Emmy Category Review: Guest Actor in a Comedy
Monday, August 17, 2020 at 6:00PM
By Juan Carlos Ojano
Three men from Saturday Night Live, a “regular” guest actor in a Comedy Series frontrunner, a lead in an anthology series episode, and a comedy veteran receiving a posthumous nomination. These are the men nominated in this category. SNL has had at least two nominees in this category since 2013, peaking last year with four of the seven slots. Their last winner was in 2017. Meanwhile, performances from Comedy Series have bagged the last two wins.
Let’s consider each nominee...
Adam Driver as Host in Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Episode: “Host: Adam Driver”
Hosting the first episode of SNL in 2020, Adam Driver pokes fun and utilizes his strengths as a dramatic actor and applies them in his sketches, usually to heighten the comedy by going overly serious. Highlights include an overcommitted acting student playing a medieval character, an enthusiastic science teacher whose temper is tested, a father dealing with a clogged toilet bowl in a girls’ sleepover, a very slow rapper, and a reprisal of his role as Kylo Ren in Undercover Boss. While the quality of the sketches do not always live up to his talents (a recurring SNL problem), Driver’s commitment to the humor makes this hosting gig thoroughly enjoyable.
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
(LAST YEAR'S WINNER IN THIS CATEGORY)
Episode: “It’s Comedy or Cabbage”
Kirby falls into the ‘series regulars who just appear in less than 50% of the episodes to qualify as supporting’ category. In this episode, he continues to be Midge Maisel’s fairy godmother of sort, expanding her worldview and social network. He maintains the character’s abandon that results from a mixture of alcohol and carefree way of living. However, there is an underlying potential for sexual, if not romantic, bond between the two that keeps on building until they reach the scene at the motel. It’s a bittersweet moment that Kirby plays beautifully with the tinge of longing and loneliness that his lifestyle has brought him. With all the energetic banter in this episode, that moment of quietness stands out.
Eddie Murphy as Host in Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Episode: “Host: Eddie Murphy”
All eyes were on this Christmas episode, marking Eddie Murphy’s return to SNL for the first time since the 1980s. Exceeding expectations, Murphy was the show’s best host in a very long time. He did not hold back with the sketches, demonstrating his flawless comedic timing in returning to classic SNL characters like Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat, and Gumby and new ones like a failed baker, a restless dinner host, and a hysterical elf. I love it when SNL hosts go for broke, giving every single ounce of energy. You can feel him still having that hunger for comedy. He may have missed the Oscar nomination for Dolemite is My Name, but his hosting stint could AND should give him his first Emmy win.
Dev Patel as Joshua in Modern Love (Amazon)
Episode: “When Cupid is a Prying Journalist”
In this lovely anthology series, Patel appears as the male lead of this episode as a founder of a dating app. The episode doesn't shy away from the character’s (and Patel’s) charms, but it never hinges on that to build the romance. Instead, Patel uses that to present a character whose love is pure and whose character is palpable. The flashbacks on his past relationship demonstrate Patel’s capability to make your heart melt and then break it afterwards. His witty banter with the prying journalist (Catherine Keener) is also engaging, showing us more clues as to how he copes with the hurtful past in the present. The emotional journey feels genuine because Patel opens up his heart even within the confines of the sweet-natured episode. At the very least, this is a strong argument to cast Dev Patel in more romantic leading roles.
Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci in Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Episode: “SNL at Home # 2”
This nomination was immediately dismissed as name checking, given the very limited screentime in this SNL episode filmed during quarantine. Aside from his brief introduction of Miley Cyrus, Brad Pitt only appears during the cold open as Dr. Fauci as he does his best to try to “make sense” of Trump’s idiotic remarks about the COVID-19 virus. Pitt handles the comedic escalation of the sketch, from being explanatory to simply giving up. At the end of the sketch, he shifts from adequate impersonation to sincere tribute to the real Dr. Fauci. The sketch is a good reminder of Pitt's comic gifts, maximizing his brief time to really good effect. But an Emmy nomination is generous.
Fred Willard as Frank Dunphy in Modern Family (ABC)
Episode: “Legacy”
As I have observed in the few Modern Family episodes that I have watched, episodes tend to span multiple storylines at a fast pace. Willard appears as Frank, Phil’s (Ty Burrell) father who is possibly suffering from dementia. He combines sharp comedic timing and heartbreaking truths, grounding the storyline in a true mixture of drama and comedy. It is a beautiful dance between him and Burrell to keep the humor in sync with the drama. The result is a performance that evokes pathos in Frank’s final moments. One scene that stands out is a brief moment in the barbershop. Frank’s death can feel uncomfortably close when compounded with the actor’s actual death, but this performance is a reminder of Willard's considerable talent.
Personal Ranking:
- Eddie Murphy, SNL
- Luke Kirby, Mrs Maisel
- Dev Patel, Modern Love
- Adam Driver, SNL
- Fred Willard, Modern Family
- Brad Pitt, SNL
Predicted Winner: Eddie Murphy - Saturday Night Live
Potential Spoiler: Luke Kirby - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Who are you rooting for?
Previous Category Reviews: TV Movie
Reader Comments (18)
I can't help but find it weird how disparate the size of these roles are. Pitt's a sketch show cameo. In contrast, Dev Patel may only have one episode, but he's clearly a leading actor giving a leading actor performance. That being said, I've no idea what category would feel more appropriate for these men.
Love what you wrote about Luke Kirby. You capture, rather beautifully, what makes his performance stand out in the show.
Give it to Eddie Murphy. I would not be disappointed if Patel won, either. Willard would be a sentimental choice, Driver would be understandable. Kirby already won for this, so he doesn't need another. Brad Pitt was fine, but he should not win an Emmy for his Fauci.
I'd give it to Kirby who REALLY makes an impact every time he pops up in "Mrs Maisel," but I wouldn't be mad if it went to Murphy or Patel. I feel like Patel is juuuust a few years ahead of the time when an Indian actor can make it to the top of Hollywood, even though he deserves it (or rather, I wish we could say we deserved him). Murphy, controversies (including youthful homophobia) aside, really is some kind of comic genius, and this would be a fine mini-lifetime achievement award for him.
I'm pulling for Adam Driver, mainly because his sketches are the ones I've come back to the most in the last few months (particularly the Science Room skeetch, thee Medieval Times sketch, and the one where he plays a ketchup bottle). He has such a versatile comic voice that was used to its full potential for the first time in his SNL appearances, so he would be a terrific Emmy winner. That said, I get the Eddie Murphy of it all and while it annoys me that they wasted a Black Jeopardy sketch on bringing back Velvet Jones (it's the first time I found Black Jeopardy disposable), the Mr. Robinson's neighborhood sketch is terrific and I did enjoy him as the hysterical elf.
Modern Love was terrible, terrible, horrible but I loved Dev Patel and Anne Hathaway’s performances.
Dev Patel was quite good in the "When Cupid is a Prying Journalist" segment of Modern Love. Catherine Keener and Andy Garcia's storyline was also affecting even if it favors the 'true love' arc than the quiet and shattering violence of infidelity. But Fred Willard's heartbreaking turn in Modern Family was one luminous miracle that blur reality and fiction especially in the wake of the beloved actor's demise. But Luke Kirby* in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel was all shades of colors and he gives nuanced hues of each color when the mood and sensibility call for it. You perfectly described his character, his arc, and the loneliness.
*I first saw Luke Kirby in Take This Waltz with Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and especially a wonderful turn from Sarah Silverman. You can imagine how Kirby's Daniel could be a dangerous and potent mix of eroticism and danger without coming off as obvious.
I'm so confused about Modern Love's campaigns. Didn't they consider Anne Hathaway a lead or a supporting despite the same situation as Dev Patel?
Willard should've won for Everybody Loves Raymond.
Eddie Freaking Murphy. That's all.
@Nathaniel: Yeah, they submitted Anne (and some others) in supporting while Dev (and some others too) in guest. The categorization was really arbitrary (or obviously strategic.
Just give it to Eddie Murphy. Seriously. I haven't laughed at an entire episode of SNL so hard like that in a fucking long time. Eddie was on a different level and raised the bar of what that show could be. He didn't just bring back his old characters but the new skits he did proved that when he's properly motivated and passionate. The old Eddie can come back while also doing something new. I hope he hosts once again but only when he wants to.
Victor Garber was overlooked for his performance in Schitt's Creek (he gets slapped six times!)
Driver utilizes his awkward persona into some funny moments but Murphy deserves this win.
Kirby is fantastic in every scene. So many layers. Patel was fine but Keener was the standout for me in that episode. SNL is meh and another thing altogether.
Luke Kirby’s episode was by far the best of the entire Maisel series, and he was excellent in it. If he hadn’t won last year I’d say he was a shoo-in. That final farewell at the hotel was just heartbreaking.
Murphy should and will win, though I suppose Willard cannot be entirely counted out.
I continue to hate that SNL actors can get away with being submitted in this category. It stops worthier actors from getting recognition just because they are not big names who host a show one week to promote a project they have coming out that week.
Murphy will likely win but I will continue to be urked that they can compete here when so easily the academy can bring back the variety performer category and just nominate them all there.
I know it’s perhaps a Category Fraud but I would be happy to see Patel get this
This is a great category. Pitt’s performance is short, but he does great work. If he wins the Emmy, I wouldn’t begrudge him of it in his big year. I think this is just as good as his mom for Friends, which was well deserved.
My heart says that it would be great see Eddie Murphy or Fred Willard to win.
Eddie Murphy losing the Oscar for Dreamgirls gives him even more of a leg up in any awards race in which he's deserving. Just give him the gold.