[Image]Ah, the Emmy nominations. A high point in what has so far been pretty much a downer of a summer. While many places have been suffering a killer heat wave, around here (Saskatoon) we've been enduring the rainy season. Over the past couple of weeks at least it has been rare to get a stretch of three days when it hasn't rained. Mostly it had rained – at least a little bit – every day, and some of those have been downright torrential downpours. Basements have flooded despite several million dollars spent to build large containment tanks for the storm sewer system – the tanks filled as fast as the rain fell – and I've seen sewer grates in low lying areas blown out by water. The city's main ballpark – which was relocated to the wrong place about 50 years ago because there an existing concrete grandstand and who cares that the place is low lying and has ridiculous drainage that no company is daring enough to try to correct – has repeatedly flooded, and no sooner do they get it pumped out than the rain floods the place again. My garden is overrun with weeds because the soil is too clay– like and when it's wet I can't get the hoe to penetrate it let alone cut out the weeds. And remember, this is Saskatchewan where things are supposed to be DRY! But enough of general whining. Let's turn to the Emmy nominations where we can hone down our whining to specific people and shows that do and do not deserve to be nominated. Because inevitably the people who nominate shows for the Emmys get it wrong in at least one show or person who should have been nominated and wasn't and/or was nominated and should have been. I mean I don't mean to criticize – wait, yes I do that's the whole purpose of this Blog after all – but let's face it there are some obvious people and shows that are nominated and shouldn't and others that are obvious snubs. But let's get into specifics. Outstanding Drama Series Breaking Bad – AMC Dexter – Showtime The Good Wife – CBS Lost – ABC Mad Men – AMC True Blood – HBO I figure we might as well start off with the big categories, right? Overall not too bad; mostly cable shows, but according to Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner all of these shows were offered to broadcast networks first (I'm not sure I believe that but even – maybe especially if that's true, it's a discussion for another time). I don't believe I can come up with another network series that is particularly deserving of the nomination – Parenthood maybe (I haven't seen it); Friday Night Lights perhaps (or is that just a cable show that appears on Broadcast TV in the summer). However, even though I don't get to see the show, I have been told that Sons Of Anarchy is deserving of an Emmy nod. In terms of the shows that are nominated, I'm going to call it a three way race between last year's winner Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Lost. Lost might get the nod because it was the show's last but the Academy tends to stick with winners – as in last year's winners – so maybe give it to Mad Men. Outstanding Comedy Series Curb Your Enthusiasm – HBO Glee – FOX Modern Family – ABC Nurse Jackie – Showtime The Office – NBC 30 Rock – NBC Okay, I'm going to state what I think should be the obvious in terms of nominations – where is The Big Bang Theory? Does the Academy regard the show as a one trick pony, that trick being Jim Parsons's character of Dr. Sheldon Cooper? And even though I don't get to see the show, from what I've heard putting Nurse Jackie in the comedy category is stretching the definition of "comedy" to the breaking point. In terms of which show I think will win, despite the recent dominance of The Office and 30 Rock in the past few years I would suggest that the Academy is likely to go with the current critical flavour of the month. In other words Glee. Reality Competition Series: The Amazing Race – CBS American Idol – FOX Dancing With the Stars – ABC Project Runway – Lifetime Top Chef – Bravo Obvious snub – Survivor, probably Heroes vs Villains. I mean seriously, how could the Academy ignore all of the moments that the show brought us in that season; Boston Rob starting a fire by literally rubbing two sticks together (first time that ever worked on the show), the battle of wits between Boston Rob and Russell (which Rob eventually lost because most of the people he was trying to use to get rid of Russell were terminally stupid and listened to Russell), and the eventual triumph of (relative) good – that would be Sandra, the only person ever to win two seasons of Survivor – over evil – demented Hobbit Russell, who never did get that there was a social side to the game. I've never really been a fan of the Project Runway – Top Chef style competitions (too much of a cookie cutter concept) so one or both of them wouldn't be missed by me. Given the competition I'd say Amazing Race wins again, even with a lacklustre season. Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series The Big Bang Theory – CBS – Jim Parsons Curb Your Enthusiasm – HBO – Larry David Glee – FOX – Matthew Morrison Monk – USA – Tony Shalhoub The Office – NBC – Steve Carell 30 Rock – NBC – Alec Baldwin I have this disturbing image that next year Tony Shaloub will be nominated in this category for Monk despite the fact that he's sitting at home in the La-z-Boy and not actually do any acting at all. Shaloub is a talented guy and all but creatively this show has been over for years and the academy refuses to acknowledge the fact, Meanwhile Ed O'Neill hasn't been nominated for Modern Family – the only adult cast member from that show not to get an Emmy nod. Now I'm not saying that O'Neill should get the nomination in this category – the show is very much an ensemble cast with no real "star" – but O'Neill really does deserve a nomination and why not here. As for the winner, I think Jim Parsons has the funniest character but the Academy will give it to Alec Baldwin again – or maybe Steve Carell because he says he's leaving after the coming season. Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series Glee – FOX – Lea Michele The New Adventures Of Old Christine – CBS – Julia Louis-Dreyfus Nurse Jackie – Showtime – Edie Falco Parks And Recreation – NBC – Amy Poehler 30 Rock – NBC – Tina Fey United States Of Tara – Showtime – Toni Collette Why is Julia Louis-Dreyfus nominated for a show that was cancelled. I mean I know that she's a talented comedian and all but still it just doesn't seem right. And as I've said, people whose opinions I frequently resect don't see how Nurse Jackie is a comedy. Of course they regard it as a snub that Courtney Cox-Arquette wasn't nominated for her role in Cougar Town. I'm not sure about that. Her character is funny but I wish they'd have stuck with the idea of an older woman involved in a relationship with a younger man that they started out with. Maybe it's too conventional or too controversial a concept and they were worried about lobby groups like the PTC but it was an avenue to explore. Doesn't matter really; he Emmy will go to Tina Fey. Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Breaking Bad – AMC – Bryan Cranston Dexter – Showtime – Michael C. Hall Friday Night Lights– DirecTV – Kyle Chandler House – FOX – Hugh Laurie Lost – ABC – Matthew Fox Mad Men– AMC – Jon Hamm Nothing I say about who got snubbed and who shouldn't be in this category is going to matter because Bryan Cranston is going to win for Breaking Bad but it is god to see Kyle Chandler finally nominated for Friday Night Lights. I would like to say that the Academy made a big mistake by not nominating John Noble for his role as Walter Bishop on Fringe. They say that playing someone who is in some way insane is one of the toughest things an actor can do, but look at what Noble has done on Fringe this season. Not only has he played our lovably looney Walter from "our" side of the universe, but in flashbacks he's played the sane and desperate Walter who crossed over to save a version of his sone, and the megalomaniacal "Walternate" from the other side. Surely that says something about his abilities as an actor. As for Hugh Laurie, I've seen people suggest that the Academy must have voted not on his whole season of work but on just the series premiere. This betrays a failure to understand how the Emmys work. An actor nominee is judged not on a full season of work but submits specific episodes. So essentially they are selected based on what they or their agent or director or whoever else advises them regards as their best work of the season. Does Hugh Laurie deserve to be there? I don't know; I haven't seen the whole season yet. All I know is that based on his season of work, John Noble deserves to be nominated. Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series The Closer– TNT – Kyra Sedgwick Damages – FX Networks – Glenn Close Friday Night Lights – DirecTV – Connie Britton The Good Wife– CBS – Julianna Margulies Law & Order: SVU– NBC – Mariska Hargitay Mad Men – AMC – January Jones Another case where the Academy has finally decided to recognise one of the stars of Friday Night Lights, Connie Britton. Three of last year's nominees are back – Kyra Sedgwick, Glenn Close and perennial nominee Mariska Hargitay. In terms of snubs, I am told – because I don't see the show – that Katey Sagal should have received a nomination for her part in Sons of Anarchy. I am inclined to believe that Glenn Close will win again for Damages, particularly since the series – which has been on FX – might not be picked up for a fourth season without help from DirecTV. Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series Glee – FOX – Chris Colfer How I Met Your Mother– CBS – Neil Patrick Harris Modern Family – ABC – Jesse Tyler Ferguson Modern Family – ABC – Eric Stonestreet Modern Family – ABC – Ty Burrell Two And A Half Men– CBS – Jon Cryer Most of the performers in this category are new, which is unusual. Only Neil Patrick Harris and last year's winner Jon Cryer are holdovers from last year. Even more unusual is that three of the actors are from Modern Family. As I think I've said repeatedly in the past, Comedies are not my preferred form. I think the likeliest winner will be Chris Colfer, particularly if, as I expect, the three nominees from Modern Family split the vote. Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series Glee – FOX – Jane Lynch Modern Family– ABC – Julie Bowen Modern Family – ABC – Sofia Vergara Saturday Night Live– NBC – Kristen Wiig 30 Rock – NBC – Jane Krakowski Two And A Half Men– CBS – Holland Taylor The other two adult cast members from Modern Family are in this category but this time around I'm convinced that there is only one likely winner and that is Jane Lynch for her breakout performance as Sue Sylvester in Glee. Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series Breaking Bad – AMC – Aaron Paul Damages – FX Networks – Martin Short Lost – ABC – Terry O'Quinn Lost – ABC – Michael Emerson Mad Men– AMC – John SlatteryMen Of A Certain Age– TNT – Andre Braugher This is one of those categories that could go just about any way. Aaron Paul, Michael Emerson and John Slattery are holdovers from last season's race when Emerson won. I think Emerson is one of the front-runners this season but given Terry O'Quinn's performance in the final season of Lost ( a show that I haven't watched since its third season – I got tired of the long wait between the first six episodes and the rest of that season, and didn't go back) I would expect him to be the other front runner. Who'll win? I'm almost convinced that it's 50/50 you pick'em between the two. Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series Burn Notice– USA – Sharon Gless Damages – FX Networks – Rose Byrne The Good Wife– CBS – Archie Panjabi The Good Wife – CBS – Christine Baranski Mad Men – AMC – Christina Hendricks Mad Men – AMC – Elisabeth Moss This may be the hardest category of all to pick. Christine Baranski is great in just about anything she does, but the pair from Mad Men, Elizabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks both turned in stand-out performances from the ensemble supporting cast from Mad Men. And then there's perennial emmy nominee (and two-time winner) Sharon Gless. And there's Rose Byrne from Damages, the only nominee in this category from last season to be nominated this year. Later today I'll post my first Emmy Poll. They will each run for seven days (which I discovered last year is the optimal length of time for a Poll Question). The Primetime Emmys will be awarded in Los Angeles on Sunday August 27, 2010.
"The 2010 Emmy Award Nominations"
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