Emmy noms came out today. Figured I'd give my opinions on who should win now rather than down the line. This is who I'd pick rather than who I think will actually win. I'll cover the awards I care about/actually can choose a winner based on unbiased selection.
Warning. This, uh, actually became probably my longest forum post in years. Also there's a monumental GoT spoiler in here so head's up.
Mad Men has this one in the bag with it being their farewell season and all. Looking past that... surprising weak batch, right? Certainly not at first glance. First glance suggests a bunch of heavyweights duking it out. Look closer, though. Game of Thrones? Weaker season with a big ending. House of Cards? Weaker season with a big ending. Orange Is the New Black? Weakest season with a big-ish ending. I don't watch Mad Men and I gave up on Homeland after season 2. My surprise winner is Better Call Saul - the complete opposite of the others. Quality season, shit ending.
Tough decision. I mean, obviously Transparent will win and that'll be annoying. Still, hard to choose a favorite. Louie and Veep are so smart, but I'm not among the biggest fans of either. Watch both and have laughed many times at both. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was very good and had enough splashes of that Tina Fey 30 Rock magic to hook me into it. Modern Family is cooked. I still watch, I still chuckle here and there, but to think of where it is now compared to season 1-3? Damn. Please don't make me choose between Parks & Rec and Silicon Valley...... I'll go with the bailout. I prefer Silicon Valley season 1 to season 2 and Parks had its finale season so kudos Parks, you win.
HOW DO YOU GO AGAINST THAT? WHO WOULD DARE GO AGAINST KYLE CHANDLER, THE GREATEST ACTOR EVER?
Chandler is my honest pick too. Frank Underwood had a down year so Kevin Spacey did too. Bob Odenkirk is great. Can't comment on the other three since I don't watch any of those. Chandler was magnificent in Bloodline. What's amazing about it is that he wasn't even the best actor in Bloodline.
Robin Wright. Now that we're past that, serious question... is the world serious about Empire and How to Get Away with Murder being good? Like, I know Viola Davis is a very good actress, but really? I don't watch either. I'm judging from afar. Sidenote: I should probably start watching Orphan Black one of these days.
Yo, it's not even funny how easily Jeffrey Tambor is going to win this. Is there one name there that can really give him a fight? No. Not even close. Louis C.K. is going to receive way more kudos for his writing than acting. Don Cheadle for House of Lies? That show is still on? William H. Macy is SO, SO good in Shameless, but that's one of those shows like Sons of Anarchy or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia that will never get accolades. Will Forte? REALLY? (For me the answer to that is yes. Will Forte is my answer. Holy cow was I impressed with Last Man on Earth. I don't think a show this year made me laugh more and every laugh was a product of his character.)
Apparently I'm more of a man-centered TV watcher. Don't watch The Comeback, Grace And Frankie, Inside Amy Schumer or Nurse Jackie. So it's between Amy Poehler and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. With each passing season, I find it harder to believe that Louis-Dreyfus used to be Elaine Benes. That's how good she is as a foul-mouthed asshole. Now that I've said something good about her, time for the bombshell. She's gotten plenty of recognition for her role in Veep, Poehler will never get enough for Leslie Knope.
Nope nope nope nope nope. Can't make me pick. Had "Five-O" not existed, this wouldn't be a contest. It'd be Ben Mendelsohn by a LIGHTYEAR. But "Five-O" does exist. And Jonathan Banks does show his chops. And it was the most powerful, realest acting I've ever seen on TV. Maybe even across any medium. Tie between Mendelsohn and Banks. I think Peter Dinklage was just thrown in there because they've gotten used to his presence, right? Tyrion Lannister didn't do SHIT to stress Dinklage's acting chops this year. Seriously academy or whomever is in charge of this... why not Kit Harington instead? He had to do some acting this year. Non-verbal acting too. Know how hard that shit is?
(How could anyone truly believe he's dead? He's so important to Game of Thrones and the story. He's got so much left to do. Nah, that fucker is coming back. Beeleeee dat.)
HOW DOES THE GOOD WIFE HAVE THIS KIND OF LONGEVITY? WHAT AM I MISSING? FUCKING CHICKS, MAN. WHAT ARE THESE SHOWS YOU WATCH? Again, they're going with the names. Did Emilia Clarke do anything that particularly warranted a nomination? Not that I can think of. I'm going to toss my vote to Lena Headey. She handled playing Cersei very well this season and gave her some much needed humanity and humility. It's difficult to go against Uzo Aduba, yet Crazy Eyes didn't have a lot to do this season aside from penning her sci-fi erotica and trying to fool herself into Vee still being alive. Headey's big moments were better than Aduba's, simple as that.
Being on-screen for less than five minutes in a season is something that can get you nominated now? I gotta move out to Hollywood, get discovered and om nom nom on a nom if that's the case. There is no bigger fan of Pornstache than me. Hell, I've been told I look like him. That said, my answer is Reg E. Cathey. Maybe I'm feeling nostalgic and thinking back to The Wire when I see him in House of Cards. I don't think so though. His character's spot was so down to Earth and real for today's world. His story was heartbreaking in season 2 and season 3 didn't try and gloss over it.
I shouldn't be including this one. I can only judge Diana Rigg and Rachel Brosnahan. I don't really remember anything that Olenna Tyrell did this season so it's Brosnahan by a nose! (By a lot more than that, really. She was great in the little time she got.)
Tony Hale is probably the last actor on Veep that deserves to be up for Best Supporting, no offense to him. Adam Driver's had his time in the sun. (And as much as Girls pisses me off, I'm still watching and he's a big reason why. He's super good.) Ty Burrell has had so much time in the sun that he's nothing but a molten bundle of ashes. Tituss Burgess is the only answer. Dear lord above was he tremendous. I'd say he provided 70% of the funny of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
You all won't believe. I'm going with Gaby Hoffman for Transparent. I know, I know. Stunning to see after I go against Transparent so many times. Enjoy it, Transparent! Sidenote: Hoffman looks so gross naked.
Don't watch, don't watch, don't watch, don't watch, don't remember, just wanna say that Jon Hamm has been dipping his toes into comedy a lot more lately and it's always awesome.
Why, oh, why is Elizabeth Banks nominated here? Why, oh, why must Hoffman be nominated in something else so I think of her gross nude body again? Why are we sucking up to Tina Fey? Why hasn't Joan Cusack gotten her due for her Shameless role before now? Why am I not voting for Pamela Adlon when she's probably the best pick? Because I just said it, how has it taken Cusack this long to be nominated? She's phenomenal in Shameless.
*goes to double check the fact that Cusack hasn't been nominated for Shameless before*
Oops! Let's go with Adlon.
Live look at me talking about The Americans, Game of Thrones and Mad Men:
Two comments: one, the best Between Two Ferns ever was with Bradley Cooper. Two, the only reason the Halftime Show is nominated is because of the dancing shark, right? Oh, and I voted for Children's Hospital even though I've never even seen one episode. Just seems like Rob Corddry needs something going for him.
So, basically which H. Jon Benjamin show do I prefer? As thankful as I am to Archer for showing one of the most graphic sex scenes to be allowed on cable TV EVER, Bob's Burgers is one of my favorite shows running. Consistently makes me laugh.
Regular Show is a 90's cartoon disguised as modern day kid's show. Don't get it twisted.
BOB'S BURGERS!
That was exhausting. If any one of you actually read that the whole way through, give yourself a pat on the back.