Thursday, July 14, 2011

My thoughts on the Emmy nominations

The Emmy nominations were announced today. I slept through them. I hope I don’t do that through the ceremony too. The first thing I did was scan down to make sure Margo Martindale was nominated for her work on JUSTIFIED. She was. I’m happy. Glad that a few of the JUSTIFIED cast members got noms – Timothy Oliphant and Walton Goggins – but sorry the series didn’t get a Best Drama nomination or writing nomination. That said, it’s hard to argue with any of the choices for Best Show in either Comedy or Drama. As for Mini-series – whatever. They’re probably all amazing. I don’t watch Mini-series.

BIG BANG THEORY got Best Comedy love for the first time. BREAKING BAD got zero nominations due to a technicality – they didn’t have any shows air during the eligibility period.

I don’t watch GLEE. Did the actors who got nominated from that show survive the recent firings? If no, if one of the fired cast members got nominated, then that’s who I’m rooting for.

They should just change the category of Guest Actor/Actress in a Drama to Guest Movie Star in a Drama.

I think BOARDWALK EMPIRE is going to have a tougher time winning an Emmy for Best Drama than Golden Globe. I’m guessing MAD MEN wins again this year. They had one of their strongest seasons.

Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy got recognized for their work in BRIDESMAIDS by each receiving Emmy nominations.

What a shock – Betty White got nominated.

I wonder how many actors who were nominated were originally not approved by the network and only got the gig because the show runners fought for them? I bet a half dozen at least.

My sincerest congratulations to all the nominees. Now begins that lovely bask period.

Again this year I’ll be reviewing the Emmys… if I’m awake. I imagine the theme will be Celebrating the Rich History of Television Excellence and then not show any program that aired before 1990.

This is my second post of the day so if you’re just arriving for the first time, stick around for my HARRY POTTER post just below.   My Ted Danson to CSI thoughts will be on Twitter.  You're welcome to follow me.  Thanks.

35 comments :

Larry said...

My favorite sitcom is Community, but there's only room for Modern Family and all the old favorites among the nominees.

Anonymous said...

Kristen Wiig had been nominated twice before (based on her work in "Extract" and "MacGruber", I'm assuming); as for Community, that show ****s because of that anti-American old guy who should've retired/been thrown out of show business at least 25 years ago...

Mike said...

You're probably right about the Bridesmaids effect -- though I thought that Melissa McCarthy was nominated because comedy acting nominations always seem to have at least one "talented person who tries their darndest to make shit shine" slot -- which she now fills on Mike and Molly. She deserves better and I'm praying that her show somehow miraculously transforms next season into a Chuck Lorre sitcom like Big Bang Theory instead of a Chuck Lorre sitcom like Two and a Half Men.

Wendy M. Grossman said...

Here's a Friday question for you wrt the Emmys. I note that one of my favorite shows, The Good Wife, has multiple nominees in a couple of categories (supporting actor for Alan Cumming and Josh Charles, who I'd actually have thought of as a lead actor) and supporting actress for Archie Panjabi and Christine Baranski). Do the actors manage to be genuinely happy for each other and regard it as a joint reward for a team effort, or does it cause strain when this happens? I imagine a lot depends on the general atmosphere on the set - and TGW is full of experienced stage actors who are (I would think) more geared to thinking of themselves as a team. But it has to be tricky on the night.

wg

Little Miss Smoke and Mirrors said...

One very random nomination I'm very happy about is Randee Heller (who's not a movie star) for her unforgettable turn as Miss Ida Blankenship in Mad Men. Seriously, that character brought me such joy, there are no words for it, and Randee is 50% responsible for that (the writers being the other 50%).

I'm glad Louis CK was recognized but not pleased at the Offerman omission.

It's a damn shame that the Emmy authority still doesn't get Community.

Dinklage was one of the main reasons I sat through the unspeakable violence of Game of Thrones. I'm rooting for him to win, that would be awesome.

Two words: The Suitcase. Seriously, it's time for Jon Hamm to add an Emmy next to that Globe in his trophy case.

goodman.dl said...

I'm glad someone finally got around to watching enough Friday Night Lights to nominate Britton and Chandler. They did great work on a show almost nobody watched.

selection7 said...

Anyone else occasionally get "Internet explorer cannot open the internet site""Operation aborted" errors when coming to Ken's blog? I've noticed it on more than one computer now and if it's widespread I'd think he would want to know.
http://www.nirmaltv.com/2007/08/08/how-to-fix-internet-explorer-cannot-open-the-internet-site-operation-aborted-error/

Mac said...

Walton Goggins and Margo Martindale have been amazing. Shame the show itself didn't get nominated but some terrific ones did, so it would be great to see those two get something.

jbryant said...

goodman.dl: Chandler and Britton were nominated last year, too. This is the first the series has gotten a Best Drama nod though.

Thrilled that Louis C.K. got nominations for acting and writing LOUIE (and more nods for his latest standup movie, HILARIOUS), but how does that appreciation not extend to a Best Comedy nod? It's also one of the best shot and edited comedies on the air, but was snubbed there as well.

Lou H. said...

Love that the Emmy folks managed to round up a dozen or two people to be in the live audience for those announcements at 5AM local time. I presume it was made up of the crew and anybody they could grab off the street.

Eduardo Jencarelli said...

I'm cheering for Friday Night Lights. They really deserved this nom, especially given how good season 5 was.

Sadly, it's more likely to be a toss between Mad Men and the undeserving Game of Thrones (not to mention the slightly more deserving Boardwalk Empire).

Modern Family is a definite contender on the acting side, as long as they don't give the statue to Eric Stonestreet yet again.

Eduardo Jencarelli said...

And they nominated the wrong Simpsons episode this time around.

Not that Angry Dad: The Movie wasn't hilarious, but they really should have nominated Ned-liest Catch as the emmy contender. That was one the best and most heartfelt Simpsons episodes in years, bold enough to shakeup the status quo by having two secondary characters move in a new direction.

Eduardo Jencarelli said...

Almost forgot to mention. Overlooking John Noble's work on Fringe is borderline criminal. Anna Torv also deserved the recognition for the dual alternate universe back and forth of roles.

Bob Claster said...

TREME? Hello? What gives? Did anyone see Khandi Alexander's performance? Or the amazing writing and direction of the Mardi Gras episode? The show is magnificent. Then again, as I recall, THE WIRE and HOMICIDE both were generally ignored by the Emmy people, so maybe it figures.

Reno said...

I did the happy dance for Downton Abbey, the mini-series on PBS' Masterpiece Classics, which won 11 noms. The great Laura Linney did the lead-ins, giving even more class to this great program. Go now and buy the DVD. It is absolutely terrific.

Ref said...

No Nick Offerman? Give me a break. These nominators must be the kind of people who sit around asking each other why The Office doesn't have a laugh track.

And yes, Community HAS to be in there somewhere.

Tallulah Morehead said...

"I imagine the theme will be Celebrating the Rich History of Television Excellence and then not show any program that aired before 1990. Hilariously true.And there was never any such thing as Black & White TV, back in The Stone Age, when we watched wood-burning TVs in our caves.

D. McEwan said...

Anonymous, just exactly how is Chevy Chase "anti-American"? I have my own small issues with Chevy, but I see no reason for calling him "anti-American," especially anonymously, which is - what's the word? Oh yes - COWARDLY.

D. McEwan said...

I just saw that Cat Deely was nominated. Yea! About time. Shes great. She should win.

Regarding the Glee "firings": My understanding is (I don't watch it either. I'm gay, but not THAT gay.) that they are all actors who play seniors who have graduated. That's okay with me.

The traditional problem with shows set in high schools, from Our Miss Books to Welcome Back Kotter to Head of the Class and beyond is that after four seasons, what the hell are these "kids" still doing in high school? On Smallville they moved on, and left high school behind (and eventually left Smallville behind. The last few seasons it should have been called Metropolis.) On Dobie Gillis he moved on to college, a college with the same faculty and students as his high school. If Glee is actually letting the seniors graduate and leave, that's a good thing.

Edgar McLean Nocul said...

Hello, Larry?

Dan in Missouri said...

Betty White: I read in an AP story that she first first nominated for an Emmy in 1951 - 60 years ago. Wow!
Dan in Missouri

cshel said...

Hopefully there will be some entertaining comedy bits at the Emmy Show with a mock rivalry between Tina Fey, Amy Pohler, Kristen Wiig, and then between the cast members from Modern Family who all got nominated.

I think the actor who plays Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation was robbed, even though I'm blanking on his name right now. : )

Pat Reeder said...

I'll just repeat the same comment I posted on the Yahoo News story, where the reporter editorialized that it was surprising that Melissa McCarthy was nominated for best comedy actress instead of Toni Collette or Lea Michelle:


Why is it a surprise that Lea Michelle and Toni Collette weren't nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy, considering that neither of their shows is funny? It seems as if the Emmys go out of their way to insult comic performers by giving them their own category, then constantly handing the award to dramatic actors slumming in dramadies that have no laughs. Just because a show claims to be a groundbreaking "comedy" about cancer or mental problems or whatever, doesn't make it award-worthy. If you want to win an award from me, then actually make cancer funny.

RCP said...

Please stay awake, Ken - I'm looking forward to your review of the Emmys.

Reno: I agree about Downton Abbey!

Anonymous said...

Was thrilled to see Friday Night Lights finally get nominated. It's one of the greatest shows I've ever seen on television. Ever.

Also like seeing Parks and Rec. get nominated for best comedy. I hope it gets it; no show -- not even Modern Family -- made me laugh harder more consistently this season than P&R.

Hopefully Steve Carell gets the Emmy. He was fantastic this season, and I fear his absence will be felt tremendously next year (indeed, it already has).

mrswing said...

JOHNNY GALECKI?!?? Seriously??? His character has gone down the drain, and he's currently the millstone around BBT's neck cast-wise. They couldn't have added anyone from Community to the Best actor/actress nominations?!??

And Glee is a comedy??? Tragedy, more like.

Good for Olyphant, Goggins and Martindale, shame that Justified didn't get the nomination because it had a practically perfect season.
And nothing at all for Treme? Nothing? Wendell Pierce definitely deserves a nomination.

Ben said...

I was going to make comment about "Community," but it seems that there are a good handful of people who thought the show got snubbed. "Paradigms of Human Memory" was a brilliant episode, but the least-watched of the year, and the season ended strong. I guess America loves Ken Jeong in trash like "The Hangover" and "Transformers" than in quality entertainment :(

Bill Hutchinson said...

love 30 Rock..

Crosby Kenyon said...

It's just a matter of time before Justified is nominated for best drama and for its writing. Margo M. and that entire element was so strong that it makes us quiver in anticipation of what could possibly replace it in season three, since three of the four family members are gone. Is Dickie firmly behind bars? How bad is Boyd gonna be now? I could go on and on.

olucy said...

>How bad is Boyd gonna be now?

Probably not so bad, now that he is dead.

bevo said...

For one or two years, the Emmy people should cancel the Best Drama race to recognize the monumental collective stupidity of their group for failing to recognize the greatness of the Wire and the Shield. When they have made up this injustice, they can resume getting Tapioca pudding and Depends changes.

Dave Arnott said...

@Bob Claster: THE WIRE, in its entire 5-year run, only received 2Emmy nominations.

This year's OSCARS™ telecast, which pretty much nobody liked, received 9 nominations.

Anonymous said...

Boyd isn't dead.

olucy said...

You're so right, my mistake! I was confusing the names Boyd and Doyle. Yes, the poster was right....Boyd is REALLY going to be a bad boy now.

Brian said...

Ken, I'd like to thank you for pointing out the show Justified to me.