Emmy Balloting Obsessiveness
Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 6:00PM As you're no doubt aware, given our ongoing Emmy FYCs, the Television Academy is voting this week on the nominations for the 67th annual Primetime Emmy Awards (Sept 20th, 2015). Apologies to the small screen averse among you but as the lines blur between all the performing arts, so must we! We'll be back to a heavier movie focus in July but you know how June is: Tony Season climaxes and then Emmy voting happens. Consider Elisabeth Moss your new bridge mascot since she was just a nominee at the Tonys and she's in an Oscar-hopeful movies this year (Truth with Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett) and could be up for a final Emmy for her signature role Peggy Olson (Mad Men).
Ack!
It's so easy to get distracted when awards of any kind are the topic. Here are a few observations about the ballots after the jump but first... please to enjoy this NEW CATEGORY PROPOSAL (We need 2 more nominees for this category so that's your job in the comments)
I've noticed that the internet still holds a lot of confusion about what qualifies as what these days. I share your pain. But the Emmy ballots which you can download or look at here, are actually a huge help. As I was digesting them, I thought "Why doesn't Oscar do this? Maybe AMPAS members wouldn't forget performances they loved earlier in the year if there was a quick visual reminder on their ballots? Maybe if there was a committee to determine categories or size of role (as with Emmy rules and the Tonys) we wouldn't have so much Supporting category fraud?
But these comprehensive huge documents (complete with actor photos and occasional synopses) are, like any tool, only useful if you actually use them. Their existence actually makes the Emmy nominations each year even more perplexing. You have these valuable reminders and you still just vote for the same people year in and year out?
Here is the only Drama Guest Actress contender I sufficiently care about this year. But will she even be nominated?
Good god was that ever a complex tour de force. Julianne Nicholson has really been stepping up her game these past few years (see also: August: Osage County) so will larger roles follow?
In Guest Actress Comedy, there are so many wonderful choices. Consider...
One curious and ironic note. The Emmy finally put a stop to the increasingly egregious fraud of series regulars pretending they were "guest stars" (Joan Cusack has been nominated there every season for Shameless despite being in nearly every episode and one suspects Orange is the New Black's dominance last year -- also with series regulars -- finally forced Emmy's hand) but lo and behold: Joan Cusack in Shameless is still eligible even after the rule change. As it turns out, she was in only a few episodes this year for a change so she can still rule the category.
Moving on. I'm still trying to whittle down the single most competitive category: Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. It's such a tough call as there are dozens of worthy contenders but these are my 8 favorites. Having to axe two of them fills me with sadness. Even more sad-making, I can't see a scenario wherein even half of them get nominated (despite a six-wide category) since Emmy likes to go with the usual suspects each year which probably means more Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, & The Good Wife.
FTR: I actually enjoy Downton Abbey a lot, even though it's a shadow of its former self... but it doesn't really need any more acting nominations. All of its cast members have been better in other seasons.
I don't want to let any of these eight women go! How to choose?
And I'm so honored to have had Cara Seymour in house talking about her role, and Ann Dowd very soon talking about hers. I know some readers think there's bias going on when they see people who've guest starred or interviewed praised and FYC'ed and such but it's not like that. It's the other way around actually: Yours truly invites people SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE they're already in house favorites or because they are interesting actors that we think readers would enjoy hearing from or actors who are so talented that they need to be better known. Etcetera. Etcetera.
So Cara & Ann would have my (sadly imaginary) vote even if their response to a guest appearance was "No way. What the hell is The Film Experience?" is what I'm saying.
On a much lighter note to end with: the potential for The Hottest Best Leading Actor in a Drama Series shortlist ever is upon us. So many brunettes. So much handsomeness.
Etcetera.
Reader Comments (25)
Sweatpants is a lock (and a keeper, Jen).
I love you mentioning Julianne Nihcolson in particular because she really was the standout performer other then Lizzy Caplan in the second season of Masters and once her character departed her non presence was felt with the show stumbling a bit for me. I hope to god Nicholson happens because I fear she won't for actresses like Martindale, Janney and Rigg returning for much more decreased roles these past seasons and while they have deserved attention before a character actress like Nicholson being nominated for me is what the guest acting category should be all about but instead is a place for name checking (e.g. Fonda, Giamatti or McCarthy).
I agree supporting actress is hard but for me nearly every actress category comedy, drama, mini/movie, leading, supporting and guest there is such a long list of contenders that narrowing down my personal list is near impossible. When it comes to actor I agree it could be a list of hot men doing great work but what I fear is going to happen is your usual older suspects over the likes of Rhys, Cox and Theroux doing the more deserving work are less respected because of their looks.
P.S. Some other suggestions for surprise guest in a drama is the recent male nudity on game of thrones followed by the great line "All the lannisters such me off". Other notable nominees could be is Cookie's ass from Empire, Cicely Tyson's pouty mouth on HTGAWM and Peggy's dangling cigarette in her legendary walk down the halls of McCan Erickson.
"Oh, and tomorrow we're playing squash. With the Squashes."
Roller skates and organ for Peggy Olson and Roger Sterling to create a sublime musical number in "Mad Men".
Ugh, TGW and GOT actually deserve their (annual) noms too.
FYC: Lena Headey. That walk of shame scene is such a tour de force acting, reminded me of Diane Lane on the train in Unfaithful.
Nicholson deserves that, clearly. I didn't see that episode with Ryder but I did see one ages ago when she was on it and she was fantastic. I think she was Mary Dyer? Sedaris is always great and I think she deserved it for her Broad City episode previously.
The Drama Supporting Actress is an embarrassment of riches, and any of your choices deserve it. I'm torn between Jones, Stone (especially if she submitted her backstory episode), and Toussaint.
Let us not forget Susie Essman and Patricia Clarkson in Broad City for Supporting in a Comedy!
Duh, I mean Comedy Guest Actress.
If Tatiana Maslany doesn't win for lead actress in Orphan Black, maybe she can take the Emmy for her guest appearance as Pupok the scorpion?
Really wish Maggie Smith would pull an Oprah and stop submitting herself for Emmy consideration. She doesn't need another lazy nomination for her unsurprising work on Downton Abbey.
Jay -- i can't imagine it's Maggie Smith's doing. She never even goes to awards shows. I assume she just lets her agent/manager the series do whatever they like.
I don't think Tatiana Maslany is even going to get nominated, even though she should be all five nominees. Best Actress Drama is too full with perennial favorites + Viola Davis.
...but even WITH those wonderful ballots, it's confusing. Helen McCrory is up for Guest Actress for Penny Dreadful with an episode from Season 1, and not as Supporting Actress for Season 2 even though Season 2 is currently airing within the eligibility period (the first season began just before this year's eligibility period). So are people voting for Season 1 or 2 of that series?
And Alison Janney's placement in Supporting Actress Comedy for Mom is egregious category fraud. She was always a co-lead with Faris, but her character arc in the second season made it even more so this time.
I also need Adelaide Clemens to be nominated for 'Rectify'.
Denny -- Penny Dreadful is definitely the most confusing due to its air dates but, from my limited understanding, the current season would NOT be covered under the "hanging episodes" rule because the BULK of the episodes were after June 1st, not before.
if i'm wrong, someone tell me but i think you have to have the majority before and that is definitely not the case here.
so, no, i don't really understand what is eligible for Penny and what's not. But at least most of the season would not factor in.
Only Jon Hamm is getting in from that HOT lead actor/drama list Nathaniel LOL.
Jase -- i know that but it's fun to fantasize ;)
Mad Men is also a perennial nominee. The Good Wife and Game of Thrones deserve their repeat nominations too. Downton Abbey, while still the master class of acting, has suffered a bit from weak storytelling.
Mad Men is also a perennial nominee. The Good Wife and Game of Thrones deserve their repeat nominations too. Downton Abbey, while still the master class of acting, has suffered a bit from weak storytelling.
Wynona Ryder was amazing on Drunk History. Not a chance of happening, but I'd love to see the nomination.
Other possible nominees for the Surprise Guest:
Drama: Lady Mary's mysterious contraceptive device in Downton Abbey
Comedy: Amy Schumer's humongous wine glasses in the Football Town Lights sketch.
You really should catch up on The Americans! Alison Wright was amazing this season.
Carlos -- ooh good ones.
YESSSS THE SWEATPANTS. Lawd almighty.
While im sure Mr Hamm is the only one of the sexy studs who'll see a nom, the ridiculous hotness of Mr. Theroux and Mr. Dornan cannot be denied.
If there's a category for sexiest guest actor in a (i suppose, bc it was a 30min show) comedy series it should be Matthew Risch, if just for the shower/hot tub scenes alone... so much hairy rugby deliciousness...
Dream nominees:
Aden Young deserves all the acting awards for Rectify, but if the critics Choice can't nominate him, how will the Emmys? Do the Emmys even know this show exists?
Walton Goggins for both Justified and Sons of Anarchy
Lena Headey and Kit Harrington for GOT
Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Ann Dowd and Christopher Eccleston for The Leftovers
Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell being snubbed again and again for their jaw dropping performances on The Americans is stupid and shameful
Vera Farmiga went above and beyond on this season of Bates Motel - what a masterclass in smart, emotive acting. For some reason I see her performance as a companion piece to what Justin Theroux was doing on The Leftovers.