Hey, they're giving out some TV awards!

Sunday night is the Emmy award broadcast. Back in July, before the actual nominations were released, I previewed all the major categories. Below, you will find links to my analysis of those categories, along with my brief predictions on who will win and who should win. Feel free to add your predictions in the comments.


Comedy Supporting Acting

Will Win: Ty Burrell
Should Win: Ty Burrell (only because in a tragedy of Greek proportions, Nick Offerman wasn't nominated).

Will Win: Jane Lynch
Should Win: Sofia Vergara

Drama Supporting Acting

Will Win: Alan Cumming
Should Win: Peter Dinklage

Will Win: Margo Martindale
Should Win: Margo Martindale

Drama Lead Acting

Will Win: Steve Buscemi
Should Win:Jon Hamm

Will Win: Juliana Margulies
Should Win: Elisabeth Moss or Connie Britton (I just couldn't pick between them)

Comedy Lead Acting

Will Win: Steve Carrell
Should Win: Louis CK

Will Win: Laura Linney
Should Win: Amy Poehler

Comedy Series

Will Win: Modern Family
Should Win: Parks & Recreation

Drama Series

Will Win: Boardwalk Empire
Should Win: Game of Thrones (or Mad Men)

Listen To Me

In case you don't follow me on the twitters, or missed the blurbs, I recently had the honor of guesting on two podcasts:

First, I was on What's On With Steph & Des, subbing for the regular co-host Des who was on vacation. Steph & I talked about TV for the week of July 4th and the (at that time) upcoming Emmy nominations. That episode can be found here, or you can also find it in iTunes.

Then, I was on Tuning In To SciFi TV's first Game of Thrones special podcast. Tuning In To SciFi is a long running podcast about genre television, and they will be featuring several bonus episodes about Game of Thrones (I will be coming back for more discussions on the show as the series progresses). The idea is to follow a "house" or "geography" for each of the discussions, and we mainly chatted about the Starks this time (like Ned: Great character. Honorable man. Terrible detective and strategist). You can find that episode here, or find it in iTunes.

They also have a spinoff series dedicated to "Saturday B-Movies," usually the ones shown on SyFy. However, they are dipping into the past to revisit some classics, and I should be chatting about The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension sometime in the near future, so be on the lookout for that, monkey-boys.

Thoughts on Emmy Nominations: Comedy Supporting Acting

Here are my thoughts on the “supporting acting” nominations for the Comedy category.

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Last year’s nominees:

• Chris Colfer
• Neil Patrick Harris
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson
• Eric Stonestreet
• Ty Burrell
• Jon Cryer

No one is ineligible from last year’s pack of nominees.

Will be nominated:

• Chris Colfer
• Neil Patrick Harris
• Ed O’Neill
• Eric Stonestreet
• Ty Burrell
• Nick Offerman

Hard to see returnees Colfer and Harris not repeating. Even if their shows both suffered a bit quality-wise. Colfer had the bullying story to work through, and got his first on-screen boyfriend. Harris was versatile and amiable as always, and got some different notes to play with a well-cast John Lithgow as his dad. The Modern Family cast is problematic from a nomination standpoint, since all four men submit in the supporting category. Last year, all but Ed O’Neill got in, and Stonestreet won. This year, I think they get O’Neill in, keep the returning champ and Burrell, and pass over Ferguson whose character didn’t get as much to do this year. They could nominate all four, but I’m hoping that Offerman’s Ron Fucking Swanson gets the credit he deserves (he did find more widespread recognition this year, with his Pyramid of Greatness and all) and finds a way in.

Should be nominated:

• Nick Offerman
• Danny Pudi
• Adam Scott
• Donald Glover
• Chris Pratt
• Ty Burrell

My list would be very heavy on Community and Parks and Rec, since I think these are the two best sitcoms on the air, with the two best ensemble casts. To me, there’s Offerman and then everyone else. But the “everyone else” list is pretty damned spectacular. Very difficult and crowded category.

Honorable Mention:

Chris Colfer, Neil Patrick Harris, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Jon Cryer (could he get in as kind of “Purple Heart” medal?), Ed O’Neill, Mike O’Malley (not as much to do in S2 as S1, but very good as always when he did show up), Garret Dillahunt (two distinct roles in the same western, killer cyborg, dim-witted yokel – is there anything this man can’t do?), Charlie Day, Josh Hopkins.


SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Last year’s nominations:

• Jane Lynch
• Julie Bowen
• Sofia Vergara
• Kristen Wiig
• Jane Krakowski
• Holland Taylor

All eligible again.

Will be nominated:

• Jane Lynch
• Julie Bowen
• Sofia Vergara
• Kristen Wiig
• Heather Morris
• Betty White

I think Lynch will still make it in, even though it could be argued that Glee worked much better this year in episodes where Sue didn’t appear. Will the Betty White thing ever show signs of cooling off? I’m guessing no. Though it has nothing to do with her worthiness as an Emmy nominee, the success of Bridesmaids will probably keep Wiig around even if her SNL characters are punishingly unfunny. The Emmys seem to love Glee, so how’s about a nomination for Heather Morris, the best and most consistently amusing thing about that show’s second season?

Should be nominated:

• Sofia Vergara
• Julie Bowen
• Heather Morris
• Allison Brie
• Gillian Jacobs
• Aubrey Plaza

Vergara takes what could be a caricature, and makes is so damned funny you don’t mind that accents and malaprops are some of the oldest comedy tricks in the book. Bowen’s role is very difficult to pull off, to be somewhat neurotic and controlling in a cast full of more lovable crazies, that I think she deserves a spot, too (I recall watching a comedy actress roundtable, where Bowen indicated that the mostly male writers’ room constantly scripts Claire as the turned up to 11 version of the bitchiness and nagging that the writers feel they get at home). Host a youtube chat show with Lord Tubbington = nomination. I put in both Brie and Jacobs, who do exceptional work on Community. Jacobs, I think, has the higher degree of difficulty for portraying a character who is pretty much a self-righteous party mop, yet one who can still seem vulnerable and somewhat self-aware thanks to the skillful acting. Finally, April could always seem a bit one-note (though a very funny apathetic hipster one-note), but her relationship with Andy deepened the character a great deal this year, and “Janet Snakehole” put it over the top for me.

Honorable Mention:

Merritt Weaver (gave up on the show, but she was always the best part of it), Melissa Rauch, Busy Phillips (I know lots of folks love her and the character, but there is some weird negative reaction I have to the actress that I can’t put my finger on. I couldn’t stand her on Freaks & Geeks, and she’s often my least favorite part of Cougar Town, too), Kaitlin Olsen, Amy Ryan (so odd that she submitted as supporting instead of guest, but she was great in Michael Scott’s final arc. Plus, how fucking talented is Amy Ryan? Contrast her work as the dorkalicious Holly with her work as Paul’s therapist on In Treatment. Wow), Rashida Jones (being the straight person in the cast is harder than it looks, plus we got to see Ann crumble this year, and Jones handled it well), Mary Elizabeth Ellis (frequently the only bright spot in the terrible Perfect Couples. Someone needs to get her on a good sitcom).

Thoughts on Emmy Nominations: Drama Supporting Acting

Here are my thoughts on the “supporting acting” nominations for the Drama category.

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Last year’s nominees:

• Aaron Paul
• Martin Short
• Terry O’Quinn
• Michael Emerson
• John Slattery
• Andre Braugher

As noted before, no Lost, no Damages and no Breaking Bad. So that’s four of last year’s nominees out.

Will be nominated:

• John Slattery
• Andre Braugher
• Alan Cumming
• Josh Charles
• Peter Dinklage
• Scott Caan

No reason Slattery and Braugher won’t keep their well-deserved spots. Even though I don’t watch The Good Wife, I think both Cumming and Charles will make it in. Surely one of the greatest matches in the HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE between actor and role – Peter Dinklage and Tyrion Lannister – will get a nomination. It would be criminal to exclude him. Lastly, I think we might see a non-Good Wife nod to “mainstream” programming here, with Caan slipping in to the last spot. Love or hate Hawaii 5-0, I think most folks agree that Caan is by far best thing about it, and his daddy is kinda famous, too.
 
Should be nominated:

• John Noble
• Peter Dinklage
• Walton Goggins
• Irrfan Khan
• Denis O’Hare
• Arliss Howard

When will the Emmys recognize the brilliant, daffy, rich, heartbreaking work that John Noble is doing on Fringe? Give this man a trophy, now, dammit! Hard to believe they were going to kill Boyd Crowder in the Justified pilot. Rightly, the producers saw that Goggins can burn up the screen and hold his own with any of the characters in Harlan. Khan gave a dazzling and deceptive performance on In Treatment. True Blood was a narrative shit-stain last year, but O’Hare realized what kind of show he was on, and treated the scenery as if it was an all-you-can-eat buffet. His interruption of the evening news was probably my favorite TV moment of last year. Howard’s Kale Ingram was a slippery, cold-blooded tightrope walker on Rubicon.

Honorable Mention:

John Slattery, Andre Braugher, Michael Raymond-James (Yes, they are all three deserving). Joel Kinnaman (Jittery, compelling performance in a cluster-fuck of a show). Jason Momoa (can you get nominated speaking Dothraki and promising to rape and pillage in the name of love? Probably not. Still, actually makes me look forward to the Conan reboot). Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (more proof of the spectacular casting on Game of Thrones). Nick Searcy, Dallas Roberts, Brent Sexton (not his fault the writers made the character of Bennett’s wife TOO FUCKING STUPID to have a conversation with, and actually recognize, the man who A) beat her husband near to death, and B) has been all over the news as the grieving father of Rosie Larsen), Jared Harris (I wanna go get a steak with Lane Pryce), Michael Stuhlbarg, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Pitt, Scott Bakula, Delroy Lindo.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Last year’s nominations:

• Sharon Gless
• Rose Byrne
• Archie Panjabi
• Christine Baranski
• Christina Hendricks
• Elisabeth Moss

No Damages, and Moss has moved on up to a de-luxe apartment in the sky.

Will be nominated:

• Sharon Gless
• Archie Panjabi
• Christine Baranski
• Christina Hendricks
• Margo Martindale
• Debra Winger

Sticking with the incumbent theory yet again, with two new additions: Even if Justified doesn’t get its “justified” Emmy love, Martindale’s performance was so ferocious and so towering is simply HAS to get recognized. Winger was good on In Treatment, and she is a well-known name and was a movie star, so perhaps she gets that final slot.

Should be nominated:

• Margo Martindale
• Emelia Clarke
• Kelly Macdonald
• Christina Hendricks
• Michelle Forbes
• Lauren Hodges

Mags Bennett FTW, y’all. Daenerys Targaryen was an extremely difficult character to pull off, given her complicated journey from helpless bartered bride to mother of the dragons, but newcomer Emelia Clarke owned the screen in every one of her scenes. She was beyond fantastic, breathing life and richness into a character I didn’t fully appreciate on the page in the first novel. Kelly Macdonald had a similar role (though of course there were no dragons on Boardwalk Empire, though they would have made just as good an enforcer as Richard Harrow): a woman trying to navigate the power games of a man’s world where society doesn’t offer equal opportunities for women. Joan Holloway is a given, right? Michelle Forbes is always great (Ensign Ro, Admiral Cain, Maryann) and was compelling on The Killing, despite the dead-end, shitty scripts she was given. Finally, I’m sure some of you are thinking “who the hell is Lauren Hodges?” Well, she played slightly unstable analyst Tanya on Rubicon, giving one of a number of remarkable performances on that show that won’t get recognized.

Honorable Mention:

Ginnifer Goodwin, Chloe Sevigny (both great throughout the run of Big Love), Laura Allen (miss U, Terriers), Amy Ryan (ably filling Dianne Weist’s shoes as Paul’s shrink on In Treatment), Maggie Siff, Jennifer Carpenter (lots of people don’t like Debra Morgan, but I love her foul mouth), Deborah Ann Woll, Laurie Holden (what’s it like to shoot your zombie-fied sister in the brain? Now, heartbreakingly, we know), Debra Winger.

Thoughts on Emmy Nominations: Drama Lead Acting

Here are my thoughts on the “lead acting” nominations for the Drama category.

LEAD ACTOR

Last year’s nominees:

• Bryan Cranston
• Michael C. Hall
• Kyle Chandler
• Hugh Laurie
• Matthew Fox
• Jon Hamm

Lost is over, and Breaking Bad is not eligible, ending Cranston’s stranglehold on the award.

Will be nominated:

• Michael C. Hall
• Kyle Chandler
• Hugh Laurie
• Jon Hamm
• Steve Buscemi
• Jeremy Irons

Two slots open, and Emmy voters love them some movie stars. Not that Buscemi and Irons aren’t worthy, because they are, and both turned in very good performances. But with Cranston out, and Hamm almost a lock to finally, deservedly, win (“THAT’S WHAT THE MONEY IS FOR!”), it would be nice to see things shaken up a bit. So even though Hall and Laurie still put on acting clinics in lesser or declining shows, I decided to get a little wacky in my “should be” list.

Should be nominated:

• Jon Hamm
• Kyle Chandler
• Gabriel Byrne
• Timothy Olyphant
• Sean Bean
• Donal Logue

Hamm has been worthy every single year, and Don Draper is one of the greatest characters ever realized on the small screen. It’s about time. “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” gives me misty eyes. Byrne has anchored a show in which he is in virtually every single scene, and has to communicate so much so subtly. Justified is at the top of its game, and Olyphant gives a swaggering, sly, lead performance. Would we have cared so much about Ned Stark (his shoddy strategic planning notwithstanding) and his fate if Bean hadn’t portrayed him with so much gravitas and honor? I doubt it. And damn, I miss Hank Dolworth.

Honorable Mention:

Michael Raymond James (is he also a lead? Or supporting? Regardless, he was just as good as Logue, though I couldn’t find a way to sneak both into an overstuffed category). Michael C. Hall, Hugh Laurie (still so good, even if the show has gone to shit), Ray Romano, James Badge Dale, Nathan Fillion (being effortlessly charming is much harder than it looks), Charlie Hunnam (uneven season, but man he was great), Jason Clarke, Steve Buscemi, Jeremy Irons, Tim Roth



LEAD ACTRESS

Last year’s nominations:

• Kyra Sedgwick
• Glenn Close
• Connie Britton
• Julianna Margulies
• Mariska Hargitay
• January Jones

Damages is out of contention, so Close won’t get a nomination.

Will be nominated:

• Kyra Sedgwick
• Connie Britton
• Julianna Margulies
• Mariska Hargitay
• Elisabeth Moss
• Emmy Rossum

Do Emmy voters now have enough evidence that January Jones is a terrible and limited actress, and simply a pretty mannequin onto whom Matt Weiner hangs the icy trappings of Betty Draper? Hopefully. So expect four of the incumbents to prevail, with Moss moving up from a “supporting” submission (and winning, thanks to “The Suitcase”) and Emmy Rossum getting in for Shameless, which I didn’t watch (too many kids for me to stomach).

Should be nominated:

• Elisabeth Moss
• Connie Britton
• Katie Sagal
• Anna Torv
• Lena Heady
• Dana Delany

Moss was brilliant, as was Mrs. Coach. Sagal should have been a lock last year, for her devastating work in Sons of Anarchy’s second season, where she was more central to the plot machinations than she was this year, so consider this a make-up-call. How many variations on Olivia Dunham did Torv play? Olivia, Olivia masquerading as Fauxlivia, Fauxlivia, Fauxlivia masquerading as Olivia, alternate future Olivia, and Olivia inhabited by William Bell? And each, with slight variations so we could tell who was who, even without a different wig? For fuck’s sake, let’s stop with the prejudice against genre shows and reward her stellar work. Speaking of genre and wigs, despite an at times unconvincing blonde mop, Heady (so good and unrecognized for her work on The Sarah Connor Chronicles) brought much more to Cersei Lannister than was on the page in the books. She should be in for her scene – invented solely for the show – with Robert where they wistfully discuss the history and nature of their prickly relationship. Finally, Body of Proof is a by the numbers procedural (and we've seen Hargitay and Sedgwick get nominated from similar shows), but I tuned in every week because Delany is a TV Star: sexy, cerebral, brittle, funny, nuanced, competent, and compassionate.

Honorable Mention:

Mireille Enos, Jean Tripplehorn, Emily Deschanel, Jennifer Beals, Lucy Lawless

Thoughts on Emmy Nominations: Comedy Lead Acting

Here are my thoughts on the “lead acting” nominations for the Comedy category.

LEAD ACTOR

Nominated last year:

• Jim Parsons
• Larry David
• Matthew Morrison
• Tony Shaloub
• Steve Carrell
• Alec Baldwin

David and Shaloub aren’t eligible this year.

Will be nominated:

• Jim Parsons
• Steve Carrell
• Alec Baldwin
• Matthew Morrison
• Rob Lowe
• Jason Segel

Expect the holdovers to stay in the nominations, even if some don’t belong (I’m looking at you, Morrison). With two slots open, I imagine Lowe will get in based on name recognition (even if he’s really supporting - and really funny - he did submit in this category). Segel also did some nice comic-tragic work on a show that’s not unfamiliar to Emmy voters.

Should be nominated:

• Jim Parsons
• Louis CK
• Joel McHale
• Rob Lowe
• Jason Segel
• Alec Baldwin

Who submitted for what category is confusing, illogical and really not worth the time (for my little blog) to sort through in detail (the submissions list is HUNDREDS of pages). So even if I think Lowe is more of a supporting role, I’ll just go with it here. And hell, Segel may have submitted in supporting, too, but we’ll just consider it lead for the episodes dealing with the death of Marshall’s father. I’m not a fan of cringe comedy, and though I can appreciate Steve Carrell’s work as Michael Scott, it makes my skin crawl to watch it. But I would be extremely surprised if he doesn’t walk off with the award for his farewell season. Personally, I prefer Louis CK or Joel McHale.

LEAD ACTRESS

Nominated last year:

• Lea Michele
• Julia-Louis Dreyfus
• Edie Falco
• Amy Poehler
• Tina Fey
• Toni Collette

Only Dreyfus is not eligible, as her show was canceled.

Will be nominated:

• Lea Michele
• Edie Falco
• Amy Poehler
• Tina Fey
• Toni Collette
• Laura Linney

More of the status quo, with Laura Linney (so terrific in a show I don’t like very much) taking the open slot.

Should be nominated:

• Kaley Cuoco
• Edie Falco
• Amy Poehler
• Tina Fey
• Laura Linney
• Martha Plimpton

I assume Collette is fantastic, but I don’t watch Tara. And I gave up on both Nurse Jackie and The Big C, but there’s no getting around the superb work being turned in by both leads. I would add Cuoco as a representative of a traditional, three camera sitcom, who got to do more this year with the addition of Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch to the cast. For the best all-around comedic lead work, it's gotta be Poehler, who was fantastic in a superb season of Parks.

Thoughts on Emmy Nominations: Comedy Series

Here are my thoughts on the “series” nominations for the Comedy category.

Nominated Last Year

• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Glee
• Modern Family
• Nurse Jackie
• The Office
• 30 Rock

All of last year’s nominees are eligible again this year, with the exception of Curb, which didn’t have a new season airing.

Will be nominated:

• Modern Family
• Glee
• 30 Rock
• The Office
• The Big C
• The Big Bang Theory

Returning shows should continue their momentum, despite the fact that neither Glee nor The Office really deserve to be here after wildly inconsistent seasons. I grew bored with Nurse Jackie, and perhaps voters will too, slotting in the newer and fresher of Showtime’s troubled female “comedies,” The Big C, in its place. They could nominate both, however, and leave out The Big Bang Theory, though I think it will get a nod as the only multi-camera sitcom (and as perhaps a show of support for Chuck Lorre after the Sheenpocalypse).

Should be nominated:

• Archer*
• Modern Family
• Parks and Recreation
• Louie
• Community
• Cougar Town

*Archer didn’t submit as a comedy, but rather as an animated series. Still, it belongs here, as it is the funniest motherfucking thing on television. Outside of Archer, surely everyone agrees that the two best sitcoms on all of TV are Parks and Rec and Community (in some order), right? If you don’t, then I probably don’t want to talk to you, and I pray to Anubis that you aren’t a Nielsen family. Like virtually everyone else, I stayed away from Cougar Town because of the initial premise. When I decide to check it out, though, I found an always entertaining, adult show about a bunch of grown-ups who swim around in their own neuroses and oceans of wine. Bravo. Then there’s Louie, the painfully funny (literally) single vision of a comedy auteur, firing on all cylinders.

Honorable Mention:

30 Rock, Brittany (can I just nominate the only consistently funny thing about Glee?), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Big Bang Theory

Thoughts on Emmy Nominations: Drama Series

Emmy nominations come out next week, and here are my thoughts on the “series” nominations for the Drama category.

Nominated Last Year:

• Breaking Bad
• Dexter
• The Good Wife
• Lost
• Mad Men
• True Blood

Lost ended, and won’t be nominated again (barring any time travel hijinks). Breaking Bad, because of scheduling, won’t be eligible for a 2011 nomination, which opens up another spot.

Will be nominated:

• Dexter
• The Good Wife
• Mad Men
• Boardwalk Empire
• Game of Thrones
• Friday Night Lights

Some critics have started to turn on Dexter, hoping for more of a shake up in the show’s narrative, but I think it’s firmly entrenched in the nomination habit. I don’t watch The Good Wife, but by all accounts, it didn’t dip in quality, and it was here last year. Once in, it’s hard to drop off. However, True Blood’s third season was a complete mess (with the exception of the delightful and scenery-chewing Denis O’Hare), so I do see that show falling out to make room for two other HBO shows, Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, both of which are deserving. Boardwalk could be slow-moving at times, but it didn’t skimp on atmospheric details or finely crafted performances (though if I never have to suffer through any more of Paz de la Huerta’s “acting,” I will celebrate like when prohibition was repealed. Really, when’s the last time a red-blooded hetero male looked at a frequently naked actress and screamed “GET OFF MY TV!” at the screen?). Game of Thrones surely belongs on the list, too. HBO took a beloved series of books, and brought them fully to life on screen, creating a completely realized fantasy world filled with rich characters and a hard-edged seriousness. No easy task, that. Last year, the Emmys finally got around to realizing that Friday Night Lights existed, with nominations for Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them throw the show itself a bone for its farewell season. Mad Men, of course, will and should be nominated.

Should be nominated:

• Game of Thrones
• Mad Men
• Friday Night Lights
• Terriers
• Justified
• Boardwalk Empire

I don’t differ too much from the “will be nominated” list. I enjoyed Dexter’s season more than most, but realize as a whole, anything that doesn’t deal with Dexter himself, his sister or the killers can try your patience. So instead of Dexter and The Good Wife, I would choose two FX dramas. One, Justified, just might have a shot at a nomination. Building on an already top-shelf first season, it upped the ante in season two with a sensational arc featuring a riveting performance from Margo Martindale as antagonist Mags Bennett (and fantastic supporting performances from the entire regular cast, along with guest stars Jeremy Davies, Kaitlyn Dever and Rebecca Creskoff, among others). There’s no chance my favorite show of 2011, the shaggy dog PI show, Terriers, gets a nomination and that’s a shame. It was a brightly written, wonderfully acted spin on the lower tier of the detective business, a la The Rockford Files.

Honorable Mention:

Fringe, Men of a Certain Age, Rubicon, In Treatment

I was tempted to put Fringe on the “should be” list, perhaps in place of a sentimental vote for Friday Night Lights, since they went balls to the wall with the sci-fi narrative in the third season and got some fantastic character moments from the main trio. Really, it’s a coin flip for me. I was late to the Men of a Certain Age party, but what a lovely, intimate, realistic and funny show that turned out to be. Rubicon started slow and botched the landing, but I wish it had been rewarded a second season (as any show with a character named “Truxton Spangler” should be). In Treatment isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s hard to ignore how much involving mileage they got out of two people sitting in a room talking. A fine send off for Paul Weston.

Emmy Noms out tomorrow

Emmy nominations will be announced tomorrow. I'll weigh in this weekend with my thoughts on the official nominees, but in case you missed my Emmy wishlists last month, you can check them out here:

Best Drama Series

Drama Lead Actor and Actress

Drama Supporting Actor and Actress

Best Comedy Series

Comedy Lead Actor and Actress

Comedy Supporting Actor and Actress

Looking back on those, there are some changes I'd probably make, based on "real" submissions (Terry O'Quinn, for example, didn't submit himself this year) and growing appreciation (one of my favorite things on TV now is Better Off Ted, and its cast is uniformly excellent). Any last minute suggestions from y'all?

TNRLM Emmy Shortlist: Drama Series

Even though Battlestar Galactica was still one of the best shows on TV, and had many stellar episodes as it wound down, including “Blood on the Tracks” and “Someone to Watch Over Me,” I’m considering this nomination more of a “lifetime achievement award” than a pure recognition of the final season’s overall quality, since the series finale was such a letdown. Don’t get me wrong, “Daybreak” was about 90% there, and a beautiful and thematically fitting capper to a thoughtful, challenging and unrelenting reinvention of TV sci-fi. But months later, there are still too many loopholes and copouts that nag at me to call it “perfect.” You can’t please all of the people all of the time, and Ron Moore ended the show the way he wanted to, and for that, we should appreciate his vision and save the quibbles and debate for blog posts and message boards, and thank the gods we were able to enjoy as many years of this masterpiece as we did. So say we all.

This season, Big Love finally found the right “calibration” to elevate it to the level of TV’s best dramas. It had the menace and laughable lunacy of the compound again, but only in smaller, more effective doses. We had Bill’s harebrained marital and business schemes, but they didn’t overwhelm the fundamental reason why Big Love is so damned good – the complicated and interdependent relationships between the three sister wives. Each had an involving and juicy throughline this season: Barb, who struggled with her faith and her church, in addition to having a health scare; Margene, who lost her mother and realized a growing sense of independence; and Nicki, who is always involved in something juicy (this year, it was plotting with and then against her father, carrying on a quasi affair and then discovering her ex husband and child had returned from exile). Yes, there were other twists and turns for the Henricksons this year, including expanding their gaming business to a casino, daughter Sarah getting pregnant and then miscarrying, Joey tragically losing his new wife and even a kidnapping by the demented Hollis Greene, but it was the trials and tribulations of the three wives, and their relationships with each other, that give this show its heart.

There’s no way you can describe In Treatment to someone who hasn’t seen it and make it sound sexy and compelling. “Well, it’s about a troubled shrink who sees four different patients and then goes for a session with his own therapist. Each episode is usually two people in a single room talking about their problems for 30 minutes.” WOW, right? No robots, no vampires, no smoke monsters and no superheroes. Then why is it so damned watchable? ACTING. With the exception of one session (whose primary problem didn’t really hook me, and featured the issues divided, to the detriment of the segment, among three family members vs. a single patient) every single performer on this season made my Emmy Shortlist. The quality of the acting (and the writing, and in a low key way, the directing) was consistently excellent, and it would be hard to find that level of sustained performing brilliance on 35 episodes elsewhere.

All the splashing around in the time space continuum in season five of Lost may have confused or alienated some viewers, but I loved it. Whether or not it was all “worth it” won’t be known until the end game is played out, but I can’t ever recall a show giving us a never ending stream of WTF moments like Lost: They’re in 1977! Sawyer and Juliet! There’s a nuclear bomb! Ben’s at the dock with Des and Penny! Locke hangs himself! No he doesn’t! Ben strangles him! Sayid shoots young Ben! We’re not going to Guam! Dan’s mom shoots him! There’s Jacob! There he is again! Let’s blow the nuke! White screen of WHAT?! The thing about Lost is, despite all the genre trappings and knock you off the couch moments, it’s still all about the characters, who are splendidly written and acted, and not even the last hour return of the accursed “quadrangle” can diminish the fun we had on and off the island this year.

How in the world did HBO pass on this show? Last year’s freshmen sensation showed zero signs of a sophomore slump, and continued to establish its credentials as one of the great TV shows of all time. Every moment, every script, every visual, every performance and every detail of the era are so perfectly realized, you feel like you’ve traveled back in time (without the aid of a magical island). On the surface, Mad Men didn’t have the crazy, twisting plot elements that many of the best shows of the past year did, but the smaller, more human complications faced by the characters inhabiting the Sterling Cooper universe were no less involving. When a tense dinner scene, a missing dog, a trip to the stables, or a poolside party can be just as riveting as a spectacular space battle for the future of the human race or the detonation of a nuclear bomb, you know you’re watching a work of art that’s no ordinary show.

At the end of the last season, Rescue Me had gone so far off the tracks I didn’t even know if I would keep it in my TiVo season pass list. But some time off, abetted by the WGA strike, obviously gave the powers that be time to recharge and refocus, because Rescue Me came galloping out of the gate and hasn’t let up since. Everything we love about the show has come back in spades: human frailty and strength, forged in the rubble of the twin towers. Barbed, witty and profane male bonding. Sharply drawn characters, given a life of their own by outstanding performances. Writing that can make you guffaw one second, and then turn on a dime into something dark, disturbing and reflective. Sexual games and farce that feels straight out of a Blake Edwards movie. And that’s not even mentioning Michael J. Fox’s award-worthy turn as a pill popping, wheelchaired force of nature who is dating Tommy Gavin’s ex-wife Janet. Rescue Me may not be for everyone, but it’s certainly proven it deserves a place on this list this year.

Emmy Shortlist: Drama Lead Actors

TNRLM Shortlist: Lead Actor/Drama

Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment: It’s a shame this show doesn’t attract more viewers, because those who aren’t watching are missing a master class in acting from all involved. It takes special talent to make watching two people sitting on a single set talking for 30 minutes riveting television, but that’s what In Treatment is. Byrne, given more to play with this year than last, was spectacular, and made “listening” into an art form.

Jeffrey Donovan, Burn Notice: Several shows featured charismatic leads anchoring enjoyable procedurals (including Nathan Fillion on Castle and Simon Baker on The Mentalist), but Burn Notice really upped its game in the second season, and went from popcorn munching summer fun to must watch, thanks mainly to Donovan’s portrayal of outcast spy Michael Weston (good scripts and a fabulous supporting cast also helped). Donovan was also great in USA’s little seen and underappreciated remake of Touching Evil several years ago, so how about a little overdue recognition?

Michael C. Hall, Dexter: Hall has created one of TV’s most enjoyable and fascinating characters, a sympathetic serial killer. Though he can propel the show all on his own, it was great watching him in a cat and mouse game with Jimmy Smits in season three.



Jon Hamm, Mad Men: Season two of Mad Men gave us lots of Don Draper to appreciate. From his professional machinations with the Sterling Cooper crowd and obnoxious comic Jimmy Barrett (and his wife) to his existential time on the west coast, Hamm gave subtle shadings to a character who shows little on the outside, but has everything going on on the inside.

Josh Holloway, Lost: With his nicknames and bad boy behavior, Sawyer has long been one of the best things about Lost. Last season, however, Holloway got to play another side of everyone’s favorite conman, as “Jim LaFleur” attempted to build a new life for himself back in the 1970s era Dharma Initiative. His doomed relationship with the equally Emmy-worthy Elizabeth Mitchell was a highlight of a terrific season five.

Hugh Laurie, House: Yeah, the overall show has slipped a bit, but Laurie continues to bring the brilliance week after week, and it’s inconceivable that he hasn’t taken home a gold statue yet.


Denis Leary, Rescue Me: No show benefited from a break more than Rescue Me, which had fallen into a serious ditch, quality wise. But this year, it’s come roaring back with better scripts and inspired casting (including Michael J. Fox as Janet’s antagonistic new boyfriend), and fantastic lead performance from Leary. He handles the laugh out loud comedy and trips to the dramatic dark side with equal aplomb, and should be recognized for helping rescue Rescue Me.

TNRLM Shortlist: Lead Actress/Drama

Ginnifer Goodwin, Big Love: Big Love enjoyed its best season yet, and much of the credit has to go to the actresses who played the Henrickson wives, all of whom I’ve put on this list. Goodwin’s Margene dealt with the death of her mother, and the youngest sister-wife began to blossom as she started her own home shopping network career. Denial and ambition made an adorable package this year for Margene.

January Jones, Mad Men: Betty Draper took an interesting voyage on the second season of Mad Men, as she experimented with the power of her own allure and independence. Jones was up to the challenge, giving the audience a compelling view of a woman trapped in a difficult situation in a very different era.


Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica: How is it even possible that McDonnell has never been nominated for one of the most iconic female roles in all of science fiction? Oh yeah, it’s “science fiction.” Despite the disturbing lack of attention given to extraordinary performances in “genre” programming, McDonnell deserves kudos for breathing life into a complicated character, and I could watch her “I’m coming for all of you!” scene over and over.

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men: It was tough to be an ambitious career gal in the Mad Men era, as Moss’s nuanced and intelligent performance constantly reminds us. While she was great all year long, Moss should be on the Emmy list if only for her scene with Pete in the season finale. Great stuff.


Chloe Sevigny, Big Love: All the sister wives got compelling storylines this past year, and Sevigny was no exception. Nicki lived a double life, spied for her treacherous father, got caught taking birth control pills, reconciled with her slimy brother Alby and had to deal with the return of her abusive first husband and little seen daughter. Amazingly enough, Sevigny created sympathy for a character that on the surface would seem to engender little.

Jeanne Tripplehorn, Big Love: Concluding the Big Love troika is Tripplehorn, who masterfully took Barb Henrickson through a monumental crisis of faith and questionable commitment to “living the principle” in her plural marriage. Her performance was delicate, true and heartbreaking.

Emmy Shortlist: Drama Supporting Actors

TNRLM Shortlist: Supporting Actress/Drama

Hope Davis, In Treatment: Davis took a character that on the surface - baby crazy, daddy issues, aggressive mood swings, inappropriately flirtatious – could have been an annoying cliché, and turned Mia into a mesmerizing foil for Paul. She was sexy, demanding, vulnerable and electric and totally believable.

Allison Pill, In Treatment: In Treatment has been a showcase for young actresses that I wasn’t that familiar with: last year, it was Mia Wasikowska and this year, it was Allison Pill. Pill was riveting as the cancer patient reticent to pursue medical treatment, and her sessions on Paul’s couch were as honest as they were showstopping.

Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost: Juliet has long been my favorite female character on the show, and Mitchell, despite how they wrote her character in the last hour of the season, was outstanding throughout the trek back to 1977. Mitchell and Josh Holloway made the audience totally invest in the Sawyer/Juliet pairing, and Mitchell is a master of conveying a lot with a little. The Dharma times were good, but her scenes at the drilling shaft in “The Incident” were heartbreaking.

Annie Wersching, 24: It’s hard to be the “sidekick” on 24, because you’re probably going to wind up dead or a mole. Agent Walker turned out to be neither of those, and we were the better for it. Wersching brought a touch of sass and emotional depth to the role, and helped frame Jack Bauer’s humanity and struggles to do the right thing.



Dianne Wiest, In Treatment: Wiest was fantastic as Paul’s friend/therapist Gina this season, and her character had her hands full as Paul dealt with a lawsuit, familial troubles and crises of professional faith.


Olivia Williams, Dollhouse: Adelle DeWitt could have been a Machiavellian, clichéd icy Brit (and at first, she was), but as the layers of the Dollhouse were peeled back, so too were the layers of the character. DeWitt showed us additional colors in two episodes (the one where she and Topher were under the effects of a drug that caused them to “loosen up,” where she was hilarious, and the one where we learned about her personal uses for Victor), and Williams knocked those out of the park.

TNRLM Shortlist: Supporting Actor/Drama

Jeremy Davies, Lost: Nobody was more crucial to Lost’s time trippy fifth season than Daniel Faraday, and Davies imbued the doomed, damaged scientist with a tragic nobility. If his scenes with Charlotte didn’t bring tears to your eyes, you don’t have a heart, and his note perfect acting grounded the loopier plot elements.


Michael Emerson, Lost: Originally intended to be nothing more than a guest for 3 or 4 episodes, Emerson turned Benjamin Linus into a must watch linchpin for the entire series. With his dry line readings and unique spin on the material, Emerson is fascinating to watch, and nobody makes persistent prevarication this entertaining.


Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica: Since donning the patch after the exodus from New Caprica, Hogan has done more with one eye than most actors do with their entire faces. In the final season, Saul Tigh dealt with the nature of his Cylon heritage, the loss of a child and the reappearance of his long lost true love, and Hogan was stellar.


John Mahoney, In Treatment: Mahoney’s Walter was one of the more difficult patients on the couch this year, and watching Mahoney and Byrne go toe to toe through the character’s arc was a delight.



John Noble, Fringe: Was there another character on a drama this year more fun to watch? Walter Bishop was indeed the stereotypical mad scientist, but Noble gave him more than just a childlike id and wonderment and obsession with cows and snacks. He also showed us a man struggling with his sanity and tenuous grasp on reality, and living with the ramifications of the things he believes he’s done.

Terry O'Quinn, Lost: Few things on TV this year were more heartbreaking than Locke’s “final moments” in that run down apartment in “The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham. No matter what the producers ask him to do, O’Quinn always delivers, and his “reappearance” in the final episodes of the season as a more confident, motivated John Locke was no exception.

Jon Scurti, Rescue Me: The show has come back with a vengeance this season, and Scurti continues to shine as the funniest member of the crew. Nobody on the show is better with a joke, but we also saw different sides of Lou as he dealt with his memories of 911 with the French reporter, and in what should be his Emmy highlight reel, castigated Tommy for his ongoing self-absorption.

TNRLM Emmy Shortlist: Comedy Series

 

In many ways, TV’s best sitcom is also its most “traditional.” Big Bang Theory is a three camera set up, is only 30 minutes long (as opposed to the hour format of others on this list that are hour long action/fantasy/comedy hybrids), and doesn’t feature hyper-stylized shifts in narrative and time. That, in and of itself, doesn’t make BBT make so good. What does, is that it puts five unique and interesting characters into situational comedy, without sacrificing character integrity, and consistently mines those characters and situations for big laughs. You don’t have to be a big old geek to love BBT (though if you are, you’ll appreciate just how many details they get right about nerd culture); you just have to be a fan of comedy done right.

 

Chuck, like the other hourlongs on this list, is difficult to classify. It’s not a pure drama, though there are life and death stakes and moments of heartbreaking poignancy. It’s not a total action adventure spy romp, though they can stage Bondian capers on a TV budget with ease. It’s not a sci-fi show, though they feature enough gadgets, gizmos, plots for world domination and techy concepts to fit right in with a starship crew. And it’s not a pure comedy, even though Chuck brings the funny each and every week with not only the zany antics of the Buy More crew, but also within the spy realm (what other show would cast Chevy Chase as an evil genius, and have it work so remarkably?). Despite the genre bouillabaisse, Chuck upped its game in its second (and thankfully, not final) season, and consistently put a smile on the face of its devoted fanbase.

 

At this point, do any of us really care about the mother? Sure, it’s the maguffin that keeps the show rolling, but that’s not why we tune in week after week. In fact, even though Ted’s quest for a wife is where the show gets its title, ask any How I Met Your Mother fan to rank their favorite characters, and I’m fairly sure Ted would average out to fifth place. Though that has a bit to do with Ted’s ongoing douchiness, the rest of HIMYM’s cast is so strong and so adept at handling the comedy that it doesn’t hurt to have your ostensibly “central” character be the caboose on the funny train. In addition to the eponymous search, the other notable feature of the HIMYM style is the fractured narrative method of storytelling, circling back on itself not only within one episode, but also going back in time to previous seasons, the college days with bad wigs and forward to the future, with all our characters in old age makeup. Even though “how” they tell the stories is just as amusing as the stories they tell, the technique is never distracting and almost always adds to the payoff of a carefully constructed comedy denouement.

 

For the life of me, I’ll never understand why The Middleman didn’t get more love from critics and audiences. Maybe because it was hopelessly out of place on teen and woman centric ABC Family. Or maybe because it was hard to know what to make of the show at first glance. Was it a superhero show? A sci-fi show? A comedy? An adventure show? A spoof? An homage to the silver age of comics? One of the best written shows on television? The answer to all of these questions is “YES.” The Middleman was like a fusion of the old Batman TV show and Get Smart, if written by Stan Lee and 60s era Woody Allen. It featured a hopelessly square, and square jawed, milk-drinking crimefighter prone to nonsensical exclamations like “Sands of Zanzibar!” and “Hawks of the Luftwaffe!” who teamed with spunky and thoroughly modern partner Wendy Watson to take on threats like flying zombie fish, cursed tubas and vampire puppets. The Middleman had some of the most torturously tangled, and side splittingly funny, dialogue I’ve ever heard (very similar in its construction, if not tone, to the also exquisitely written Pushing Daisies), and it was delivered by a game and winning cast that expertly strode the line between comedy and camp, making the show a true undiscovered gem.

Another show that didn’t get the attention it deserved was the Starz original, Party Down. Created by Veronica Mars mastermind Rob Thomas (along with Paul Rudd, John Enborn and Dan Etheridge), Party Down chronicled the misadventures of an LA catering crew made up of Hollywood wannabes and has-beens, with each episode centering around a particular engagement. The characters were all sharply drawn, strongly written and winningly acted by a very, very talented ensemble. Each of the characters got moments to shine, and they were supported by a murderer’s row of guest actors including Steven Weber, Enrico Colantoni, JK Simmons and Kristen Bell, among others. Party Down has a little something for everyone: the uncomfortable cringe comedy of The Office, broad laughs and sight gags, caustic nerdiness, an improvised shagginess and vibe, romantic travails, and sly commentary on the economic disparity between the haves and have nots. Party Down has already been renewed for a second season, so I can’t wait to see where they take it next year.

 

Pushing Daisies is yet another sweet, rich, wry, wonderfully developed comic universe created by Bryan Fuller (along with Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me) to be canceled well before its time. It’s tragic, really, since nobody on television produces such beautiful little communities inhabited by brilliantly realized characters better than Fuller. While the set design and achingly twee construction of the show’s world set it apart from anything else on the tube, it’s the fitfully intelligent scripts, and the perfectly cast actors that perform them, that make Pushing Daisies a modern masterpiece. If only the piemaker could use his powers to bring this beloved show back.

 

I almost didn’t include 30 Rock on the list (replacing it with Better Off Ted), since this season was so hit and miss. Some ongoing plots, like Liz’s awkward relationship with Jon Hamm’s “so pretty he’s coasting” doctor worked fine, but others, like Jack’s romance with Salma Hayek (who really didn’t have the comic timing for this show) flopped on the beach like a gasping trout. But we don’t necessarily watch 30 Rock for carefully constructed plot arcs and a mirror view of real life. We watch 30 Rock because A) Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy are two of the best comic characters around today, and B) it has the highest ZPM (Zinger Per Minute) ratio of any show on TV, and on that front, even though it wasn’t up to the high points of seasons past, 30 Rock still delivered laughs aplenty. And that’s not such a bad thing.

Emmy Shortlist: Comedy Lead Actors

TNRLM Shortlist: Lead Actor/Comedy

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock: While 30 Rock may be maddeningly inconsistent, Baldwin is most assuredly not. While this season didn’t bring anything as howlingly funny and “instant classic” as Tracy Jordan’s therapy session, Baldwin still did yeoman’s comedy work every episode, including funny pokes at his Malice character and having his “double” show up in a Mexican telenovela.


Matt Keeslar, The Middleman: Last year’s best new show didn’t attract the attention it deserved and got canceled, but Keeslar’s performance as the milk drinking, aw-shucks hero was note perfect. “I’m as serious as a hefty bag full of rottweilers!” when I say Keeslar deserves a nomination.


Zach Levi, Chuck: Chuck’s second season amped up everything, including the emotional stakes, and Levi deftly anchored the show’s evolution from pleasant diversion to must see TV. Who else could motivate the interwebs to run to their local Subway to “save Chuck?”


Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies: Ned had a lot to deal with this year, and Pace expertly handled the complex twists and turns of his relationship with Chuck (and their extended families), all while navigating the poetic dialogue in an endearingly matter of fact deadpan.


Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory: BBT has evolved into TV’s best sitcom, and if there were room, every single player on the show would be nominated. However, Parsons takes a role that could quickly devolve into the “audience whoops when he enters” equivalent of JJ Evans or Cosmo Kramer, and gives him a disarming charm no matter how annoying the character’s behavior is on the surface. Not many people can make knocking on a door (three times in a row, of course) laugh out loud funny, in addition to providing one of the season’s biggest highlights dealing with getting a napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy.

James Roday, Psych: Tony Shaloub got lots of Emmy love (and rightfully so) for his portrayal of Adrian Monk, so how about a little love for the “other” USA Network detective on Friday nights? Since Roday dialed down the “fake psychic” histrionics, his Shawn Spencer has been an 80s pop culture spewing delight, making a know it all oddly likable.

Adam Scott, Party Down: While Party Down is pretty much a true ensemble, Scott’s Henry is the emotional center of the show, and his disillusioned deadpan was an engaging audience counterbalance to some of the broader comic creations around him.




TNRLM Shortlist: Lead Actress/Comedy

Christina Applegate, Samantha Who: The show’s high concept never quite lived up to Applegate’s lead performance, which showcased her innate sweetness and deft comic timing.



Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory: The writers didn’t really know what to do with Penny in the first season, but the character (and Cuoco) really came into her own this year. Once she started to embrace the geeks next door on their own terms, Penny found a comfortable and welcome place in the storylines, and her situational pairings with Sheldon were comic gold.


Tina Fey, 30 Rock: Liz Lemon’s nerdy desperation never fails to disappoint, and her dysfunctional relationship with Jon Hamm’s Drew gave Liz more to do than just spew hysterical office-based one liners.


Jenna Fischer, The Office: The “Michael Scott Paper Company” plotline was hit and miss, but it certainly gave Fischer’s Pam more to do, and that’s always a good thing. Her “Jerry Maguire” moment with Michael, realization of what she’s done, and growth into a sales position was a nice extended character arc and highlight of The Office’s season.


Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies: Friel gives you faith that sunny optimism and a central lightness can be awesomely appealing without being cloying or saccharine.




Yvonne Strahovski, Chuck: As good as Zach Levi was on Chuck, nobody would invest in the show quite as emotionally if it wasn’t for Strahovski’s shaded performance as his conflicted handler, Sarah Walker. The audience believes that Sarah could fall for the erstwhile Nerd Herder, just as they can believe she can kick some serious ass.