Road to Avonlea Review: Aunt Abigail’s Beau

Episode Summary: Felicity looks up to her Aunt Abigail; she’s clean, tidy, and a great homemaker, despite not having a family of her own. Her quiet, monotonous life changes when Malcolm McEwan (Malcolm Stoddard), an old lover from the past, comes back to town in order to woo her again. Although Abigail’s late father forbade Malcolm from marrying her because of he was from a lower class family, Malcolm has become very rich from discovering gold in the Yukon, and now has the status to become an acceptable husband for her. Although their relationship begins well, Abigail becomes overwhelmed and breaks off her engagement with Malcolm. However, when she learns that Malcolm is leaving town, she immediately realizes she doesn’t want to be alone anymore, chases him down, and agrees to be his wife.

Directed by Harvey Frost, Written by Heather Conkie, Music by John Welsman

My Grade: This is another very solid episode for the first season. Aunt Abigail is a really good character, and Malcolm is instantly likeable. However, I also really like how we finally get a deeper look at both Alec and Janet, and their imperfect marriage. I like the subplot about Janet’s dissatisfaction with Alec’s lack of attention, and Alec’s dissatisfaction with his seemingly ordinary farm life. Alec’s jealousy of Malcolm’s success comes through during the auction scene when Malcolm outbids Alec for a bed frame. After a couple episodes that have mostly focused on the kids, it’s nice to see an episode about the adults. (A)

Spotlight Performance: Rosemary Dunsmore plays Aunt Abigail. A few years earlier she was featured in the Anne sequel as Katherine Brooke, the staunch headmistress for the school Anne teaches in. In a way, Aunt Abigail is very similar to Katherine Brooke. (It’s also interesting how Dunsmore looks so much younger in Avonlea then she did in the Anne movie. I guess getting rid of that tight head bob and glasses make all the difference.) Dunsmore is excellent in the movie, and I always thought she deserved more credit/acclaim for that performance. But, anyway, I’m glad Sullivan brought her back for this recurring role. Dunsmore still remains a very active actress. She’s one of those Canadian performers that takes advantage of the fact that many American productions shoot in Canada, so you’ve probably seen her at least a couple more things, even if you can’t instantly recognize her. (And, yes, she was the judge for Paige’s rape trial in Degrassi.)

Favorite Scene: The scene where Abigail first breaks up with Malcolm is so sad, but features wonderful performances by the two actors. A close second would have to be the end when Abigail is chasing down Malcolm in the horse buggy and she’s screaming bloody murder for him. So funny (and also impressive from a film perspective.) The music by John Welsman for both those scenes add to their greatness.

Final Thoughts: This is the first episode directed by Harvey Frost. He will continue to direct episodes for the show until close to the very end. He was also a director for the teen series Sweet Valley High and Beverly Hills, 90210. He directed the first couple episodes of Sullivan’s second series Wind at My Back. And a bushel of heartwarming television movies.

This is also the first episode to not feature either Aunt Olivia or Aunt Hetty.

Road to Avonlea Review: Conversions

“I don’t believe it. I mean, babies die. Old people die. But… not someone our age.”

Episode Summary: Peter Craig (Miklos Perlus), Aunt Hetty and Aunt Olivia’s hired boy, has a hard time fitting in with the rest of the town. He doesn’t go to school or attend church, and while all the other kids can be carefree and playful, Peter usually has to tend to the farm. Because of his outsider status, Peter has an easy time relating to Peg Bowen (Susan Cox), the town recluse. While Hetty’s at her wit’s end over Peter’s supposed ineptitude, he comes down with a very fatal fever. With the help of Peg Bowen’s “magic potion,” Peter is brought back to help. Peg Bowen gains some respect among the King family, and, realizing how much he would be missed if he died, Peter is finally accepted as a member of the King family.

Directed by Stuart Gillard, Written by Patricia Watson, Music by John Welsman

My Grade: Overall, this is a really great episode. In the earlier episodes, you can definitely sense that Peter’s not like the other kids. I think “Proof of the Pudding” is a nice example of that separation between Peter and the King kids. Felicity is ordered to watch over her siblings, Andrew and Sara, but Peter, because he’s only a hired boy, is pretty much allowed (or even expected) to watch over himself. I think it’s nice that we get an episode where we can learn more about Peter, his backstory (father’s in jail), and why he has to work for the Kings. Hetty, Felicity, and Edward Ray (played by Mickey Mouse Club silky bass singer Marc Worden) are at their worst in this episode, continuously degrading Peter. Fortunately, in the end, he’s treated with the respect he deserves. (A)

Spotlight Performance: Obviously, I’ll give this one to Miklos Perlus. I really like the character Peter. I wish he had become a bigger character for the rest of the series. I think he was particularly a good ally for Sara. I kind of think the writers were trying to set Peter and Felicity up, just like the original books. But I suppose Gus (who won’t appear until the next season) sort of ruined that idea. I would never want Felicity to end up with anyone but Gus…but having Peter stay longer would have still been nice. After Avonlea, Miklos Perlus had a role in the Canadian teen comedy series Student Bodies. He is currently a voice actor. And he was a writer for both Degrassi and Instant Star. 

Favorite Scene: I’ve never thought Avonlea was a particularly “religious” show (not like Touched By an Angel or 7th Heaven religious), but the characters’ faiths can play a major role in a story line, even if they are misguided. I like how this episode sort of pokes fun at standard church going folk. So, the scene where Peg Bowen crashes the church and rips all the townspeople to shreds is a nice scene that is still very relevant in 2015 (IMHO).

Final Thoughts: This episode was written by Patricia Watson, and if my sources are correct, this is her last episode for the series. On the other hand, this is director Stuart Gillard’s first episode. He’ll be back a few more times until season 4. Fiona Reid guest starred in this episode as Peter Craig’s mother. She’s the sort of actress who appears in a lot of different things and has a pretty recognizable face. So, I know her from Walter and Henry, In His Father’s Shoes, Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Mark Twain and Me (all Emmy winners) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. And she previously worked with Lally Cadeau in the sitcom Hangin’ In. Her role in this episode is small, but impactful.

Also, I just found out that the Road to Avonlea Facebook page posted my review of The Materializing of Duncan McTavish. I am going nuts. Thank you to the person who made that decision. And thank you for reading if that’s where you came from. That is the sort of motivation I needed to keep going with this project.

Road to Avonlea Review: The Materializing of Duncan McTavish

“Don’t believe everything you see girls, and only half of what you hear.” – Sara

Episode Summary: Feeling left out and alienated by all her married and widowed friends, the eternally single Marilla Cuthbert reveals to the knitting circle that she had a serious romance a long time ago with a beau named Duncan McTavish; however, this is all a lie. Marilla finds herself in a dilemma when an out-of-town salesman named Duncan McTavish (Tom Peacock) comes to Avonlea, causing the whole town to stir, including Marilla’s best friend Rachel Lynde. In the end, annoyed with how gossipy a small town like Avonlea can be, Duncan agrees to validate Marilla’s lie by publicly taking her for a carriage ride after church.

Directed by Don McBrearty, Written by Heather Conkie, Music by Hagood Hardy

My Grade: Throughout the series, there are handful of episodes that I can truly call perfect. This is, in my opinion, the first perfect episode of the series. Most fans who watch the show (including me) would love to live in a place like Avonlea, where everyone knows everyone. However, living in a small town like Avonlea means that your life is an open book. There’s very little privacy, and gossip and idle chat can carry like waves of an ocean. I can completely understand Marilla’s desire to fit in like the rest of the women. It would be silly to think that Marilla didn’t have some regrets about never getting married. I like this episode because it’s a deeper examination of Marilla, without Anne of GreenGables and without her brother Matthew. I also just think this episode is very funny, particularly any scene having to do with Mrs. Potts (Maja Ardal). And I remember being so invested in this story when I first watched the series four years ago. A nice dose of humor with a sweet scene in the end makes this episode a winner in my book. (A+)

Spotlight Performance: Obviously, this honor goes to Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthbert. I would even say this is Dewhurst’s best performance as Marilla (or maybe second to when she tries to console Anne after Matthew’s Death in the first Anne miniseries). Even small moments like Marilla’s face when Sara first tells her that Duncan McTavish is in town are wonderful.

Favorite Scene: It’s hard to choose one for an episode this good…I suppose I really like the “knitting group” scene where Marilla first tells the lie. It’s just so well scripted. I like how Marilla has all the women in the palm of her hand. However, Marilla comparing living with Rachel to having a viper bite her bosom is a close second.

Final Thoughts: I have a few actually. One interesting tidbit, courtesy of the official site, is that this was the very first episode to be shot, due to Colleen Dewhurst’s busy schedule. So, this episode (and the quarantine episode before this) was shot before the pilot…which technically means Don McBrearty was the show’s first director, which is appropriate considering how important he was to the show’s success during the first five seasons. This also means Heather Conkie wrote the script for the first episode to be shot, which, again, is appropriate since she’s awesome and most of the episodes she wrote for the series were as well.

I sort of wrote this for my review of the first episode (I “striked through” it since I found out that Conkie didn’t write the series premiere), but I think Conkie is one of the best television screenwriters ever, Canadian or American, particularly for children and family television. From Heartland to Flash Forward to Dark Oracle to those Devine Entertainment specials to most definitely the greatest episode 7th Heaven ever produced, Conkie is an inspiration for me, and I will continue to sing her praises for reviews to come.

This episode was also scored by Hagood Hardy, who also scored many other episodes during the first two seasons, including “The Journey Begins.” He also scored both Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea, and a prominent score motif used in those movies is used in this episode as well (most notably the end). Unfortunately, Hardy passed away to lymphoma in 1997.

Road to Avonlea Review: The Quarantine at Alexander Abraham’s

“Ah, you have surprised me, Rachel. You’re not as unbending as an oak. There’s a little bit of a willow after all.”

Episode Summary: As a result of her incessant meddling, Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton) finds herself forcibly quarantined in the house of Alexander Abraham with the crotchety and slovenly man himself (WO Mitchell), along with Sara Stanley and Felix King. Although things start out tense, by the end of the quarantine, Lynde and Abraham put aside their firmly held beliefs and form a friendship (or maybe something deeper?).

Directed by Don McBrearty, Written by Heather Conkie, Music By Hagood Hardy

My Grade: Rachel is everyone’s favorite character. She’s brassy. She’s bossy. She’s a great source of comedic relief. What I really like about Rachel is how she’s evolved over the years. The Rachel we see in Anne of Green Gables (“Her hair is as red as CARROTS!!!”) is very different from the Rachel we’ll see towards the end of the series. Even this episode displays some growth. While Rachel begins the episode believing that there is “good” and “bad” and nothing in between, she allows herself to be opened up. The same could be said for Alexander Abraham. This is an occasionally fun episode, but watching four people trapped in a small house gets a little boring after a while. (B – )

Spotlight Performance: I gotta give it to Patricia Hamilton, who’s probably been the most “faithful” member of the Sullivan company. I mean, she’s appeared in every relevant Avonlea production. This is obviously the first of many great performances from her for this series.

Favorite Scene: As much as I love Hamilton in this episode, my favorite scene is actually between Janet King and Marilla Cuthbert (Colleen Dewhurst). Because Felix and Sara are also quarantined in that house, Janet is, somewhat understandably, worried about Felix and lashes out at Rachel. Marilla, being the good, faithful friend she is, defends Rachel and criticizes Janet for teaching her children bad behavior. Like I wrote earlier, there are moments in this episode I find a bit dull, but this is a scene that definitely wakes me up. Also…Marilla Cuthbert is 100% right.

Final Thoughts: OK…first things first, I can finally confirm that this is the first episode written by Heather Conkie. She did not write the first two episodes. IMDB is wrong. Heather Conkie will become a very important writer for pretty much the rest of the series. Some of the greatest episodes will be written by her (including the one after this). Meanwhile, this was the first episode directed by prolific Canadian director Don McBrearty. On top of directing some of the most memorable episodes of the series, he also directed a few episodes of Wind At My Back (including the amazing “Marathon” episode), a few episodes of Heartland, Accidental Friendship, Mrs. Ashboro’s Cat, In a Heartbeat (a Disney Channel show that ended too soon), Newton: A Tale of Two Isaacs, and, apparently, a short documentary from the 70’s titled “Gay or Straight? Is There a Choice?” which I would love to get my hands on, but probably got burned in an office fire a long time ago.

A couple notable guest stars include WO Mitchell (who is mostly a famous Canadian author, who did some acting here and there) and Michael Polley, as the doctor (Sarah Polley’s father in real life.) This is the first episode to not feature Jackie Burroughs (Hetty).

Final 2015 Emmy Predictions (Main Ceremony)

So…uh…yeah…

Y’know…sometimes I hate how much time of my life I dedicate on the Emmy awards. I pour over the nominations when they’re announced in the morning. I spend at least week, really looking through them, recognizing the snubs, any patterns, any hidden gems, or oddities. I make sure to watch every episode of every major miniseries contender, even the mostly boring Texas Rising. I then patiently wait for Gold Derby to post episode submissions, even though there’s a 50/50 chance that they’ll even matter. I watch all the episode submissions, even if I’ve already watched the season for that episode. And then I write my posts. People like me (like the moderators and posters on Gold Derby) spend a lot of time on the Emmys because…well…god knows why. But after last night’s Creative Arts Awards…I’m starting to rethink my life and interests. Because, really, what’s the point of taking the Emmys seriously, if the voters themselves don’t take them seriously?

There was one win last night that has made me almost change my outlook. If it wasn’t for this win, I probably wouldn’t be writing this long introduction. If it wasn’t for this win, I would accept this year as another “Ya win some, ya lose some” kind of year. But this particular win is so baffling. So lazy. So disrespectful…that I still feel like I’m in a cruel nightmare.

Margo Martindale’s Emmy for Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series for The Americans.

On paper…that looks inoffensive, right? Martindale is a great character actress who, after years of consistently good performances, is finally being recognized by a wider audience. But if you actually watched The Americans, you’d know that Margo Martindale had ONE SCENE this season. ONE. And it wasn’t an extraordinary scene. It’s not a scene that showed any range or much emotion. The scene isn’t even completely necessary. It is literally a scene to assure the audience that Martindale’s character was still alive. Otherwise, the scene is unmemorable, unremarkable, and in no way, shape, or form deserving of an Emmy.

The fact that Martindale was nominated in the first place is BS right there. This was her third nomination for The Americans. Her first nomination was completely deserved, although the right actress won that year (Carrie Preston). Her second nomination was a bit more problematic, but, OK, whatever, she had an important scene and at least she didn’t win. However, as I’ve already mentioned before, if a guest actress had to be nominated for The Americans, it should have been Lois Smith. Despite this weird, name checked nomination, I never thought in a billion years Martindale would win. There were three strong contenders in the category: Rachel Brosnahan, Allison Janney, and Cicely Tyson (whom I don’t know what she did to deserve such disrespect from the Academy).

Margo Martindale won an Emmy for two minutes…and that’s unacceptable. I thought maybe the Academy had learned something after the whole Ellen Burstyn debacle from a few years back…but I guess not. As far as I know, this might the worst acting win from at least the last ten years. I feel bad harping on an actress I generally admire and root for…but even she has to know, deep down, that she did not deserve this Emmy. Maybe a couple years ago when her character was a major part of the show. But, NO, she did NOT deserve an Emmy for season 3 of The Americans. I don’t even know how or why she was submitted in the first place. Maybe if the producers or the network had a shred of dignity, they wouldn’t have shrewdly played the Emmy game by submitted an actress they knew would be namechecked.

Margo Martindale’s win made me question some of the other wins that evening. Reg E. Cathey won an Emmy for his relatively brief role on this season of House of Cards. It’s easier for me to accept Cathey’s win because, in my opinion, the one scene he had, while subtle, was pretty powerful. If voters really did watch the episodes (which I don’t think they did), the scene between Cathey’s character and his son could have stood out. But, now? I’m wondering…did the voters really watch the episodes, and consider each performance rationally? Or did they just vote for Cathey because he’s a respected veteran on a popular show. As much as I liked Cathey’s performance, he was nowhere near the top of my ranking. Beau Bridges, Alan Alda, and even Michael J. Fox would have been better winners.

There were other questionable winners throughout the evening. It’s not worth mentioning here (although, the Alan Alda Masterclass Special winning Children’s Program annoyed me more than anything. Hey voters. How about giving the Emmy to a show children actually WATCH!) But, yes, that Margo Martindale win grinded my gears. I know awards are subjective. But this isn’t a case of “Oh! I like this performance more than the other.” I truly believe Martindale’s Emmy win (and, really, nomination) is a fluke. Everyone who cares (which is an admittedly small group) thinks it is. Usually, these Guest categories are kind of sketchy…but this one instance is especially bad.

Dear Academy, do you want people to take the Emmys seriously? Do you want celebrities like Maggie Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch to actually attend the ceremony so they can accept their awards? Do you want to stop being overshadowed by the Oscars (which aren’t perfect but still)? Then something needs to be done so a blind win like Margo Martindale’s can’t happen again. Because if the voters actually did their job and took this seriously, then Martindale wouldn’t have won.You cannot tell me Margo Martindale’s non-performance was stronger than Cicely Tyson, probably the most buzzed about guest performance of the season. Voters clearly did not watch the episode; and if the Emmys want to be taken seriously again, there needs to be more transparency in the process.

Let’s just get through these final predictions. I will not be offering any significant commentary because…well…if voters aren’t going to respect this award…

Comedy Series: Modern Family (…until it loses…)

Drama Series: Game of Thrones (it had a very good night last night)

Limited Series: Olive Kitteridge (TV Movie was already announced at the Creative Arts ceremony…Yes, Bessie won,)

Variety Talk: Late Show with Dave Letterman

Variety Sketch: Saturday Night Live

Reality Competition: The Voice

Comedy Actress: Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation (Yes, JLD will probably win but, I gotta take a few risks here, while I still have my sanity.)

Drama Actress: Viola Davis – How To Get Away with Murder (of course, Margo Martindale could win here again…)

Movie Actress: Frances McDormand – Olive Kitteridge

Comedy Actor: Will Forte – The Last Man on Earth

Drama Actor: Jon Hamm – Mad Men

Movie Actor: Mark Rylance – Olive Kitteridge (Rylance has already won 3 Tonys. He’s a respected British actor…an Emmy voter’s favorite combination)

Comedy Supp. Actress: Jane Krakowski – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Drama Supp. Actress: Christina Hendricks – Mad Men (If Mad Men doesn’t win an acting award this year, they will never one again)

Movie Supp. Actress: Sarah Paulson – American Horror Story (I think any of the AHS actresses have a chance here)

Comedy Supp. Actor: Tituss Burgess – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Last night, I thought UKS would win both guest acting awards. I was wrong…and I’m probably wrong about this as well.)

Movie Supp. Actor: Damian Lewis – Wolf Hall (if voters want to blindly name check, which they probably will, then Bill Murray will win for his nothing performance)

Drama Supp. Actor: Jonathan Banks – Better Call Saul

Comedy Directing: The Last Man on Earth – “Alive in Tuscon”

Drama Directing: Boardwalk Empire – “Eldorado” (BE usually does well here, right?)

Movie Directing: Olive Kitteridge

Comedy Writing: Louie – “Bobby’s House”

Drama Writing: Mad Men – “Person to Person”

Movie Writing: Olive Kitteridge

Emmy Flashback (Writing Achievement in Drama – 1970)

In three weeks, we (as in, the few dozen who actually care about awards for ridiculously wealthy celebrities) are going to find out who wins the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series. It’s a pretty exciting race, with the Mad Men series finale competing against Game of Thrones, Better Call Saul, and darkhorse The Americans. Even with such a strong set of nominees, many high quality dramas were snubbed in this category, from network’s best drama to the series finale of Boardwalk Empire. Critics are saying it and they are absolutely correct: we are truly living in a golden age of drama.

Part of what’s made dramas compelling for the last decade or so, is how serialized dramatic television is becoming. Before the “rise” of cable television (The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Oz), dramatic television was mostly comprised of procedurals and episodic programming (the CSI’s, the Law and Orders, the David E. Kelley’s). A tightly constructed, continuous arc, 13 hour season wasn’t as common as it is now, especially on network television, where 22 episode seasons was the expectation (actually, still the expectation in most cases).

Before the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, most dramatic television was in the form of anthologies: essentially one new, original dramatic television movie a week. The still alive Hallmark Hall of Fame is the most recognizable example of that. However, during the early years of television, programs like The Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, Studio One, Robert Montgomery Presents, and US Steel Hour represented American drama (they were also the first four winners of the Emmy Award for Best Drama Series). If you wanted serialized drama, you had watch daytime soap operas.

With the current rules, anthology series like those would not be eligible for a “Drama Series” Emmy. Current Emmy rules only allow series with a set cast and a relatively continuous storyline to be eligible for the Emmy. If The Pulitzer Prize Playhouse still aired new episodes, each weekly episode would have to compete in the TV Movie/Limited Series categories separately; however, anthology “series” like that don’t really exist anymore.

This whole introduction is my way of pointing out that the line between “drama series” and “anthology series” was blurred during the first couple decades of the Emmy’s existence. For example, an Emmy award for outstanding dramatic writing has existed since the mid fifties; however, a separate writing category reserved for TV Movies and Miniseries did not exist until 1971. That means from 1954 to 1970, drama series, anthology series, and miniseries all competed in the same writing category. So, for example, in 1954, you had four anthology series and their “TV Movie” counterparts compete against an episode of the early medical drama Medic. Medic is undoubtedly as procedural as Grey’s Anatomy, but the show still had a cast of characters that was carried from one episode to the other, something the anthology series lacked.

So, the Emmy voters had to essentially choose between a television episode and a TV movie. For this Emmy flashback, I decided to examine the nominees for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama in 1970. This would be the last year a category like this would exist before a distinction was made between dramatic specials and dramatic series. The nominees were:

1. My Sweet Charlie (CBS) *WINNER*
2. Marcus Welby, MD (“Pilot” aka “A Matter of Humanities”) (ABC)
3. CBS Playhouse (“Sadbird”) (CBS)

“A Matter of Humanities” first aired on ABC as part of its ABC Movie of the Week block on March 1969. Fall of that year was when Marcus Welby aired as a regular series. Even though the episode is feature length, it is still essentially a pilot episode for an arc that will continue for the rest of the series – that arc being the conflict between the experienced, yet unorthodox, Dr. Marcus Welby (Robert Young), and his more traditional, yet younger, co-worker Dr. Steven Kiley (James Brolin). This pilot mostly centered on a man who is suffering from aphasia (the only word he is able to say is “Mother”) and his conflicted wife. The main conflict stems from whether the man should be committed to a mental institution or not. The episode is sly, clever, subtly humorous, with a couple punches of emotion (particularly a thrilling conclusion involving a fire). It undoubtedly effectively got viewers hooked on the show, which is evident by its #1 Nielsen rank during its second season.

For the 1970 Emmy season, the show received eight Emmy nominations, and four wins. Both Young and Brolin won Emmys; and the show as a whole won for Best Dramatic Series. Strangely enough, the show was also nominated for Outstanding New Series (when that was still a thing) and for Dramatic Program (for its first episode after the pilot). The Emmys were weird back then. The point is, the show was well rewarded for its first season, but pilot episode lost the writing Emmy to the television movie My Sweet Charlie. 

Taking place in rural Texas during the Civil Rights Movement, My Sweet Charlie is about a runaway pregnant teenager (Patty Duke) who ends up hiding in an abandoned house with a black lawyer (Al Freeman, Jr.) from New York, who is on the run after being falsely accused of murder. Although the girl initially has prejudicial feelings towards black people, she soon changes her outlook on life after forming a bond with the lawyer. I really dug this movie. Yes, it’s a bit cliche (the second Patty Duke screams “Nigger!” at the sight of a black man, you knew she would stop being racist by the end of the movie), but it’s a beautifully simple, tender story that features two wonderful performances. Eight years after winning an Oscar for The Miracle Worker, Duke won her first Emmy, while Al Freeman Jr. was also nominated.

So, this is what we have: two different mediums competing for the same prize. I think voters made the right choice here. “A Matter of Humanities” is a well written beginning of a popular series. But My Sweet Charlie touched me more. Even though the script is an adaptation of play (which was an adaptation of a novel), it still moved me enough to make it deserving of this prize. However, I’m glad that, for right now, Emmy voters aren’t expected to compare a television episode with a dramatic special. Even though “A Matter of Humanities” tells a complete story (the show, after all, is a procedural), the beginning relationship between the series regulars don’t feel as complete, which is what makes categories like this tricky.

A CBS Playhouse special entitled “Sadbird” was also nominated. This was a dramatic special in the same vein as My Sweet Charlie. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the movie anywhere online or for sale. I know low quality copies exist in film archives not available to the public. If anyone has any idea how I could get my hands on a copy of this seemingly interesting film, please comment or email me. It would certainly make this post a little more complete 😉

Why Rowan Blanchard Gives Me Hope For the Future

Courtesy of Rowan Blanchard’s Instagram

Disney Channel has had many different “eras” since its official launch in 1983. There are the ones who remember when the channel was a Satellite network that aired classic Disney cartoons. There are the ones who remember when Road to Avonlea was the channel’s tentpole. My earliest memories of Disney Channel was “Zoog Disney” when shows like So Weird, Jett Jackson, The Jersey, and Flash Forward flooded the airwaves. I remember when Even Stevens and Lizzie McGuire first premiered at the beginning of the new millennium, creating a new era in the process. By the time That’s So Raven ended its run, I was probably too old for Disney, but I’ve certainly continued watching from time to time. Some stand out shows since that era include Hannah Montana, So Random, ANT Farm, Good Luck Charlie, and, of course, Girl Meets World. Multiple Emmy award winner Wizards of Waverly Place was undoubtedly popular, but the show never did much for me. The point is…Disney Channel has a long history of eras.

This post isn’t necessarily about which era is better. The truth is, viewers of one era are always going to complain about the shows from the next era. It’s the circle of life (feat. Raven, Hilary Duff, and Christy Carlson Romano). I have many issues with the direction Disney Channel is going in (fewer TV movies, lack of single cam, no dramatic content, genderizing TV channels). But that’s all for another time. I wanted to begin this article this way by emphasizing how, during my era, the internet wasn’t as “social” and interactive as it is today. Back when I was a pre-teen, we didn’t have Facebook or Twitter or even Youtube. Disney Channel stars didn’t have social media accounts, so it was nearly impossible for us, as viewers, to get in touch with them; and it was likewise difficult for the stars to interact with viewers. The only way we could really get to know our favorite DIsney Channel stars were through those Express Yourself  TV spots. Otherwise, for all I knew, Raven–Symone could actually read into the future (future future).

So, as someone who is almost a quarter of a century old, it’s interesting seeing how Disney Channel stars of today are utilizing Twitter to connect with their fans and share their personal beliefs. I’m not going to pretend like I’m some expert on the Twitter accounts of Disney celebrities. However, I do know that many of them use Twitter to discuss trivial subjects like their favorite songs or the release of their own music. Then there are Disney Channel stars like thirteen year old Rowan Blanchard who truly give me hope for the future. While many (not most, I’m not saying most) preteen girls are using Twitter to passionately defend One Direction every time one of the members tweets/says something slightly homophobic, Rowan Blanchard is taking advantage of her celebrity status and her hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers to actually discuss the issues and make bold statements. Statements she is under no obligation to make, but does anyway.

Whether it’s supporting gay marriage and trans acceptance or putting a light on America’s racial problem(s), she is a young voice in America’s fight for progressiveness and social acceptance. It’s easy to write little tweets or retweet other articles. However, it’s especially impressive when you write a long response to a tumblr question on “white feminism.” Well, this is exactly what Rowan Blanchard did. And she did it in one of the most articulate and elegant ways I’ve ever seen. This is the “meat and potatoes” of her argument:

“White feminism” forgets all about intersectional feminism. The way a black woman experiences sexism and inequality is different from the way a white woman experiences sexism and inequality. Likewise with trans-women and Hispanic women. While white women are making 78 cents to the dollar, Native American women are making 65 cents, black women are making 64 cents, and Hispanic women are making 54 cents. Kimberlé Crenshaw said it perfectly in 1989 when she said “The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society. Examples of this include race, gender, class, ability, and ethnicity.” This includes trans women especially, who have been robbed of their souls when they are told they are not “real women” It is SO important to protect trans women and trans youth as they are incredibly at risk when it comes to sexual assault and hate crimes. People also seem to forget that black women are victims of police violence too- from Sandra Bland to India Clarke- a trans woman who was beaten to death in Florida just a month ago.

Do you notice the difference between her words and mine? Who is the better writer? Exactly. I very rarely see this sort of thoughtfulness and intelligence coming from a thirteen year old. Heck. if she were 20, I’d still be impressed. She even used a Kimberle Crenshaw quote. I definitely knew who she was before I read that tumblr post. The thing I admire about Rowan is (regardless of what others believe) that she is under no social obligation to share these feelings. There are many young celebrities who do a good job of staying out of political and social issues. I love Taylor Swift, but I don’t even think she publicly and overtly endorsed same sex marriage until last year. Claiming yourself as a “feminist” is not enough without understanding how that connects with racial and sexual orientation issues. Rowan Blanchard only has a couple seasons of a sitcom behind her, and she’s already shown she’s not afraid of offending people. Will this sort of openness hurt or help her career? I really don’t think so…but I think it’s more likely to hurt her. Yet, Blanchard continues to speak out because the treatment of minority groups in this country is more important than garnering an uneducated fanbase. And that’s why I admire Rowan Blanchard more than any other young celebrity out there.

I didn’t mention this before but, just in case you don’t know, Rowan Blanchard is the star of the Disney Channel Original Series Girl Meets World, which is a sequel to the popular nineties sitcom Boy Meets World. In terms of the kid cast, the most seasoned actor on the show is Sabrina Carpenter, who plays the best friend (aka, the “Shawn.”) But Rowan Blanchard has been improving greatly since the first episode. She has a bright future ahead of her. And I can’t wait to see her continue to kick butt in the entertainment world, and the real world. It’s stars like Blanchard that makes me glad there’s such a thin line between celebrities and their viewers nowadays.

2015 Emmys Review (Drama Categories)

Ever since I was little, I’ve always been a fan of entertainment awards. I remember cheering loudly every time Rugrats won the Nickelodeon Choice Award for Favorite Cartoon (the show pretty much won every year during its prime.) Yes, awarding mostly wealthy celebrities is silly. Yes, awards are 100% subjective. Yes, X never wins, X totally deserves to win, Y always wins, awards are political and biased! But, still, there’s something so fascinating about the art and practice of prizing, particularly when it comes to the “EGOT.” I love “studying” awards and watching programs and movies that have been nominated for them. So, on this blog, I certainly plan on discussing various awards and the nominees and who I think will/should win.

Finally…the moment the truth. These are my wholly objective rankings for the major Drama categories, based on episode submissions (mostly). Real predictions will come closer to the ceremony date.

Episode submission information courtesy of Gold Derby.

Guest Actor:

Ranking

1. Beau Bridges – Masters of Sex (“Parallax”)
2. Alan Alda – The Blacklist (“The Decemberist”)
3. Michael J. Fox – The Good Wife (“Red Zone”)
4. Reg E. Cathey – House of Cards (“Chapter 34”)
5. F. Murray Abraham – Homeland (“Long Time Coming”)
6. Pablo Schreiber – Orange is the New Black (“40 Oz. of Furlough”)

This is a somewhat disappointing category because there isn’t really a standout, dominating performance that blows my mind. Beau Bridges, playing a married man who struggles with his sexuality during the 60’s, came the closest to giving me genuinely thrilling moments. Otherwise, these respected actors just did alright. I was actually pretty excited when I first saw that Schreiber was nominated, but it’d been about a year since I had seen any episode from season 2. I forgot how little he does. If he had maybe submitted the episode after this one (the one where his character is arrested and he proclaims his “love” for Daya) then maybe he would have ranked higher than Cathey or even Fox. But his performance in this episode specifically doesn’t do much for me. He would have been more deserving for the first season. And, hopefully, he gets nominated next year because his one scene during season 3 with Mary Steenburgen was a highlight for me.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Dylan Baker (The Good Wife), Michael Cerveris (The Good Wife), Gary Cole (The Good Wife), Matthew Del Negro (Scandal),H. Richard Greene (Mad Men), Jason Butler Harner (Scandal), Rahul Khanna (The Americans), David Hyde Pierce (The Good Wife), Mel Rodriguez (Better Call Saul),Jeremy Shamos (Better Call Saul), Sam Shepard (Bloodline), Christopher Stanley (Mad Men), Courtney B. Vance (Scandal)

Guest Actress:

Ranking

1. Cicely Tyson – How to Get Away With Murder (“Mama’s Here Now”)
2. Rachel Brosnahan – House of Cards (“Chapter 39”)
3. Allison Janney – Masters of Sex (“Parallax”)
4. Khandi Alexander – Scandal (“Where The Sun Don’t Shine”)
5. Diana Rigg – Game of Thrones (“The Gift”)
6. Margo Martindale – The Americans (“I Am Abassin Zadran”)

Here’s the deal: The top three nominees are golden and any of them would be deserving. The bottom three shouldn’t really even be here. I’ll give the edge to Khandi Alexander just because she was actually deserving last year (the Emmys are always late to the game), while I’ve never been all that impressed with Rigg. Margo Martindale’s nomination is pretty much the problem with the Emmy nomination process. She was completely name checked for her ONE unextraordinary scene this season. The fact that they essentially nominated her over Lois Smith really grinds my gears. Brosnahan, who appeared on two other television programs this season, surprised me with her submission (I’m not a regular viewer of HOC). Her subtle, yet tense, fear throughout the end of the episode is great What’s nice about both Brosnahan and Tyson is that they actually stand out in their episodes. Not much time passes between their scenes. However, the great Cicely Tyson just towers over everything in her path (in a good way). Months ago, when I first watched this episode, I knew from the first scene that it would be difficult for anyone to beat her at the Emmys. I still feel the same way.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Debbie Allen (Grey’s Anatomy), Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy or Scandal), Julie Ann Emery (Better Call Saul), Marcia Gay Harden (How to Get Away with Murder), Courtney Love (Empire), Julianne Nicholson (Masters of Sex), Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men), Lois Smith (The Americans),

Supporting Actor:

Ranking

1. Jonathan Banks – Better Call Saul (“Five-O”)
2. Ben Mendelsohn – Bloodline (“Part 12”)
3. Michael Kelly – House of Cards (“Chapter 27”)
4. Alan Cumming – The Good Wife (“Undisclosed Recipients”)
5. Jim Carter – Downton Abbey (“Episode 9″/”Christmas Special”)
6. Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones (“Hardhome”)

So far, there seems to be a trend where half the nominees are “deserving” and the other half probably shouldn’t even be here. I love The Good Wife and Alan Cumming but if voters were really watching, they would have nominated Matt Czuchry whose story line during the first half of the season was the brightest highlight. I really think Peter Dinklage is getting better and better (I didn’t support his win for the first season), but his two scenes in “Hardhome” is lost in the excitement of the second half of the episode. The top three is much stronger. Michael Kelly has a face that says a thousand words. It’s a quiet performance, but he is truly given the time to shine while his character struggles to recuperate after being left for dead. But it is Jonathan Banks who, out of all the nominees, legitimately has an episode to himself. His episode is about the death of his character’s son and how he was able to avenge for it. He’s been the frontrunner for this category since “Five-O” aired and is a deserving winner. But so is Mendelsohn, who is frightening (yet completely sympathetic) in his role.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Trai Byers (Empire), Mike Colter (The Good Wife), Matt Czuchry (The Good Wife), Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy), Christopher Eccleston (The Leftovers), Alfred Enoch (How to Get Away with Murder), Jay R. Ferguson (Mad Men), Dan Fogler (Secrets and Lies), Bryshere Y. Gray (Empire), Andre Holland (The Knick), Joshua Jackson (The Affair), Matt Lauria (Kingdom), Matt McGorry (How to Get Away with Murder), Michael McKeen (Better Call Saul), Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), Jeff Perry (Scandal), Marc Pickering (Boardwalk Empire), Suraj Sharma (Homeland), Jussie Smollett (Empire), Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom), Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy)

Supporting Actress:

Ranking

1. Christina Hendricks – Mad Men (“Lost Horizon”)
2. Lena Headey – Game of Thrones (“Mother’s Mercy”)
3. Uzo Aduba – Orange is the New Black (“Hugs Can Be Deceiving”)
4. Christine Baranski – The Good Wife (“Loser Edit”)
5. Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones (“The Dance of the Dragons”)
6. Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey (“Episode 8”)

Nothing would make me happier than to see Christine Baranski finally win an Emmy for her always dependable work on The Good Wife. But Aduba (who won an Emmy last year in the comedy category) submitted a perfect episode where we see her character’s past and her first interactions with Vee. Aduba commits to her role 100% and, even though there are other actresses on the show I would have nominated before her, I’m still glad she is getting the recognition she deserves. Both Headey and Clarke are great, but Headey clearly stood out in her episode where her character finally admits to her sins and has to do a nude shame walk around the city. But…Hendricks absolutely needs to win. She should have already won an Emmy for season 5’s “The Other Woman.” I’ve been critical of her nominations for season 6 and the first half of season 7 since she wasn’t given much to do during those periods. However, for this second half, Wiener truly left her with a stand out episode that painfully, yet subtly, details ingrained sexism in an office environment. When Joan has to make the difficult decision between leaving the agency with only half her money, or fighting them in a lengthy trial in court, her pained, desperate facial expression (towards Roger who is telling her to just take the money) is Christina Hendrick’s greatest triumph on the show. Everyone is talking about Jon Hamm being overdue…but Hendricks is the one who gave the performance of the season.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), Erika Christensen (Parenthood), Carrie Coon (The Leftovers), Geena Davis (Grey’s Anatomy), Sarah Drew (Grey’s Anatomy), January Jones (Mad Men), Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Emily Mortimer (The Newsroom), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Laila Robins (Homeland), Caterina Scorsone (Grey’s Anatomy), Shea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), Sissy Spacek (Bloodline), Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black), Holly Taylor (The Americans), Maura Tierney (The Affair), Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black), Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Liza Weil (How to Get Away with Murder), Samira Wiley (Orange is the New Black), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), Alison Wright (The Americans), Bellamy Young (Scandal)

Writing:

Ranking

1. Gordon Smith – Better Call Saul (“Five-O”)
2. Joshua Brand – The Americans (“Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?”)
3. Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner – Mad Men (“Lost Horizon”)
4. Matthew Weiner – Mad Men (“Person to Person”)
5. David Benioff and DB Weiss – Game of Thrones (“Mother’s Mercy”)

Game of Thrones is a beautifully made show…but I am not someone who watches a lot of fantasy. I do not know what good fantasy writing is. It’s beautifully directed, but the script (mostly the dialogue) didn’t move me like the other episodes here. “Person to Person” is a great finale, but like many series finales, it mostly tied up loose ends and gave characters their own closure. I hope if Mad Men wins in this category, it is for season highlight “The Lost Horizon.” That way both Matthew Weiner and the always amazing Semi Chellas both get love. Seeing The Americans get some love here truly makes me happy. Season 3 was probably the show’s strongest season. And although this episode doesn’t have the urgency and revelatory nature of the episodes around it, it still does a brutal job of exposing Philip and Elizabeth’s fading humanity. (And, I need to write this again, Lois Smith > Margo Martindale.) But the episode that kept me the most engaged from the first scene to the last is the heartbreaking stand out “Five-O.” I can’t believe this is Gordon Smith’s first real script. Admittedly, this episode is very “expository.” But the exposition is so well written. And the back story of Mike is so interesting and heart wrenching. If you’re a former Breaking Bad fan who has doubts about Better Call Saul, it wouldn’t be too bad to skip to this episode. It’ll show that the team behind one of television’s greatest drama still has it.

Worthy Snubbed Episodes (one episode per show)

The Americans (“Stingers”), Better Call Saul (“Bingo”), Empire (“Pilot”), The Good Wife (“Oppo Research”), Grey’s Anatomy (“How to Save a Life”), Homeland (“13 Hours in Islamabad”), House of Cards (“Chapter 32”), The Leftovers (“Guest”), Mad Men (“The Forecast”), Orange is the New Black (“We Have Manners. We’re Polite”), Scandal (“Run”)

Directing:

Ranking

1. David Nutter – Game of Thrones (“Mother’s Mercy”)
2. Lesli Linka Glatter – Homeland (“From A to B And Back Again”)
3. Steven Soderbergh – The Knick (“Method and Madness”)
4. Tim Van Patten – Boardwalk Empire (“Eldorado”)
5. James Podeswa – Game of Thrones (“Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”)

I had never seen The Knick before reviewing these episodes so, selfishly, I’d glad Soderbergh submitted the first episode. I am officially sold on the show. Those surgery scenes make me cringe so much. I also really like how racial tension is portrayed here. It’s interesting to have a “protagonist” so racist and prejudice (even for 1900). I can’t wait to watch more so I can see how the relationship between Thackery and Edwards develops. Overall, I think “Mother’s Mercy” is the most masterful episode in the lineup. That shame walk alone makes Nutter the most deserving. However, I wouldn’t mind seeing Glatter finally rewarded, especially after directing such a masterful, surprising episode. I think there are more intense episodes later in the season, but Glatter really does a nice job of setting the season to full gear.

Worthy Snubbed Episodes (one episode per show)

The Americans (“March 8, 1983”), Better Call Saul (“Five-O”), Empire (“Pilot”), Game of Thrones (“Hardhome”), The Good Wife (“Mind’s Eye”), Grey’s Anatomy (“How to Save a Life”), Homeland (“13 Hours in Islamabad”), House of Cards (“Chapter 39”), How to Get Away with Murder (“Mama’s Here Now”), The Leftovers (“Two Boats And A Helicopter”), Mad Men (“Lost Horizon”), Orange is the New Black (“We Have Manners. We’re Polite”), Parenthood (“May God Bless You and Keep You Always”), Red Band Society (“Pilot”), Scandal (“Run”)

Lead Actress:

Ranking

1. Robin Wright – House of Cards (“Chapter 32”)
2. Taraji P. Henson – Empire (“Pilot”)
3. Viola Davis – How to Get Away with Murder (“Freakin’ Whack-A-Mole”)
4. Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black (“Certain Agony of the Battlefield”)
5. Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men (“Person to Person”)
6. Claire Danes – Homeland (“From A to B and Back Again”)

Woof…can we have a six way tie here? Seriously, this is the strongest category I’ve encountered so far. Any of these actresses would be deserving. Honestly, I really only have Danes at sixth because she already has two Emmys, and I believe a third Emmy win should be reserved for something truly transformative. Elisabeth Moss is sweet and the scene where her character is on the phone  with Stan is the series finale highlight for me. Both Davis and Henson are fierce, but I have to admit, I prefer Henson’s complete abandon and uninhibitedness over Davis’s firebrand intensity. Now…Maslany. Sigh…it’s hard putting her in fourth. I’ve been a fan of Tatiana Maslany before most other Americans were. As someone who watches a lot of Canadian television, I’ve loved her since her days on renegadepress.com (so her scenes with Ksenia Solo made me esp. happy). After having watched most of season one of Orphan Black, I knew that not only should Maslany get nominated, she should win. I stopped watching the show however because I realized that even though Maslany’s performance was great, I couldn’t force myself to like the show. It’s just not the sort of show I enjoy. However, I still rooted for her during her second season, and I was crushed when she was snubbed yet again. This year…I literally jumped for joy when Tatiana Maslany’s name was announced. And I was so looking forward to watching her tape. Look, Maslany’s wonderful. The way she goes from one role to the other is flawless. I know I should only be judging the performance itself…but what kept Maslany from being my number 1 pick was the fact that I found the episode way too confusing. I had no clue what was going on. So, it was hard for me relate emotionally to whatever Maslany was doing. The confusion distracted me from truly letting her work soak in. But, again, any of these 6 should/could win. But it’s just weird because I came into this project believing Maslany would be my undeniable number 1 choice.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), Tea Leoni (Madam Secretary), Juliette Lewis (Secrets and Lies), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Teri Polo (The Fosters), Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy), Keri Russell (The Americans), Sherri Saum (The Fosters), Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black), Kerry Washington (Scandal), Ruth Wilson (The Affair)

Lead Actor:

Ranking

1. Kevin Spacey – House of Cards (“Chapter 32”)
2. Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (“Pimento”)
3. Jon Hamm – Mad Men (“Person to Person”)
4. Kyle Chandler – Bloodline (“Episode 12”)
5. Liev Schreiber – Ray Donovan (“Walk This Way”)
6. Jeff Daniels – The Newsroom (“What Kind of Day Has It Been?”)

Another strong category, despite missing Matthew Rhys. Kyle Chandler submitted the perfect episode (without giving anything away, he has a big scene with Ben Mendelsohn on the shore). Jon Hamm is really great in the series finale, particularly his final phone call with Elizabeth Moss. But, I can’t help but appreciate Bob Odenkirk’s perfect mix of humor and drama in his portrayal of Saul more. It’s a little strange saying this, considering BCS is a prequel to Breaking Bad: But Odenkirk truly transformed a character that I used to think was pretty one-note. However, I’m actually hoping both Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright win for their masterful performances in undeniably the best episode of House of Cards I have ever seen. From Wright’s subtle desperation to Spacey’s explosive anger during the final scene, Spacey and Wright successfully pull a two-hander here and surprised me. Season 4 of House of Cards will be the first time I watch the entire season with the rest of the world because of how much I’ve enjoyed the handful of season 3 episodes I’ve watched for this blog post.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel), Terrence Howard (Empire), Clive Owen (The Knick), Ryan Phillippe (Secrets and Lies), Matthew Rhys (The Americans), Dominic West (The Affair)

Drama Series:

Ranking

1. Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
2. Better Call Saul (AMC)
3. Homeland (Showtime)
4. Game of Thrones (HBO)
5. Mad Men (AMC)
6. House of Cards (Netflix)
7. Downton Abbey (PBS)

I really believe Orange is the New Black deserved more nominations. The show is so underrepresented in the other categories, I almost forgot it was nominated here. In any case, OITNB is easily my top choice, especially for a season that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout (season 2 btw, not season 3). Mad Men, which has won four Best Drama Emmys, is a great show, but the last season (or half a season) was inconsistent and overshadowed by Elizabeth Reaser dullness. Maybe it’s finally time for Game of Thrones to prevail…

Worthy Snubbed Programs

The Americans, Empire, The Good Wife, Kingdom, The Knick, Switched At Birth, The Fosters

I hope to have one more post for some other extraneous categories. Until then…

Comedy Series Review

Movie/Miniseries Review

Other Categories (Part 1)

Other Categories (Part 2)

2015 Emmys Review (Other Categories – Part 1)

Ever since I was little, I’ve always been a fan of entertainment awards. I remember cheering loudly every time Rugrats won the Nickelodeon Choice Award for Favorite Cartoon (the show pretty much won every year during its prime.) Yes, awarding mostly wealthy celebrities is silly. Yes, awards are 100% subjective. Yes, X never wins, X totally deserves to win, Y always wins, awards are political and biased! But, still, there’s something so fascinating about the art and practice of prizing, particularly when it comes to the “EGOT.” I love “studying” awards and watching programs and movies that have been nominated for them. So, on this blog, I certainly plan on discussing various awards and the nominees and who I think will/should win.

These are some other categories that I’ve decided to look into, including Animated Program, Music, Main Title Design, Commercial, Special Class Program, and Variety Special. Like always, I am simply ranking the nominees based on personal preference. Real predictions come later.

Music and Lyrics:

Ranking

1. Sons of Anarchy (“Come Join the Murder”)
2. Glee (“This Time”)
3. Inside Amy Schumer (“Girl You Don’t Need Make Up”)
4. The Oscars (“Moving Pictures”)
5. How Murray Stole Christmas (“You Gotta Believe”)
6. The Comedians (“Kiss an Old Man”)

If “Kiss an Old Man” had been replaced with something from SNL (like “Wishing Boot” or “Back Home Baller”) or that “Yayaya Lorde” song from South Park then this category would have been perfect. The worst thing about that song being nominated is that the writing team Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez received another nomination for their infinitely better song from The Oscars. Again, besides my number 6 pick, this is a great category. “Girl You Don’t Need Make Up” hilariously skewers bands like One Direction and the societal expectations of women. I squealed with delight when Darren Criss received Glee‘s only nomination for the song Lea Michele/Rachel sang in the show’s finale. However, Kurt Sutter and co’s series finale swan song is stronger. I’ve actually never watched a second of Sons of Anarchy, but this beautiful, yet haunting seven minute masterpiece made me want to log on to Amazon and watch the show from the beginning. The show has been snubbed so many times. It only receives respect for its a music. A Music and Lyrics win would be a nice (although maybe not wholly satisfying) way of honoring a show that will be loved and remembered for years to come.

Music Direction: 

Ranking

1. Peter Pan Live! (NBC)
2. Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas (NBC)
3. The Oscars (ABC)
4. The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
5. Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life – An All-Star GRAMMY Salute (CBS)
6. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Live From Lincoln Center) (PBS)

Last year, David Chase was nominated for directing NBC’s polarizing live production of The Sound of Music. He should have won, but he was beaten by a televised tribute to The Beatles. This year, he’s nominated again for Perer Pan Live! And, like last year, he should win. Personally, I’m a huge fan of these NBC productions. While the cast gets its fair share of jeers, the people behind the scenes do a truly wonderful job keeping the show afloat, including Chase who oversees the orchestra and anything else music related. What David Chase accomplishes is no small feat…but unfortunately there’s a great chance he’ll be overshadowed by another musical tribute. Overall, I’m more impressed with the musicals than the televised concerts and award shows that are usually favored in this category.

Special Class Program:

Ranking

1. Beyonce and Jay-Z On The Run (HBO)
2. The 72nd Annual Golden Globes Awards (NBC)
3. The Oscars (ABC)
4. 68th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)
5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Live From the Lincoln Center) (PBS)

So, according to the PDF file where I’m getting these nominees, special class programs include award shows, classical/music productions, and TV programs that weren’t specifically produced for television. OK. Now I get things! Anyway, five very enjoyable programs are nominated this year (although I wish Peter Pan Live! had nabbed a nom). I would love to see Tina Fey and, especially, Amy Poehler win an Emmy for hosting the most enjoyable awards show these last three years. However, I have to follow my heart this time and root for “On the Run.” This show is the ultimate proof of how hard Beyonce and Jay-Z work. Yes, they’re filthy rith and live comfortable lives. But when they’re on the stage in front of thousands of fans who probably traveled hours just to see them, the 2 really put on a show. And this TV program captured the excitement of their one and only European tour stop in Paris. From the slow motion effects to the experimentation with light, color and sound, this HBO production wasn’t simply a filmed concert. Director Jonas Akerlund (who should have been nominated for an Emmy in the directing category) really captured this experience for lonely boys like me who can’t afford to go to a Beyonce concert. I can’t say enough great things about this program. It probably won’t win because Emmy voters are old and lack imagination, but I’m definitely a fan of both artists and this concert.

Worthy Snubbed Programs

57th Annual Grammy Awards, 2015 MTV Movie Awards, The Nance (Live From the Lincoln Center), Peter Pan Live!

Main Title Design:

Ranking

1. Olive Kitteridge
2. American Horror Story: Freak Show
3. Halt and Catch Fire
4. Manhattan
5. Marvel’s Daredevil
6. Bosch

So, this is a mostly underwhelming category (although, I will start watching Halt and Catch Fire. It looks interesting). American Horror Story pretty much does the same thing every year, but some of the images they chose for this theme was pretty creepy and memorable. I think I would mostly root for Olive Kitteridge which, like the miniseries itself, showcases different images from different episodes of life. It’s a simple, yet effective theme. It’s not as flashy as the others, but I think that simplicity is what makes it stand out.

Worthy Snubbed Contenders

A To Z, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Marco Polo, Saturday Night Live, Transparent, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Main Title Theme Music:

Ranking

1. Transparent
2. Texas Rising
3. Penny Dreadful
4. Marco Polo
5. The Dovekeepers
6. Tyrant

Five out of Six of these nominees apparently took notes from Game of Thrones‘ opening theme. This category is filled with beautiful music, but it lacks true diversity and spontaneity. Most of themes are these big epic scores. Frankly #2-#5 are pretty much tied for second. Transparent‘s theme is truly memorable. It’s somber, yet beautiful. Simple, yet lovely. Since there are no online ballots for music categories, I’m not going to list the themes that were probably snubbed. However, I can definitely say that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt should have been here. Name a theme song that had a bigger impact than that one? I dare ya.

Commercial:

Ranking

1. Always (“#LikeAGirl“)
2. Nissan (“With Dad“)
3. Snickers (“Brady Bunch“)
4. Gatorade (“Made in NY“)
5. Budweiser (“Lost Dog“)
6. Adobe (“Dream On“)

Let’s start with the bottom three first. If I actually cared about/liked baseball, the admittedly beautifully shot Gatorade commercial would probably resonate with me more. However, that is not the case so it’s 4th. The “Lost Dog” commercial is cute (I love horses)…but then I realized this was a commercial selling beer…and that knocked it down a peg or two. The top 3 is really great. I’m sucker for those Snickers commercials and this one involving the Brady Bunch is very creative and well made. The Nissan commercial is really good because it’s like a short film. I almost wish it was longer so we could see more of the disconnect between the father and son, but it made me tear up nonetheless. But, really, my inner feminist is saying that #LikeAGirl should be the winner here. As a society, we’ve decided saying stuff like “that’s so retarded” or “that’s so gay” is offensive. Now, we need to realize that phrases like “throw like a girl” and “run like a girl” can potentially ruin a girl’s self esteem. I’m not sure if this commercial was scripted or real. In any case, it is still incredibly effective. And I think it’s perfect that a tampon brand would be the one to make a commercial like this. However, I have to say, my favorite commercial of the year wasn’t even submitted so whatever…

Animated Program:

Ranking

1. Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon Network)
2. Bob’s Burgers – “Can’t Buy Me Math” (FOX)
3. South Park – “Freemium Isn’t Free” (FOX)
4. Archer – “Pocket Listing” (FX)
5. The Simpsons – “Treehouse of Horror XXV” (FOX)

Last year, for the first time since the mid nineties, The Simpsons wasn’t nominated in this category. This year, unsurprisingly, The Simpsons was invited back to the party. I don’t watch the show as regularly as I used to, and this is the first episode of this season I’ve watched. If “Treehouse of Horror” was the best the producers could submit, then the show clearly does not deserve an Emmy this year. As for South Park – “Freemium Isn’t Free” sort represents the “hit or miss” nature of the show. While the commentary on alcohol addiction and cell phone app scams was on point, it all got bogged down by a Terrance and Phillip storyline that doesn’t do much for me. Bob’s Burgers always makes me laugh and this episode is no exception. However (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) but the kiddie mini series from Cartoon Network absolutely deserves this one. I don’t watch many modern cartoons for kids. Actually, I don’t watch them at all. I’ll stick to my Hey Arnold thank you very much! However, Over the Garden Wall is beautifully animated, the script is funny, and the story is clever, without being too complex and/or hard to understand. I also have to give a shout out to Collin Dean who hilariously voiced Gregory, the younger brother. If he submitted himself for consideration, he was surely cheated out of a nomination. But, anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this special, and I think there’s enough to turn this into a regular series. While the other shows are sort of same ol’ same ol’, I hope voters actually reward innovation and creativity, instead of playing it safe and giving South Park another win.

Worthy Snubbed Programs

Bojack Horseman, Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas, “The Simpsons Guy,” How Murray Saved Christmas

Variety Special:

Ranking

1. The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC)
2. Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek LIVE! (PBS)
3. Louis CK: Live From DC (LouisCK.com)
4. Bill Maher: Live From DC (HBO)
5. The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
6. Mel Brooks Live at Geffen (HBO)

I don’t want to get into semantics or anything, but when I think of the word “variety,” I think of those television specials that had that perfect blend of comedy and music. Carol Burnett perfected the format. The Brady Bunch pretty much ruined it. The point is, I think, nowadays, SNL comes the closest to what I envision a “variety show” should be. Obviously, the word “variety” can mean many different things. But I am huge fan and supporter of SNL. Yes, it’s not a perfect show, but what the show achieves on a weekly basis is impressive. And the show’s whole legacy is celebrated in their 40th special. It’s not a perfect three hours. I remember being underwhelmed by Weekend Update (as much as I loved seeing Fey, Poehler and Curtain together) and The Californians was a waste of time. But, overall, the show was still well made and deserving of the prize. Louis CK and Bill Maher are funny. And Mel Brooks is surprisingly active and sharp at such an old age. However, the only other program I’d be happy to see win is the Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett concert. Bennett is a great performer and his version of “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” is a highlight. Lady Gaga has one of the best pure voices in pop and is so genuine and earnest throughout the show. For such a large age difference, they both work so well together and have great chemistry. It certainly is an entertaining special.

Worthy Snubbed Programs

CMT Crossroads: Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves, Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber

OK. That is all for now. I am working on the Drama Categories and those should be posted in about a week or two. Meanwhile, check out my review of.

Directing For a Variety Special:

Ranking

1. Don Roy King – The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
2. Hamish Hamilton – The Oscars
3. Natalie Johns – Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live In Concert
4. Louis J. Horvitz – The Kennedy Center Honors
5. Glenn Weiss – 68th Annual Tony Awards

Don Roy King has won an Emmy for his work on SNL the last five years. I’d say it’s a bit excessive for him to win a 6th…but the 40th Anniversary was so much fun…I have to give King credit for what he accomplished. Directing SNL is truly a tightwire act, and I’m amazed with anyone who’s ever done it before. If King doesn’t win, I hope Hamilton wins his first Emmy for a genuinely great Oscars.

Worthy Snubbed Directors

Jonas Ackerlund (Beyoncé And JAY Z On The Run), Matthew Diamond (The Nance), Rob Ashford and Glenn Weiss (Peter Pan Live!)

Writing For A Variety Special:

1. The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
2. Key & Peele Super Bowl Special
3. The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
4. Louis CK: Live At The Comedy Store
5. Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen

This may the one chance Amy Poehler will have in winning an Emmy! C’mon Emmys! Don’t let me down! But, seriously, that Golden Globes monologue trumps everything else in this category. However, the Key and Peele special had some really clever moments. As much as I loved the SNL special, I wouldn’t necessarily call it an outstanding “writing achievement.” But, if the Emmys are feeling nostalgic, it’s probably the frontrunner here.

Worthy Snubbed Programs

Comedy Central Roast Of Justin Bieber, Rosie O’Donnell: A Heartfelt Stand Up

The Comedy Categories

The Drama Categories

Movie/Limited Series Categories

Other Categories – Part 2

Thank you for reading.

2015 Emmys Review (Comedy Categories)

Ever since I was little, I’ve always been a fan of entertainment awards. I remember cheering loudly every time Rugrats won the Nickelodeon Choice Award for Favorite Cartoon (the show pretty much won every year during its prime.) Yes, awarding mostly wealthy celebrities is silly. Yes, awards are 100% subjective. Yes, X never wins, X totally deserves to win, Y always wins, awards are political and biased! But, still, there’s something so fascinating about the art and practice of prizing, particularly when it comes to the “EGOT.” I love “studying” awards and watching programs and movies that have been nominated for them. So, on this blog, I certainly plan on discussing various awards and the nominees and who I think will/should win.

Today, I will be discussing the nominees of all the major Comedy categories, including guest performance, writing and directing. I’m ranking the contenders based on personal preference, not making an “objective prediction.” Those will come later.

Episode submission information courtesy of Gold Derby.

Guest Actor:

Ranking

1. Bill Hader – Saturday Night Live (“Bill Hader”)
2. Jon Hamm – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Kimmy Makes Waffles”)
3. Bradley Whitford – Transparent (“Best New Girl”)
4. Paul Giamatti – Inside Amy Schumer (“12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer”)
5. Louis CK – Saturday Night Live (“Louis CK”)
6. Mel Brooks – The Comedians (“Celebrity Guest”)

“12 Angry Men” was one of the funniest episodes of comedy I have seen all year. I’ve probably watched the special five or six times. The entire cast of the episode work well together, and it’s nice to see the episode represented here, but there were performances in that episode I thought were more memorable than Giamatti’s. Giamatti is an inexplicable Emmy favorite, so the fact that he was singled doesn’t come as too much of a shock. Ultimately, anyone from the top 3 would be deserving, but Bill Hader is my personal favorite here. If I had to choose a stand out sketch from that episode, it would be the “Cat in the Hat” sketch. His line reading “Linda!” still has me in stitches…Dan Cortese.

Worthy Snubbed Performance

Josh Charles (Inside Amy Schumer), Nick DiPaolo (Inside Amy Schumer), Jim Florentine (Louie), John Hawkes (Inside Amy Schumer), Chris Hemsworth (Saturday Night Live), Dwayne Johnson (Saturday Night Live), Nick Kroll (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Nathan Lane (Modern Family), Ki Hong Lee (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Jerry Minor (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Michael Rapaport (Louie), Seth Rogen (The Comeback)

Guest Actress:

Ranking

1. Pamela Adlon – Louie (“Bobby’s House”)
2. Gaby Hoffmann – Girls (“Home Birth”)
3. Joan Cusack – Shameless (“Milk of the Gods”)
4. Christine Baranski – The Big Bang Theory (“The Maternal Combustion”)
5. Tina Fey – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Kimmy Goes to Court”)
6. Elizabeth Banks – Modern Family (“Fight or Flight”)

This one is a no-brainer for me. “Bobby’s House” is definitely my favorite episode of Louie this year, and Pamela Adlon pretty much gives her strongest performance on the show. From her reaction to Louie getting beat up by a woman to the end where she breaks up with Louie after pretty much emasculating him, Adlon just hits it out of the park (as does Louis CK but we’ll get to him later). I’m so happy Adlon got a nomination, along with Hoffman, who makes the most of her limited screen time. Her episode is when her character attempts to give birth in her bath tub, to disastrous effects (don’t worry, it’s not a depressing episode). Hoffman deserved a nomination last year as well, so go Emmy voters! The only nomination here that seems useless is Elizabeth Banks’s, who was probably name checked because…Pitch Perfect, Hunger Games, and, yeah, Modern Family.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Laurie Metcalf (The Big Bang Theory), Lennon Parham (Veep), Emily Robinson (Transparent), Amy Sedaris (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), June Squibb (Getting On)

Supporting Actor:

Ranking:

1. Tituss Burgess – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Kimmy Goes to School”)
2. Tony Hale – Veep (“East Wing”)
3. Adam Driver – Girls (“Close-Up”)
4. Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (“The Mole”)
5. Keegan-Michael Key – Key and Peele (“Sex Detective”)
6. Ty Burrell – Modern Family (“Crying Out Loud”)

When it was first announced (by, of course, the best awards site on the net Gold Derby) that Tituss Burgess had submitted this episode, I thought he was sort of following the hype. “Peeno Noir” has sort of become an unofficial breakout hit for Burgess. I thought he had funnier, more meaningful moments in “Kimmy is Bad at Math” (werewolf) and “Kimmy Kisses a Boy” (cosby sweater)…even “Kimmy Goes to a Party” (let it go) or “Kimmy’s in a Love Triangle” (no entourage movie!) would have been great. But I seriously forgot how much screen time Burgess has in “Kimmy Goes to School” and all the hilarious moments he nails (“I’ll give you a 100 bugs” “Did you say bugs?” “Run Lillian!”) And, yeah, he does slay in “Peeno Noir.” This all proves that Burgess is an undeniable break out success and he is absolutely my first choice for the win. Please don’t disappoint me, Emmys. Don’t give Ty Burrell a third Emmy!

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Fred Armisen (Portlandia), Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live), Laurence Fishburne (black-ish), Noel FIsher (Shameless), Josh Gad (The Comedians), Alex Karpovsky (Girls), Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live), Stephen Mangan (Episodes), TJ Miller (Silicon Valley), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless), Kyle Mooney (Saturday Night Live), Garrett Morris (2 Broke Girls), Robert Michael Morris (The Comeback), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Randall Park (Fresh of the Park), Jordan Peele (Key and Peele), Sam Richardson (Veep), Mel Rodriguez (The Last Man on Earth), Peter Scolari (Girls), Reid Scott (Veep), Timothy Simons (Veep), Matt Walsh (Veep), Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), Damian Young (The Comeback)

Supporting Actress:

Ranking

1. Jane Krakowski – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Kimmy Gets a Job”)
2. Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live (“Taraji P. Henson”)
3. Anna Chlumsky – Veep (“Convention”)
4. Gaby Hoffmann – Transparent (“Rollin'”)
5. Niecy Nash – Getting On (“7th Annual Christmas Card Competition”)
6. Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory (“The Prom Equivalency”)
7. Allison Janney – Mom (“Dropped Soap and a Big Guy on a Throne”)
8. Julie Bowen – Modern Family (“Valentine’s Day 4: Twisted Sister”)

So, this is a category I was really excited for. The surprising nods towards Hoffmann and Nash made me especially happy. There are a couple notes I have here. One, I had a hard time deciding whether I liked Bialik’s tape of Janney’s tape more. Janney has more screen time and some great physical comedy (+ a really nice emotional punch at the end). However, Bialik had a couple great scenes, including her depressing prom memories, and that scene where Sheldon admits his love for Penny. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter because they’re ranked 6 and 7 but…I think I’d be a little less depressed if Bialik wins her first Emmy. But, honestly, after watching all these episodes again, I knew it had to be between Krakowski, McKinnon, and Chlumsky. Jane Krakowski, the Queen of irreverent one-liners, is my top pick. But, overall, this is a very strong category.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Lauren Adams (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Becky Ann Baker (Girls), Alex Borstein (Getting On), Sufe Bradshaw (Veep), Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia), Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live), Sara Chase (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Hadley Delany (Louie), Hilary Duff (Younger), Tamsin Greig (Episodes), January Jones (Last Man on Earth), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Amy Landecker (Transparent), Jane Lynch (Glee), Debi Mazar (Younger), Sol Miranda (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Ursula Parker (Louie), Miriam Shor (Younger), June Squibb (The Jack and Triumph Show), Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live)

Directing:

Ranking

1. Jill Soloway – Transparent (“Best New Girl”)
2. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller – The Last Man on Earth (“Alive in Tuscon”)
3. Louis CK – Louie (“Sleepover”)
4. Armando Iannucci – Veep (“Testimony”)
5. Mike Judge – Silicon Valley (“Sand Hill Shuffle”)

This is truly a perfect line up. Not saying that there aren’t other episodes as deserving of a nomination; but I have zero issues with this particular line up. I am so glad Veep finally got recognition in this category, but “Testimony” seems like more off a writing accomplishment than a directing. “Sleepover” is a great choice; my favorite moment of the episode is the very beginning when Louie and her daughter watch that Broadway play starring John Lithgow, Michael Cera, Glenn Close and Matthew Broderick. That scene really honors, yet parodies, modern drama. My number one choice is Jill Soloway, who submitted an episode that is mostly composed of flashbacks. I truly believe Transparent‘s a drama…but I can’t deny how beautifully directed it is, particularly the scenes involving Emily Robinson.

Worthy Snubbed Episodes (one episode per show)

The Comeback (“Valerie Gets What She Wants”), Girls (“Home Birth”), Glee (“Dreams Come True”), Parks and Recreation (“One Last Ride”), Transparent (“Moppa”), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Kimmy Kisses a Boy”),  Younger (“Pilot”)

Writing:

Ranking

1. Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, and Tony Roche – Veep (“Election Night”)
2. Louis CK – Louie (“Bobby’s House”)
3. Alec Berg – Silicon Valley (“Two Days of the Condor”)
4. Will Forte – The Last Man on Earth (“Alive in Tucson”)
5. David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik – Episodes (“Episode 409”)
6. Jill Soloway – Transparent (“Pilot”)

Another strong category, but there were a couple instances when the wrong episode was nominated and/or chosen for a represented show. During my binge watch of Transparent last fall, I grew to really like the show. However, the pilot episode did not draw me in all that much, and i had to convince myself to continue watching afterwards. If Jill Soloway had submitted a later episode (like the final episode) for consideration, then she might higher up here. Same goes for The Last Man on Earth. The first episode does a great job of establishing the world, but it’s not as funny or clever or crazy as some of the later episodes where there are more characters in play. Honestly, it is time for Veep to win a writing award. It is the best written comedy on television, and “Election Night” (the season finale) is the perfect representative for this season.

Worthy Snubbed Episodes (one episode per show)

black-ish (“Pilot”), Bojack Horseman (“Later”), The Comeback (“Valerie is Brought to Her Knees”), Family Guy (“Roasted Guy”), Getting On (“The 7th Annual Christmas Card Competition”), Parks and Recreation (“One Last Ride”), South Park (“Freemium Isn’t Free”), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Kimmy Goes Outside!”), Younger (“Pilot”)

Lead Actor:

Ranking

1. Will Forte – The Last Man on Earth (“Alive in Tuscon”)
2. Louis CK – Louie (“Bobby’s House”)
3. Matt LeBlanc – Episodes (“Episode 405”)
4. Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent (“The Letting Go”)
5. Anthony Anderson – black-ish (“Sex, Lies, and Vasectomies”)
6. William H. Macy – Shameless (“A Night to Remem…Wait, What?”)
7. Don Cheadle – House of Lies (“It’s a Box Inside a Box Inside a Box, Dipshit”)

This one was tough for me rank…It’ll probably be even tougher for me when I actually make a real prediction. I was unimpressed with Don Cheadle’s last two episode submissions, but he actually did good work (particularly his scenes with Kristen Bell and Donis Leonard Jr.) here. William H. Macy is, honestly, one of my least favorite things about this show (well, at least his character…who should have died a long time ago), but he chose an admittedly great episode to represent him. I was more disappointed with Tambor’s submission. I know he’s wrongfully placed in the comedy category, but he should have submitted a darker, more dramatic episode (like the weirdly ignored, yet brilliant season finale where Tambor’s character harshly chastises her daughter). I truly had a tough time deciding between Forte and CK for my top spot. Louis CK submitted “Bobby’s House,” where he has that gender bending roleplaying scene with Pamela Adlon. It’s a relatively quiet and meek performance, but CK plays that vulnerability well, particularly the moment when Pamela breaks up with him. I’d love to see Louis CK, LeBlanc or even Tambor win (and we can be thankful that Jim Parsons won’t be in the running this year), but Will Forte gave a truly stellar comedic performance. He is consistently the funniest thing about his show and is rarely overshadowed by anyone (no shade, the entire cast is great). I wouldn’t have chose then first episode for him, but Forte admittedly has a nice mix of comedy, delusion, and depression. I am so glad Forte received a semi-surprising nomination here, but a win would (of course) be better and deserved.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Chris D’Elia (Undateable), Ken Marino (Marry Me), Chris Messina (The Mindy Project), Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley), Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation)

Lead Actress:

Ranking

1. Lisa Kudrow – The Comeback (“Valerie is Taken Seriously”)
2. Amy Schumer – Inside Amy Schumer (“Cool With It”)
3. Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation (“One Last Ride’)
4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep (“Election Night”)
5. Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie (“I Say a Little Prayer”)
6. Lily Tomlin – Grace and Frankie (“The Vows”)

Why couldn’t this category have 7 actors like Lead Actor? We definitely needed a burst of Ellie Kemper or Constance Wu up in here. Anyway, look, nothing would make me happier than to see Amy Poehler FINALLY win her very first Emmy. However, there really wasn’t a comedic performance this season that made me laugh, cry, and just straight up smile with glee as much as Lisa Kudrow’s in The Comeback. Did she submit her strongest episode? No, the finale or the episode where she fights with her husband would have been better. However, even with this “filler episode,” she’s still better than all the other nominees. Considering how much buzz The Comeback lost from the fall to now, the nomination is probably the award itself. But, still, Kudrow is a beast and I’m glad there’s going to be a third season. As for Louis-Dreyfus, while she’ll never be undeserving of a win, after three consecutive wins, I don’t think she really did anything in the season or even if her episode submission that was too different from the past seasons. One should only win a fourth Emmy if they really step it up, and I’m not convinced Louis-Dreyfus was given the opportunity to do so this year. But, again, she is a Queen of comedy and if she does win, I look forward to what funny thing she’ll do during her speech.

Worthy Snubbed Performances

Dove Cameron (Liv and Maddie), Courteney Cox (Cougar Town), Anna Faris (Mom), Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie), Sutton Foster (Younger), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Lea Michele (Glee), Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish), Emmy Rossum (Shameless), Kristen Schaal (Last Man on Earth), Casey Wilson (Marry Me), Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat)

Comedy Series:

Ranking

1. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
2. Veep (HBO)
3. Louie (FX)
4. Silicon Valley (HBO)
5. Parks and Recreation (NBC)
6. Transparent (Amazon)
7. Modern Family (ABC)

30 Rock is my favorite comedy show of all time; and I was always so happy when the show did well at the Emmys. However, after its third Comedy Series win, the show sort of had an arrow on its back. I always got irrationally angry when people wrote/said “I hope anyone wins but 30 Rock!” It was unfair to single out a show like that just because it had won so many times. But…now I sort of empathize with those haters because, honestly, I would be happy if any show in this category won…except Modern Family. Modern Family is still capable of being really funny. “Connection Lost” was a surprisingly fun episode. However, there are other comedy shows that are doing more daring things out there. Modern Family winning a sixth “historic” Emmy just seems excessive, in an “Amazing Race/Daily Show” sort of way. It just isn’t as great of a show as the other six, and that’s a fact. Even Transparent, which is really just a half hour drama, would be more “deserving” (an empty word but still…) In any case, since The Comeback or even Last Man on Earth couldn’t receive a nom, then I’m personally rooting for Kimmy Schmidt, a show that simply made me smile during a difficult period in my life. However, Veep is pretty overdue. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a beast, but she’s not the only worthy thing about the show. Anyway, I hope voters think out of the box here, but I have a feeling voters will want to make history and vote for the show that’s on track to win more Comedy Series awards than any other show.

Worthy Snubbed Programs

black-ish, The Comeback, Episodes, Fresh Off the Boat, Getting On, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Last Man on Earth

To read my review of the Drama categories, click here.

To read my review of the Limited Series/Movie categories, click here.

To read my review of miscellaneous categories, like Animated Program, Variety Special, and Special Class Program, click here.…then click here for more.