Hello, Chickadees!
So the nominations for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards are in and as Gomer Pyle put it best: "Surprise! Surprise!" Only surprise…the Academy has managed to yet again present another snoring round of noms with little to no variety. Granted there are a few noms that make me squeal with delight to hear ("30 Rock" and "Mad Men" who loves you, baby?). But all in all, the Academy has remained true to its good ole' boy-like country club style traditions. You know the ones – they claim that any and everybody are welcome to participate and play yet somehow the demographics of their membership never seem to progress beyond the status quo. Of course every now and then some previous undesirable who has made a name for itself and gained significant popularity (HBO's "Sopranos" and "Sex and the City" spring to mind) can begrudgingly gain entry into the club thus making room also for its closest associates and brethren (FX's "The Shield" and AMC's "Mad Men") to join in for a round. Yet the fact remains that this is a closed club (see HBO's "The Wire" and WB's "Gilmore Girls" for the definition of exclusion). And while there are some diversions from the original game players – basically the standards remain the same. So I'll re-cap some of the more interesting noms of note and this year's misses.
Best Drama Series
Though completely justified for having being left out in the cold over the last few years as its storylines have drifted off like an old uncle who can't remember the story he's telling (but who you remain a captive audience for out of sheer respect), I was surprised that there was no recognition of the great medical drama "ER" and its final season. Yes, it lost its way awhile ago (for that matter so did "Lost" which ironically did capture a Best Drama nod), but the writing and storytelling in this last season reminded us of why it was on top for so long previously. And – this season was actually good. Should it have been in the Best Drama Series category? Maybe. Should it have gotten a nod for the writing on at least one of this season's eps? Definitely.
Note: The fact that "Grey's Anatomy" veered off course and cow-tied to Kathryn Heigl's hissy fit and wrote her a ridiculous storyline ripped from the annals of daytime tv (where it was done much better frankly) is the primary reason the usually compelling drama lost its prized perch among the Best Drama nominees. Want to get back in our good graces, Shonda Rhimes? Do us all a favor and either kill off Izzie (along with George) or put her back in line with the other doctors so we can enjoy this show's ENSEMBLE storytelling.
Best Actor (Comedy)
I'll admit that CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" is a guilty pleasure of mine and I chuckle along a bit, but I totally recognize that it's not a great show. To be frank, the jokes are a little predictable as are all the storylines. Whatever you might say about CW's now defunct "The Game" (that it isn't "mainstream" enough, that it's not relatable), it was a show far more riveting, provocative and frankly FUNNY than this one. But as is always the case with "niche" shows (read: those where minority characters aren't in the minority), it's gotten the boot and TBBT remains on our dials. At any rate, with full disclosure of my secret shame at watching this show and admitting that I too laugh at many of his antics, I don't know how I feel about Jim Parsons (who plays the annoying super geek "Sheldon Cooper") being up for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. One of my biggest problems with this show is that it looks to be on the verge of suffering from the "JJ Evans-Steve Urkel" syndrome. That is, it's a decent enough show but it looks to want to dumb down its premise by taking the focus off of this group of nerdy friends and (at least initially) the central character of Leonard and focus instead primarily on the obnoxiously OVER THE TOP character Sheldon.
My fear with this nomination is that the writers (who want to keep the show on so they can keep paying their light bills) will begin to sacrifice potentially good storytelling in place of a mediocre show that centers all of its storylines around a character whose actions are borderline buffoonish. The fact is, in real life no one would indulge the neurotic, psychotic, self-absorbed behavior of someone like Sheldon let alone give them an award for it. (And if you mention Rainn Wilson's "Dwight" from "The Office" might I point out that the writers are careful to avoid overwhelming us with Dwight's antics and remain focused primarily on Michael with equal focus given at times to other supporting characters). I appreciate the gesture to "shake things up a bit" Academy, but I wonder if we'll all really regret this choice in the morning.
Best Comedy Series
Have you ever come across someone that all your friends raved about and thought you would just die for if ever you two were to meet – but for some reason you just never got around to it? That someone for me was "Family Guy." All of my guy friends (pun intended) have a wicked sense of humor (we're still bemoaning the death of "Boondocks") but they can be a little "frat boyish" for my taste (farting jokes, sick sex jokes, etc.) so I took their enthusiasm over this show with a grain of salt. However, when you're out of work for 6 months all of a sudden you find yourself needing to fill your days to keep from stabbing yourself though the eye. That's how my love affair with "Family Guy" came to be and to now see it nominated as the Best Comedy Series (the first animated series to receive the distinction since "The Flintstones" in '61) is kind of like having taken a chance on the nerdy guy and seeing him morph into a sex god that every girl wants. Let's just hope that Kanye is wrong and he doesn't "leave your ass for a white girl" now that he's rich and famous as brothas are often prone to do.
Best Supporting Actor (Comedy Series)
When Kevin Dillon was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as "Johnny Drama" in the HBO series "Entourage" during the 2007 Emmys I was his biggest supporter. Despite being a fan of Jeremy Piven's work (especially as the frenetic Ari Gold), I thought that particular season Dillon really stood head and shoulders above the crowd and deserved to take home the gold (which eventually went to Piven anyway). I was disappointed, but then Dillon was nominated again last year. The fact is however, that "Entourage" is another ensemble show and just because we like one character more than the others isn't reason enough to overlook great work going on elsewhere. Interestingly enough Jeremy Piven is conspicuously absent from this year's list of nominees (perhaps an after effect of Sushi-gate?). But in reading the list I couldn't help but think if there's any other actor on that show that brings it with every ep it's Kevin Connolly. Connolly is consistently on task and plays "Eric Murphy" effortlessly with such cool that perhaps audiences forget that the guy is acting. Maybe the fact th
at his portrayal of the more straight-laced Murphy isn't as comical in this "comedy" category is what continues to cause the Academy to overlook him. For me, performances like Connolly's in a comedy series provides another argument in favor of the hybrid "Dramedy" category which is what this show is and which is why shows like "Gilmore Girls" (and before it initially "Ally McBeal") have gotten overlooked in the world of Emmy – because they're too funny to be a drama and too serious at times to be seen as a straight comedy. Creating another category would give actors like Connolly and Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls")who are anchors in series like these their (long past) just due.
But, since we can only deal in the what is regarding categories let me get back to the what should be in terms of nominees in this one and ask the Academy how on earth Ugly Betty's "Marc St. James" (played with perfect bitchiness by the hilarious Michael Urie) was himself bitch slapped and dismissed like last year's handbag from these ranks! His biting, sharp remarks have given him lead even over one time top Betty nemesis "Amanda Sommers" who has now seemingly become 2nd banana to this newest Queen B. at Mode. And to add insult to injury - Vanessa Williams (who is campy brilliance as hell-on-wheels-diva "Wilhelmina Slater") is nominated as Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. How can Willy be in the equivalent category and the Ethel to her Lucy not be along for the ride? Just wrong!!
Outstanding Variety, Music Comedy Series
I watched Saturday Night Live faithfully as a kid and always found something hilarious to chuckle over (Dana Carvey's "Church Lady," now Senator Al Franken's "Stuart Smalley" and the "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey" segments). Even looking at reruns of shows that aired long before I was thought of, the show has always been provocative, intriguing and witty. But as an adult I just haven't found the show as humorous as of late- until this past season when SNL returned to its political and social commentary roots and used its show as a platform to make fodder out of the political process – most notably of Sarah Palin, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But it can be said that it was Tina Fey's uncanny resemblance and spot on performance as Vice Presidential Candidate Palin that made SNL relevant (and equally entertaining) to audiences again. SNL's subsequent nod for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series are (for once) well deserved. And who knows – perhaps Fey will be able to pull off what Kate Winslet couldn't during the Oscars as she is also nominated in two acting categories – one for her role as "Liz Lemon" in "30 Rock" (Best Actress, Comedy) and as Outstanding Guest Actress (Comedy) on SNL as Palin.
The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, with Neil Patrick Harris as host, are scheduled to air live Sept. 20 from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
For a complete list of all the nominees click here.
Agree with this Benedict's Picks? Disagree? Let us know what you think about this year's Emmy nominations!
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