Emmy Review: Supporting Actor in a Drama

By Abe Friedtanzer

There were a staggering 455 men on this particular ballot, the most in any category this year (and ever). It’s a wonder that five shows are still represented by eight nominees. The question is whether actors whose costars are nominated – like the boys from Succession or Critics Choice winner Billy Crudup – can distinguish themselves like Peter Dinklage managed to do last year with his fourth trophy for Game of Thrones. Or will having no internal competition propel someone else to the win?

I’ll try to avoid major plot details in my analysis – but if you’d like more spoiler-filled descriptions, click on the episode titles. Let’s consider each nominee…

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Emmy Watch: Best Actor, Drama Series

by Abe Fried-Tanzer

After Comedy and Drama Series speculation, we're looking at another Emmy Awards category today – Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Five of last year’s nominees are eligible again this year, with only Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) out of the running since the show is over. That leaves defending champion Billy Porter (Pose), previous winner Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us), Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), and Jason Bateman (Ozark).

The five series in contention for Best Drama Series after taking last season off don’t play into this category nearly as much since none of them feature a distinct lead who is male...

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What will win Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys?

by Abe Fried-Tanzer

There are many factors that go into the way Emmy voters choose the winner of their top awards, and we’re taking a look today at where the Outstanding Drama Series contenders stand from a statistical and recent history perspective.

Better Call Saul (Season 4 – 9 nominations)
AMC’s prequel to the acclaimed Breaking Bad, is back for the fourth time after the show missed last season’s eligibility window. It matched its nomination total from season three, but has yet to win an Emmy in any category. Consider the inclusion of supporting actor Giancarlo Esposito and the exclusion of supporting actress Rhea Seehorn a draw. Star Bob Odenkirk may finally break through and win a lead acting trophy this year, but this show has so little buzz that it would be a shock to see it triumph.

Bodyguard (Season 1 – 2 nominations)
This six-episode freshman thriller scored a major breakthrough with a bid in this race. But it managed only one other nomination, for writing, and, puzzlingly, missed out on a nomination for lead actor Richard Madden, who took home the Golden Globe...

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15:17 to Link

• IndieWire Hirokazu Kore-eda's The Truth starring Ethan Hawke, Juliette Binoche, and Catherine Deneuve to open the Venice Film Festival
• The Guardian on the rise of millenial filmmakers -- they're just beginning
• /Film a rare straight-to-series order for a new sitcom from the 30 Rock team - Ted Danson & Tina Fey will star
• Variety why audiences are only going to Disney movies
• /Film the new Mortal Kombat movie will be going for a violent "R" rating
• The Guardian terrific actress Billie Piper is now a director, too. Her first film Rare Beasts is going to Venice. She calls it an anti-rom-com

• Coming Soon Dark Crystal Age of Resistance gets a sneak peek via ComicCon
• Film School Rejects offers up a handy list of forthcoming action films that are directed by women
• BuzzFeed "Euphoria" and the meaning of penises onscreen via the only context in which we're ever shown them. 
• AV Club Archer renewed for an 11th season - this time he'll be back to espionage?
• Deadline Brandon Routh, who had the misfortune of being cast as Superman in a bad Superman movie (Superman Returns) gets to put the cape back on for the CW.
• Gr8ter Days TV's Hart to Hart celebrating its 40th anniversary
• Hard Times "James Corden prepared for 'Cats' role by living as obnoxious creature for decades"
• Gold Derby a nearly decade-long trend suggests a Billy Porter or Kit Harrington win for Best Actor
• Variety Two Emmy nominations revoked from Better Call Saul in the short form categories. We think they need much stricter rules about short form because it's starting to seem like a way to just give regular series extra prizes for bite-sized things (instead of honoring shows that are born and intended for the short form) 
• Refinery 29 a new interview with Madonna as she premieres another music video from Madame X "Batuka"

Team Experience: One last agonized cry for the snubbees this Emmy nomination day!

As is our habit, we polled Team Experience this morning to see which Emmy snub yanked them straight to mourning this morning. Here are their answers. Please share your own in the comments, won't you? Misery loves company!

CHRIS FEIL: MJ Rodriguez in POSE. While we can hope that Billy Porter's immensely deserved nomination can represent the entire ensemble with a win, it still leaves Pose's exquisite female cast members unrewarded including the most deserving: Mj Rodriguez's resilient and compassionate house mother Blanca. It's infuriating that the show's directing and writing went unrecognized due to the Game of Thrones glut, but to have denied the season's emotional epicenter is just about unconscionable. Hers is the work that most embodies the multifaceted show and all of its triumphs and power.

DEBORAH LIPP: Gentleman Jack got crowded out, why? Emilia Clark over Suranne Jones is not supportable. FOUR nominations for Game of Thrones over Sophie Rundle in supporting actress is not supportable. Game of Thrones' worst season over this breakthrough new series is NOT! SUPPORTABLE!

lots more weeping after the jump...

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