Blueprints: Emmy Nominees for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Jorge has been taking a look at the Emmy history for this year’s writing nominees. 

Let’s take a look at the four shows that made up the six nominees for Writing in a Comedy Series, the only writing category this year in which there were repeat nominations for the same show. Remember that, just as in the Directing categories, individual episodes are honored rather than overall series. For the fifth year in a row network shows were entirely shut out of the comedy writing category. (In fact network television was shut out of all three narrative writing category this year, only showing up in "Variety/Special"). Two newcomer shows and two established favorites got the comedy nominations; none of the shows have ever won for their writing.

Let's see the elevator pitches and the stats (we love a good round of statistics) after the jump... 

Click to read more ...

Sharp Objects: Episode 2 "Dirt"

Previously: Episode 1 "Vanish"

Go report somewhere else. Let these people be"

by Nathaniel R

Team Experience has decided to pass the baton each week on Sharp Objects for different perspectives / takes on the show. Two episodes in I think that seems fitting. While the show is focused on one woman's perspective, albeit not in a first-person narrative way, its shard-like editing is disorientingly multiple in feeling, as if Camille (Amy Adams) can't shake any of her past selves but also can't just be in any moment with herself. The communal self, the incestuously local population of depressed sweaty Wind Gap, Missouri, isn't any easier for her.

The second episode "Dirt" revolves around the funeral of Natalie Keene, a young girl murdered by an unknown killer. Detective Willis (from Kansas City... and our dreams) fears it's a serial situation given a similar early crime in Wind Gap. Willis and Camille do their own individual digging while Adora (Patricia Clarkson) continually bristles at her daughter Camille's reporting...

Click to read more ...

Sharp Objects: Episode 1 "Vanish"

By Spencer Coile 

It’d be easy for audiences to tune into Sharp Objects with considerably high expectations. It stars Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson, is the latest “prestige” piece of television from HBO, and is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée – who is coming off of a fantastic year with the success of HBO’s 2017 phenomenon,Big Little Lies. Add in source material from Gone Girl’s Gillian Flynn, and you have yourself an unsettling, binge-worthy summer series to watch. 

Yet, while Big Little Lies was fantastic, those drawing comparisons between it and Sharp Objects are evaluating HBO’s latest all wrong. Its first episode, “Vanish” demonstrates this perfectly by introducing a story and a leading lady who are so detached, so cut off from reality, that it’d be difficult to compare it to anything else. 

Click to read more ...

RuPaul's Drag Race season 10 ends with a flutter

by Nathaniel R

Months on end of turning looks and stunting pretty have now ended with Season 10's queen crowned. So why lead with a picture of Season 9's winner Sasha Velour? It's not just that she served the season finale's best look, but that her appearance was hardly necessary. Her long shadow was already blocking out all the light on this particular finale...

Click to read more ...

Television Critics Association Nominees 2018

by Nathaniel R

The Television Critics Association has only been around in some form or another since the 1980s but they have recently been getting more press. That's partially, we suspect, because the Emmys are so relentlessly unsatisfying with their constant repetitions. The TCA Awards aren't against a repeat here and there but more than two wins is rare in any of their categories and they've proven fairly discerning in the past.

We aren't fans of their tradition of fusing performance into only two acting categories (genderless and without any way to recognize supporting players or differentiate between movies and series so this means far far far fewer times the nominees in an era where we're constantly told that there is an abundance of great work!) but otherwise we like them just fine.

They were absolutely besotted with the debut season of "Killing Eve" this year. Nominations for the 2017/2018 television season are after the jump... 

Click to read more ...