. Actually, it’s gotten a lot of nominations for the last two years. Although it hasn’t won for Best Comedy Series, it has gotten some key wins for Jane Lynch, the direction, and the guest performances. The show has been a pretty heavy Awards favorite for these three seasons, getting nominations/wins for the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards. And if the voters have kids who are Gleeks, then they’ll probably vote for this show just to make their kids happy. Cons: Save for a few episodes, this season has largely been criticized by professional reviewers and fans alike. It joins the ranks of High School Musical, with people hating it and loving it at the same time (but most hating it). This is a very divisive show. And the fact that the show didn’t receive any Directing or Writing nominations last year after winning the Directing category the year before shows that the show’s Emmy stock could gradually be getting lower and lower until it’s out completely. This could be the year that happens.

6. LOUIE - Pros: The show received some surprising nominations last year, including for writing and its lead actor, Louie. Those nominations were definitely deserved. They would also be deserving of those nominations for this season, which featured some stand out episodes including “Joan” and “Duckling”. The show is also a near lock for lead actor and writing, a series nod wouldn’t be too off. Oh! And the show has gotten very positive reviews and has already received other award nominations for their second season. Cons: Outside the stand up scenes, this show can be very dramatic. There are probably some voters who prefer a more traditional comedy, as opposed to this new-agey dramedy that most shows nowadays have inherited from Ally McBeal. (Think when Melissa McCarthy beat front runner Laura Linney last year). Also, the Emmys have never been too kind to cable comedies…esp. basic cable comedies. Louie may not be able to break that tradition.

7. MODERN FAMILY - Pros: The show has done very well with awards these last two years, winning Golden Globes, SAG Awards and other major/critics awards. The show also won Comedy Series for the last 2 years, ending 30 Rock’s seemingly unstoppable streak during their first year. All 6 of the adult actors were nominated for an Emmy last year, with 5 of them nominated the year before. Three of the actors have won Emmys. They’ve also won for directing and writing. In short…the show is a bonafide favorite in all realms of the industry. And it’s not only expected to get a third nomination…it’s pretty much expected to get a third win. Cons: Nothing, honestly. When a show gets a lot of awards, it begins to get backlash (30 Rock has gone through the same thing since season 2). That’s just petty criticism and it’s not going to affect anything…

8. NEW GIRL - Pros: This has become one of the more successful new comedies of this season, receiving high ratings, a few award nominations, and instant recognition for star Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield and the creator Liz Meriwether. And while the reviews in the beginning were promising, yet very shaky, a lot of early dissenters have had a radical change of heart. This is exactly what happened to 30 Rock during their first season. And we all know what happened to that show. So, yes, New Girl could be the next 30 Rock. Cons: One, some people still don’t like Deschanel’s overly quirky/adorkable performance. And she’s the star of the show. If those haters can’t look past her performance then, yeah, they won’t vote for this show. On the contrary, voters who love Deschanel may, again, not be able to look past her, only vote for her, and ignore the show itself completely. Ain’t that the pits!

9. THE OFFICE - Pros: This is another Emmy favorite, having won Comedy Series for their second season, and having been nominated every year since then. The show is still NBC’s highest rated comedy (although that’s not saying much). And the show still recently received a SAG nomination for ensemble showing that other people in the industry still appreciate the performers on the show. Cons: Frankly, ever since Steve Carell left the series, the show has not been the same. The quality has noticeably gone down this season, and everyone from fans to critics have noticed. The bad reviews for this season have been too hard to ignore, and I really believe that the voters won’t “rubber stamp” this one. Early prediction – this is definitely the year The Office drops out.

10. PARKS AND RECREATION - Pros: While The Office is getting worse reviews, Parks has gotten better and better reviews. I have met very few people who dislike this show. It seems to make every person’s top 10 list. In short, it’s a much loved series like Community. Unlike Community, the show has picked up some Emmy nominations, including for its lead Amy Poehler and the show itself last year. It also just received its first nominations from the Producers Guild and Writers Guild, showing that it’s still picking up steam. Even though the show hasn’t done as well with Emmy nominations as some of the other contenders, I believe this is the one show that could actually beat Modern Family. Cons: Again, in its last two years (let’s not count the first season), the show has only picked up four nominations, and no directing or writing nominations. But with some other shows losing stock, Parks should most definitely be fine.

11. 30 ROCK - Pros: Let’s not even bother to list all the Emmys 30 Rock have won. It’s an Emmy powerhouse, having won for Comedy Series for three years, and having been nominated the two years after that. The show has also won a multitude of awards from other organizations. Although nowadays the show is overshadowed by some of the newer shows, it’s still a favorite among critics and viewers. And, in its 6th season, the show is still trying new and exciting things, like live shows and elaborate parodies. Cons: The show hasn’t won an Emmy since its third season despite all the nominations. Although these last two seasons has gotten better reviews than season 4, people still say the show is “showing its age.” And for this season, the show didn’t get nominated for any of the Critics awards. Let’s just say…this show isn’t as strong of a lock as its been in the past…unfortunately.

12. VEEP - Pros: In its 8 episode first season, the show has already gotten great reviews. And with Emmy favorite Julia Louis Dreyfuss starring in the show, voters will definitely take notice and realize how hilarious the show is. If voters love fast, political humor that’s incredibly intelligent but also easy to understand…then this show could be a major surprise come July. Cons: It’s a new show. Who knows?

FYI Other contenders include: Desperate Housewives, Enlightened, Entourage, How I Met Your Mother, Raising Hope, Up All Night

Longshots Worth Mentioning: The Big C, Cougar Town, Hot in Cleveland, House of Lies, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Middle, Nurse Jackie

Shows with no chance that I still really love: 2 Broke Girls, Don’t Trust the B, Family Guy (kill me)

Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. Thanks for reading! Drama Series coming tomorrow. Should be intense.

2012
06/18
CATEGORY
30 rock
awards
emmy awards
emmys
fox
glee
nbc
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
television
tv
3 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series)


Interestingly enough, there was a time when, before the actual nominations came out, voters would narrow down all the contenders to the “top 10″. They obviously don’t do that anymore. But…we can still assume which contenders are at the top of the voter’s minds. Before I release my official nomination predictions around early July, I am going to run down which 10 or so contenders are the biggest threats…and maybe some personal long shots that I believe voters should consider. Here we go!

I am basing the category placements, based on the official ballots which were just released. Here they are.

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

In alphabetical order, here are the top contenders for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series…

1. MAYIM BIALIK [The Big Bang Theory] - Pros: She’s probably the MVP from the last season of The Big Bang Theory. Even when an episode is sucking, you can always count on Bialik to  deliver a hilarious line about how attractive Penny is or something. With the show’s ratings going through the roof, people are beginning to notice Bialik, and positive notice can equal Emmy nominations. (How else do you think Jim Parsons got his first nomination?) And, hey, we all still love Blossom, right? Cons: In an award that, let’s say, 60% of the time lazily votes based on name recognition and establishment, Bialik is definitely in trouble. She hasn’t been nominated for any “major” awards for any other project she’s ever done (unless if you count The Young Artists Awards).

2. JULIE BOWEN [Modern Family] - Pros: Continuously proving to be the surprisingly funniest thing about the show right now, Bowen won her first Emmy for her second nomination last season. There’s really very little sign of her departure this year. Cons: Her humor on the show isn’t as crazy and broad as Sofia Vergara’s. Despite her win, there are some people who still prefer Vergara. If that group has grown since last year, she could be dropped all together from contention.

3. ANNA CHLUMSKY [Veep] - Pros: Although the show is only in its first season, the show has still gotten some really strong reviews and Emmy buzz. Anna Chlumsky has also gotten some mild notice, mostly due to the fact that this her so called “big comback” since her My Girl days. She’s really good on the show, and if voters feel the same and are proud that their crush from the early 90′s has gotten somewhere, then a nomination could be hers. Cons: She’s in the same boat as Mayim Bialik. No other major nominations for anything else she’s done. And this is a new show. We still don’t know how Emmys regard it. And even if they do like the show, they may focus all their attention on the star JLD solely, completely ignoring the supporting cast.

4. KALEY CUOCO [The Big Bang Theory] - Pros: Award shows are really starting to take notice of the series. Not only did the show itself get its first nomination for Series last year, but they also got a SAG nomination for the Ensemble afterwards. All that growing love could mean good things for Cuoco, who hasn’t received a nomination yet. This year, after years of competing in the Lead category, she submitted herself to supporting, bringing new life to her dying chances. Cons: Honestly, supporting, nonetheless, is a lot more competitive than Leading. I’m personally not sure if her chances of getting nominated are any greater. If she receives a nomination, it’ll be more for the fact that the series itself is getting more popular, not necessarily for this stunt.

5. KATHRYN JOOSTEN [Desperate Housewives] - Pros: Yes, her character on the show was was very popular. Yes, the show just finished its last season. Yes, she gave great performances for those last couple of episodes. Yes, she’s already won two Emmys for this role (Guest category). But, honestly, the biggest reason she’s a top contender is because her unfortunate death is probably still fresh on a lot of voters’ minds. This is one final way of awarding her performance, not only on this show, but for all the shows she’s appeared on. (Think back to when John Ritter was nominated for 8 Simple Rules after he passed away.) Cons: Although she was successful in the Guest Actress category, she hasn’t been completely successful since she moved up to Supporting. And, honestly, there’s this misconception that voters are incredibly sentimental. They’re not. And, yeah, they’ll be sad when they see Joosten on the ballot. They may even shed a tear, but it doesn’t automatically mean they’ll vote for her!

6. JANE KRAKOWSKI [30 Rock] - Pros: This has been a very very strong season for Krakowski. Even a lot of fans who disliked this season still admit that Krakowski’s done great work and that Jenna makes anything funny. This season showed a lot of growth for Jenna with her engagement to her two season boyfriend Paul L’astname, played by Will Forte. And she’s been nominated for the last three years consecutively. Cons: She’s never been a front runner in the category, not even in the top half of the nominees. Her nominations aren’t necessarily shocking, but she’s always been on the edge. She’s always been vulnerable according to a lot of Emmy predictors. With older, more established actresses like Cloris Leachmen and Kathryn Joosten getting into the race, someone has to be plucked out, and this may be the year unfortunately that Krakowski finally gets dropped in favor of those older actresses.

7. CLORIS LEACHMEN [Raising Hope] - Pros: This funky grandma is a huge Emmy favorite, having consistently been nominated and won for various projects since her Mary Tyler Moore days. Last year, she was nominated for this role last year in the Guest Actress category. Although she isn’t the most prominent member of the cast, she always pops in and makes us laugh with whatever she’s doing. And, again, the Emmys love her, even if they don’t “like” the series. Cons: This is her first time competing in this category with this role. So, who knows if the voters are ready to put her up with the “big kids”.

8. JANE LYNCH [Glee] - Pros: She won the Emmy in 2010 after an incredibly strong first season of Glee. She received a second nomination last year. She’s also won a Golden Globe and received an individual SAG nomination last year. Cons: If voters have been paying attention, they’d realize that while Sue was the show’s strongest asset during the first season, the writers have made Sue more and more ridiculous and extraneous since the season 2 premiere. Some of the strongest episodes lately have featured little to no Sue. While the character has gotten a little better towards the end of season 3, I still wouldn’t say she deserves to be among the top 6. If voters think otherwise then whatever.

9. WENDIE MALICK [Hot in Cleveland] - Pros: As the shallow soap opera actress Victoria Chase, she’s become the funniest and sharpest thing about Hot in Cleveland. And she was nominated for 2 Emmys for Just Shoot Me so she’s sort of kinda maybe in the Emmy radar if not in the bubble. And considering she’s probably worked with every living actor before, I bet she has strong industry support. Cons: Betty White is the only cast member who’s been individually recognized from the show. With Betty White’s star getting brighter with every day, it may be harder to notice how much worthier Malick would be.

10. NAYA RIVERA [Glee] - Pros: Of all the “kids” on the show, no one has created more raw buzz and acclaim than Naya Rivera for her portrayal as the newly-came out lesbian cheerleader Santana. She’s gotten some really positive notice, particularly for the episode “Mash Off,” where she performed “Someone Like You” with the other Troubletones. It may be a bit of stretch to put her in the top row of contenders, but if voters are truly tired of Lynch, they may switch gears, take a risk, and put Rivera on their ballots. Cons: Yeah…that probably won’t happen.

11. MAYA RUDOLPH [Up All Night] - Pros: Although Rudolph hasn’t been nominated for an Emmy, Rudolph has probably impressed many voters for her hilarious supporting performance in Up All Night. If a newcomer is allowed to sneak in, it will most likely be Rudolph, whose broad kind of performance is what Emmys are made of. Cons: Early on, there were some critical reviews that said that Rudolph’s character felt off considering the tone of the show, but that criticism has seemed to die down since then. I think it’s just a matter of this being a new show and a new role, so we don’t really know how this will all fit in an Emmy season.

12. SOFIA VERGARA [Modern Family] - Pros: Along with SAG Awards and Golden Globes, she’s been nominated for two Emmys. Logically, As the only non-white in the adult cast, she immediately stands out to Emmy voters. Less logically, she’s really funny, even if the “yelling in a foreign accent” schtick has gotten old since the first season. Her high profile guest stint on SNL may also help her. Cons: I’m just going to rewrite “even if the ‘yelling in a foreign accent’ schtick has gotten old since the first season.”

13. BETTY WHITE [Hot in Cleveland] - Pros: She has won 5 Emmys, her last Emmy win being two years ago for her hosting stint on SNL. She was nominated for Hot in Cleveland last year. She’s also won two SAG Awards, so clearly she has tons of support from her fellow actors. And with her other show, the prank show, doing moderately well (for NBC), she has high visibility. Cons: If the voters have an “out with the old, in with the new” attitude, then White, the oldest of them all, is out.

14. KRISTEN WIIG [Saturday Night Live] - Pros: Wiig is one of the most buzzed, celebrated female comedians right now, following the foot steps of other SNL alum Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. She is the most visible (and hilarious), cast member of SNL. She’s been nominated for the last 3 years. And, outside of SNL, she’s been nominated for an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay of the hit Bridesmaids (along with receiving a Golden Globe for her performance in the film). With this being her last season (and with that beautiful send off she got during the Mick Jagger episode), voters will probably want to at least nominate her one last time. Cons: Wiig is very polarizing. I’d say for every 10 people who love her, there’s 1 troll person who absolutely can’t stand her. So…yeah…

FYI Other contenders include: Kristen Bell (House of Lies), Alison Brie (Community), Conchata Ferrell (Two and a Half Men), Jenna Fischer (The Office), Swoosie Kurtz (Mike & Molly), Diane Ladd (Enlightened), Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men), Casey Wilson (Happy Endings)

Longshots Worth Mentioning: Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland), Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings), Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother), Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives), Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation), Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland), Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Busy Phillips (Cougar Town), Eden Sher (The Middle), Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie), and Vanessa Williams (Desperate Housewives)

Farther longshots that I recommend people check out: Dianna Agron & Jenna Ushkowitz (Glee), Vanessa Bayer, Abby Elliot, Kate McKinnon, and Nasim Pedrad (SNL), Sufe Bradshaw (Veep), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia), Sarah Hyland (Modern Family), Mindy Kaling & Mindy Kaling (The Office), Zosia Mamet (Girls), Retta (Parks and Recreation), Gabourey Sidibe (The Big C), and Hannah Simone (The Big C)

Believe it or not, there are more submissions for this category than what I listed above! Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. Thanks for reading! Supporting Actress in Drama coming tomorrow!

2012
06/17
CATEGORY
30 rock
awards
emmy awards
emmys
fox
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2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Supporting Actors in a Comedy Series)


Interestingly enough, there was a time when, before the actual nominations came out, voters would narrow down all the contenders to the “top 10″. They obviously don’t do that anymore. But…we can still assume which contenders are at the top of the voter’s minds. Before I release my official nomination predictions around early July, I am going to run down which 10 or so contenders are the biggest threats…and maybe some personal long shots that I believe voters should consider. Here we go!

I am basing the category placements, based on the official ballots which were just released. Here they are.

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

In alphabetical order, here are the top contenders for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series…

1. TY BURRELL [Modern Family] - Pros: Probably the most celebrated cast member from the show. He won the Emmy last year. He was nominated the year before. He’s also been nominated for SAG awards, Satellite awards, and  he won a Television Critics Award last year. He’s, in my opinion, the most solid lock for a nomination in this category this year. Cons: But…if voters decide that they don’t want to nominate the ENTIRE cast of Modern Family, then maybe Burrell could be pushed out…but I doubt it.

2. CHRIS COLFER [Glee] - Pros: He’s undoubtedly become the breakout star  of the show, having been nominated for the Emmy twice, and having won the Golden Globe last year. And with a new movie which he wrote coming soon (that contains a somewhat all star cast), he definitely still has a lot of support from the industry. Cons: But, as someone who watches the show, this season hasn’t been as explosive for Chris as last season was. Yes, his character graduates but…the things surrounding that wasn’t as dramatic as, I dunno, finding out your father is in a coma. So, along with Glee’s decreasing popularity, lack of a compelling story line could cost Colfer a nod.

3. JESSE TYLER FERGUSON [Modern Family] - Pros: He’s been nominated two years in a row. He’s on the highest rated, most critically acclaimed comedy show right now. And it seems like, slow and steady, people are starting to appreciate Ferguson’s low-key comedy style. Cons: He’s the only adult cast member who hasn’t been nominated for anything outside the Emmys. Technically that shouldn’t mean much…but if voters decide not to nominate all 4 guys from the show, then he’s highly vulnerable.

4. MAX GREENFIELD [New Girl] - Pros: Ask 10 New Girl fans who their  favorite character on the show is, and all of them will yell “Schmidt”! What is it about Schmidt? He’s OC-ness? His lovable douchey-ness? His hilarious one liners? Or…OK, it’s the fact that he’s shirtless in every other scene (that’s for the ladies and gay men out there)! Whatever the case, Greenfield has created one of the most dynamic characters on television this year. And although he’s never been nominated for anything before, a nomination would be appropriate for the guy who created one of the most talked about comedic characters of the season. Cons: Whether the Emmys will choose to embrace this new show will come soon enough.

5. BILL HADER [Saturday Night Live] - Pros: If you don’t enjoy Stefon, then you need to get some invasive surgery to fix your funny box. Hader has become the most celebrated cast member on the show, even more so than Kristen Wiig tbh. And SNL is such an Emmy favorite when it comes to the guest categories and Supporting Actress category, maybe this will be the year voters embrace the Supporting Actor category. And when they do, Hader has the best chance to breakthrough. Cons: It’s not like Hader just become hilarious. He’s been funny for the last few years now. So why haven’t the voters rewarded him yet? (Shrug).

6. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS [How I Met Your Mother] - Pros: He’s probably the most loved celebrity right now. It seems like everyone loves him. He was nominated for the show from 2007 to 2010. He also won Emmys for his hosting stint at the Tonys and his guest performance on Glee. And he’s generally really great on the show. Cons: He was shockingly snubbed last year in favor or Ed O’Neill. And, we all know this: once you’re out of the Emmy bubble, it’s nearly impossible to get back in. But, nonetheless, he’s still a  contender.

7. ED O’NEILL [Modern Family] - Pros: After unfortunately getting snubbed during his first year, he finally received his first Emmy nomination last year. Although he’s not the craziest member of the Modern Family clan, many appreciate his subtle low-key humor and looks at him as the patriarchal glue that holds the “family” together. Cons: He was the only adult cast member to not get an Emmy nomination for the first season. Does that say anything about how voters regard him?

8. NICK OFFERMAN [Parks and Recreation] - Pros: After being disgustingly snubbed for the last two years, I was starting to wonder whether it was worth putting him down as a “top contender”. While critics and other online peoples have constantly praised his portrayal of Ron Effin’ Swanson, the Emmys have failed to follow suit. However, there are two things working in his favor, besides the fact that Parks and Recreation is one of the most critically acclaimed shows of last year and this year: 1,) Jon Cryer moved to the leading category, leaving one spot from the  last 6 years definitely open. And 2.) He’s announcing the nominees this year (with Kerry Washington) so that could elevate his chances greatly. Cons: He’s been snubbed for two years. We’re all starting to lose hope.

9. JEREMY PIVEN [Entourage] - Pros: I’ve never seen this show so I don’t know anything about it, and I can’t expand on the fact that he won the category three years in a row, just to be snubbed in 2009. So, yeah, he hasn’t been nominated since 2008. But, considering, this is the show’s last season, it’s possible that the voters may want to award Piven one last time as a farewell gift. Cons: Entourage simply isn’t an Emmy favorite anymore. And, honestly, just because a show is in its last season, doesn’t mean the voters will start embracing the show or Piven again.

10. OLIVER PLATT [The Big C] - Pros: He’s moderately successful when it comes to the Emmys, having been nominated 4 times, 2 of those times for his supporting role in the short-lived Huff. If the voters feel very generous towards The Big C, they may decide to nominate Platt along with Laura Linney. Cons: Some interesting things happened for his character this season.Nothing against his performance…I just think overall lack of interest for his show will probably lead to his snub for the second year in a row.

11. ANDY SAMBERG [Saturday Night Li)ve] - Pros: Besides his last two Digital Shorts (the 100th and Lazy Sunday 2), his Digital Shorts this season haven’t been very well received. However, sentiment for his last season could lead to his first acting nomination. He’s also been nominated for six Emmys for his songs featured in his Digital Shorts, winning one for his first nomination (“Dick in a Box”). And if That’s My Boy becomes a success…that could help I guess. Cons: He’s not considered a great “sketch comedian”. And if voters want to award him for his Digital Shorts, then they may just end up giving him another Best Music and Lyrics nomination.

12. JAMES SPADER [The Office] - Pros: He’s won three Emmys before and was nominated for a fourth for his role as Alan Shore on The Practice and Boston Legal. This is the type of guest/supporting role that Emmy voters cling to. An established actor dropping in on a show for a season. (Think Alfre Woodard’s nomination for the second season of Desperate Housewives despite a polarizing story line). Cons: The 10 or so episodes of The Office I watched this season were not very good. This show has gone downhill and some of the blame has to go to Spader. There are other members of the cast who are more deserving of this nomination…

13. ERIC STONESTREET [Modern Family] - Pros: He was nominated for the first two seasons of the show, winning for the first year. He’s also been nominated for other awards. He’s definitely among the craziest and vocal members of the company. Cons: Some people consider his character annoying and grating. Voters might take that criticism to heart.

FYI Other contenders include: Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation), Kevin Dillon (Entourage), John Benjamin Hickey (The Big C), Jack Brayer (30 Rock), Cory Monteith (Glee), Danny Pudi (Community), Jason Sudeikis (SNL), and Rainn Wilson (The Office)

Longshots Worth Mentioning: Ted Danson (Bored to Death), Donald Glover (Community), John Krasinski (The Office), Tracy Morgan (30 Rock), Adam Pally (Happy Endings), and Damon Wayons, Jr. (Happy Endings)

Even further longshots that I personally wouldn’t mind seeing nominated: This is a long list so hold on tight. Scott Adsit from 30 Rock continues to be underrated, underused and under-awarded. Fred Armisen is hilarious on both Portlandia and SNL. I also really like Taran Killam and Kenan Thompson from the latter show.  If you like Max Greenfield’s shirtlessness on New Girl, then you’d probably love Adam Driver from Girls  (I do…his performance, not his shirtlessness). Speaking of New Girl, where’s the love for Jake Johnson? Although Weeds pretty much sucks nowadays, I still think Alexander Gould does good work on the show. The kids from Modern Family, particularly Nolan Gould and Rico Rodriguez, hold their own against their adult co-stars. Tony Hale is my favorite supporting actor from Veep. The comedy duo from Key & Peele impress me greatly. Garrett Morris and his one liners from 2 Broke Girls always make me smile. Hot off his Oscar win, don’t you think Jim Rash from Community could add an Emmy to his mantle? Atticus Shaffer from The Middle is just this cute, little funny little bud. And last, but not least…James van Der Beek…Apartment 23…make it happen.

Whew! Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. (There are actually more than what I singled out above). Thanks for reading! More coming tomorrow.

2012
06/14
CATEGORY
awards
emmy awards
emmys
fox
glee
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
television
tv
2 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Lead Actress in a Comedy Series)


Interestingly enough, there was a time when, before the actual nominations came out, voters would narrow down all the contenders to the “top 10″. They obviously don’t do that anymore. But…we can still assume which contenders are at the top of the voter’s minds. Before I release my official nomination predictions around early July, I am going to run down which 10 or so contenders are the biggest threats…and maybe some personal long shots that I believe voters should consider. Here we go!

I am basing the category placements, based on the official ballots which were just released. Here they are.

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

In alphabetical order, here are the top contenders for Leading Actress in a Comedy Series…

1. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE [Up All Night] - Pros: Applegate has always been a solid Awards favorite. She won her first Emmy for a guest role in Friends in 2003, and since then she’s been nominated 3 more times, including 2 consecutive nods for the short lived Samantha Who? It’s possible she can add another nomination for her newest, well received role. Cons: It’s the same situation Will Arnett is going through. The show simply isn’t getting the buzz it deserves. And like Arnett, she’ll have to mostly depend on name recognition, as opposed to voters actually watching the show…

2. LAURA DERN [Enlightened] - Pros: She’s a four time Emmy nominee, her last nomination being for the TV Movie Recount. She recently won a Golden Globe for Enlightened. And, plus, this show has become a critical hit, making many critics’ year end lists. She’s the type of established, Oscar nominated actress that Emmy voters go nuts over. Cons: The show, among audiences is still very polarizing. But, luckily for Dern, the Emmys are voted by other actors and industry professionals, not regular people.

3. ZOOEY DESCHANEL [New Girl] - Pros: New Girl has become the surprise hit of the season, getting even higher ratings than Glee. And at the center of the show’s success is Deschanel. She’s pretty much become the breakout star of the year. If the Emmys decide to embrace this show, I think Deschanel will be at the top of the voters’ minds. Cons: Not everyone likes Deschanel’s “adorkable” schtick. Throughout the season, Deschanel has exploited that personality trait less and less…but the early episodes could still leave a sour taste in the voters’ mouths.

4. LENA DUNHAM [Girls] - Pros: Girls has gotten some of the best reviews of this TV season, with most of them singling out Lena Dunham (the creator of the show). Some have even compared Dunham to Louis CK. And the show airs on HBO, which always helps! Dunham and her show has slowly but surely been gaining more and more buzz. Cons: As you all know, the show has attracted some criticism for not only casting young women who have famous daddies, but for featuring virtually no diversity. (Ironic how people target this show, even though this is an issue that’s BIGGER than this small show that just came out this year.) Also, some voters may feel turned off by the fact that Dunham has achieved so much success at such a young age (ie. she hasn’t paid her dues). If she can get past those tough hurdles, she could be a real threat.

5. EDIE FALCO [The Sopranos] - Pros: She is a bonafide, heavy awards favorite. She won three Emmys for her role in The Sopranos, one Emmy for her first two seasons of Nurse Jackie and she was nominated last year, along with about a million other TV awards and nominations, a good bunch of them devoted to Nurse Jackie. People love her. End of story. Cons: However, all things must end. Maybe this will be the year Falco’s nomination streak ends. Also, a lot of people complain that Nurse Jackie is too dramatic to be considered a comedy (like most Showtime comedies). But…honestly, claims like that have never stopped the Emmys from nominating those types of shows and performances anyway.

6. TINA FEY [30 Rock] - Pros: Tina Fey is also an Emmy favorite, ever since her SNL days when she won an Emmy for her role as the head writer. Since then, she’s won an Emmy for 30 Rock, among other writing and show wins. And don’t get me started on how many nominations she has gotten! A lot! Plus, people generally love her…right? Cons: She hasn’t really done anything technically wrong this year. This could simply be the year that the Emmys stop giving the show so many nominations. And with all the newcomers coming this year, Fey is actually more vulnerable than we may think.

7. LAURA LINNEY [The Big C] - Pros: Another Emmy favorite. Before last year, she had won every Emmy she had been nominated for. Right now, she’s dropped down to 3/4…still a great record. The odds are in her favor for another nomination. Cons: Speaking of quality, I watched the show faithfully during season 1…but I’ve pretty much stopped since then. The spark and magic the show had during its pilot has pretty much gone away. But, other than my own personal feelings, she doesn’t really have much against her.

8. JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUSS [Veep] - Pros: Seven nominations for Seinfeld. Five nominations for Old Christina. A win for each show. Oh! And by the way, Veep is hilarious! Considering Julia’s been getting buzz months before the show even premiered, it’s safe to say of all the “new contenders,” she’s the safest bet. Cons: But…it’s still a new show. And sometimes voters can snub new shows during their first year…especially when that new show premiered so late in the game that Emmy voters probably had an idea who they wanted in their top 6 before the show premiered. That could cause problems for Julia.

9. MELISSA MCCARTHY [Mike & Molly] - Pros: She won last year. Usually, when someone wins one year, they at least get a nomination the second year. Also, she might still be riding the buzz she got from her Oscar nominated role in Bridesmaids. Because, let’s face it, Bridesmaids is the only reason she got recognition for this TV show in the first place. Cons: However, there have been times when actors fail to get a nomination after winning (see Kyra Sedgewick, Patrica Arquette, Jaime Pressley and Jean Smart among others). And, honestly, with so many newcomers this year, her buzz is fading away fast. She may have to settle for a guest nomination for her work on SNL.

10. LEA MICHELE [Glee] - Pros: She received a nomination for the show’s first year. Although it seems like Glee is becoming further and further from Emmy’s radar, she has admittedly had a great season, with her character graduating from high school and moving onto college in New York. This year could be her comeback. Cons: But, again, with the quality of the show being questioned, it’s going to be impossibly hard for actors who are not Chris Colfer or Jane Lynch to breakthrough.

11. MARTHA PLIMPTON [Raising Hope] - Pros: She received a surprise nomination last year. When I think of Plimpton on Raising Hope, for some reason I think of the possibility of her becoming like Jane Kaczmerek from Malcolm in the Middle…a renegade actress that will continue to get Emmy nominations against all odds. And Plimpton would deserve that distinction ’cause she rocks on the show (from the three episodes I’ve seen this season). Cons: Like some of the others above…the Emmys could have an “out with the old, in with the new” attitude. And, yes, “one year” is considered old in the Emmy world.

12. AMY POEHLER [Parks and Recreation] - Pros: She has been nominated for 4 straight years, 2 years for SNL, and 2 more years for P&R. She’s the safest lock for a nomination out of all the contenders, giving one of the most celebrated lead female performances on TV right now. Whether she’ll actually win this year is another story. Cons: If Emmy voters want people to take this award less seriously than they do now, then, yes, they will snub Amy Poehler.

FYI Other contenders include: Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls), Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives), and Mary Louise Parker (Weeds)

Longshots that are worth mentioning: Beth Behrs (2 Broke Girls), Courtney Cox (Cougar Town), and Patricia Heaton (The Middle)

Longshots I LOVE: You go girl, Debby Ryan from Jessie. And Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23 has become one of the most surprisingly funny shows of the year so it’s also nice to see Dreama Walker and Kristen Ritter on the ballot for Lead.

Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. Leading Actress in a Drama Series is coming next!

2012
06/13
CATEGORY
30 rock
awards
children's tv
emmy awards
emmys
fox
glee
nbc
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
television
tv
1 comment

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Lead Actors in a Comedy Series)


Interestingly enough, there was a time when, before the actual nominations came out, voters would narrow down all the contenders to the “top 10″. They obviously don’t do that anymore. But…we can still assume which contenders are at the top of the voter’s minds. Before I release my official nomination predictions around early July, I am going to run down which 10 or so contenders are the biggest threats…and maybe some personal long shots that I believe voters should consider. Here we go!

I am basing the category placements, based on the official ballots which were just released. Here they are.

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

In alphabetical order, here are the top contenders for Leading Actor in a Comedy Series…

1. WILL ARNETT [Up All Night] - Pros: Will Arnett is a favorite among Emmy voters. He has received three nominations for his guest role on 30 Rock, and will most likely receive a fourth one this year. He was also nominated for Arrested Development 6 years ago. And he’s the husband of virtual lock Amy Poehler. Cons: The show is only in its first season. Also, between the show’s low ratings and overall low buzz, Arnett’s only chance at a nomination will probably simply be name recognition.

2. ALEC BALDWIN [30 ROCK] - Pros: He’s been nominated every season since the show’s first. He already has two trophies on his shelf. And he’s still considered the strongest thing about the show. So, yeah, he’s pretty much a lock. Cons: However, with all the controversy Baldwin has attracted (particularly, his shenanigans with the plane and Words with Friends), maybe voters are getting tired of Baldwin and his overwhelming attitude.

3. LOUIS CK [Louie] - Pros: Louie has become one of the most well reviewed, critically celebrated comedy shows over the last year. And with a new season beginning soon, this show will be fresh on the voters minds. And he was nominated last year. Cons: Basic cable comedies don’t usually do well at the Emmys but…Louie has pretty much become the exception (at least I hope so!)

4. DON CHEADLE [House of Lies] - Pros: Considering I haven’t watched this show, I can’t comment on quality. But I can comment on the fact that the show’s received good reviews and that Cheadle (along with Kristen Bell) have been singled out. Cheadle has been nominated for four Emmys, including a nomination for his last television role, a guest stint on ER. And he’s an Oscar nominee for a really popular movie (Hotel Rwanda). Based on who he is, he could get in regardless of the actual quality of the show. Cons: It’s a new show, so that’s always tricky. And the show hasn’t exactly picked up too much buzz, but that might change in the next couple of weeks…

5. JON CRYER [Two and Half Men] - Pros: He’s been nominated for the last 6 years. He won in 2009. He got his first SAG nomination this year, clearly showing that actors still feel sympathy for the actor after the “Charlie Sheen debacle”. And, after Sheen’s departure, he’s really been able to step out into his own this season (the actor, not his pathetic character). Cons: He’s been nominated for Supporting Actor, and this is the first year he moves up to the Leading category. That promotion could cause his streak to finally break.

6. LARRY DAVID [Curb Your Enthusiasm] - Pros: When his show is eligible, he’s usually a staple in the Leading category. And this season has particularly gotten good reviews. Cons: He’s never won. His show has been on for a while. And, you know, it’s possible for the show itself to get nominated with David getting a Lead Actor nomination. Maybe voters will choose to leave David behind.

7. JOHNNY GALECKI [The Big Bang Theory] - Pros: He’s the co-star of the highest rated comedy from this season. And he received a surprise nomination last year. He even got a Golden Globe nomination over his more popular co-star Jim Parsons. And Galecki has been getting funnier and funnier and finding his own, despite Parsons’s undeniable popularity. Cons: Still…he’s still overshadowed by Jim Parsons. And his nomination last year was so shocking. He just doesn’t seem as solid a lock as his co-star unfortunately.

8. JOEL MCHALE [Community] - Pros: Community has gotten sooo much acclaim from critics and fans alike lately. Despite not getting nominated, McHale has always been a strong contender over the last two years, and this year is no different. Cons: However, neither he (nor the show) has gotten any major award nominations. And even if the show itself finally breaks through, it doesn’t mean McHale has much of a shot in this mildly crowded category.

9. MATTHEW MORRISON [Glee] - Pros: He was nominated for his first year. And…that’s pretty much it. Cons: Where do I begin? His character is not only one of the weakest things about the struggling Glee, but his character has pretty much been flawed since season 2. In short, people don’t like his character. So even though Morrison tries, he can’t get past bad writing. But, whatevs, he still has a fair chance if the voters are feeling “Glee-crazy” again.

10. JIM PARSONS [The Big Bang Theory] - Pros: He’s been nominated the last 3 years, he won the last two years (shockingly beating Steve Carell for his last year). He recently got a TCA nomination and…y’know, he’s the breakout star of his show. And he just came out so…he definitely has the gay vote. Cons: Nothing really. I know there are some actors who were probably upset that he beat Steve Carell. Some voters, in bitter rage, might snub him. That won’t happen…but it’s not an impossible conclusion.

FYI Other contenders include: Tim Allen (Last Man Standing), Garrett Dillahunt (Raising Hope), David Duchovny (Californication), Ed Helms (The Office), Thomas Jane (Hung), Ashton Kutcher (Two and Half Men), Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down), Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation), and Elijah Wood (Wilfred)

Longshots that are worth mentioning: Neil Flynn (The Middle), Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly), Zachary Levi (Chuck), Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation), and Lucas Neff (Raising Hope)

Longshot I sort of love: NATHAN KRESS FROM ICARLY??? (Interesting tidbit, Miranda Cosgrove didn’t submit herself for Lead Actress)

Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. Thanks for reading! More coming soon!

2012
06/12
CATEGORY
30 rock
awards
children's tv
emmy awards
emmys
fox
glee
nbc
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
television
tv
1 comment

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