Jmunney's Blog

The normal Emmys have announced their nominations, and now here are the nominations for the Emmy as awarded by me.  These nominations are preliminary for now, as I may catch up on some shows between now and the presentation of the awards (which will be soon before or soon after the normal Emmys).  Since there are a lot of good shows I don’t watch, I have selected some nominees according to what I have heard from other people about those shows.  These “Reputation” nominees are marked and recognized separate from the shows I actually watch.

Comedy Series
Arrested Development
Bob’s Burgers
Community
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
Louie
The Middle
New Girl
30 Rock
REPUTATION
Enlightened

Lead Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Louis C.K., Louie
Neil Flynn, The Middle
Joel McHale, Community
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Lead Actress in a Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Jane Levy, Suburgatory
Krysten Ritter, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
Dreama Walker, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
REPUTATION
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Will Arnett, Arrested Development
Ike Barinholtz, The Mindy Project
Michael Cera, Arrested Development
David Cross, Arrested Development
Ray Ford, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Jake Johnson, New Girl
Alex Karpovsky, Girls
Ian Patrick, The Neighbors
Danny Pudi, Community
Simon Templeman, The Neighbors

Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Alison Brie, Community
Carly Chaikin, Suburgatory
Eliza Coupe, Happy Endings
Elisha Cuthbert, Happy Endings
Zosia Mamet, Girls
Toks Olagundoye, The Neighbors
Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation
Lucy Punch, Ben and Kate
Alia Shawkat, Arrested Development
Eden Sher, The Middle
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live

Guest Actor in a Comedy
F. Murray Abraham, Louie
Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live
Bill Hader, Portlandia
David Koechner, The Middle
David Lynch, Louie
Bob Odenkirk, The Office
John Slattery, Arrested Development
Fred Willard, Community
Patrick Wilson, Girls

Guest Actress in a Comedy
Isla Fisher, Arrested Development
Brie Larson, Community
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Parker Posey, Louie
Chloë Sevigny, Louie
Jenny Slate, Parks and Recreation
Kristen Wiig, Arrested Development
REPUTATION
Molly Shannon, Enlightened

Drama Series
The Americans
Justified
Mad Men
Orphan Black
Parenthood
REPUTATION
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
Hannibal

Lead Actor in a Drama
Walton Goggins, Justified
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Joshua Jackson, Fringe
Timothy Olyphant, Justified
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
REPUTATION
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Hugh Dancy, Hannibal
Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel
Damian Lewis, Homeland

Lead Actress in a Drama
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Keri Russell, The Americans
REPUTATION
Claire Danes, Homeland
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
Kerry Washington, Scandal

Supporting Actor in a Drama
Max Burkholder, Parenthood
Noah Emmerich, The Americans
Jordan Gavaris, Orphan Black
Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men
John Noble, Fringe
Mike O’Malley, Justified
Kevin Rahm, Mad Men
REPUTATION
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
Michael Cudlitz, Southland
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Corey Stoll, House of Cards

Supporting Actress in a Drama
Adelaide Clemens, Rectify
Annet Mahendru, The Americans
Monica Potter, Parenthood
Emily Bett Rickards, Arrow
Kiernan Shipka, Mad Men
Abigail Spencer, Rectify
Mae Whitman, Parenthood
REPUTATION
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad

Guest Actor in a Drama
Patton Oswalt, Justified
Jere Burns, Justified
Harry Hamlin, Mad Men
Ryan Lauria, Parenthood
REPUTATION
Eddie Izzard, Hannibal

Guest Actress in a Drama
Channing Chase, Mad Men
Linda Cardellini, Mad Men
Margo Martindale, The Americans

Original Music and Lyrics
“Electric Love,” Bob’s Burgers
“The Mad Pooper,” Bob’s Burgers
“Rural Juror,” 30 Rock
“The Thanksgiving Song,” Bob’s Burgers
“That’s an Adventure (Hot Air Balloon),” Community

In picking my biggest Emmy snubs, I am not just considering my own feelings, but the overall buzz surrounding a show or a performer.  I cannot reasonably expect Emmy voters to nominate someone just because I was the only one who thought that actor was great.  But if there’s enough buzz being buzzed by critics and industry insiders along with the buzz that we lowly non-professionals are buzzing, then I feel that voters surely ought to take notice.  Thus, these choices are not necessarily my top picks in these categories.  If my top choice had much less buzz than another worthy choice, then I am angrier with the Emmys regarding the latter.  And when talking about snubs, you have to talk about the actual nominee that you think should be replaced, so I have done that for all of my selections.

(If there’s another egregious snub that I didn’t list here, it’s probably because I don’t watch the show.  Chime in about any other snubs in the comments!)

1. Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black for Lead Actress, Drama – We have all talked enough about how mind-blowing Tatiana Maslany’s multi-character performance is.  She may be on a little-watched show on a little-watched network, but sometimes some performances are so good that they just cannot be ignored.  WHO SHOULD SHE REPLACE? All 7

2. David Lynch, Louie for Guest Actor, Comedy – Was he just too weird for the Emmys?  It’s not like he’s any weirder than the show he was on.  True, though, he was weird in a different way. WHO SHOULD HE REPLACE? Nathan Lane on Modern Family

3. Lily Rabe, American Horror Story: Asylum for Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie – In other AHS: Asylum news, I’m happy that Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson were nominated, but they should really switch categories.  But the best performance this season was provided by Lily Rabe as meek Sister Mary Eunice and the decidedly un-meek demon who possesses her, getting crazier than even how crazy Ryan Murphy could have imagined. WHO SHOULD SHE REPLACE? I can’t fairly say she was more deserving than the performances in this category I didn’t see, but there were only 5 nominees.  I don’t see why there couldn’t have been a 6th.

4. Joel McHale, Community for Lead Actor, Comedy – Despite a down year for Community, Joel McHale may have had his best season thus far. WHO SHOULD HE REPLACE? Matt LeBlanc for Episodes

5. Jake Johnson, New Girl for Lead or Supporting Actor, Comedy – It was The Year of Nick Miller, but somehow the Emmys abandoned New Girl completely. WHO SHOULD HE REPLACE? Since Jake entered in Lead, Don Cheadle, House of Lies (If he had entered in Supporting, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family)

6. Jane Levy, Suburgatory for Lead Actress, Comedy – Her lack of name recognition and her show’s inconsistency probably held her back, but there was nothing inconsistent about her ability to ground the cartoonish trappings of Suburgatory with comedically dramatic chops. WHO SHOULD SHE REPLACE? Actually, though I personally would put Levy ahead of them, all of the nominated ladies probably deserve it.  But there were 7 nominees here last year.  Why not this year?

7. Arrested Development for Best Comedy – I will concede that Arrested Development Season 4 was not as strong as its original run, but we’re not comparing it to itself, we’re comparing it to other shows on now. WHAT SHOULD IT REPLACE? Modern Family!  (But since that’s not going to happen, The Big Bang Theory.)

8. Will Arnett, Arrested Development for Supporting Actor, Comedy – I would personally prefer Michael Cera.  And David Cross and Tony Hale (who opted to only submit for Veep) were great, too.  Jeffrey Tambor isn’t bad either, though the George, Sr. storylines were the weakest links of Season 4.  The point is, if there is a show that actually deserves to dominate the Comedy acting categories the way Modern Family has, it’s Arrested Development.  And Will Arnett is probably the most popular choice to get that going. WHO SHOULD HE REPLACE? Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family

9. Monica Potter, Parenthood for Supporting Actress, Drama – Prognosticators were describing Monica Potter’s cancer arc as shameless Emmy bait, but done really well.  I personally would prefer Mae Whitman (because she’s Mae Whitman), but Potter did nail it. WHO SHOULD SHE REPLACE? I don’t watch most of the shows here, but from what I’ve heard, Christine Baranski hasn’t done all that much special lately on The Good Wife.

10. The Middle for Best Comedy – This is the sort of show that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. WHAT SHOULD IT REPLACE? Modern Family!  The Middle is the weirder, better ABC Wednesday night comedy.

11. Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men for Supporting Actor, Drama – Pete Campbell has always been a slimeball, but Vincent Kartheiser clearly knows how to make him an interesting, even occasionally likable, slimeball. WHO SHOULD HE REPLACE? Actually, nobody.  Everyone in this field is great.  The supporting categories really need more like 10 slots, especially this one.

12. Walton Goggins, Justified for Supporting Actor, Drama – Justified needs more Emmy love.  Goggins might be the best option in that regard. WHO SHOULD HE REPLACE? See above.

EDIT: Here’s a bonus snub I forgot to include on the initial post:
13. Any song from Bob’s Burgers for Original Music and Lyrics – Bob’s Burgers is not a musical in name, but it is in spirit. WHAT SHOULD IT REPLACE? I didn’t watch the Tonys, Smash, or Nashville, so I don’t know how good those songs were, but I’m sure those from Bob’s were better.

-I knew that my easy choice for the best performance of the year –  Tatiana Maslany of Orphan Black – was far from a sure thing, but the way Lead Actress in a Drama was blown up – half of last year’s nominees are gone, a seventh slot was added, three ladies are up in their shows’ first seasons and another in her show’s second season that feels more like a first – suggests the field may have actually been open enough for her to have a chance.  The lesson here is that it helps to be a familiar face.  I would’ve thought, though, that Tatiana’s chances compared favorably to those of Vera Farmiga, who isn’t that big a movie star – and if Emmy voters could turn their dials up to A&E, then I believe in them enough that they can make it up to BBC America.

-Lead Actor in a Comedy is an interesting category.  There are a few really deserving fellows, but overall it’s a light field.  Thankfully, last year’s way too safe winner, Jon Cryer, was left out.  But, seriously, Don Cheadle AND Matt LeBlanc?  I know Joel McHale (still excellent despite a down year for Community) and Neil Flynn (his and his show’s best years yet) were going to be ignored, but they shouldn’t have been.  What about Jake Johnson (even though I think he should have submitted as Supporting)?  New Girl was on Emmy’s radar last year (although this year it got zilch overall).  As long as Don or Matt don’t win, we’re good.  And since Alec and Jim have both won multiple times, let’s spread the wealth around to Louie or Jason.

-The Modern Family stranglehold is weakening!  Only 5 of the 6 adult cast members were nominated!  Interestingly enough, last year’s Supporting Actor winner, Eric Stonestreet was the one left off.  I’ll take that, because it made room for a stranger choice like Adam Driver.  (A lot of great guys were still left out of this field, but progress is progress.)

-No Guest Actor slot for David Lynch?!  The most egregious non-Tatiana Maslany snub of this year.

–Bob’s Burgers up for Outstanding Animated Program is great news, seeing as it had one of the best seasons of an animated series ever.  It deserved more recognition (Original Song several times over, hello!), but at least we know some voters are watching it.

-No Writing or Directing nods for Mad Men?  What is going on?

-Laura Dern for Lead Actress Comedy was the most pleasant surprise.  I’ve only watched Season 1 of Enlightened so far, but I hear Season 2 is even better, so I’m sure Laura is deserving in what remains one of the most unbelievably competitive categories.

-Didn’t we all decide that, despite how great Jane Lynch is, Sue Sylvester stopped being a great character – or really, good at all – after Season 1 of Glee?  Wasn’t that why she was not nominated the past two years?  We could have used the extra seventh Supporting Actress slot for a lot of ladies, but not Sue Sylvester.

-Look, I love Will Forte.  I probably love him more than anyone else.  But you don’t need to keep nominating him for Guest Actor for 30 Rock.  Especially if it means leaving out people like David Lynch for Louie.  Actually, now that I think about it, I love Will Forte.  He deserves all the nominations he can get.

-Does Louis C.K. hold the record for most Emmy nominations ever yet?