Emmys 2011: Predictions

The Primetime Emmy Awards are almost upon us, airing on Sunday, September 18th on FOX.  Jane Lynch will be hosting, and since she's usually pretty hilarious I think we can all expect a pretty good show.  And maybe, just maybe, that good show will compensate for some of the grievous snubs that have taken place this Emmy season (though I doubt it).  Here are my thoughts on who will win and who should win* in each of the big categories.

Supporting Actor, Comedy
Chris Colfer, Glee
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family*
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

I think a part of me is a little resentful still at the excess of Modern Family love in this category-- don't get me wrong, all the men involved are hilarious, but they didn't all give the best performances of the year.  However, I was rooting for Ty Burrell prior to the nominations, and I really do think he's the best of the bunch here.  That said, I think the vote is going to tip in Ed O'Neill's favor, as this is his first nomination.  Either that or all the Modern Family guys will split the vote and we'll see a Chris Colfer win, which would be kind of a bummer.

Supporting Actress, Comedy
Julie Bowen, Modern Family*
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Jane Lynch, Glee
Betty White, Hot in Cleveland
Kristen Wiig, SNL*
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

I don't think the Betty White love-fest is quite over, so I'm pretty certain she'll get this one.  But I would love to see Julie Bowen get in there, or for Kristen Wiig, this category's wild card in every sense, to take home the prize.

Supporting Actor, Drama
*I really have no opinion on this one, as I haven't seen any of the performances nominated


Supporting Actress, Drama
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire*
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Michelle Forbes, The Killing
Margo Martindale, Justified

Lead Actor, Comedy
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Steve Carrell, The Office*
Jim Parsons, Big Bang Theory
Louis C.K., Louie
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Johnny Galecki, Big Bang Theory

Steve Carrell is the sentimental choice, but this time around it's well-earned.  His performance as Michael Scott preparing to leave the Dunder Mifflin crew behind for good was genuinely heartfelt and hilarious, and one that, unlike the other nominees, won't have a chance at being replicated next year.

Lead Actress, Comedy
Laura Linney, The Big C
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation*
Melissa McCarthy, Mike and Molly
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Laura Linney is the favorite, and she is a fantastic actress, but I want Amy Poehler to win so badly that my heart hurts a little.  Leslie Knope is one of the best characters on television because of Poehler and the skill she brings, and I just want someone to recognize that, gosh darnit.

Lead Actor, Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire*
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Timothy Olyphant, Justified

Lead Actress, Drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men*
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order SVU
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law

Outstanding Comedy
Glee
Modern Family
The Office
Parks and Recreation*
The Big Bang Theory
30 Rock

I need a Parks win here.  I need someone besides me and a bunch of other lowly bloggers to acknowledge that this is the best comedy currently on television, hands down.  Modern Family is great, and I watch it every week and laugh along, but the second season lacked the originality and spark of the first, and it just didn't top Parks in terms of comedy this year.

Outstanding Drama
Mad Men
Boardwalk Empire
The Good Wife
Friday Night Lights
Dexter
Game of Thrones*


Boardwalk Empire seems on track to sweep all the major awards, and that's fine.  However, there is nothing I love more than an upset, which is why I'd love to see Game of Thrones (which from what I've read has quite the nerd following) walk away with the prize instead.

Emmys 2011: Disappointments

The Emmy nominations came out this morning, and after all my hard work predicting the nominees, I confess myself (on the whole) very disappointed.  It feels like the voters were just lazy this year, for the most part, picking familiar shows they've nominated in the past-- such as Glee, which was God-awful this season-- and when in doubt, just nominating everyone from Modern Family (and they're funny, but not rule-out-all-competition funny).  Among the robbed:

Nick Offerman:  It was predicted across the board that he would be getting a nod and possibly even a win for his portrayal of Ron Swanson.  I can't imagine I'm the only one who gasped in shock when his name did not appear on the list.

Community:  Again, no Emmy love for this fantastic little show, which has more wit in one cold-open than Glee had it's entire second season (sorry, I'm just feeling really bitter about all the recognition for Glee, if you couldn't tell).

How I Met Your Mother:  I got excited when I read that it had received 5 nominations... until I saw that not one of those was in the major categories.  A tragedy, considering this season was much stronger than last.

Parks and Recreation:  Yes, they got 3, and I'm thrilled about that.  And maybe I'm being greedy, but I still feel that the best comedy on television (and yes, I will keep saying that forevermore) should probably have received more nods than the one of worst comedies on television (Glee).  Amy and the show had better win come September 18th, or I will have some serious anger to overcome.

And on the whole, way too much love for shows that had mediocre to downright weak seasons:  30 Rock, Glee, and Modern Family (still love it, but it genuinely wasn't as funny this year).  Branch out a little, Emmy voters, the rest of us have.

Emmys 2011: Who Should Get a Nod

Amid all of the Harry Potter excitement this week, there is one other very exciting event happening tomorrow morning (at the crack of dawn, no less):  Emmy nominations will be announced for the 2010-2011 season!  Now, we all know the usual suspects will probably make it into the mix:  Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Toni Collette, and so on and so on and now I'm bored.  Rather than try to make predictions (I don't think I watch a varying enough spectrum of television to be very accurate), I'll give my endorsements here to the individuals and shows I feel deserve Emmy recognition, and we'll find out tomorrow whether the voters agree with me.

Supporting Actress, TV Comedy:

Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation
This is the owner of the best female deadpan delivery on television, and that alone should be enough to earn her a nomination.  She was funnier than ever on Parks this season, and got an even more substantial story line to work with.

Busy Phillips, Cougar Town
Without this actress, Cougar Town would be a show where Courtney Cox's character whines all the time and Christa Miller struggles valiantly to lighten things up with her wit.  With Phillips, however, the dynamic of all three actresses is ignited, making for lots of laughs, usually at her character's expense.

Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Let's note that I'm including her in this category if and only if she isn't eligible for Lead status (I don't know how much screen time is required).  As neurotic Clare Dunphy dealing with one of the wackier families on TV, Bowen is consistently hilarious and sympathetic, and more than deserving of an Emmy nod.

Alyson Hannigan, How I Met Your Mother
Hannigan stepped up her game in season 6 of HIMYM, proving that she could not only make us laugh, but handle some pretty heavy drama as well.  If only she and on-screen husband Jason Segel could be nominated in some kind of package deal...


Supporting Actor, TV Comedy:

Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation
This man delivers the funny, every single time.  He has the ability to steal scenes with just one line, even sometimes a single expression.

Aziz Ansari, Parks and Recreation
Ansari brought more dimension and sympathy to the character of Tom this season than I think any of us were expecting.  He consistently has some of the best one-liners on this show and on all of TV, and manages to stand out in an ensemble packed with amazing performers.

Donald Glover, Community
Another character who we knew was funny, but were hoping to see more from this season.  Glover delivered, and helped keep the show afloat during some of its more lackluster moments.

Ty Burrell, Modern Family
He's Phil Dunphy.  If you've seen the show, you know there isn't much more that needs to be said.

Charlie Day, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
No real person could get away with 99% of what he says and does on Sunny, which is probably what makes him so much fun to watch.

Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother
Goofy side-kick no more, Segel took on Marshal's most intensive arc yet this season, and delivered it in a way that was both genuine and endearing.  The episodes in which he was heavily featured were by far some of the best HIMYM has ever done.

Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Always a safe bet for the Emmys, or any awards for that matter.  He brought Barney Stinson back from the edges of cliche-dom by tackling tougher material this season and bringing fresh nuances to an already beloved character.



Lead Actor, TV Comedy:

Steve Carrell, The Office
The Emmys love a swan song, and Steve Carell played his to perfection this season on The Office.  His final episode arc was a return to what once made the show great, and he deserves much of the credit for that.

Joel McHale, Community
Carell is the man to beat, and while I don't think McHale can or will, I'd still love to see him recognized for being as funny as he is.


Lead Actress, TV Comedy:

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
 Like Steve Carell, I think Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope is the comedic performer to beat here.  She was absolutely pitch-perfect all season long, and an Emmy for Amy is long overdue.  (Also, if she doesn't win/isn't nominated, I will probably cry.)

Courtney Cox, Cougar Town
The show's second season was a little shaky, but even a bad Courtney Cox performance is a good performance by most people's standards.

Best TV Comedy (Ranked in Order):
Parks and Recreation
Modern Family
How I Met Your Mother
Community
The Office