Random Things
First, ABC has bought the rights to "Footballers Wives" and are looking at the potential of making it into a television series for next fall. If you've never seen "Footballers Wives", it's classic campy soap. Like it almost makes "Melrose Place" look tame kinda campy. The thing is, that no matter how out of control it is, ABC will just have to tame it down for American censors and I'll be curious to see if it would play that way.
Second, and more importantly, we're coming into fall, which means that Oscar season is quickly approaching. Buzz is already starting to build. (Don't be surprised to see a repeat of Sunday night's showdown between Annette Bening and Helen Mirren happen at every awards show this year. Bening will quite possibly get another Oscar nomination for her lead turn in "Running With Scissors", while Mirren is building for buzz for playing Queen Elizabeth (the current one) in Stephen Frear's "The Queen." Frears' film is about the royal family's reaction to the death of Princess Diana.
Finally, while we're on fall movies, check out the trailer for "
Little Children." This is Todd Field's first film since the brilliant masterpiece, "In the Bedroom" and this trailer is easily the best one I've seen all year. I'm in the process of reading through the novel this film is based on and I'm already putting this at the "I might have to go to the Arclight for the midnight screening of this" list.
BBC HA HA!
This is the funniest thing I've heard in a way:
Reports circulated Monday that an extra working on the 13-part BBC series Robin Hood broke into the studios where the tapes were being stored and "kidnaped" them. According to some of the reports, the man was demanding $1.8 million for the tapes. The London Daily Mirror quoted a BBC source as saying: "This is an absolute disaster. There's no back-up recording." Another source told the newspaper: "With the master tapes gone, there's no way the series can start as planned."
Emmy Round-Up
This is the first year I can remember in a while that the Emmys were actually worth watching.
And not because of the awards (though it was nice to see the group from "24" finally rewarded for an excellent season). Maybe it was because there was so much self-spun controversy about the nomination process, but giving the awards was like taking the wind out of sails. Maybe it was also because there weren't any egregiously overlooked awardees. Sure, I completely expected Shonda Rimes to win for writing the post-Super Bowl episodes of "Grey's Anatomy", but "The Sopranos" always does well in the writing categories. And "Grey's" had two competing episodes in that category, so they probably cancelled themselves out.
The Spelling tribute could and should've been better. Unfortunately, the show didn't provide any context to help the audience understand Spelling's monumental achievements. (Or if they did, I didn't hear it. The people I was watching it with were too busy making snarky comments about how old some of the presenters looked.) Maybe it's hard to summarize in 5 minutes how singular Aaron Spelling was in changing the face of television. As dated as they now look, "Dynasty", "The Mod Squad", and even "Melrose Place" were landmarks of popular culture that changed the way that people perceived television and its relationship to the real world. The "Charlie's Angels" reunion was a great moment too that unfortunately, had no context, but it was great to see those three together again, no matter how uncomfortable or out of place they appeared.
But really, the highlight of the night was Conan. His "Music Man" riff was great and NBC should be patted on the back for allowing him to do it. His stint through "Lost", "24", "The Office", and "House" were great. Personally, I think it would've been funnier if Jin had met him and was trying to speak to him in Korean, but minor squibbles. The Bob Newhart gag was also absolutely hilarious. It made me wish Newhart was back on television in a regular role, but he's over 35, so I guess we'll really only see him in guest spots, so Marc Cherry, bring him back to "Desperate Housewives!"
Best presenters would be a toss-up between three pairings: Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan (actually made me a TINY bit interested in their sitcom); Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart; and my personal favorites, Hugh Laurie and Helen Mirren. Their riff was hilarious. (And by the way, if current buzz is correct, expect to see a lot more of Helen Mirren at awards shows over the next six months. She's starting to emerge as a frontrunner for the Best Actress Oscar for the upcoming Stephen Frears movie, "The Queen.)
And while the best shows on television ("Battlestar Galactica", "Scrubs", "Arrested Development", "The Shield") went home empty-handed, the choices weren't appalling. But nevertheless, let's get this new TV season started!
Deadline
So I sit here waiting on someone from work to send me a file so I can do my thing, I realize that the more and more people I work with, the more I come to realize that I believe in deadlines much more than most people. I was continually amazed at how many of the people I used to work with were very cavalier about deadlines. Managers chose to submit products after the client's deadline and employees would submit drafts and deliverables late to their managers. I thought it was a problem unique to our company, but the more I talk to my friends and other co-workers, the more I understand that it's not a problem unique to the mess I worked with.
So why is it a problem? I mean, in most cases, deadlines aren't arbitrarily decided deadlines are they? If somebody tells you they need something by August 27th at 7:30 p.m., there's probably a reason why, right? It just shows respect for the other party if you give it to them in time. Or if you are incapable, either give them what you have or notify them and let them know that it's going to be late. That's the least a respectful person can do, right?
Maybe I'm just overly-sensitive on this matter. In fact, I'm sure I am. I remember my English teacher in high school was really adamant about deadlines, but ended up being appalled when I sent dispatched someone from the emergency room to turn in an essay. She said that the papers better not be late, and I believed her. Maybe a bit too literally, but still...
And I'm still waiting....
MY VOTE
You can never tell with the Emmys. They like some things (David E. Kelley) and they can sometimes beat to their own drummer. So while I would never predict who will win and who won't, here's a look at who I would vote for if I were filling out a ballot.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Grey's Anatomy; House; The Sopranos; 24; The West Wing
MY VOTE: 24--Sure "Grey's" was the show of the year and the Super Bowl episodes were brilliant, but the finale was just as lacking in its brilliance. "The West Wing" had probably the best year of its run, but no show was as jaw-dropping in its gutsiness as "24." It's finally time the show was recognized.
OUSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christopher Meloni, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Denis Leary, Rescue Me; Peter Krause, Six Feet Under; Kiefer Sutherland, 24; Martin Sheen, The West Wing
MY VOTE: Denis Leary--"Rescue Me"--Andy Sipowicz has nothing on Tommy Gavin. Gavin could probably give Job a run for his money, and the episode that Leary submitted was brilliant, sympathetic, and emotional. Watching Tommy deal with the loss of his son is a coup-de-etat for an actor and Leary deserves props for it.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer; Geena Davis, Commander in Chief; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under; Allison Janney, The West Wing
MY VOTE: Who cares? This is such an uninteresting group with no Jennifer Garner, Edie Falco, or Kristen Bell. Who knows--I might even put down Allison Janney on my ballot, but I'd probably be more tempted to go with Kyra Sedgwick.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
William Shatner, Boston Legal; Oliver Platt, Huff; Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos; Gregory Itzin, 24; Alan Alda, The West Wing
MY VOTE: Alan Alda--"The West Wing" Because he's Alan frickin' Alda! And I was never fully convinced by Itzin's performance, so Alda's was the most presidential.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal; Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy; Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy; Blythe Danner, Huff; Jean Smart, 24
MY VOTE--Jean Smart-"24"--Covered that one already
OUSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
"It's the End of the World as We Know It"--Grey's Anatomy; "Into You Like a Train"--Grey's Anatomy; "The 23rd Psalm"--Lost; "Everyone's Waiting"--Six Feet Under; "Members Only--The Sopranos
MY VOTE--The easiest one of the night--"It's the End of the World as We Know It"--Grey's Anatomy. Those two post-Super Bowl episodes were nothing short of absolute chutzpah and great writing. Go Shonda.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES
Pilot-Big Love; "Live Together, Die Alone"-Lost; "Everyone's Waiting"-Six Feet Under; "Members Only"-The Sopranos; "Join the Club"-The Sopranos; "7:00 AM-8:00 AM"-24; "Election Day"-The West Wing
MY VOTE: "7:00 AM-8:00 AM"-24 The season premiere had me on my feet more than a church service. That takes some skillfull directing. Award it.
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Arrested Development; Curb Your Enthusiasm; The Office; Scrubs; Two and a Half Men
MY VOTE--As much as I love "Arrested Development", "Scrubs" was the only consistenly brilliant comedy this year. It deserves recognition for "The Wizard of Oz" episode alone.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Kevin James, The King of Queens; Tony Shalhoub, Monk; Steve Carell, The Office; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
MY VOTE--Umm... Umm... I guess Larry David because Shalhoub has too many and there's no way I'd vote for the other three?
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback; Jane Kaczmarek, Malcolm in the Middle; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Stockard Channing, Out of Practice; Debra Messing, Will & Grace
MY VOTE: Jane Kaczmarek--Because she's brilliant, hilarious, and soooo much funnier than some of the women in this category, but mostly because she submitted a great episode.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Will Arnett, Arrested Development; Jeremy Piven, Entourage; Bryan Cranston, Malcolm in the Middle; Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Sean Hayes, Will & Grace
MY VOTE: Will Arnett--"Arrested Development" Because I wouldn't want the Alliance of Magicians to come after me.
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A COMEDY
"Development Arrested"--Arrested Development; "Exodus"-Entourage; "Kate Winslet"-Extras; Pilot-"My Name is Earl"; "The Christmas Party"-The Office
Brilliant as the Christmas episode of "The Office" was, nothing topped the series finale of "Arrested Development." It's just a shame that "My Home" from "Scrubs" wasn't included in this list in lieu of the overhyped "Earl" pilot.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Cheryl Hines, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Alfre Woodard, Desperate Housewives; Jaime Pressly, My Name Is Earl; Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds; Megan Mullally, Will & Grace
MY VOTE--I want to make an Alfre Woodard joke here, but I respect her waaay too much as an actress to put it down, so I'll abstain. There are so many worthy candidates for this award and most of them aren't on here, so I'll go with the most worthy, and I can't believe I'm about to type this--Jaime Pressly. EGADS. Cue the Apocalypse.
Waiting for What?
I'm a big John Mayer fan. To the point that I saw him in concert something like five times in the course of seven days. I like the guy. I think he's a really talented musician, a clever lyricist, and I truly do think he'll probably be around as a musician in twenty years.
So it pains me to say, I'm annoyed by his new song, "Waiting on the World to Change." I like the melody, and the main idea of the song. I have no problem with the concept of an anti-war song. Fine and dandy. Go for it.
The problem is that "Waiting for the World to Change" talks about Generation X's powerlessness and lamenting the fact that we have to suffer through a war. He laments the fact that the media spin all the information and that we have no control over what is shared with the public.
But the whole thing is a "woe is me song." What kind of protest song is that? If you're going to protest, protest something! Don't just celebrate your apathy and then lament the fact that you don't like the way the world is going. If you don't like it, then encourage people to do something.
One of the biggest problems of Generations X and Y is that we've been raised to be apathetic. Voter turn-out is low amongst our generation and the entrepreneurial spirit doesn't seem to be ingrained into our collective unconsciousness. We are a passive generation of whiners and this song is the perfect example of it. Instead of proposing action, Mayer simply whines and complains about how unfair things are, when he simply could encourage people to make their own world better.
I'd say that is the type of song I'm waiting for, but then I'd be just as obnoxious as the song is. So, I guess I'm thinking about how to change my world instead.
Pilot Watch
I've been fortunate enough to see most of the Pilots for this fall. The good news is that there's more good television than bad. In fact, there's some bloody brilliant television in the midst of all this stuff. There's one Pilot that's better than any movie I've seen all year, though I'm not sure what it will look like as a series. There are a couple of Pilots that were really good and I expect them to be brilliant series, but we'll have to see what happens. A Pilot doesn't really ever tell you everything you need to know about the show--the second through fourth episodes will tell you what you are most likely to expect from the showrunner and writing staff. The Pilot just tells you the ambitions for the program, what it's hoping to do and be.
So without further ado, here's my thoughts via network:
CBS--
"Smith" (Tuesdays at 10)--Easily the best Pilot out there. Period. Amazing. It's with Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker, Jonny Lee Miller, Amy Smart, and Shoreh Agdashloo. Think The Sopranos meets Ocean's Eleven. It's about a group of unrepentant criminals. In the Pilot, they rob a museum in Pittsburgh. The version I saw was about 65 minutes without commercials, so I don't know how they're going to get it under an hour, because it's tight. This is by far better than any movie I've seen this year.
"Shark"--(Thursdays at 10) uh; feels really old-fashioned--a drama with James Woods about a high profile defense attorney who becomes a prosecutor. (My vote for first show to get cancelled.) Apparently, Spike Lee directed this, but I never would've guessed it watching it. It just moves like something from CBS of 10 years ago when its entire viewership was over 55.
"Jericho"--(Wednesdays at 8) About a small town in Kansas that apparently is the only place in the US to survive a calculated series of nuclear explosions with Skeet Ulrich. The pilot's moving, and very preachy, but it's not a series I feel compelled to watch.
"The Class"--(Mondays at 8) Comedy about a bunch of people who were in third grade together who reunite as adults. Not funny. Most of the jokes come about this guy who wants to commit suicide. I wanted to join him halfway through.
ABC
"Brothers and Sisters" (Sundays at 10) I saw this version, but since then, two of the actors have been recast and replaced with Sally Field and Matthew Rhys. What I saw had potential, but who knows what will make it to the air. It's been having some behind the scenes turmoil, so it's impossible to tell yet, but the cast is so good and I like the general setup, so I have hope.
"Notes from the Underbelly" This comedy's about a bunch of pregnant couples. Almost enough to make you consider aborting yourself.
"The Nine" (Wednesdays at 10) This gets the post-"Lost" timeslot--and with good reason. It's really good, but it may be too good for network TV. It's definitely complicated, but accessible. I think. It's about nine people who are taken hostage during a bank robbery. The standoff goes 52 hours. There were several things that happened during those 52 hours, but we don't know what. All we know is that some things went wrong. The show is about the hostages sorting out the aftermath, while we as an audience get to piece together what happened in the bank.
"Men in Trees" (Fridays at 9) Anne Heche is a relationship counselor who sees her relationship go south, so she heads north--to Alaska, where there are lots of men. (Think "Northern Exposure" meets "Sex and the City".) It's mildly diverting and Heche is likeable, but I don't see the need to ever watch it again.
"Help Me Help You" (Tuesdays at 9:30) Ted Danson plays a therapist who has some really screwed up patients, but are any of them as in need of therapy as he is. Jane Kaczmarek plays his soon to be ex-wife. This is probably the funniest sitcom pilot I've seen for the fall, but is that really saying a lot? I don't know. It could have potential, but maybe not.
"Ugly Betty"- (Thursdays at 9)-Think "The Devil Wears Prada" but with an "over-sized" Latina instead of Anne Hathaway. It's based on the most popular telenovela ever. America Ferrera stars as Betty, an overweight girl who gets a job as the assistant to the new "man whore" editor of a fashion magazine. His dad runs the corporation that owns the magazine and wants an assistant that nobody will want to sleep with. Nobody counts on her being brilliant, and keeping him from falling into the traps laid by Vanessa L. Williams. This is a dramadey, like "Gilmore" or "Desperate Housewives." My TIVO is just chomping at the bit to get this one in the Season Pass queue.
"Six Degrees"- (Thursdays at 10) This one gets the post-"Grey"'s slot and doesn't deserve it. By far the most disappointing pilot because it comes from producer JJ Abrams. But by the end of it, I could only remember one character's name (Carlos) and the only thing I know about any of the characters is what jobs they have. The supposed premise of the show is following the idea of six degrees of separation, locating everything in New York City, but it's so pointless and inconsequential that even it's outstanding cast (Hope Davis, Campbell Scott, Jay Hernandez, Bridget Monyihan) can't make up for it. I had the highest hopes for this one, but if Abrams weren't attached I'd never watch again. As it stands, I'll give it one or two more tries.
NBC
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"--(Mondays at 10) from Aaron Sorkin with Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet. It's about two fired writers who are hired to take over a SNL-esque show. Perry's great in the pilot and if it works, it will be because of him, not because of Sorkin. The show feels like therapy. (It is. The show is super insider, and feels like therapy, particularly when you realize this is Sorkin's f-you to John Wells regarding his departure surrounding The West Wing). My roommate saw about 10 minutes and walked out, complaining, "This is too Hollywood" and that's from somebody who lives out here, so who knows. NBC will promote the crap out of it, but I'm not confident about its survival. There's a lot of potential there, but the first act of the Pilot feels laborious and I didn't want to feel like I was going to want to get to the second act, which is where it picks up, but it never really stops feeling like a rip-off of "Network."
"Kidnapped"--(Wednesdays at 10 PM) It's about a rich kid that's kidnapped. The whole season follows that. I have no desire to watch beyond the pilot. It was like, "Eh--been there. Done that."
"Heroes"--(Mondays at 9) normal people get superpowers. Haven't seen it, but I've read most of the scripts for the third and fourth episodes. The word tedious comes to mind.
"Friday Night Lights"--(Tuesdays at 8) based on the movie, based on the book. This is the best Pilot the peacock network has, so why they're not promoting the crap out of it is beyond me. This, like "Smith", is a Pilot that didn't let me get a feel of the series. This one is more blatant than "Smith" in feeling just like a feature. The story for this was so narrow in focus that I'm not sure if it will work as a television series, particularly since over one whole act of the show was a football game. Who is going to want to watch a scripted series where all they do is play football? This one's going to be a hard sale, and up against "Gilmore Girls" it's not going to get the number of teenage girls it will need to be a massive success.
FOX
"Vanished"--(Mondays at 9) think "Kidnapped" meets "National Treasure." If I had to choose between this and "Kidnapped", I'd probably go with this one, but neither of them makes me think I'll ever see a second episode of them. This one starts tonight, which is definitely going to put "Kidnapped" at a distinct disadvantage, so who knows.
"Justice"--(Wednesday at 9) It's another procedural, so if you like "CSI" and you wanna see it all play out in a law firm, then this might be up your alley. Victor Garber's really good though. Otherwise, if you're tired of flashy graphics and stories about female victims, then watch "Lost" on ABC.
Sure, there are some other shows debuting in the next couple of months, but these are the big ones.
Hope this helps the DVR deciding what it wants to include and what it doesn't.
Tidbits
I know somebody in Rayburn who needs to start dusting off some dancing shoes. NBC finally is doing a reality show I might watch. They're doing a reality show to find the two leads for a Broadway revival of "Grease". No air date has been announced, but it has to be soon because the announcement of the show means it's coming to the Great White Way sometime before the end of the year.
In another move to make people remember the network still exisits, NBC has made the Pilots of "Kidnapped" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" available for rent. They are also planning on making the Pilot for "Heroes" available on ITunes if you get a special code at a nearby theater sometime in the month of August. (Everybody's trying to cash in on "Snakes on a Plane" mania, I guess.)
And get those video IPods going. Now NBC is making "Passions" available for download on ITunes. WAHOO! Fill that puppy up!
More and more networks are moving to try and capture the broadband audience. This week, CBS announced it will do something simliar to ABC and make episodes available online, for free. Most of it will include the "CSI" franchise, as well as "Jericho", a new show for the fall.
Barbara Hall ("Joan of Arcadia") has already lined up a new Pilot for CBS for the upcoming Pilot season. It's going to be about exorcisms and other supernatural phenomena.
The Emmys are just a little over a week away!
And My Vote Would Go To...
After looking at what I wrote, as to why each of the supporting actresses should win, I sincerely feel like I could be happy with any of them winning. And even though I think Chandra Wilson broke through in a major way and overshadowed everybody else in the cast, I still think I was more surprised and shocked by Smart's performance on 24. Maybe because it was so different for the actress, as well as the show, but she played every moment beautifully--and I believed it. If I were voting, as tempted as I would be to mark of Wilson's name, I think I'd have to go with Smart.
And the Winner Is...Pt. 4
Chandra Wilson for Grey's AnatomyWilson managed to advance her character further than any other actress on television this season. Last year, Dr. Bailey was simply, "the Nazi." There wasn't a whole lot more we knew or cared to know about the character. She simply barked orders and gave people a hard time. This season however, we've learned more about Bailey and much of that has to do with Wilson's brilliant pitch-perfect performance. She showed us Bailey's vulnerability, humor, pain, agression, and disdain for stupidity. In other words, she showed us all--but just when we thought we'd seen everything for the character, Wilson managed to highlight a new and surprising aspect of "the Nazi." The depth of character she demonstrated is the kind of performance that Emmy voters like to reward. Though Wilson is the freshest face in this group of nominated actresses, the fact that she's on such a buzz-friendly show, as well as having graced the cover of TV Guide means she shouldn't have to worry too much about being an unknown. She can match most of her competition toe to toe in terms of familiarity with the role. Additionally, Emmy voters love to reward pregnant characters. Though it tends to work better for actresses in comedies (Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Candice Bergen), actresses who submit episodes in which they give birth have a history of success in terms of winning awards. And what a doozy of an episode "As We Know It" was. The Super Bowl and post SuperBowl episode were probably the two most hyped episodes of the season, and emotions ran incredibly high in both of them. The fact that Wilson chose to submit the second half of one was a brilliant move on her part. The other episode she submitted was "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." While that episode wasn't the tour-de-force for Wilson that "As We Know It" was, she still manages to bring her story of coping with morning sickness to the forefront of the episode, despite the fact that she gets significantly less screen time than the rest of her co-stars. Sounds like the definition of a Emmy Winning Supporting Actress to me.
And the Winner Is...Pt. 3
Jean Smart for 24Anybody who's been reading this blog knows I've been pushing for this nomination since the very first episode of the season. Smart was brilliant as a First Lady who is as far from Hillary Clinton or Laura Bush as possible. She's caring, compassionate, trusting, and potentially mentally unbalanced. She loves her husband, but when it comes down to doing what's right, she, like Jack Bauer, loves her country more than personal loyalties. She embodies the ideals, dreams, and aspirations that stand for the American Dream--just on antidepressants. Smart (along with her co-star Gregory Itzin) are the first two co-stars from 24 to ever be nominated for an acting Emmy. Prior to this year, only Sutherland had managed to stand out in the Academy's mind. The fact that 24 received the most number of nods of a dramatic series this year also shows a remarkable sign of strength for this actress.This Designing Woman also has two Emmys for her guest work on Frasier and the Emmys do love to continue rewarding the same people over and over. But perhaps the biggest reason Smart could win is her choice of episodes. Unlike Itzin, Smart submitted two consecutive episodes---"5-6 AM" and "6-7 AM". These two episodes were the finale to a jaw-dropping season. In them, Smart pushed her character to new heights that we hadn't seen before. As such, she soared, and floated, making Martha Logan one of the most memorable characters of the television season. Such a rich and exciting performance is bound to be recognized by the Academy.
And the Winner Is...Pt. 3
Sandra Oh for Grey's AnatomyThere is no show hotter than Grey's Anatomy and there is no question that Oh is at the center of the heat. Despite the ensemble nature of the show, Oh really is the star. Oh wait--she isn't? You could have fooled me and everybody else who's ever seen Grey's. She overshadows Pombeo and Dempsey in a way that screams for recognition, but you never once get the idea that she's trying to hog the screen. She just radiates that much presence. Unlike many supporting players, she doesn't steal scenes she's in--she owns them even before she walks into the frame. Furthermore, Yang is an incredibly realized character--full of contradiction and depth that has experienced a significant amount of growth this season, becoming more of a human being and less of a clinician. This season saw her lose and regain a boyfriend, lose a baby, almost see her best friend blown up, and come to the realization that she is fallible and human. The two episodes Oh has submitted, "Deny, Deny, Deny" and "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" are great examples of what she does best on the show. "Deny" to the third is a nice showcase for her when her mom comes to town after losing her child and discovering she won't be able to have children. "Reindeer" has her dealing with the fact that Burke wants to have Christmas, only to be surprised that he believes in spirituality in comparison to her stark belief in medicine and science. Both episodes allow Oh to show her range, they find her in a sympathetic light, and help us care about her character. So much so that she could be holding the Emmy on awards night.
And the Winner Is... Pt. 2
Blythe Danner for HuffDanner is really one of our unsung acting treasures. She has the fortune/misfortune to have a ridiculously beautiful and talented daughter and for a long stretch of the late 90s, it looked like she would be overshadowed by her daughter, Gwyneth, but then she hit a stretch of roles that allowed her to come into her own and standout as an actress, even though anyone familiar with her career wasn't surprised by what many people seemed to be discovering. Huff is a monumental role for her that allows her to hit every note possible. That's why she won this award last year. Her storylines in her submitted episodes also sound quite possibly the juiciest and most interesting--on par with a premium cable drama. The other thing working for Danner here is that she's the only actress in this category that's on a show on Showtime or HBO. A cable network bias has developed within some branches of the Academy, with its members arguing that cable is automatically edgier, and therefore worth voting for. If there are enough people in this category rooting for Danner, she could easily repeat holding her trophy on Emmy night.
And the winner is...
The Emmys are at the end of August, and over the next few weeks, I thought I would take a couple of categories and make a case for each of the nominees in that category. One category per week, one nominee per day. Of course, this implies that I think a case could be made for all five nominees, which is why I'm only doing a few categories. First up--Best Supporting Actress in a DramaCandice Bergen--Boston LegalShe's Emmy royalty. The Academy loves her. She's won five Emmys for Murphy Brown, but this is her first nomination for a one hour series. Additionally, the Academy loves David E. Kelley. Think of all the actors that have won Emmys for his shows--James Spader, William Shatner, Tom Skerritt, Kathy Baker, Ray Walston, Camryn Manheim, Afre Woodard, Holland Taylor...the list goes on and on. And probably most importantly, Kelley clearly loves her. Bergen's character of Shirley Schmidt is what grounds the show. (Or at least attempts to ground the self-reflexivity that is Boston Legal). She has the most fleshed out, least crazy character on the show and she helps bring it to a new level. And she does a great job of not overshadowing the Spader's lead, but leaving such an impression that it's easy to forget that there are other females on the show. Additionally, the episodes she submitted, "The Ass Fat Jungle" and "Live Big" are standout episodes for her. (She's a veteran. She knows what to submit and what not to.) "Jungle" allows us to learn more about Schmidt when she reveals information while dealing with a case involving an Alzheimer's patient--an episode sure to let her behave senimentally, while not getting too weepy. "Live Big" has her trying to come to terms with the fact that her ex-husband wants her to be his Best Man at his wedding. Bergen shines in her scenes and very well could be shining onstage on Emmy night.
Random Nuggets
- I'm really over listening to people talk about Mel Gibson's drunk-driving incident and everything that came from it. It seems like that's all the LA media are running with this week.
- Dirt, the FX series that Courtney Cox Arquette is producing sounds really interesting. It's all about a tabloid and the paparazzi staff. I'm intrigued every time I read something.
- I just got to chat with one of the former stars of Once and Again. While it was about absolutely nothing other than being stuck in traffic, highlight of my day. Oh, how I miss that show. Why Zwick and Herskovitz haven't done anything else is beside me. I wish they would so that I could camp outside their door till they hired me.
- Obviously, I don't have a lot going on now. I've reverted to thinking about past decisions I've made in the last year. I've realized I've made two huge decisions very badly. Both were about jobs. Not sure what that means. I guess maybe I've got the important things taken care of. It's the logistical things that I'm not so good at.
