Emmy Nominations: 30 Rock and Mad Men?
So the Emmy nominations are in with some interesting choices, even if the roster’s overall impression conveys something of a feeling of “to be expected.” It’s been a good year in television after all, so it would have been unusually difficult to find a person or who which was truly unworthy of being recognized.
Here are my immediate thoughts upon looking at the list of nominations:
- Tons of great female led/driven/oriented comedies.
- Not so much on the male front.
- The “Outstanding Comedy Series” category has some good standards, but for the most part ignores the more surreal, off the wall, or unconventional ones(which happen to be my preferred kind).
- The Modern Family ensemble is awesome, everyone clearly agrees, so why don’t they start doing categories for best ensemble work?
- Mad Men has been losing steam for quite a while now. Perhaps it’s time for it to concede its spot to one of the other great dramas out there (I’m looking at you Justified).
- Peter Dinklage for best supporting actor in a drama? Am I th only one that thinks of him more as a lead? Especially in the second season?
- Idris Elba! Please, please, please–Idris Elba!
First off, 30 Rock is not one of the funniest shows on television, not even on Network TV, not even on NBC, not even on Thursday night, not even starring a woman. Community and Parks and Recreation are both much better than 30 Rock right now, and I’d say that even the Office (*shudder*) is only slightly worse.
And then there’s the ever conspicuously absent Louie. I myself prefer the rest of FX’s comedy line-up: Archer, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Wilfred. But not even Louie? How did Girls, often chuckle worthy and sometimes knee-slappingly funny, nudge out Louie, which is, in addition to never sinking to melodrama or unflattering narcissism, also much more clever and sophisticated, at least as a comedy.
Finally: Mad Men. Mad Men, its creator has said, will come to a close not next season, but the one after. Really Matthew Weiner? Two more seasons?
If the show had been a production of the BBC, it wouldn’t have lasted more than two, but would have done everything AMC’s has, and more. Economical, precise, and done when it’s done. These are not the virtues of American television, and especially not of Mad Men. Political issues are forced into the story only to later be dropped or ignored, and characters remain too inconsistent from one episode to the next to allow for recognizable or conclusive narrative arcs (with some notable exceptions). If anyone can explain to me what the show’s purpose six seasons later is, or what lingering issues need to be resolved, or convincingly demonstrate to me that there is any shred of evidence they will actually be resolved, I will concede to being mistaken in saying that the only reason to watch the show, now that it flounders on a creative level as much as it’s protagonist has, and continues to flounder, on a fictionally existential one, is for the sexy costumes and glossy sets.
The show still manages to make me think, at least for one evening a week, that a lot of things really were better back in the 60s, like sex, alcohol, and hats. So it’s got that going for it.
Below is a complete list of the nominations (via the Atlantic Wire).
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Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 64th Primetime Emmy Award Nominations
Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Girls, Lena Dunham
Mike & Molly, Melissa McCarthy
New Girl, Zooey Deschanel
Nurse Jackie, Edie Falco
Parks And Recreation, Amy Poehler
30 Rock, Tina Fey
Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parsons
Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David
House Of Lies, Don Cheadle
Louie, Louis C.K.
30 Rock, Alec Baldwin
Two And A Half Men, Jon Cryer
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik
Desperate Housewives, Kathryn Joosten
Modern Family, Julie Bowen
Modern Family, Sofia Vergara
Nurse Jackie, Merritt Wever as Zoey Barkow
Saturday Night Live, Kristen Wiig
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Modern Family, Ed O’Neill
Modern Family, Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Modern Family, Ty Burrell
Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet
New Girl, Max Greenfield
Saturday Night Live, Bill Hader
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Glee, Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Shannon Beiste
Saturday Night Live, Maya Rudolph, Host
Saturday Night Live, Melissa McCarthy, Host
30 Rock, Elizabeth Banks as Avery Jessup
30 Rock, Margaret Cho as Kim Jong-il
Two And A Half Men, Kathy Bates as Charlie Harper
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm, Michael J. Fox as Himself
Modern Family, Greg Kinnear as Tad
Nurse Jackie, Bobby Cannavale as Dr. Mike Cruz
Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon, Host
30 Rock, Will Arnett as Devon Banks
30 Rock, Jon Hamm as Abner and David Brinkley
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Community • Remedial Chaos Theory • Chris McKenna, Written by
Girls • Pilot • Lena Dunham, Written by
Louie • Pregnant • Louis C.K., Written by
Parks And Recreation • The Debate • Amy Poehler, Written by
Parks And Recreation • Win, Lose, Or Draw • Michael Schur, Written by
Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Damages • Glenn Close
Downton Abbey • Michelle Dockery
The Good Wife • Julianna Margulies
Harry’s Law • Kathy Bates
Homeland • Claire Danes
Mad Men • Elisabeth Moss
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire • Steve Buscemi
Breaking Bad • Bryan Cranston
Dexter • Michael C. Hall
Downton Abbey • Hugh Bonneville
Homeland • Damian Lewis
Mad Men • Jon Hamm
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • Anna Gunn
Downton Abbey • Maggie Smith
Downton Abbey • Joanne Froggatt
The Good Wife • Archie Panjabi
The Good Wife • Christine Baranski
Mad Men • Christina Hendricks
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • Aaron Paul
Breaking Bad • Giancarlo Esposito
Downton Abbey • Brendan Coyle
Downton Abbey • Jim Carter
Game Of Thrones • Peter Dinklage
Mad Men • Jared Harris
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
The Good Wife • Martha Plimpton as Patti Nyholm
Grey’s Anatomy • Loretta Devine as Adele Webber
Harry’s Law • Jean Smart as D.A. Roseanna Remmick
Mad Men • Julia Ormond as Marie Calvet
Shameless • Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson
Smash • Uma Thurman as Rebecca Duvall
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • Mark Margolis as Tio Salamanca
The Good Wife • Dylan Baker as Colin Sweeney
The Good Wife • Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning
Justified • Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett
Mad Men • Ben Feldman as Michael Ginsberg
Parenthood • Jason Ritter as Mark Cyr
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Downton Abbey • Episode 7 • Julian Fellowes, Written by
Homeland • Pilot • Alex Gansa, Written by; Howard Gordon, Written by; Gideon Raff, Written by
Mad Men • The Other Woman • Semi Chellas, Written by; Matthew Weiner, Written by
Mad Men • Commissions And Fees • Andre Jacquemetton, Written by; Maria Jacquemetton, Written by
Mad Men • Far Away Places • Erin Levy, Written by; Matthew Weiner, Written by
Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
American Horror Story • Connie Britton
Game Change • Julianne Moore
Hemingway & Gellhorn • Nicole Kidman
Missing • Ashley Judd
The Song Of Lunch (Masterpiece) • Emma Thompson
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Game Change • Woody Harrelson
Hatfields & McCoys • Kevin Costner
Hatfields & McCoys • Bill Paxton
Hemingway & Gellhorn • Clive Owen
Luther • Idris Elba
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece) • Benedict Cumberbatch
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or A Movie
American Horror Story • Frances Conroy
American Horror Story • Jessica Lange
Game Change • Sarah Paulson
Hatfields & McCoys • Mare Winningham
Page Eight (Masterpiece) • Judy Davis
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
American Horror Story • Denis O’Hare
Game Change • Ed Harris
Hatfields & McCoys • Tom Berenger
Hemingway & Gellhorn • David Strathairn
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece) • Martin Freeman
Yay! Someone else writing about awards shows!
Yes, I totally agree that there should be an ensemble award, similar to the SAG Awards. Though the “Modern Family” cast still seems to yield winners despite multiple nominees in the same category.
I am very happy to see so many “Downton Abbey” nominations. While the plot got a bit wonky in the second season, the acting was uniformly superlative.
But the happiest thing for me about this list? Only one nomination for “Glee,” and a deserved one for pulling off a ridiculous character with grace.Report
Peter Dinklage for best supporting actor in a drama? Am I the only one that thinks of him more as a lead? Especially in the second season?
Tyrion is a small role.Report
In the books, or the second season of the show?Report
I think it was just a little joke.Report
I think it went over his head.Report
Too clever by half.Report
Minuscule. And the combined humor of the responses simply dwarfs it.Report
I repeated your comment to a friend and he was like yea, haha, cause he’s a little person–palm proceeded to smack face.Report
I actually think last season’s Mad Men was one of the better seasons, so there ya’ go.
Also, actors choose where they’re going to nominate themselves, so I’m assuming Dinklage (or his management) thought he had a better chance at winning a supporting actor nomination rather than taking on the Hamm/Cranston/Buscemi Triangle.Report
Ah, that makes sense. I’m sure there’s a lot of caveats to the process that I’m missing.Report
More than half the drama “supporting” slots go to Dowton Abbey and Breaking Bad? Not that those are bad shows, by any means, but still. Especially with the apparent decision that ensemble cast members go in “supporting” (although Peter Dinklage may be happy not to be competing with Bryan Cranston). Mandy Patinkin was robbed.
You complain about Mad Men keeping Justified out of Best Drama; it also grabs 3 out of 5 best writing slots. In that same category, while I think Homeland deserved every nomination it got, I can’t see the pilot being the best episode of the season.
I said this last year, I think. I love Game of Thrones, but I don’t see Dinklage as a stand-out there. Sure, he’s good in that show, but everyone is good in that show. It seems like they’re giving it to the name. I’d rather they gave it to Conleth Hill (I’d REALLY rather they gave it to Jack Gleeson or Maisie Williams, but I do get why that isn’t happening).Report
How the hell did The New Girl get nominations?Report
Wait… American Gothic has been relabeled a Miniseries, instead of what it was – a cancelled TV series? That’s terrible. No wonder I hate the Emmys almost as much as I hate the Grammys.Report
Um, do you mean America Horror Story? Because that’s coming back for a second season.Report
mini series is still a stretch, though. It had a standard cable-length season. I guess maybe it counts as a mini series because there’s no continuity between seasons?Report
It’s like a place I used to work at that was a non-profit. Not intentionally, of course.Report
I totally agree about the sinking ship that is Mad Men, that Idris Elba is friggin’ awesome, and that Justified could do with a bit more public love.
A couple of thoughts:
a) Julianne Moore was absolutely horrendous in Game Change. Tina Fey did a more accurate Sarah Palin impression.
b) Everybody kept talking about how awesome Parks and Recreation was, so I watched the first few episodes and thought it was boring and not at all funny. Does it pick up steam, or am I just out of step with everyone?Report
The first season (which was 13 episodes I think) isn’t that good. To be perfectly honest, you can start with the second season without losing that much.Report
Oh yea, deff with Jesse on this. The show starts out rought (they got much better writers as it progressed).Report
The 84th Academy Awards got eight nominations. Soon the Emmys will have categories for the previous year’s best Emmy acceptance speech.
Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton both got nominations for best actor in a TV miniseries for playing a Hatfield and a McCoy, respectively. That can’t end well.Report
I still cannot believe that Eastbound and Down did not get nominated in the comedy division for anything.Report