Awards

ADTV offers their fearless and foolhardy 2017 Golden Globes TV predictions

Everyone at AwardsDaily TV lays in wait for Monday’s Golden Globes announcement with equal parts fear and giddy excitement. On Monday’s podcast, Megan, Joey, and I revealed our 2017 Golden Globes TV predictions fully expecting to be completely wrong come Monday. The Golden Globes aren’t like the Emmys. They’re random and persnickety. Last year’s hotness often becomes this year’s crow’s feet. Plus, the Hollywood Foreign Press often finds themselves wined and dined. We’re not saying they’re bribed, of course, but the squeaky wheel does often get the oil. At any rate, predicting the Golden Globes (at least on the TV side) truly feels like a fool’s errand.

At any rate, here we are publishing our official 2017 Golden Globes TV predictions joined by fellow ADTV contributor Jazz Tangcay. Jalal will be offering his predictions in tomorrow’s Awards Tracker. Feel free to point and laugh on Monday like The Simpsons‘ Nelson Muntz when the HFPA goes their own way as they SO often do. We won’t mind. Much.

Return to AwardsDaily TV on Monday for the full Golden Globes TV nominations and reactions from the nominees.

	Clarence Moye	Megan McLachlan
Drama Series	The Crown Game of Thrones Outlander This is Us Westworld	The Crown Game of Thrones Mr. Robot This is Us Westworld
Actor, Drama Series	Sam Heughan, Outlander Rami Malek, Mr. Robot Wagner Moura, Narcos Kevin Spacey, House of Cards Kiefer Sutherland, Designated Survivor	Anthony Hopkins, Westworld Rami Malek, Mr. Robot Wagner Moura, Narcos Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan Matt Smith, The Crown
Actress, Drama Series	Caitriona Balfe, Outlander Claire Foy, The Crown Winona Ryder, Stranger Things Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld Robin Wright, House of Cards	Viola Davis, HTGAWM Taraji P. Henson, Empire Claire Foy, The Crown Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Comedy Series	Atlanta Black-ish Divorce Transparent Veep	Black-ish Divorce Orange is the New Black Transparent Veep
Actor, Comedy Series	Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Thomas Haden Church, Divorce Donald Glover, Atlanta Nick Nolte, Graves Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent	Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle Thomas Haden Church, Divorce Donald Glover, Atlanta Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Actress, Comedy Series	Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag Minnie Driver, Speechless Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce Issa Rae, Insecure	Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Minnie Driver, Speechless Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce Issa Rae, Insecure
Limited Series TV Movie	American Crime Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life The Night Manager The Night Of People v. O.J. Simpson	American Crime Crisis in Six Scenes The Night Manager The Night Of People v. O.J. Simpson
Actor, Limited Series TV Movie	Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock Bryan Cranston, All the Way Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager John Turturro, The Night Of Courtney B. Vance, PVOJS	Bryan Cranston, All the Way Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager John Turturro, The Night Of Courtney B. Vance, PVOJS
Actress, Limited Series TV Movie	Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls: AYITL Felicity Huffman, American Crime Sarah Paulson, PVOJS Lili Taylor, American Crime Kerry Washington, Confirmation	Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls: AYITL Felicity Huffman, American Crime Sarah Paulson, PVOJS Lili Taylor, American Crime Kerry Washington, Confirmation
TV Supporting Actor	Louie Anderson, Baskets Sterling K. Brown, PVOJS Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager John Lithgow, The Crown John Travolta, PVOJS	Louie Anderson, Baskets Sterling K. Brown, PVOJS Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager John Lithgow, The Crown John Travolta, PVOJS
TV Supporting Actress	Olivia Colman, The Night Manager Regina King, American Crime Judith Light, Transparent Maura Tierney, The Affair Constance Zimmer, UnReal	Miley Cyrus, Crisis in Six Scenes Regina King, American Crime Judith Light, Transparent Chrissy Metz, This is Us Maura Tierney, The Affair

	Joey Moser	Jazz Tangcay
Drama Series	The Crown Game of Thrones Mr. Robot This is Us Westworld	The Crown Game of Thrones Mr Robot Stranger Things This is Us
Actor, Drama Series	Anthony Hopkins, Westworld Rami Malek, Mr. Robot Matthew Rhys, The Americans Keifer Sutherland, Designated Survivor Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan	Anthony Hopkins, Westworld Rami Malek, Mr. Robot Wagner Moura, Narcos Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Actress, Drama Series	Viola Davis, HTGAWM Claire Foy, The Crown Taraji, Empire Thandie Newton, Westworld Winona Ryder, Stranger Things	Viola Davis, HTGAWM Claire Foy, The Crown Taraji P. Henson, Empire Winona Ryder, Stranger Things Robin Wright, House of Cards
Comedy Series	Atlanta black-ish Divorce Fleabag Transparent Veep	Black-ish Divorce Orange Is the New Black Transparent Veep
Actor, Comedy Series	Anthony Anderson, black-ish Ted Danson, The Good Place Thomas Haden Church, Divorce Donald Glover, Atlanta Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent	Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle Thomas Haden Church, Divorce Donald Glover, Atlanta Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Actress, Comedy Series	Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Minnie Driver, Speechless Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce Issa Rae, Insecure	Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin Lily Tomlin, Grace & Frankie
Limited Series TV Movie	All the Way American Crime The Night Manager The Night Of People v. O.J. Simpson	American Crime AHS: Roanoke The Night Manager The Night Of People v. O.J. Simpson
Actor, Limited Series TV Movie	Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock Bryan Cranston, All the Way Michael Gambon, Churchill's Secret Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager Courtney B. Vance, PVOJS	Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock Bryan Cranston, All the Way Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager John Turturro, The Night Of Courtney B. Vance, PVOJS
Actress, Limited Series TV Movie	Felicity Huffman, American Crime Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience Sarah Paulson, PVOJS Lili Taylor, American Crime Kerry Washington, Confirmation	Felicity Huffman, American Crime Lily James, War & Peace Sarah Paulson, PVOJS Anika Noni Rose, Roots Kerry Washington, Confirmation
TV Supporting Actor	Louie Anderson, Baskets Sterling K. Brown, PVOJS Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager John Lithgow, The Crown John Travolta, PVOJS	Louie Anderson, Basket Sterling K. Brown, PVOJS Kit Harington, Game of Thrones Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
TV Supporting Actress	Olivia Colman, The Night Manager Miley Cyrus, Crisis in Six Scenes Lena Headey, Game of Thrones Regina King, American Crime Judith Light, Transparent	Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones Olivia Colman, The Night Manager Judith Light, Transparent Constance Zimmer, UnReal

Joey Moser looks at NBC’s latest live musical Hairspray Live! and its Emmy potential

Hairspray Live! is just the type of musical we need right now. It’s bright, colorful, and fun. If you can’t get up and dance to the finale anthem, “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” then you’re truly dead inside. NBC stepped up the production value for their latest musical theater outing, and there were some truly entertaining moments.

The musical adaptation (you know, the second movie version) of the John Waters’ cult comedy came out less than 10 years ago, so when it was originally announced as the latest outing, I was curious. It was obviously chosen because it boasts a large, diverse cast with a winning and rambunctious score, but I’m not sure any of the executives could have predicted how vital a show like Hairspray really is at the moment. With Donald Trump’s inauguration looming, we all need something to smile and dance to. A message of inclusion and acceptance definitely doesn’t hurt either.

In case you missed the original…or the stage musical…or the movie version of the stage musical, Hairspray Live! follows plump Tracy Turnblad as she gains popularity on a dance show in 1960’s Baltimore. What starts as a dream to become famous turns into an opportunity to create social change and end segregation and bigotry. Tracy is a dream role for any young actress, and the show has a tendency to cast an unknown in the role. This time around, they selected Maddie Baillio, and she’s a charming discovery.

You can almost imagine the NBC executives watching the mega-successful (and Emmy-winning) production of Grease Live! on FOX and thinking they need to step up their game. The sets are massive and the costumes are top-notch. They could easily find themselves in the awards conversation when Emmy season kicks back into high gear. There are golf carts on hand to zoom the cast members from set to set all the while Glee star Darren Criss comments at the commercial breaks. Commentary during the breaks is unnecessary by the way. Buck this trend, I beg you.

When the Broadway veterans are on stage, they take control of every scene. Harvey Fierstein, reprising his role as the gravelly voiced, curvaceous matron Edna, is a joy to watch, and there is a shot of him riding on a hot dog cart in “Welcome to the 60’s” that made me howl with gleeful laughter. Kristin Chenoweth, as the racist Velma Von Tussle, is the performance we don’t deserve. She belts those high notes with such an assured force that would make any skeptical audience member stand up and cheer. Jennifer Hudson, as expected, blows the roof off of the entire downtown Baltimore strip. Shout out to the directors for making sure “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now” remained in this version.

Is it perfect? Not entirely. The staging feels less assured than the performances with the camera continually moving back and forth out of the performers’ way. Garrett Clayton is also woefully miscast as Tracy’s love interest, Link Larkin. Note to the casual viewer: don’t watch crime saga King Cobra, with Clayton as gay porn star Brent Corrigan, before tuning into this feel good musical spectacular—every seductive teenage look will take an entirely different feeling. Sorry, bud. You make Zac Efron look like Brando.

But, hey, who am I to judge something so feel good and eager to reassure you that change is possible? The production succeeds because its heart is in the right place. It’s breezy material performed with exhuberance.

Does the production have a shot during awards season? It could follow in Grease Live!’s footsteps considering the sheer size of the show. The period nature of the musical doesn’t hurt either. Grease Live! had the advantage of coming out after the holidays (it debuted in late January), and its ratings definitely had the industry talking for months.

Guaranteed Nominations
Costume Design
Production Design

Possible Nominations
Special Class Program/TV Movie
Direction
Harvey Fierstein, Limited Series/Movie Supporting Actor
Kristin Chenoweth, Limited Series/Movie Supporting Actress

Press release provided by the ASC

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has announced its television nominees for the 31st annual Outstanding Achievement Awards. The 2017 ASC Awards winners will be revealed on February 4, 2017, during the organization’s annual ceremony, held at the Hollywood & Highland Ray Dolby Ballroom.

John Simmons, ASC — who recently won an Emmy for his work on the multi-camera series Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn — announced the nominees today before a luncheon held at the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood.

The 2017 ASC Awards nominees are:

Regular Series for Non-Commercial Television

John Conroy for Penny Dreadful, “The Day Tennyson Died” (Showtime)

David M. Dunlap for House of Cards, “Chapter 45” (Netflix)

Anette Haellmigk for Game of Thrones, “Book of the Stranger” (HBO)

Neville Kidd for Outlander, “Prestonpans” (Starz)

Fabian Wagner, BSC for Game of Thrones, “Battle of the Bastards” (HBO)

 

Regular Series for Commercial Television

Tod Campbell for Mr. Robot, “eps2.0_unm4sk-pt1.tc” (USA)

John Grillo for Preacher, “Finish the Song” (AMC)

Kevin McKnight for Underground, “The Macon 7” (WGN)

Christopher Norr for Gotham, “Wrath of the Villains: Mr. Freeze” (Fox)

Richard Rutkowski for Manhattan, “Jupiter” (WGN)

 

Movie, Miniseries, or Pilot for Television

Balazs Bolygo, HSC, BSC for Harley and the Davidsons, “Amazing Machine” (Discovery)

Paul Cameron, ASC for Westworld, “The Original” (HBO)

Jim Denault, ASC for All The Way (HBO)

Alex Disenhof for The Exorcist, “Chapter One: And Let My Cry Come Unto Thee” (Fox)

 

The Writers Guild of America East and West unveiled their WGA TV nominations for the 2016 television year. New series Stranger Things, Westworld, and Atlanta made an impact in the series races. All series are nominated in the New Series category. The WGA Awards will be announced on February 17.

The full list of nominees follows.

DRAMA SERIES

The Americans, Written by Peter Ackerman, Tanya Barfield, Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Stephen Schiff, Joe Weisberg, Tracey Scott Wilson; FX

Better Call Saul, Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Jonathan Glatzer, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, Heather Marion, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith; AMC

Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, Dave Hill, D.B. Weiss; HBO

Stranger Things, Written by Paul Dichter, Justin Doble, The Duffer Brothers, Jessica Mecklenburg, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Alison Tatlock; Netflix

Westworld, Written by Ed Brubaker, Bridget Carpenter; Dan Dietz, Halley Gross; Lisa Joy; Katherine Lingenfelter, Dominic Mitchell, Jonathan Nolan, Roberto Patino, Daniel T. Thomsen, Charles Yu; HBO

COMEDY SERIES

Atlanta, Written by Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Stefani Robinson, Paul Simms; FX

Silicon Valley, Written by Megan Amram, Alec Berg, Donick Cary, Adam Countee, Jonathan Dotan, Mike Judge, Carrie Kemper, John Levenstein, Dan Lyons, Carson Mell, Dan O’Keefe, Clay Tarver, Ron Weiner; HBO

Transparent, Written by Arabella Anderson, Bridget Bedard, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, Jessi Klein, Stephanie Kornick, Ethan Kuperberg, Ali Liebegott, Our Lady J, Faith Soloway, Jill Soloway; Amazon Studios

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Written by Emily Altman, Robert Carlock, Azie Mira Dungey, Tina Fey, Lauren Gurganous, Sam Means, Dylan Morgan, Marlena Rodriguez, Dan Rubin, Meredith Scardino, Josh Siegal, Allison Silverman, Leila Strachan; Netflix

Veep, Written by Rachel Axler, Sean Gray, Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, Eric Kenward, Billy Kimball, Steve Koren, David Mandel, Jim Margolis, Lew Morton, Georgia Pritchett, Will Smith, Alexis Wilkinson; HBO

NEW SERIES

Atlanta, Written by Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Stefani Robinson, Paul Simms; FX

Better Things, Written by Pamela Adlon, Louis C.K., Cindy Chupack, Gina Fattore; FX

Stranger Things, Written by Paul Dichter, Justin Doble, The Duffer Brothers, Jessica Mecklenburg, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Alison Tatlock; Netflix

This Is Us, Written by Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger, Bekah Brunstetter, Dan Fogelman, Vera Herbert, Joe Lawson, Kay Oyegun, Aurin Squire, K.J. Steinberg, Donald Todd; NBC

Westworld, Written by Ed Brubaker, Bridget Carpenter, Dan Dietz, Halley Gross, Lisa Joy, Katherine Lingenfelter, Dominic Mitchell, Jonathan Nolan, Roberto Patino, Daniel T. Thomsen, Charles Yu; HBO

LONG FORM ORIGINAL

American Crime, Written by Julie Hébert, Sonay Hoffman, Keith Huff, Stacy A. Littlejohn, Kirk A. Moore, Davy Perez, Diana Son; ABC

Confirmation, Written by Susannah Grant; HBO

Harley and the Davidsons, Written by Seth Fisher, Nick Schenk, Evan Wright; Discovery Channel

Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le, Written by Dianne Houston; Lifetime

LONG FORM ADAPTED

11.22.63, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Brigitte Hales, Joe Henderson, Brian Nelson, Quinton Peeples, Based on the novel by Stephen King; Hulu

American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, Written by Scott Alexander, Joe Robert Cole, D.V. DeVincentis, Maya Forbes, Larry Karaszewski, Wally Wolodarsky, Based on the book The Run of His Life by Jeffrey Toobin; FX

Madoff, Written by Ben Robbins, Inspired by the Book The Madoff Chronicles: Inside the Secret World of Bernie and Ruth by Brian Ross; ABC

The Night Of, Written by Richard Price, Steve Zaillian, Based on the BBC Series Criminal Justice Created by Peter Moffat; HBO

Roots, Written by Lawrence Konner, Alison McDonald, Charles Murray, Mark Rosenthal, Based upon the Book by Alex Haley; History Channel

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL

“Episode 101” (Now We’re Talking), Written by Tug Coker, Tommy Dewey; go90.com

“Escape the Room” (Life Ends at 30), Written by Michael Field; vimeo.com

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” Episode 1 (Thug Passion), Written by Motrya Tomycz; vimeo.com

“The Party” (The Commute), Written by Linsey Stewart & Dane Clark; youtube.com

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ADAPTED

“Passage” Part 4 (Fear the Walking Dead), Written by Lauren Signorino & Mike Zunic; amc.com

“Under Siege” (The Strain), Written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle, Based on the novels by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan; fxnetworks.com

ANIMATION

“Barthood” (The Simpsons), Written by Dan Greaney; Fox

“First Day of Rule” (Elena of Avalor), Written by Craig Gerber; Disney Channel

“Fish Out of Water” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Elijah Aron & Jordan Young; Netflix

“A Princess on Lothal” (Star Wars Rebels), Written by Steven Melching; Disney XD

“Stop the Presses” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Joe Lawson; Netflix

EPISODIC DRAMA

“Gloves Off” (Better Call Saul), Written by Gordon Smith; AMC

“I Am a Storm” (Shameless), Written by Sheila Callaghan; Showtime

“Klick” (Better Call Saul), Written by Heather Marion & Vince Gilligan; AMC

“Switch” (Better Call Saul), Written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC

“The Trip” (This Is Us), Written by Vera Herbert; NBC

“The Winds of Winter” (Game of Thrones), Written for Television by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss; HBO

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Kimmy Finds Her Mom!” (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Written by Tina Fey & Sam Means; Netflix

“Kimmy Goes on a Playdate!” (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Written by Robert Carlock; Netflix

“Pilot” (One Mississippi), Written by Diablo Cody & Tig Notaro; Amazon Studios

“R-A-Y-C-Ray-Cation” (Speechless), Written by Carrie Rosen & Seth Kurland; ABC

“Streets on Lock” (Atlanta), Written by Stephen Glover; FX

“A Taste of Zephyria” (Son of Zorn), Written by Dan Mintz; Fox

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Writers: Dan Amira, David Angelo, Steve Bodow, Devin Delliquanti, Zach DiLanzo, Travon Free, Hallie Haglund, David Kibuuka, Matt Koff, Adam Lowitt, Dan McCoy, Lauren Sarver Means, Trevor Noah, Joe Opio, Zhubin Parang, Owen Parson, Daniel Radosh, Michelle Wolf; Comedy Central

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Kevin Avery, Tim Carvell, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner; HBO

Late Night with Seth Meyers, Writers: Jermaine Affonso, Alex Baze, Bryan Donaldson, Sal Gentile, Matt Goldich, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, Andrew Law, John Lutz, Aparna Nancherla, Chioke Nassor, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, Conner O’Malley, Seth Reiss, Amber Ruffin, Mike Scollins, Mike Shoemaker, Ben Warheit, Michelle Wolf; NBC

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Writers: Mike Brumm, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Stephen Colbert, Cullen Crawford, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Ariel Dumas, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Daniel Kibblesmith, Matt Lappin, Opus Moreschi, Tom Purcell, Jen Spyra, Brian Stack; NBC

COMEDY / VARIETY – SKETCH SERIES

Documentary Now!, Writers: Bill Hader, John Mulaney, Seth Meyers; IFC

Inside Amy Schumer, Writers: Kim Carmele, Kyle Dunnigan, Jessi Klein, Michael Lawrence, Kurt Metzger, Christine Nangle, Claudia O’Doherty, Dan Powell, Tami Sagher, Amy Schumer; Comedy Central

Maya and Marty in Manhattan, Head Writers: Mikey Day, Matt Roberts, Bryan Tucker Writers: Eli Bauman, Jeremy Beiler, Chris Belair, Hallie Cantor, David Feldman, R J Fried, Melissa Hunter, Paul Masella, Tim McAuliffe, John Mulaney, Diallo Riddle, Maya Rudolph, Bashir Salahuddin, Marika Sawyer, Streeter Seidell, Martin Short; Emily Spivey, Steve Young; NBC

Nathan For You, Written by Leo Allen, Nathan Fielder, Adam Locke-Norton, Eric Notarnicola; Comedy Central

Saturday Night Live, Head Writers: Rob Klein, Bryan Tucker Writers: James Anderson, Fred Armisen, Jeremy Beiler, Chris Belair, Megan Callahan, Michael Che, Mikey Day, Jim Downey, Tina Fey, Fran Gillespie, Sudi Green, Tim Herlihy, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Zach Kanin, Chris Kelly, Erik Kenward, Paul Masella, Dave McCary, Dennis McNicholas, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, Josh Patten, Paula Pell, Katie Rich, Tim Robinson, Sarah Schneider, Pete Schultz, Streeter Seidell, Dave Sirus, Emily Spivey, Andrew Steele, Will Stephen, Kent Sublette; NBC

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS

68th Primetime Emmy Awards, Written by Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Robert Cohen, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Bess Kalb, Jeff Loveness, Jon Macks, Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Jeff Stilson, Joe Strazzullo, Alexis Wilkinson; ABC

73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards, Written by Barry Adelman; Special Material Written by Dave Boone, Ricky Gervais, Jon Macks, Matthew Robinson; NBC

88th Annual Academy Awards, Written by Dave Boone, Billy Kimball; Special Material Written by Scott Aukerman, Rodney Barnes, Neil Campbell, Matthew Claybrooks, Lance Crouther, Mike Ferrucci, Langston Kerman, Jon Macks, Steve O’Donnell, Nimesh Patel, Vanessa Ramos, Chris Rock, Frank Sebastiano, Chuck Sklar, Jeff Stilson, Michelle Wolf; CBS

Triumph’s Election Special, Written by Andy Breckman, Josh Comers, David Feldman, R J Fried, Jarrett Grode, Ben Joseph, Matthew Kirsch, Michael Koman, Mike Lawrence, Brian Reich, Craig Rowin, Robert Smigel, Zach Smilovitz, Andrew Weinberg; Hulu

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Hollywood Game Night, Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC

Jeopardy!, Written by John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Deborah Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC

DAYTIME DRAMA

General Hospital, Writers: Shelly Altman, Anna Theresa Cascio, Andrea Archer Compton, Suzanne Flynn, Janet Iacobuzio, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Jean Passanante, Dave Rupel, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Chris Van Etten, Christopher Whitesell; ABC

CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – EPISODIC AND SPECIALS

“Girl Meets Commonism” (Girl Meets World), Written by Joshua Jacobs & Michael Jacobs; Disney Channel

“Just Add Mom” (Just Add Magic), Written by John-Paul Nickel; Amazon Studios

“Mel vs. The Night Mare of Normal Street” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street), Written by Laurie Parres; Amazon Studios

“Mucko Polo, Grouch Explorer” (Sesame Street), Written by Belinda Ward; HBO

CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – LONG FORM OR SPECIAL/h4>

Dance Camp, Teleplay by Nick Turner & Rex New and Cameron Fay, Story by Nick Turner & Rex New; youtube.com

Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas, Written by Geri Cole & Ken Scarborough; HBO

R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet Of Souls, Written by Billy Brown & Dan Angel; Freeform

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

“Chasing Heroin” (Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria; PBS

“The Choice 2016” (Frontline); Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS

“Inside Assad’s Syria” (Frontline), Written by Martin Smith; PBS

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

“American Reds,” Written by Richard Wormser; WPTS Dayton

“Jackie Robinson, Part One,” Written by David McMahon & Sarah Burns; PBS

“Netanyahu at War” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS

NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“Ambush In Dallas” (World News Tonight With David Muir), Written by David Bloch, Karen Mooney, David Muir, David Schoetz; ABC News

“Brussels Under Attack” (World News Tonight With David Muir), Written by David Bloch, Karen Mooney, David Muir, David Schoetz; ABC News

“Muhammad Ali: Remembering A Legend” (48 Hours), Written by Jerry Cipriano, Craig Wilson; CBS News

NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“CBS Sunday Morning Almanac” June 12, 2016 (CBS Sunday Morning), Written by Thomas A. Harris; CBS

Episode 106: The Cooler Gang puts on their predicting hats and capes and attempts to forecast the most finicky awards group of them all with our 2017 Golden Globe predictions.

This week at the Water Cooler, we’re girding our loins for next Monday’s 74th Annual Golden Globes nominations announcement. Clearly, we’re focusing on the most important categories of all – the Television categories. So, on this week’s podcast, we give our 2017 Golden Globe predictions on who will make it, who will surprise us, and who misses out of the Golden Globes television categories. Plus, we speculate on what to expect from those crazy, one-performance-fits-all supporting categories. It becomes a fool’s errand to try and predict the Hollywood Foreign Press, but who said we weren’t fools?

As always, we close with the Flash Forward to the television we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks to all of our listeners and thank you, in advance, for remembering to rate us on iTunes!

04:47 – 2017 Golden Globes Predictions
44:17 – Flash Forward

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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ADTV considers the Emmy potential for HBO’s newest smash hit Westworld

Awards observers and critics held their collective breaths with HBO’s Westworld. The buzz coming from the set focused only on a handful of seemingly disastrous events. First, the production informed some actors they would be participating in explicit orgies. Well, to be specific, extras’ contracts called for “genital-to-gential touching,” according to Deadline, and there’s also that amusing need to exist “on all fours while others who are fully nude ride on your back.” Alrighty then.

Next, the whole controversy around the production stopping to allow for (horrors!) the writers to carefully plot out the remainder of Season 1. To me, this always feels like a good thing, but the internet pounces on delays like vultures. Was it a good idea? More on that later.

Finally, at last summer’s Television Critics Association, writer/producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy were inundated with questions about the pilot’s suggestion and near-display of Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores’s brutal rape. That initially felt like the train rolling off the track. Thanks to Game of Thrones, the icky subject of rape as plot device hangs over HBO’s head, and adding one more piece of evidence to the conversation felt like a step in the wrong direction. Turns out, that conversation eventually died down as the series justly depicted the scene as a horrific event and spent much of the season in revenge mode.

So now that Season 1 is finally complete with tonight’s 90-minute season finale, what do we make of Westworld on its own merits?

One thing Westworld excels in is repetition. The refrain “These violent delights have violent ends” was not accidental. In fact, the Season 1 finale harkened back to the finales of the great 1980s soap operas with operatic revelations and strokes painted with a very broad brush. Minor spoiler here, but the season closer reminded me a great deal of Dynasty‘s infamous “Moldavia Massacre.” Now, I bet I’m the only person to draw that conclusion, but there it is. Westworld‘s series finale nearly reached the heights of the season premiere. After repeat viewings, it may indeed surpass it. No doubt viewers were frustrated with the lack of concrete resolution on all questions, but did you really expect it given the often meandering storylines of the previous episodes?

The Season 1 finale ultimately provided exactly what I personally needed from the series. It delivered an action-packed and deeply felt 90 minutes with major twists and pleasant surprises, and it offered a towering performance from Evan Rachel Wood, which should all but solidify her Emmy placement (see below). Additionally, each major cast member had some nice moments, including the often under-served James Marsden, and there were some unexpected deaths that will unlikely result in robotic replacements. It was an exciting finale that undoubtedly started planting seeds for Season 2. The production delay was worth the wait as this is a complex series in which, undoubtedly, even the writers themselves became lost. I cannot wait to revisit the season again.

What will Emmy think of Westworld?

Full disclosure: I watched the pilot episode of Westworld three times before it finally aired. I will still, to this day, proclaim it one of the finest hours in 2016 television. It unfolded and gradually revealed itself to me in intriguing ways. It explored complicated themes of humanity and the nature of violence. The series’ hosts at once became metaphorical representations of history’s millions of repressed. It was a great first hour, and it’s promise became supported by subsequent episodes that ranged from good to insanely great.

Given Westworld‘s place in pop culture buzz, it’s hard to imagine right now at this moment Emmy ignoring it. This series feels like the heir apparent to Game of Thrones‘ vacant slot in the 2017 Emmy window. That’s apparently how HBO wants to play it too. Westworld may not return until 2018, and I would wager a small sum of money that it drops after the Emmy eligibility that year. Perhaps Game of Thrones and Westworld will leapfrog each other to avoid direct competition. We’ll see about that.

But this year, the Emmy headwinds feel strong. Game of Thrones raked in 13 nominations for its freshman season, and Westworld should push beyond that number into Boardwalk Empire territory of 15 nominations. Technically, it will most assuredly match Game of Thrones‘ 9 Creative Arts nominations. The advancement comes in the acting awards. Game of Thrones only earned one nomination (and a win) for Peter Dinklage in 2011. Westworld is guaranteed at least two nominations for its actors: Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton. The only impediment to these two very fine actresses would be if HBO decides to campaign Newton in the Lead Actress category as they appear to be at the 2017 Golden Globes. It’s hard to imagine them both getting into the top slots, and my money was on Newton prior to tonight’s season finale should that scenario occur. Now, I don’t know, but I’m hoping they will avoid the conflict.

That leaves the men of Westworld. Their numbers include the great Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Wright, and Ed Harris on the surface, so surely one of those actors will merit a nomination. Then, if Emmy really goes hog wild for the series, you could consider James Marsden, Ben Barnes, or Jimmi Simpson. Writing, direction, and series nominations are assured.

Final Verdict

Boardwalk Empire emerges as the most apt comparison for Westworld‘s Emmy chances. Both series premiered in the fall, both series feature period splendor, and both series heavily rely on sprawling casts. The critics responded more to Boardwalk Empire with a Metacritic score of 88 compared to Westworld‘s lower 74. Still, it’s difficult to imagine the Television Academy undervaluing the biggest story of 2016. The upcoming Golden Globe, SAG, and DGA nominations should help tell the story of this iconic and original series, but, right now, I’m betting big on Westworld‘s Emmy fortunes.

 

 

 

 

Guaranteed Nominations*

Drama Series
Direction
Writing
Evan Rachel Wood
Thandie Newton
Casting
Editing
Cinematography
Main Title Design
Main Title Theme Music
Costumes
Art Direction
Make-up
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Visual Effects

Possible Nominations*

Anthony Hopkins
Ed Harris
Jeffrey Wright
Sidse Babett Knudsen
Jimmi Simpson
Ben Barnes
Louis Herthum
Music Composition
Stunt Coordination

*I’m omitting category placement for now.

Jalal looks at the supporting contenders for the upcoming Golden Globe announcement

Arguably, the supporting races at the Golden Globes are the hardest categories to predict of any television award. In 2013, these awards were widely predicted to be dominated by the supporting cast of American Horror Story: Coven, Game of Thrones, and Anna Gunn. The Hollywood Foreign Press confounded expectations and snubbed these players in favor of Janet McTeer and Jacqueline Bissett (the eventual winner), two women from little seen Starz miniseries. These two supporting races are nearly impossible to predict if only because the Foreign Press doesn’t separate the performances by genre. This meant Eric Stonestreet went head to head with Peter Dinklage, and Sofia Vergara battled it out with Jessica Lange.

As bizarre as that all comes across, it makes the job of predicting the nominees seem near impossible. With so many performances to sift through, it helps to know what (usually superficial) qualities Globe voters look for. In the past the Foreign Press has gravitated towards past Oscar winners, movie stars, Emmy favorites, pop stars, HBO programming, young ingénues, and British imports. However, with every nominee that fits into a neat little box, there is the unexplainable series of nominations for Alan Cumming years after everyone moved on from The Good Wife.

Below are the ten most likely contenders in each category. The asterisk represents my current predictions.

Supporting Actor

Louie Anderson  – Baskets may be too small of a show to be recognized by the HFPA, but Anderson is coming off of his first Emmy win which may help him stand out in such a crowded (and dramatic) field.

Sterling K. Brown – Just off of a career-defining performance and Emmy win in The People v. O.J. Simpson as well as a new hit on NBC (This Is Us), Brown may very well be the frontrunner at the Globes. Particularly since he isn’t competing against himself after NBC submitted him in lead for This Is Us. There is a chance however that the Foreign Press ignores him for bigger names, especially among his own costars.

Chris Cooper – 11.22.63 might not seem like an obvious awards vehicle but the foreign press loves to spread the wealth and there aren’t too many other races in which to recognize Hulu.

Kit Harington – In 2016 no one could stop talking about Jon Snow. After the obsession of Snow’s fate and the Battle of the Bastards, Harington earned his first Emmy nom. The Globes could easily recognize the rising star, but they remain to be the only awards group that hasn’t fallen head over heels in love with Game of Thrones.

*Ed Harris – Nominated for six awards (and winning twice), Ed Harris is no stranger to the Golden Globes. Now that he stars in the biggest hit of the fall season as well as HBO’s future, he may seem like an obvious Globes contender.

*Hugh Laurie – As the biggest international television hit of 2016, The Night Manager is bound to be a major Golden Globes contender, and Laurie is likely to go along for the ride.

*John Lithgow – The Crown might just be the most Globes-friendly television show in the history of the award. John Lithgow might be the frontrunner to win if voters devour the show like most think they will.

Christian Slater – Last year’s winner might have had a less influential arc throughout Mr. Robot’s sophomore season, but if the HFPA continues their obsession with the show he might continue to pick to be nominated.

*John Travolta – Never underestimate how much the Foreign Press loves movie stars, in fact they are so enamored by John Travolta that they nominated him for Hairspray. Even if his performance as Robert Shapiro isn’t the strongest he is arguably the biggest name of the show and the Foreign Press has nominated similar prosthetics-heavy performances in the past (Rob Lowe in Behind The Candelabra).

*Jon Voight – Jon Voight’s win two years ago was the beginning of an odd awards obsession with Ray Donovan and three years later the 11-time Golden Globe nominee could easily sneak back into the race.

Jeffrey Wright – He may not be as big of a name as his costar Ed Harris, but he is a Golden Globe winner for quite possibly the biggest and best miniseries to be produced by HBO. He could be nominated alongside Harris although the Foreign Press has stepped away from crowding a category with costars.

Supporting Actress

Kathy Bates – With her best material since Coven, Bates seems like an obvious contender, but Globes voters have largely ignored her for her work on the hit anthology series except for Freak Show – her weakest year.

Millie Bobby Brown – As Stranger Things becomes more and more popular, the Golden Globes might feel obligated to reward the show somewhere. What better way than to nominate the up-and-coming British actress?

*Olivia Colman – Colman has been on the verge of her first big award for quite some time now, and she seems like an obvious contender after The Night Manager became such a massive hit.

*Miley Cyrus – Popstar+Amazon+Woody Allen might seem like an obvious Golden Globes equation

Lady Gaga – Voters couldn’t resist giving Gaga her first Golden Globe last year for her television debut on American Horror Story even if it meant snubbing critically acclaimed performances from Kirsten Dunst and Queen Latifah. They might just bring her back although her screen time is significantly less in the sixth installment.

*Judith Light  – Of all the obvious contenders in the supporting actress race, Light might be able to stand out because her performance in the third season is actually her strongest yet.

Maggie Smith/Joanne Froggatt –  Downton Abbey has been an awards favorite since the British import first aired on PBS, and at least one of the two supporting actresses have filled a slot for four of the first five seasons. If Globes voters want to send the show off with one last hurrah, Smith or Froggatt could easily sneak in for a third time.

*Maura Tierney – As last year’s winner, Tierney finally won the first major award of her career which was a little surprising seeing as voters mostly avoided The Affair in its second season. With the Emmys following suit and the third season just premiering, Globes voters might bring Tierney back simply because she is the most buzzed about name on Showtime currently.

*Emily Watson – Although I admittedly haven’t taken the time to actually watch The Dresser, I know Watson shouldn’t be counted out if only because she is a well-regarded British actress on a BBC television film and HFPA voters have had a soft spot for Starz as of recently.

Constance Zimmer – Globes voters might try to play catch up with Zimmer after she earned her first Emmy nomination earlier this year, but after the show’s sophomore slump she might be skipped over entirely.

 

Readers, what are your predictions for the supporting races? Do any of last year’s other nominees stand a chance including Uzo Aduba, Regina King, Tobias Menzie, Ben Mendelsohn, and Alan Cumming?

Who will be the 2017 Golden Globe ingenue? Joey Moser looks at the possible candidates.

The 2017 Golden Globe nominations will be announced in three weeks (December 12 to be exact), so people are already predicting who will be nominated for top awards. Last year, I pointed out that the Hollywood Foreign Press usually gravitates to new faces when awarding Best Actress — Television Comedy or Musical. Rachel Bloom excitedly took the podium for The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but is she a shoo-in to repeat? Is there an ingenue or new face that the HFPA is dying to award or will we just see a bunch of returning favorites? Does a new face have a better shot in the Drama category?

If we look at the Comedy or Musical category, we see a lot of faces that we recognize. Last year, Bloom had the advantage of starring in the only musical on television, and we all know how much the HFPA can’t resist a musical. Who are the freshest faces that threaten Bloom’s reign? Well, there aren’t many ingenues in new comedies that could take her down, but there are some strong possibilities.

If anyone should be considered for awards, it’s Issa Rae. Insecure is one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the fall season, and it has HBO’s pedigree behind it. It’s a truly breakout performance, and it doesn’t hurt that Rae is the co-creator of the show. Did I mention that she’s hilarious? The show does feel like Rae’s baby much like how Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was the baby for Rachel Bloom last year. While it feels like other HBO shows like Westworld and Divorce are creating more noise, Insecure should get a bump when year-end lists come out next month. Is a nomination for Rae in this category too good to be true?

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s performance in Amazon’s Fleabag also feels like it’s destined for awards recognition, but is the show too small to be showcased? We all know that I’m a major fan, so this might be my bias shining through. Both she and the show recently landed at Critics’ Choice, so we know some people are watching it. Mozart in the Jungle netted two Globes last year (including Comedy or Musical Series), and Catastrophe was also nominated despite no love for the performances. Amazon is on their radar.

Rae and Waller-Bridge would be the newest faces in freshman comedies, but let’s take a look at some of the other potential women who could land at the Globes this year.

American Housewife’s Katy Mixon wouldn’t fit in the classic sense of an ingenue, because she’s been around for years in supporting roles. If you may not know the name, you’ve seen her in either feature films like Four Christmases (I’m so sorry) or you might recognize her from Eastbound & Down. It’s great to see her in a leading lady role. Will the Hollywood Foreign Press take notice as well?

I know, I know, but crazier things have happened. Perhaps the HFPA will be interested in checking out Amazon’s Crisis in Six Scenes. It’s Woody Allen’s first foray into television, so they might be plotzing over the idea to nominate his effort. Miley Cyrus hasn’t been on the small screen since she burst out on Hannah Montana so many years ago, but, hey, they might applaud her for returning. Right? They should probably steer clear of the reviews, though. Yikes.

Justice for Bamford.

Maybe there isn’t a threat from a newer, unknown actress in the comedy race this season? Perhaps Bloom will have to defend her crown from other seasoned performers we’ve come to know and love from series past.

Kristen Bell has actually never been nominated for a Golden Globe before (settle dowb Veronica Mars fans!), but that might change with NBC’s The Good Place. She’s been around for quite some time, but her projects have never garnered any major awards consideration. The Good Place is an audience favorite, so she might be able to land a nomination.

It was a bit surprising that Minnie Driver didn’t land a Critic’s Choice nomination for her work on ABC’s Speechless, but she could land at the Globes. She was nominated almost 10 years ago for the short-lived The Riches. The show won’t have the all around juggernaut presence like Modern Family did so many years ago, but Driver has received a lot of praise for her work in the ABC family comedy.

Can Pamela Adlon break through for Better Things where Louie couldn’t? Since Louis CK’s show has only received 2 Golden Globes (both for Best Actor in a Comedy), it’s hard to believe that they would start paying attention to Better Things. I only wish that Adlon could get in, so we shouldn’t compare the future awards success for this show against a completely different one. The Globes have never nominated an actress from comedy on FX, so if she gets in, it will be a small victory for the network.

Sarah Jessica Parker is the definition of a sure thing here. The Golden Globes love her more than they love Angelina Jolie-Johnny Depp film collaborations. When she was on Sex & the City (not to bring that up again), she was nominated for every season, and she won 4 times. Even though Divorce is not as light and as her last television venture, Parker should land a nomination easily. Parker is one trophy away from tying Carol Burnett for wins in this category. Who’s ready for some killer Once Upon a Mattress trivia 20 years from now, am I right?

Those are just the formidable contenders in new comedy series, so that’s not counting out the repeat nominees from the past few years. Gina Rodriguez has been here for Jane the Virgin for the past two seasons (winning this category for the freshman year), and it’s crazy to acknowledge that Julia Louis-Dreyfus has never won a Golden Globe for playing Selina Meyer on Veep. Louis-Dreyfus is a lock to get in, but could the tiresome election coverage stop her from winning yet again?

If we turn to the last few years for Best Drama Series at the Globes, we’ll find a lot of cable shows like HBO and Showtime. Netflix has had a contender for the last 3 years, and Starz has popped in every so often–most loudly last year when Outlander landed 3 nods. There seems to be a growing interest in streaming platforms along with their love of HBO and cable programming, but it doesn’t seem like ingenues will play heavily in this year’s Best Actress in a Drama Series race. There might be two exceptions, however.

If Claire Foy doesn’t land a nomination for Netflix’s The Crown, I will buy the most British hat I can find and eat it. Foy somehow missed being nominated for Wolf Hall (as Jalal mentioned a few podcasts ago), but she’s front and center in the royal series. She holds her own against Globe winner John Lithgow, and the series has been rapturously received. I expect that The Crown will have a very warm reception with the HFPA, and Foy will deservedly be included.

For some reason, I can’t let go of the possibility of Kylie Bunbury getting nominated for FOX’s Pitch. She’s definitely a fresh face in an underdog type drama, but it feels like the buzz from Pitch has considerably faded since its premiere. It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility. If Callie Thorne can get nominated for Unnecessary Roughness on USA, Bunbury has a chance of getting in.

Is there anyone I missed? Am I reading way too much into this? What female television performance from a new show are you hoping gets nominated this year?

After a partnership with Entertainment Weekly that resulted in the departure of nearly a sixth of its membership, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association announced the nominations for their seventh annual Critics’ Choice TV Awards. The newest crop of nominees resulted in less typical critical favorites and even more surprisingly produced some very audience-friendly nominees from Jeffrey Dean Morgan of The Walking Dead to best series nominations for This is Us and Stranger Things.

Where are the best reviewed shows of the year?

A disconnect seems to be growing between the BTJA’s favorite shows and performances of the year and the overall critical favorites of the year. Past Critics’ Choice nominees like Rectify, Casual, Catastrophe, Broad City, Orange is the New Black, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and You’re The Worst failed to earn a single nomination this year even though they are currently some of 20 best reviewed shows of 2016 on Metacritic. On top of that, some shows earned acting recognition but were shut out of the top races. This happened even though they were nominated in the past and are still some of the best reviewed shows of the year like The Americans, Transparent, and American Crime.

Instead, BTJA voters decided to bring back Modern Family (as well as Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen), nominations that haven’t happened since 2012.  Voters also fully embraced Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt with five nominations for a season a lot of critics and fans referred to as an aimless sophomore slump after the voting group ignored the show’s breakout first season. Overall, popular choices that gained buzz through articles and online support prevailed like Stranger Things and This is Us even without individual acting nominations over shows that earned universal critical acclaim.

Voters also made the interesting choice of showering shows with acting nominations but ignoring them when it came down to picking their favorite comedies, dramas, and limited series of the year. Ray Donovan (3), House of Cards (4), Outlander (2), and American Crime (4) all earned a lot of nominations but were left out of the conversations for best series in their respected genres.

The single most glaring snub of any series might be the complete shutout of the limited series The Night Of which is currently tied with The People v. O.J. Simpson for the best reviewed limited series of the year. Unfortunately, this might be a sign that the acclaimed limited series might struggle to stay in the minds of voters throughout awards season and into Emmy season.

In terms of individual acting nominations, it’s worth pointing out that voters embraced Better Call Saul across the board except for a supporting actress nomination for Rhea Seehorn who arguably earned the loudest praise from critics. The Veep fans among the group chose to honor Tony Hale once again even though the fifth season was a treasure cove of material for the rest of the supporting cast. With four nominations total, the Roots remake did well in terms of nominations, but Anika Noni Rose was left out after seemingly getting the most buzz when the miniseries aired last Memorial Day.

So overall, the question needs to be asked if the Critics’ Choice Awards are becoming less about what are the most celebrated shows of the year by critics than what exactly are they? What are these awards saying about the state of the television and what are they celebrating? And what is the point of yet another awards show if they aren’t making unique passion fueled choices but instead, for the most part, simply copying and pasting the choices of the Emmys?

A Silver Lining

Critics have always been relied on to celebrate smaller shows, especially ones that industry awards tend to ignore and although the recognition of new comedies this year were few and far between no surprise was more welcome than the two nominations for Fleabag. The little-seen British import might not have made huge waves when it was initially released but critics (including ADTV’s own Joey Moser) have been passionately championing the show and its star Phoebe Waller-Bridge since its release. Less surprising but equally deserving is the recognition of the best reviewed comedy of 2016 Atlanta and its creator/star Donald Glover who critics have been excited about since his time on Community.

A Confused Membership

In 2015, the BTJA voted on two sets of TV awards so that they could merge the eligibility calendar and ceremony with the film awards, and it looks like the change heavily confused some voters. Mandy Patinkin somehow snuck into the Supporting Actor in a Drama Race without a single new episode of Homeland to judge him off of. A day later the BTJA corrected their mistake by replacing Patinkin with Better Call Saul’s Michael McKean, but the embarrassment lingers and begs the question as to how necessary the BTJA is if they don’t even pay enough attention to television to know what shows are actually airing. On top of that voters also nominated Maura Tierney for the third season of The Affair, a season that hasn’t aired yet although the pilot is available to stream early online.

The Crown

The Crown was one of the few new dramas that BTJA voters seemed to really love with nominations for Jared Harris and John Lithgow as well as Outstanding Drama. Shockingly, voters left out the star of the show Claire Foy. What makes their omission even more confounding is that Foy’s performance as Queen Elizabeth is probably the main reason critics fell in love with the show in the first place. If voters wanted to use the Critics’ Choice to influence industry voters, nominating the relatively unknown star of the show in a breakout performance would be the obvious choice. Instead, voters chose to celebrate Emmy nominees like Lithgow and Harris who need much less help being noticed by their peers. Even without a Critics’ Choice nomination, Foy still has a good chance of winning an award this winter with Golden Globes voters.

 

Readers, what are your reactions to this year’s Critics’ Choice nominees? What were you most excited to see and who do you think will win when the winners are announced next month?

ADTV considers the Emmy potential for Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story: Roanoke

Well, that happened…

American Horror Story: Roanoke premiered mid-September in an exciting cloud of mystery. Previous seasons all but spilled their guts with highly stylized trailers that often felt more cohesive than the actual seasons they forecasted. Roanoke saw none of that. We actually only learned the theme and title of the new season when it originally premiered. Something inspired Ryan Murphy to work against his basic instincts, and, for a while, it really paid off. The sixth season of his Emmy-favorite series finally wrapped last night, wrapping a gruesome bow around wildly mixed results.

First, the good: Kathy Bates dipped into her inner Annie Wilkes to give us The Butcher in the first half of the season. Literally no one on Earth could wrap their tongues such clunky horror dialogue that invoked both the blood moon and “consecrate” so deliciously. Then, Murphy flipped the script halfway through and gave us Kathy Bates playing the actress who played The Butcher in “My Roanoke Nightmare.” This twist became the ultimate meta/snake eating its own tale saga, and Bates played the new role to the hilt. That is, until Murphy and crew killed her off just when things were getting great.

That leads to the bad: the back half of the year felt new and different, pulling American Horror Story into something of a bloodthirsty Big Brother scenario. It seemed to really work for exactly one episode until the  entire cast started dropping left and right. In excruciatingly gory ways. Forget emotional connections or logic and reason. Roanoke devolved into “here a slice, there a cut” with the attention of a teen off his ADD meds. Potentially, I’m the only person in the world that found this disappointing. Granted, it offered a more horrific take on the material than any season since Asylum. These events actually depicted a horror story over the recent costume dramas Murphy seemed to favor. Yet, I always relished the moments where Murphy and his writers combined the horror with great performances – namely Murder House and Asylum.

And then there’s that finale, which danced uncomfortably between tabloid and reality TV satire and the horror pathos that closed the season. After weeks of exceedingly graphic deaths and real scares, the finale felt like an unnecessary coda. It seemed at once both choppy and rushed and meandering. I’m not sure how really you could have ended this series, but Chapter 10 is not what I wanted it to be. It left a bad taste that effectively diminished any good will engendered by such a raw approach.

But that’s just my take.

What will Emmy think of Roanoke?

In its heyday, the American Horror Story series received recognition for both its creative flourishes and its accomplished acting. Neither are likely to factor heavily into the Emmy 2017 conversation. First, the unplugged nature of the season eliminates much of the opportunity for extravagant set designs. I’m still not over Hotel losing that race. Perhaps, the Television Academy will appreciate the construction of the Roanoke house, but its spartan interiors pale in comparison to much that came before. The costumes are effectively modern save the flashbacks and the dead colonist garments. Maybe there’s a slight opportunity there. The creative, reality TV influenced, and often hand-held cinematography could warrant attention as well, but many complained about the overall darkness of the series. That could indicate that the cinematography branch won’t look kindly on the proceeding for not effectively solving the problem of available light sources (much of the show takes place at night during the “blood moon.”)

So, with such limited creative arts potential, that leaves the actors. Kathy Bates is the strongest possibility here, even with Emmy favorite Sarah Paulson taking three roles. Her midseason monologue illustrating a descent into madness offered some of the finest moments in the entire American Horror Story series. However, beyond Bates, pickings are indeed slim, and we have the series framing to blame for that. The reality show whoring and adherence/devotion to horror movie tropes didn’t give the actors much room to grow or develop their characters. Paulson offered a fine trifecta, but her British accent bordered on comic. When she wasn’t “on camera” recounting her story in the first half of the season, Lily Rabe began to develop an emotionally resonant storyline as the characters returned to Roanoke. But then she died. As did everyone else in a fit of running and screaming and bloodletting.

Yes, it’s good horror, but it doesn’t make for great acting.

Given the Television Academy’s polite refusal of Hotel, Roanoke isn’t likely to stem that tide. It provided a definite uptick in overall quality, but this season as it finished didn’t provide Emmy a reason to return. I’m not saying it will be shut out, but last season’s eight nominations may not be as low as it gets.

Guaranteed Nominations

Kathy Bates, Supporting Actress

Possible Nominations 

Limited Series
Sarah Paulson, Actress (or Supporting Actress)
Lily Rabe, Actress (or Supporting Actress)
Production Design
Editing
Cinematography
Costumes