Though I already posted a few thoughts on yesterday's Emmy nominations, I wanted to take the time to write a longer, more involved post on the subject. This year's nominations were fairly unique, as there were seven nominees in the comedy and drama series categories, as opposed to the traditional five. That's due to a new rule allowing six nominees in these categories (a tie can lead to more, which seems to be what happened here).
At any rate, there were some odd picks this year ("The Family Guy" for best comedy series? Really?) as well as some refreshing ones (finally, a series nod for "Big Love" and for "Flight of the Conchords") and the usual horrifying oversights (I can't say it enough -- NO NOMINATION FOR "The Shield"?????).
Here's my rundown of the best and worst of the Emmy nominations. The entire list of nominees can be viewed here. And feel free to post your own thoughts/feelings/wails of anguish over the omission of "The Shield."
The Good: Let's start on a positive note, shall we? It was nice to see at least some fresh faces among the nominees this year, particularly Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad" and Elisabeth Moss of "Mad Men." While both work with leading men -- Bryan Cranston and Jon Hamm -- who often get all the praise (and award nominations), Paul and Moss more than held their own this season, delivering sad, searing performance. Also nice to see was a nod for Jemaine Clement, of HBO's whimsical musical comedy "Flight of the Conchords." I agree that, of the show's two stars (Bret McKenzie is the other), Clement is a bit funnier, often selling a whole scene with one shrewd reaction shot or disarmingly dry line delivery. I also liked seeing the show get nominated for best comedy.
While we're on the subject of comedy, I was thrilled to see some "30 Rock" supporting players get some love. Yes, stars Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey are great, but this show has a deep bench, so I was thrilled that Tracy Morgan (maybe having his best season yet) and Jack McBrayer (always a daffy delight as Kenneth the page) got nods for their work.
Also, I don't watch Comedy Central's "The Sarah Silverman Program," but I enjoyed seeing the show's star, Sarah Silverman, get an out-of-the-box nod as best actress.
Other positive thoughts: liked that Emmy finally decided to start paying attention to "Lost" again. The show, which had its best season to date, deserved its best drama series nomination. And it's good to see Michael Emerson, whose work as the increasingly complex Benjamin Linus is never less than awesome, back in the supporting actor category. Despite strong competition from Paul and William Hurt ("Damages"), I'm going to go out on a limb and say this award is his to lose.
The Bad: Even with an increased number of nominees and an open-minded approach, there were still MANY glaring oversights. First, why does Emmy refuse to acknowledge the wonderful small town drama "Friday Night Lights" and its stars? Kyle Chandler's sweet, subtle work as Coach Eric Taylor is some of the best acting on TV; ditto for the performance of Connie Britton as his wife, Tami. But Emmy never looks at them twice. Why? I think Britton was far more deserving of a supporting actress nod than, say, Rose Byrne of "Damages" (good, but constantly outclassed by her co-stars) or Cherry Jones of "24" (good, but saddled with a somewhat thankless role). Granted, most of the guys who got nominated in the leading actor category are tough to argue with (except possibly Simon Baker of "The Mentalist," whose success in his role has more to do with charm and presence than acting chops), but I hope against hope they could find a spot for Chandler. He's too good to ignore. I'm also upset by the fresh choices who were overlooked in favor of stale old stand-bys. Did the Academy really need to nominate Charlie Sheen AGAIN for "Two and a Half Men?" I know the show is popular, but I would have much rather seen his spot in the leading comedy actor category go to a fresh face, like Danny McBride of HBO's new series "Eastbound and Down." The comedy category itself was a bit stale, save for the odd nomination of "Family Guy" and the encouraging nod for "Flight of the Conchords." I feel the Emmys are now just nominating "Weeds" and "Entourage" because they've managed to stay on the air for five seasons, not because the shows are so good. In fact, both shows are fading a bit, and I feel it's time to pass them by for some fresh blood.
And let's take a second to discuss that "Family Guy" nomination, shall we? Of all the animated shows on TV over the years, THIS is the one that the academy felt was worthy of recognizing in the comedy category, instead of just the animation category?
Think about it. "The Simpsons." "South Park." "King of the Hill." None nominated for best comedy. Look, I sometimes enjoy "Family Guy," but it can't compete with "The Simpsons" at its peak, or with any season of "King of the Hill." And while I admire "South Park" more than I enjoy it, it's hard to argue that it presents some of the most scathing satire on TV. So why "Family Guy?" Well, I guess we can be thankful they didn't nominate "American Dad" for best comedy. Yet.
The Downright Insane: You might have noticed that I haven't said much about the lack of major nominations for FX's drama "The Shield." That's because I feel this oversight deserves its own category. The last season of "The Shield" was possibly one of the greatest seasons of TV in the past 10 years. I don't even think I'm exaggerating. It was devastating, realistic and impossible to look away from. Nearly every performance was perfect, from Michael Chiklis's mesmerizing work in the lead role of corrupt cop Vic Mackey to Walton Goggins's lacerating performance as Mackey's shunned underling Shane Vendrell, to CCH Pounder's wonderful work as decent, doomed police captain Claudette Wyms. Yet it failed to get a single major nomination. And it will never have another shot. Why? Why didn't the academy recognize this show? Was it even a blip on their radar? Were they really able to convince themselves that there were SEVEN better shows on TV this season? Yes, "Lost," "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad" and "Big Love" all had great seasons worthy of nomination. But "Dexter" got a nod for its third season, its weakest yet. And "Damages," while entertaining, isn't nearly as smart or penetrating as "The Shield." Why couldn't "The Shield" sneak in? And why didn't Chiklis, Pounder and especially Goggins make the cut for their work? We'll never know. It hurts to think about. I guess everyone involved with "The Shield" should view the show's excellence as its own reward. But they shouldn't have to.
Showing posts with label Emerson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emerson. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
"Lost" recap: Better late than never
So, due to some personal projects I needed to complete, I had to delay this week's "Lost" recap. Which is a shame, because last night's episode, "Dead is Dead," was probably the season's best yet. It was like a sort of greatest hits; a potpourri of all the things I like best about "Lost." It had showcase moments for my two favorite cast members, Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn. It had a little more insight into the nature of the smoke monster. It had glimpses of Alex, perhaps the only character to bring out Ben's humanity. And it, thank God, finally let us know that the Hume family is OK, despite Ben's "promise" to Charles.
It was so unbelievably awesome, I don't even know where to start. How about the beginning?
* Not to brag, but I totally called that the man who rode up on the horse at the start of the episode was a young Charles Widmore. I don't know how I recognized him, because he didn't look like the teenage Widmore we saw earlier, nor does he really resemble Alan Dale, who plays old Charles. In fact, he looked like a reject from a Lord of the Rings movie. But I figured it had to be Charles. It was the only choice that made sense, given his disdain for Richard bringing little Ben into the camp. Also, there was the small matter of the accent. Dude didn't look like Widmore, but he sure sounded like him.
* This moment, by the way, was a nice start to an episode that gave us tantalizing hints about the relationship between Widmore and Ben. Despite his reluctance to have Ben in the camp, Charles is kind to the boy. How does their relationship become so acrimonious? Did it start with Ben's refusal to kill Alex? Did it start earlier? Did Widmore harbor the kind of jealousy toward Ben that Ben has for Locke? What's up with these guys, anyway?
* And, speaking of Locke, I don't always love when "Lost" repeats moments from previous episodes, but I can never watch that Ben-Locke "welcome back to the land of the living" moment too many times. The "holy crapballs" look on Michael Emerson's face, and the smooth serenity of Terry O'Quinn's voice are just perfect. Then, this episode builds on the moment, by that brilliant exchange in which Ben tells John that he knew he'd come back to life, and John calls him on it, pointing out how surprised Ben looks. "Surprised" being a euphemism for "incontinent." Ben then tells John that believing something and seeing it happen are two different things. Fair enough. But we can tell John doesn't believe him. Neither do we.
* John's obviously right not to believe Ben because, within moments Ben is manipulating Cesar into believing that John is a murderous island native. Poor Cesar. The moment he shook Ben's hand, you kind of knew he was a dead man.
* Back to the John-Ben dynamic. I really loved the evolution of that relationship throughout this episode. Previously, John's been somewhat deferential to Ben. Before dying, John was so eager to be "special" that he allowed himself to be manipulated by Ben so easily. But that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Resurrection John is more confident. He has no far of calling BS on Ben's story about seeking judgment from Smoky about breaking the rules, guessing that the journey is really about letting Alex die. John also leads the way to the smoke monster, and rescues Ben from the temple pit after the moment of Smoky reckoning. John's coming into his own now, and Ben knows it. That's why he's plotting to kill John until the vision of Alex appears to him and warns against it.
* So, we get a clearer idea of how one summons Smoky -- and it looks like the same process one uses to unclog a drain. A little disappointing. But that cave is creepy. A lot of bloggers have mused on the etchings on the walls. I don't know enough to get into it my self, but I'll direct you to "Lost" guru Nikki Stafford's blog.
* Ok, I almost pulled a Ben-seeing-undead-Locke when Ben shot Desmond down at the pier. We knew Ben was gunning for Penny, but to see him striding toward his enemy's daughter only to be surprised by Desmond was a nice little shock. Ben's taunting of Charles was also suitably creepy. The whole sequence, broken up though it was, was just really unsettling. When Ben confronts a terrified Penny, and apologizes for involving her in the vendetta, it made my stomach roil. Yet there was a nice turn when Ben sees little Charlie, and can't go through with his murder of Penny.
* Speaking of which, this episode gives us a nice little wrinkle in the Ben Linus character. Turns out that this liar, manipulator and murderer has a soft spot for mothers and children. He can't kill baby Alex, or murder Penny in front of her little boy. He even spares Danielle, the mom of his stolen daughter, and tells her to avoid the whispers that signal the coming of Smoky. Why this sympathy for moms and kids? Maybe it has to do with the death of his own mom. Quite possibly, he attributes all his suffering to his mother's death while giving birth to him, and wishes not to bring the same pain upon other kids.
* By the way, the name of Pen and Des's boat is Our Mutual Friend -- named after the insufferably long (and somewhat boring) Charles Dickens novel that Des said he wanted to be the last book he ever read.
* This episode was clearly an emotional one. There was the revelation that Ben truly loved Alex, and felt great guilt over her death. There was that Smoky slideshow of the key events in Ben's relationship with Alex. There was the reunion of Locke and his murder; the tense moment with the Humes; the confrontation between Ben and ghost Alex. Yet this was maybe the funniest episode not to future Hurley. It was packed with great lines. For instance:
-Locke: I was hoping you and I could talk about the elephant in the room.
-Ben: I assume that you're referring to the fact that I killed you.
Or, after Locke complains that the smoke monster is slow to turn up after Ben's summoning:
-Ben: It's not a train, John. It doesn't run on a schedule.
Or this, from Lapidus, after John tells he and Sun that there's a reason that everything's happening:
- As long as the dead guy says there's a reason I guess everything's going to be just peachy.
*Ok, we need to discuss the weird aesthetic choices being made for our Ben this season. First, there was the pimp ensemble he wore in "He's Our You," then his weird pageboy in some of this episode's flashback seasons.
*Just what's going on on the beach? Why was Ilana asking about the shadow of the statue? What does it mean? Has she gone crazy with island sickness, like Danielle's crew? What's going on?
Well, that's it for this week. Next week on "Lost": Miles backstory! Woo-hoo!
It was so unbelievably awesome, I don't even know where to start. How about the beginning?
* Not to brag, but I totally called that the man who rode up on the horse at the start of the episode was a young Charles Widmore. I don't know how I recognized him, because he didn't look like the teenage Widmore we saw earlier, nor does he really resemble Alan Dale, who plays old Charles. In fact, he looked like a reject from a Lord of the Rings movie. But I figured it had to be Charles. It was the only choice that made sense, given his disdain for Richard bringing little Ben into the camp. Also, there was the small matter of the accent. Dude didn't look like Widmore, but he sure sounded like him.
* This moment, by the way, was a nice start to an episode that gave us tantalizing hints about the relationship between Widmore and Ben. Despite his reluctance to have Ben in the camp, Charles is kind to the boy. How does their relationship become so acrimonious? Did it start with Ben's refusal to kill Alex? Did it start earlier? Did Widmore harbor the kind of jealousy toward Ben that Ben has for Locke? What's up with these guys, anyway?
* And, speaking of Locke, I don't always love when "Lost" repeats moments from previous episodes, but I can never watch that Ben-Locke "welcome back to the land of the living" moment too many times. The "holy crapballs" look on Michael Emerson's face, and the smooth serenity of Terry O'Quinn's voice are just perfect. Then, this episode builds on the moment, by that brilliant exchange in which Ben tells John that he knew he'd come back to life, and John calls him on it, pointing out how surprised Ben looks. "Surprised" being a euphemism for "incontinent." Ben then tells John that believing something and seeing it happen are two different things. Fair enough. But we can tell John doesn't believe him. Neither do we.
* John's obviously right not to believe Ben because, within moments Ben is manipulating Cesar into believing that John is a murderous island native. Poor Cesar. The moment he shook Ben's hand, you kind of knew he was a dead man.
* Back to the John-Ben dynamic. I really loved the evolution of that relationship throughout this episode. Previously, John's been somewhat deferential to Ben. Before dying, John was so eager to be "special" that he allowed himself to be manipulated by Ben so easily. But that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Resurrection John is more confident. He has no far of calling BS on Ben's story about seeking judgment from Smoky about breaking the rules, guessing that the journey is really about letting Alex die. John also leads the way to the smoke monster, and rescues Ben from the temple pit after the moment of Smoky reckoning. John's coming into his own now, and Ben knows it. That's why he's plotting to kill John until the vision of Alex appears to him and warns against it.
* So, we get a clearer idea of how one summons Smoky -- and it looks like the same process one uses to unclog a drain. A little disappointing. But that cave is creepy. A lot of bloggers have mused on the etchings on the walls. I don't know enough to get into it my self, but I'll direct you to "Lost" guru Nikki Stafford's blog.
* Ok, I almost pulled a Ben-seeing-undead-Locke when Ben shot Desmond down at the pier. We knew Ben was gunning for Penny, but to see him striding toward his enemy's daughter only to be surprised by Desmond was a nice little shock. Ben's taunting of Charles was also suitably creepy. The whole sequence, broken up though it was, was just really unsettling. When Ben confronts a terrified Penny, and apologizes for involving her in the vendetta, it made my stomach roil. Yet there was a nice turn when Ben sees little Charlie, and can't go through with his murder of Penny.
* Speaking of which, this episode gives us a nice little wrinkle in the Ben Linus character. Turns out that this liar, manipulator and murderer has a soft spot for mothers and children. He can't kill baby Alex, or murder Penny in front of her little boy. He even spares Danielle, the mom of his stolen daughter, and tells her to avoid the whispers that signal the coming of Smoky. Why this sympathy for moms and kids? Maybe it has to do with the death of his own mom. Quite possibly, he attributes all his suffering to his mother's death while giving birth to him, and wishes not to bring the same pain upon other kids.
* By the way, the name of Pen and Des's boat is Our Mutual Friend -- named after the insufferably long (and somewhat boring) Charles Dickens novel that Des said he wanted to be the last book he ever read.
* This episode was clearly an emotional one. There was the revelation that Ben truly loved Alex, and felt great guilt over her death. There was that Smoky slideshow of the key events in Ben's relationship with Alex. There was the reunion of Locke and his murder; the tense moment with the Humes; the confrontation between Ben and ghost Alex. Yet this was maybe the funniest episode not to future Hurley. It was packed with great lines. For instance:
-Locke: I was hoping you and I could talk about the elephant in the room.
-Ben: I assume that you're referring to the fact that I killed you.
Or, after Locke complains that the smoke monster is slow to turn up after Ben's summoning:
-Ben: It's not a train, John. It doesn't run on a schedule.
Or this, from Lapidus, after John tells he and Sun that there's a reason that everything's happening:
- As long as the dead guy says there's a reason I guess everything's going to be just peachy.
*Ok, we need to discuss the weird aesthetic choices being made for our Ben this season. First, there was the pimp ensemble he wore in "He's Our You," then his weird pageboy in some of this episode's flashback seasons.
*Just what's going on on the beach? Why was Ilana asking about the shadow of the statue? What does it mean? Has she gone crazy with island sickness, like Danielle's crew? What's going on?
Well, that's it for this week. Next week on "Lost": Miles backstory! Woo-hoo!
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