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« Roush Dispatch
Emmy Gets Our Hopes Up Again
Lee Pace and Anna Friel in Pushing Daisies by Scott Garfield/ABC
At least now we know which shows don't have the proverbial snowball's chance in Hollywood of getting best-series nomination. Underdogs like Battlestar Galactica, Breaking Bad and The Shield (to name the top drama snubs from my own cheat sheet) and How I Met Your Mother, The New Adventures of Old Christine, The Big Bang Theory (three superior CBS comedies passed over for Two and a Half Men, again) as well as Desperate Housewives (whose creative comeback failed to sway the Emmy nominators) and the beyond-edgy Californication.
All were shut out when the TV Academy released its list of top-10 contenders for best drama and comedy series, which now submit themselves for inspection this weekend by a blue-ribbon panel whose rankings will help narrow the cut to roughly five in each category. The lists are heavy on hip cable fare: four in comedy, and fully half of the 10 drama contenders. Critics' darlings that have survived so far include Friday Night Lights, The Wire, Dexter, Mad Men, Damages, Pushing Daisies and (with a tip of the cap to my TCA brethren) Flight of the Conchords.
Helping clarify matters, Gold Derby has revealed most of the episode titles submitted for blue-panel review. For comedy: Curb Your Enthusiasm ("The Bat Mitzvah"), Entourage ("The Day F***ers"), Family Guy ("Padre de Famila"), Flight of the Conchords ("Sally Returns"), The Office (title to come), Pushing Daisies ("Pie-lette"), 30 Rock ("Cooter"), Two and a Half Men ("Rough Night in Hump Junction"), Ugly Betty ("Something Wicked This Way Comes"), Weeds ("Go"). For drama: Boston Legal ("The Court Supreme"), Damages (Pilot), Dexter ("The Dark Defender"), Friday Night Lights ("Leave No One Behind"), Grey's Anatomy ("Freedom, Parts 1 and 2"), House ("Frozen"), Lost ("The Constant"), Mad Men (Pilot, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"), The Tudors (#205), The Wire (Series finale, "30").
Among the headlines here: The Wire, so long neglected, is HBO's only drama contender, edging the sexier Big Love, Tell Me You Love Me and In Treatment. Family Guy breaks the animation jinx to be considered for best comedy—but really, is drama contender Boston Legal any less of a cartoon?—while also double-dipping by submitting its hour-long Star Wars parody in the animated category. First-year series are bringing fresh blood into the process: Daisies, Conchords, Damages and Mad Men.
So while this isn't a perfect list, it's one that manages to get our hopes up that the blue-ribbon judges will be as impressed as I was by the stunning pilots of Daisies, Damages and Mad Men, the dazzling "Constant" episode of Lost and the heartbreaking "Leave No One Behind" episode of Friday Night Lights. The drama category will probably be a real squeaker, given that shows with uneven seasons but strong Emmy track records submitted Emmy-bait stunts, like Boston Legal's Supreme Court spoof and House's Antarctic Super Bowl-night episode.
So how would I narrow the field if given the chance?
Comedy (in order of preference): Pushing Daisies, 30 Rock, The Office, Ugly Betty and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Drama (in order of preference): Mad Men, Lost, The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Dexter and Damages. (Yes, I know that's six, but in case of near-ties, the categories can expand a bit. I could make an argument for almost all 10 of the drama contenders and several more that didn't make the cut.)
Now the wait begins for July 17, when all will be revealed and the real gnashing of teeth can begin.
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Jun 27, 2008 11:46 AM
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Thanks for posting the submitted episodes. I find it fascinating what TPTB consider the strongest episode of the season.
Daisies should be nominated on the clever genious of its pilot title alone!
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Jun 27, 2008 12:19 PM
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That episode of Friday Night Lights was so amazing, I remember welling up during that one a few times. I hope it finally breaks through.
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Jun 27, 2008 12:21 PM
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but really, is drama contender Boston Legal any less of a cartoon?—
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Jun 27, 2008 12:50 PM
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also "Eli Stone" is missing
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Jun 27, 2008 1:20 PM
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I'm not a big supporter of the Emmy's any more. I will be when shows like Battlestar Galactica get recognized for the amazing job they do. There are many shows in many genres now which have passed beyond cheesy into being top notch. BSG is one of the best IMO.
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Jun 27, 2008 1:46 PM
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I am still hopeful that whoever is getting up butt early with Neil Patrick Harris gets the quick note that she is to do the best supporting actor in a comedy to read his name.
I don't think I much care about these awards anymore. I mean, did 30 Rock's rating go way up? I feel bad that there are shows that are good that can't necessarily be categorized (I don't know, I am really thinking of Chuck here or Eli Stone) so we might never see them with anything. But what you think, would Adam Baldwin ever get a comedy award though Chuck might not be a comedy?
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Jun 27, 2008 2:56 PM
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Thanks for the information on the episode selection, Matt. That FNL episode -- man. An excellent selection. Emmys; better pick FNL.
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Jun 27, 2008 3:11 PM
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How perfect to choose The Constant for Lost! Desmond and Penny in that episode were so amazing that their actual reunion was almost anti-climatic. Everything had already been said. This year was amazing so I hope they get recognized for that. I hope to see some writing nominations also.
I don't think anyone got a bump in ratings from the Emmy's - the strike was hovering the first part of the season so if someone might have been interested they probably figured why bother when it's going to go off again soon.
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Jun 27, 2008 4:15 PM
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oooh- I disagree with the Constant being Lost's submission, and here's why: it was an EXCELLENT episode, but only if you've been tuning in for 4 years. Otherwise, if the panel is made up of people who either have never watched Lost or who gave up after season 2, it's not going to make any sense- and if it doesn't make sense they won't pay attention to the wonderful performances. It barely made sense to me after watching it 3 times, and I've watched every episode religiously because it's my favorite show!!
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Jun 27, 2008 5:11 PM
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Well Ugly Betty doesn't stand a chance if they submitted the Wicked episode.
Family Guy? Come on. How many years have The Simpsons or South Park been overlooked. And weren't The Simpsons not allowed to submit for the comedy category and told they were only eleigible for Animated? Not saying The Simpsons should be considered now, but back in their heyday, it was certainly one of the 5 best comedies on TV.
And I enjoy Boston Legal for what it is but Best Drama over The Sheild? Come on!
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Jun 27, 2008 6:36 PM
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Just to clarify, The Shield wasn't eligible this year.
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Jun 27, 2008 8:00 PM
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Hey Matt, what about a sixth contender for comedy- Weeds has been top notch from the beginning with superior acting (Mary Louise Parker,etc) and writing. Weeds continues to mix comedy with drama and feels like a thriller(will she or won't she get caught). That is deserving of some Emmy love, if not then a nomination will do just fine...
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Jun 27, 2008 11:37 PM
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I have seen Pushing Daises once and didn't watch the whole episode. What I did see, it needed to die!
Dexter, well that was just the worst show they could have possibly picked.
How much violence do we need? Pick up your local paper.
House I used to watch but the last few episodes, well did someone put him in a coma and he is sleeping through all this crack pot nonsense?
Boston Legal isn't bad, but it's the same old junk.
I would have liked to see MIT get something besides booted. It was one of the best show on TV.
We rent movies now. The Bachelorette, is soooooooooooo stupid!!!! So you think you can dance? Don't we already have enough Dance Shows? Reality TV Go AWAY!!!! If you want to sing and dance, go to the corner bar. At least you sound good at the end of the night.
I can't believe the stupidly of the Networks!!!!! Or the people that watch this junk!
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Jun 28, 2008 9:38 AM
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Damages and Daisies did the right thing by choosing their killer pilots. Though any episode would have been exellent, this gives the Emmy voters the advantage of not needing to understand background on the show, especially in Damages' case. They can just get sucked in as the viewers did.
Also nice to know that Friday Night Lights really did choose the best episode of the season instead of something uneven (like, say, the season premire.) Ditto Grey's, which had the finest episode in a long time with its season finale. The Constant was an exellent choice for Lost as well.
However, I am baffled why Ugly Betty chose the Wicked episode. I love the show and I love Wicked too, but the two of them did not mesh so well; it felt disjointed, almost like it was a semicommercial for Wicked. I understand Betty's desire to see Wicked, but it was nowhere ner the best episode of the season. I would have chosen the Bradford/Wilhimenia wedding which followed it instead. Ah well. Less formidable competition for Daisies then.
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Jun 28, 2008 2:51 PM
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