Tonight! The Emmy festivities will begin shortly, so before I post my final predictions, it's time to look a little more closely at the shows that will be competing for the title of Best Comedy Series and Best Drama Series.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Frontrunners: Modern Family- When competing for an award for the best comedy series on television, it helps to be the best comedy series currently on television. The freshman series puts a twist on the traditional family sitcom, meaning that Emmy voters can vote for something safe and comfortable, while still feeling hip and cool. Glee - The series has already proved itself to be a strong competitor at all the previous award shows. Even though it's first season has received mixed reviews, clearly Glee is a force to be reckoned with. 30 Rock - Never underestimate a show about TV with a three year Emmy streak. Voters have proven they love 3o Rock over and over again. Despite a "weaker" fourth season, the series could still come out on top.
The Rest: Nurse Jackie - It may have been a surprise nominee, but a directing nomination means that Edie Falco isn't the only thing Emmy voters love about this series. Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Emmys loved Seinfeld, and the reunion on this season of Curb gives the series a small chance at victory. Even with that help, the show lacks the buzz of the three newcomers and the previous wins of 3o Rock. The Office - There is no way this show could win after such an awful season. Even the Emmys aren't that cruel.
Outstanding Drama Series
Frontrunners: Mad Men - The series has won for the past two years, and it certainly hasn't dwindled in quality. In fact, season three of Mad Men was probably the show's best. If Mad Men loses tonight, it would not be a reflection of the show's performance this year. Rather, it would be in order to honor a finished series (Lost) or congratulate a new one (The Good Wife). Lost - The final season of this epic series was not the best, but it probably had the most buzz. Everyone seemed to be talking about Lost this year. Season six was not on par with the Emmy-winning first season, but it could still win as a final farewell and a general celebration of the series as a whole.
Dark Horse: The Good Wife - The network drama has certainly proven itself worthy of being listed among its cable competition. Five acting nominations and a writing nomination means that The Good Wife is more than just a nominee. It's a serious player in this category and could be one of the biggest surprises of the night.
The Rest: Dexter - Lots of buzz surrounded Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow this season, which could push the series into the winner's circle. But most likely the show will have to settle for the acting victories (Lithgow has already won Guest Actor, while Hall remains a serious competitor in Lead), while Mad Men reigns for another year. Breaking Bad - Unfortunately, this brilliant drama series will always be in competition with the other AMC series, Mad Men. They are both so well done, but besides Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad seems to always get overlooked. True Blood - The melodramatic and campy series should just be thankful it was able to break the Emmy nomination curse for vampire shows. It may be popular and addictive television, but it is certainly not on the same level of quality as its competitors.
Coming Soon: My official prediction list!
Currently watching: Sons of Anarchy Season 1 Episode 3 - Fun Town
The Emmys are almost here! It's time for some final analysis before the awards are handed out tomorrow evening. The lead actors seem to have no clear winner yet, while the lead actress categories are all but locked up. Only time can tell who the final victors will be.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Frontrunners: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock ("Don Geiss, America, and Hope") - He's won for the past two years, but this year may be the year another actor can end Baldwin's streak. His episode isn't as strong as his previous two but never count a 30 Rock contender out of the race. Tony Shalhoub, Monk ("Mr. Monk and the End") - Shalhoub already has three Emmys for playing Monk, and this year's two hour series finale could easily bring him a fourth.
Dark Horse: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory ("The Pants Alternative") - The man has to win an Emmy eventually. His work is brilliant, and this year he's entered the competition with another very funny episode. Perhaps with 30 Rock buzz dying a little and a lack of other strong competitors, Parsons could take home the trophy tomorrow night.
The Rest: Steve Carell, The Office ("The Cover Up") - He's never won an Emmy before, so I don't see why the academy would choose to finally award him now after the worst season in The Office's history. Expect him to be a frontrunner next year when he finishes his final season on the show. Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm ("Seinfeld") - Since he's playing himself, he's not really seen as much of an "actor" on his show. However, his episode, featuring the cast of Seinfeld, boosts his chances a little bit. Matthew Morrison, Glee ("Mash-Up") - His episode submission is absolutely terrible (it includes two rap numbers), he's overshadowed by the younger actors, and he's not very funny. Unless the Emmys go absolutely crazy over Glee this year, he has no chance.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Frontrunners: Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie ("Pilot") - She has been predicted to win this Emmy since Showtime announced that Falco would be headlining a new comedy series. Emmy voters loved her on The Sopranos, and that love will carry over to Nurse Jackie. Toni Collette, United States of Tara ("Torando!") - Collette scored a very deserving win last year and has come back for more. Her episode is probably the strongest of the group, as she rapidly transitions into all of her multiple personalities during a tornado. She could easily take the award from Falco. Tina Fey, 30 Rock ("Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001") - As long as she's in the running, Tina Fey will always have a solid chance to win. This year she submitted one of her funniest performances ever on a show that the academy has shown lots of love for in the past.
Dark Horse: Lea Michele, Glee ("Sectionals") - Michele still has a chance to win, since this category has recently seemed to favor newcomers (Felicity Huffman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, America Ferrera, Toni Collette). Also, Glee has received a lot of attention this year, which could help the award go in Michele's favor.
The Rest: Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation ("Telethon") - Perhaps voters just don't "get" Parks, since they failed to nominate the series, even though it was one of the strongest comedies on television this season. Unlike the other contenders, Poehler doesn't have the necessary support to come out victorious in this race. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine ("I Love What You Do For Me") - She's already been rewarded for this role, and it's unlikely that Emmy voters will choose her canceled series over her strong competitors.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Frontrunners: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad ("Full Measure") - Cranston is undefeated at the Emmys for his role on Breaking Bad. He could easily pull off a threepeat this year with another strong season under his belt. Michael C. Hall, Dexter ("The Getaway") - He won at the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards for this season of Dexter. It looks like this could finally be the year that Hall wins the Emmy he's deserved since the first season of Six Feet Under. Jon Hamm, Mad Men("The Gypsy and the Hobo") - Somehow Mad Men has won Outstanding Drama Series two years in a row without ever winning an acting award. Hamm has definitely performed well, but he always gets bested by Cranston. Perhaps his intense episode submission will seal the deal this year.
Dark Horse: Hugh Laurie, House ("Broken") - Laurie is long overdue, and the dramatic two hour season premiere (which takes places in a mental hospital) is probably his best shot at finally winning.
The Rest: Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights ("East of Dillon") - The man certainly deserves the award, but it seems unlikely to happen since it took the academy four seasons to finally give him a nomination. But we can still hope for a surprise upset! Matthew Fox, Lost ("The End") - Fox does a great job in the series finale, but the episode is two and a half hours long. His performance could easily be overlooked because of everything else going on in the episode.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Frontrunners: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife ("Threesome") - The woman has it all. She has the buzz. She has the Golden Globe. She has the SAG. She has an Emmy from ER. And most importantly, she deserves all of it. Glenn Close, Damages ("Your Secrets Are Safe") - Close has dominated this category for the past two years. She's won every year she's been eligible for Damages. This year she faces her toughest competition with a weak episode and a less buzzed about season of Damages. But the woman is unstoppable and could easily take home her third consecutive Emmy.
Dark Horse: Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer ("Maternal Instincts") - Many people believe Sedwick is long overdue for an Emmy, and apparently (I don't watch The Closer) her episode submission this year is her best yet.
Wild Card: Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights ("After the Fall") - Britton has never competed in the Emmys before. Now that the voters will have to watch her in an episode of Friday Night Lights, they won't be able to deny that she talent. Unfortunately, she was nominated in the season that didn't show case her abilities as well as the previous ones. She most likely won't be able to defeat the likes of Margulies and Close, but she still has a chance.
The Rest: January Jones, Mad Men ("The Gypsy and the Hobo") - Her episode is fantastic and really showcases her abilities as an actress. Still, opinions about her performance are very divided, which prevents her from being as strong of a contender as she should be. Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU ("Perverted") - Hargitay has already won and isn't as popular as she used to be. Several critics question her nomination and believe that she has overstayed her welcome in this category.
Coming Soon: My thoughts on the nominees for Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series
Currently watching: Sons of Anarchy Season 1 Episode 2 - Seeds
For the first time in a long time, television critics seem pleased with the Emmy nominations. Several outdated, repeat nominees (Sally Field, Entourage, etc.) were exchanged for fresh faces, and even some older but not yet recognized contenders broke through. The main complaints were the omissions of Sons of Anarchy's Katey Sagal (I haven't seen the show, but now I plan to do it very soon) and the new comedies Community and Cougar Town (I never connected with either of them, and I'm not surprised that Emmy voters didn't either). Out of the 60 nominations I predicted, I got 43 correct (not including my seventh spots, five of which made it into the actual top six), which just barely comes out to a passing percentage. Considering I only got one less than Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, I think I did just fine. It was a morning filled with shock, disappointment, and even tears (at least for me). Here's an overview of what happened.
Surprises:
Kyle Chandler & Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights (Lead Actor & Actress in a Drama Series) - This was easily the biggest shocker of the entire morning. I literally did not believe it when I heard Chandler's name. I was so confused. For years I had heard all about the great Friday Night Lights and how it always got snubbed at the Emmys. Then before I could even process Chandler's nomination in my mind, I heard Connie Britton's name. At this point I might have started crying. I watched seasons one through three for the first time this summer, so I wasn't a fan of the show when it had been snubbed in the past. After watching it, I clearly understood why everyone was so upset. These actors are two of the strongest dramatic leads on television, and I cannot express how ecstatic I am to see them finally rewarded for it.
Nurse Jackie (Comedy Series) - Everyone assumed Edie Falco would make the shortlist for lead comedy actress, but no one expected the series to earn a nomination as well. It took the spot of previous Showtime nominee, Weeds (a spot most critics predicted would belong to The Big Bang Theory).
True Blood (Drama Series) - It's not very often that vampire shows get noticed at the Emmys (re: Buffy). True Blood managed to break into the drama category despite having zero other nominations in the acting, writing, and directing categories.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series) - It's nothing against Ferguson; he's hilarious on Modern Family. But as far as most critics were concerned, Ferguson was farther down on the contenders list than Rico Rodriguez. He got nominated instead of Ed O'Neill (who should have submitted in the lead category), which means O'Neill is the show's only adult cast member without a nomination.
Favorites:
Chris Colfer & Mike O'Malley, Glee (Supporting & Guest Actor in a Comedy) - The best father-son duo on television earned nominations in their respective categories. Colfer was more of a surprise, considering he's only 20 and competing against actors like Neil Patrick Harris and Eric Stonestreet. But the two deserve it because they give the most heart warming performances on the show.
January Jones, Mad Men (Lead Actress in a Drama) - Words cannot describe how happy I was when I heard her name called. Finally Jones managed to earn a nomination after three seasons of phenomenal work. It's a shame Margulies is such a lock for the win, because I would love to see the Emmy go to Jones or Britton instead.
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Kristin Chenoweth, Tina Fey, Jane Lynch, and Betty White are all in the same category together. COULD THERE BE A MORE AWESOME CATEGORY?! I didn't think so.
"Niagara" - The Office (Writing for a Comedy Series) - I just really really want Mindy Kaling to win an Emmy. Mainly because I love everything she says on Twitter.
"The Son" - Friday Night Lights (Writing for a Drama Series) - It's a miracle FNL was able to break into such a solid category. It really says something to be listed alongside the Lost finale and two episodes of Mad Men. "The Son" was such a phenomenal hour of drama.
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife (Supporting Actress in a Drama Series) - I need to catch up on The Good Wife ASAP. Everyone (correctly) predicted that name recognition would guarantee Christine Baranski a supporting nomination for the series, but I'm more excited to see Panjabi on the list. From what I saw of the first season, she was my favorite character.
Matthew Fox, Lost (Lead Actor in a Drama Series) - What an amazing tribute to the show's final season after six years of great work!
Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost (Guest Actress in a Drama Series) - This might be my favorite nomination. I'm considering it the Academy's official apology for ignoring this last year:
Snubs:
Sandra Oh & Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy (Supporting Actress in a Drama Series) - Oh has received a nomination for every year of the show's existence, and Wilson only has one less. Yet both disappeared completely from the race this year. It's too bad, because I think Oh especially earned her spot. If I could, I would give her the trophy right now.
Chloë Sevigny, Big Love (Supporting Actress in a Drama Series) - Since her Golden Globe win last year, Sevigny has appeared on almost every critic's prediction list. Still, it's no surprise that she didn't get nominated, because none of the wives of Big Love have ever earned a nomination (despite seriously deserving one). Instead the show received two well-earned guest actress spots for Sissy Spacek and Mary Kay Place.
Friday Night Lights (Drama Series) - It was amazing that Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton finally got recognized, but I don't understand why the series didn't get a nomination. It's also a shame that Zach Gilford didn't get a nomination for his outstanding guest work in "The Son."
Parks & Recreation (Comedy Series) - The show's hit sophomore season was shut out by newcomers and previous winners. Though it earned a spot for lead actress Amy Poehler, the hilarious Nick Offerman will have to settle for his TCA nomination.
What?!
Matthew Morrison, Glee (Lead Actor in a Comedy Series) - I really don't get it. He's not funny (nor is he really even the show's lead). In fact, his character is pretty much despised by most fans for his awkwardness and constant rapping. Surely other actors were more deserving.
19 nominations for Glee - I enjoy the show, and it certainly has some great moments. But is it really worthy of nineteen nominations? That's more than any other series this year, including Mad Men, 30 Rock, and Modern Family. It got recognition where it was deserved (Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Colfer, O'Malley, Chenoweth, etc.), but the Emmy love for Glee this year was a bit excessive.
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age & Sharon Gless, Burn Notice (Supporting Actor & Actress in a Drama Series) - I'm not going to say anything about the quality of either performance, since I have seen neither show (though both seem to be getting positive reactions to their nominations). Rather, I am just confused about how they got nominated. They had little to no buzz and appeared on nobody's prediction lists. I suppose it's nice to have a few wild cards thrown in every now and then.
The full list of nominees can be found on the Emmys website.
Currently watching: Six Feet Under Season 4 Episode 1 - Falling Into Place
The great debate: Are lead comedy categories for the best actors in a comedy series or the funniest actors in a comedy series? Several shows out there are" dramedies" and dark comedies, which means they contain certain elements of drama that sitcoms don't have. How can you compare Mary-Louise Parker to Tina Fey? One is funnier, but does that make her more worthy of an award? So many different types of shows fall under the Comedy label for Emmy season, so I decided to give them all a little representation.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Toni Collette, The United States of Tara - The darker second season was not as funny as the first, but it was still great. Collette truly transforms into each of Tara's personalities and makes them all their own individual characters. She may not generate the most laughs out of the women on this list, but she gives the best performance(s).
Portia De Rossi, Better Off Ted - The only reason I decided to watch Ted was because I wanted to see more Portia De Rossi after I finished Arrested Development. I made a good decision. The soulless executive Veronica became the best part of the show and the saddest part of its cancellation.
Tina Fey, 30 Rock - I feel like I don't need to say much because Tina Fey may be the funniest woman to ever walk the face of the earth. If you don't know that by now, then you clearly haven't ever seen 3o Rock or Mean Girls. She consistently brings the funny wherever she goes.
Lea Michele, Glee - She delivers in every way possible: comedy, drama, and musical. She's a choral overachiever who takes herself way too seriously. Though she's probably not everyone's favorite character, no one can deny her talent.
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds - Though I haven't enjoyed Nancy's stay in Mexico, I still enjoy Parker's performance. She is such a talented dramatic actress, which is why it's a shame that she's trapped in the wrong category. If she were in Drama, she would probably have the Emmy she deserves by now.
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation - She took a character that had the potential to be really annoying and made her appear kind of adorable. Leslie Knope became the loveable, yet sometimes clueless government official that we all wish we could have in our town.
Alec Baldwin, 3o Rock - The man has never had an off season of 3o Rock. I didn't absolutely love Jack's seemingly endless love triangle (just pick Elizabeth Banks already!), but Baldwin pulled it off hilariously well.
Steve Carell, The Office - This season was definitely the worst in Office history. It was often unfunny and sometimes even painful to watch. But throughout such a sour season, Steve Carell pulled through and continued to give his best as the goofy Michael Scott.
Thomas Jane, Hung - Jane is the Mary-Louise Parker of the men. He's definitely not the funniest, but his more subtle acting style is still enjoyable. The economically-conscious Hung tells the tale of a man who had to become a prostitute in order to support his family and keep his home. Jane made the off-the-wall story a pretty pleasant experience.
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory - Parsons has single-handedly made this show a success. His ridiculously high maintenance Sheldon is what makes The Big Bang Theory so darn funny. Anyone else in the role would just be obnoxious, rather than hysterically obnoxious.
Jason Schwartzman, Bored to Death - I'm not quite sure what it is, but something about Schwartzman made me love Bored to Death. A pot smoking, white wine drinking private detective might not seem too appealing, but the quirky show ended up being a pretty funny half hour.
Adam Scott, Party Down - His dry humor is the perfect balance for the craziness that makes up the rest of the Party Down catering crew. Not only that, but his romance with Lizzy Caplan's Casey became one of the best parts of the series.
Honorable Mention: Jay Harrington, Better Off Ted
Coming Soon: My picks for Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Drama Series
Currently watching: Six Feet Under Season 3 Episode 4 - Nobody Sleeps
This is the first year that I've actually taken a close look at the Emmy submissions for writing, and it's interesting to see what epsiodes different shows submit for consideration. For example, Big Love submitted "Blood Atonement," the controversial Mexico episode that was the most prominent example of the show's weakness in its fourth season. Then The Office throws out "Scott's Tots" for consideration, which, in my opinion, may be the worst episode the series has ever aired. When selecting my favorites for the two categories, it pretty much came down to the episodes this TV season that stuck out in my mind the most. Unfortunately, a competitive comedy writing category prevented more than one episode of 3o Rock from making my list, but the one that did make the cut is certainly a standout even among a great season. The comedic strength this year also did not allow better episodes of The Big Bang Theory ("The Adhesive Duck Deficiency") and How I Met Your Mother ("The Playbook") to enter the category, because they come from weaker seasons that were unable to measure up to more powerful newcomers. My only regret is that there was no room for The United States of Tara's "Torando" or an episode from the hilarious second season of Parks & Recreation on my list. Also, it should be noted that I have not seen the fourth seasons of Dexter and Friday Night Lights or the third season of Breaking Bad, hence their absence from this list.
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Glee, "Pilot" (Ryan Murhpy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan) - Glee has had its ups and downs in its first season, but it started off on the right foot. The pilot episode revealed the heart of the show, entertained us with exciting musical numbers, and introduced us to Sue Sylvester. Only a few episodes have been able to surpass the quality of the very first.
Modern Family, "Pilot" (Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd) - It was either this or "Fizbo." I decided on the pilot episode because I've seen it at least three times, and I still laugh in all the right places. From the very beginning Modern Family has proven that it's just as funny (if not funnier) than comedy champs 30 Rock and The Office.
The Office, "Niagara" (Greg Daniels, Mindy Kaling) - I'm not just including this episode because I would love to hear the phrase "Emmy winner Mindy Kaling" in more than just my dreams. The hour-long wedding episode was the one highlight from the worst season The Office has ever endured. This great episode reminds us of everything we love about this show, even though it was part of such a poor season.
30 Rock, "Anna Howard Shaw Day" (Matt Hubbard) - I almost included the Tina Fey-penned "Lee Marvin Vs. Derek Jeter" but decided that although I have an undying love for Tina, this was a funnier episode. This Valentine's Day special had me laughing from beginning to end and sticks out as one of my favorite 30 Rock episodes of all time.
Ugly Betty, "Hello Goodbye" (Silvio Horta) - This is probably the only atypical spot on my ballot. All of the other episodes/series have a chance of getting noticed, while Ugly Betty will go unrewarded. Unfortunately, the series finale ("Hello Goodbye") was not even the creatively resurged fourth season's strongest episode, but I would still consider it one of the best. It tied together several dangling plot lines and the brought forth the laughter and emotions that one can expect from Betty. Afterward I felt emotionally satisfied but realized I was going to miss this show very much.
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Damages, "The Next One's Gonna Go In Your Throat" (Todd Kessler, Glenn Kessler, Daniel Zelman) - Damages finales are usually the best episode of the season, and the third season was no exception. As always, the future and present stories came together and solved the mysteries with several shocking twists along the way. The fact that this may be the last episode of Damages ever is upsetting, but at least the series went out with a bang.
Grey's Anatomy, "Sanctuary" (Shonda Rhimes) - No matter how much any given season of Grey's Anatomy disappoints its viewers, Shonda Rhimes never fails to deliver on her finales. This finale especially. It was probably the most intense two hours of my life; I sat on the edge of my seat and was shaking the entire time as many characters' lives hung in the balance. Definitely the best finale of the year that had everyone (even non-Grey's viewers) talking.
Lost, "The Substitute" (Elizabeth Sarnoff, Melinda Hsu Taylor) - The series finale was too divisive to make my list. Though it delivered emotionally, "The End" lacked several mythological details that fans desired. Instead, I included "The Substitute," which was probably my favorite episode of the show's final season. Locke-centric episodes ("Walkabout" for example) are always among the strongest in any season. This episode revealed the secret behind The Numbers and showed an interesting juxtaposition of the on-island and off-island forms of John Locke.
Mad Men, "Shut the Door. Have a Seat." (Matthew Weiner, Erin Levy) - Mad Men is the only series to earn multiple spots on my list, and it's deservedly so. The third season surpassed all high expectations and produced one of the strongest dramatic seasons I have ever seen. All the drama came to a head in the season finale when Betty left Don, and Don created his own advertising agency. It left us all wanting more and eagerly anticipating season four.
Mad Men, "The Gypsy and the Hobo" (Marti Noxon, Cathryn Humphris, Matthew Weiner) - Without a doubt, this was the best episode of the season. Jon Hamm and January Jones delivered the performances of their lifetimes. And of course there was the infamous incident of Joan and the vase...
Coming Soon: My picks for the Guest Acting categories
Currently watching: Breaking Bad Season 1 Episode 4 - Cancer Man
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