Emmy Category Analysis: Comedy Writing & Directing

By Christopher James

Does "Only Murders in the Building" have what it takes to overthrow reigning champion "Hacks" in directing and writing?The writing and directing categories will be a strong bellwether for what will win Outstanding Comedy Series. The directing category overlaps with Comedy Series 58% of the time and the writing category overlaps 50% of the time. Many worthy competitors face off in the stacked comedy fields. The overarching theme of both categories will be Incumbents vs newcomers vs comebacks.

On one end, Ted Lasso and Hacks face off again for their second seasons. While Ted Lasso won last time,  Hacks won both directing and writing. Both will have a doozy of a time competing with two hot new shows - Only Murders in the Building and Abbott Elementary - which both earned Comedy Series nominations. Finally, shows like Barry and Atlanta re-emerged in these categories after being off the air for a few years.  Will they be able to come back and take the prize from these newer shows they have never had to face off against?

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9 Links

• Vanity Fair first images from the miniseries Welcome to Chippendales starring Kumail Nanjiani, Murray Bartlett, Juliette Lewis, Dan Stevens, and Annaleigh Ashford
• People Anne Heche in stable condition after a car crash / fire. Our thoughts are with her in recovery. Such a great actress but she's had many personal issues and troubles
• Variety a Jennifer Coolidge with a hilarious admission about American Pie benefitting her sex life

More after the jump including a Star Trek kiss, a buzzy Beyoncé / Madonna remix, looking back at The Fugitive, and stage productions of Cats and Devil Wears Prada...

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The Best Costumes of 1997

by Cláudio Alves

Before we say goodbye to 1997 and move on to 1951, let's indulge in what has become a Smackdown tradition. After Nathaniel and his panelist do their Supporting Actress analysis and podcast discussion, it's time for some costume-related musings. Like most of the categories in that year's Oscars, the Best Costume Design race was won by Titanic, which shouldn't be surprising. Not only was the movie a sweeper, but its wardrobe has achieved iconic status in the decades since its original release. Deborah Lynn Scott makes for a just victor, not only because of her work's iconographic power but also because it works within the picture's purview of history and romance…

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Doc Corner: 'Blue Island'

By Glenn Dunks

Chan Tze Woon’s second feature is also his second about Hong Kong’s fight for independence. It follows Yellowing in 2016. Like many filmmakers working in non-fiction today, Chan incorporates actors and the process of moviemaking into Blue Island. This is a documentary that makes heavy use of recreations and performance, yet these are elements that are frequently weaved throughout rather seamlessly. It doesn’t always work, with some of Chan’s conceits coming and going at whim, but it becomes a smart choice.

For the story he’s trying to tell is one explicitly built around Hong Kong as an epicenter of street activism where one generation’s fighters have much to learn from those who came before. Where history becomes the present with far too much familiarity.

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ICYMI - 1997 Smackdown Podcast

by Nathaniel R

We'll be releasing as short "outtakes" podcast from the latest Smackdown featuring the films and supporting actresses of 1997. But before we do, listen to the "official" podcast, won'cha? It's one of our best episodes, so we sincerely hope you enjoy. 

1 hour and 24 minutes
00:00 Panel Intros and Titanic's four-quadrant success
08:00 In & Out. Paul Rudnick's jokes, the physical comedy, the Joan Cusack
23:30 L.A. Confidential and Kim Basinger as both actress and celebrity
37:30 Good Will Hunting 'Ben & Matt' mania, and Minnie Driver's focus-pulling charisma
46:50 The brilliance of Boogie Nights and Julianne Moore's career-making genius
1:01:35 Gloria Stuart's 'old Rose' and the winning corniness of Titanic
1:16:00 Awards for everyone plus our re-casting game.
1:19:00 Goodbyes and final movie/performance recommendations for '97