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?
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