Friday, July 29, 2005

I haven't talked about movie castings in awhile but three separate stories caught my attention today:

Nicole Kidman will apparently star in a remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers [insert Tom Cruise joke here, I'm too tired to do it]. Not only will this be the film's third remake (after 1978 and 1993 versions) but it will be Kidman's third remake in three years following this summer's Bewitched and last summer's Stepford Wives, two of her most poorly received films.

Even though my last post was all about how remakes are pointless, and Kidman has an especially bad track record in this area, there is reason to be optimistic. Instead of a middling American director, like Frank Oz or Nora Ephron, this Kidman remake will be directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel who is responsible for German Oscar nominee (and inexplicable IMDb top 250 occupant) Downfall. I haven't seen it, but people who have tell me it's good. When I read the story today I realized he also directed the bizarre German prison flick Das Experiment and I actually interviewed him when that film was released in L.A. He's a cool guy.

Kidman teaming up with a rising foreign director on a genre project has worked before. And isn't the body snatchers saga ripe for retelling given the current political scene?

Politics is sure to play some part in Oliver Stone's upcoming 9/11 project. Exactly how political the movie will be is a good question, especially since Stone is no doubt hoping to reverse some of the career damage done by Alexander. It's already been reported that Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena (what a difference the surprise success of Crash is already making for some actors) will play the leads, two port authority officers trapped in the rubble of the twin towers.

Now two of my personal favorites, Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal, are signing up to play their wives. Maggie's already made two post-9/11 projects (upcoming indie The Great New Wonderful and HBO movie Strip Search) and hasn't been shy about making political comments to the press. I wonder if that will get her into any trouble here. But Stone is a good filmmaker, so hopefully this will be smart work.

In news of a more disconcerting nature, Pena's Crash co-star Ryan Phillippe has signed on to Clint Eastwood's new film, the WWII drama Flags of Our Fathers. Phillippe, often regarded as a wooden actor, will be joined by Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach and Paul Walker. I'm sure they're all very, very thrilled to be working with Eastwood but it's too easy to imagine all of these actors getting lost in colorless miltary roles.

Right now the film has to be of interest primarily as Eastwood's follow-up to Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby. As a director he's on a roll, but can he turn out three great films in a row? His erratic track record suggests otherwise.

Monday, July 25, 2005

Haven't I seen this before?

Back-to-back viewings of Bad News Bears and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this weekend proved that my pre-summer anticipation of both titles was unfortunately undeserved.

It's not that either movie is terrible, they're both decent enough diversions. But it's hard to justify the existence of either one considering perfectly good versions of the exact same stories already exist and the talented directors behind these projects have already covered similar cinematic ground. And covered it well.

Bears has one thing going for it: Billy Bob Thornton. He's funny, he makes his character's softer moments entirely credible and he makes the movie seem a lot better than it is. Unfortunately the kids are no match for him. They're alternately obnoxious, annoying or dull with only a few exceptions. There's little of value for supporting players Greg Kinnear and Marcia Gay Harden to do. The movie has its moments but if you've already seen Thornton's Bad Santa, director Richard Linklater's School of Rock or the original 1976 Bad News Bears then you've already seen the real deal. Don't settle for a pale imitation.

On its own, Bears does kind of work as a modest underdogs-have-their-day story, but that tale is so commonplace that I was a little more fond of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Even if it also ultimately fails it's more ambitious and contains more individual moments of greatness.

Things start off quite well and director Tim Burton seems to be in top form. The story moves along at a brisk pace, the characters are introduced in quick and compelling ways and the visual look is consistently dazzling. As long as the movie belongs to Charlie (well played by Finding Neverland's Freddie Highmore) it works. But once Charlie enters the Chocolate Factory (and Willy Wonka comes into play) the movie loses its focus and becomes a rapid succession of events with little or no emotional context.

Burton has gone on record saying he hates the 1971 film version (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) and his "remake" rarely feels like it's mimicking, let alone paying tribute to, its predecessor. In many ways it's as different as it can be while still hitting all the same story points. That might have been a good thing, but unfortunately Burton somehow misses much of the fun and magic present in the first film.

It's obvious that the character Burton is most interested in is Willy Wonka (odd, considering this film retains Roald Dahl's original title yet is less focused on Charlie than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was). But the attention paid to Wonka, especially his backstory, comes at the expense of the kids. The movie essentially ignores each child unless it's time for his or her "elimination" and consequently gets stuck in a dull cycle: obnoxious brat is done in by a significant character flaw, cue elaborate Oompa Loompa musical number, repeat. Little Charlie is completely lost in the process.

The movie did win me back slightly with its sentimental last act. But the Wonka storyline ultimately feels like second-rate Edward Scissorhands, and again we have a remake that not only suffers in comparison to its predecessor but also fails to match a previous work by the filmmaker.

Most remakes are depressingly futile ventures, but when directors turn out final products that only remind us of better movies they've already made the time wasted on a remake feels even more unnecessary.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Disaster at the box office

All summer long box office reports have focused primarily on a "slump" which some people believe is serious, others believe is no big deal (year-to-date grosses are down over last year but they're up over two years ago; part of the problem is last year had three movies that hit the all time top ten: Passion of the Christ, Spider-Man 2 and Shrek 2; this year has only had Star Wars). At any rate it gets people thinking about issues like the importance of DVD and the quality of major studio releases.

All of this is a preamble to saying the discussion is about to come back in full force thanks to one massive underperformer. The Island (which I have not yet seen) opened to $4.4 million on Friday meaning it will do about $12-13 million for the weekend.

Anyone who follows box office knows that's an awfully low number, especially for a major studio (DreamWorks) PG-13-rated sci-fi action tentpole from a director (Michael Bay) with a track record of major hits. A movie like that should make $12 million in its first day, not its first three. People who write about this stuff are going to have a field day (bring on the disastrous headlines! "Bay Bombs!" "Island Sinks!").

This summer has seen a significant number of underperformers including Cinderella Man, Kingdom of Heaven, House of Wax and Dark Water (other, smaller, outright flops include The Honeymooners, Land of the Dead and The Perfect Man). To put The Island's misfortune into perspective with those: Cinderella Man made $18.3 million in its first weekend, Kingdom of Heaven opened with $19.6 million, House of Wax opened to $12 million and Dark Water opened to $9.9 million.

That puts The Island in House of Wax territory. But Wax was a relatively cheap investment at $40 million and was aimed specifically at the teen market. DreamWorks spent well over $100 million on The Island (although they shared some expenses with Warner Bros.) and it was their major live action event this summer.

Current domestic gross for House of Wax: $32 million (and it's not going to get much higher than that). If The Island limps to a final gross in that area it will inevitably enter the pantheon of all-time disasters alongside distinguished titles like Heaven's Gate, Howard the Duck, Ishtar, Cutthroat Island and Gigli.

Up to this point DreamWorks has had an ok summer. They opened Madagascar in May to decent numbers (more Shark Tale than Shrek but not embarrassing) and they have a hand in War of the Worlds but not as much as Paramount does. Their only other release this summer is the modest airplane thriller Red Eye starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy. But that movie now has a real chance of making more money than their major release. DreamWorks has been notoriously cautious about expensive projects like The Island and the studio is likely to remember that as they lick their wounds in the months to come.

I don't know who will take most of the blame here but I'd guess much of it will fall on the film's stars, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. They're both recognized as talented performers but have no meaningful box office track record (other than McGregor's involvement in the new Star Wars trilogy). They will survive this but now whenever either one is under consideration for a major project the phrase "good actor but not a star" is sure to come up.

Bay will survive too, and he'll have easier access to expensive projects than either of the actors will, due mostly to his aforementioned track record (he just won't have access to them at DreamWorks). But this is still a major blow, especially for a director who claims he doesn't care that his films always receive terrible reviews as long as they do well at the box office.

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Emmy reactions

Another year, another list of Emmy nominees. I've got a lot to say, so I'm just going to get started. (If you need to catch up, check out the full list or just the key categories.)

As usual, "It's Not TV It's HBO" scored by far the most of any network with 93 nominations (even if that's 31 less than last season). CBS followed with 59.

The most nominated programs were a thoroughly mediocre HBO original movie that tried to be cool (The Life and Death of Peter Sellers) and a very good HBO original movie that was old fashioned but worked well (Warm Springs). Both earned 16 nominations, only one short of the most nominated TV movie of all time (1977's Eleanor and Franklin, about the Roosevelts, who are also the focus of Warm Springs).

Right behind them were two comedies. The 15 nominations for Desperate Housewives couldn't have surprised anyone (but where are Eva Longoria and Nicolette Sheridan? Do Emmy voters disapprove of their promiscuous ways?). Somehow Will & Grace, yes tired old Will & Grace, got more nominations than it ever has before and tied Housewives' 15.

Maybe the 15 noms for Housewives and Will, the 13 noms for Everybody Loves Raymond's final season (which ties its previous Emmy high) and the 11 noms for Arrested Development (four more than last season) are actually a reflection of the weak state of television comedy. More nominations went to fewer shows, because there are fewer shows to even consider. (For the record: Friends spinoff Joey? Zero nominations.)

Oddly the drama competition, which in recent years has seen heavy hitters like NYPD Blue, ER, Six Feet Under and The West Wing score 20-plus noms, didn't have a breakaway contender. Lost took the most with 12 but the show's ensemble cast only managed two nominations (an expected one for Terry O'Quinn and the pleasantly surprising one for Naveen Andrews) and that kept its overall tally in check.

Other surprises/notable noms:

HBO's The Wire scored its first nomination ever, in the drama writing category. TV critics adore this show but it's never made a dent with the Emmys. Now it has, and the disconnect between the critical praise and Emmy attention is even weirder for it.

Showtime's Huff landed seven nominations, two more than Six Feet Under which the Showtime show is a rather pale imitation of. It's understandable that the excellent performances of Oliver Platt and Blythe Danner were recognized, and other categories (like opening titles and theme music) make sense as well. Why exactly underwhelming series star Hank Azaria was included (at the expense of people like Denis Leary, Michael C. Hall and Michael Chiklis) is a baffling question. I guess it's worth noting that Azaria is something of an Emmy favorite having won four previous awards (three alone for his Simpsons voice work).

Speaking of Blythe Danner, the Emmys crowned her TV's unofficial MVP of last season. She scored three noms covering all possible TV acting bases. In addition to supporting actress in a drama series for Huff, she was nominated for her guest work on comedy Will & Grace and as a lead actress in the TV movie Back When We Were Grownups. I wouldn't necessarily peg her as the frontrunner in any of those categories but I wouldn't count her out in any of them either. Her best shot may actually be for Huff. (Incidentally, Holland Taylor received a nomination for her supporting work on Two and a Half Men, a role which Danner played in the show's original pilot.)

Danner's work on Huff is in direct competition with C.C.H. Pounder from The Shield, one of this year's best surprise nominations. After four seasons it looked like Pounder's work might go overlooked for good but she joins Glenn Close, who scored an expected lead actress nom, in representing the outstanding FX drama in this year's awards after it was unfairly shut out completely last year.

Also in drama supporting actress, Sandra Oh scored one of the few nominations for bewildering midseason success Grey's Anatomy. The show bores me to tears so I can't speak to her work on it, but I'm curious if feeble minded Emmy voters got their outstanding Asian actresses all mixed up and thought they were voting for Lost's Korean standout Sunjin Kim instead.

Or maybe not, since they insisted on nominating both Stockard Channing and Tyne Daly in the category as they have every year since 2000. Completely overlooked? Any of the supporting actresses of Deadwood.

By the way, how exactly did Deadwood only score one acting nomination? This should've been a breakthrough year for the show but instead it only managed to match last season's 11 nominations despite turning up in the higher profile categories best drama series and best drama actor. I don't see that as a very good sign of support for the show and it looks like the drama trophy is Lost's to lose (unless voters get sentimental and finally give it to 24 in their grand tradition of awarding shows late).

Not all of this year's omissions were unwelcome. I think Allison Janney is a very talented actress but five nominations, and four wins, for her work on The West Wing is more than enough. The fact that Medium star Patricia Arquette is in the lead actress category and Janney isn't is slightly unsettling but at least there's some new blood.

On the comedy side HBO had its first season without a comedy series nominee since before the days of Larry Sanders. It's nice to see the network's Entourage wasn't included by default, and also that CBS' Two and a Half Men still has to prove itself by some other standard than Nielsen ratings.

The wildcard nominee turned out to be Scrubs. I've never been a fan of the quirky NBC comedy but it's been a critical favorite for four seasons now, so it's hard to begrudge the show its first ever comedy series nomination.

Besides the omissions of Longoria and Sheridan (in their "places" were Malcolm in the Middle's five-time loser Jane Kaczmarek and Two and a Half Men's other supporting actress, Conchetta Farrell), there were no surprises in the comedy acting categories. But, even if it was expected, it's great to see Jessica Walter and Jason Bateman actually get nominations for Arrested Development.

Beyond the big categories, it's nice to see:
-two nominations for BBC America's The Office Christmas Special, including the big TV-movie category!
-Ossie Davis nominated for his powerful guest work on The L Word (but where are guest actresses Lena Olin of Alias and Vanessa Redgrave of Nip/Tuck?)
-Saturday Night Live nearly shut out; its one nomination this year, for technical direction, is its lowest tally since 1998
-Mark Burnett's beloved Contender knocked out of the Reality Competition category by lightweight Project Runway (ha!)
-five good nominees in the Variety/Music/Comedy Series category: Da Ali G Show, The Daily Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Late Show with David Letterman and Real Time with Bill Maher

But even when the Emmys make good choices there are still those nominations that are so baffling, stupid and downright ugly that it hurts your brain to even think about them.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno was only nominated for one Emmy this year, its lowest tally since 1992. And that should be a good thing. But that one nomination went to Jay Leno himself for "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music" program. He's the only host besides Jon Stewart nominated in the category. Yes, the worst talkshow host on all of television has been deemed an "outstanding" contender by Emmy voters.

Hooray for Emmys.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Emmys: Best Series

Best Comedy Series

My picks: Arrested Development, Desperate Housewives, Gilmore Girls, The Bernie Mac Show, Unscripted

As I've mentioned in several previous posts this was not a strong season for comedy. It was so weak that even the extremely uneven Americanized take on immediate British classic The Office was widely viewed as one of the season's strongest comedies.

At least Arrested Development was back for a second season. There isn't a funnier show on television.

Joining Arrested at the top of the season's comedy class are two hour long shows. Plenty will argue that Desperate Housewives is a drama, and it is, but it's also consistently funny and embraces one of the widest range of comic styles on television: from satire and dark humor to slapstick and innuendo. Gilmore Girls also has its share of dramatic moments but clearly belongs here. Too bad the show has never received proper credit from awards groups for its quick wit, intelligence and rich characters.

Arrested and Housewives are the frontrunners for Emmy attention, while Gilmore seems forever destined to be ignored for no good reason. Instead the Emmy voters are expected to include the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond (which is fine, since the show never really got any better or worse with age, it always just was what it was). That's where the valid choices end and the likes of Will & Grace, Entourage and Two and a Half Men begin.

Personally I'll take two shows not even on the Emmy radar: Fox's family comedy with an edge, The Bernie Mac Show, and HBO's undervalued verite look at struggling actors in L.A., Unscripted.

Best Drama Series

My picks: Deadwood, The Shield, Six Feet Under, Lost, Rescue Me

There's little doubt cable has greatly improved television drama. By allowing shows to flourish without demanding they deliver mass audiences, or conform to restrictive content standards, cable has forever altered what is possible on television. Some of last season's most remarkable drama occurred on two of television's most exciting networks: HBO, with Deadwood and Six Feet Under, and FX, with The Shield and Rescue Me. (Also praiseworthy for its originality was Showtime's The L Word; while HBO's The Wire and Sci Fi's Battlestar Galactica had their share of passionate devotees and are on my list of shows to catch up with in the future.)

Proving broadcast television can occasionally deliver a show on par with the best of cable, ABC's Lost became a well deserved sensation and it earns a place on my list for the same reasons the other series do.

To watch these five shows is to experience a makeshift community taking shape amidst the lawlessness of the Old West; cops playing both sides of the law on the streets of modern day Los Angeles; firefighters dealing with issues of masculinity and morality in a post-9/11 New York; a close-knit family struggling with the painful, joyous experiences of being alive; and a disparate group of strangers finding themselves at the mercy of a mysterious island that both unites and divides them.

Separately and together they represent the best of what television is capable of. The level of storytelling, the exploration of complex characters, the rich environments, the unique points of view. These series have it all.

When it comes time to celebrate artistic excellence they're all worth remembering.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Emmys: Best Actor

Best Actor (Comedy)

My picks: Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Taye Diggs (Kevin Hill), Bernie Mac (The Bernie Mac Show), Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond), Kevin Connolly (Entourage)

The weakest category of the ten I'm considering, I struggled to get even five picks here. However, that means no disrespect to Jason Bateman who has rightfully earned considerable praise as the most down to earth of the wacky Bluth family on Arrested Development. Yes, the star of Teen Wolf Too and The Hogan Family has finally found the perfect outlet for his comic skills.

Unfortunately he wins over very little competition. Taye Diggs consistently made Kevin Hill feel like more than it really was, his charm and comedic talents were put to good use by the lightweight legal dramedy.

Beyond Bateman and Diggs I'd go with a pair of old-reliables: Bernie Mac still has the freshest family sitcom on TV and as a comic performer he's always worth watching, while Ray Romano fits the bill when I'm looking for someone, anyone else to put into a slot (at least he fits it better than Matt LeBlanc for the mediocre spinoff Joey and Will & Grace's Eric McCormack who, like his show, has his best days behind him). Rounding it out is Kevin Connolly, one of the least annoying cast members of Entourage. Praiseworthy enough since his performance helped me get through the show's hit-and-mostly-miss 8-episode debut season.

Along with obvious nominees Bateman and Romano the expected nominees include Tony Shalhoub for Monk (which I never watch), Zach Braff (which would be a first, for Scrubs) and either McCormack or Charlie Sheen from TV's new No. 1 sitcom, Two and a Half Men.

Best Actor (Drama)

My picks: Ian McShane (Deadwood), Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under), Denis Leary (Rescue Me), Michael Chiklis (The Shield), Peter Krause (Six Feet Under), Matthew Fox (Lost), Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood), Kiefer Sutherland (24)

Now this is more like it. Along with my picks, each one of whom is at least an underdog contender, this category is overflowing with solid potential nominees.

Topping the list is Ian McShane as Deadwood's cunning centerpiece Al Swearengen. Al runs the town behind the scenes simply by being smarter than anyone else and McShane's mesmerizing performance hit marvelous new heights this season. I'm not sure anyone else could make kidney stones such compelling television.

Coming awfully close to McShane's brilliance were Michael C. Hall who had possibly his best season ever as Six Feet Under's eternally tormented David Fisher and Denis Leary who helped create one of the season's most complex new characters and shows, screwed up firefighter Tommy Gavin on Rescue Me (which Leary also produces and writes for).

Michael Chiklis continued his fine work as detective/pit bull Vic Mackey on The Shield; Peter Krause's Nate Fisher spent a season putting himself back together after falling apart in spectacular fashion on Six Feet Under; Matthew Fox rescued himself from TV obscurity in high style as Lost's trusted leader Jack; Timothy Olyphant found himself somewhat overshadowed by his Deadwood co-star McShane but still turned in solid work, especially in regard to the tragic loss suffered by his character, Sheriff Seth Bullock; and Kiefer Sutherland is surprisingly still relevant after four seasons of 24, his performance remains far more consistent than the show's storylines.

In addition to the fine work of all of these actors others frequently mentioned for Emmy attention include: Hugh Laurie who has built up a rabid cult-like following after one season of House; James Spader, who won last year for The Practice and spun the character off to Boston Legal; Anthony LaPaglia, nominated in the past for Without a Trace; and maybe, but probably not, The West Wing's Martin Sheen who spent his final season as the President.

Emmys: Best Actress

Best Actress (Comedy)

My picks: Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives), Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives), Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives), Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives), Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls)

Six strong contenders from just two shows. Thank god for Desperate Housewives (and its producers who risked angering many in the industry by submitting the impossible-to-categorize show as a comedy for awards consideration).

Housewives is an ensemble effort but if one person had to be singled out from the sterling first season it would be the formerly washed-up Teri Hatcher. Yes her work as Susan Mayer required more than her fair share of pratfalls but the character's klutziness and propensity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time were only part of an overall creation that helped to anchor the relentlessly genre-hopping show.

The best compliment I can give Hatcher is that I've selected her over Lauren Graham whose sharp delivery of the abundance of witty, rapid-fire dialogue on Gilmore Girls remains one of that show's key selling points. And just as the show had one of its finest seasons, so did Graham (the fact she's never been nominated for an Emmy is insane; anyone who has ever had the chance to nominate her and hasn't is an idiot).

The only suitable competition for both women is their own co-stars. Among the Housewives, Eva Longoria's naughty Gabrielle Solis blossomed as the season progressed, some of the show's funniest material went to Longoria and she demonstrated considerable comic skill; Marcia Cross had one of the show's biggest breakout characters in uptight control freak Bree van de Kamp; and although I think Felicity Huffman had the least impressive storylines as stressed out stay at home mom Lynette Scavo she never came close to being a weak link, thanks in part to the actress' considerable talent. On Gilmore, Alexis Bledel had another strong season as wide-eyed Rory Gilmore and got to be a little more daring than usual.

Since the Emmys refuse to acknowledge the existence of Gilmore this category will be filled with Housewives, joined by one or two previous nominees: Everybody Loves Raymond's Patricia Heaton and Will & Grace's Debra Messing.

Best Actress (Drama)

My picks: Glenn Close (The Shield), Jennifer Beals (The L Word), Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under), Molly Parker (Deadwood), Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia), Jennifer Garner (Alias)

One of the television season's most exciting performances came from Glenn Close in her first series regular role on gritty FX cop drama The Shield. It's hard to imagine Close could've picked a better show to join. The Shield's riveting explorations of complex characters were a perfect fit with her well established skills as an actress. As Captain Monica Rowling, the Oscar nominee was seamlessly woven into the fabric of the four year old drama and became a vital part of the season.

Although she wasn't a new arrival to her show Jennifer Beals managed to surprise anyway. Going far beyond the promise she displayed in her first season as Bette Porter on Showtime's The L Word, Beals navigated a tricky season of emotional breakdowns with a complex portrayal that few would've truly expected from the former Flashdance star.

Cable TV was very good to women this year as the performances delivered on HBO by Lauren Ambrose, Frances Conroy and Molly Parker all prove (if I valued individual episodes over entire seasons I'd also include Joely Richardson of FX's Nip/Tuck and, if the series was better written, Paget Brewster from Showtime's Huff).

Amber Tamblyn continued to be the best thing about Joan of Arcadia, even if the show got cancelled, and Jennifer Garner didn't let potential movie stardom deter her from another strong season on Alias. And if I'd seen more than two episodes of Veronica Mars I suspect I'd be including series star Kristen Bell here as well, but I'll catch up with that show on DVD.

Close and Conroy are likely to be nominated, as is Garner and maybe Parker. Ambrose is up for consideration in the supporting category (due, it seems, to her age and not her actual importance on the show), but her co-star Rachel Griffiths has an outside chance here. The West Wing's Allison Janney turns up here consistently and Law & Order: SVU's Mariska Hargitay has become a default nominee lately, although maybe she can be pushed out this year.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Emmys: Best Supporting Actress

Supporting Actress (Comedy)

My picks: Kelly Bishop (Gilmore Girls), Jessica Walter (Arrested Development), Nicolette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives), Christina Hendricks (Kevin Hill), Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development), Rachael Harris (Fat Actress)

I could basically narrow this category down to three contenders: Jessica Walter is currently giving television's funniest female performance as Arrested Development's acid-tongued alcoholic matriarch Lucille Bluth (like her TV son Will Arnett she should've won an Emmy last year, but wasn't nominated); Nicolette Sheridan was one of last season's biggest surprises, wringing every laugh out of her role, and occasionally upstaging the stars, as neighborhood slut Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives; and, best of all, Gilmore Girls' Kelly Bishop who has played the conniving but terribly well-mannered Emily Gilmore for five seasons now and recently finished her best season yet with memorable storylines including a separation from her husband and an attempt to break-up her daughter's relationship.

I've rounded out my picks with three actresses who made the most of lesser material (a stronger case could've been made for Arrested's Portia de Rossi last season). If I had seen more of the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond I may have included Doris Roberts who is sure to pick up an Emmy nom, as will Will & Grace vet Megan Mullally. I think Walter and Sheridan will join them along with a possible surprise nominee. Depending on their category placement recurring guest stars Harriet Sansom Harris (Desperate Housewives' Felicia Tilman) and Debi Mazar (Entourage publicist Shauna) also merit consideration here.

Supporting Actress (Drama)

My picks: Robin Weigert (Deadwood), Paula Malcolmson (Deadwood), C.C.H. Pounder (The Shield), Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under), Justina Machado (Six Feet Under), Sunjin Kim (Lost), Shohreh Aghdashloo (24), Kim Dickens (Deadwood), Sarah Paulson (Deadwood), Laurel Holloman (The L Word)

To anyone who's never seen the gritty Western Deadwood, the show may appear to be a man's world. But for anyone who has seen it, it's impossible to miss some of television's most intriguing and multi-layered female characters. Topping that list are Robin Weigert's drunken, foul-mouthed Calamity Jane and Paula Malcolmson's foul-mouthed, well-intentioned prostitute Trixie. It's difficult to say which one was better this season, both of them command undivided attention as soon as they enter a scene.

Over at The Shield, C.C.H. Pounder continues to provide the moral center to a corrupt world as Detective Claudette Wyms (and this season had to tangle with a new female captain, a job she nearly had), while Six Feet Under's Rachel Griffiths (Brenda) and Justina Machado (Vanessa) weathered rocky relationship waters.

Essential newcomers last season were Sunjin Kim as Lost's Korean desperate housewife Sun (her showcase episodes House of the Rising Sun and ... In Translation were phenomenal) and Shohreh Aghdashloo in the too-brief role of Dina Araz, a mother first and terrorist second, on 24 (it was her work and storyline that was essential to the success of the season, once she left the show never completely recovered). Two other actresses, Huff's Blythe Danner and Rescue Me's Diane Farr, delivered especially strong work but were hampered by uneven writing and a late-in-the-season introduction respectively.

Weigert, Malcolmson, Aghdashloo and even Kim have good shots at nominations. Pounder unfortunately is an underdog while Griffiths usually submits in the lead category (deserving co-star Lauren Ambrose usually submits supporting). Hopefully this category will see an infusion of new blood and familiar faces like West Wing's Stockard Channing and Janel Maloney and Judging Amy's Tyne Daly will politely be left out.

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Emmys: Best Supporting Actor

With Emmy nominations only five days away I'm going to rehash the 2004-05 TV season with my own picks for the best performances and shows in ten different Emmy categories.

The Emmys generally limit their nominations at five, but I've put no real restriction on my picks other than who or what I feel is most deserving.

You'll see a lot of the same shows turning up in several categories. Just as the Emmys have their own biases, and favorite shows, I have mine. But I wouldn't be surprised if I watched more shows last season than the average Emmy voter.

Supporting Actor (Comedy)

My picks: Michael Cera (Arrested Development), Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Tony Hale (Arrested Development), Scott Patterson (Gilmore Girls), Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development), David Cross (Arrested Development), Jeremy Piven (Entourage), Edward Herrmann (Gilmore Girls)

The comedy arena overall was weak this year but just because I've included five actors from the same show shouldn't be seen as an indication that this a weak field. Arrested Development has one of the finest ensemble casts on television period and that's due in no small part to its supporting actors.

Will Arnett's Gob continues to be a standout and hopefully he'll earn his first Emmy nomination this year (he should've won last year, but wasn't even nominated). However, my personal favorite this season was the cast's youngest actor, Michael Cera, who turned his character, George Michael, into one of the funniest and most endearing dorks in TV history. It's notoriously difficult for young actors to garner Emmy attention but Cera deserves it (his finest half hour probably came in the episode The Immaculate Election when he runs for student council president).

Of my picks only Tambor, Arnett and Entourage standout Piven seem to have a genuine chance at nominations. Likely nominees in this category include usual Emmy suspects Brad Garrett, Peter Boyle and Sean Hayes.

Supporting Actor (Drama)

My picks: Terry O'Quinn (Lost), Anthony Anderson (The Shield), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under), Jay Karnes (The Shield), Powers Boothe (Deadwood), James Cromwell (Six Feet Under), Naveen Andrews (Lost), Garrett Dillahunt (Deadwood), Oliver Platt (Huff), William Sanderson (Deadwood)

Like most drama contests this year supporting actor is a richer, deeper category than its comedy counterpart. But again my top contenders come from some of the shows that I thought were among the best of the season.

Terry O'Quinn's portrayal of Lost's ambiguous John Locke made for one of the television season's most intriguing new characters. Not far behind him was "reformed" gangbanger Antwon Mitchell, played with an unsettling amount of cool menace by comedian Anthony Anderson on The Shield.

Being bad was also good for Deadwood's Powers Boothe (saloon proprietor Cy Tolliver) and Garrett Dillahunt (psychotic new arrival Francis Wolcott).

As his character's marriage hit the rocks on Six Feet Under Freddy Rodriguez delivered his finest work yet and James Cromwell made for a perfectly unbalanced addition to the show's cast.

Amongst all this insanity it's important not to forget Lost's Naveen Andrews (Sayid) and especially The Shield's Jay Karnes (Dutch) who remained compelling in good guy roles.

Who will actually be nominated is hard to call but O'Quinn seems to have an excellent shot. Boothe, Rodriguez and Cromwell could turn up, as could past Deadwood nominee Brad Dourif. New West Wing additions Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits also seem to be in the mix along with Boston Legal's William Shatner (whose work I wish I had seen a little more of) and Alias' always-nominated Victor Garber (who did some very strong work despite an uneven season creatively).