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In a first look at the Emmys drama series race, Jalal lays out what shows are competing for top drama series and what shows are falling from grace.

Not even a week after the most significant moment of our lifetime (Moonlight, people. Moonlight.),  and we’re jumping right into Emmy season. For the first time in years, the drama series race is wide open with three new shows competing against popular favorites that have been waiting years for the chance at the top award now that Game of Thrones is in hiatus.

Top Contenders

Stranger Things – After winning the top SAG and Producers Guild awards of the year, Stranger Things seems poised to become the most unlikely Emmy winner in the history of the award. Popular genre hits don’t usually get anywhere close to major Emmy awards, but America has gone crazy for the upside down and Millie Bobby Brown to the point where no one can escape. The show’s only major detractor is how early in the year the first season premiered, but Netflix has done a great job at keeping the show relevant with constant appearances by the actors at awards shows and talk shows as well as updates on the second season.

The Crown – As the first major costume drama to premiere post Downton Abbey, it’s automatically assumed that The Crown will be a major contender, but just how popular will it be? The show is clearly a hit with costume designers, art directors, and actors. The big question is whether or not Netflix will campaign the The Crown to the same extent they will push their other major dramas on the other voters?

Westworld – Westworld premiered as HBO’s answer to the eventual end of Game of Thrones. It offered a 10-week first season that seemed to be spiraling into a cultural phenomenon and began the season as a potential front runner in a year without any of the voters’ old favorites. After being nominated by every award group without any major wins, it seems that voters are more likely to admire the show than they are to reward it. That’s similar to Game of Thrones first few seasons.

Possibilities

Mr. Robot – It’s crazy to think that, after a breakout first season where some critics hailed the show as the future of television, that Mr. Robot might be forgotten in a classic sophomore slump. The second season premiered last summer to great reviews, but an usually tepid reaction from fans resulted in the show being virtually shutout from just about every major guild as well as the top award at the Golden Globes which it had won just the year before. Voters typically stick with a show for a few years once they bring it into the club, but in a year with so many more accessible new shows Mr. Robot could get left out of the top award.

Homeland – The one time best drama winner has had a fickle relationship with Emmy voters over the past six years. It went from one time favorite to being left out in a truly awful year to sneaking back into the drama series race. Now with Homeland constantly dwindling in terms of nominations this might be the year where it gets booted for good.

This Is Us – No network drama has been nominated for best series since The Good Wife in 2011 (unless you count Downton Abbey). With television quality at an all time high, it would take a pretty special show to standout to voters. Voter snobbery aside, there seems to be a lot of people in 2017 with a need for a sentimental family drama. However, there is a bigger chance the show shows up in other races like supporting actor, writing, and casting, while still missing out on the top award.

Worth Mentioning

Ray Donovan – The focus has been on the plethora of new dramas this year, but there is a chance that an old favorite might sneak in. Over the years voters have shown that they love Ray Donovan, especially last year when in the third season the show earned three acting nominations as well as a directing nod.

The Young Pope – Oscar winning director Paolo Sorrentino’s first attempt at television is definitely a prestige series starring Jude Law and Diana Keaton about the bizarre inner workings of the Vatican but European pretension doesn’t necessarily translate into a successful Emmy series. My initial impression of the show is that it isn’t provocative enough to excite Emmy voters especially in a drama series race overflowing with pop culture phenomenons and crowd pleasers but if anyone knows how to push a show like The Young Pope it’s HBO. In the end their best bet at a nomination is probably with the show’s cast whether it be Jude Law or Diane Keaton. Note: This show could be submitted in the Limited Series category.

Yet to Premiere

Better Call Saul – AMC pushed back the third season of the Breaking Bad spinoff to April, which is probably a good sign for the show’s Emmy chances. Saul has been a constant Emmy player for the past two years and constantly fills up various guild awards including 3/5s of one ACE Eddie category and four WGA nominations.

The Americans – After a breakout year at the Emmys last year, there were some questions on whether or not the Russian spy saga could become a major contender to actually win this year in such a wide open race. Now that the Writers Guild named it the best drama of 2016, there is at least proof that there is enough excitement behind the show. In a year dominated by sci-fi and fantasy shows, The Americans might seem important enough to pull ahead depending on how well-liked the upcoming fifth season is after it premieres next week.

House of Cards – The borderline campy political thriller has had an interesting couple of years at the Emmys, always over-performing in terms of nominations (especially with actors) but almost always failing to actually win an award. Even actors might be moving on from the show after the fourth season was left out of the drama ensemble race at SAG. Netflix isn’t releasing the newest installment of the show until the day before the Emmy eligibility window ends, which might help keep the show at the forefront of Emmy voters minds or not give them enough time to actually watch the show before voting.

Early Predictions

1. Stranger Things
2. The Crown
3. Westworld
4. The Americans
5. Better Call Saul
6. House of Cards
7. Mr. Robot
———————
8. Homeland
9. This Is Us
10. Ray Donovan
11. The Young Pope

The first six seem like obvious Emmy choices. The only unknown is how new seasons of Better Call Saul, The Americans, and House of Cards are received. Underwhelming seasons of Mr. Robot and Homeland will probably be battling it out for the final slot. In the end, even with lukewarm reactions, voters will probably bring Mr. Robot back for the second season simply because the show feels important and voters aren’t so quick to abandon shows they once loved so quickly.

What drama are you predicting to take the top award? Are there any dramas being underestimated right now?

Big Little Lies Episode 3 drops Sunday night. Here’s a preview of the series best episode to date with Laura Dern and Nicole Kidman dominating.

It’s no secret that we here at Awards Daily are huge fans of Big Little Lies. HBO’s acclaimed mini-series seems destined for Emmy glory later this year. Sunday night’s Big Little Lies Episode 3 underscores our opinion with a tight hour. Flawless performances from Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern highlight the hour which further explores Jane’s (Shailene Woodley) past. Check out the episode and then share your thoughts here at AwardsDaily TV!

Here is a special clip provided by HBO for Big Little Lies Episode 3.

Big Little Lies Episode 3 – “Living the Dream”

Synopsis: Hoping to get under Renata’s (Laura Dern) skin, Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) organizes a trip to compete with Amabella’s (Ivy George) birthday party.  After another argument, Celeste (Nicole Kidman) succumbs to Perry’s (Alexander Skarsgård) charms before their first session with Dr. Amanda Reisman (Robin Weigert), a therapist.  Madeline gets called for a meeting with Abigail’s (Kathryn Newton) guidance counselor.  Principal Nippal (P.J. Byrne) announces the theme for the Fall Gala Fundraiser.  Later, Jane (Shailene Woodley) seeks Madeline’s help with Ziggy’s (Iain Armitage) family tree project, and opens up about her past.

Written by David E. Kelley; directed by Jean-Marc Vallée.

The timing of tonight’s episode of HBO’s VICE couldn’t be more relevant after Trump and his administration withdrew transgender bathrooom protections. The episode explores transgender youth and their families and how early the medical transition process begins for trans children. Gianna Toboni explores this emotionally charged and rapidly evolving issue with trans youth and their parents in the midst of that intense process.

The episode airs tonight on HBO at 11pm and will stream from Saturday, March 4th at 10:30AM EST for two weeks.

Watch the clip below:

HBO’s ‘The Wizard of Lies,’ the Bernie Madoff drama directed by Barry Levinson, will drop May 20. Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer star.

HBO’s take on the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal will premiere in the coveted late May slot. Starring Oscar-winner Robert DeNiro and Oscar-nominee Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies will premiere Saturday, May 20, at 8pm ET. This slot provides the hotly anticipated property prime Emmy real estate. It will be fascinating to see how director Barry Levinson makes the property his own after last year’s ABC miniseries Madoff . HBO boasts the higher star wattage, though with DeNiro and Pfeiffer taking the roles played last year by Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner. AwardsDaily TV anticipates the property will receive a warmer reception from the Television Academy. Levinson, DeNiro, and Pfeiffer all seem likely to factor into the Emmy conversation.

Here’s the official press announcement from HBO.

HBO has confirmed that the HBO Films presentation THE WIZARD OF LIES will debut SATURDAY, MAY 20 at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT).

Starring Robert De Niro, who also serves as an executive producer, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Bernie and Ruth Madoff, the film examines Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme — his deception, lies and cover-up, all as the financier’s wife and sons are catapulted into a harsh and unrelenting spotlight. Alessandro Nivola, Nathan Darrow, Kristen Connolly, Lily Rabe and Hank Azaria also star.

THE WIZARD OF LIES is directed by Barry Levinson, who also serves as executive producer along with Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, Berry Welsh and Tom Fontana; Jason Sosnoff co-executive produces. Produced by Joseph E. Iberti. The film was written by Sam Levinson and John Burnham Schwartz and Samuel Baum, based on the book “The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust,” written by Diana B. Henriques.

Ryan Murphy and FX announced today the subject matter for Feud Season 2. The legendary battle between Prince Charles and Lady Diana will take center stage.

With Feud: Bette and Joan on the horizon, many (including we at AwardsDaily TV) wondered what historic feuds would fill Feud Season 2. Would he revisit the Hatfields and the McCoys? The War of the Roses? Brittney versus Justin? Taylor Swift versus Katy Perry? Wait no longer, the news is out. Feud Season 2 will consist of the highly publicized royal divorce between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The new season will consist of 10 episodes with no official air date scheduled.

Let’s call it Feud: Charles and Diana for argument’s sake.

According to Variety, Murphy will work with Jon Robin Baitz to write their infamous story. However, that’s the tricky part for this new season. Feud: Bette and Joan covers material only known to the most invested in historic Hollywood gossip, so many will find it fresh. Finding a new angle with Feud: Charles and Diana will be tough, for sure, with many books, films, television movies, musicals, songs, etc., written about the legendary couple. Murphy took the similarly media saturated O.J. Simpson case and used it as an opportunity to rehabilitate the image of prosecutor Marcia Clark. But what new slant could he take with Charles and Diana?

Personally, I think the Fleetwood Mac story would make for a fascinating chapter of Feud. What famous feuds would you consider the right material? Sound off in the comments below!

The Television Academy announced two new categories for the Primetime Emmy ceremony in music and reality casting categories.

The Television Academy announced today the addition of two new categories for the Primetime Emmy ceremony. As if they needed more categories… Artists involved with Outstanding Music Supervision and Outstanding Casting in a Reality Series will receive Emmy consideration for the first time. The Television Academy also announced oher 2017 rules and procedure modifications.

Here is the official Television Academy press release detailing the changes.

TELEVISION ACADEMY ANNOUNCES NEW PRIMETIME EMMY® CATEGORIES: OUTSTANDING MUSIC SUPERVISION AND OUTSTANDING CASTING IN A REALITY SERIES

As Emmy season approaches, the Television Academy Board of Governors announced today new rules changes for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards competition.

A new Emmy category, Outstanding Music Supervision, will acknowledge the creative contributions made by the music supervisor to the music of any television program. In addition, Outstanding Casting in a Reality Series has been added to recognize casting directors responsible for identifying and assembling ensemble casts for structured, unstructured or competition programs within the Reality genre.

“In our ever-changing world of television, it’s important to annually evaluate and refine the rules of Emmy competition,” said Hayma Washington, Television Academy Chairman and CEO. “We are keeping pace with industry innovators, and recognizing excellence within new and changing genres and platforms.”

In addition, other approved Primetime Emmy Awards rules and procedures modifications for 2017 include:

• Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series is now split into Cinematography for One–Hour Series and for Half-Hour Series.
• Converted, retitled and redefined former juried awards into new interactive media category awards:
  • Outstanding Interactive Program (Existing category award)
  • Outstanding Original Interactive Program (New category award)
  • Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media Within A Scripted Program (New category award)
  • Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media Within An Unscripted Program (New category award)
  • Outstanding Innovation In Interactive Programming (New juried award)

The major guild awards are all announced. What shows have gained an upper hand from the various voting guilds? Jalal Haddad analyzes the recent winners.

Last weekend the guild awards season wrapped up with the WGA awards, and some shows are beginning to emerge as the frontrunners of the year, especially for best comedy and drama series.  This time last year, Game of Thrones and Veep gained momentum at the guild awards, and no other shows could beat them once Emmy season began. These shows boast the most momentum heading into spring.

Comedy Series 

Veep continued racking up awards from the directing and editing guilds as well as another SAG award for Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It’s hard to imagine the show not entering the Emmy race as the clear frontrunner for its upcoming final season, but surprisingly a clear alternative has emerged with Donald Glover’s Atlanta. The FX comedy won the top comedy award at the PGAs as well as two WGA awards for best comedy series and best new series. Months ago Atlanta seemed too edgy to be embraced by Emmy voters, but after massive support from the Golden Globes, the critics, and various guilds, the auteur-driven comedy seems likely to go head to head against Veep in multiple races including directing and writing.

A big part of being nominated for and winning a directing or writing prize at the Emmys is strategy. Episode selection often proves critical in receiving that coveted nominations. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s WGA win for an individual comedic episode only further proves that element of the race. WGA voters singled out the episode “Kimmy Goes on a Playdate!” as the best comedic episode of 2016, and surprisingly it wasn’t even the Tina Fey penned one. This proves that, if Netflix stopped submitting six or seven Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episodes in a given season, the show might just earn its first writing nomination.

Other than multiple awards for Veep and Atlanta, the other major comedies failed to earn recognition throughout the winter awards season. Past favorites like Transparent, Silicon Valley, and Black-ish all repeatedly lost various awards. Surprisingly Modern Family continued its streak at the Cinema Audio Society Awards while a string of dramedies (Orange is the New Black, Shameless, Mozart in the Jungle) won random awards here and there. In the end none of them are going to make a dent in the major comedy series races.

Drama Series

When HBO announced that Game of Thrones was going into a yearlong hiatus, the Emmy race for best drama series became its most unpredictable since before the days of Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Guild awards season is basically over, and the most unlikely of frontrunners has emerged, Netflix’s Stranger Things. Both the Producers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild awarded the sci-fi show top honors – very telling seeing as the PGA award has matched up with the Emmy choice twelve of the past sixteen years. Now that the Emmys are decided on a wide scale Academy vote as opposed to a blue ribbon panel, it makes sense that a cultural phenomenon like Stranger Things picks up steam. It may not have the critical appeal like past winners, but it dominated popular culture all of last summer. As with the Oscars, voters seem to be in the mood for something fun and exciting.

Last weekend, the Writers Guild singled out This Is Us’s “The Trip” as the best dramatic episode of 2016, proving that the family network drama is popular and acclaimed enough to go head to head with any premium or streaming network show. Singling out “The Trip” also shows that the show is at its most powerful when highlighting Sterling K. Brown’s Randall. If NBC wants to ensure This Is Us becomes a major Emmy player, they might want to consider sending every voter screeners of the episode as well as last week’s “Memphis.”

The Crown won everything it was expected to including two SAG awards, a Costume Designer’s Guild award, and a bunch of Golden Globes. It proves that the British period drama will fill the void left by the end of Downton Abbey. Now that Claire Foy has swept every actress award, she has also become the frontrunner in the best actress race, especially with Maslany out of contention this year and Viola Davis losing steam. The Americans won the top WGA award hinting that the show’s breakthrough at the Emmys last year wasn’t a fluke.

HBO might want to reconsider a strong campaign for Westworld, the sweeping sci-fi epic that was supposed to be the alternative in a year without Game of Thrones. The Westworld team went home empty handed  at the PGA, DGA, SAG, WGA, ACE, and even the Golden Globes, although it did win a couple of awards for makeup and art direction. At the rate, Westworld doesn’t appear to resonate with voters, and it might only be a major contender to win in the craft categories.

Limited Series

Talking about the limited series race at this point is basically futile since the biggest titles haven’t even premiered yet. It is worth noting that HBO’s The Night Of won a few guild awards over the past couple of weeks including a DGA award as well as an ACE Eddie. It’s already been seven months since the crime series premiered, and there was initially some concern that there would be a case of “out of sight out of mind” when it came to Emmy voters filling out their ballots. If the guilds are any indicator, The Night Of will remain a big part of the conversation even up against juggernauts like Big Little Lies, Feud, and the third season of Fargo.

Readers, what were your takeaways from the guild awards? Is Stranger Things unbeatable in drama series? Will The Night Of be remembered nearly a year after it premiered?

Hulu teams with J.J. Abrams, Stephen King and for new Hulu Original Series Castle Rock, set in the Stephen King universe

SANTA MONICA and BURBANK, Calif. (February 21, 2017) — Hulu plans to take viewers into the chilling world of acclaimed, best-selling author Stephen King in the new Hulu Original drama series Castle Rock, from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, Warner Bros. Television and executive producers/writers Sam Shaw & Dustin Thomason. Hulu ordered a 10-episode first season of the on-going series with production set to begin this year. A teaser trailer for Castle Rock has been viewed more than one million times since it was released on Friday, February 17.

A psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse, Castle Rock combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King’s best-loved works, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light, played out on a few square miles of Maine woodland. The fictional Maine town of Castle Rock figured prominently in King’s literary career: Cujo, The Dark Half, IT and Needful Things, as well as novella The Body and numerous short stories such as Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption are either set there or contain references to Castle Rock. Castle Rock is an original suspense/thriller — a first-of-its-kind reimagining that explores the themes and worlds uniting the entire King canon, while brushing up against some of his most iconic and beloved stories.

Castle Rock reunites Hulu, King, Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television, which previously collaborated on event series 11.22.63, based on King’s novel. The series will stream exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu and Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution will distribute globally.

Castle Rock focuses on characters and situations created by Stephen King. Sam Shaw & Dustin Thomason developed the project for television and will serve as executive producers along with J.J. Abrams, Ben Stephenson and Liz Glotzer. The series hails from Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Sorry Sarah Paulson, you’re last year’s news. This year’s Limited Series Actress race is jam-packed with serious contenders.

Remember last year when we commented on the stuffed category known as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie? It turned out a moot point since Sarah Paulson spent most of her time these last few months snatching trophies, but it was refreshing to see a lot of strong work from many fine actresses. It’s only February and it appears that 2017 might have 2016 beat in terms of  the number contenders (to be fair, anything beating 2016 in any form is a welcome thought) competing for this year’s prize in the Limited Series Actress race.

The Women Of Big Little Lies

We aren’t going to stop talking about the juicy HBO series any time soon, so just take a seat and let me gush over the cast of this remarkably addictive show. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern are the holy trinity for me right now. I expect Dern to receive a hardcore Supporting Actress campaign, and Shailene Woodley might receive the same even though she’s one of the main characters. She might get pushed to the supporting race since both Witherspoon and Kidman are much bigger names (helloooo category fraud), but the entire cast is top-notch. Witherspoon is better here than she has been in some of her big screen projects (she’s loose, charming, and looks like she’s having a ball) while Kidman really grounds her scenes when her arc could have been a total cliche. Both women rightfully earn their buzz.

The Gaggle Of Feuding Starlets

You can’t talk about the Limited Series actress category without mentioning Jessica Lange. Thanks to Ryan Murphy (and, you know, her legendary acting chops), she’s received two Emmy Awards for her performances in American Horror Story. She has a slot pretty much saved for her for Feud: Bette and Joan where she plays Hollywood royalty Joan Crawford. The highly anticipated show is wall-to-wall actresses playing actresses, so this one is going to be a doozy (early word is that it’s an accomplishment). It’s not that Lange will go unchallenged, however. Susan Sarandon plays Bette Davis, and we don’t need to remind readers that Davis was the one nominated for an Oscar for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Sarandon hasn’t really had a significant role on a television series before, so her involvement is pretty big. A word to the Television Academy: have the balls to put both women up for lead Limited Series Actress. Don’t pull some bullshit and try to put one in Lead and one in Supporting. That would be a disservice to the story. Also, the cast features Sarah Paulson, Judy Davis, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, so don’t be surprised if Feud leads the limited series nominations (being a period piece with gorgeous costumes and sets can’t hurt either).

Third Time’s A Crime

ABC’s American Crime is the only limited series from a major network that can hold its own against its cable counterparts. After the critically lauded second season, John Ridley’s American Crime returns in early March with a cast of respectable performers. Felicity Huffman has been nominated the last two years, so she’s a threat to be honored again while we don’t know the size of of the other actresses’ roles (Huffman has been given top billing in the first main trailer). Lili Taylor, a deserving nominee from last season, will return as will Emmy winner Regina King. Sandra Oh and Cherry Jones also join this year. The trailer shows us that the third season will focus on labor issues in North Carolina, and it feels like it will land a definite punch.

Shots Fired Across The Bow

While ABC has cornered the limited series market for network television, FOX is throwing itself into the ring with the 10-part miniseries Shots Fired from Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood. When an African-American officer shoots a white college student, things start to fall apart in a small North Carolina town (sheesh, what’s going on in North Carolina). Sanaa Lathan plays a special investigator who tries to piece together the entire story, and Helen Hunt appears as a governor who is trying win a re-election campaign. Hunt is given top billing but listed on FOX’s site as a guest star, and that Southern twang is mighty inviting. Is Lathan going to get a push? FOX isn’t known for getting into the Limited Series categories at the Emmys (no performer for the network has ever been nominated in this category), so is it time for them to step up? Or is Shots Fired a more commercial play?

Give Her A Hand… And An Emmy!

Fact: Elisabeth Moss has never won an Emmy Award. We all should be ashamed of ourselves! Ms. Peggy Olson may have strutted down the hallways at the end of Mad Men, but she never managed to take home any gold for her role on the respected AMC drama. She returns to television for Hulu’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale, and audiences are dying to see this one. Set in a dystopian future where men stripped women of most of their rights, and they use handmaids strictly for fertilization. Could these troubling times make Handmaid’s a huge hit and usher Moss (finally) to the Emmy stage? NOTE: This series may be submitted as a Drama Series. 

The Big O To Land The Big E? (Ok, I’m done…)

Oprah Winfrey doesn’t need another Emmy (she’s won 10 for work on her daytime talk show and one Primetime Emmy for producing), but she’s never won for acting . With The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Winfrey stands a chance to get nominated for playing the daughter of the medical pioneer. It was adapted and directed by George C. Wolfe, and it stands a chance to be a front-runner in the TV Movie category (get out of here Sherlock). The cast is rounded out by Hamilton star and Tony Award winner Renee Elise Goldsberry as the title character, Courtney B. Vance, and Rose Byrne.

Surprise! More Moss! More Kidman!

The second season of Top of the Lake (titled China Girl) hasn’t been given an official release date for a US release on Sundance, but I just wanted an excuse to look at Nicole Kidman in that wig again. I can’t imagine that Elisabeth Moss would land more than one nomination, and it’s probably not within the window of eligibility. But, seriously, that wig. Yes.

Uh…Sure…Why Not?

I don’t think Lauren Graham will get nominated for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, but never say never right? Are Emmy voters missing Stars Hollow that much? They never seemed to care before…

Viola Davis For Every Category, Please

Davis made history two years ago for winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, but can she take another one home for Lifetime’s Custody? I’m sorry, I said Lifetime and threw up in my mouth a little bit. Excuse me. The plot of Custody is textbook Lifetime (Davis plays a judge who presides over, you guessed it, a custody hearing), but the film played at the Tribeca Film Festival to lukewarm reviews. Davis received most of the praise, natch, so maybe she can be the shining star from this drama? Or maybe she wanted a change from playing a devious, slick lawyer and wanted to sit on the other side of the courtroom for a change. Hey, if I can sit through Suicide Squad for Davis (here comes that vomit again…), I can check out Custody.

Awards Return For The Pfeiffer?

Sweet merciful crap let this happen. Michelle Pfeiffer, one of the most beautiful and underawarded actresses EVER, will play Ruth Madoff alongside Robert De Niro in The Wizard of Lies. Last year, we had the great Madoff starring Richard Dreyfus and Blythe Danner, but that didn’t go anywhere near the Emmys. Will she campaigned in Supporting? Is she only a supportive wife? All I know is that I need to see her at some awards shows pronto.

RuPaul’s Drag Race unveils the first guest judge for Season 9’s premiere episode. Rally the Monsters, kids. It’s Lady GaGa time!

RuPaul’s Drag Race has served us some amazing guest judges. Vanessa Williams, Bob Mackie, Debbie Reynolds, Lily Tomlin, and Kelly Osbourne all graced the runway. Hell, even Cher’s mother has appeared on the drag queen competition series (AKA the best show ever). RuPaul has never had one of the current gay icons come onto the show…until now.

It was announced on Tuesday that Mother Monster, yes Lady Gaga herself, will serve as the guest judge on Season 9’s first episode. I literally fell out of my chair. First she makes the Super Bowl watchable and now she’s going to join RuPaul in judging these bitches??? If I were them, I’d be shaking in my stilettos.

Wouldn’t be be great if she walked through the Werk Room doors as a contestant and she fooled everyone?