What’s Up With These TV Globe Nominations?

Joey takes a closer look at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s roster of nominees. 

The television categories at the Golden Globes can confused even the most skilled pundit. It’s hard to pin down the HFPA’s taste other than they like reward the newest, shiniest thing to debut on the smaller screen. Those supporting categories alone are enough to give everyone a headache. 

These nominees feel a bit more conservative than other years. There isn’t a nomination that boggles mind (RIP my notion that Debby Ryan could land a mention for Netflix’s maligned Insatiable), but there is a lot of great stuff to celebrate. 

Best Television Series – Drama
The Americans
Bodyguard
Homecoming
Killing Eve
Pose

Wipe last year’s slate clean, the HFPA decreed! There are no returning dramas in this lineup even though The Americans has been around for 6 seasons. It’s interesting that the Globes went with the FX drama in its final year. Did the HFPA just discover it, or did they simply notice that the Emmy Awards has been nominating it for years and wanted to include it?

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Catriona Balfe, Outlander
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Julia Roberts, Homecoming
Keri Russell, The Americans

I switched out Russell for Balfe at the very last minute, but I guess that didn’t matter since they both got in. I really hope there are a lot of shots of Julia Roberts saying, “I’m a movie star on a TV show! It’s craaazy!” 

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Stephan James, Homecoming
Richard Madden, Bodyguard
Billy Porter, Pose
Matthew Rhys, The Americans

And on this day…dads in rumpled, argyle sweaters all across America…bowed their heads in remembrance for Liev Schrieber in Ray Donovan. 

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Barry
The Good Place
Kidding
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

It’s great to finally see The Good Place get nominated for a series prize after three years. Fans have been demanding awards attention since the critically acclaimed show debuted. The Globes like their TV shiny and new, so Good Place has a great shot of taking this.

See? See how easy it is to just be nice and support shows you don’t even like? Being nice is so much easier than being a loud, insulting jerk. But that’s towards anyone in particular. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Kristen Bell, The Good Place
Candice Bergen, Murphy Brown
Alison Brie, GLOW
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Debra Messing, Will & Grace

So we’re just going to nominate one performer from Will & Grace every season, huh? This will really come down to last year’s winner, Rachel Brosnahan, and fan favorite, Kristen Bell.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Sacha Baron Cohen, Who Is America?
Jim Carrey, Kidding
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Donald Glover, Atlanta Robbin’ Season
Bill Hader, Barry

No thank you, next. 

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
The Alienist
The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Escape at Dannemora
Sharp Objects
A Very English Scandal

Gayest Limited Series race in a long time? Versace? Gay. English Scandal? Gaaaayyy. Sharp Objects? That following is gayer than Christmas. The Alienist has some gay elements (those costumes!), so is Dannemora the Sylvester Stallone of this group of nominees? 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Amy Adams, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora
Connie Britton, Dirty John
Laura Dern, The Tale
Regina King, Seven Seconds

If there isn’t a cutaway shot of Connie Britton’s hair losing this Globe, WHAT ARE WE EVEN DOING HERE?!?!?!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso
Daniel Brühl, The Alienist
Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose
Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

The HFPA has always been accused of catering too much to celebrities, and Banderas getting nominated is proof of that. Yes, I know he got nominated for an Emmy, but you watch some of Picasso and convince me that anyone couldn’t have taken that slot. 

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method    
Kieran Culkin, Succession
Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Ben Whishaw , A Very English Scandal
Henry Winkler, Barry

Whishaw should win just for cradling that dog and managing to still look adorable. It would be the closest thing to actually seeing Paddington on stage. Arkin getting nominated is the most Globe-ish thing in this bunch. A celebrated, older actor getting in for a show about being old man. The Going in Style/Just Getting Started effect, if you will. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects
Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale

Imagine all of these characters at a dinner party together. With The Handmaid’s Tale losing nominations with each awards show that comes along, it’s great to see Strahovski’s inclusion here after her well-deserved Emmy nomination.