Who knew Nicki Minaj would be such a highlight on Saturday Night Live? The latest episode (hosted by James Franco) momentarily ended the sketch comedy’s reign of unfunny episodes. Sure, people get on SNL’s case, but this week featured some rather amusing scenes, and raptress Minaj only added to funny with two impersonations.

Peter Pan Live video

Peter Pan Live! just happened this past Thursday, but that didn’t stop SNL from skewering the highly tweeted about television event. Perhaps they even kept a piece of the set handy for this highlight? Cecily Strong (who was featured a lot this week) played Allison Williams as Peter Pan, and they made many references about how gorgeous this particular Pan was (“I’m a boy! With shapely legs and bright brown eyes! A BOY!”). Franco provided a pretty spot-on Christopher Walken as Captain Hook, and even Taran Killam slightly resembled Christian Borle’s Smee. My only complaint was that you don’t need Aidy Bryant’s Tonkerbell (Tink’s cousin) to make this funny. NBC’s presentation of Peter Pan was comic fodder by itself, and the skit succeeded when it poked fun at Walken’s wooden presence and the slow motion sword fight. They could have skewered that for the entire hour without Tonkerbell.

Old Star Wars video

Fans of Stars Wars might have been amused by SNL making fun of the original Star Wars trio in the Force Awakens skit. Killam played a grouchy Harrison Ford who wants an early bird special, and Bobby Moynihan’s far sighted Princess Leia probably shouldn’t have elicited as many laughs as he did. Sure, this is typical “old people” fodder, but it made me chuckle.

MTV Ballerz Hip Hop Nativity

Personally, I love it when SNL does celebrity impersonations, and it came this week in MTV’s Jingle Ballerz Hip Hop Nativity. The whole thing centered on famous hip hop artists recreating the birth of baby Jesus. Sasheer Zamata (sadly, in one of her only sketches this week) played Rihanna who was emceeing the event as the north star. Other hip hop artists included Eminem ad Riff Raff, and Minaj showed up to play Beyonce. Minaj almost stole the show, but that credit has to be given to Kate McKinnon who did a freakishly good impersonation of Justin Bieber. The way he wanders around when he talks and the way he pops his vest collar were so spot-on that one might think that McKinnon studies Bieber in her spare time.

Grow a Guy video

The strangest sketch might have been the pseudo-infomercial for a product called “Grow a Guy.” A group of friends are roasting marshmallows around a campfire, and Beck Bennett demands to know if Michael Patrick O’Brien had any other friends. O’Brien assures him that his friend “Chad” is awesome, and Bennett tells him to bring him up to the cabin next week. Panic stricken, O’Brien buys a product called Grow a Guy. It was kind of like one of those Magic Animal Grow Capsules from the 80’s, but this capsule turned into James Franco. O’Brien has to teach him the important stuff: opening a beer can, watching Guardians of the Galaxy, and how to high five.

The sketch was funny, but it reminded me of a movie that David Wain might spoof. It’s one of those digital shorts that’s kind of strange but kind of amusing.

Troll under the bridge

The lamest sketch for me (watch, I’m probably the only one) featured Franco as a troll who demands kisses to the people that cross his bridge. He has a friend names Cathy Ann (Strong, again) staying with him under his bridge, and she begins annoying Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney who play a couple who just want to get out of the woods. Cathy Ann goes on and on about how she was evicted from her apartment and her rapper boyfriend, but the whole thing meanders and is rather strange. The writing is particularly weak in this sketch, but it culminates in Mooney and Franco sloppily making out. It can’t be all bad.

Weekend Update

Weekend Update is generally my favorite part of SNL, because I just like the one liners. It takes a special skill to make this jokes land, and my ADTV cronies illuminated me yesterday on the podcast (which you should listen to!) on why they hate Colin Jost (who is also the head writer). Jost and co-anchor Michael Che started on a very somber note this week talking about the Eric Garner case. It was a bit sobering and surprising. The audience was surely wondering if they were going to say something insensitive or go too far. It was just a bit odd to hear these guys talking about it.

Jeremy’s Brain

There’s a great Homer Simpson quote that says, “Every time I learn something new, it pushes old stuff out of my brain,” and that was kind of the focus of this clever skit. Franco was trying to wrangle up some of the things that needed to be removed from Jeremy’s (Peter Davidson) brain. Certain stuff like Minaj’s Anaconda video were stuck in his mind (I wonder…), but the word rhombus (played by Bryant…yes, she can add rhombus to her resume) volunteers to go. Since I grew up in the early 2000’s, I highly enjoyed Savage Garden lyrics and the NSYNC “Bye Bye Bye” dance given the heave ho.

Kid Mayor video

If you lost an election to a 4 year old, you might be a little angry too. Ironically, my boyfriend just told me about how his home state of West Virginia elected an 18 year old to their House of Representatives, so a 4 year old winning a mayoral election can’t be that far behind. I wouldn’t be surprised if this actually happened, and everyone would think it’s so cute. It would inspire a shitty Disney movie, but I much prefer Franco’s loser attitude better. This kind of fills like filler or more appropriate for Jim Carrey (who hosted a few weeks ago), but the way Franco spits all over himself and breaks made it worth it.

Sunsinker Yachts

The post-performer sketch at the end of the night is usually very hit or miss, but this one made me laugh out loud. Vanessa Bayer  and Cecily Strong (…again…) play two porn stars turned yacht models trying to film a commercial. Their deadpan delivery and awkward body language made me think that these two girls were the slutty cousins of Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph’s Price is Right-ish model girls. The entire sketch is filled with so-bad-they’re-funny innuendos (“Once I got stuck in a pull out couch, and I was like what’s pull out mean?”) and Seth Rogen pops by with Franco as the entrepreneurs of this insanely inept business.

 

In the debut episode of the Water Cooler Podcast, Craig Kennedy, Megan McLachlan, Joey Moser and Clarence Moye discuss their favorite shows from the past 12 months.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or manually via RSS feed.

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via: Press Release

In addition to their 11 outstanding films, The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the official selections of AFI AWARDS 2014  for 10 outstanding television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of the year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.

An almanac documenting works of excellence that mark a moment in time, AFI AWARDS is also the only national honor for the community’s creative teams as a whole, acknowledging the collaborative nature of the art form. With no winners or losers, honorees are selected based on works which best advance the art of the moving image, enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form, inspire audiences and artists alike, and/or make a mark on American society.

“We celebrate these films and television programs as more than just milestones in a year of excellence.” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “They are a part of our American cultural heritage – collectively, a new chapter in the story of the art form and of our nation.”

AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR

  • THE AMERICANS
  • FARGO
  • GAME OF THRONES
  • HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
  • JANE THE VIRGIN
  • THE KNICK
  • MAD MEN
  • ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
  • SILICON VALLEY
  • TRANSPARENT

Marking the 15th chapter in the American Film Institute’s ongoing chronicle of the moving image in the 21st century, the 2014 entries join a notable pantheon of previous AFI honorees – works of significance that not only contribute to the rich cultural legacy, but also define the state of the art form. View the complete almanac here.

AFI AWARDS selections are made through a jury process in which AFI Trustees, scholars, film and television artists and critics determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as provide a contextual rationale for each selection.

This year’s juries – one for film and one for television – were chaired by producers and AFI Board of Trustees Vice Chairs Tom Pollock (former Vice Chairman of MCA, Chairman of Universal Pictures) for the movies and Rich Frank (former Chairman of Walt Disney Television, President of Walt Disney Studios, President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) for television, and includes award-winning artists such as Anne Garefino (AFI Class of 1988), Vince Gilligan, Marshall Herskovitz (AFI Class of 1975), Patty Jenkins (AFI Class of 2000), Kasi Lemmons, Matthew Libatique (AFI Class of 1992) and Phylicia Rashad; film historian Leonard Maltin; renowned authors and scholars from prestigious universities with recognized motion picture arts programs; AFI Board of Trustees; and critics from leading media outlets such as The Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, TIME, TV Guide, USA Today and more.

In a non-competitive atmosphere, honorees gather for recognition at the annual AFI AWARDS private luncheon on January 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA – an event favored by the entertainment community for its informal intimacy and its inclusive acknowledgement of excellence. Press coverage of the AFI Awards luncheon is strictly by invitation only. Photos will be available online through AFI immediately following the event – and AFI will additionally reveal the Jury rationales, providing artistic and cultural context for the selection of the respective honorees.

About the American Film Institute
AFI is America’s promise to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive, which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film; AFI AWARDS, honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year; AFI’s 100 Years…100 Moviestelevision events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI FEST presented by AudiAFI DOCS and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; and educating the next generation of storytellers at the world renowned AFI Conservatory. For more information about AFI, visitAFI.com or connect with AFI at twitter.com/AmericanFilmfacebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute andyoutube.com/AFI.

Similar to the women of “The Real Housewives,” the heroines of “Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce” are morally reprehensible. But thankfully, they’re fake. If only they were as entertaining as the real thing.

Bravo’s first scripted series holds promise on paper, with Lisa Edelstein as Abby McCarthy, the best-selling author of the Girlfriends’ Guide To. . . series of books, who’s made millions from telling other people how to manage families and careers. When her marriage falls apart, she hits a crossroads: out herself as a fraud or hold it together for the sake of the brand (based on the title, you can guess what happens).

Yet, the show feels too forced, too synthetic. Touching fake breasts in department stores! Making snarky comments like “Smooth move, Wiki Leaks!” This show is really trying to push cable television’s buttons, but it just comes off as stale and as empty as the calories all of these Angelenos are trying to avoid. None of the characters are likeable, even in an anti-hero way. Janeane Garofalo’s Lyla has sex with her ex-husband for fun and then calls the police on him so he can get picked up for a DUI. Phoebe (played by Beau Garrett), the midriff-bearing mother and best gal pal to Abby and Lyla, has sex with her ex-husband on a regular basis for money and gifts.

It’s questionable what reality this show exist in. Since viewers don’t know what exactly is in the content of the self-help books (is it specifically made-up stories about her husband or is it just a general guide to marriage?), it’s peculiar that Abby doesn’t want to release information about her impending divorce to the public since—as every Bravo fan knows—controversy sells. The network itself is considering delaying the next “Real Housewives” installment until Teresa Giudice gets out of prison.

While “Sex and the City” was ultimately a show about friendship, this show is about as far away from that as possible. There’s nothing genuine about it, and there’s no one worth rooting for. Except for the person with the remote control and power to change the channel.

There are two kinds of people that watched NBC’s presentation of Peter Pan Live! on Thursday night: people that actually love musicals and people who were hoping for a train wreck. Live theater is always risky, so some may have tuned in to see if anything insanely wrong happened. Haters of last year’s Sound of Music Liiiiiive! were probably resting their tweeting fingers and sharpening their knives, but the straightforward telling of Peter Pan was far more engaging than last year’s presentation.

To be perfectly honest, Peter Pan is a very nice choice for a family musical. It’s bright, simple, and uncomplicated for the most part. Allison Williams plays the boy who refuses to grow up, and all those Girls haters can shut their mouths. While she’s not as nimble as Cathy Rigby or Mary Martin, Williams is game. Her Peter seems a bit more serious, but perhaps she was just worried about the live telecast. Williams’ first scene with Wendy is pretty cute, and she does a good job. The rest of the presentation could probably be summed up into three groups: the good, the awkward and the ugly.

The Good:
Kelli O’Hara: Musical theater geeks surely squealed when they saw O’Hara and Christian Borle on screen as Mr. and Mrs. Darling at the top of the show. Everyone to soak in as much of her as possible, because she’s barely in Peter Pan, but the moments with her beautiful voice are some of the highlights of the entire presentation. How does she not have a Tony Award?!

The Sets:  Neverland is bright and colorful. The trees are kind of Seussicalian, and the Lost Boys hideout looks like it’s coming to a Crate & Barrel near you. One could say that this is partial house porn, because I never thought I could get rustic paneling ideas from NBC’s Peter Pan Live.

pan 3

Boys, boys, boys: When the show was starting to fall flat, there was one thing that could be depended on: the boys of Peter Pan Live. If you were worried that the smiley, twinky ensemble members of Broadway’s Newsies were going to be unemployed, you had to look no further than this presentation. The Lost Boys looked like they were all assembled from a piano cabaret in Midtown (not an insult whatsoever), and the pirates were the butcher, muscled men you moved on from after said twinky boys in Midtown. Let’s be honest: those dancers were hypnotizing and way too exciting to watch. These are not your community theater Lost Boys and pirate. Someone get me a bib to wipe the drool from my face. If that wasn’t enough, Christian Borle’s arms came out of the closet Thursday night. He’s most well-known for playing the gay composer from Smash, and he won a Tony for (ironically) playing a comical pirate in Peter and the Starcatcher. When he showed up as Smee, we all discovered how big his biceps are. It caused such a stir that it already has its own Twitter.

pan 2

The Awkward
Christopher Walken: I hate to even say this, but he looked lost the entire time. He may not receive as much scorn as, say, Carrie Underwood, but it’s safe to say that he is the Pierce Brosnan of Peter Pan Live. Early on, they came back from commercial in a somewhat tight close up, and Walken appeared to have flubbed his lines. Hey, it’s live theater, and he’s a respected actor. We shouldn’t harp.

Tinkerbell’s Dead: One of the best things about Peter Pan onstage is the sequence where the kids bring Tinkerbell back to life. I honestly had forgotten all about the scene, and I was dreading it as soon as I remembered. Consider that fourth wall destroyed, because Williams spoke right to the camera (in near silence) to bring the fairy back to life. It might have been the quickest resurrection ever, because of how awkward it was for her to reach right into our living rooms.

Pan and Hook are Buds: When Peter and Hook finally meet, it’s one of the most awkward confrontations I’ve ever seen. There’s no tension…no playfulness…no chemistry. Did Williams and Walken even meet before they stepped onstage?

The UGLY:
The Longest Note in the World: Someone at NBC thought it would be funny to play on a money note that Hook sings at the end of his big song in his first scene. During the commercial breaks, they would briefly cut back to Walken on the ship still holding that note, but there are two things wrong with that idea. That “note” is dreadful. It sounds like Fozzy Bear farting into a whoopee cushion. Secondly, it was obviously pre-recorded, because Walken kept messing up when to stop “holding out the note.” It was dreadful.

Slowest Sword Fight…EVER! Maybe they were afraid of actually hurting each other? Maybe they forgot to have a fight call prior to starting? All I know is that the sword fight in the climactic scene looked like it was in slow motion. If that wasn’t wretched enough, the sounds of the swords clinking didn’t match up with the action when Peter started fighting Hook. Eeeeekkk!

The Hook Bump: Captain Hook fist bumps a fellow pirate with his hook before he walks the plank. I can’t say any more about it, because I had to walk out of the room when I saw it initially.

The best thing about these kind of events is that musical theater is getting projected to an audience that doesn’t see it. Yes, I know that musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there needs to be an appreciation for this kind of stuff if you enjoy it. We probably wouldn’t have upcoming films like Annie and Into the Woods if it wasn’t for presentations like Peter Pan Live. Some little potato farmer’s son in Idaho might get turned onto musical theater because he caught five minutes of this on television. Who knows. I took great fun in being snarky on Twitter and Facebook, but I love stuff like this.

The Walking Dead’s pending spin-off, currently code-named Cobalt, has added several cast members in the past week including casting its lead role.

According to an article originally published in The Hollywood Reporter, Cliff Curtis of Gang Related and Missing will play Sean Cabrera, a good guy trying to make it with his ex-wife and son in this crazy, zombie-infested apocalyptic battle zone. Curtis joins actors Frank Dillane (young Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Alycia Debnam Carey (Into the Woods) who were recently cast as a brother and sister pair.

The central female lead, a guidance counselor named Nancy Tomkins, has yet to be cast.

This news comes on the heels of the original series’ 24-percent year-over-year increase in its midseason finale, which saw the unexpected and tragic demise of a central character. Clearly, the show isn’t losing any steam in drawing power, according to numbers recently published in The Hollywood Reporter, so the spin-off series becomes something of a no-brainer.

There is still no word on the premiere date or location for the new series.

Via Press Release:

TV Legends James Burrows & Robert Butler to Receive

Inaugural DGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Television

 ~Prestigious Honor to be Presented at the 67th Annual DGA Awards~

 Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay today announced that legendary directors James Burrows and Robert Butler will be the first recipients of a new DGA Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction, in honor of each director’s groundbreaking career.

“For those out there who’ve wondered what kind of impact a television director can have on the medium: Jim Burrows and Bob Butler provide the answers. That’s why we’re beyond thrilled to establish a new award, and to inaugurate it with two men who have had an incomparable influence over decades of precedent-setting television directing,” said Barclay.  “They’ve shaped the history of television in ways too numerous to calculate, including directing the pilots for some of the most iconic television shows ever.  Jim, who will soon helm his thousandth television episode, remains one of the most in-demand pilot directors in the business, having long since established his deft comedic touch on shows like TaxiCheersFriendsWill & Grace, and The Big Bang Theory. Bob set the tone and broke the rules on pilots for Hogan’s HeroesStar TrekBatmanHill Street Blues, and Moonlighting. Between the two of them, there are very few people in America who haven’t laughed, cried and/or cheered while watching their work.  They have truly changed the face of television.”

This new award was created by the Board of Directors this year, and will join the Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction in being the two highest honors bestowed by the DGA.  In the Guild’s 78-year history, only 34 directors have been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction, including Cecil B. DeMille (the award’s first recipient in 1953), Frank Capra (1959), Alfred Hitchcock (1968), Stanley Kubrick (1997), Steven Spielberg (2000), and most recently, Milos Forman (2013).  The winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction are nominated by a blue ribbon committee of prominent television directors and approved by the present and past presidents of the Guild.

“I am honored and touched to receive this inaugural DGA lifetime achievement award in television directing. I’m proud to accept this award in conjunction with Robert Butler, who I respect for his incredible work in television,” said Burrows.  “To be lucky enough to work with great writers and actors is a blessing, but this is unbelievable.”

“Burrows-Butler is a great pair.  To be DGA-recognized is truly meteoric,” added Butler.

The Awards will be presented at the 67th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

James Burrows

With more than 40 years directing many of the most critically-acclaimed and audience-beloved sitcoms of all time, James Burrows is considered the modern master of the sophisticated comedy. Famous for turning sitcoms into high art, with a particular knack for working with actors, Burrows set the bar in comedy direction.

Burrows may be best known, among his many accomplishments, as the co-creator of the long-running and critically acclaimed series Cheers. Burrows has served as a director-executive producer on many series including Will & Grace (for which he directed every episode), The Class, Back to You, and Mike & Molly.

Known for his comic timing, adding a fourth camera to the classic multi-cam setup, and his mastery of pilots, Burrows has directed episodes of more than 100 series, among them; The Bob Newhart Show, Rhoda, Laverne & Shirley, Lou Grant, Taxi, The Tony Randall Show, The Associates, Cheers, The Hogan Family, Night Court, Dear John, Wings, Frasier, Friends, NewsRadio, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dharma & Greg, Caroline in the City, The Class, Courting Alex, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, and Partners.  He has directed the pilots for more than 50 television series, many of which have gained iconic status and gone on to enjoy long and successful runs on television, including TaxiCheersFrasierFriendsWill & GraceTwo and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory.

Nominated 21 times for a DGA Award and 43 times for a Primetime Emmy (as a director and executive producer), Burrows won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series four times: for Cheers (both 1983 and 1990); the pilot of Frasier (1993); and Will & Grace (2000) and the Primetime Emmy for directing five times.

Born in Los Angeles, Burrows, whose father Abe Burrows was a successful playwright and stage director, moved to his family’s native New York as a young child so that his father could continue his work on Broadway.  Burrows attended New York’s High School of Music & Arts and Oberlin College and was then accepted to the Yale University School of Drama’s graduate program.

Upon graduating, Burrows moved back to Los Angeles in 1965 after being offered the position of dialogue coach for actor Burl Ives on the television series O.K. Crackerby!  After the series ended its run, Burrows moved to New York to work first as a show technician and then as stage manager for a Broadway rendition of Holly Golightly, written and directed by his father and Edward Albee. As a stage manager, Burrows experienced his first taste of directing, as one of his duties was to direct the plays’ understudies. This segued into his first off-Broadway stage directing job for The Castro Complex, followed by directing the traveling play 40 Carats which led to directing productions ofNorman, Is That You?, Mr. Roberts, and The Odd Couple, among others.  Burrows’ success in the theatre led to an offer to direct an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1974, and he has been working steadily and successfully in television ever since.

Burrows joined the DGA in 1974.  He has served as a trustee of the Directors Guild Foundation since 2001.

Robert Butler

Few directors have altered the trajectory of one-hour drama series as much as Robert Butler.  From devising the look and feel of pivotal programs for decades to influencing and mentoring many of today’s top directors, Butler’s overall impact is immeasurable.

With three episodes of Hennessey in 1960, Butler began a nearly 50-year directing career.  He directed many of the most popular shows such as Twilight ZoneThe DefendersThe Dick Van Dyke ShowGunsmokeThe UntouchablesI Spy and The Fugitive, as well as the pilots for such seminal television series as Hogan’s Heroes, his first, shot in black and white, the initial Star TrekBatman,Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanRemington Steele, which he created, Hill Street Blues and Moonlighting among others.

Butler won the DGA’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Dramatic Series in 1973 for The Waltons and again in 1984 for the Hill Street Blues pilot, which was credited with setting a new face and style for all police procedurals.  His specials and long-form shows include The Blue Knight, likely the first four-hour television mini-series ever aired, for which he won multiple Emmys and was nominated for a DGA Award, Dark Victory, and HBO’s White Mile, the river rafting courtroom drama.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Butler was initially a musician at NBC on the Hoagy Carmichael Teenagers band.  Interrupting his years at UCLA, he enlisted in the Army Ground Forces Band, graduating later and taking a job in the early 1950s as an usher at CBS just as live television was developing.  Over the next seven years, Butler became a stage manager and associate director on many CBS shows including Climax! and Playhouse 90 and worked with directors Franklin Schaffner, John Frankenheimer and Arthur Penn, an experience he considers priceless to his own development and career.

Butler joined the DGA in 1959.  He served 11 consecutive terms on the DGA National Board starting in 1985, including two terms as Fifth Vice President.  He also served on the Western Directors Council from 1974-2005 and on the Directors Guild Foundation since 1988, a position he continues to hold today. Butler also served repeatedly on the Negotiations Committee and was a member of the Residuals Study Committee.

In 2001, the DGA honored Butler with the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award in recognition of his decades of service to the Guild and its membership.

* * *

Nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film will be announced onJanuary 13, 2015.  Nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials, and Documentary will be announced on January 14, 2015

BMW is the Exclusive Automotive Sponsor of the 67th Annual DGA Awards. 

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced their television nominees this morning. The hardware will be handed out on Saturday, February 14, 2015.

DRAMA SERIES

  • Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO
  • The Good Wife, Written by Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Matthew Hodgson, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Erica Shelton Kodish, Matthew Montoya, Luke Schelhaas, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Craig Turk, Julia Wolfe; CBS
  • House of Cards, Written by Bill Cain, Laura Eason, Sam R. Forman, William Kennedy, Kenneth Lin, John Mankiewicz, David Manson, Beau Willimon; Netflix
  • Mad Men, Written by Heather Jeng Bladt, Semi Chellas, Jonathan Igla, David Iserson, Erin Levy, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC
  • True Detective, Written by Nic Pizzolatto; HBO

COMEDY SERIES

  • Louie, Written by Louis CK; FX
  • Orange Is the New Black, Written by Stephen Falk, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Lauren Morelli, Alex Regnery, Hartley Voss; Netflix
  • Silicon Valley, Written by John Altschuler, Alec Berg, Matteo Borghese, Jessica Gao, Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky, Carson Mell, Dan O’Keefe, Clay Tarver, Rob Turbovsky, Ron Weiner; HBO
  • Transparent, Written by Bridget Bedard, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, Ethan Kuperberg, Ali Liebegott, Faith Soloway, Jill Soloway; Amazon Prime
  • Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Kevin Cecil, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Andy Riley, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO

NEW SERIES

  • The Affair, Written by Dan LeFranc, Hagai Levi, Melanie Marnich, Eric Overmyer, Kate Robin, Sarah Treem; Showtime
  • The Knick, Written by Jack Amiel, Michael Begler, Steven Katz; Cinemax
  • Silicon Valley, Written by John Altschuler, Alec Berg, Matteo Borghese, Jessica Gao, Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky, Carson Mell, Dan O’Keefe, Clay Tarver, Rob Turbovsky, Ron Weiner; HBO
  • Transparent, Written by Bridget Bedard, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, Ethan Kuperberg, Ali Liebegott, Faith Soloway, Jill Soloway; Amazon Prime
  • True Detective, Written by Nic Pizzolatto; HBO

LONG FORM ORIGINAL

  • Deliverance Creek, Written by Melissa Carter; Lifetime
  • Return to Zero, Written by Sean Hanish; Lifetime

LONG FORM ADAPTED

  • Houdini, Written by Nicholas Meyer; Based on the book Houdini: A Mind in Chains: A Psychoanalytic Portrait by Bernard C. Meyer, M.D.; History Channel
  • Klondike, Parts One, Three and Six, Teleplay by Paul T. Scheuring, Parts Two, Four and Five, Teleplay by Josh Goldin & Rachel Abramowitz, Based on the book Gold Diggers by Charlotte Gray; Discovery Channel
  • The Normal Heart, Teleplay by Larry Kramer, Based on his play The Normal Heart; HBO
  • Olive Kitteridge, Teleplay by Jane Anderson, Based on the novel by Elizabeth Strout; HBO
  • “Pilot” (The Leftovers), Teleplay by Damon Lindelof & Tom Perrotta, Based on the book by Tom Perrotta; HBO

ANIMATION

  • “Bob and Deliver” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Greg Thompson; Fox
  • “Brick Like Me” (The Simpsons), Written by Brian Kelley; Fox
  • “Covercraft” (The Simpsons), Written by Matt Selman; Fox
  • “Pay Pal” (The Simpsons), Written by David Steinberg; Fox
  • “Steal This Episode” (The Simpsons), Written by J. Stewart Burns; Fox
  • “Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Nora Smith; Fox

EPISODIC DRAMA

  • “A Day’s Work” (Mad Men), Written by Jonathan Igla and Matthew Weiner; AMC
  • “Devil You Know” (Boardwalk Empire), Written by Howard Korder; HBO
  • “Donald the Normal” (Rectify), Written by Kate Powers & Ray McKinnon; Sundance Channel
  • “Friendless Child” (Boardwalk Empire), Written by Riccardo DiLoreto & Cristine Chambers and Howard Korder; HBO
  • “The Last Call” (The Good Wife), Written by Robert King & Michelle King; CBS
  • “The Lion and the Rose” (Game of Thrones), Written for Television by George R.R. Martin; HBO

EPISODIC COMEDY

  • “The Cold” (Modern Family), Written by Rick Wiener & Kenny Schwartz; ABC
  • “Landline” (New Girl), Written by Rob Rosell; Fox
  • “Low Self Esteem City” (Orange Is the New Black), Written by Nick Jones; Netflix
  • “So Did the Fat Lady” (Louie), Written by Louis C.K.; FX
  • “Three Dinners” (Modern Family), Written by Abraham Higginbotham & Steven Levitan & Jeffrey Richman; ABC
  • “The Wilderness” (Transparent), Written by Ethan Kuperberg; Amazon Prime

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES

  • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Writers: Rory Albanese, Dan Amira, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Travon Free, Hallie Haglund, JR Havlan, Elliott Kalan, Matt Koff, Adam Lowitt, Dan McCoy, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Zhubin Parang, Owen Parsons, Daniel Radosh, Lauren Sarver, Jon Stewart, Delaney Yeager; Comedy Central
  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Kevin Avery, Tim Carvell, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner; HBO
  • Inside Amy Schumer, Head Writer: Jessi Klein Writers: Emily Altman, Jeremy Beiler, Neil Casey, Kyle Dunnigan, Kurt Metzger, Christine Nangle, Dan Powell, Amy Schumer; Comedy Central
  • The Colbert Report, Writers: Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Stephen Colbert, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Ariel Dumas, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Sam Kim, Matt Lappin, Opus Moreschi, Tom Purcell, Meredith Scardino, Max Werner; Comedy Central
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live, Head Writers: Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Gary Greenberg Writers: Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Bess Kalb, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeff Loveness, Bryan Paulk, Rick Rosner, Bridger Winegar; ABC
  • Saturday Night Live, Head Writers: Seth Meyers, Colin Jost, Rob Klein, Bryan Tucker Writers:  James Anderson, Alex Baze, Michael Che, Mikey Day, Steve Higgins, Leslie Jones, Zach Kanin, Chris Kelly, Erik Kenward, Lorne Michaels, Claire Mulaney, Josh Patten, Paula Pell, Katie Rich, Tim Robinson, Sarah Schneider, Pete Schultz, John Solomon, Kent Sublette, Lakendra Tookes; NBC
  • Real Time with Bill Maher, Head Writer: Billy Martin Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Danny Vermont; HBO

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS

  • The 68th Annual Tony Awards, Written by Dave Boone; Special Material by Jon Macks; CBS
  • 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards, Written by Barry Adelman; Special Material by Alex Baze, Dave Boone, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Jon Macks, Sam Means, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Mike Shoemaker; NBC
  • 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Written by Gerry Duggan, Wayne Federman, Patton Oswalt, Erik Weiner; IFC
  • Bill Maher: Live from D.C., Written by Bill Maher; HBO
  • Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles, Written by Sarah Silverman; HBO

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

  • Hollywood Game Night, Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter; NBC
  • Jeopardy!, Written by John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC

DAYTIME DRAMA

  • Days of Our Lives, Written by Lorraine Broderick, David Cherrill, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Janet Iacobuzio, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Christopher Whitesell; NBC
  • General Hospital, Written by Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Chris Van Etten; ABC

CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – EPISODIC AND SPECIALS

  • “Girl Meets 1961” (Girl Meets World), Written by Matthew Nelson; Disney Channel
  • “Haunted Heartthrob” (Haunted Hathaways), Written by Bob Smiley; Nickelodeon
  • “Haunted Sisters” (Haunted Hathaways), Written by Boyce Bugliari & Jamie McLaughlin; Nickelodeon

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

  • “Losing Iraq” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
  • “United States of Secrets: Privacy Lost (Part Two)” (Frontline), Written by Martin Smith; PBS
  • “United States of Secrets: The Program (Part One)” (Frontline); PBS; Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

  • “Episode Five: The Rising Road (1933-1939)” (The Roosevelts: An Intimate History), Written by Geoffrey C. Ward; PBS
  • “League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
  • “Standing Up in the Milky Way (Episode 1)” (COSMOS: A Space Time Odyssey), Written by Ann Druyan and Steven Soter; Fox

TV NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

  • “50th Anniversary of JFK’s Assassination” (CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley), Written by Jerry Cipriano, Joe Clines; CBS News
  • CBS This Morning, Written by Duane Tollison, Chip Sorrentino, Bruce Meyer, Bill Crowley; CBS News
  • “Nelson Mandela: A Man Who Changed the World” (World News with Diane Sawyer), Written by Diane Sawyer, Lisa Ferri, Dave Bloch; ABC News

TV NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

  • “Nowhere to Go” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Oriana Zill de Granados & Michael Rey; CBS

No idea why anyone pays attention to these, but here you go! Basically, everything gets a nomination

Television Series, Comedy or Musical

  • Alpha House
  • Louie
  • Orange is the New Black
  • Silicon Valley
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • Transparent
  • Veep
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Television Series, Drama

  • The Affair
  • Fargo
  • Halt and Catch Fire
  • House of Cards
  • The Fall
  • Hannibal
  • The Knick
  • True Detective

Television Series, Genre

  • The Leftovers
  • American Horror Story
  • Game Of Thrones
  • Grimm
  • Penny Dreadful
  • Sleepy Hollow
  • The Walking Dead
  • The Strain

Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television

  • David Suchet, Agatha Christie’s Poirot
  • Dominic Cooper, Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond
  • Kiefer Sutherland, 24: Live Another Day
  • Stephen Rea, The Honourable Woman
  • Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge
  • Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart

Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical

  • Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
  • Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
  • John Goodman, Alpha House
  • Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
  • William H. Macy, Shameless
  • Louis C.K., Louie

Actor in a Series, Drama

  • Woody Harrelson, True Detective
  • Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo
  • Charlie Hunnam, Sons of Anarchy
  • Clive Owen, The Knick
  • Lee Pace, Halt and Catch Fire
  • Martin Freeman, Fargo
  • Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal
  • Michael Sheen, Masters of Sex

Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
  • Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones
  • Rory Kinnear, Penny Dreadful
  • Christopher Eccleston, The Leftovers
  • André Holland, The Knick
  • Jimmy Smits, Sons of Anarchy

Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Kristen Wiig, The Spoils of Babylon
  • Ann Dowd, The Leftovers
  • Nicola Walker, Last Tango in Halifax
  • Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful on Broadway
  • Sarah Lancashire, Happy Valley
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman
  • Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge

Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical

  • Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project
  • Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black
  • Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
  • Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
  • Emmy Rossum, Shameless
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Actress in a Series, Drama

  • Eva Green, Penny Dreadful
  • Gillian Anderson, The Fall
  • Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
  • Kerri Russell, The Americans
  • Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex
  • Robin Wright, House of Cards
  • Ruth Wilson, The Affair
  • Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Allison Tolman, Fargo
  • Michelle Monaghan, True Detective
  • Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story
  • Zoe Kazan, Olive Kitteridge

Miniseries Made for Television

  • 24: Live Another Day
  • Endeavour
  • Olive Kitteridge
  • Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond
  • Happy Valley
  • The Honourable Woman
  • The Spoils of Babylon
  • The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
  • Sherlock

Motion Picture Made for Television

  • The Normal Heart
  • Turks & Caicos

Television Ensemble

  • The Knick

Here are  your 2015 Producers Guild of America Nominees. Hardware will be handed out January 24, 2015.

Episodic Television, Drama:

  • Breaking Bad
  • Downton Abbey
  • Game Of Thrones
  • House Of Cards
  • True Detective

Episodic Television, Comedy:

  • The Big Bang Theory
  • Louie
  • Modern Family
  • Orange Is The New Black
  • Veep

Non-Fiction Television:

  • 30 For 30
  • American Masters
  • Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
  • COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey
  • Shark Tank

Competition Television:

  • The Amazing Race
  • Dancing With The Stars
  • Project Runway
  • Top Chef
  • The Voice

Live Entertainment & Talk Television

  • The Colbert Report
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live
  • Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
  • Real Time With Bill Maher
  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Sports Program

  • 24/7
  • Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The Atlanta Falcons
  • Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The Cincinnati Bengals
  • Inside: U.S. Soccer’s March To Brazil
  • Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel

Children’s Program

  • Dora The Explorer
  • Sesame Street
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
  • Toy Story OF TERROR!
  • Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts Masterclass

Digital Series

  • 30 For 30 Shorts
  • Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee
  • COSMOS: A National Geographic Deeper Dive
  • Epic Rap Battles Of History
  • Video Game High School Season 3

Via: Hitfix

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