The 2020 Emmy nominations will be announced on July 28. As per annual tradition, I have assembled a Wish List for as many categories as I have something to say about. There is no minimum or maximum number per category, nor is there any strict adherence to official Emmy rules. And of course, there is the necessary caveat that I have not seen everything. Even with much of the country shut down for the past few months, that’s impossible.
Now that I have made my way through the avalanche of award-worth Dramas, Comedies, and Limited Series, it’s time to get a little silly with the Variety shows. And this year, I decided to also talk about Reality, as there are enough competition shows that I plainly love to be able to fill out a ballot.
Conan is my top choice among the talkies, as Mr. O’Brien and company adapted quite naturally to the new reality of at-home production and Zoom interviews. The Soul Train/American Bandstand homage that is Sherman’s Showcase is the easy choice in Sketch Series; seriously folks, you gotta check this show out. And while I don’t always include SNL in the field, it earned a spot this year thanks to the resiliency demonstrated in its at-home episodes.
Moving on to Reality, where my Competition Program picks are dominated by game shows, naturally enough. At the top of the heap is the mini-golf showcase Holey Moley, one of the most purely fun and positive shows on the air right now. And Joe Tessitore and Rob Riggle are the perfect silly/serious M.C. pair to present the whole shebang.
KEY: Bold=My winner
CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot
Variety Talk Series CONAN
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
TV
–Three Busy Debras Series Premiere (March 29 on Adult Swim)
–Beef House Series Premiere (March 29 on Adult Swim) – Tim & Eric’s latest venture.
–Whose Line is it Anyway? Season 16 Premiere – Improv institution returning a little earlier than expected.
Music
-Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia
-Pearl Jam, Gigaton
I started hosting a podcast with my aunt several months ago, and I’ve come to think that I should post my new episodes here so that all my readers can conveniently access them. So below are the first eight episodes of That’s Auntertainment! (as well as five mini-episodes, and one “update” episode).
On the July 8, 2019 episode of Whose Line is it Anyway?, Wayne Brady and Chip Esten performed “Duet” in the style of Cabaret along with special guest Elizabeth Gillies. The topic was “lactation consultant.” The resulting number was so incredible that I just had to record the lyrics for posterity. (And prosperity!)
Wayne: It’s that time
I feel my hormones jumping (Elizabeth and Chip: Jumping) Time to open wide
Get these mammaries pumping (Elizabeth and Chip: Pumping) And now I do not know
The end result
How do I work these?
Who will consult?
Please
Somebody please
Consult me (Elizabeth and Chip: Ooh ooh ooh ooh)
TV
-2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards (June 17 on MTV)
–Whose Line is it Anyway? Season 15 Premiere (June 17 on The CW) – The improv games will never end!
–Alternatino with Arturo Castro Series Premiere (June 18 on Comedy Central)
–The Detour Season 4 Premiere (June 18 on TBS)
–Drunk History Season 6 Midseason Premiere (June 18 on Comedy Central)
-AFI Life Achievement Award: Denzel Washington (June 20 on TNT)
–Holey Moley Series Premiere (June 20 on ABC) – So many Fun & Games.
–Family Food Fight Series Premiere (June 20 on ABC)
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – Rick and Morty
Monday – People of Earth
Tuesday – Difficult People
Wednesday – Jeopardy! (But Honorable Mention to Marlon‘s theme song)
Thursday – Whose Line is it Anyway?
Friday – VICE
Saturday – I’m so ready to Halt and Catch Fire all the time.
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
CREDIT: ABC/Eric McCandless
Sunday – Celebrity Family Feud with its excellent answer of “squirrel”
Monday – Whose Line is it Anyway?, featuring the greatest Bruce Springsteen/Nicki Minaj duet of all time
Tuesday – Jeopardy!
Wednesday – Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Thursday – The Gong Show
Friday – Jeopardy!
Saturday – Orphan Black
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – Twin Peaks
Monday – Whose Line is it Anyway?
Tuesday – Jeopardy!
Wednesday – An especially uproarious Carmichael Show
Thursday – The Gong Show, featuring its best contestant yet!
Friday – A VICE Special Report
Saturday – Orphan Black
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – Twin Peaks (Honorable Mention: Pedro Martinez entering the Bad Family Feud Answer Hall of Fame)
Monday – Whose Line is it Anyway?
Tuesday – Jeopardy!
Wednesday – The Carmichael Show
Thursday – The Gong Show
Friday – VICE
Saturday – What force blew through the Wimbledon Ladies Final?
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – The Night Of
Monday – Angie Tribeca
Tuesday – Whose Line is it Anyway?
Wednesday – Mr. Robot, because Elliot and Angela finally had a chance this season to say that they miss each other
Thursday – Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions Encore Presentation
Friday – The Eric Andre Show
Saturday – Olympics: Katinka Hosszu is my favorite champ so far.
