Emmy Review: Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 1:15PM by Nathaniel R
I chose to cover this category because I hadn't seen ANY of the submitted episodes. I'm never up to date on TV so figured it would be a fun way to sample while also facing the fact that I'll never catch up given that there's always more new stuff to watch so I'm just jumping ahead to 2020 and moving on. I will say that ranking these choices through episode submissions alone was a much different experience than I was expecting in terms of personal favourites versus rank. All eight nominees considered at the jump...
Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Amazon)
Episode: "Marvelous Radio"
Borstein's already won twice for this role from 7 nominations in total (3 for Maisel, 4 for Family Guy). Given the television Academy's love of repeating themselves, she could well pick up her fourth Emmy this month. The penultimate episode of season 3 gives her lots of scenes to continue her forceful and funny take on this aggressive perpetually angry flying-by-the-seat-of-her-pants manager. In truth the performance can be as exhausting as the character but in her best moments that very feeling deepens the show as in the final sequence when she goes to the Broadway opening of her other client (Jane Lynch) and watches her throw that hard-won chance at a new career direction away.
D'Arcy Carden as Janet in The Good Place (NBC)
Episode: "You've Changed, Man"
The nimbleness of Darcy C'arden. It's tough to make peace with the fact that this is her first nomination for such an excellently weird creation. While this submitted episode isn't the showcase that last season's Multitudes of Janet was, it's still fun. The laughs mostly belong to the also-Emmy nominated Maya Rudolph as "Judge". Still, Carden is a trooper and she provides giggles with both comic asides and stalling (lest the universe be rebooted) as well as straight-faced philosophical pleas. Plus fart jokes? Thanks, Disco Janet!
Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan in GLOW (Netflix)
Episode: "A Very GLOW Christmas"
Gilpin's been nominated for each season of GLOW but has yet to win. She chose a terrific showcase this year. While the episode in question, the season finale, takes too long to rev up (and her first scene is lethargic plot setup) the rest is top tier Gilpin and top tier GLOW. She provides us with both rich character work and comic timing. The episode ends with a cliffhanger (emotionally speaking) with real dramatic punch, smartly taking us back to season 1's centering personality clash between Debbie and Ruth and how these friends differ in their approach to life's bumps and detours. She's great throughout but the icing on this cake is her hilariously matter of fact switch from drama to comedy and back again a beat too soon while moving onstage and off during the Christmas show.
Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Amazon)
Episode: "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo"
She's long been a terrific ensemble player (since way back to 1999 for her brilliant work on Once & Again) but Maisel finally got her the broader recognition she deserved with her second nomination for this uptight wife and mother. All of her scenes are sharp. Whether she's seated primly or standing ramrod straight she manages to pull off understated physical comedy that's all about her reactions to the much zanier actors around her. Though even so, that specialty gets a neat twist when she shares scenes with her daughter's ex-boyfriend and she's the one who looks insane. Her confusion and then delight about a new possible career is also winningly played.
Kate McKinnon as various characters in Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Episode: "Host: Daniel Craig"
She's been nominated 8 times for her work on Saturday Night Live, winning twice consecutively in 2016/2017. It's not hard to imagine her picking up a third if voters aren't obsessed with one of their other options, though it probably won't be this year despite a smart submission episode. She gets three showcases. Her voice work is a beauty on "The Ingraham Angle" and she holds her own in the crowded political cold open, too. The 'movie quote game' sketch is lame and she has nothing to do but in her two other pairings with Daniel Craig, she's aces. She provides demented old lady briefly in a James Bond sketch but the jewel of her submission is a daytime soap spoof in the age of the coronavirus "The Sands of Modesto." Whether she's applying lipgloss awkwardly, yearning for her ex lovers prop-aided touch, or merely vibing on her half-there soap star, she's just hilarious.
Annie Murphy as Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek (Pop)
Episode: "The Presidential Suite"
Hmmm. When I volunteered for this article I was hoping to counter Abe's low rankings of the Schitt's Creek performers in the other categories since the show is such fun and I'm rooting for an O'Hara + Levy win. But this episode unfortunately strands Annie away from her comic family (and I especially love her in scenes with Dan Levy). Instead it falls to the more serious side as Alexis considers a break upwith her boyfriend who is in town with news of a dream job offer. Best bits: the comic timing on "I'll just have a smoothie" or "I may have forgotten about the dairy" which are both oddly endearing examples of the way Alexis doesn't listen when other people are talking.
Yvonne Orji as Molly in Insecure (HBO)
Episode: "Lowkey Lost"
Given the comedy categorizations I expected laughs but Orji is solely a dramatic presence in this particular submission. I'm assuming that you have to have followed the whole season for her estrangement from screen bestie Issa Rae to resonate, but even without context Molly's scenes with her screen boyfriend Andrew (the ridiculously attractive Alexander Hodge) who are going through a rough patch and possible break-up really land. Fine dramatic work but in a comedy category I'll always vote comedy.
Cecily Strong as various characters in Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy"
This is Strong's first nomination but sadly the episode submission doesn't really sell the why of it. She appears for a split second as Tulsi Gabbard in the political open and emits a funny evil laugh. But her characters in both a cooking show sketch and an Elf massacre by polar bear are weak and don't give her anything good to riff on. Still, she's Emmy-nom worthy at least for her recurring impersonation of Fox News' Jeanine Pirro. If this were a full hour of just her playing Pirro boozing it up, antagonizing Democrats, drinking her own dishonest koolaid, and vomiting on non-believers, it would have been a stellar submission. But sadly that brief comedy is the only strong hint of Strong's gifts.
Personal Ranking:
- Betty Gilpin, GLOW
- Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
- D'Arcy Carden, The Good Place
- Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
- Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
- Yvonne Orji, Insecure
- Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek
- Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
Predicted Winner: Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Potential Spoiler: D'Arcy Carden– The Good Place
Given that Borstein was able to interrupt the near sweep for the hugely popular Fleabag at last year's Emmys, I imagine the TV Academy isn't done honoring her for this role. Unless of course The Good Place fans rally to get that show a win somewhere for its final season, and what better place than with Carden who should have snatched the gold last year (but tragically wasn't nominated). We're rooting for her.
DRAMA
Actress | Actor | Supp Actress | Supp Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor
COMEDY
Actress | Actor | Supp. Actress | Supp Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor
LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
TV Movie | Actress | Actor | Supp Actor | Supp Actress
MISC
Costumes, Fantasy | Costumes, Period | Animated Program
Reader Comments (24)
These were nice, but Nathaniel may we suggest Abe present his ranking and possibly short note on the nominees in the comments? His insights have been the best so far (Even including Claudio and the costume category which is a feat in itself!) and since you get uppity about stats on 'Keeping Best Picture to 5" I feel that same way about predicted Emmy Acting Races being Abe's in 2020, Juan's lovely Guest Acting work notwithstanding. Thanking you for your understanding and compliance in advance. Keep safe and well.
Surprised to see Betty Gilpin ranked first.
Betty Gilpin in supporting is category fraud. She's as much of a lead as Alison Brie in GLOW.
"compliance" lol. everyone, including Abe, are free to comment and rank if they like.
Ugh Annie Murphy WHY this episode submission? She is so so funny throughout the season/show and I'll never understand why comedy actors submit their more dramatic outings for these awards. I feel like actors often choose episodes with the most screen time vs. their strongest work.
Hoping voters watch the whole season because she's always aces and, if you've ever seen her interviews, truly nothing like the character of Alexis. I LOVE Dan Levy but I don't think the same could be said about him/David ;)
This is one of those interesting categories where, when a performer submits a good tape and is having a good year with critics, they can overcome the other performers on shows that well loved and win, even if they're one of the few things nominated on their show. I wouldn't be shocked at all if Betty Gilpin takes this much like other actresses have (e.g., Weaver, Chenoweth, Pressly, Smart).
I also think Marin Hinkle and Borstein are in the running, and either of them could win, though I don't think their materiel this season truly justifies it.
Victor S -- you may have a point but i haven't been watching any of these shows... or rather I am full seasons (or more) behind on all of them so I wouldn't know from lead/supporting so I was just reacting to these single episodes.
Greg -- thank you for confirming that. I am very far behind on Schitt's Creek but I had remembered her being so much funnier.
I'll bet Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon wish they could compile their best sketches over the season and submit that instead of just one episode. Cecily Strong's Susan Collins impression was spot-on (like her Pirro), but they were in different episodes. Sketch shows are tricky that way.
I hope Carden takes this, but I don't see her winning, unfortunately. Alex Borstein doesn't need another Emmy, but I think she'll get it.
I think Annie Murphy made the right choice with the submission. I was hoping this what she would pick. I was very impressed by her here. It's quite different from her always hilarious work on the series and she's terrific in this episode. Since Schitt's Creek received so many nominations, hopefully the voters will see her work in her fellow cast member's selected episodes and see how wonderful always is as Alexis.
This category will break my heart I just know it. I really want Murphy and Carden to somehow tie since I have this terrible feeling this might be their only chance to win. I don't want to choose between them. But a woman from Maisel will probably win anyway.
Wake up/log on Abe!
Annie Murphy for the win. Annie Murphy for everything.
Annie Murphy deserves this a thousand times over, but I think this is the most likely repeat acting win in Borstein.
Agreed completely! This should be Gilpin's but Borstein will three-peat.
Based on submissions: Yvonne Orji or Marin Hinkle.
I love Annie Murphy and really hope she wins. But this submission is a mistake. She was much funnier in every other episode of the season. This sort of reminds me of the 80's when comedy series and actors would win for "very special" episodes about abuse, cancer etc. Hopefully the voters will take into account the other episodes of the season they have seen.
@Michelle and @Julianne I appreciate your enthusiasm - this is Nathaniel's site and it's nice to be part of a team of writers with different perspectives and writing styles.
I'd also argue that it might be more effective and accurate to predict when you only sample certain episodes rather than watch the whole season since that might be more akin to what Emmy voters do, though in this case I don't watch SNL or GLOW regularly and only recently picked up Schitt's Creek.
My choice in this race is actually Orji, but she didn't choose the right episode. The one where she vacations with her boyfriend and tackles racism gives her more comedic and dramatic material. Next choice would be Borstein or Hinkle, though Carden would make me happy too because of the consistent work she's done over the past few years.
I also happen to think that Murphy is the MVP on Schitt's Creek and that this episode is a solid choice, even if it might not appeal to irregular watchers.
Thanks for the great write-up, Nathaniel!
I will have to rewatch S3 of GLOW - I even have Funkos. I think it being released in June hurts his chances at the Emmys (like when a movie comes out in the spring and vies for an Oscar).
I don’t know much about Emmy submissions of the past decade, but in the ‘90s and aughts it seemed par for the course for Lead Actress in Comedy to always submit a dramatic episode — this worked for Helen Hunt multiple times, Roseanne, and Debra Messing. But that was also back when supporting nominees got to submit TWO episodes, so I wonder what is best strategy. There were some SNL episodes where one cast member seems to be in everything, and I always wonder if it’s secretly part of their Emmy campaign going in.
Again, I am stuck fifteen years ago, but this category does love its repeat winners (Laurie Metcalf had a three peat in the ‘90s, and Doris Roberts won almost every year), so that makes me think they will lean toward Borstein.
I really hope D'Arcy Carden can pull this win off! She should already have two Emmy's for THE GOOD PLACE: One for season two's episode "Janet and Michael," and another for season three's episode "Janet(s)."
I also struggle with where to place the SC cast as lead vs. supporting. The screen time is split evenly between the 4 principal actors, all should technically be "leads", with a large ensemble of supporting players. I totally get why they campaigned the way they did, it just seems silly to classify Dan Levy as supporting. Either way, I'm rooting for them all!
I think Borstein is great on Maisel but c'monnnn. Can't stand these repeat winners year after year, even comic genius creations like Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep
Category fraud aside Betty Gilpin is MVP in a strong cast for
3 seasons running. I’d find it hard to be mad if she won.
I think Annie Murphy will take it.
Episode submission don't mean as much anymore since they changed the voting procedure. Maisel is as popular as Schitts in terms of nominations so perhaps Bernstein and Shahloub win supporting and Levy and Ohara win lead. I would love a Schitts SWEEP however.
I love this lineup despite some of the nominees not submitting well. I agree with Abe on Orji; she should've chosen the vacation episode since it's definitely her episode.
My ranking would be:
1. Alex Borstein
2. Betty Gilpin
3. Cecily Strong
4. Kate McKinnon
5. Annie Murphy
6. Yvonne Orji
7. Marin Hinkle
8. D'Arcy Carden
I just can't get into Mrs. Maisel, it just doesn't do it for me.
Betty Gilpin is a lead, not supporting, but I'd give her every award for Glow.
Nice to see someone else remembers Once and Again, a criminally underrated show that I adored.
I'm rooting for "Schitt's Creek" in every category. Sure, we rolled our eyes when the brilliant "Fleabag" won every single category (except for supporting, a category Andrew Scott was robbed of even a nomination). But "Schitt's Creek" will go down as one of the great shows of all time. And the entire cast is peerless in their comic creations.