TNRLM's Favorite TV Characters of the Year: The 2011 Contest

Welcome back to an annual Holiday tradition, the TNRLM Character Contest, where I look back at some of my favorite TV characters of the year, AND give you a chance to win some great television.

Here's a quick overview of the contest and the rules:

1. Below I've posted a collage of cropped images of my 26 Favorite TV Characters from the calendar year 2011.
2. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to accurately identify all* 26 characters. NOT the actor. NOT the show. THE CHARACTER.
3. I’ve done 25 before, but due to an error in editing, I wound up with 26 this year. So either I can’t count, or I’m too lazy to go back and edit the picture. Just think of it as one more chance for you to demonstrate your knowledge.
4. Entries should be a list, numbered 1-26, with the corresponding character name.
5. The first reader to send me an email correctly identifying all* the characters will win a prize.
6. Deadline for entries is midnight, Sunday, January 1st.
7. The prize will be an iTunes episode (in HD, if available) from one of the 26 shows in which any of the characters on my list appears. (You choose the show and the episode, and the particular episode doesn't necessarily have to be from 2011 . For example, if one of my favorite characters is Dean Winchester, you could choose "Devil's Trap" from Supernatural's first season.

*When the contest deadline is over, I will review all the entrants. The first, according to the gmail timestamp, entry to correctly identify all 26 characters will win. However, should no one identify all 26 characters, the first timestamped entry to correctly name the GREATEST NUMBER of characters will be declared the winner. (In the two previous contests, no one has named all of them. In 2009, Amanda got 24 of 25, and in 2010, Jim got 20 of 25 – as did another contestant – but he had the earliest time stamp. By eight minutes!). So even if you don't know them all, you could and should enter.

Easy enough, right? Okay, same as previous years, here are a few more rules, disclaimers and considerations:

• I'm going to limit myself to one character per show. In reality, when you look at the talent-rich casts of shows like Fringe, Boardwalk Empire, Community, or Game of Thrones, I could fill up the collage with just them.
• None of the characters featured in the 2009 and 2010 contests will be repeated here. Because if I did, it would just be a big collection of Ron Fucking Swanson and Walter Bishop pictures.
• The characters are not necessarily the "best" characters, nor the most expertly-portrayed characters. Just my favorites (within the confines of the contest rules, e.g., not on last year's list, aired in 2011, one per show).
• The characters listed will have to have been part of the regular cast or a recurring guest star for multiple episodes, and not a single-episode guest star. There is ONE “cheat” or “exception” to this rule, but if you really think about it, it’s not.
• The characters have to be from an episode that originally aired in calendar year 2011.
• I'll publish the list and contest here on the blog and simultaneously tweet a link to the post. So no matter how you usually get here (casual reading, twitter, RSS reader, etc.) you'll have the same opportunity to play.
• You'll need a valid email address. Obviously, if I'm going to give the winner iTunes TV goodies, I'll have to send you a link to pick up your prize.
• Submissions are by email, rather than by comments posted on the blog itself, so that partial or incorrect submissions wouldn't give "hints" or "a leg up" to subsequent entries.
• The submissions can be sent to the email address on the side of this blog: TNRLMeditor(at)gmail.com
• Enter as many times as you like!

Remember, DO NOT post your numbered entries or guesses in the comments.  But, feel free to talk about your favorite characters there.

So, without further ado, here are the pictures:

Good Luck!

Top TV of 2011

What a terrific year for television. No matter what genre or style you happen to be a fan of (with the possible exception of science fiction), there was something moving, thought-provoking or just plain entertaining on the menu for you. We saw returning favorites up their game (Parks & Rec, Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Justified), auspicious debuts (Game of Thrones, Homeland) and out of nowhere pleasant surprises (Wilfred, Revenge, Alphas).

Here's my list of the tops in TV for 2011. Inspired by the methodology from the AV Club's Best TV of 2011 list, I assigned a total of 150 points across my favorite shows of the year, with a max of 15 and minimum of 1. First, the grid, and then a few thoughts:

The top two shows were a contrast in focus. Breaking Bad delved deeply into the psyches of a handful of flawed, fascinating characters, while Game of Thrones lived up to the hype and expectations of fans of the novels, and showcased an entire sprawling world, yet both proved that while plot machinations and unexpected reveals can keep you on the edge of your seat, it's really the characters that matter.

Justified is just like a fine bourbon of the kind they drink in Harlan County; it gets better with age. Mags Bennett was a wonderful creation, rightly earning Margo Martindale an Emmy, and Raylan Givens is right there in the pantheon of gunslingers we'd all want to be, with Mal Reynolds and Han Solo.

Speaking of sci-fi, it wasn't exactly a good year. Stargate Universe got canceled just as it started to get good, Terra Nova was a willfully stupid, disjointed mess, Falling Skies was schmaltz and Torchwood: Miracle Day took some fascinating ideas and dumbed them down so much that we almost forgot how good Children of Earth was. Still, Fringe doubled down on its alternate universe plot and continued to feature unsung, award-worthy work from its leads (now including Seth Gabel as Lincoln Lee), and Doctor Who produced some awe-inspiring episodes (particularly the openers and Neil Gaiman's), though the master plot for the season crawled up its own ass a bit. Despite that, Matt Smith, Karen Gillian, Arther Darvill and Alex Kingston gave it everything they had and sold the emotion, if not the logic, of all the twists and turns. Now, how about a spinoff with Madame Vastra and Jenny?

Friday Night Lights didn't have an undefeated season on the screen (did anyone care about "Epyck?"), but it spiked the ball in the endzone with an emotionally perfect finale. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose, y'all. Texas Forever.

Comedies had a VERY strong year. What do you like? Satiric and profane? Optimistic and sweet? Cynical and pop-culture aware? Realistic and continuity be damned? Just laugh out loud funny? All here and accounted for in 2011.

Good "pulp" is hard to do right. If it's too self-serious, it can become dour and bludgeoning. If it's too operatic and over the top, it ventures into unintentional comedy. For me, Sons of Anarchy and Luther struck just the right balance (anchored by captivating performances), and gave me the thrill of reading dime novels as a kid.

There's probably no middle ground with American Horror Story. You either love it or hate it. To me, it was a wildly amusing cuisinarting of every plot point under the sun (Ghosts! Sex! The Anti-Christ! Murder! Rape! Flashbacks! Abortions! The Pope! Bitchy gays! School shootings! Teen love! And MORE!) made all the more enjoyable by Jessica Lange chewing ALL THE SCENERY as Blanche DuBois by way of The Exorcist. Come for the worst fictional therapist since Dr. Chilton, and stay for the Rubber Man! Of course, since this is a Ryan Murphy joint, we know the center won't hold and it will soon devolve into an even more incomprehensible and less amusing disaster, so enjoy it while you can.

And finally, lowered expectations can lead to pleasant surprises. I didn't hold out much hope for Alphas, after Heroes, No Ordinary Family and The Cape, among others, shit the bed on telling engaging superhero stories. However, slowly but surely, Alphas assembled a solid cast and offered up a compelling take on the genre within a SyFy budget. I'm also not one for prime time soaps (at least since I was a kid watching JR Ewing). But on a lark, I added Revenge to the DVR and lo and behold, I was entertained week after week with this Hamptons-based riff on the Count of Monte Cristo, featuring Madeleine Stowe's icy queen bitch and an ageless dog. Both shows sound silly and lightweight, but give 'em a try and perhaps you'll be as entertained as I was.

Agree? Disagree? What makes your top TV of the year?

Coming Soon...

In a few days, I'll be starting the 2011 version of TNRLM's Favorite TV Character Contest.

To brush up on what's come before, you can see the setup for 2009 HERE, and the results of that challenge (with the answers) HERE. The 2010 character collage is HERE, and the results for that one can be found HERE.

Feel free to chime in with some of your favorite characters below.

Most Annoying TV Characters

Vulture just ran a piece counting down their take on "TV's Ten Most Annoying Characters."

I completely agree with several of their choices: Will Schuester, Ted Mosby, Andy Bernard (who wears on my last nerve so much I almost always fast forward through his scenes), and Josh Shannon. I would probably agree with a few more, but I don't watch their shows, so I'll just take their word for it.

To that list, I'd add:

• Tom Haverford and Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Recreation. I know they're played for laughs, but my douche-meter is easily tripped. And they don't make me laugh.
• Nelson Van Alden and Lucy Danziger from Boardwalk Empire. He's a pious, stone-faced crazy zealot (though I think Michael Shannon is a talented and interesting actor) and she's a horrific baby-voiced character played by a terrible actress. I mean, how often do you see excessive nudity on an HBO show and say "just NO - please get it off my screen!"?
• Henry from Once Upon a Time. Take your fucking book and shove it up your ass. I would actually endorse an Evil Queen child abuse plot.
• Shirley from Community. And in the context of the Greendale world, they say Britta Brittas their interactions. As a viewer, Shirley Brittas my enjoyment of the show.
• Lori Grimes from The Walking Dead. If you're stupid enough to think "morning after" pills work weeks later, then you're stupid enough to be an appetizer for the undead.
• Quinn and LaGuerta from Dexter. Really, it could be almost all of Miami Metro except for Dex and (fucking) Deb. But Masuka is good for laughs, and Angel can occasionally not actively antagonize me as a viewer. But these two? Ugh.

What about you? Who makes your "annoying" list?

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)

Ferris Ryan's Day Off

Living "out of market," I didn't get to see the Falcons preseason game last night, except for some early first quarter cut-ins via the NFL Network. I woke up this morning to glance at the box score, and apparently, The Sausage King of Chicago got some playing time at QB:

Hear Me Roar

Last week, I made another guest appearance on the Tuning In To SciFi TV Podcast Game of Thrones specials, to chat about everyone's favorite sweet and homespun family, the Lannisters. They're just like the Waltons of Westeros, right? C'mon, you know you love them all.

You can find the podcast here (to either listen to online, and/or download for future/mobile enjoyment).

It was fun chatting with Wendy and Kimberly about the Lannisters. Note: we talk about the TV show ONLY (not the books), so our comments and discussions are limited to the events of season 1 of the HBO show -- so no spoilers beyond that.

However, on a quasi-related note, I'm all caught up with all four of the previous Song of Ice and Fire novels, and started chapter one of the just-published A Dance With Dragons about 30 minutes ago.  All I will say is HOLY SHIT. (For what it's worth, A Storm of Swords was breathtaking, and easily my choice for the best book in the series thus far).

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.

Here's a twenty

Reading an entertaining post about classic Hollywood and Clark Gable, and in the middle of it, I come across this anecdote about actress Loretta Young:

Young was by all accounts an early version of Mandy Moore in Saved!, only minus the praise songs and feathered hair. Case in point: She carried around a “swear jar” on set and demanded that every time someone cursed on set, he/she pay a quarter “for the nuns.” (Spencer Tracy’s reply: “Here’s a twenty, sister. Go fuck yourself.”) 

THAT IS AWESOME.

De-Rezzed

A quick review of Tron: Legacy:

This is one of the most well-designed and gorgeous movies I’ve ever seen. 

Michael Sheen and Olivia Wilde are the only ones having any fun (including the audience).

The script is an abomination. I can’t believe anyone thought this made sense or was narratively interesting in any way before starting production.

Every girl, everywhere, should have Olivia Wilde’s haircut all the time.

Jeff Bridges went “method” with his acting. Except he thought he was still acting in Lebowski.

The score is fan-fucking-tastic. Download it now. It’s that good.

The “de-aged” Jeff Bridges resembles, and is as convincing, as Clutch Cargo.

Suddenly, I like my neighbors

Browsing through some of the many Netflix recommendation screens, I came across this showing what folks in my area are watching:

I may complain about the taxes here or the locals' love of Ray Lewis or all the fucking lacrosse coverage in the sports section, but I honestly can't fault the TV taste of those around me.

Post Upfront TV Thoughts

The network upfronts finished up last week, and it’s time to take stock of the new programming coming our way. Of course, no one has actually seen anything, really, other than a few clips here and there. So these assessments are based on casting and creator information, brief show trailers and scenes, and feedback from some trusted critics (who haven’t seen anything more than we have).

Also, a few things you should know about my personal predilections:

• I loathe “reality” TV. I’ve sampled it. I still hate it. Except Mythbusters.
• I don’t care for “family” dramas or comedies, especially those with kids. If there’s some type of genre twist, I might give it a shot, but even then, I can barely stomach them. (For example, V was awful. But was that the fault of Elizabeth Mitchell or Morena Baccarin, who gave the shitty scripts their all? No. But we all loved the character of Tyler, right? SeewhatImean?). Occasionally, critical buzz and recommendations from friends with good and/or similar taste will convince me to check out something not in my wheelhouse, like Modern Family. Which is still on my season pass list. Similarly, plot developments on some shows I’m still hanging on to may make me press the delete button on my season pass list (I’m looking at you Bones and How I Met Your Mother). Basically, if they’re not Arya Stark or Alexis Castle (or, Zeus help me, the characters/plot devices from Glee), I don’t really have any use for them.
• I’m in the bag for any type of sci-fi or genre show. (See above, re: V. Which I watched to the bitter end. Just like Flash Forward. "I WAS LOADED OKAY!" Though not so in the bag that I tried The Event).

That said, here’s my take on the new network shows…

I’ll check it out because of the adorable, quirkilicious leads, but probably won’t stay for long

• 2 Broke Girls, CBS Mondays (Kat Dennings).
• New Girl, FOX Tuesdays (Zooey Deschanel).
• Apartment 23, ABC Tuesdays (Krysten Ritter)

From the JJ Abrams factory and I love the cast from Lost, so I’ll watch even when it gets too complicated or stops making narrative sense

• Person of Interest, CBS Thursdays (Emerson!)
• Alcatraz, FOX Mondays (Jorge!)

Time travel and dinosaurs!

• Terra Nova, FOX Mondays (Yes, Brannon Braga is involved. Yes, I’ll still watch anyway).

I think I was the only one who didn’t hate the backdoor pilot

• The Finder, FOX Thursdays

Based purely on SMG affection

• The Ringer, CW

Sounds like I should watch it, but maybe not?

• Grimm, NBC Fridays (Angel writers! But too close to Supernatural? And on at the same time AS Supernatural? AND Fringe? I’ll pass).
• Once Upon A Time, ABC Sundays (Created by Lost writers! Sounds like Fables! Ginnifer Goodwin! Writing staff just added Jane Espenson! But stars charisma vacuum Jennifer Morrison).

What looks good to y’all?