Posts Tagged ‘ drama ’

2012 Final Emmy Predictions – Nominations (Programs)


So let’s countdown where we are. All the members of the Academy have read the ballots, cast their votes and sent them to be counted. That means, no matter what happens between now and July 19th, when the nominations are announced, the potential nominees won’t be affected. So, I guess there’s no reason to wait any longer. Here are my final predictions to who’s going to get nominated…

To read the ballots to know exactly which series submitted where, click here.

For more Emmy discussion, visit my Emmy page.

Now I am moving onto the program categories. Again, I think these categories are easier to predict than the supporting performers categories. So I’m just going to get these over with. Here we go! From most likely to least likely.

COMEDY SERIES:

1. Modern Family

2. Parks and Recreation

3. The Big Bang Theory

4. Curb Your Enthusiasm

5. 30 Rock

6. Louie

I actually was predicting Veep for a while…and then I remembered that CYE existed, so I had no choice but to bump that show down. Louie has so much going for it – it would be a shock and a shame if it was snubbed.

DRAMA SERIES:

1. Mad Men

2. Breaking Bad

3. Homeland

4. Game of Thrones

5. Boardwalk Empire

6. Downton Abbey

The Good Wife could replace number 5 or 6 but…yeah, these will be the nominees. 

TV MOVIE/MINISERIES:

1. Game Change

2. Hemingway and Gellhorn

3. Hatfields and McCoys

4. The Hour

5. American Horror Story

6. Sherlock

I’ve only seen two of TV programs. Can you guess which two? Is anyone surprised that Julian Fellowes’s  Titanic didn’t become the hit we all thought it would be? 

VARIETY SERIES:

1. The Daily Show

2. Saturday Night Live

3. Colbert Report

4. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

5. Real Time with Bill Maher

6. Jimmy Kimmel Live

So according to me, Conan and Letterman will be snubbed in favor of…Jimmy Kimmel?? I think this might be wishful thinking. Kimmel would be so much more deserving than those two. I will forever be on Team Coco…but his new show on TBS is just not that good compared to others, primarily the top 4 + Chelsea Lately. Even Bill Maher isn’t continuously awkward like Conan is. Anyway, if they vote for Conan then I’m the idiot. Blurgh…

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM:

1. I Can Be President: A Kid’s-Eye View

2. iCarly

3. Wizards of Waverly Place

4. Good Luck Charlie

5. Victorious

I haven’t seen #1, but judging from the description they give on the ballot, (“What do our future leaders think? In their own words and vividly rendered in animated scenes, kids share ideas about the presidency in this enlightening program.” Barf) the judges will eat that up. Other than that, I think iCarly and Wizards will definitely stick around with the older-skewing Good Luck Charlie breaking through and taking Degrassi’s spot.

NONFICTION SERIES:

1. American Masters

2. Biography

3. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

4. American Experience

5. Inside the Actors Studio

6. Oprah’s Next Chapter

Maybe Oprah’s recent interview with Whitney Houston’s family members could give her a boost. Who knows? I don’t. I know virtually nothing about any of these shows or this category.

REALITY PROGRAM:

1. Deadliest Catch

2. Antiques Roadshow

3. MythBusters

4. Hoarders

5. Undercover Boss

6. Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

Besides Kathy Griffin, all of last year’s nominees are expected to return. Jamie Oliver won the year before but was snubbed a nomination last year last year. It would be so very cool if Dance Moms snuck in there, but the snobby Academy probably wouldn’t even consider it…

REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM:

1. The Amazing Race

2. Top Chef

3. Project Runway

4. American Idol

5. So You Think You Can Dance

6. The Voice

You know, I’m going to listen to the “experts” on this one. The Voice has become a big hit. Dancing with the Stars is becoming stale. I think The Voice will replace DWTS. Really though, besides the first 2 choices, all these programs are in one way or another vulnerable.

ANIMATED PROGRAM:

1. The Simpsons

2. South Park

3. Futurama

4. Archer

5. The Looney Tunes Show

Honestly, the last two choices are shots in the dark. Archer gets really really good reviews. And the Looney Tunes Show got a nomination last year for voice over performance so it’s definitely on the Emmy radar. American Dad and The Cleveland Show could, however, also snag those two spots. The first 3 are virtual locks.

SHORT-FORMAT ANIMATED PROGRAM:

1. Robot Chicken

2. Disney’s Phineas and Ferb

3. Disney’s Prep and Landing

4. MAD

5. 30 Rock Presents: The Donaghy Files

Shrug!

SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAM:

1. 84th Annual Academy Awards

2. 65th Annual Tony Awards

3. 54th Annual Grammy Awards

I really do believe there will only be three nominees. I’m not just being lazy and/or fearful. Also, I also believe the Emmy ceremonies themselves should be eligible for these awards, because they’d actually be deserving.

SPECIAL CLASS LIVE ACTION SHORT FORMAT:

1. The Daily Show Correspondents Explain

2. 30 Rock: Webisodes

3. Web Therapy

4. Children”s Hospital

5. Key & Peele: Obama’s Anger Translator

Actually, this may just be a list of the programs I think should be nominated. The first 2 will most certainly come back again this year. The next three…I dunno.

Happy 4th of July! Thanks for reading! I won’t be posting my predictions for the supporting categories until next week because those categories are very competitive and I need a few more days to think it over. See ya!

2012
07/04
CATEGORY
30 rock
academy awards
american idol
awards
breaking bad
children's tv
drama
emmy awards
emmys
grammys
nominations
predictions
reflection
saturday night live
SNL
so you think you can dance
television
the good wife
the voice
tv
3 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Drama 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 Drama Series.

1. BOARDWALK EMPIRE - Pros: This show received plenty of buzz even before its first season, and after the season aired, it certainly didn’t disappoint in terms of critics’ expectations or awards. The show and its star, Steve Buscemi, have won both Golden Globes and Guild Awards. In terms of Emmys, it won 8 Emmys last year, including a Direction win for its pilot. And, of course, it was nominated for Drama Series. With its second season winning the Producers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild, with other major nominations under its belt, a snub for a second Emmy nomination would be a pretty big shock. Cons: A small, yet passionate group of people really really dislike this show. They call it overrated. Their vocal-ness could could affect votes. The show was also snubbed at the TCAs and the Critics Choice Awards. With Breaking Bad coming back to the mix, and Homeland breaking in…Boardwalk Empire doesn’t seem as hot as it used to be.

2. BREAKING BAD - Pros: The 9.3 rating the show has on IMDB should be enough, but I’ll go farther since I’m being paid the big bucks (roughly 0 dollars and 0 cents). The show wasn’t eligible last year, but the the 2 years before then it received 2 Drama series nominations among other things. Aaron Paul won an Emmy. And Bryan Cranston has won the Emmy 3 straight years in a row, 1 for every season. The show has been nominated for other awards, and it even received its first SAG nomination for the ensemble this year. The show also received a bunch of nominations for the various critics awards, and has generally made the top of critics top 10 lists. Outside its awards count, the show has a received a lot of buzz and positive feedback and word of mouth. Virtually every episode of this season has received buzz through Twitter and Feedback. Truly, the writers have done a great task, creating one of the most riveting seasons of television. On a personal level, as someone who has loved this show since its first season, I am so glad the show is receiving the applause its always deserved. And a win would be perfect. Cons: Voters who don’t really watch the shows and simply vote based on buzz may forget to put this show on its ballot because it wasn’t eligible last year…Honestly, there’s nothing.

3. DAMAGES - Pros: Admittedly, I have not watched an episode of this series, so I can’t speak on quality. But, objectively, the show has a lot going for it. Besides Glenn Close, the show has never done terribly well with awards outside of Emmys. But…it has still done well during their first three seasons. Their first two seasons got nominations for Drama Series (with Glenn Close winning of course). It didn’t receiving a Series nomination during their last year (2010), but it still received enough major nominations to still be considered an Emmy favorite. In short, this show is still in the minds of Emmy voters and it, at least, deserves to be considered a top contender. Cons: After a year of ineligibility, the show is back in the race. While Glenn Close, maybe Rose Byrne, and any supporting actor is expected to get nominated, the Show itself is receiving very little buzz. It’s simply not a show that most people talk about. With so many new shows from the last year and this year coming into the race, it’s going to be very tough for this show to breakthrough.

4. DEXTER - Pros: The show has gotten the nomination for the last 4 years, winning in 2010 for Direction. The show has also received many other award nominations, including the SAGs, PGAs, DGAs, and WGAs just recently. It’s an award favorite and a critics favorite and a lot fans still watch/love the show. Cons: I didn’t watch this season so everything I’m writing will be pure speculation. Has this show really received that much buzz? Would people really be that shocked if the show was snubbed? And aren’t fans saying that this last season wasn’t so great? The show has a lot going for it…but, again, similar to with Damages, it’ll be very hard for voters to resist voting for the newer, fresher, more critically acclaimed shows on the ballot.

5. DOWNTON ABBEY - Pros: Y’know, after finishing this second season (and re-watching the first season), I’ve come to really appreciate this show, and I have become a fan. Do I still believe it wrongfully stole awards from Mildred Pierce last year? YAH! But do I now understand why so many people love this show? I do. And people really do like this show. Like stated earlier, it did win the Emmy for Movie/Miniseries last year, and this year, it’s gotten various award nominations in the regular Series category, including for the two critics awards. And this wouldn’t be the first “British upstairs/downstairs” series to do well at the Emmys. During the 70′s, Upstairs/Downstairs did very well, winning  during one of the years. It’s very possible that this international success will follow that older series’ footsteps. Cons: The show isn’t as hard hitting and intense as some other shows. It’s very light and airy. And, it being a period show, voters may not fully relate to what’s going on. Besides that, just because the show did well last year in Movie/Miniseries, doesn’t mean the second season will do as well in more competitive categories.

6. GAME OF THRONES - Pros: Ugh, can I just interject and say the Drama category is filled with more critically acclaimed shows than the Comedy Category. Just sayin’. Anyway, this show is not my style, but it is definitely the style of people, critics, award groups and, most importantly, Emmy voters, who gave the show a million nominations last year (including for Drama Series), winning two, most notably for the show’s MVP Peter Dinklage. Judging from skimming the grades AV Club has given the show, the magic that the show had during its first season seems to still be there. Cons: The show had a little controversy because uh, apparently, they chopped off George W. Bush’s head in one episode (I know, wtf). That could affect the 2 or 3 stubborn conservatives in the industry. Also, it’s just worth pointing out, that voters have always tended to enjoy realistic drama, over genre, fantasy television. It seems like GoT has broken that tradition though.

7. THE GOOD WIFE - Pros: The pro is that this show is amazing and that the voters would have to be blind, deaf and dumb to not vote for this show. OK, seriously, in an age where cable dramas are prevailing at the Emmys, this show stacks up quite well, receiving two Drama Series noms in a row, and a win last year for its star Julianna Margulies, plus five other acting nominations. The show does very well with nominations for other award groups. And, if the voters needed to award one and only one network show, The Good Wife would probably be the most appropriate choice. Cons: Although they still believe the show is great, most fans agree that season 3 wasn’t as great as season 2, with the show slowly becoming more of a standard anthology crime procedural than serial drama. Besides that, the show has always been 5th or 6th, which means it will probably be knocked off in favor of a newer drama.

8. HOMELAND - Pros: Even before the Emmys, the new show has already received many honors from the Critics Choice Awards, the Writers Guild Awards and the Edgar Allen Poe Awards, winning the Drama Series award at the Golden Globes.The show, and particularly Claire Danes,  have also nabbed enthusiastic reviews from many critics and fans. And has received so much buzz that the bee would have to be the size of a cruise ship. It’s one of those “new shows” that’s expected to take the spot from one of the older shows. It might be the only new show to be honest. Cons: The biggest con is the fact that the show didn’t receive any Screen Actors Guild Awards, which was pretty much one of the biggest award snubs in recent memory. So…do” other actors not like this show? Considering that’s a very large group of Emmy voters, the producers of Homeland should be a little worried. With some effective campaigning the show should still do well.

9. JUSTIFIED - Pros: This could be the year Justified breaks through.  I mean, it has everything going for it, fans, good ratings, enthusiastic critical reviews, and an Emmy for Margo Martindale last year, along with the three other acting nominations. Sometimes it takes a couple seasons for a show to break through. If Justified followed that same route, a lot of people would be very happy. Cons: The show is similar to The Wire, people love it, Award voters do not. After two pretty lame years in terms of nominations, maybe we just have to accept that Emmy voters do not care for this /watch this show.

10. MAD MEN - Pros: This is pretty much the “Modern Family” of the drama category, in that it gets at least nominated for every award possible. It gets plenty of critical acclaim, and, you have to admit, I can’t be the only one who has Facebook walls filled with “OMG! I love Mad Men!” And this season was really good. In my opinion, this show has never been number 1 on my list, but it gets better and better with every season, so, in that case, it should be a lock for another Drama Series win (its 5th…for its 5th season). The show isn’t going anyway. End of point. Cons: Ugh. I still have to do this? Hm…what’s working against this show? Nothing. Nothing. It’s a lock.

11. SMASH - Pros: Haha! I know! I know! This is silly. But we have to consider this. We have to consider this show. Like…voters love Glee (which we know they did), then maybe they love this dramatic equivalent (in terms of the “musical idea,” not in terms of “quality”). I also believe that this will pick up a few technical nominations, so if that happens, I don’t see why Smash can’t be considered a threat. And, we have to remember the golden rule…critics are not voters. So even though critics had very lukewarm feelings about this show, voters may actually quite like it. It’s a fun show that features a lot of musical performances and celebrates New York theatre. If voters want to honor that, they may end up voting for this show. Cons: The show has a been a disappointment all around: with critics, with ratings, and even regular viewers. Although the show had a little buzz after the pilot premiered, the buzz got quieter and quieter as the season progressed. Jaws will drop if Smash ends up getting that nomination.

12. THE WALKING DEAD - Pros: During the show’s first season, it did decent in terms of nominations, most notably getting WGA, DGA, and a Golden Globe nomination for the series. It didn’t get any major Emmy nominations, but it still won an award for make up which, at least, shows that it’s getting some attention. It’s a popular, fun show, and it could very well get an unexpected nom the same way True Blood did a few years back. Cons: It probably won’t, despite the fact that most people thought the second season improved from the first.

FYI Other contenders include: The Borgias, Boss, House, Luck, True Blood

Longshots Worth Mentioning: The Closer, Fringe, The Killing, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Suits, Touch, The Vampire Diaries

They have no chance in hell but I still love ‘em: The Client List, Grey’s Anatomy, Harry’s Law, Shameless

That is all for this series. In a couple weeks, you should be expecting my official predictions for the Emmy nominations. But, until then, please continue to check back because there may be more posts from me (Emmy related or non- Emmy related.)

Thank you so much for coming here and reading. I’ve actually gotten a pretty good uptick in views since I started these articles. So thank you and I can’t wait to talk Emmys with you guys for these next few months!

2012
06/20
CATEGORY
awards
breaking bad
drama
emmy awards
emmys
grey's anatomy
mildred pierce
musical
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
snubbed
television
the good wife
tv
2 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Supporting Actress in a Drama 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 Drama Series…

1. MORENA BACCARIN [Homeland] - Pros: As the wife of an American soldier who’s been held in captive, her character became more and more prominent and central as the season possessed. And Baccarin has gotten her fair share of acclaim for her performance. The show is picking up a lot of buzz. Some of the buzz could affect Baccarin’s chances. Cons: She admittedly still over shadowed by her other cast members. Even though she’s in a category separate from her co-stars, voters could still push aside in favor of them…even if they are, again, in separate categories.

2. CHRISTINE BARANSKI [The Good Wife] - Pros: She won her first Emmy in 1995, and since then, she has been nominated for 8 Emmys, including 2 for The Good Wife. This was a particularly strong season for Baranski, I would say even stronger than her first 2 seasons. If voters truly liked Baranski, then her nomination should be obvious. Cons: If the show loses its Emmy “power” this year (and that is a possibility), and if voters only want to vote for one supporting actress from the show, then voters will most likely vote for Emmy winner Archie Panjabi in favor of Baranski.

3. ROSE BYRNE [Damages] - Pros: She’s been nominated for 2 Emmys and 2 Golden Globes. Last year her show wasn’t eligible which explains why she wasn’t nominated. Naturally, she should be able to slide back in where she left off…especially if voters still remember her performance from Bridesmaids. I don’t watch the show so I don’t know how her actual performance stacks up. Cons: After a year off, voters may forget her and may have moved on, especially if she’s competing against the ladies of Mad Men, The Good Wife, or even Game of Thrones.

4. MICHELLE FORBES [The Killing] - Pros: She received a nomination last year for her stand out performance. So…yeah, she’s technically a contender. Cons: This is another show I haven’t watched at all this season, so I have no idea how much her performance stacks up this year. Actually, I haven’t heard any buzz for her performance this year from anyone…or for the show itself. With all the negative press The Killing has gotten (and is still getting), it pretty much significantly decreases her chances of scoring a second nomination.

5. ANNA GUNN [Breaking Bad] - Pros: This was a big season for Gunn, with her character arguably positioned more in the center of the show’s main arc. With a bigger role should come a better chance at getting a nomination. Ironically, this is the first year she competed in supporting, as opposed to lead, which could also maybe increase her chances. The show is already an Emmy favorite, and this season is expected to do very well. Maybe someone outside of Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston will finally get a nomination. Cons: There are still some people who dislike her character for one reason or other. If voters focus on the character as opposed to Gunn’s performance, then, yeah, she’ll be snubbed again.

6. CHRISTINA HENDRICKS [Mad Men] - Pros: She was nominated for the last two years. With Mad Men having their best season ever, Hendricks is virtually a lock for a nomination, probably moreso than all the other contenders. And she’s sexy…rowr. Cons: Hm…if voters are turned off about some of the things Joan did during this season, then they might take it personally and not vote for her. That would speak worse of the voter than the actress IMO…

7. ANJELICA HUSTON [Smash] - Pros: Six time Emmy nominee, Oscar winner Anjelica Huston was receiving a ridiculous amount of buzz months before the pilot aired. And while the show has received some less than stellar reviews, some are still very laudatory towards Huston and her performance. This is Smash’s best chance at getting a major nomination. Cons: Again, the reviews for the show have not been great. When a show itself gets bad reviews, voters tend to ignore the individual elements of the show, including the otherwise fine performances.

8. JANUARY JONES [Mad Men] - Pros: It took two years of fan complaints, but Jones finally received her first nomination for Leading Actress for the third season. During the fourth season, when her role was greatly reduced, she made the mistake of submitting herself for Lead again against Elizabeth Moss and failed to get a nomination. This season, with the fact she’s absent for like half the episodes, she did the smart thing and submitted in Supporting. With her character going through jealously and weight gain, she had a couple stand out moments this season, thus making her at least a top contender. Cons: I really like Jones and her character…but a lot of other people don’t. They don’t like her character, and they don’t like the two episodes where Jones had a main role. That, along with the fact she appeared so little this season (and her reportedly icy attitude in real life), makes her very very vulnerable.

9. KELLY MACDONALD [Boardwalk Empire] - Pros: She won an Emmy for her first nomination in 2006 for the TV movie The Girl in the Cafe. She received a nomination for the show’s first season last year has gotten two Golden Globe nominations. As the most prominent female on the show, she stands out to the Emmy voters who already clearly like her. Cons: Her performance is very subtle and isn’t as outwardly explosive as some of the others (at least that’s what I got from the first season…I have not watched the second season). So…if voters are impatient, they may decide to drop her.

10. MARY MCDONNELL [The Closer] - Pros: She was consistently snubbed for a nomination during her Battlestar Galactica days. She recently received a nomination for Guest Actress for her role on this show, signifying that maybe voters do like this role better. And there have many times when an actor was nominated for Guest in one year, then Supporting in the next (think Alan Cumming from The Good Wife). With a spin off to come after this last season of The Closer, her character is obviously popular and well received enough to get another nod. Cons: If she couldn’t get a nomination for Battlestar Galactica despite the cries and threats of fans, then maybe the regard for McDonnell is just naturally not that high.

11. SANDRA OH [Grey's Anatomy] - Pros: She was nominated from the show’s first season to the fifth. She’s won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award. She is constantly singled as the strongest asset of the show. This season, with her character separating from her husband, she had some really “baity”episodes that might get her some notice from the voters. Cons: She hasn’t been nominated for the last 2 years now. IMO, she didn’t deserve those snubs…but she got them anyway. It probably has to do with the voters’ overall fatigue for the show. It’s too bad Oh has to suffer for bad writing, something she can’t control. Oh well!

12. ARCHIE PANJABI [The Good Wife] - Pros: She won her first Emmy for the first season of the show. She got another nomination last year. Like Oh, she is constantly singled as the best thing about her show. Cons: She doesn’t have as much of a stand out episode as she did the last season. However, I’d argue she didn’t have much of a stand out episode when she won for the first season. So, yeah, that shouldn’t hurt her much.

13. MAGGIE SMITH [Downton Abbey] - I’m not going to discuss any outside achievement Smith has had. We all know who Maggie Smith is. Even the younger generation recognizes her for those movies starring that teenage wizard. The fact of the matter is she won an Emmy last year. And she’s pretty much the strongest/funnest thing about this very popular British drama. She’s safe. She’s totally safe. Cons: The only con is that her character doesn’t do anything dramatic or soapy. But, in all honesty, that just makes her stand out more.

FYI Other contenders include: Emilia Clarke, Michelle Fairley, and Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Joanne Froggart (Downton Abbey), Sharon Gless (Burn Notice), and Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men)

Longshots Worth Mentioning: Lorraine Bracco (Rizzoli & Isles), Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter), Regina King (Southland), Connie Nielsen (Boss), Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy)

Other longshots I recommend: The two rivals from Smash (Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee), the sassy Loretta Devine from The Client List, the spunky Emma Kenney from Shameless, Kim Raver and Jessica Capshaw from Grey’s Anatomy, and Morgan Saylor (the daughter from Homeland).

Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. Thanks for reading! Comedy Series and Drama Series are the last two left for this section.

2012
06/17
CATEGORY
awards
breaking bad
drama
emmy awards
emmys
grey's anatomy
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
snubbed
television
the good wife
tv
4 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Supporting Actors in a Drama 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 Drama Series…

1. ANDRE BRAUGHER [Men of a Certain Age] - Pros: He is an Emmy favorite (like most of these top contenders to be honesty). He’s been nominated 7 times, winning twice. He was nominated the last 2 years for Men of a Certain Age. With this being his last eligible year, he could slip in for a third consecutive nom. Cons: Outside Braugher, this critically acclaimed show about fathers gets virtually no love from Emmy voters. With the show cancelled (and having been off the air for about a year or so), voters have probably moved on, even from Braugher.

2. JOSH CHARLES [The Good Wife] - Pros: He received his first nomination last year. This season, he was given a very strong story arc, which involved his character being sued, then suspended from practicing law. If he were to be nominated, he would probably have an even stronger episode submission than he did last year. Cons: After two years of harboring nominations, this could be the year The Good Wife gets dropped from the Emmy voters’ ballots. Charles would probably suffer the most from that.

3. BRENDAN COYLE [Downton Abbey] - Pros: I’m in the middle of watching the second season so far (more like episode three…), and of all the supporting actors on the show, he’s impressed me the most so far. Having been nominated for a BAFTA among other smaller awards, clearly he’s a favorite in the cast. If the voters wanted to nominate someone for this category, I believe Coyle would be their first choice. Cons: He hasn’t really been nominated for any “American awards”. So maybe he’s more of an “international favorite” than American favorite. Also, of course, he has virtually no buzz.

4. ALAN CUMMING [The Good Wife] - Pros: He;s been nominated for the last 2 years for this role (for the first season, it was for “Guest Actor”). He definitely provides some “comedic relief” for the show, definitely standing out from most of the other characters who tend to stifle in their feelings. Cons: Ever since his character joined the law firm this season, he has tended to be lost in the shuffle. His presence wasn’t as big as it was during the second season. That could hurt him for the voters who watch the show regularly (which is a lot of them…)

5. PETER DINKLAGE [Game of Thrones] - Pros: Along with winning the Emmy last year, he also won the Golden Globe, and the Satellite. He also just received his second TCA nomination. He has become the break out, most talked about actor to come out of this show. And while voters may feel weary about awarding a lot of the actors, Dinklage seems to be the exception. And he’s very handsome for a little man! Cons: Um…I don’t know. It seems like the reviews for this season have been as good as they were last season so…I can’t think of anything. You tell me.

6. GIANCARLO ESPOSITO [Breaking Bad] - Pros: This was a huge season for Esposito. Gus was probably one of the most talked about, bad ass characters of the season. And his final death season still gives me and many other fans frequent nightmares. Sometimes Emmy voters award actors whose characters die in the most awesome of ways (think Margo Martindale from Justified). Breaking Bad is expected to do very well this season. Esposito could come along for the ride. Cons: His performance wasn’t as explosive as Aaron Paul’s or Bryan Cranston’s. If voters are too preoccupied with those two actors, they may not even bother to acknowledge Esposito. Lame.

7. WALTON GOGGINS [Justified] - Pros: He received a somewhat surprising nomination last year for his work during the second season. I don’t watch the show regularly to be honest, but if he has a tape this year as good as last year’s, then he could be a real threat this year. Cons: Honestly, I don’t think there is a “con”. I’m not 100% confident he’ll pull off a second nomination, but that’s more my gut than a reflection on his performance this season.

8. JOHN GOODMAN [Damages] - Pros: He is a strong Emmy favorite, having been nominated 11 times, mostly for Roseanne. He won his first Emmy in 2007 for a guest role in Studio 60. His last nomination was in 2010 for the TV movie You Don’t Know Jack. No matter for what role, he’ll always be on the Emmy’s radar. Cons: This a new role for him. It will be hard to stand out from the other newer contenders, even with his status.

9. JARED HARRIS [Mad Men] - Pros: Like Esposito, he benefits from the fact that his character died in a very memorable way. After being fired from Don Draper, Lane commits suicide in his office with a boilerplate  letter of resignation attached.  Plus, Harris’s performance throughout the season was his most intense. Voters may want to finally recognize Harris for his 3(?) seasons on the show. Cons: He hasn’t been nominated for anything before. Although Harris hasn’t been given a story line like this before…

10. VINCENT KARTHEISER [Mad Men] - Pros: Like Harris, despite not being nominated before, has been given a lot to do this season, including some steamy scenes with Alexis Bleidel’s side boobs. But seriously, this was a very emotional season for Pete Campbell. Cons: Katheiser has always been deserving, but he’s never actually broken through and gotten a nomination. I can just see the voters ignoring him and giving the vote for the less deserving John Slattery…

11. MANDY PATINKIN [Homeland] - Pros: Known equally for his stage work, Patinkin has a very steady career on TV, having won an Emmy in 1995, and having been nominated 2 more times after that. If Homeland is supposed to do really well for their first season, I can Patinkin breaking through. Cons: No Golden Globe or SAG nominations (after the whole season had aired) could be a problem.

12. AARON PAUL [Breaking Bad] - Pros: He was nominated for his work in season 2 and 3, winning for season 3. He wasn’t eligible last year, but considering the completely explosive season he had this season, he’s expected to return, becoming the front runner for this category. Cons: If the voters are more preoccupied with Esposito’s character’s death, then they may accidentally leave Paul off. Yes, that’s right. If Paul is not nominated, it’ll literally be a mistake.

13. MICHAEL PITT [Boardwalk Empire] - Pros: Yup! Another actor whose character died. I can’t comment on this because I don’t watch BE, but I here it was very intense and dramatic and it gave fans new hope for the series. So, if that’s the case, then Pitt deserves more buzz than he’s been given. But, considering how much Emmy voters love this series, I couldsee Pitt getting in along with the other actors whose characters died. Cons: He was snubbed last year despite what people were predicting. Will Emmys fix their mistake?

14. JOHN SLATTERY [Mad Men] - Pros: He’s been nominated every year the show has been on the air. So he has a nice track record. Mad Men has no sign of getting off the Emmy train especially after their strongest season yet. Cons: But he has not won an Emmy. After 4 years of being snubbed, voters might finally stop nominating him all together, especially if they decide to switch gears and vote for Jared Harris.

FYI Other contenders include: Dylan Baker (Damages), Neal McDonough (Justified), John Noble (Fringe), Nick Nolte (Luck), Chris Noth (The Good Wife), Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), and JK Simmons (The Closer)

Longshots Worth Mentioning: Scott Caan (Hawaii Five-O), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Matt Czuchry (The Good Wife), Joel Kinnaman (The Killing), James Pickens Jr. (Grey’s Anatomy), and Brant Sexton (The Killing)

Longshots I really like: Smash was disappointing this season, but Christian Borle still did good work. RJ Mitte continues to impress me in Breaking Bad. And Shameless’s Cameron Monaghan and Jeremy Allen White have created my two favorite characters on TV.

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

2012
06/15
CATEGORY
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2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Lead Actress in a Drama 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 Drama Series…

1. KATHY BATES [Harry's Law] - Pros: Kathy Bates is definitely an Emmy favorite, having been nominated 9 times (no wins). She was nominated last year for this show. And she’s an Oscar winner so…y’know. Voters like that sort of thing. Cons: The cancellation of the series could either mean voters sympathize with Bates and give her “one last nomination”…or, more likely, they’ll just push the actress to the curb the same way NBC did. We’ll have to wait and see.

2. GLENN CLOSE [Damages] - Pros: She’s a heavy Emmy favorite, having been nominated many times, and having won in 2008 and 2009 for this role. She wasn’t eligible last year which explains the gap. And, like Bates, she’s a famous movie actress, having just been nominated for an Oscar for her role in Albert Nobbs. She’s pretty much expected to return this year. Cons: I think “fatigue” would be the only explanation for her snub.

3. CLAIRE DANES [Homeland] - Pros: Besides creating one of the most compelling and explosive female characters of this year, she’s also been nominated for two Emmys, one for My So Called Life, and the other for the beautiful TV movie Temple Grandin, winning for the latter. She also won Golden Globes for those two roles, and recently for Homeland. Considering Homeland is considered a lock for Drama Series, I think the lead star from the show will cleanly get in for her own category. Cons: For some strange reason, she wasn’t nominated for a SAG Award. So…fellow actors don’t like her performance? That could hurt her, I suppose.

4. MICHELLE DOCKERY [Downton Abbey] - Pros: Besides something called the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, she hasn’t been nominated for anything major. However, she was just nominated for a Critics Choice Award, beating her co-star Elizabeth McGovern so…maybe there’s something there. I haven’t watched the second season, but I remember being impressed with her during the first. If the show is really picking up Emmy steam like so many claim, then surely some votes will go towards Dockery. Cons: Again, she hasn’t been nominated for much. And, ultimately if a lead actress from the show gets a nomination, it’ll probably be the older, more established Elizabeth McGovern.

5. MIREILLE ENOS [The Killing] - Pros: She expectantly received a nod last year.  She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her work in season 1. And even though the show has gotten less than favorable reviews recently, Enos’s performance still gets the positive reaction that would make her worthy nominee for the second year in a row. Cons: However…the show is still getting bad reviews. So, nonetheless, that affects her chances. Also, with Claire Danes taking the category by storm, with Glenn and possibly Kyra Sedgwick coming back again, some women will have to be dropped, and Enos seems like the most “cannon fodder” of them all.

6. MARISKA HARGITAY [Law & Order: SVU] - Pros: Against all odds, Hargitay always seems to get a nomination. No matter how much Emmy predictors and TV critics write her off, voters always seem to ignore them and nominate her anyway. She has nominated for the last 8 years consecutively (winning in 2006). And with Christopher Meloni off the series, it’s allowed for her character to have some interesting character development throughout the season. There is very little reason why voters would suddenly stop nominating her. Cons: The only reason I can think of her is voters decreasing interest with network drama (or maybe it’s just NBC. Who knows?)

7. JULIANNA MARGULIES [The Good Wife] - Pros: Although TGW is becoming more of an “ensemble drama” with supporting characters having more central roles, Margulies still remains a compelling “moral center” for the group. The show is still hot. She’s still hot. And she won last year! She’s safe for now. Cons: Unlike last year with “In Sickness”, she lacks a real baity episode that would help her stand out from the crowd. But that probably will affect her once she’s actually nominated. It’s not going to prevent her from getting the nod first IMO.

8. ELIZABETH MCGOVERN [Downton Abbey] - Pros: She received a nomination last year when the series was still considered a “miniseries”. So, in theory, that nomination from last year could carry into this year, despite the category change. Cons: Honestly, the only actor from the show that’s a true lock is Maggie Smith. As part of a very large ensemble, it might be hard for McGovern stand apart from the rest. But, I’d still say, she’s the second most likely to get a nomination out of everyone in the cast.

9. ELIZABETH MOSS [Mad Men] - Pros: She’s been nominated every year since the show’s second season (twice for leading, once in supporting). Behind Don Draper, her character is arguably the strongest, most complex and interesting thing on this highly acclaimed show. This season showed her character coming into her own and finally leaving the agency to join a rival one. That scene alone where Peggy breaks the news to Don is enough to get Moss a nomination, possibly a win. Cons: Unlike a lot of the other contenders, she’s not technically the lead actor on the show. Jon Hamm is. She’s sort of second in command to be honest. And the only reason she’s put in lead is because she’s the most prominent female and the show gets so many Emmy nods that they can afford to pull this type of stunt. I’m not saying she isn’t “lead,” but she’s not as “lead” as the other women in her competition. Not really a big deal, but it’s still worth pointing out.

10. JESSICA PARE [Mad Men] - Pros: This is her first season as a full cast member and she’s already played such a big part. So big, it’s enough to put her in “lead” over Jones and Hendricks. Voters may admire that decision and award her for it. Cons: Let’s just say, there’s no way she’s getting more votes than Elizabeth Moss. Moss is the alpha female, and voters may still decide to vote for Pare if there’s still room in their ballots after they go down the list. Whatever issues her character was going through this season (acting career) doesn’t seem like too big of a deal compared to others.

11. KYRA SEDGWICK [The Closer] - Pros: She was nominated for five years before finally winning in 2010. With the final season coming up, voters might want to award her with another nomination this year. I haven’t seen much of this show,but I’ve heard nothing but great things about the series and Sedgwick in particular. And, one day, I hope watch season one. Cons: She wasn’t nominated last year! A year after winning, she wasn’t nominated. Is this the Academy’s way of saying “We’re bored with you – NEXT!”?

FYI Other contenders include: Marg Helgenberger (CSI), Debra Messing (Smash), Anna Paquin (True Blood), Emmy Rossum (True Blood), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), and Madeleine Stowe (Revenge)

Longshots that are worth mentioning: Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy), Piper Perabo (Covert Affairs), Callie Thorne (Necessary Roughness), Anna Torv (Fringe), and Kerry Washington (Scandal)

Longshots I sort of love: Lucy Hale from Pretty Little Liars submitted herself. Honestly, I think the other three lead actresses from the show are stronger but I’ll take what I can get it. And you all know I love anything related to The Client List so I would die if Jennifer Love Hewitt got in!

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

2012
06/13
CATEGORY
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5 comments

2012 Emmys Pre-Nominations Top Contenders (Lead Actors in a Drama 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 Drama Series…

1. HUGH BONNEVILLE [Downton Abbey] - Pros: He’s the lead male in one of the most critically acclaimed shows of last season and this season. He was nominated for a Satellite last year and a Golden Globe this year. He’s clearly picking up some buzz. Cons: He’s not necessarily one of the first names to come up when people speak fondly of the show itself.

2. STEVE BUSCEMI [Boardwalk Empire] - Pros: He was nominated last year, and he’s an overall Emmy favorite (having been nominated for The Sopranos and 30 Rock). He’s also won Golden Globes and SAG Awards for this role. And, let’s face it, this show is still serious Emmy bait. Cons: His role is pretty low key compared some of the other contenders. But, besides that, I’d say he’s a safe bet.

3. BRYAN CRANSTON [Breaking Bad] - Pros: He’s won three years in a row (every year he’s been eligible). And have you not seen the show? He’s pretty much expected to grab a fourth trophy this year (esp. if he submits “Crawl Space”). Cons: The show wasn’t eligible last year…maybe voters have gotten used to not having Cranston among the nominees. (Yeah right, but I have to come up with something.)

4. KELSEY GRAMMAR [Boss] - Pros: He won the Golden Globe earlier this year. And the show has become a (surprise) critical hit. And he’s an overall Emmy favorite, having won for various awards for Frasier, The Simpsons, and having been nominated for Cheers and Wings. He’s definitely a consideration. Cons: He’s only been nominated for his comedic performances  Will Emmys embrace his dramatic side?

5. MICHAEL C. HALL [Dexter] - Pros: He’s been nominated for the last 4 years. He’s an awards favorite, having won Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Cons: According to fans (I’m not a regular viewer of the show), this season has been incredibly disappointing. A lot of people are saying he’s not as deserving as he’s been in the past. This could be the year Dexter and Hall are knocked out of the Emmy bubble.

6. JON HAMM [Mad Men] - Pros: He’s been nominated every year he’s been eligible (4 times) and has pretty much picked up all kinds of other accolades. Mad Men just finished its strongest season yet, literally a week before voting has begun. So…he’s pretty much not going anywhere. Cons: Nothing, but take note of the fact he has yet to win an Emmy. Even last year, when Cranston was out of the race, and he had his strongest episode submission (“The Suitcase”), he still lost to Kyle Chandler. Obviously, the Emmys don’t like Hamm as much as we all thought…

7. DUSTIN HOFFMAN [Luck] - Pros: Famous Oscar winning actor starred in one of the most anticipated and acclaimed HBO dramas of the year. Need I say more? Cons: However, he’s not lock because the show was cancelled, after the show’s third horse died during production. That’s not good controversy and it certainly won’t help Hoffman or anyone involved with the show…but we’ll see.

8. JEREMY IRONS [The Borgias] - Pros: Well, he’s won two Emmys, his last one being just six years ago. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for The Borgias earlier this year. And, yeah, he didn’t get a nomination last year, but the fact that the two hour series premiere was able to snag a nomination for Direction means that voters are clearly watching this show. Cons: But, again…he wasn’t nominated last year.

9. HUGH LAURIE [House] - Pros: For the most part, Laurie has consistently been nominated in this category since the beginning. And even though he’s never won, he’s always been a favorite with fans and voters. The show just finished its last season. So, despite a crowded year, voters may feel the need to squeeze Laurie in one last time. Cons: But voters aren’t always that sentimental. With so many new contenders and Cranston coming back, it’s very very possible for Laurie to get bumped out. He’s hanging on by a thin thread.

10. DAMIAN LEWIS [Homeland] - Pros: Homeland has become one of the strongest, most acclaimed new drama series of the year. And it’s expected that the show will do well come nomination morning. Lewis himself has been picking up a lot of buzz, holding his own against the bonafide Emmy favorite Claire Danes. He should get in. Cons: However, if he doesn’t, it’ll be because he’s on a new show and he’s never been nominated for an Emmy, despite starring in Emmy magnet Band of Brothers ten years ago.

11. TIMOTHY OLYPHANT [Justified] - Pros: Justified continues to get great acclaim, including for its lead star, Olyphant, who received a nomination last year after being snubbed the year before.  Cons: Last year, it’s safe to say he was probably 6th. That means that voters will have no problem replacing him with someone newer…or older.

FYI Other contenders include: Patrick J. Adams (Suits), Simon Baker (The Mentalist), Denis Leary (Rescue Me), Gabriel Macht (Suits), William H. Macy (Shameless), and Kiefer Sutherland (Touch)

Longshots that are worth mentioning: Matt Bomer (White Collar), Ted Danson (CSI), and Tom Selleck (Blue Bloods)

Read the ballots (link posted above) to see who else was submitted. Thanks!

2012
06/12
CATEGORY
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2011 Emmy Ceremony Post #1 (UE’s reaction to the wins)



Hey guys! Did you guys see the Emmys? Wow…so many shocking wins…and sooo many boring, predictable wins too. I have decided I’m going to make two separate posts concerning this night. This first one will simply be my reaction to the shocking, unshocking,  and deserving wins of the night. My second one will simply be other thoughts on the ceremony itself (like Jane Lynch’s performance). That second post will either come later tonight or tomorrow evening depending on how tired I get. So…let’s just go through them. One by one in order of appearance. This is gonna be a pretty long post so…be prepared…be very prepared!

For all my Emmy predictions and musings over the past few months, simply go to the “Awards” section of this site.

For a full list of the winners, click here.

 

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: I knew Jane Lynch wouldn’t win this. I seriously did. She was easily one of the weakest and inconsistent things about Glee this season, despite her good performance in “Funeral”. And I knew the voters would be smarter than that. I was predicting Betty White, but if someone from Modern Family had to win, I knew it would be Julie Bowen because she did some great work this season and had a much better episode submission than Sofia Vergara. Bowen’s win made me happy. I would have been happier with the underrated, underrewarded Jane Krakowski…but this was a nice, solid win.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: The same could be said for Ty Burrell (who I pretty much figured would win after Bowen did). He did great work this season. His episode submission was great. And he does good work overall. Chris Colfer winning would have been beautiful and empowering…but Burrell was a deserving a winner.

Directing for a Comedy Series: Another Modern Family win tonight. That will be theme for the night. Michael Spiller beat his two other fellow directors for “Halloween”. “Halloween” was one of the best episodes of Modern Family I have ever seen. So good for him!

Writing for a Comedy Series: And…another trophy for Modern Family. This time for Steve Levitan and Jeff Richman for “Caught in the Act”, the episode where the kids walk in on Clare and Phil…doing stuff to their bodies. It was a cute, funny episode…but virtually every other episode in this category was better IMO.

Leading Actor in a Comedy Series: I think Jim Parsons looked a little embarrassed over this win. I love Jim…I don’t blame him. He’s great on his show (and he absolutely deserved to win last year)…but I have to say, this was the most disappointing moment of the night by far. People in Hollywood must really hate Steve Carell…because this was the most perfect opportunity for him to win. It was his last season…he had a great episode submission (“Goodbye Michael”) and he’s just a great comedic actor in general. This win made me depressed. Again, I’m not mad at Parsons…but the voters should be ashamed. Even Louis CK would have been a more respectable winner…lame. Totes lame.

Leading Actress in a Comedy Series: I will leave my thoughts for how the nominees were introduced in my second post…but I have to say, I gotta kick out of Melissa McCarthy winning for Mike and Molly in a tiara and sash. This was my favorite category of the bunch. And even though McCarthy was pretty low on my list (only above Edie Falco) and even though I still don’t care much for her show…she is a damn funny actress and this was very nice Emmy surprise. Who care if it was mostly for Bridesmaids…it’s an award and she has been long overdue for one…any one.

Reality Competition Program: I didn’t have time to make an Emmy prediction post for this category, so…just a heads up. I was rooting for American Idol but I thought the episode Project Runway submitted (the “pattern”/HIV episode) was very very good. SYTYCD had one of its weaker seasons…and I found The Amazing Race to be boring…and The Amazing Race won…poop.

Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Um…The Daily Show wins. Cool. I don’t quite know what to make of this.

Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Don Roy King won for SNL again (the Justin Timberlake episode). Very nice, deserving win. He was definitely my pick…although some of the other episodes nominated were really good in their own right too.

Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Ugh…The Daily Show won again for like the 10th time. What the frak?? Have some imagination voters!! How can they give Justin Timberlake, the music on SNL and Don Roy King continuous Emmys, but not the actual show? Makes no sense, y’all! Makes no sense (still not as bad as the Steve Carell snub).

 

Writing in a Drama Series: First really great win of the night…go Jason Katims! He won for the Friday Night Lights series finale. He was my personal pick, but I seriously thought Mad Men‘s “The Suitcase” would take it. What a wonderful, deserving win. I am so happy that the guy who created this wonderful show finally gets an Emmy to his mantle. I was blown away by this episode and by this win. I’m smiling just thinking about it.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Another amazing win. Margo Martidale in the two episodes I saw of Justified was a revelation and…damn, she looked so happy and thankful. Y’know, Archie Panjabi already has an Emmy…let’s give someone else a chance. And, I have to give Martindale props for rightly putting herself in the supporting category, even though she was eligible for “guest”. Mad props. Yay her!

Directing in a Drama Series: Duh! Obviously Martin Scorcese won for the lush and lavish Boardwalk Empire pilot. I’m just glad Neil Jordan didn’t get it.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: I totally expected Peter Dinklage to win for Game of Thrones. So even though I thought he was the weakest in his category. He’s a great overall actor and it was nice to see him get rewarded. But…I would have preferred anyone. (And I realize I’m alone in this thought.)

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: YAY! I think the Drama category wins might be better than the other genres. Julianna Margulies finally won for The Good Wife…and it’s just another great winner. I would have been as happy for Moss or Enos but…Margulies is a strong, reliable lead and it’s better to reward her now than to wait too long and not give her an Emmy at all. (I’m sorry…they really screwed Steve Carell over.)

 

Leading Actor in a Drama Series: But, y’know, seeing Kyle Chandler win…I kinda wish Connie Britton had win. That would have been cute to see the husband and wife leads of Friday Night Lights win together for their last season. But, what am I saying? Margulies deserved her win. And Chandler technically deserved his Emmy more than Britton would have deserved hers. So…I guess I’m fine with Chandler winning alone. I really believed Jon Hamm was the best in this category, but the over pimping Mad Men and “The Suitcase” have gotten has turned me off so much that in a strange way…I’m glad Hamm lost. It created a nice Emmy surprise moment. And Chandler has been in this business for a long time…this is an Emmy well earned. However, I still love Hamm and…I sadly don’t think he’ll ever win an Emmy (esp. since Bryan Cranston is back in the race next year!)

Writing for a Movie or Miniseries: So…heads up…Mildred Pierce will (unfortunately) lose a lot of awards. And this is the first one. Julian Fellows wins for Downton Abbey. The miniseries has a lot of witty dialogue so this win doesn’t pain me as some of the others.

Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: This pained me. Like I mentioned before…Maggie Smith was by far the best thing about Downton Abbey…but I REALLY WANTED EVAN RACHEL WOOD TO WIN. More than anything else, I was really hoping Wood would win. So much that I blindly predicted her. Ugh…Maggie Smith wasn’t even there. This, honestly upset me. Wood had range, emotion…she turned Veda into a demon girl. Smith…let’s just say she won an Emmy…for her easiest acting assignment of her career. The voters really hate youth.

Leading Actor in a Movie or Miniseries: I honestly have no idea how/why Barry Pepper won for The Kennedys. Personally, I really liked him. I thought he was the best thing about the miniseries…but I was really shocked. I figured the voters would give it to Edgar Ramirez or even Laurence Fishbourne (I mean…he played Thurgood Marshall for pete’s sake!) Even if they wanted to reward a leading actor from The Kennedys…you think they’d give it to the guy who played JFK (Greg Kinnear). Even Tom Wilkinson lost in his own category. And the fact that The Kennedys has four Emmys in total is just weird. So…what I’m trying to say is: The Kennedys -1, Liberal media – 0.

Directing for a Movie or Miniseries: Downton Abbey wins again. The award went to Brian Percival. Whatever. I don’t care anymore.

Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries: YAY! Guy Pearce won for Mildred Pierce. I am so down with that. I was afraid it would be someone weird like Paul Giamatti. I was um…uh…I don’t have anything more to say except…YAY! (And for the ones who have watched the miniseries…his butt’s kinda skinny.)

Leading Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: I swear to God…if Kate Winslet lost this…I was gonna have a fit. But overall, this wasn’t a shock at all. This award has been her since the project was announced. Her performance is simply a revelation and definitely my favorite from hers. Also…she’s one stop closer to an EGOT...she just has to star in a Broadway play (or even produce one). But, right now, she still has a big, fat EGO. 

Movie or Miniseries: So Downton Abbey wins the big one. So the British period piece beat the superior American one. Great job, voters, you really do love British accents and big skirts. It could have been a program of British people reading the phone book and you still would have voted for it. (I’m bitter…deal with it…BLEH!) Interesting fact…only people from miniseries won tonight. Not a huge deal. Too Big to Fail and Cinema Verite weren’t as good as Temple Grandin, Grey Gardens and Recount from previous years…so whatever…

Drama Series: For a second, I was becoming more confident of my Boardwalk Empire prediction. But, despite their other shocking snubs, Mad Men won for its fourth year. I have mixed, lukewarm feelings over this win. Yes…this was the best season. But I would have preferred The Good Wife or Friday Night Lights. I wasn’t necessarily upset over this win. Just bored…very very bored.

 

Comedy Series: And…another boring win. Modern Family “expectedly” won for the second straight year. So they won ALL five of their awards. I’m actually fine with this win. Much more fine than Mad Men winning. It’s a good show.

Modern Family is dominating just like 30 Rock did during its second and third seasons. Did I mention that 30 Rock lost all its nominations for the second year in a row. I’m not surprised (or like upset)…but I feel like this year they actually deserved a couple (supporting actress and directing for their live episode). Oh well. The Office was another big loser (STEVE CARELL SOB!!!)

But this is probably the most exciting telecast (in terms of wins) I have watched in years. I liked how there were shocking winners. But…it’s just weird that half the wins were VERY shocking and the other half were “eh…boring”. It was weird. Some moments my heart raced…and other moments I almost fell asleep. But overall…a thrilling night in my opinion.

Any other insights on the wins? Hm…not really. Most of my predictions were wrong (and I don’t know a single person who predicted Melissa McCarthy or Kyle Chandler). I think the only thing I can say is the voters really resonate with Modern Family…and if the show lasts for 6 or 7 seasons and stays consistently good…I believe all the members of the adult cast could win an Emmy at one point in the future. So…go Mod Fam cast!

Check back tomorrow for my recap of the actual ceremony. Thanks so much for reading.

2011
09/19
CATEGORY
30 rock
always
american idol
awards
ceremony
connie britton
drama
emmy awards
emmys
fox
friday night lights
glee
kyle chandler
mildred pierce
nominations
predictions
recap
reflection
review
saturday night live
series finale
SNL
snubbed
so you think you can dance
sytycd
television
the good wife
tv
1 comment

Emmy Picks #18 (Drama Series)


On September 18th, the winners of the this years Emmy Awards will be announced, which means I have about 35 days to watch episode submissions, make predictions and, most importantly, decide who I think deserves to win this year. I will be doing this by watching the episodes the actors decide to submit this year, even if I’m not familiar with the show yet. Sometimes, though, I’ll be biased and choose an actor I like, even if I don’t necessarily think they submitted right. But, so far, after a quick scan through, most of the submissions from the shows I watch seem good enough.

MORE PREDICTIONS! 

I guess that italicized intro I use for all my prediction pages isn’t terribly relevant anymore. Eh…I’ll still keep it. Well…this is it. Here are the nominees for Best Drama Series:

Boardwalk Empire

Dexter

Friday Night Lights

Game of Thrones

The Good Wife

Mad Men

Should Win:

6. Game of Thrones – Yes! I’m biased! There I said it! I do not like medieval fantasy shows. I don’t get them and I only watched the two episodes I did just to make these Emmy posts. So while I appreciate the craft that went into this episode and I can understand why people love it…I wouldn’t be happy if it won.

5. Boardwalk Empire – The show looks and feels really authentic. And the performances are also really good. (I actually really like Steve Buscemi in this.) However, it’s just…too boring and too long.

4. Dexter – I don’t know much about Dexter. The only episodes I saw from this season was “Teenage Wasteland” and “In The Beginning” (Hall and Stiles episode submissions respectively). However, they were two really good episodes. I was more engaged with those two episodes than anything the previously mentioned shows had to offer. Sorry!

3. Mad Men – TV’s best Drama…that’s what the critics dub it. And although I don’t necessarily agree with that statement, I still enjoy this series a lot and I am definitely looking forward to next season. Season 4 however was the show’s best season…so it makes sense it should win this year, right? WRONG!

2. Friday Night Lights – Don’t kill me FNL fans! I’m one of you guys! This show just lifts my spirit. It is such a beautiful, inspirational, yet realistic show, and that series finale was absolutely beautiful. It would be so amazing to see this show finally win for its final season (and it might very well do that)…but there’s just another show that’s a closer to my heart.

1. The Good Wife – Do I need to explain all the reasons I love this show? I could write a 10,000 page book. So…here is the show’s opening intros. Consider that reason #1.

Will Win: Sadly, neither of my top two shows will win. I think it’s come down to Mad Men vs. Boardwalk Empire…practically everyone is predicting Mad Men…but do you know what? I think Boardwalk Empire will win…the most buzzed about new show this season. Bold prediction? Maybe. Well I’m a bold person.

I’M NOT DONE PREDICTING! I STILL GOT MORE PREDICTIONS COMING SO STAY TUNED. GOOO EMMY!

2011
08/13
CATEGORY
awards
drama
emmy awards
emmys
friday night lights
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
series finale
television
the good wife
tv
1 comment

Emmy Picks #16 (Directing for a Drama Series)


On September 18th, the winners of the this years Emmy Awards will be announced, which means I have about 35 days to watch episode submissions, make predictions and, most importantly, decide who I think deserves to win this year. I will be doing this by watching the episodes the actors decide to submit this year, even if I’m not familiar with the show yet. Sometimes, though, I’ll be biased and choose an actor I like, even if I don’t necessarily think they submitted right. But, so far, after a quick scan through, most of the submissions from the shows I watch seem good enough.

MORE PREDICTIONS! 

Here are the best directed Drama series episodes:

Martin Scorsese – Boardwalk Empire (“Pilot”)

James Podeswa – Boardwalk Empire (“Anastasia”)

Neil Jordan – The Borgias (“The Poisoned Chalice/The Assassin”)

Tim Van Patten – Game of Thrones (“Winter is Coming”)

Patty Jenkins – The Killing (“Pilot”)

“The Poisoned Chalice” and “The Assassin” are the only episodes of  The Borgias I have watched. I do not watch the rest of the shows regularly.

Should Win: Wooh. This was a doozy. So many big budget period pieces. I can definitely see why these episodes were nominated. Veteran Neil Jordan definitely knows his craft, and the first episode of The Borgias is very well directed. However, everything I expected from this episode…happened! I wish he had taken more “risks” with this story. “Anastasia” is a very good episode of Boardwalk Empire, and it was probably nominated mostly for its big, extravagant party scenes. However, the quieter, talky moments (Margaret arguing for women’s right to vote, White torturing Ku Klux Klan leader) impressed me the most…so maybe this should have been nominated for its writing.

I was very impressed with “Winter is Coming”. Like I’ve stated before, Game of Thrones is not the type of show I enjoy watching much. But I can recognize a great series premiere when I see it. However…I actually would have nominated “Baelor” over this episode though.

My top two definitely contains the Boardwalk Empire pilot…the most expensive television pilot ever produced. It’s lush. It’s historically accurate. Better than most theatre movies. Actually…add another 20 minutes of filler and this probably would have been a worthy Oscar contender. But, me being me, I’m actually rooting for the lower budget, much quieter, much dimmer and grayer pilot for The Killing. There’s a bluesy, smoky quality that I liked in this episode. And I felt like the plot moved along more than the other episodes (which tended to run slow in some parts).

Will Win: But no…Martin Scorsese will win for Boardwalk Empire. Do I need to explain my reasons why? Two words: Martin. Scorsese.

Picks and predictions for Comedy and Drama series coming sooner than you think!

2011
08/13
CATEGORY
awards
drama
emmy awards
emmys
nominations
predictions
review
television
tv
1 comment

Emmy Picks #12 (Leading Actor in a Drama Series)


On September 18th, the winners of the this years Emmy Awards will be announced, which means I have about 40 days to watch episode submissions, make predictions and, most importantly, decide who I think deserves to win this year. I will be doing this by watching the episodes the actors decide to submit this year, even if I’m not familiar with the show yet. Sometimes, though, I’ll be biased and choose an actor I like, even if I don’t necessarily think they submitted right. But, so far, after a quick scan through, most of the submissions from the shows I watch seem good enough.

MORE PREDICTIONS! 

Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire (“Return to Normalcy”)

Kyle Chandler Friday Night Lights (“Always”)

Michael C. Hall – Dexter (“Teenage Wasteland”)

Jon Hamm – Mad Men (“The Suitcase”)

Hugh Laurie – House (“After Hours”)

Timothy Olyphant – Justified (“Reckoning”)

I do not watch “Justified”, “House”, “Dexter”, or “Boardwalk Empire” regularly.

Should Win: In 6th place is Olyphant, who does a very nice job, but his screen time didn’t pop out as much as the other characters in the episode. Steve Buscemi has one really nice scene where his character talks about the death of his child…but that’s pretty much the only thing I remember from the episode. Hugh Laurie does a pretty badass job as House tries to do surgery on himself…but am I impressed with his performance or with editing and make up?

Chandler gets my number three spot. He works so well with Britton. Sorry. I have soft spot for my Friday Night Lights. I was surprised with Hall’s episode submission. I thought he’d submit something a little more intense (like when he kills someone), but his strongest moments in this episode are his pretty sweet moments with his step daughter. Hall does a great job. However, I think I’m rooting for Jon Hamm to finally take this. Yes, Laurie, Hall and even Chandler are a little more overdue for an Emmy…but, man, if Jon Hamm can’t win an Emmy for this particular season (the last three years he’s never deserved it), then I don’t know when.

Will Win: I’m tempted to say Buscemi…but I think the Boardwalk buzz has died down since the SAG Awards. I think recent Television Critics Award winner Jon Hamm will get the Emmy come September.

Writing categories are already up. Directing comin’ next!

2011
08/11
CATEGORY
always
awards
drama
emmy awards
emmys
friday night lights
kyle chandler
nominations
predictions
reflection
review
series finale
television
tv
1 comment

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