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 Flight of the Conchords. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flight of the Conchords. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Some quick Emmy impressions...
So, as you might know, today the nominations for the 61st annual Primetime Emmys were announced. I don't have a lot of time to write about it, but here are some of my initial impressions on the noms. I promise to have a longer piece in tomorrow.
"The Shield" gets The Shaft: Can I tell you how mad I was that FX's brilliant drama "The Shield" got NO major nominations for its insanely fantastic final season? No best series nod. No nod for lead actor Michael Chiklis. And, most incredibly NO NOMINATION FOR WALTON GOGGINS. That was the one nomination I was pulling for, more than any other. I am beside myself. For real.
Some "Big Love" love, but not enough: Here's what made me happy -- a best drama nomination for HBO's wonderful "Big Love," which arguably had its best season this year. Here's what made me sad: No nominations for any of "Big Love's" actresses, even Chloe Sevigny, whose work this year was simply astounding. But not to Emmy apparently.
"Conchords" takes flight: Looks like HBO's quirky comedy "Flight of the Conchords" just got one step closer to being picked up for a third season. The show earned a best comedy nomination, and one of its two stars -- the wonderfully sly Jemaine Clement -- get a best actor nod. While I think this season wasn't as strong as its first, I was happy to see this show get some recognition.
More doses of happy: In my longer post, I'll get more into which nominations made me happy, but let say quickly that I was glad to see Elisabeth Moss get recognized for her lacerating work on the second season of "Mad Men" and Aaron Paul get a nod for his wonderful work on this season of "Breaking Bad."
Also, feel free to read my piece from June in which I pushed some potential dark horse nominees. That will give you a clearer a idea of which nominations/omissions pleased/upset me.
"The Shield" gets The Shaft: Can I tell you how mad I was that FX's brilliant drama "The Shield" got NO major nominations for its insanely fantastic final season? No best series nod. No nod for lead actor Michael Chiklis. And, most incredibly NO NOMINATION FOR WALTON GOGGINS. That was the one nomination I was pulling for, more than any other. I am beside myself. For real.
Some "Big Love" love, but not enough: Here's what made me happy -- a best drama nomination for HBO's wonderful "Big Love," which arguably had its best season this year. Here's what made me sad: No nominations for any of "Big Love's" actresses, even Chloe Sevigny, whose work this year was simply astounding. But not to Emmy apparently.
"Conchords" takes flight: Looks like HBO's quirky comedy "Flight of the Conchords" just got one step closer to being picked up for a third season. The show earned a best comedy nomination, and one of its two stars -- the wonderfully sly Jemaine Clement -- get a best actor nod. While I think this season wasn't as strong as its first, I was happy to see this show get some recognition.
More doses of happy: In my longer post, I'll get more into which nominations made me happy, but let say quickly that I was glad to see Elisabeth Moss get recognized for her lacerating work on the second season of "Mad Men" and Aaron Paul get a nod for his wonderful work on this season of "Breaking Bad."
Also, feel free to read my piece from June in which I pushed some potential dark horse nominees. That will give you a clearer a idea of which nominations/omissions pleased/upset me.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
For your consideration...
Dear Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members,
I noticed that you've received your Emmy ballot and that, over the next few weeks, you'll be charged with selecting the nominees for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. First off, let me say that I've looked at the ballot and I owe you all an apology. I'm always ranting and raving about how you nominate the same people year after year and omit a lot of worthy candidates. But now that I've seen the ballot, I see the difficult job you face. Nearly every actor and show on TV is eligible for nomination. I mean, you could nominate pretty much the entire cast of "Rules of Engagement" if you wanted to (by the way, thanks for never doing that). With so much information, I can see how you'd get overwhelmed.
So, I thought I'd help you out.
Below is a list of worthy candidates in each category. Most would be first-time nominees and all have done excellent, award-worthy work. All I ask is that you take a look and at least CONSIDER nominating them. OK? Let's get started.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Until a few months ago, I barely knew who Danny McBride was. I was aware he was a protegee of Will Farrell, and that he'd made a well-received low-budget movie called "The Foot Fist Way" (which I'd never seen), but that was about it. Then HBO debuted the new comedy "Eastbound and Down," on which McBride played angry, foul-mouthed ex-pitcher Kenny Powers. Though it took me a few episodes to figure it out, I eventually realized that McBride is the real deal. Funny, fearless and a good actor, McBride is a talent worth watching...and worth nominating.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Let's be honest -- this is a category that rewards flash. Yes, Hugh Laurie, James Gandolfini, Bryan Cranston and other past nominees and winners are talented. But I imagine most actors could do good things with complicated, juicy characters like Dr. House, Tony Soprano and Walter White. It's much harder to be memorable when playing the calm, reasonable center of a series. And that's just what Kyle Chandler does every week on "Friday Night Lights." With just a twitch of his jaw, or a cloud of thought floating over his eyes, Chandler reaches deep into the soul of high school football coach Eric Taylor. It's a rich, lived-in performance and it's crazy that, three seasons into this show, Chandler has yet to score a nomination.
Also worth nominating: Jeffrey Donovan, who, in the most recent season of "Burn Notice," found some rich emotional layers in slick ex-spy Michael Westen.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: I only saw half of the first season of Showtime's new sitcom "The United States of Tara," but I did like Toni Collette's warm, brave, funny performance as a mom juggling work, family and multiple personalities.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: OK, I won't waste much time pushing this one, because I know there's almost zero chance this will ever happen, but I must say that Leighton Meester is a revelation as Blair Waldorf on "Gossip Girl." Don't laugh! She's funny, vulnerable and gives unexpected depth to this pampered princess. The show lives or dies on Meester, and that's what makes her Emmy-worthy. OK, speech over. Let's discuss some other worthy candidates for this category. Regina King is in her first season over on NBC's promising cop drama "Southland," and she's already created a three-dimensional character out of tough but sensitive police Detective Lydia Adams. Plus, she's always been one of my favorite actresses (it's hard to steal a scene from Tom Cruise, Renee Zelleweger and Cuba Gooding, Jr., but she did just that in "Jerry Maguire"). And, no discussion of this category would be complete without a healthy push for Elisabeth Moss, who is nothing short of spectacular as Peggy Olson on "Mad Men." I wish that character was my best friend, that's how vibrant and convincing Moss is.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in Comedy Series: Look, I love Bret and Jemaine, the wacky tunesmiths at the heart of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords," but without Rhys Darby as their sensible yet dense manager Murray, it would definitely lose something. Darby's dry delivery and great, deadpan reaction shots are as essential to this show as the songs and shtick. The guys wouldn't be as funny without him.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: OK, you can ignore ALL my other suggestions as long as you heed this one -- you absolutely MUST nominate Walton Goggins for his uniformly exceptional work as troubled, doomed Detective Shane Vendrell on "The Shield." Goggins' is one of the best supporting performances of the best decade and he's a huge part of the reason why Shane was one of the show's best characters. Check out the series finale, in which Shane makes a terrible, terrible choice and struggles with every minute of it. Phenomenal.
Also worth mentioning: Dean Norris and Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad," Ken Leung and Jeremy Davies of "Lost" and John Scurti of "Rescue Me" would all be solid additions to this category. But putting Goggins in the running should be your priority.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: This was a good year for funny ladies. "SNL" mainstay Amy Poehler got her own series. Tina Fey was a smash on both "30 Rock" and "SNL." But I can think of at least two hilarious women who are constantly ignored by award-granting institutions: Kristen Schaal of "Flight of the Conchords" and Kaitlin Olson of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Both women hold their own on male-dominated shows. Both add dimension to truly weird, fairly unsympathetic characters. And both are pee-your-pants hysterical. Recognize!
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Remember what I said about Walton Goggins? I feel the same way about Chloe Sevigny on "Big Love." She's always been great as mercurial, damaged polygamist Nikki Grant, but this was her strongest season yet. In nearly every single episode, she had at least one amazing, scene-stealing moment. In the season finale, she had two: the scene where she met her abandoned daughter, and her breakdown in the car with Jeanne Tripplehorn's Barb. All the actresses on this show are outstanding, but Sevigny was this season's gem.
Also worth mentioning: I don't know if anyone else is going to plug Michele Hicks' work as Shane's wife Mara on "The Shield," but let me put in my two cents. Hicks was so raw and vulnerable, she made us feel bad for a character that was nearly impossible to like. Well done.
Outstanding Comedy Series: This could very well be the last season for HBO's "Flight of the Conchords." While it wasn't as good as last season, this is still one of the funniest shows on TV. How about a little love?
Outstanding Drama Series: Yes, "The Shield" won a Golden Globe for best drama years ago, and has been nominated in the past. But this is its last season. Please show this fantastic series the appreciation that its devastating final season deserved.
So, those are more thoughts. Again, these are only suggestions, and I hope you'll at least consider them. Except Goggins and Sevigny. Their nominations are non-negotiable. I mean it.
Yours,
I Screen You Screen
I noticed that you've received your Emmy ballot and that, over the next few weeks, you'll be charged with selecting the nominees for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. First off, let me say that I've looked at the ballot and I owe you all an apology. I'm always ranting and raving about how you nominate the same people year after year and omit a lot of worthy candidates. But now that I've seen the ballot, I see the difficult job you face. Nearly every actor and show on TV is eligible for nomination. I mean, you could nominate pretty much the entire cast of "Rules of Engagement" if you wanted to (by the way, thanks for never doing that). With so much information, I can see how you'd get overwhelmed.
So, I thought I'd help you out.
Below is a list of worthy candidates in each category. Most would be first-time nominees and all have done excellent, award-worthy work. All I ask is that you take a look and at least CONSIDER nominating them. OK? Let's get started.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Until a few months ago, I barely knew who Danny McBride was. I was aware he was a protegee of Will Farrell, and that he'd made a well-received low-budget movie called "The Foot Fist Way" (which I'd never seen), but that was about it. Then HBO debuted the new comedy "Eastbound and Down," on which McBride played angry, foul-mouthed ex-pitcher Kenny Powers. Though it took me a few episodes to figure it out, I eventually realized that McBride is the real deal. Funny, fearless and a good actor, McBride is a talent worth watching...and worth nominating.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Let's be honest -- this is a category that rewards flash. Yes, Hugh Laurie, James Gandolfini, Bryan Cranston and other past nominees and winners are talented. But I imagine most actors could do good things with complicated, juicy characters like Dr. House, Tony Soprano and Walter White. It's much harder to be memorable when playing the calm, reasonable center of a series. And that's just what Kyle Chandler does every week on "Friday Night Lights." With just a twitch of his jaw, or a cloud of thought floating over his eyes, Chandler reaches deep into the soul of high school football coach Eric Taylor. It's a rich, lived-in performance and it's crazy that, three seasons into this show, Chandler has yet to score a nomination.
Also worth nominating: Jeffrey Donovan, who, in the most recent season of "Burn Notice," found some rich emotional layers in slick ex-spy Michael Westen.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: I only saw half of the first season of Showtime's new sitcom "The United States of Tara," but I did like Toni Collette's warm, brave, funny performance as a mom juggling work, family and multiple personalities.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: OK, I won't waste much time pushing this one, because I know there's almost zero chance this will ever happen, but I must say that Leighton Meester is a revelation as Blair Waldorf on "Gossip Girl." Don't laugh! She's funny, vulnerable and gives unexpected depth to this pampered princess. The show lives or dies on Meester, and that's what makes her Emmy-worthy. OK, speech over. Let's discuss some other worthy candidates for this category. Regina King is in her first season over on NBC's promising cop drama "Southland," and she's already created a three-dimensional character out of tough but sensitive police Detective Lydia Adams. Plus, she's always been one of my favorite actresses (it's hard to steal a scene from Tom Cruise, Renee Zelleweger and Cuba Gooding, Jr., but she did just that in "Jerry Maguire"). And, no discussion of this category would be complete without a healthy push for Elisabeth Moss, who is nothing short of spectacular as Peggy Olson on "Mad Men." I wish that character was my best friend, that's how vibrant and convincing Moss is.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in Comedy Series: Look, I love Bret and Jemaine, the wacky tunesmiths at the heart of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords," but without Rhys Darby as their sensible yet dense manager Murray, it would definitely lose something. Darby's dry delivery and great, deadpan reaction shots are as essential to this show as the songs and shtick. The guys wouldn't be as funny without him.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: OK, you can ignore ALL my other suggestions as long as you heed this one -- you absolutely MUST nominate Walton Goggins for his uniformly exceptional work as troubled, doomed Detective Shane Vendrell on "The Shield." Goggins' is one of the best supporting performances of the best decade and he's a huge part of the reason why Shane was one of the show's best characters. Check out the series finale, in which Shane makes a terrible, terrible choice and struggles with every minute of it. Phenomenal.
Also worth mentioning: Dean Norris and Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad," Ken Leung and Jeremy Davies of "Lost" and John Scurti of "Rescue Me" would all be solid additions to this category. But putting Goggins in the running should be your priority.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: This was a good year for funny ladies. "SNL" mainstay Amy Poehler got her own series. Tina Fey was a smash on both "30 Rock" and "SNL." But I can think of at least two hilarious women who are constantly ignored by award-granting institutions: Kristen Schaal of "Flight of the Conchords" and Kaitlin Olson of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Both women hold their own on male-dominated shows. Both add dimension to truly weird, fairly unsympathetic characters. And both are pee-your-pants hysterical. Recognize!
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Remember what I said about Walton Goggins? I feel the same way about Chloe Sevigny on "Big Love." She's always been great as mercurial, damaged polygamist Nikki Grant, but this was her strongest season yet. In nearly every single episode, she had at least one amazing, scene-stealing moment. In the season finale, she had two: the scene where she met her abandoned daughter, and her breakdown in the car with Jeanne Tripplehorn's Barb. All the actresses on this show are outstanding, but Sevigny was this season's gem.
Also worth mentioning: I don't know if anyone else is going to plug Michele Hicks' work as Shane's wife Mara on "The Shield," but let me put in my two cents. Hicks was so raw and vulnerable, she made us feel bad for a character that was nearly impossible to like. Well done.
Outstanding Comedy Series: This could very well be the last season for HBO's "Flight of the Conchords." While it wasn't as good as last season, this is still one of the funniest shows on TV. How about a little love?
Outstanding Drama Series: Yes, "The Shield" won a Golden Globe for best drama years ago, and has been nominated in the past. But this is its last season. Please show this fantastic series the appreciation that its devastating final season deserved.
So, those are more thoughts. Again, these are only suggestions, and I hope you'll at least consider them. Except Goggins and Sevigny. Their nominations are non-negotiable. I mean it.
Yours,
I Screen You Screen
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