Happy Emmy Rage Day!

Posted by Kim

It happens every year (and OMG this is our THIRD year covering the Emmys…our little website is growing up!). I wake up on Emmy Nomination day brimming with hopes and dreams that this will FINALLY be the year that the Television Academy will think outside the box and realize that there are more people on Parks and Recreation than Queen Amy Poehler. That they will overlook the fact that they just want to be British and will realize that Downton Abbey is a shadow of its former self, quality wise. That they will TRULY watch from the pool of contenders instead of just checking off recognizable names like Edie Falco and Melissa McCarthy.

But every year, my dream turns into a nightmare.

Not that the Emmys don’t get some things right on occasion. They do. And I realize that the television landscape is SO vast and there is so much quality programming these days that snubs are inevitable. It’s just disappointing when it seems that the same people are being snubbed every year despite acting their ASSES off.

Let’s get to the nominees, shall we? And fear not…we are currently compiling our OWN list of nominees that YOU will be able to vote on. We have our list, we’re just trying to come up with a clever name…so stay tuned!

Outstanding Comedy Series

“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
“Louie” (FX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix)
“Silicon Valley” (HBO)
“Veep” (HBO)

DOES ANYONE WATCH SILICON VALLEY? I mean…seriously. This is just the Academy sucking up to HBO. I will never understand the lack of love for one of the most consistently brilliant comedies of the last six years, Parks and Recreation. Clearly the Academy lacks souls. The real question here is…can anyone topple 4 time winner Modern Family? Buzzy Netflix dramedy Orange Is The New Black and Veep have a LOT of momentum, so they are going to do their best. Also I like to think that the Academy is pissed about the How I Met Your Mother finale too, hence the lack of nods for the final season. I’ll allow it.

Biggest Snub: Parks and Recreation

Surprises: The out-of-left-field Silicon Valley

WE WISH: The Mindy Project, Enlisted, Trophy Wife

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”

Jim Parsons is the sole nominee from a network comedy. I’m convinced they vote for Don Cheadle just because he’s Don Cheadle because House of Lies gets no love anywhere else. Shameless has previously submitted in drama, so the move to Comedy clearly paid off for Macy. Will anyone BEAT Jim Parsons? Every year they say it is Louis CK’s year…and every year he loses. So we shall see.

Biggest Snub: Golden Globe winner Andy Samberg

Surprises: Ricky Gervais

WE WISH: TV Boyfriends Chris Messina and Adam Scott

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Lena Dunham, “Girls”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Julia Louis Dreyfus, “Veep”
Melissa McCarthy, “Mike & Molly”
Amy Poehler, “Parks & Recreation”
Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is the New Black”

Again, I am pretty sure they vote for Edie Falco JUST because she’s Edie Falco. Same with Melissa McCarthy. The biggest question here is WILL AMY POEHLER FINALLY WIN FOR LESLIE KNOPE? Dreyfus has been unstoppable as the Veep, but Amy’s win at the Golden Globes could finally mean that the tides are turning in her direction. Whether she wins or not, I am sure Amy will have some sort of delightful comedy bit that will steal the show.

Biggest Snub: Mindy Kaling. Especially considering she got up super early to ANNOUNCE the nominees.

Surprises: ZILCH. All previous nominees, and newbie Schilling is in the buzziest new comedy of the year.

WE WISH: Malin Ackerman’s daffy Kate on Trophy Wife.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andre Braugher, “Brookiyn Nine-Nine”
Adam Driver, “Girls”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Modern Family”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Fred Armisen, “Portlandia”
Tony Hale, “Veep”

Typically, this is the category that has caused me the most rage for the past 5 years, as it has been dominated by the men of Modern Family. Tony Hale was an upset winner last year, and Modern Family’s vulnerability in the comedy race is most evident here, as it only snagged nominations for previous winner Ty Burrell (whose inclusion I will never argue with) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (who had great material with Cam and Mitchell’s wedding). While the incredible depth of comedy supporting actors is STILL not represented (SERIOUSLY THE MEN OF PARKS AND RECREATION), I AM happy to see new blood here.

Biggest Snub: I will NEVER understand why they haven’t caught on to the brilliance of Nick Offerman. Sigh.
Biggest Surprise: I squealed with delight when I saw Andre Braugher on the list. His deadpan police chief on Brooklyn 99 is a delight.
WE WISH: TOO MANY TO NAME

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Kate Mulgrew, “Orange Is the New Black”
Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”

Sage called it way back when Kate McKinnon was a featured player on Saturday Night Live…not only is she the show’s new MVP, she’s a star. I’m so happy that she gets the nomination in her first full year as a Not Ready For Primetime Player. This field looks wide open…which means of course Julie Bowen will win.

Biggest Snub: Marcia Gay Harden. She’s an Oscar winner doing a sitcom. Even though no one watched Trophy Wife (YOU PEOPLE ARE THE WORST), that should have guaranteed a nomination, no?
Biggest Surprise: We love Allison Janney more than anyone, but really? She’s TRAPPED on a middling sitcom. Maybe it’s a pity nomination because they know she is better than that? But she got the nomination for her spectacular work on Masters of Sex…so maybe they just wanted to fill the category and she is a recognizable name.
WE WISH: Michela Watkins, Trophy Wife

Outstanding Drama Series

“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“House of Cards” (Netflix)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“True Detective” (HBO)

I have been ranting about this for weeks on Twitter, and I am going to say it again here: I think it is BULLSHIT that True Detective is being allowed to compete as a drama. It is the very definition of a mini-series. “But Kim! There’s going to be a season two. It’s a drama!” you may say (and this very thing HAS been said to me on Twitter). Yes, there IS going to be a season two of True Detective. A Season Two that is going to have NOTHING to do with the narrative of season one and that’s going to feature an ENTIRELY new cast of actors.

MINISERIES. MINISERIES. MINISERIES. ANYONE THAT CALLS IT A DRAMA IS WRONG.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Vulture posted an article on why it’s a drama. It’s STILL bullshit.

With that out-of-the-way, this race will surely come down to True Detective vs. the final 8 episodes of current champion Breaking Bad. I have NO idea who will triumph. Also it’s worth noting that there are ZERO network shows on this list…so let me get to the snubs.
Biggest Snub: THE GOOD WIFE.  TGW completely revitalized itself in its 22 episode fifth season. It pulled off one of the BALLSIEST moves I have seen in television in a LONG time in the death of a lead character that NO ONE saw coming. It consistently features some of the best acting on network TV. This is a TRAVESTY.  Other worthy snubs have to include the most talked about drama of the year (Scandal) and the biggest new show of the year (The Blacklist). If the Emmys were more about popcorn shows than snobby prestige dramas, they both would have been on there.

Biggest Surprise: I am astonished that Downton Abbey continues to get the series nod, despite an OBVIOUS decline in good storytelling. ESPECIALLY at the expense of the snubs.

WE WISH: Parenthood

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Woody Harrelson, “True Detective”
Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Will recent Oscar Winner Matthew McConaughey take down Bryan Cranston in his FINAL year of eligibility? Jeff Daniels pulled off surprise win here last year, but I thought it was because the Academy knew they had one more chance to reward Walter White. And then True Detective happened. This is gonna be interesting folks.

Also does no one object to Kevin Spacey’s really bad accent on House of Cards? Because I know I do.

Biggest Snub: Emmy Darling James Spader. Even if The Blacklist wasn’t quite good enough to be considered Best Drama (yes, I know I listed it in snubs, but that is just because it was the biggest network new drama of the season), I was FULLY expecting Spader to sneak in here. I suspect this was at the hands of the True Detective duo.  Also Matthew Rhys of The Americans. 

Biggest Surprise: Given the outright disdain the media has for The Newsroom, I am surprised Jeff Daniels got in again! I’m not going to argue with it though. He does excellent work.

WE WISH: Tom Mison is the reason to WATCH Sleepy Hollow and not just because he is so pretty.  And is NO ONE paying attention to the men of Hannibal?

Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Lizzie Caplan, “Masters of Sex”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Kerry Washington, “Scandal”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Claire Danes has taken this two years in a row, but clearly, as she is the only major nomination for Homeland, the Academy has gone off this show.  So consider this field WIDE OPEN.  Many thought Kerry Washington was going to take this last year and Scandal has only gotten hotter…however, Olivia is consistently the worst on this show, character wise.  No matter how well Kerry can deliver the monologues, Olivia was completely stripped of her agency in the third season and was reduced to a spineless and whimpering victim.  But maybe she will win for best attempts to hide a baby bump?  Personally, I would give this to Julianna Margulies, for all the reasons I ranted about in the drama category.

Biggest Snub: Orphan Black‘s Tatiana Maslany.  The cards are forever stacked against her, due to the fact she is on a science fiction show.  But good LORD the woman plays SIX CHARACTERS.  Give me a break.   Also Mad Men‘s Elisabeth Moss…maybe it’s time for her to drop down back to Supporting Actress?  And I don’t watch The Americans (yet) but I hear nothing but good things about Keri Russell.  Give Felicity Porter a chance!!

Biggest Surprise: I love Lady Mary, but Michelle Dockery getting in is a joke.  I was surprised in a HAPPY way for Lizzy Caplan, considering Michael Sheen has gotten more of the accolades in the first year of eligibility.

WE WISH: See our snubs.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
Jon Voight, “Ray Donovan”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Mandy Patinkin, “Homeland”
Josh Charles, “The Good Wife”

The way I see it, this is a three-man race between Aaron Paul, Peter Dinklage, and Josh Charles.  You KNOW Dinklage will submit Tyrion’s trial as his episode, because his final testimony SCREAMS Emmy.  Josh Charles’ performance is probably the most subtle of the three front-runners, but I almost want them to give it to him JUST for the balls out way he left the show.  With it being the last season though, conventional wisdom says Breaking Bad‘s tortured soul Aaron Paul will win.  YEAH BITCH.

Biggest Snub: No one delivers a written aria like Scandal‘s Jeff Perry.

Biggest Surprise: WHO WATCHES RAY DONOVAN BESIDES THE TELEVISION ACADEMY?

WE WISH: The best performance on The Newsroom this season wasn’t Jeff Daniels…it was Thomas Sadoski as weasel-turned-dreamboat Don Keefer.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Anna Gunn, “Breaking Bad”
Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”

Anna Gunn finally triumphed last year as Breaking Bad‘s Skyler White.  I fully expect her to repeat again this year.  I love Dame Maggie Smith to the ends of the earth, but I haven’t forgiven her for stealing Christina Hendricks’ Emmy for “The Other Woman”.  Speaking of the women of Downton, Sage and I have VERY strong feelings about Joanne Froggatt getting the nomination for Anna’s rape storyline, which was basically just “we want to torment the best character on this show” porn.  (A Note from Sage: also friendly reminder that Julian Fellowes said that he found it “difficult” to write a rape scene where the victim isn’t at fault).  And if you WANTED to nominate an Actress with a dominant rape storyline, then look no further than our biggest snub…

Biggest Snub: BELLAMY YOUNG.  Scandal‘s tortured First Lady came into her own this year and Bellamy Young destroyed every single scene she was in.  Honestly, to ME, this is the biggest snub of the entire awards.  Sure, Scandal is a ridiculous soap opera.  But that should not discount the incredible acting on the show, and the supporting players BROUGHT IT this year.

Biggest Surprise: Lena Headey sneaking in for her sinister Cersei Lannister.  There are few things the Emmys love more than a vengeful mother.

WE WISH: Speaking of soapy dramas, someone needs to start paying attention to Hayden Panettiere’s incredibly layered work as Juliette Barnes on Nashville

ODDS AND ENDS

– Martin “Fuck you I won a BAFTA” Freeman is a double nominee this year for Fargo (where he goes up against his Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch) and Sherlock: His Last Vow.  Too bad they will both lose the leading actor race to either Mark Ruffalo or Billy Bob Thornton

– I’m just going to leave this right here to remind you that Maks was ROBBED in the choreography category.

– Another Host nomination for Queen Cat Deeley!!

– Most of the cast of The Normal Heart was nominated, as was to be expected, being that so many of them were famous.  So I am THRILLED to see they also remembered to nominate Joe Mantello for his SEARING performance as Mickey.

And those are our Emmy thoughts.  Stay tuned for our OWN TV awards (The Feelies?) where YOU will get to vote.  I mean…we’re picking the nominees, but I am confident you’ll be super happy with them.  In the meantime, share your outrage in the comments.